Jen Laing

Finding a great apartment in a killer nabe at an affordable price may feel like winning the Triple Crown of New York City real estate, but to claim victory in this high-stakes derby, you need to get approved by the landlord—and that’s where the race is really won.

To qualify for an apartment, New York City landlords typically demand an applicant have stellar credit and an annual income of 40 to 50 times the monthly rent (or be able to come up with a single co-signer in the metropolitan area making 80 to 100 times the rent).

New York City may be a seller's market, but that doesn't mean you can just set whatever price you want, kick back, and wait for the feeding frenzy to begin. And even if you do package your apartment just right to appeal to buyers, factors that are out of your control—like construction, crime, and neighborhood noise complaints—could still end up influencing buyers, and shrink your sale price.

You’ve tried every trick in the book from bedtime stories to night lights to co-sleeping, but your little guy’s still terrified of the dark. Here’s one original solution to the problem: a glow-in-the-dark duvet cover and bedtime story set (including a magical spell) that promises to calm nighttime fears. Once the story is read and the lights are dimmed, the duvet glows with the words of the spell, protecting and comforting frightened kids so everyone can get their much-needed sleep.

From a triplex in a former Fort Greene church to the onetime West Village one-bedroom with an Underground Railroad backstory, rental search site RentHop features rentals that dare to be different (and won't have the same identical finishes you see in most buildings on the market).

How many times have you found yourself coveting a piece of stylish furniture only to find it doesn't actually fit into your apartment? Maybe it’s too wide to to squeeze into the planned space, or almost perfect except for the height. Or, simply too — orange?