Numb1075
ONE love, blood, life
People are going out on a limb for housing in Brooklyn.
Williamsburg sculptor Adam Dougherty put his South Fifth St. backyard tree house up for rent as a gag - but learned that in Brooklyn's sky-high real estate market, it was no joke.
Since last Saturday, the Craigslist.com posting has drawn more than 30 prospective buyers, renters and vacationers - even though Dougherty never had any intention of branching out into property transactions.
"I thought people would immediately take this as a joke, that it would get flagged," said Dougherty, 29. "But the sincerity of some of these people!"
"I can't blame 'em," he added. "I mean, $150 for a place to stay in New York? That sounds like a dream."
It was no dream to Gabriel, a "young artist currently sleeping in my van."
"I'd be up for a summer of sleeping outdoors," he e-mailed Dougherty.
Then there was Ryan, who figured out there probably wasn't any running water in the tree house and typed this question: "If I need to, can I shower at your house?"
Although the ad said only "$150 - Tree House," most who responded assumed the dollar figure was either for a weekend stay or the actual sale price, Dougherty said.
The year-old pinewood triangular house hovers 23 feet over Brooklyn, and fits up to 17 people at once, he said.
The 12-by-12-by-10-foot shelter is empty, except for a light hooked up to a 23-foot extension cord that runs down to his apartment.
Tree houses are "sort of nostalgic," said Dougherty, who occasionally takes his girlfriend up for a rendezvous. "They're to escape your parents, or for your friends to talk about dirty things. This is my way to escape and sort of return to my childhood."
Aptsandlofts.com President David Maundrell said Williamsburg real estate continues to go through the roof - so cheaper alternatives aren't such a bad idea.
"It's summer so you don't need to be inside. There's no utilities to worry about, and since its high up it's like a penthouse," Maundrell said. "That's not bad at all."
Williamsburg sculptor Adam Dougherty put his South Fifth St. backyard tree house up for rent as a gag - but learned that in Brooklyn's sky-high real estate market, it was no joke.
Since last Saturday, the Craigslist.com posting has drawn more than 30 prospective buyers, renters and vacationers - even though Dougherty never had any intention of branching out into property transactions.
"I thought people would immediately take this as a joke, that it would get flagged," said Dougherty, 29. "But the sincerity of some of these people!"
"I can't blame 'em," he added. "I mean, $150 for a place to stay in New York? That sounds like a dream."
It was no dream to Gabriel, a "young artist currently sleeping in my van."
"I'd be up for a summer of sleeping outdoors," he e-mailed Dougherty.
Then there was Ryan, who figured out there probably wasn't any running water in the tree house and typed this question: "If I need to, can I shower at your house?"
Although the ad said only "$150 - Tree House," most who responded assumed the dollar figure was either for a weekend stay or the actual sale price, Dougherty said.
The year-old pinewood triangular house hovers 23 feet over Brooklyn, and fits up to 17 people at once, he said.
The 12-by-12-by-10-foot shelter is empty, except for a light hooked up to a 23-foot extension cord that runs down to his apartment.
Tree houses are "sort of nostalgic," said Dougherty, who occasionally takes his girlfriend up for a rendezvous. "They're to escape your parents, or for your friends to talk about dirty things. This is my way to escape and sort of return to my childhood."
Aptsandlofts.com President David Maundrell said Williamsburg real estate continues to go through the roof - so cheaper alternatives aren't such a bad idea.
"It's summer so you don't need to be inside. There's no utilities to worry about, and since its high up it's like a penthouse," Maundrell said. "That's not bad at all."
it would be interesting living a tree house. Rather comical though that people have actually taken this seriously 
