What Is a Brownstone? A Red-Hot Commodity in Real Estate—Here’s Why MABA Massachusetts RealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers

A brownstone is a building made from, well, brownstone—a dark sandstone quarried primarily from New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maine. Since this stone is soft (at least as far as stones go) and easy to carve, it lends itself to ornate ornamentation that makes these homes highly sought-after real estate today.

Brownstone is typically found in three- to four-story row houses in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and other Northeastern cities. In addition to elaborate moldings, pediments, and other details, they typically have a stoop, with steps up to an elevated front door, where people can sit and fraternize with neighbors passing by.

Brownstones are among the most recognizable American architectural icons around, particularly if you’re viewing movies set in the Big Apple. Holly Golightly sang “Moon River” from the window of a brownstone in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”; Carrie Bradshaw tripped up and down the stoop of one in “Sex and the City.” While those brownstones were in Manhattan, Brooklyn-based brownstones also abound in movies such as “Moonstruck” and Spike Lee‘s “Crooklyn.” (Incidentally, the “Crooklyn” brownstone sold for $1.7 million in 2013, and would probably go for much more today.)

Why brownstone homes are a hot commodity

Brownstone became popular as a building material in the mid 1800s as a more affordable alternative to limestone, granite, and marble. Today, most of the brownstone quarries are spent, according to Jack Pontes, a master craftsman, conservator, and owner of J. Pontes Brownstone Restoration. As such, brownstone is incredibly difficult to find now, which makes these homes all the more valuable; many also boast historic or landmark status.

“In the better Brooklyn neighborhoods, you’d be hard-pressed to find a brownstone for under $2 million,” says Lesley Semmelhack, an associate broker with the Corcoran Group. “It’s the ultimate real estate asset. You know you’re sitting on something very special and very valuable.”

Due to the popularity of brownstones, many buildings are called brownstones that actually aren’t. Most of these imposters mimic the architecture—like the stoop—but have facades made of regular red or yellowish brick. True brownstones have that characteristic brown or pinkish-brown sandstone facade. (The sides and back of the house may be made of regular brick—but as long as the front is brownstone, you’re fine!)

Brownstone maintenance

Brownstone may be beautiful, but this sandstone’s porous and layered texture makes it vulnerable to the elements. Freezing and thawing, salts, and air pollution erode it over time. Restoring and repairing it can be costly, especially when it’s done right. A cheap, quick patching job can be painfully obvious.

Owners can slow the decay if they maintain their buildings carefully. The New York Landmarks Conservancy recommends clearing gutters, repairing roof leaks, removing climbing ivy, filling open joints, protecting ledges and other projections with metal (flashing), repairing missing mortar joints (repointing), and cleaning carefully.

The lack of brownstone in quarries also poses a challenge to brownstone owners who want to restore their facades. You can’t just patch damaged areas with new brownstone. And even if you could, the stone varies in hue depending on which quarry it came from.

When Pontes restores brownstones, he crushes some original brownstone and mixes an aggregate with cement and tints it to match. He says original brownstone can often be found at demolition sites, buried under the sidewalk. He collects this whenever possible and saves it to use for restoration projects.

Pros and cons of owning a brownstone

So is it worth it to own a brownstone? “It’s always a bonus because they were built with such quality construction,” says Pontes.

Craftsmen of the era were all highly trained, and it shows in the stonework. So while a homeowner might have to do some restoration work, the structural quality of the building is top-notch.

“This makes the property unique,” Pontes says. “It’s a good value for the long run.” He compares it to owning a diamond or other precious gem: “You can always polish a diamond, and it will retain its value.”

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First Time Home Buying in Massachusetts

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