Alanna Schubach
Contributing writer
Contributing editor Alanna Schubach has over a decade of experience as a New York City-based freelance journalist. She has written about real estate for Brick Underground, Mansion Global, and Barron's. She has also contributed features, essays, and op-eds to The Nation, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and The Village Voice. She won a National Association of Real Estate Editors’ silver award in 2018 for her Ask an Expert column for Brick Underground. She is also a fiction writer and a creative writing teacher, and currently lives in Brooklyn.
Posts by Alanna Schubach:
Ask Sam: Why did the RGB approve the steepest rent increases in nearly a decade?
July 13, 2022 - 12:30 PM
“The vast majority of stabilized tenants live in bigger buildings that are owned by landlords who own multiple properties—not mom-and-pops,” he says. “This increase is hurtful to tenants,” says attorney Sam Himmelstein.
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I pay my rent on time every month. Can that help me get a mortgage?
July 11, 2022 - 12:30 PM
Freddie Mac, the Federal entity which buys mortgages from lenders, recently announced it will now consider a history of regular rent payments to help applicants qualify for a mortgage, following last year's move by Fannie Mae.
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What are the pros and cons of the new 40-year mortgage option?
July 5, 2022 - 09:35 AM
A 40-year mortgage means lower monthly payments, but it comes with the risk of remaining in debt well into your retirement, our experts say.
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A long-delayed construction project blocks access to my roof deck. How can I get the work finished?
June 27, 2022 - 09:30 AM
When you have a stalled construction projection in your building, involving other shareholders can help spur the managing agent or board to be more responsive. You could even look into whether it is management, rather than the contractor, that needs to be replaced.
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Ask Sam: My rent is going up by 30 percent. Can I fight this increase?
June 22, 2022 - 09:30 AM
NYC landlords know that if a current tenant won’t accept a proposed rent increase, there lots of other renters eager to take their place. But this doesn’t mean you have to immediately accept your landlord’s rent hike or move out. It’s still worth trying to negotiate.
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With both NYC rents and mortgage rates rising, does it make more sense to buy or rent in NYC now?
June 21, 2022 - 12:30 PM
Weighing whether to rent or buy in NYC? If your carrying costs exceed 30 percent of your monthly income or hinder your ability to continue to save, you should probably opt to rent.
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