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This article describes some of the problems that arise amongst heirs when a deceased relative leaves a New York City apartment in their estate. Real estate agents and attorneys have seen relatives become estranged over asking prices and delays that reduce the amount of profit from a sale. Soaring prices in the New York city real estate market have also increased the opportunity for conflict among heirs.

This article discusses the benefits and drawbacks to owning a town house in New York City. Town house owners love having their own place with no landlord or other tenants to concern them. Some town houses even come with a backyard so that families can experience a taste of suburbia. Drawbacks include the costs of maintenance and other bills associated with ownership.

This article reports on how an apartment and its neighborhood in New York City that look appealing during the day can transform into something opposite at night. Before renting, apartment-hunters should carefully look at the neighborhood during the night hours. The top three reasons that people hate their neighborhoods are danger, boredom, and a hyperactive social scene.

The article examines housing prices in Manhattan, New York City. As home sales and prices have declined in the U.S. during 2006-2007, both the number of sales and the prices for Manhattan apartments have seen sharp growth. In the second quarter of 2007, the average price of a Manhattan studio apartment rose 16.5 percent from the same quarter of 2005. New demand from foreign buyers, retirees, and renters is credited for the surge.

This article discusses the situation that many New York City condominium owners find themselves in when major expensive repairs and upgrades are necessary for the upkeep of the property. Owners must decide whether to increase the common charges or to levy assessments. Raising common charges is seen as a deterrent to sales, but assessments are generally despised by most owners. Owners, unless they are on the condominium association board, usually resent having no say in the assessments.

This article describes some of the items that people have left behind in New York City apartments after moving. Most departing residents leave behind the typical collection of half-empty bottles of cleaning fluid, dented cans of touch-up paint, dust bunnies, and other odds and ends. In New York City, however, you can expect to find the unusual item left behind. Apartment building owner Adam Goldstein often finds handcuffs under the sink, abandoned air conditioners, and, on one occasion, a hand grenade.

This article discusses how New York City residents neglect to ask important questions when considering a real estate purchase. New Yorkers consider themselves to be savvy consumers, but when it comes to real estate they rarely inquire about the financial underpinnings of a building in which they are considering an apartment purchase. Many potential purchasers fail to ask about appliance warranties and developer control of the building owners' board.

This article discusses the rise in sea levels and the increase in powerful storms that may be caused by global warming and the effect on homes in the New York City area that are located near the waterfront. Stuart Gaffin, a scientist at Columbia University, says that we can't avoid long-term flooding events. While widespread permanent inundation isn't likely to occur for many years, the threat of increasingly vicious storms is more immediate. Property owners in low-lying areas are the most vulnerable. INSET: Insuring Against Floods.

This article discusses real estate. The article notes that the process of selling a home can be especially stressful, as home and apartment showings can be set up at an hour's notice. The article provides advice for living in a home while trying to sell it, and how to best prepare for last-minute home and apartment showing.

The article chronicles the woes of second homeowners when dealing with high-end appliance repairs. When installing designer appliances in remote locals, many homeowners don't think about the repairs they will have to face. Generally, the more options offered, the more parts, the more things can go wrong. Areas with smaller populations or those off the beaten track often don't have service centers that repair their appliances nearby. So, gourmet stoves, refrigerators, and dishwashers become hard to keep in working condition.

This article provides advice for those looking to sell real estate during 2006. The article notes that the apartment market in Manhattan, New York has dwindled during 2006, with apartments spending 53 percent longer on the market than they did in the first quarter of 2004. The authors advise that those looking to sell their Manhattan apartments should not sabotage themselves by attending their own apartment showings, or restricting access to the apartment.

This article reports on which improvements to apartment buildings really increase the value of the property, in New York City, New York. The article states that the upkeep of the lobby and the presence of a doorman are important factors, even though they may increase maintenance costs. Other ideas debated include roof-top gardens, playrooms and gyms. INSET: Common Costs for Upgrades.

The article focuses on living in an apartment building with unappealing smoke and food odors in New York City. Recourse that renters may have in preventing odors is discussed, and tips are provided for avoiding apartments that may smell foul at certain times of the day. Stuart M. Saft and other real estate lawyers discuss the issue, and tenants express their frustrations.

The article focuses on the home renovations of Kelly Giesen. Giesen, who works in marketing and sales from Pfizer Inc. in Manhattan, is three months into her second New York renovation in five years. Comments from Giesen regarding her various home renovations projects are included. The author suggests that Giesen is one of the few who love home renovations.

This article discusses people who use real estate brokers but escape paying real estate broker fees. Many New York City residents have utilized real estate brokers to find apartments, and then immorally finalize the deals by themselves in order to avoid paying a fifteen percent broker fee. The article also discusses the real estate market in New York City.

The article discusses letters of recommendation which are part of New York City's board package for potential co-op buyers. The letters are supposed to convince a co-op board that an applicant would make a good neighbor. One broker claims that the letters are an important part of the acceptance process, despite widely held beliefs that the letters will not even be considered. Instructions regarding how to write an appropriate letter of recommendation are provided. INSET: Orchestrating the Perfect Balance.

The article discusses real estate brokers and the fact that, sometimes, they must act almost as therapists for married clients who are considering buying a home. Real estate agents and executives share their stories about couples fighting publicly and other related topics. Arguments are most often related to the price of the property as well as kitchens, closets, and possible renovations. INSET: The Doctor Will See You Now.

This article discusses the lack of washer-dryer systems in New York City apartments. Poll results show that only 17% of apartments have or allow washer-dryers, which include residents who are paying rent upward of $2 million. Real estate agents are facing challenges selling apartments when informing possible tenants that many landlords are removing existing washer-dryer systems upon sale of the apartments. Many landlords are concerned over aging plumbing as well as the risk of the suds from upper floor residents clogging the pipes of the lower apartments.

Doormen and luxury apartment buildings in New York are the subject of this article. Some New Yorkers prefer to live in buildings without doormen, especially if they live in smaller buildings. They see doormen as an intrusion into their privacy. Columbia University sociology professor Peter Bearman discusses in his book, "Doormen," the pros and cons of doormen for urbanites.

This article discusses the real estate preferences of New Yorkers. Some, who tend to be older, prefer co-op apartments built before the Second World War, buildings that have long been considered the most prestigious in the city. Younger well-off New Yorkers prefer new, modern glass-faced towers. The newer buildings are condominiums which does not require that residents have the approval of a board of directors to purchase property there.

This article presents some information about how real estate agents must indulge the quirks of some celebrities who are buying or selling real estate. Music stars tend to show up with an entourage of advisers and groupies, while movie stars might come alone or with a companion. John Travolta would remove his shoes and try out the master bed to see what the view was like upon awakening. Celebrities tend to cycle in and out properties with the fluctuation in their income. Privacy issues make it more difficult to sell celebrity property.

The article focuses on Rebecca Kopriva and her purchase of a beach house in Mendocino, California. The author reviews how Kopriva placed a bid on the house without even seeing the inside of it. Comments from Kopriva regarding the home are included. According to the author, impulse purchases make up about 40 percent of regional sales in southern California.

Reports on the residential real estate market in New York City. Comparison of prices in different areas of the city, including the Upper West Side, SoHo, TriBeCa, Upper East Side and more; Statistics about prices in the different areas of the city; How some people can't afford expensive areas and are looking at the Upper East Side; Advantages and disadvantages of the Upper East Side; Description of the social history of the Upper East Side and how many consider it to be too conservative and too staid.

Looks at the difficulties involved in purchasing a place to live. Review of how consumers are always looking for the perfect place to live; Difficulty of considering personal financial circumstances when buy a home or condominium; Comments on the issue from psychiatrist Ann S. Maloney; Comments on the current real estate market from John C. Prince, senior vice president at Prudential Douglas Elliman.

Discusses how someone's behavior in looking for real estate is a reflection of their job. How those who work on Wall Street tend to want to buy when the market is low; Assertion that those in financial career tend to look at buying a home from the business perspective, rather than just looking at the property itself; Difference between young and old professionals; Tendency for those in creative fields to be less practical-minded; Marketing strategy of real estate brokers once they recognize certain types of people and their behavior.

Focuses on people who moved out of the city and into the suburbs. The pros and cons of urban and suburban life; The experiences of Amy Land in Larchmont, New York, of Beth Little in Summit, New Jersey, of Nick Aloe who commutes to Manhattan, and of other city dwellers who migrated to a suburban area. INSET: If You're Thinking of Moving....

Reports that more and more international buyers are purchasing real estate Manhattan. Comments from Patricia Warburg Cliff, senior vice president and director of European sales at the Corcoran Group, who says that although there has been an increase in foreign buyers, the idea that foreigners are flocking to Manhattan is somewhat overrated; Influence of low mortgage rates on the foreign buyers trend; Idea that Manhattan has improved its image in terms of livability.

Discusses how, in New York, co-op apartments are turning away buyers with huge incomes who don't have enough in liquid assets. Denial of entrance to co-ops despite comfortable incomes of six figures or more, excellent credit, and credentials as citizens in good standing; Rejection based on the fact that they do not have enough left over (typically in cash, stocks and bonds) after the down payment to meet the requirements of the co-ops they want to join; Equation of "enough" with one, two, or three times the purchase price of the apartment.

Discusses the possibility of real estate brokers getting involved with clients looking for a place for extramarital affairs. Observation that the financial rewards can occasionally be high, as some philandering spouses seem to accept high prices.

Focuses on the difficulty of living through a neighbor's renovation. Unsettling experiences due to renovations; Effect of renovations on the relationship between neighbors; Property damages experienced by neighbors due to extensive renovations next door.

Reports on the advantages and disadvantages of living in an apartment on the ground floor in New York. Desirability and advantages of living in a ground floor apartment; Bargains and discounts on rentals in a ground-level apartment; Drawbacks and problems of living close to the street.

IF they had a theme song, the new co-op renovation guidelines from the New York City Bar Association might be set to the rock anthem ''We're Not Gonna Take It.'' Responding to a decade of renovations-gone-wild, the model alteration agreement, as it is known, which will be posted on the association's Web site next month, is in many respects a bill of rights for neighbors, and a headache for renovators. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

WHEN it comes to homes and spouses, one bad experience can alter a person's choices forever. And in New York City, where there are untold challenges to vertical living, a seemingly endless number of pitfalls lie in the real estate road. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AS many co-op and condo owners can attest, ownership has its drawbacks. These include the intermittent misery of dealing with a board and the waking nightmare of serving on one. There are also the occasional hair-raising assessments for improvements to the building, on top of the expense of maintaining an apartment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

HOW can home buyers determine whether a bedbug infestation in a building is cause for serious concern? Real estate lawyers and pest management experts have some guidelines: The first thing to consider is location. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

THE elegant two-bedroom co-op in an Upper East Side prewar building had drifted on the market for nine months by the time the first-time buyers laid eyes on it this spring. They fell hard for its original detail, convenient location and friendly price. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

IF you buy an apartment in a building with bedbugs, you will want to make sure your new home is bug-free by the time your first moving box crosses the threshold. For an inspection, pest control companies charge anywhere from $75 to several hundred dollars, said Gil Bloom, the vice president of the Standard Extermination Company in Queens. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Keeping Your House Cool Open windows at night and shut them during the day, closing curtains or blinds to block the sun. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

TO many Americans, abstaining from air-conditioning is a masochistic folly akin to refusing Novocain or renouncing the dishwasher. Yet as this particular summer finally heats up, even citizens who believe that climate control is a God-given right may be questioning whether it has become a luxury they can no longer afford. They are probably also wondering how they can survive without it. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AS most New York City homeowners hunker bearishly inside their largest depreciating asset, one unfortunate contingent has no choice but to wade into the storm-tossed market. For these accidental sellers, life has gotten in the way -- in the form of a job upheaval, imminent offspring, holy matrimony or the dissolution thereof. Involuntarily thrust onto the catwalk, many are now stranded there, unable to unload their homes, even at a loss. Those who do sell are finding it takes longer: Figures for the most recent quarter show that it took Manhattan apartments nearly five and a half months to find a buyer, 20 percent longer than at the same time last year, according to Miller Samuel, an appraisal firm. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

IN New York City, the rental market can seem a lot like the black market. Renters are accustomed to feeling hustled, fleeced, and generally at the mercy of predatory forces beyond their control -- and that's when everything goes O.K. In this forest of stunted expectations, it can be tough to distinguish the sharp-elbowed fauna from the truly corrupt, a circumstance that has long enabled scam artists to thrive here. This year, moreover, the busy spring-summer rental season is unfolding in a time of falling rental prices, which means too-good-to-be-true deals -- the con artist's calling card -- seem more credible than they have in recent years. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

MANY rental scams are easy to spot -- unless you are drawn in by what appears to be the deal of a lifetime. ''If something looks too good to be true, it is,'' said Gary Malin, the president of Citi Habitats. A two-bedroom apartment in the West Village for $1,200 a month? Keep looking. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

THESE days, anxious New York City developers are marketing as fast as they can, churning out flash-animated Web sites, glossy brochures, and smooth (if hollow-eyed) agents hawking sales incentives alongside Hansgrohe faucets. Yet many buyers with a yen for modern buildings are turning to seasoned talent with proven box-office draw. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ONE reason that buyers are avoiding new construction these days is the challenge of securing a mortgage when the building is less than 70 percent sold. But buyers in almost new buildings court similar heartache if too few units are occupied by owners. ''A lender may say they can only offer 60 percent financing, instead of 80 percent, because there are too many sponsor or investor-held units,'' said Luigi Rosabianca, a real estate lawyer at Rosabianca & Associates in Manhattan. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

AS unsold properties proliferate and encounters with the scalpel fail to move them, some New York City sellers are being undermined by an often nameless enemy. Even as they rearrange the furniture and pray for a sale, their apartments are being picked apart online by anonymous strangers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

WHILE the swelling inventory of apartments decreases the risk of being singled out online, the consequences may be more severe if your place is the subject of an uncomplimentary critique. Michael Waxenberg, a prolific poster on StreetEasy.com, noted that buyers confronting many choices don't have time to visit every one. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

IN the past few years, New York City's frenzied love affair with real estate fueled a veritable geyser of cocktail party/water cooler/diaper circuit chatter. In these circles, who bought what and for how much was far more fascinating than the mating preferences of celebrities or the dark machinations of Dick Cheney. Flash forward to the winter and now spring of our proliferating discontent: the median sales prices of co-ops have plunged more than 20 percent in six months with no bungee cord in sight, buyers are abandoning six-figure deposits on new condos, and sellers stranded with underwater properties are feeling like victims of a Ponzi scheme. The toupee is off, and in the flat gray light of the morning after, real estate looks a lot like tech stocks in the aftermath of the Internet boom. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DROWNING in listings they cannot sell, most New York City real estate agents still aren't ready to kiss their potential commissions goodbye and welcome the auctioneer to town. Unless, of course, there's something in it for them. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

FEW things make me as restless as seeing too far ahead, which is probably why flattened suburban and exurban landscapes tend to sharpen my longing for the vertical metropolis of Manhattan. Besides getting agreeably in my way, the city's brick-and-steel stalagmites function as part inspiration, part dare: Do you have the chops to survive, let alone thrive, as a squishy midget among hulking goliaths? But what if your vertical city should betray you? What if, for instance, your co-op building's only elevator is taken out of service -- for two months? And what if you happen to live on the ninth floor -- 144 steps above the Upper West Side trade route for everything you, your 10-year-old daughter and your husband depend on to survive in your suddenly breathtakingly inconvenient aerie? [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

UNDER a new city building code taking effect next year, elevators will undergo far more stringent inspections than in the past. Now is a good time for buildings with older elevators to consider modernizing. An elevator's useful life is 20 to 25 years. Typically, the first step in the updating process is to hire an elevator consultant to evaluate its condition, write the plans and specifications, analyze bids and manage the project. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]