Brick Underground Office Hours
The Brick Underground Podcast
Renting in New York City usually comes with some kind of headache—a broken elevator, a rent increase, leaks, mold, the list goes on. In this episode, tenant attorney Sam Himmelstein, a partner at and a longtime sponsor of Brick Underground, sits down for our first live Office Hours. Some of the questions addressed during the event include: Can I be charged fees for late rent payments if it isn't in the lease? What are landlords' obligations for cleaning common areas? Can a landlord increase my rent in retaliation if I complain about conditions? How do I handle mold? Another...
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Racism and the lack of diversity in the appraisal business
The Brick Underground Podcast
Claims about racial bias in appraisals are not new but there are now reports the pandemic has made the situation worse. Recently, researchers digging through millions of appraisals from the Federal Housing Finance Agency found, yet again, evidence of systematic racial bias from appraisers. In a conversation with Jonathan Miller, president and CEO of appraisal firm Miller Samuel, he says this type of discrimination is likely to be as prevalent in New York City as it is in rest of the country and blames the lack of diversity in the appraisal business is a key driver of this bias. ...
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Making sense of the NYC real estate market with Jonathan Miller
The Brick Underground Podcast
Appraiser Jonathan Miller, president and CEO of Miller Samuel, joins host Emily Myers to discuss what buyers, sellers, and renters in New York City can take away from the real estate data as we head into 2023. Rents are 15 percent higher than they were before the pandemic but concessions (like free rent given by a landlord to entice someone to sign a lease) are actually starting to rise. Meanwhile, apartment sales have slowed because of rising mortgage rates and uncertainty about the economy. One tip: If you want to follow sales price trends in NYC you need to look at inventory and...
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Predators in the NYC rental market, with Hannah Levintova from Mother Jones
The Brick Underground Podcast
In this episode, we take a look at the biggest New York City landlords you’ve probably never heard of—private equity-backed owners. The number of these investor landlords has increased during the pandemic and when private equity is involved in the purchase of a rental building the outcome is rarely, if ever, positive for the tenants living there. Investigative reporter Hannah Levintova talks with host Emily Myers about what she uncovered reporting on this topic for the national publication Hannah Levintova’s work on this topic includes these articles: Public data on who...
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Protecting against fire and floods in your NYC apartment
The Brick Underground Podcast
Fires and flooded apartments pose risks for New Yorkers, prompting many to ask: How do I stay safe in my apartment? In this episode, Robert O’Brien, co-owner of New York Fire Consultants and a former F.D.N.Y. firefighter talks with host Emily Myers, offering tips on how to minimize fire hazards, find out if our building is up to code, determine if a basement apartment is legal, and where to look for your building's fire safety plan. The episode touches on personal safety issues and gives some reminders about a landlord's responsibility for looking after residents.
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Finding a deal in NYC as landlords pull concessions and raise rents
The Brick Underground Podcast
If you want to rent in NYC right now, what should you expect? Apartments are no longer sitting empty and the balance of power is tipping in favor of landlords. So how do you get the edge? In this episode of the podcast, Adrian Savino, director of leasing and business development at Living New York, joins host Emily Myers to shed light on where the deals are as landlords pull concessions and raise rents.
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Trading your NYC apartment for a cheap(er) vacation
The Brick Underground Podcast
If you’ve ever wanted to put your New York City apartment to work by trading it for a week’s vacation somewhere else, this might be the year. Surging demand and fewer listings for short -term rentals are pushing up prices in popular vacation spots and if you’re traveling with unvaccinated children you might well be looking for an alternative to a busy hotel. Mary Lowengard, a contributing writer for Brick Underground, joins host Emily Myers to offer advice from decades of experience swapping her Upper East Side co-op for places in Europe and the U.S. ...
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How to negotiate your NYC sale or purchase
The Brick Underground Podcast
In this guide to negotiating, Mike Walker, residential sales manager at R New York, joins host Emily Myers to share some practical tips on how to get what you want when you are buying or selling.
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Your NYC buying, selling, and ownership questions
The Brick Underground Podcast
Is it a red flag if a developer has failed multiple building inspections as you go to close on your apartment? What if there's no Certificate of Occupancy? What are you signaling as a buyer if you offer the asking price on an apartment with your initial bid? In this episode of the podcast we discuss your real estate questions as the city’s sales market goes into overdrive. Host Emily Myers is joined by Allison Chiaramonte, an agent at Warburg Realty and attorney Shaun Pappas, a partner at Starr Associates.
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The shock of buying in NYC for the first time
The Brick Underground Podcast
Even if you've bought real estate in another city, buying in New York will surprise you. Having to compromise on your purchase when you're spending a million or more is one of the biggest shocks for many. Host Emily Myers is joined by Brick Underground’s managing editor Jennifer White Karp and Kobi Lahav, director of sales at to talk about the often awkward, frustrating and always eye-opening process of buying in NYC. The conversation covers the layers of bureaucracy, the legal wranglings, the broker tricks, board politics, and why buying in NYC holds such an appeal. ...
info_outlineWith his borough increasingly in the sights of developers in search of neighborhoods to build in and newcomers looking for a more affordable place to live, we sat down with blogger Ed García Conde to talk about the Bronx's gentrification woes, its deep and fascinating history, its hidden gems, what it's like to be a neighborhood blogger, and more.