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. [Read more →]
Category: Naked Apartments
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. [Read more →]
Category: Naked Apartments
I wanted to share something with you. Some may think this has nothing to do with organizing but what I do as an organizer is geared towards lifestyle rather than strictly coming up with storage solutions.
Lately I’ve been running into people who suffer from chronic chapped lips. My first question to them is if they use Chapstick® which they all do. My next question is if you always use Chapstick® and always have chapped lips, WHY are you still using it? I think that stuff causes chapped lips!!
I speak from experience. Back in jr high I used Chapstick® religiously until one day I asked myself the above question. I stopped cold turkey, never to touch it again and have had chapped lips once since then (we’re talking 20 years)…
To prevent chapped lips:
- always have something on your lips (lip gloss or lipstick is fine)
- never lick your lips
- after brushing your teeth (and tongue), brush your lips to exfoliate
Category: NY Organize
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
Category: Naked Apartments
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?
Category: Naked Apartments
This deep narrow hall closet was a huge annoyance to this client. With hooks on the door and both sides it made accessing the back and upper shelves awkward. Things were getting ‘lost’ on the upper deep shelf. With no storage for small things like gloves and scarves they ended up all over the apartment including in the bedroom dresser.
The before shots are actually progress shots taken after we removed everything, edited and relocated a few things to other areas of the apartment. The upper shelf was designated for her suitcases, an extra yoga mat and shopping bags (kept together in the brown shopping bag).
We removed all the existing hooks and installed a valet hook and full length mirror to the inside door. Storage was kept to the left wall to give as much room as possible to get to the back. Five clear acrylic bins hold hats, gloves, scarves, and umbrellas. The valet hook on the bottom holds frequently used tote bags. Two shelves (cut to size) hold sneakers (her nice shoes are in the bedroom). A few Flor carpet tiles finish it up. :O)
Category: NY Organize
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.
Category: Naked Apartments The Economics of Renting
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. [Read more →]
Category: NY Eat IN
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 10th 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 40th through 57th from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River. Anyone trying to rent you a 1-bedroom on 39th and 7th Avenue is selling you a different kind of hell, also known as Times Square…so beware.
Category: Naked Apartments
(d-rings)
(picture hooks in place on wall)
(going through pics)
The 2′ x 4′ leftover wood from the platform bed is now a wonderfully oversized bulletin board! Here’s how I did it:
1 - Screwed two D-ring picture hangers on back, an inch from the edge, about 3/4 up from bottom and noted measurement down from the top.
2 - Held it up to the wall to see where it looked best. While holding it up with one hand, measured from the ceiling to the top of the wood.
3 - Measured the space of the wall horizontally. Subtracted width of the wood and divided by half.
4 - Hung two picture hooks by adding the measurement from step 1 plus step 2 to give me how far down from the ceiling, and the measurement from step 3 plus 1″ to see how far in it should go.
5 - Hung in place, checked with a level and din’t care that it’s a little off!!
When I first thought of using the leftover piece of wood for the bulletin board I thought to add self-adhesive cork but found that my push pins went into the wood easily. Always one to save a step and $$, I had no hesitation to go without the cork.
I spent hours going through tear sheets in my inspiration file and bookmarked images on my computer to see what I wanted up. I printed images from the computer onto photo paper which I thought came out really nice. I love the wood push pins, though think T-pins would be great too….
Category: NY Organize
