Amy Plitt

If you already own a house or apartment, you should receive notices from DOF that explain your property tax valuation, including assessed value. But if you’re in the market to buy and curious what the assessed value (and thus, property taxes) of a house or apartment would be, you can figure it out yourself.  

In recent years, studies have shown that the impacts of broad zoning changes often hurt the communities that they’re supposed to help—lower-income New Yorkers, and people of color. Those communities have also been disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 crisis, and many believe the city should be doing more to address their immediate needs rather than implement sweeping changes. 

Some brokers—who are facing increased competition after a very slow spring—are increasingly open to negotiating their fee—usually 12 to 15 percent of one year’s rent. Brokers that Brick spoke to say they’ve been willing to shave from 10 to 50 percent off their typical fee in order to seal a deal. 

New York City renters experiencing issues with their landlords have a new avenue for settling those disagreements: The Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT) is partnering with the city’s nonprofit Community Dispute Resolution Centers (CDRCs) to create a Landlord-Tenant Mediation Program, with the goal of solving apartment disputes without sending the parties involved straight to housing court. The program is free for tenants and landlords. 

Here are three options for overhead lighting if your NYC apartment has a concrete ceiling.