In Heart of Midtown, Handsome Craftsman has Selling Issues

When it comes to this restored and relatively gigantic Craftsman, let's first address the elephant in the room: The $949,900 asking price, which isn't exactly chump change for anybody. But a 1920 property like this — in the shadow of Midtown's spires, with a dynamite Walk Score of 88 — isn't exactly ordinary, either. Nonetheless, the house has twiddled its thumbs on the market for more than 70 days, despite a meager price-chop of $10,000 in mid-March. The listing says this four-bedroom, 3,734-square-foot behemoth was gutted and redone in 2006, creating a gourmet kitchen, sprawling master suite, butler's pantry (with twin wine coolers!) but leaving the period moulding and woodwork. The pint-sized kitchen island might be a tad awkward, but the six-burner stove could compensate. And the backyard might be depressingly devoid of grass, but its ancient trees (and clear view of Bank of America Plaza) are irreplaceable. The porte-cochère is a lovely touch, too. Property records show the house went for $560,000 in 2011, so either the new price reflects a white-hot market and pricey updates, or it needs to budge down more.

· 698 Myrtle St. NE [Estately]