New York City’s City Council recently passed the FARE Act, meaning tenants are no longer responsible for paying broker fees. Instead, that cost will now be passed on to landlords or management companies and most tenants will no longer have to foot the bill. Let’s take a closer look at what that means for you. […]
The role of brokers in New York City is changing quickly – and while many argue these changes will benefit New Yorkers, it’s still vital to be a smart consumer. We’ve already discussed what the City Council’s recent passage of the FARE Act means for renters (an end to footing the bill for broker’s fees […]
Conducting proper due diligence is a critical step in the New York City real estate buying process. It comes as the final step before the signing of the contract of sale and typically lasts 5-7 business days. Your buyer’s agent has advised you on the type of property, layout, and even some basic flaws. We […]
You’ve finally found what seems to be the perfect home. It’s got all your must-haves and some of your nice-to-haves, too. It looks like it’s in excellent condition, but merely looking like it’s in good condition is not enough when it comes to such a huge financial decision. To make sure you’re not buying a […]
Look, obviously, we’re a bit biased. As an ethics-driven, woman-owned, small business that’s managed to survive in the hypercompetitive New York City real estate market for two decades, urging buyers and sellers to take a chance on a small business is a no-brainer. But you might be surprised by how much sense it makes from […]
The phrase “scam-based economy” seems to be popping up more frequently in online discourse — and it’s no wonder. Over the past few decades, scamming has become both easier and more lucrative for unscrupulous types given the relative anonymity of the internet. And when scammy internet-driven activity meets the decadent and sometimes shady world of […]
Pollen counts are at their peak in NYC in April, May, and September. So even if you’re still feeling them now, we’re sorry to say that you only have a short reprieve before you get hit with them in in a few months. Of course, you can take over-the-counter medications to calm your symptoms or […]
The reality of being a landlord is that things can (and will) go wrong with properties you own — and you’ll have to assume responsibility for making them right again. While a broken ceiling tile can almost certainly wait till the weekend, other fixes require an immediate response. When those more serious concerns aren’t addressed […]
Dust is a serious health hazard. Long-term exposure to high levels of dust in your NYC home can trigger asthma, allergies, headaches, dizziness, nausea, or even make you snore. It can also make your appliances less functional, clogging up your air conditioner and damaging your air quality. Regular cleaning is the obvious solution to keeping […]
Thanks to the new Good Cause Eviction Law, many New Yorkers are now protected from eviction or big rent hikes as of April 20th. What this means is that landlords must have a good reason to evict a market-rate tenant, and are now required to justify raising a tenant’s rent by a certain threshold. (Previously, […]
