Helpful COVID-19 resources for you

One Click Away From NYC Rent Stabilized Apartments

One Click Away From NYC Rent Stabilized Apartments Quick Recap On NYC Rent Stabilized Apartments When the lease for a NYC rent stabilized apartment is up, the rental increase is regulated and you are guaranteed to get a renewal lease.  After the initial approval of the application, the landlord of the apartment is basically stuck with you forever because they have no recourse in getting you out of the apartment barring some illegal activity or lack of payment that would void…

This Is How You Find An Apartment In NYC Without A Broker

This Is How You Find An Apartment In NYC Without A Broker At this moment, you are contemplating finding an apartment in NYC on your own without the help of a broker and you are second guessing if it is even possible having read everywhere how difficult it is.  Regardless, you’re going to explore the possibilities and take your shot because you’re finding a difficult time finding a reputable broker or you literally do not want to pay the thousands…

The New Rent Laws: What You Need To Know (For Now) by Jessica Feder-Birnbaum

The new rent laws that went into affect in June 2019 have been overhauled to protect tenants. Landlords and management companies are scrambling to be law abiding and stay profitable. As with any new system, there’s a learning curve. Landlord feedback is that the laws skew too highly in favor of tenants. How pushback will alter these policies remains to be seen. Whether you’re a rent stabilized or market rate tenant, read on to see what these changes are and…

Numbers Are In, Here’s Your Q2 Breakdown

By Robert Varvara, The Steven Cohen Team at Corcoran Manhattan’s challenging real estate market welcomed reassuring news in Second Quarter 2019. Market-wide sales increased year-over-year for the first time in two years, up 5% annually to over 3,300 sales totaling $7 billion, about $1 billion more sold than last year. However, this information can be misleading as this increase in closed sales is due to two main reasons:  New Development Closings–  Q2 sales mainly increased due to an 82% spike in new…

How to Have a Good Relationship with Your Landlord

Your relationship with your landlord in New York will be, at best, complicated.  Because there is such a high demand for housing in New York, your landlord might be less than thrilled to do all the work to keep you as a happy tenant.  After all, they probably can rent the apartment or house to someone else in a month. Does this mean your landlord is scum? Of course not, but there are several things you can do as a…

Apartment Buildings or Privately Owned Apartments?

The Pros and Cons of large versus small apartment buildings. When choosing your apartment, it’s essential to consider more than just the interior. What kind of apartment buildings you lease from matters too, and there are many different kinds of landlord tenant arrangements. The two primary kinds of apartment buildings in New York are either large apartment buildings, or those in private homes. Amazing apartments can come in either type of building. The lovely garden apartments of Cobble Hill and…

How To Prepare A Rental Application That Gets Approved

By Jessica Feder-Birnbaum As a licensed real estate agent, I’ve received countless distraught calls from prospective renters when apartments they have applied for have “fallen through.” After submitting numerous client applications, I’ve learned several steps to take so an application doesn’t get denied. Whether you work with a broker or search on your own, here’s what you need to know to prepare a winning rental application. Qualifications Do your homework.  You don’t want to fall in love with an apartment…

Breaking the Slumlord Cycle When You’re Investing in NYC

    It’s no secret. Slumlords do exist. In fact, every year, the Public Advocate’s Office releases a Landlord Watch List which features the worst landlords of NYC, not exactly a credential you’ll be adding to your resumé.   Though properties owned by slumlords should always be avoided by potential tenants, there does lie an attractive quality from a business perspective. Sites like GoHomeNY can help both renters and investors discover what people are saying about properties they are interested in. Given the right investor, you…