EPISODE 38

How to read between the lines of apartment listings—and get the most out of your search

This week we bring Brick Underground's "Take It Or Leave It" column to our listeners, discussing what to look for in rental listings and how to avoid getting tripped up by, among other things, net effective versus gross rent, or legal bedrooms versus dens. Host Emily Myers is joined by Brick Underground’s managing editor Jennifer White Karp and Constantine Valhouli, founder of the real estate research and analytics firm NeighborhoodX.

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By Brick Underground | February 7, 2020 - 9:00AM

In this episode of the Brick Underground Podcast, the discussion is all about the tips and tricks of analyzing online listings. Brick Underground’s managing editor, Jennifer White Karp and Constantine Valhouli, the founder of the real estate research and analytics firm NeighborhoodX, team up for the column Take It Or Leave It where, along with freelance writer Lambeth Hochwald, they pick over the pros and cons of a rental listing and conclude who it might work for and whether it's worth it.

This week we bring the column to our podcast listeners, discussing what to look for in rental listings and how to avoid getting tripped up by—among other things—net effective versus gross rent, and legal bedrooms versus dens. Host Emily Myers joins the conversation as they consider slick photography, virtual staging, and the importance of zeroing in on the building via Google streetview when you are looking at a listing.

While it's important to dig for the dirt, keep in mind that the less-than-perfect aspects of a listing can present renters with an opportunity for negotiation, so being fully informed about the apartment might just give you the edge.

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Office Hours with Sam Himmelstein

Tenant attorney Sam Himmelstein, a partner at Himmelstein McConnell Gribben & Joseph and a long time sponsor of Brick Underground sits down for the first live Brick Underground Office Hours to answer your renter's rights questions.

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Making sense of the NYC real estate market with Jonathan Miller

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Predators in the NYC rental market, with Hannah Levintova from Mother Jones

Hannah Levintova, an investigative reporter with the national publication Mother Jones, talks to host Emily Myers about what she uncovered during her reporting on private equity landlords in NYC, the complicated structure of these entities, and how tenants can fight back.

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Protecting against fire and floods in your NYC apartment

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Finding a deal as NYC landlords pull concessions and raise rents

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07.06.2021

Trading your NYC apartment for a cheap(er) vacation

Mary Lowengard, a contributing writer for Brick Underground, shares her experience swapping her Upper East Side apartment for places in the U.S. and Europe.

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06.16.2021

A guide to negotiating

Mike Walker, residential sales manager at R New York joins host Emily Myers for this guide to negotiating.

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05.25.2021

Your NYC buying, selling, and ownership questions

As always, the Brick Underground podcast explores your housing issues so you can better navigate the market, find a deal, make sense of the legal jargon, and stay one step ahead of the competition whether you’re renting or buying.

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05.05.2021

Why buying in NYC for the first time can be such a shock

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04.30.2021

Spotlight on Queens real estate

In this episode of the podcast host Emily Myers talks with Compass broker, Bianca Colasuonno, about demand for single-family homes in Queens. Sellers should know that buyers have very little appetite for renovating. That means the condition of your place is more important than ever—and Colasuonno has low budget tips to help sellers get the highest bid.

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03.02.2021

Your NYC real estate questions, answered

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02.19.2021

Spotlight on Brooklyn with Lindsay Barton Barrett

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Stress-free moving strategies with Janine Sarna-Jones

In this episode of the podcast, professional organizer Janine Sarna-Jones, founder of the company Organize Me, talks with Brick Underground podcast host Emily Myers about how to get and stay organized before a move. She also offers tips on how much time to give yourself, how to pare down your belongings, and even how to time your move.

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01.12.2021

How NYC closings work now with real estate attorney Daniel Gershburg

What are some of the most significant changes to closings in NYC? How has Covid changed what buyers should look for when doing due diligence on a building? These are some of the issues explored in this episode of the podcast.

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12.15.2020

Bargain hunting in NYC with John Walkup from UrbanDigs

Where are the deals in NYC and how do you find them? In this episode of the podcast, John Walkup, co-founder of the real estate analytics firm UrbanDigs, provides some context for what’s happening in the market right now. He also has advice to buyers about how to identify a motivated seller.

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12.08.2020

Ryan Serhant on new development deals for buyers

In this episode of the Brick Underground Podcast, broker Ryan Serhant, CEO and founder of the real estate brokerage SERHANT, joins host Emily Myers to share his expertise on what kind of deal you can get if you want to buy new development and what challenges you face if you want to sell.

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11.24.2020

NYC real estate by the numbers

Is it a good time to buy? How long will rental concessions last? What is the lasting impact of the pandemic on NYC real estate? These are some of the questions explored in this week’s episode.

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11.20.2020

NYC's looming eviction crisis and resources for struggling renters

Host Emily Myers gets into conversation with Andrew Scherer, associate professor at New York Law School, about the pandemic's effect on tenants, the city's pending eviction crisis, and resources for renters.

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03.04.2020

Renovation questions for NYC apartment buyers

Host Emily Myers gets into conversation with Compass broker Vickey Barron, who has put together a full-day course for brokers to help educate buyers on some of the issues they'll face if they plan to renovate.

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02.12.2020

The secrets to a well-run co-op or condo building

When you buy a condo or co-op in NYC, it's important to do everything you can to find out how the building is run. After all, it’s is a big investment—so what are the secrets to a well-run building? What are the typical flashpoints between residents and how are they best resolved? These are some of the questions addressed in this week's podcast with real estate attorney Steve Wagner, partner at the Manhattan law firm Wagner, Berkow & Brandt (and a Brick Underground sponsor).

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02.05.2020

How to read between the lines of apartment listings—and get the most out of your search

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01.28.2020

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In this episode of the Brick Underground podcast, we take a look at some of NYC's most pressing transit issues as well as its success stories. We'll also dig into what it means to be a smart city, how New York is competing, and what public data collection can do for your housing goals. Our guest for this episode is Sarah Kaufman, associate director of the NYU Rudin Center for Transportation.

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How does NYC real estate move past ‘peak uncertainty’ in 2020?

In this episode of the Brick Underground podcast, we explore some of NYC's current market data with real estate appraiser Jonathan Miller, president, and CEO of the firm Miller Samuel.

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07.15.2019

What do the sweeping rent reforms mean for New Yorkers?

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07.09.2019

NYC's complicated relationship with Airbnb

On one hand, New Yorkers want to put their expensive real estate dollars to work and bring in some extra income in a city that’s notoriously unaffordable. On the other hand, there are claims illegal short term rentals are having a negative impact on the rental market, pushing up prices for tenants and contributing to the city’s affordability crisis. Host Emily Myers is joined by Matt Murphy, executive director of the NYU Furman Center to dig into the details.

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06.26.2019

All about NYC building management

How do you look for signs of mismanagement in a NYC building? In this episode of the Brick Underground podcast, we dig a bit deeper into building management, how to find out if an apartment you've fallen in love with has fines or violations or if there have been emergency repairs—and whether these are deal breakers for a purchase. With some online research and some visual cues, you can identify how the building is run.

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06.07.2019

Closing costs and a new downpayment solution

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06.05.2019

The state of the NYC real estate market

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05.20.2019

Zoning issues—what happens when your neighborhood gets rezoned

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05.20.2019

All about co-living—what your options are and how to stay on the right side of the law

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05.15.2019

Get up to speed on rent reform, affordability, and the NY mansion tax

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05.09.2019

The Brick Underground Podcast is back. Here's a preview of the upcoming season

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Soothing your anxious or bored cat

Brick Underground Podcast tackles NYC apartment living with a pet that suffers from anxiety and aggression

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05.31.2018

Buying the apartment next door

Combining apartments is a delicate dance, and it starts with being nice to your neighbor.

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05.01.2018

Navigating the Buyer's Market

Tips for apartment buyers and sellers looking to make a move now.

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04.01.2018

Landlord tips on how to rent in peace in NYC

From renting a new apartment, to getting repairs, to negotiating your lease renewal.

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03.01.2018

The Renovation Episode

Whether you're in the middle of a budget battle with your contractor or just contemplating a big job one day, this one's for you.

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01.31.2018

Your guide to the NYC tenant blacklist, and how to stay off of it

For starters, it's actually not one list—it's hundreds.

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12.31.2017

Talking 2018 with NYC real estate appraiser Jonathan Miller

The operative word for buying, selling, and renting in 2018 is uncertainty, Miller says.

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11.30.2017

How one mom decided to stay in her small Brooklyn walk-up

Really, the real estate market made the decision for her.

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10.31.2017

How to (hopefully) win the NYC affordable housing lottery

Our podcast is back with a guide to the housing lottery, with guest Max Jaeger of the New York Post, who has actually won an apartment through it.

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09.11.2017

Living in NYC with a disability

Jhoanna Robledo speaks to Victor Calise, commissioner in the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, about how people with disabilities navigate New York City.

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08.17.2017

Podcast: Remembering Jhoanna Robledo

The Brick Underground podcast was created by our host, Editor-in-Chief Jhoanna Robledo.

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05.27.2017

Apartment-hunting tips for post-grads

It's spring, and you know what that means: Hundreds of thousands of new college graduates descending upon our fair city, ready for a new series of firsts, most notably jobs and apartments.

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