An architect shares his vision for a reasonably priced Carnegie Hill maisonette makeover

November 7, 2016 | by Leah Hochbaum Rosner
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According to Halstead broker Brian Lewis, the best thing about this $499,000 Carnegie Hill fixer-upper at 4 East 95th Street is also the worst thing about it: “You have the ability to create your own dream home from scratch here. But you also have to create your own dream home from scratch here. It needs a full gut-renovation. I find that exciting, but others find it daunting.” Brooklyn-based architect Ben Herzog doesn't necessarily think a full restart is necessary for the space, saying that he thinks that many aspects of the maisonette can actually be preserved (“the floors, for example”) to save both time and money. Here, Herzog outlines what he’d do to revamp this ground-floor space. His recommendations: The liv... Read More

What kind of renovations do—and don't—require co-op board approval?

August 30, 2016 | by Virginia K. Smith
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QUESTION I just bought a co-op, and want to make some changes to my apartment. (Painting, adding a new toilet, changing the bathroom tile, etc.). How do I know which kind of updates I need the board's blessing for, and which ones I don't? ANSWER While certain cosmetic upgrades like painting may not require board permission, policies vary depending on the building, and it's wise to check in with the management before moving forward with the kind of plans you describe, say our experts. "Don’t think that just because you’ve paid dearly for your co-op apartment, you can make changes to your home as you wish without checking with the board," says Compass agent Shirley Hackel. "Alteration guidelines vary from buil... Read More

Blog Archive

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Why real estate is still the best investment
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Buying Your First Home in 2020!
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How To Use The Holidays To Boost Your Property Value
IQEC 19
Flipping apartment buildings
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A practical guide to Feng Shui your apartment
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Top NYC Neighborhoods for Rental Investment
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Tips for Leasing Commercial Real Estate in New York
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Smart home features that sell homes
How NY attracts foreign real estate investors
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The most common mistakes people make when investing in real estate
Tips for insuring your new home
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Benefits of a Minimalist Apartment Design
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Spring real estate selling trends
Benefits of buying a property and why you need to do it
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A New Neighborhood in New York - Neighborhood of the Future
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Know the terms!
Live Better | Guide on making your living space more positive
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NYC Real Estate Trends, Tips and Advice
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Best time of year to buy property in NYC
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5 Books for Your Summer Reading List
Scripts to Re-Engage B and C Contacts
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18 Closing Phrases To Seal a Sales Deal in 2017
Special Report: The art of handling objections in real estate
5 essential items for your summer prospecting checklist
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Best Answer to “Sell Me This Pen” I Have Ever Seen
Spire Group's Bianka Yankov named CEO: Spire co-founder says future of six-year old real estate brokerage is bright
5 High-Value Tax Deductions Real Estate Investors Shouldn’t Miss
Monthly Market Cheat Sheet: April 2017
Finally good news for summer renters! Landlords offering new concession: Discounted security deposits
Rents Continue to Fall in Brooklyn and Manhattan
►  April
5 tax deductions for NYC apartment dwellers
Increased demand and new condos leads to record home sale prices in Brooklyn and Queens
The rent freeze is here to stay, retro conversation pits stage a comeback, and more
Do developer-owned coffee houses accelerate NYC gentrification?
Does the crackdown in China on investment in foreign markets mean less competition from their real estate buyers?
►  March
Useful Smartphone Features for Taking Outstanding Photos of Homes
It's Official: 2016 Was The Best Year for Existing Home Sales in a Decade
Manhattan and Brooklyn Rents Keep Falling, the Pros and Cons of a Small Co-op, and More
If I Renting A Co-op Out to a Tenant, Do Your Clients Need to Keep Their Insurance on an Investment Property?
Manhattan and Brooklyn Rents Fall for Fifth Consecutive Month
►  February
Round-Table Session 2017 with Tony Jao and Steve Perrotta
NYC landlords continue to offer rent discounts as market softens
Closing costs: A guide for NYC buyers and sellers
NYC's Best Neighborhoods for Dogs and Their Owners
NYC’s top 10 wealthiest ZIP codes will surprise you
Moving to New York?
‘Coming soon’ listings are creative — but are they effective?
Buying or selling a home in spring? Be ready to drive in rush hour
The Lonely Real Estate Agent: A Valentine’s Day Mix Tape
What’s an hour in real estate?
What are the transfer taxes in a New York apartment sale?
How to get that millennial buyer in a home before 30
Business Plan 2017
►  January
Brooklyn investment sales fell 17% in 2016: report
New: Search for Apartments Near Second Avenue Subway
How will rising interest rates affect New York City buyers? What you need to know
5 Personal Assistant Tools That Actually Make Life Easier
StreetEasy's 2017 New York Housing Market Predictions
NYC Real Estate Experts Offer Their 2017 Predictions
Rents and the Second Avenue Subway
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Agent Wisdom: Most Overlooked Parts of Buying in NYC
Top Buyers' Markets in NYC
Changing Grid: Second Avenue Subway and Its Impact on Rental Costs
►  November
How will a Trump presidency affect NYC real estate?
Rich people struggle to move investment pads as pricey rentals
Agent Wisdom: Evaluate a Neighborhood, Not Just an Apartment
Be in the know | Gramercy Square
An architect shares his vision for a reasonably priced Carnegie Hill maisonette makeover
Buying pre-construction? What to look out for in the offering plan
►  September
The Gift Tax Myth: How to Navigate Around It
Manhattan’s growing ‘shadow’
The Urban Lens: A walk through the 90th annual Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy
Election anxiety, "softening" markets," L train freakouts, and more: What to expect in NYC real estate this fall
Is the 7 train the new L? A report says that Queens may soon see a development boom
►  August
How to prepare the family (and yourself) for a move
Listing language and an 'emotional connection' can help sell a place — here's proof
What kind of renovations do—and don't—require co-op board approval?
Why Instagram Stories means more for real estate than you think
Top 10 biggest real estate projects coming to NYC
As Rental Inventory Increases, Landlords Are Offering Up More Concessions
Facebook Live and Snapchat, New Tools for Tech-Savvy Real Estate Agents
National home prices hit peak while cash buyers decline, report says
►  July
Why The Best Investment In 2016 Might Be Global Real Estate
Selling High-End Apartments, Fully Furnished
Playrooms That Are More Frank Gehry Than Fisher-Price
►  June
What an Election Year Means for House Prices
Nonprofit developer Phipps Houses puts 900-unit Kips Bay complex on market
City Council Will Vote on Controversial Changes to the Landmarks Law
Some Charming Manhattanites Are Buying Second 'Staycation' Homes In Manhattan For 'A Change Of Scenery'
►  May
The little-known CMBS bill that could have a major impact on NYC real estate
Sales Spike In The Bronx and Staten Island As NYers Seek Affordability
New York real estate follows nationwide trend as growth slows: report
►  April
Get the 411 on financing an investment property
"Renter fatigue" means concessions are up and rents are (slightly) down in Manhattan
The wealthiest New Yorkers are making more than ever: report
Mid-Market Condo Sales Progress Amid Luxury Market Slowdown
►  March
UrbanDigs
The Airbnb question: What’s a broker to do?
Is there a magic window to sell your home?
New Apps and Services for Renters
New York’s Next Hot Neighborhoods
Buying a Co-op with ‘Dummy Money’
►  February
Rent in Brooklyn neighborhoods continues to grow in January
New Open Rental Marketplaces
Avoiding common closing pitfalls
ListHub gives REBNY’s New York listing service a boost
Median Manhattan condo sales prices, historically
►  January
OLR Broker
Everything You Need to Know About NYC's 421-a Tax Program, Poised to Expire Today
Williamsburg Breaks New Home Price Record in 2015, but Occupies Bottom Position in the Top 10 List of Most Expensive Brooklyn Neighborhoods
Long Island City Home Sales Set New Records in 2015
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Boomerang for Gmail
7 things you need to know about Manhattan’s resi market
Wells Fargo scores a hat trick in Stuy Town deal
The Cheapest and Most Expensive Neighborhoods For Renters This Fall
Upper Manhattan and East Brooklyn Lead Sales Price Growth
Get a Black Friday Deal on a Home This Holiday Season
The raging rivalry
My Favorite Business Planning Tips #BestYearEver
Even After a Rate Hike, the Fed Will Probably Keep Rates Unusually Low for Years
2016: The Return of a Feel-Good Real Estate Market?
Millennials Investing in Rental Properties
Luxury entry doors are real estate’s newest obsession
Introducing the StreetEasy Neighborhood Experts Program
►  October
BombBomb is lighting a fire under traditional email marketing
Brooklyn and Queens Real Estate Prices Hit Record Highs Again
Blackstone, Ivanhoe Cambridge to buy Stuy Town for $5.3B
Downtown pads give luxury market a boost: Olshan
Scorecard: Co-op inventory continues years long decline
New York City launches neighborhood-specific website
NYC leads global real estate investment to post-crisis record
The Fed’s decision not to raise interest rates brings some relief for buyers.
Manhattan apartments selling at record pace and price
Manhattan Apartment Prices Near Million-Dollar Mark, Reports Say
TRID: 3 Ways It Will Impact Your Real Estate Business
►  September
10 Fun Decorating Ideas for Small Living Spaces
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Getting Into NYC Kindergarten Workshop by Best-selling Author Alina Adams hosted by Spire Group
SPIRE Group and Good Earth Nepal Announce Partnership
►  June
This Month in Real Estate
SPIRE Ranks as a Top Mid-Sized Firm by TRD for Second Year
Are YOU the Next Big Reality Star?
►  May
Casting Dynamic Real Estate Agent for Reality Show
Keep 100% Commission and Become a Reality TV Star
►  January
Congratulations SPIRE Top Producers!
SPIRE Welcomes its Newest Agents
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SPIRE Wins Top Rental Deal of the Year
SPIRE's John Jourden Speaks at National Zillow Conference
Queens Residential & Commercial Real Estate Moving at Record Pace
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SPIRE Expands Commercial Division w Veteran Broker Douglas McCulloch
Is Now a Good Time to Buy or Sell?
Rising Brooklyn Rents Come to an End
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Soaring Manhattan Rents Reach Five Year High
Brooklyn Sales Market Hits Record High
Veteran Real Estate Broker Gary Scotti Joins SPIRE!
Using 401k to Buy a Primary Residence Facts
►  June
Central Park South Power Broker Stan Hancock Joins SPIRE
SPIRE Ranked as a Top Mid-Sized Firm!
►  April
Shhh! Why Whisper Listings are Making So Much Noise
Spire Welcomes New Managing Director

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