Best under $1M for the Wilsons: Verdict

Let’s examine the narrowed field for Best Under $1 Million in 10002 for the Wilsons—a growing family of three who love the Lower East Side and want to call it home for the long term.

• 575 Grand St #E605 — $999,000 ($799/sq ft)

• 570 Grand St #H405 — $995,000 ($765/sq ft)

• 210 East Broadway #H1401 — $950,000 ($883/sq ft)

• 291 Cherry St #B1 — $995,000 ($1,004/sq ft)

• 577 Grand St #F504 — $850,000 ($850/sq ft)

Before we reveal, let’s look at a metric we can’t always rely on: price per square foot.

As two of the property types are cooperatives—which don’t rely on (or share) true square footage as a value metric—we don’t always have (or trust) the numbers shown, unless we’ve had the unit appraised.

By the numbers, our top pick should be 570 Grand St #H405. It’s $30+ per sq ft less than a very similar layout (and condition) to 575 Grand St #E605. However, while #405 is listed at 1,250 sq ft and #605 at 1,300 sq ft, the layouts are nearly identical—except #405 is closer to the Williamsburg Bridge, making it slightly more susceptible to noise (unless the windows are soundproofed).

So where does that leave us?

Top Pick for the Wilsons: 577 Grand St #F504

Why? It meets our high-level criteria:

Purchase Budget — Safely under
Monthly Budget — ~$6,052/mo
Location — Grand Street & Madison Street
Space — 2BR, 1BA, ~1,000 sq ft

Wait, what?!

Yes, I’m recommending to this family of three that they select a unit that is 250–300 sq ft smaller—with one less bedroom—than 570 Grand St #H405 and 575 Grand St #E605.

Why?

This layout features a massive, three-paned window that overlooks a courtyard where lil’ Wilson can play with other kids. It appears to be the most move-in ready—something that can only be verified with an actual site visit—and has two large bedrooms, one of which can be shared by two kids comfortably if the family grows.

Plus, at a minimum of $150,000 less than the two 3BRs mentioned above, this unit offers immediate savings—say, for a 529 account, an upstate cottage, or some overpriced NVIDIA stock—with the confidence that it will resell faster, or more favorably, than the 3BR options in East River.

But what if Lady Wilson needs to work from home or finds herself expecting Baby #2?