2004 Mar

Going to Market

Shopping is not a spectator sport. At almost any level, from books to stocks to brokers, it involves fulfilling desires, meeting needs, negotiating price and choosing suppliers. There is no guarantee of success, and as the price of the purchase goes up, so do the stakes - making the amount of research and advance preparation more important. Having the right professional by your side may be the best investment you can make to assure the best results, especially in the highly competitive game of New York City real estate, where it's common for both the apartment buyer and the seller to retain the services of separate brokers to facilitate their search for a home - or for a buyer. Read More

Power Brokerages

1. Prudential Douglas Elliman (acquired Douglas Elliman) Read More

Fumes and Formaldehyde

Everyone knows the air in New York isn't the best stuff in the world to breathe. But what most people don't know is that the indoor environment is often more polluted and toxic than the world outdoors. In fact, a recent EPA study found that the indoor concentrations of 20 toxic compounds can be as much as 200 times higher compared to the relatively pristine urban outdoors. So let's start with a basic - and, hopefully, obvious - principle: If it's poisonous, carcinogenic, triggers asthma, or wreaks havoc on your nervous system, you probably don't want it in your building. Seems like common sense, right? And yet most of the products we use to build and maintain our buildings are portable Superfund sites, making their way Trojan Horse-like, into our common and living spaces. The good news for building owners and managers is that once you know what to look for, keeping the toxins out is a relatively easy thing to do. Read More

Lien-To

Co-op and condo boards often become involved in disputes with contractors and subcontractors who perform work either on the building's common areas, or within individual apartments for a shareholder or unit owner. A mechanic's lien and lien enforcement action is the most popular and most potent remedy for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers of materials to recover payment for services or materials supplied to a construction project, of which building owners and managers should be aware. Read More

NYARM

What do you call an organization whose membership includes property managers, plumbers, electricians, security companies, glass specialists and attorneys? You call it diverse, far-reaching, and multifaceted - but you could also call it the New York Association of Realty Managers, or NYARM. Read More

Your Eyes on the World

While environmental laws have improved air quality, grit, grime and grunge continue to mask the windows of most New Yorkers. This aesthetic blur can change a tenant's disposition as well as alter how a building is perceived by a passerby's knowing glance. Read More

The Long and Short of It

It all started with a man and a dream. The man was William H. Reynolds, a young tycoon and New York's youngest state senator at only 24 years old. The dream was to turn an unsung barrier island in Nassau County into the next playground for the rich and famous. Already famous himself for constructing Dreamland - Coney Island's largest amusement park - in 1903, Reynolds purchased Long Beach in the early 1900s and set about making his dream a reality. Read More

The Comfort of Concierge Services

Whether you're moving to Manhattan from another state or country, or just moving to another apartment in a new neighborhood or borough, finding the right schools, churches, dentists, doctors, plumbers, electricians or other service professionals can be a frustrating experience at best, especially for a newcomer. Read More

The Cooperator's 17th Annual Expo

It's that time again - time to mark the date of The Cooperator's Annual Co-op and Condo Expo on your calendar, get registered, and prepare for a full day of information, networking, new products, engaging seminars, and (of course) freebies on Thursday, March 18th at the New York Hilton on 53rd Street and Avenue of the Americas. Read More

Real Estate Market Review

Amid fears about the sagging economy and war in the Middle East, the New York real estate market started slowly at the beginning of 2003. But in true New York fashion, the market rebounded nicely and by the summer months was thriving. By year's end, Manhattan property was hotter than ever. Read More

On the Drawing Board

A new wave of condominium and co-op construction is sweeping Manhattan as dozens of new projects attest, with thousands of new co-op and condominium units being marketed to hungry buyers. Read More

So What's New in New York?

If you've noticed a lot of new scaffolding and safety netting going up throughout the city, you may be onto something. 2003 and 2004 are setting up to be substantial years for new residential development. Read More

Showing People the Way Home

Sheila Lokitz came to New York 16 years ago with a career change in mind. Moving from Los Angeles to work in the garment industry, she knew that New York was different from other places and she wanted to be a part of it. As much as anything else she noticed the buildings - and not just because a lot of them are so big that they're impossible to overlook. Read More

A Year of Mega-Mergers

The last couple of years have been big ones for the residential real estate industry here in the city; not just in terms of square feet moved and dollars made, but in terms of mergers and acquisitions among some of New York's biggest, most prominent brokerage firms. More than half a dozen brokerages joined forces with other companies in 2003, absorbing or acquiring other businesses like a slow-moving flood. Read More

New Development on the Horizon

The Market Strikes Back

Now that 2003, which opened with political strife and closed with one of the worst winters on record, is over, brokers are looking ahead and eagerly anticipating another strong year in 2004. An improved economy and enticingly low interest rates have helped to fuel a market resurgence unseen in many years. Empty nesters are migrating to Manhattan and would-be renters are buying, making once-iffy neighborhoods the newest hotspots. While brokers predict continued growth, they also warn of a price increase due to an inventory shortage and increasing demand. Read More

Community Board 7

Start thinking of the ideal places to live in the city and there's a good chance that the Upper West Side will come to mind pretty quickly. It's generally thought of as one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Manhattan, thanks to its quality of life, schools, scenic beauty and recreation. Read More