Ready to start thinking about buying in New York? If you’re already at the research stage, you’ve probably already come across the three main types of properties: condos, co-ops, and single-family houses. Each comes with its own list of pros and cons but all can be solid options — depending on what your life, finances, […]
Economic ups and downs are a harsh reality of investing but one of the ways many people have found to hedge their bets is through real estate investment. Of course, no investment is a sure thing and even though New York City is almost always a hot market, it’s important to speak with a financial […]
Flipping houses in one of the world’s most expensive cities has the potential for a big financial windfall — if done correctly and market conditions support it — but we don’t need to tell you there are also big, scary risks. And if you’re thinking about taking one of those, it’s a good idea to […]
We’ve discussed the need for title insurance before — you can read about that here — but it’s worth delving a little deeper into this tool and to consider why title insurance is even necessary at all. It’s one of those minor boxes that needs to be ticked during a home’s sale that, if not […]
House hunting is a process that can sometimes make you feel like you’re drowning in checklists. Yours, your agent’s, the bank’s, and others. So we don’t want to give you another. Instead, think of this as an anti-checklist. These are all the things you don’t want to do on your Brooklyn house hunt. That’s right […]
Whether you’re buying or selling, the process is going to be stressful. You might experience a lot of hurry up and wait, followed by a flurry of activity. The bad news is that as much as we try to prepare you for the process, it will inevitably be challenging at times. The good news, though, […]
Let’s talk tax abatements in New York City. It may not be the most exciting topic, but it’s important to understand how it affects the housing market and buyers like you. Basically, a tax abatement is a break on property taxes for buildings or apartments. It sounds simple, but in reality, it’s a bit […]
Real estate is filled with (some might say riddled with) its own terminology — much of which can be confusing for the first-time buyer. And even if you’ve bought elsewhere, buying in New York City means learning about all kinds of arcane and wacky processes you may never have encountered. One of these is the […]
So, you’ve finally found the perfect co-op apartment and you’re ready to secure a mortgage to make it yours. But now you’ve hit a roadblock: your bank is asking for a co-op questionnaire to be filled out, and you’re left with a few worrisome questions. Does this mean the bank hasn’t approved things yet? Why […]
Getting a good deal on a new New York City condo unit often involves savvy negotiation for concessions rather than haggling over the base price. That’s because developers are much more comfortable providing ‘off-deed’ concessions to buyers, since they don’t affect the publicly-recorded price-per-square-foot of the apartment or future resale values. So, how can you […]
