Do I Need an Architect?

There was one intelligent suggestion up top about making parking illegal except for deliveries during business hours on 5th avenue. What's wrong with that plan? It disincentivizes private car use, which is clearly desirable and provides an orderly place for delivery trucks to park. I find the notion that we will get rid of a bike lane FOR THE PURPOSE OF ALLOWING DELIVERY TRUCKS TO DOUBLE PARK to be insane.

Posted by: CuriousGeorge at June 10, 2009 1:40 PM in response to CB6, Fifth Avenue BID Going After Bike Lane

I love how Brownstoner who renovated his kitchen with Ikea cabinets has become the self-appointed judge of good renovation taste in brooklyn. This renovation looks just fine to me and if I were looking I would definitely pay more for this than for an unrenovated property. This blog is starting to be ridiculous with its critique of renovation tastes. Have you nothing better to do than dig this deeply into other people's business? If I remember correctly, Mr. and Mrs. Brownstoner stopped blogging about their interior decorating when people started to criticize their choices. Somehow, it's ok to criticize others choices....

It's one thing to criticize a developer for ruining the esthetics of a neighborhood with Fedders buildings, but it's entirely different when you are criticizing the renovation of a private person (who is likely in some financial distress) trying to sell his/her house.

Posted by: CuriousGeorge at June 2, 2009 4:03 PM in response to House of the Day: 177 MacDonough Street

I drove by this building the other day, and was surprised by the fact that I liked the esthetics of it. Maybe they also did a good job on the inside?

Posted by: CuriousGeorge at May 12, 2009 12:01 PM in response to Checking In On 500 4th Avenue

Listen to a good lawyer on the contract, but you are basically on your own when it comes to price and negotiation. Be tough. In this market, nothing is insulting to the seller. Believe me, I sold a property recently. Had a bunch of offers I was totally unwilling to accept, but found none of them insulting. Truth was, I was sort of happy someone was bidding something...

A serious seller does not consider an offer insulting - get that out of your head. He might consider it unacceptable and try to make you feel like he is insulted, but he is not insulted. I have never heard of someone lowballing and then coming back with a better and acceptable price, but being told that his better offer is unacceptable because the prior one was too insulting. Just doesn't happen - any broker who tells you otherwise is lying.

Posted by: CuriousGeorge at May 7, 2009 1:41 AM in response to buyers broker for...?

The price on the Avenue V house is phenomenally high. Anyone have any idea why? I sold a fully renovated house close to that one recently for a lot less than that after trying to sell it on and off for some time. Either there is gold in the basement or perhaps its one of those mortgage fraud schemes - I am just having trouble imagining that house being worth much more than $600,000 - $700,000. And no, it's not in the coveted gravesend area.

Posted by: CuriousGeorge at May 5, 2009 12:14 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

I am confused by the question and the comments.

If both sides have signed, unless there is a provision in the contract preventing the seller from showing the house to others, they may do so for as long as they like. They may even sign another contract provided the closing in the new contract is conditional upon the termination of the first contract (i.e., it's a backup contract). However, the seller must still continue to act in good faith to close on the first contract signed.

If either the buyer or the seller have not signed the contract, there is no contract and the seller may show the property as they please. However, if you as a buyer have signed the contract, your lawyer should have sent the contract to the seller's attorney with the express condition that it be signed and returned within a limited period of time (e.g., 48 hrs), otherwise, you are just setting yourself up for a disappointment. If your lawyer has not done that, call him/her and get them to send another letter to the seller's attorney giving him a deadline by which the contract must be signed. If the deadline passes, and the seller does not sign the contract, you should rescind your offer.

Posted by: CuriousGeorge at April 27, 2009 12:00 PM in response to Open House Post Signed Contract?

Look, any way you look at it, if you break the lease early, you will lose the security deposit, so consider that gone.

I would let the landlord know when I was moving out, and would just stop paying rent. Ultimately, if their only claim is the loss of 2 months rent and one of those is covered by the security deposit, all they will be able to claim if they sue you in housing court is the last month's rent and they are not likely to pursue a claim in housing court for such a small amount of money.

Posted by: CuriousGeorge at April 23, 2009 5:08 PM in response to Breaking Lease 2 Months Early

OK, so does anyone know an architect who would be willing to do this for a reasonable price (like hundreds as opposed to thousands of dollars)?

Posted by: CuriousGeorge at March 31, 2009 4:38 PM in response to Do I Need an Architect?

If the buyer signs the contract, but the seller sits on it then takes another offer, didn't the buyer just lose money ? (attorney fee, mortgage application fee)

Is there a way to recover these fees ? It seems the buyer is vulnerable.

Posted by: Sam C at June 19, 2009 11:46 PM in response to Open House Post Signed Contract?