Why this West Village “townhouse” was a hard sell

The red brick townhouse at 197 West Houston Street seems to have it all: real oak floors, a working wood-burning fireplace and a hidden back garden surrounded by leaf-vined walls. A listing for the home touted “a rare opportunity to experience true townhouse living,” and with an asking price of just $1,875 per square foot, the property was seeking 30 percent off the area’s average going rate for townhomes.  There’s just one catch: it comes with another person living in it.  That large — or rather, person-sized — caveat explains why the home has spent a year on the market […] This article originally appeared on The Real Deal. Click here to read the full story.