Union Square in NYC is a vibrant, multi-recreational community.

Thanks to multiple events that happen there on a frequent basis, this location is a favorite place for New Yorkers and New York celebrities.

One of the major events recurring events is the Green Market.

This market brings together the best New York local farmers and their fans — the shoppers for finest groceries in Manhattan (I am happened to be one of them). Shopping for local produce is not only the best way to get the freshest quality, but also contributes to a better environment. The produce is grown seasonally, therefore letting Upstate NY soil rest and nourish itself for the future harvest.

What makes the market wonderfully fun is that you get to meet the farmers. They often invite shoppers to experience their farm, or offer tips on unique ways to prepare certain produce, like ramps or wild leek (a plant that belongs to an onion family, but it tastes like garlic).

If you are at all into food and how it is grown then Green Market is the place for you to shop.

Union square is also famous for local art exhibitions.  There is an amazing variety of artwork you can see. And in the summer, you can see live, entertaining art performances.

The Park

Union Square Park is under sponsorship of the NYC Department of Park and Recreation, which is currently working on the beautification of the park to make it even more accommodating for everyone. The project should be completed by Spring 2010.  Thanks to multiple donations from local businesses and NYC residents, visitors will enjoy free wireless internet service, a new playground, an expanded walking promenade, more planted trees,  and more landscaped recreational areas to enjoy, either sitting on a bench or having a picnic on the grass. There will also be free program called “Fitness in the park” to experience yoga, and cardio classes all morning, starting at 8 am. It’s a truly amazing idea and I hope people will take advantage of this free, fun event in the Park.

Just watch out for those inquisitive squirrels!

Monuments

There are also very important monuments erected throughout the park, depicting distinguished figures like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Mohandas Gandhi, and Marquis de Lafayette.  They serve as a reminder to us of what is possible.

Neighborhood

Union Square provides multiple access to many different locations because of its location. It is like a node that connects several neighborhoods together, like Flat Iron District, Greenwich Village, Gramercy, Chelsea.

Union Square Station is a historical intersection in NYC, that was formed in early 19^th century, and the name represents the “union” of several trolley lines together.

Another great feature is that Union Square train station has multiple connections to almost every train line, which make it easy accessible to other parts of Manhattan.

Real Estate

Well, I am sure you’ve already guessed that prices in the Union square area are not cheap. Because of the location amenities, it’s a very desirable area to live. Even in today’s economic times Union Square rental prices have not come down much, and the average rental price for the Union square/Flat Iron District is still higher than Midtown East. According to the Citi-Habitats last quarter report the average price for a one bedroom near Union Square location is a bit below $3000, while by comparison a Midtown East one bedroom is around $2350.

Happy apartment search!

Elena Boeva

Independent Real Estate Broker

Photo courtesy of Emborg on Flickr

Let’s talk size.  Let’s talk urban.. suburban. Let’s talk diversity and lifestyle. Let’s talk Brooklyn!

In recent years, the Brooklyn rental market has been bombarded with tenants looking to move out of Manhattan into Brooklyn.  What’s happening?  People are looking for better deals.. more space for less money!

Many times clients have a misconception that ‘big n bad’ Brooklyn is inexpensive to live in and that a studio for $850 is easy to find.  Sorry, people! Those days are over. The truth remains in one key word.. location, location, location! It’s not impossible to find a 2 bdrm for $1300 in areas such as Crown Heights, Flatbush, Bay Ridge, and Dyker Heights (amongst others). However, prime areas such as Park Slope, Fort Greene and Williamsburg are only about 10% more affordable than Manhattan. And space is not a guarantee!

The New York reality is that your budget dictates where and how you live.  Can you afford a 1 bdrm for $1600? Then, yes, Park Slope may have something for you.  Looking for a 1 bdrm with a max budget of $1400?  You might find plenty of wonderful possibilities in areas such as Midwood, Lefferts Gardens,Bedford-Stuyvesant and Kensington.

According to the last U.S. Census survey in 2006, Brooklyn is home to a whopping 2.5 million residents! (I’m sure the 2010 Census will reveal a larger number.)  This does not include your fellow New Yorkers residing in Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx & Staten Island. On the subway,the buses, and the streets you’ll be part of the most exciting melting pot.. so many strange & fascinating people from all over.  And there really is something for everyone.  If you’re looking for an evening out and don’t want to cross the bridge (especially in this snowy weather), explore the infamous strips of Fulton Street in Fort Greene, 5th Ave & 7th Ave in Park Slope, Bedford Ave in Williamsburg, Smith Street in Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill, the waterfront in Sheepshead Bay, Washington Ave in Prospect Heights, Lewis Ave in Bed-Stuy and the list goes on.

Neighborhoods such as Marine Park, Sheepshead Bay and Midwood offer more of a suburban feel accompanied by grand & lovely houses. If you love the neighborhood feel of brownstones and tree-lined blocks, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Park Slope are homes to historic and enchanting brownstone blocks.  Like big lofts and new “Ikea” style apartments? Then, do yourself a favor and check out Bushwick, East Williamsburg & Williamsburg.  And, of course, the new high-rise developments coming up in Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo & Fort Greene are impressive.. and may include dozens of amenities! There’s so much going on as the Brooklyn rental market continues to evolve rapidly… explore, live & embrace it!

Your Rapid Reality Check!

Photo courtesy of midweekpost on Flickr

A great broker will make finding an apartment easy and delightful, while a terrible broker will be a disaster and provide frustration.

Brokers have tons  listings of apartments for rent in New York that will take him or her 15-30 minutes to tally up a selection that fits your criteria.  Brokers that have been in the real estate business in for a long time have a dynamic perspective on the market and there is a lot of knowledge you can gain from their expertise.  What takes a broker a couple minutes to research, will probably take you days to research.  Brokers have relationships with landlords where they can push your deals through that you probably wouldn’t be able to do on your own.

When using a broker, try not to use more than one broker.  Brokers all generally have the same listings.  If you decide to use more than one Broker use a broker with listings throughout Manhattan and one that has listings in a specific area.  There are some by owner apartments listings that Brokers do not have access to, but all in all there is a nice selection of apartments available when you use a broker.

When looking for a good broker to work with ask for a friend if they or someone they know had a great experience with a broker or google search to see where and who the best brokers are.  Don’t judge individual brokers in an organization due to the overall rating of the Brokerage.  There are good brokers in bad companies and bad brokers in good companies.  Brokerage websites generally list the name of their top producing agents.

With that said not all brokers are saints.  There are a selection of brokers that are a bunch of con- artist jerks that bait and switch that only care about fattening the wallets.  They prey  on the uniformed and easily intimated for their benefit alone.  I’m sure in the past you have had bad teachers and bad bosses and were able to pass the class and get through the job.  You might end up working with a bad broker and him or her might show you a great apartment.

Whether you like it or not, a good broker will let you know if you are being unrealistic  with your criteria and will provide alternative solutions.  Brokers are supposed to be professional people  that listen and pay careful attention to your needs.  At the same time they should be upfront with you and let you know when something is not going to work and provide an alternative.  As a renter what you may be looking for may not actually exist in every single way that you are looking for it.

Photo courtesy of Aturkus on Flickr

Some of us jump through hoops looking for an apartment to rent in New York, only to find out we need to break our lease.  Unless you’re moving out early because you’re being deployed by the military, chances are you’ll be faced with paying for the months left on your lease.  This means you’re left wondering whether there’s a way to break your lease without paying through the nose.  Unfortunately you have few options, but if you play your cards right it can work out.  It’s important to remember that your lease is a binding contract the breaking of which may cause you to incur a penalty.  Most New Yorkers rent apartments based on a 1-year lease.  The 1-year lease is a fixed term, meaning you agree to pay rent for that specified period.

Moving out of your apartment early means you’re still responsible for any remaining months in the fixed term.  But if you find yourself absolutely having to move out keep in mind that landlords are required to mitigate damages by making reasonable attempts to rent the apartment you’re moving out of.  If you know ahead of time that you’re moving out, get on your landlord’s good side by having a willing renter ready to take over.  The trick is to give your landlord as much notice as possible and make the transition as easy as you can.  Remember, the key is to make the transition smooth and painless for your landlord!  Don’t give them reason to turn down the tenant you’re suggesting take over the lease.  If for whatever reason you simply can’t find someone to take over, giving your landlord plenty of notice allows him/her to find a suitable replacement without making you pay for months you’re not there.  Another reason early notice is important is that some landlords may prefer to leave the unit empty in order make repairs to the unit.  You may even find out breaking your lease doesn’t bother you landlord after all.  Still, general rule of thumb here is: (1) give notice early, and (2) try to have a willing renter ready to take over as a substitute tenant.

If it turns out that your landlord wants to rent the unit but is having a hard time renting the apartment or loses any rent during the remainder of your lease term, you may still be responsible for the difference.  This means you will have to pay for the months left on your lease.  If this is the case but you simply must move out you may want to consider having someone sublet the unit for the remaining months.  Just keep in mind that subletting is an option so long as it’s not prohibited by your lease.  Take a look at your lease and then get yourself a suitable person to sublet the apartment.  In the end, to avoid paying for rent after breaking your lease, do your homework!  Study your lease to see what are your options, ask friends and family to see if anyone wants to take over your lease, and post the apartment online to see if someone would be willing to sublet the apartment for the remainder of your lease.

Here are some helpful sites:

http://www.housingnyc.com/html/resources/faq/leases.html

http://www.housingnyc.com/html/resources/attygenguide.html#7

Photo found at www.newyorksocialdiary.com/socialdiary/2006/12_11_06/images/P1200515.jpg

Where in Manhattan do you find a 1 bedroom or a studio apartment in a luxury doorman building with a fitness center and laundry for under $2000 a month, not to mention great views and a possible outdoor space? You are probably thinking it doesn’t exist or it’s a bait and switch Craigslist advertisement.

Roosevelt Island is sandwiched between Manhattan and Queens, is considered to be a part of Manhattan and uses a 212 area code.  It’s one of the safest areas in New York, there’s virtually no crime.  The best bang for your buck is Roosevelt Island as there are some disgusting closet space apartments for rent in New York.  The price you would pay for a crappy studio or 1 bedroom in certain desirable locations in Manhattan (ie. West Village, Upper West Side, Soho, Chelsea, Union Square) will give you a solid 1 bedroom with a doorman, elevator, laundry and fitness center.  With the current state of the economy and real estate, Landlords are offering concessions to tenants and incentives to brokers to get their apartments rented.  With an apartment on Roosevelt Island being harder to rent than a place on Broadway and 72nd or 86 and Lexington Avenue, the incentives are splendid.  Free months rent in addition to an already a lower asking rent price, plus any last second negotiations will land you a luxurious apartment that would not be in consideration under normal circumstances.

There are less appealing features to Roosevelt Island as their are with everything else in life.  By car it’s not an easy trip there, from Manhattan you have to take the Queensboro  bridge into queens drive up Queens and take the Roosevelt Island bridge into the island.  The night life is little to non-existent, you have to cross the river to get to the bars, clubs and pubs.  Think of it this way, the party people coming from Brooklyn, Queens or the Bronx will take much longer than you coming from Roosevelt Island.

Next time your looking for an apartment, Why not consider Roosevelt Island?

Photo courtesy of Paalia on Flickr

These days many New York City apartment buildings offer tenants the opportunity to pay rent with a credit card.  While this may seem ideal, it’s important to keep in mind the possible downside of adding rent to your credit card bill.  The obvious benefit of paying rent with a credit card is that you can set-up automatic payments so that you never have to worry about a late rent check and a subsequent late fee.  Of course, renting in NYC means that even in the best of circumstances you’re looking at about $2000 tacked onto your credit card bill every month. Add to that living expenses New Yorkers can’t live without, like dinner at Minetta Tavern (dare to dream) and clothes to keep your wardrobe more Williamsburg and less Mall of America and your looking at a hefty credit card bill at the end of every month.  That’s why it’s important to give the question some thought.  Pay with your card or keep mailing that check?

Paying with your credit card has plenty of benefits that Suze Orman would approve of.  First off, covering rent with your credit card can help your credit rating.  If you have little or no credit to your name (bless your heart) and you’ve had no problem making rent every month, paying with your card can help you build your credit score.  And for those of you with good credit, tacking on rent to your monthly Amex bill will help you keep the credit rating gods happy.  Another added benefit to paying with your card is that you can earn miles or points.  Depending on what program your cards offer you could be looking at a round-trip ticket to London before you know it!

If your building allows you to pay rent with a credit card, look into your credit score (https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp), go over your expenses to see if you’ve been able to pay rent easily in the past, and use online tools (www.mint.com) or iphone apps (http://bit.ly/qD0OS) to create a budget so you can make sure you never have to use the miles you earned to escape to Argentina.  If it seems like you can’t afford to add to your credit card debt, then keep buying stamps from the bodega on your corner and mail in those checks.  There’s no shame in staying loyal to snail mail.

Photo courtesy of Janrito Karamazov on Flickr

There has been a lot of discussion lately about the dangers of too much salt, as NYC prepares to wage this latest battle against restaurants and prepared foods much in the same way as it did against trans fats in recent years.  I could write a whole post debating the merits of policies and their ability to affect change in dietary habits.  While I do believe that the trans fat ban has done a lot of good for public health, I will always believe that personal knowledge, empowerment, and, ultimately, choice will win the war far more effectively than any singular political battle.  So today I hope to offer you some knowledge and empowerment to aid your own choices.

Sodium is absolutely a vital nutrient in a balanced diet.  But it is true that many of us are consuming too much, which turns this nutrient into a health problem.  While we may not have control over how much sodium is used in restaurants, fast foods, or packaged and processed foods…we do have control over our decisions when we are choosing these foods instead of preparing our own meals at home.  I understand the cost, time and convenience factors at hand here, but something I love helping clients realize is that cooking does not have to be more costly or time consuming – and quite often it can be less.  But sometimes we don’t cook because we think we can’t, or that what we would make would be too simple or tasteless.  What I’ve found is that the simplest of meals can become masterpieces when you find new ways to add more flavor.

Of course the default choice when it comes to adding flavor is…well, salt.  So I offer you a new reason to get into your kitchen and take control back where you can.  First, if you absolutely must use salt – try switching to sea salt.  It is a lot more potent so you’ll need less, and it also contains more important minerals than regular table salt.  But how about going beyond the salt shaker and starting to experiment with herbs and spices?

Herbs and spices are not just for show.  They are a great way to increase your intake of antioxidants.  Different varieties feature different health benefits, including aiding digestion, purifying the blood, improving circulation, promoting stress reduction, reducing inflammation…the list goes on and on.  It can be incredibly fun to start exploring these new flavors, which in my own cooking I’ve found are often far more potent than just salt.  Here are some ideas to get you started:

Vegetables: Basil, Garlic, Onion, Mint, Turmeric, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme, Lemon

Poultry: Paprika, Rosemary, Garlic, Onion, Curry Powder, Sage, Thyme, Oregano

Beef: Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Cumin, Garlic, Onion, Mustard, Sage, Horseradish

Fish: Garlic, Onion, Lemon, Dill, Rosemary, Tarragon, Thyme, Marjoram

Pork: Cinnamon, Basil, Thyme, Garlic, Onion, Mustard, Cloves

Eggs: Dill, Paprika, Pepper, Tarragon, Thyme

Stews and Soups: Bay leaf, Celery Seed, Marjoram, Oregano, Paprika, Parsley, Saffron

These are just suggestions, not rules.  And there are plenty of other herbs and spices out there. Be creative.  Don’t fear using the “wrong” combination.  The only combination that doesn’t work is the one that isn’t palatable to you, and you then have the freedom to try something else the next time around.  Regardless, you will be exploring the chef inside you, uncovering new wonderful flavors in your meals, and taking control over your health in a way that no policy will ever be able to do.  And you can pass on the salt.

Photo courtesy of El Mariachi 94 on Flickr

If you’re looking to rent an apartment in Manhattan and yearn for the holy grail of square footage and good location consider Hell’s Kitchen, where plenty of decent apartments are renting at a reasonable price.  Over the last 10 years the neighborhood has gone through its fair share of gentrification bringing to the once dicey area fancy gyms (Club H), trendy wine bars (Casellula)and some of the best affordable restaurants in the city (Empanada Mama, Gazala Place, and Wondee Siam to name a few). The Hell’s Kitchen Renaissance, as we like to call it, has brought an onslaught of full service doorman buildings, renovated walk-ups and neighborhood amenities that make it the ideal place to look for an apartment to rent in New York City.

If you’re not a fan of cooking, the Thai restaurant selection alone is reason enough to consider this Manhattan gem. Seriously, what other neighborhood is home to the best Thai restaurants in New York City? This unofficial “Little Bangkok” of Manhattan boasts more pad-thai per square foot than any other neighborhood in the city, making ordering take-out that much easier!  If Thai food isn’t your thing don’t worry, Hell’s Kitchen has other international options.  Take the competing Afghan empires of Ariana Afghan and Afghan Kebab House.  We’re biased in favor of Ariana Afghan because the food is consistently good and the owner, Ralphy, is the kind of guy who remembers your name and makes you feel like part of the family.  But regardless of your culinary preference, chances are Hell’s Kitchen will have something for you at a good price.

There are tons of new full-service buildings in the area, mostly off of 10^th Avenue.  One of the great things about these rental options is that you avoid dealing with broker’s fees and can work that take-out gut off at the building’s swanky gyms.  Just make sure to get the neighborhood parameters right.  Hell’s Kitchen covers approximately 40^th through 57^th from 8^th Avenue to the Hudson River.  Anyone trying to rent you a 1-bedroom on 39^th and 7^th Avenue is selling you a different kind of hell, also known as Times Square…so beware.