For all of 2010, I found that apartment that needed renovations were difficult to sell. Far more so than I had seen in the past. Certainly, I do not think that buyers suffer from a lack of vision any more than in the past. Unfortunately for many buyers, they cannot see past what’s right in
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Surprisingly enough, what we’ve discovered after a few months of looking backwards, was that buying spiked during the 2nd quarter of 2010 on the low end of the market. Lo and behold, this buyer credit had much more of an impact than we thought at the time! A lot of buying got pushed forward to
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My wife and I are proud parents for the second time! Elizabeth Simone Harris was born on December 23rd. We like to write about what we know, or at least that’s what we’re supposed to be best at writing. Just in time for my blog post, there was a great article in the NYTimes. I’m
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I had the opportunity to sit in on a very small meeting with Greg Heym, chief economist for Halstead Property Company, and Brown Harris Stevens. As you may or may not know, we are sister companies each owned by Terra Holdings. One of the (many) reasons why I love working here is that our ownership
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Maybe you don’t remember the title track of Billy Joel’s 1986 “The Bridge.” It was the follow-up to his Christie Brinkley-dedicated “Innocent Man,” and celebrates his new daughter (now 24). The song was called “Running on Ice.” I’m only thinking about it literally today, since I’m back out running for the first few times since
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Well, well. Do you remember Kozmo, circa 2000? 24/7 delivery? Maybe you didn’t live in an area where they delivered. Let me tell you, a wonderful service. The instant gratification of ice cream at 2am without leaving your apartment (mind you, I didn’t live in Manhattan at the time) was quite something. All that convenience
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Rates go up, rates go down. A popular mantra for brokers over the years has been the historic low rates we’ve seen. More than a few books have been written about the combination of low rates and low lending standards contributing to the poor economy, especially the blowup of late 2008 through 2009. As signs
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Tired of looking at your old appliances? Ready to create an extra bedroom from a dining area? Interested in getting an expert set of eyes on your apartment for a possible renovation? Renovation costs are down at least 20-25% from their peak in 2008. Not only are there many architects looking for new projects, but
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Courtesy of organization guru, Maeve Richmond of Get Your House In Order, I present some tips for entertaining this Holiday Season. Don’t pull your hair out, folks! Maeve writes: With a little planning, your holiday party can be enjoyable and stress-free. Try these simple party-planning tips: Prepare in Advance: Choose appetizers and dishes that you
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As a residential broker, part of my job is to look at the market and report back to buyers and sellers. Take a view of the market, be the expert. I gather information, speak to brokers, get a feeling of the current psychology of the marketplace. I’m reading the WSJ and NYT like everyone else
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