corolla's Profile
Author's Posts
August 16, 2009
Handyman to Install Gas Range
I need a recommendation for a good handyman for the first of probably many small jobs around our house: installing a gas range. The range and gas line are in place, I just need someone to check the fittings and actually hook it up. Thanks.
June 2, 2009
Man with a van?
We need to move a 200+ lb stove from one part of Brooklyn to another. Does anyone know of a reputable small mover that could help with this?
January 22, 2009
Restoration vs. Renovation?
We’ve finished renovating our rental units, but still have barely touched our own apartment and I was hoping for some advice. We have an 1899 brownstone that is approximately half and half with original details in fair-to-bad condition (beamed ceilings, mouldings and chair rails, doors), as well as later, ugly renovations (doors, formica, bad tiling, etc). The common areas are actually in pretty good condition and we’re going to keep all the woodwork in place, repainted.
The original apartment moulding is in such poor condition that I am tempted to just do a simple, clean renovation with modern millwork. However it seems sinful to pull out this old wood, as dinged up as it is. Is it significantly more valuable to have all original, stripped, patched woodwork in place, or does it make more sense to go for a clean renovation?
It’s sort of a philosophical question that I’m sure some of you have dealt with. Any advice?
September 23, 2008
Rats
I've just noticed rats coming into our backyard through our fence. There is no food or garbage in our yard. Our neighbors aren't dirty either, but their garden is more overgrown.
Does anyone have experience with the beginnings of a rat problem, and solutions? I'm all for getting an exterminator, but if they're coming in from neighboring properties, how good is an exterminator going to be?
July 14, 2008
Questions on electric baseboard heating
It's hard to talk about heating when it's so warm outside. but we're investigating installing electric baseboard heating in both units of our Brooklyn townhouse for two reasons: 1) To give the tenants control over their own heat, 2) to save money on the heating bills.
I read that natural gas is likely to be at least 25% higher next season, and our heating bill is out of control. We're also looking into a solar electricity solution for the house, this year or next.
Would anyone be willing to share any positive or negative experiences with this sort of heating set-up? The tenants' unit has uneven heat in the winter and the house thermostat needs to be set to 72 degrees to get every nook and cranny up to 68 deg in the daytime. Meanwhile, we boil downstairs.
December 6, 2007
Antique Clawfoot Bathtub w/o Overflow
I have a beautiful antique tub in the upstairs rental unit in my 108 year old brownstone. However the tub has no proper drain on its overflow. There is simply a metal plate with a small (approx 1/4") hole a few inches below the original faucet. Thus when the tub is filled unattended, water streams out onto the floor. During renovation a reputable plumber pointed it out to me and said there was nothing he could do, as the back of the tub is neither straight nor in great condition.
My tenants recently filled the tub up when I was out, and didn't drain it as soon as they noticed the leak. A large amount of water soaked our bathroom and then drained into the basement.
Two questions: 1) is this really how the overflow was designed to work? I've asked some people who say it is how antique tubs did it. 2) What can I do to help ensure the tenants are more careful? I sincerely believe they didn't understand what was happening, since a modern tub has a regular overflow.
Perhaps antique tubs aren't appropriate for rentals.
November 27, 2007
Month to Month Lease?
Hi. I'm a new landlord letting an apartment out in our building for the first time. I have tenants that I am comfortable with, they have passed their background/credit checks, and are willing to take a month to month lease. What is the process to offer them month to month tenancy? Is there no lease at all? Should I just take their first month's rent and security and hand them the keys?
Author's Comments
It's always sunny in Williamsburg. Just kidding.
Pringler has it right, especially regarding the Northside where before the bubble condos were going for a higher cost per SF than in downtown Manhattan. Now there are deals to be had. If you don't want to move for a while (years, as all the inventory gets absorbed) and you get a good price, I think it's a good idea. The worst has probably been priced in by now.
Posted by: corolla at September 28, 2009 3:50 PM in response to Williamsburg - To Buy or Not?
All you really have to work from are the official title and transfer documents that your lawyer will be working with. If there was some fraud rescinding a legit sale I suppose you could try and alert the city or sue them yourself, but that probably is not worth the fight. Talk to your lawyer, and remember that there are a lot of apartments out there -- be ready to walk away.
Posted by: corolla at September 14, 2009 8:33 AM in response to Is This Shady?
You're definitely in the right just for the holes in the wall you described. The other damage could possibly be called dirtiness or normal. I think you should find another countertop material if you have seen that much damage from water.
$490 is cheap. People have no idea how expensive repair work is.
Posted by: corolla at August 31, 2009 8:20 AM in response to Security dep. deductions
We renovated our basement -- formerly painted an off-white and chocolate brown combo -- and used all white paint, ceilings and pipes included. I like the look. It is much cheerier than before and feels bigger. True we can see beams and imperfections but I decided that it was a bit silly to obsess over it looking like a basement, since that is what it is.
Posted by: corolla at July 20, 2009 1:16 PM in response to Painting Exposed Ceiling
Actually he wants $1000 for both.
Posted by: corolla at July 10, 2009 11:16 PM in response to Antique French Doors - 2 Sets
If you want to pay 80% offer 70% and be willing to do something for them when they counter, like going into contract fast or whatever. Get creative.
Also, what stop on which train is it near?
Posted by: corolla at June 5, 2009 11:24 AM in response to How Much Should I Bid?
corolla wrote a review about Kellogg's Diner on June 3, 2009 3:20 PM
All true, though bringing up a knifing story from a decade ago shouldn't be allowed. There's more risk of e coli than a mugging now.
Here's the link about this. I didn't know about these guidelines, guess I should start painting the common stairwell before april.
http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm
Posted by: corolla at June 2, 2009 7:15 AM in response to lead paint and contract
Ability to pay doesn't have such a primary consideration on value of a townhouse, as say it would for the amount of a rental. Income, location, comps, condition... just because it's a recession doesn't mean that property is being given away on an ability to pay basis.
Posted by: corolla at May 26, 2009 11:49 AM in response to Average sales price drop?
I think excuses like that tend to be to make the owners feel better: 'We're not going away, we're just re-aligning' when in fact there is no more financing and they're about to go under.
Posted by: corolla at May 18, 2009 8:19 AM in response to Greenpoint's Pencil Factory Shut Down
Engineers won't come out and say it's "ok". They phrase things in terms of possible expected time until something needs to be repaired or replaced, along with a ballpark estimate on cost. At least, that's what ours did.
I'm sure that an inspection is not a guarantee either. If you buy it, it will be yours.
Posted by: corolla at May 11, 2009 11:46 AM in response to "Sold as is" Properties
I thought code was to not have the rain gutters go straight into the drain, because it does overflow the sewers during rains like we had the other night.
Also RE the rain barrels: I like this idea, but wonder what you do about mosquitoes throughout the summer. Is there a fix for that?
Posted by: corolla at April 22, 2009 2:44 PM in response to Gutters and more
30 days from the first of a month is fairly standard for a LL to remove a tenant. It would have helped your case if you had gotten the letter on 11/1. Still, with no other documentation in place (and if it wasn't a stabilized unit) I think the LL will have some trouble keeping your deposit if you take him to small claims court. Just have all your docs in order.
Posted by: corolla at April 17, 2009 3:57 PM in response to Deposit on M-t-M Tenancy
The buzzer is a great idea, but why not change the mailbox key to a controlled duplication key too?
Posted by: corolla at April 2, 2009 1:44 PM in response to Problem With RC Tenant
Why don't you ask them to inspect the apartment and give you an estimate of what the deposit costs would be before you leave (assuming you don't trash the place first). Once you withhold rent you will technically be breaking your contract and not be on good enough terms with the landlord for just having a simple, responsible conversation.
Posted by: corolla at March 24, 2009 5:05 PM in response to Bedbugs & security deposits
Has anyone heard of a friendly building inspector just randomly knocking on doors?
Posted by: corolla at March 9, 2009 3:59 PM in response to illegal basement and no of o
Did you call the cops?
Posted by: corolla at March 7, 2009 9:01 AM in response to Street Work on your Building
Hannible, I defer to you to tell us why New York real estate has suddenly become average priced. There are centuries of price history showing that New York real estate is more expensive than most other parts of the country.
Posted by: corolla at February 27, 2009 3:08 PM in response to She is sinking by the bow
You are basically assuming that NYC prices should be equal to the average price for the whole country, which doesn't make sense.
Posted by: corolla at February 27, 2009 10:38 AM in response to She is sinking by the bow
Politely and humbly offer $800-900. Keep the $1000 in your back pocket for negotiating later. He may be interested in the month-to-month tenancy too. It would be easier for him to raise it back when your situation and the economy recover.
Posted by: corolla at February 27, 2009 10:34 AM in response to Renegotiating with Landlord?
I was referring to the last sentence in your 5:54 post, where you claim people think you're crazy when you want to buy their house at 1990 prices.
Posted by: corolla at February 27, 2009 7:56 AM in response to She is sinking by the bow
Dude, you asked why sellers ignore you when you might offer them prices from 20 years ago. The Obama and Bush administrations have just printed trillions of dollars out of thin air. I wouldn't bet on 75% deflation.
Posted by: corolla at February 26, 2009 9:48 PM in response to She is sinking by the bow
I believe the bank holding the mortgage pays the taxes directly and amortizes the cost to you in your payments.
Posted by: corolla at February 26, 2009 6:27 PM in response to newbie owner question
Your assumption is that there is zero inflation, which you do realize is incorrect. 1990 is roughly the bottom of the last real estate downturn.
On another level, you're saying that there is no increase in the value of living in New York over almost 20 years. That also seems incorrect, given crime rate changes and the entire gentrification movement, whether you like its results or not.
And a third point is the neighborhood differences in pricing. I once worked at a major RE brokerage (not in sales) and had access to their proprietary database of sales in Manhattan through the mid 80s. It was interesting. Certain neighborhoods weathered the last downturn by simply holding flat, even though peak to bottom the average price went down over 25%. Prime neighborhoods certainly could do the same this time.
Posted by: corolla at February 26, 2009 6:26 PM in response to She is sinking by the bow
My worst tenant had the lowest credit score. Anecdotal, maybe, but trustworthiness is precisely what a credit score is supposed to measure.
Check their references well.
Posted by: corolla at February 23, 2009 4:05 PM in response to Credit report
It really depends on what you define liveable to mean. Many people do things piecemeal and live in a portion of the building during renovations.
Posted by: corolla at February 23, 2009 3:57 PM in response to Pricing for Townhouse Renovation?
Your post made sense, but don't encourage him. It's a waste of time. He'll argue with someone on the same side of the argument as he is.
Posted by: corolla at February 22, 2009 1:50 PM in response to Angry Renters!
$100 isn't much, but that logic runs both ways. It's certainly not a deal-breaker to the tenant, even in this environment. As others have said, they will be getting the deposit back if they don't trash the place.
Posted by: corolla at February 19, 2009 12:45 PM in response to Second Security Deposit
Evidently ;)
I dealt with some rats in our backyard last summer with quick use of poison. They avoided the traps I set, but the poison was all taken within a day and I collected a few dead rodents a day or two later.
Posted by: corolla at February 19, 2009 12:37 PM in response to mouse extermination (follow up)
The OP also asked if these expenses would be deductible. I don't know the answer to that, but your accountant should.
Posted by: corolla at February 19, 2009 12:34 PM in response to What to do
NYC "one-size-fits-all" heat guidelines on buildings where the tenant can't control their own heat are the least green, most antiquated option possible. The fines for being under 68 degrees are so steep that it makes more sense financially to crank the heat and let tenants regulate it by opening windows.
This is why separate heating controls are more efficient. Go for the per-unit setup.
Posted by: corolla at February 17, 2009 6:05 PM in response to Boilers 1 vs 4 separate boilers
I had working gas lines in my house up until a few years ago, that were hit by an electrician too. Take it seriously and call a plumber to check it out.
Posted by: corolla at February 16, 2009 10:54 AM in response to gas leak?
All of these are good points, but especially the water runoff. You may be surprised by the amount of water a storm generates if there is no ground for it to soak into.
Posted by: corolla at February 14, 2009 2:51 PM in response to Backyard Help!
With prices dropping like this, "Brownstones Half Off" will have to change his handle to "Brownstones 25% Off" soon.
Posted by: corolla at February 5, 2009 4:23 PM in response to Toll Brothers Gets Serious About Selling at Northside Piers
Reduce the grace period to a point that you will be comfortable with your cash flow. Mine is 3 days; if it falls on a weekend, then that Monday.
When I was a tenant I would send the payment in to make the late payment deadline, not the first of the month. They're doing the same thing, which is human nature.
Posted by: corolla at February 5, 2009 4:14 PM in response to Late Rent Notice
$1350 is low for the area, even with negotiable rents as reported in the Times. For $7k-$10k in paint, floors and cheap new appliances as necessary you could probably raise it $7k a year. However...
CMU has very reasonable advice. Why upset things if she is an agreeable tenant? Why spend the renovation money now in this economic environment? Why bother finding a new tenant and losing those months' rent?
Frankly I'm coddling my (williamsburg) tenants now to make their stay super-pleasant. It's good for all of us. I would bank the rent and wait on serious renovations until later. If you can afford $1350 from her until a later date.
Posted by: corolla at February 4, 2009 1:57 AM in response to 2 Fam purchase, estoppel letter
This NYTimes article is currently the 2nd-most emailed article on their site. I wonder if prospective renters are going to show up at open houses demanding additional concession based on the article itself. Interestingly though, the article even mentions that these things are happening in winter, the slowest rental time of the year.
Posted by: corolla at February 2, 2009 1:51 PM in response to Rents Falling in Manhattan a Lot, Brooklyn Not So Much
At the risk of causing a 40-post flame war, are all "1-2 family buildings" considered "brownstones"? It seems they are slightly overlapping categories... you both might be right.
Posted by: corolla at February 2, 2009 1:31 PM in response to Rents Falling in Manhattan a Lot, Brooklyn Not So Much
I liked your spelling.
Posted by: corolla at January 31, 2009 10:54 AM in response to NYC-assessed market value
Hannible, it is unseemly for you to be cheering people's taxes going up. You have no other knowledge than everyone else regarding general price movements, and those movements are opposite the trend in assessed values.
It is like, and it would be equally distasteful, for other people to cheer if your rent goes up. I sincerely think you should be ashamed and mind your business.
Spelling correctly in your histrionic response is optional.
Posted by: corolla at January 31, 2009 1:57 AM in response to NYC-assessed market value
The fake FRBO listings are fairly easy to spot, I think.
There are credit/criminal/background check services. I use TenantVerification.com for this. They do provide housing court records, if any, as well as terrorist watch list checks and other exotic checking.
Even so, I think you have to trust your gut to a degree and do the reference-checking yourself. Like the OP said, a lot can go wrong.
Posted by: corolla at January 23, 2009 4:51 PM in response to Soft Rental Market?
That makes sense... nothing else in the house is perfectly straight!
Posted by: corolla at January 22, 2009 5:39 PM in response to Restoration vs. Renovation?
The "tenant pays broker fee" model is different place to place. When I lived in California I never saw it. New York has tended that way for years, except when times are rough, like now. I know someone that just this month got a 2 bedroom rental for $2000 in the west village, with the landlord paying the fee. Four tenants left the building at once and the landlord freaked out.
Posted by: corolla at January 22, 2009 5:32 PM in response to Soft Rental Market?
There is very little crown in the house. There is millwork around the doors and windows (including badly overpainted rosettes), baseboards and chair rails.
The prior owners' family had the place all the way back to 1899, so some things are in perfect (painted) condition and others are patched, drilled and full of random caulking and putty. Also there are three small, plaster medallions and a room with a beamed ceiling in a 5' grid pattern. Some doors are original. Others have been replaced by cheap hollow-core doors. It's a patchwork right now.
Posted by: corolla at January 22, 2009 2:51 PM in response to Restoration vs. Renovation?
A friend of mine in the bronx got it taken out for free by some scrap metal guys.
Posted by: corolla at January 19, 2009 8:51 AM in response to Oil tank
The rule is no fire, bbq or anything similar closer than 10 feet to the house or property line. The URL has been mentioned on the forum before. You can find it in a search.
Posted by: corolla at January 19, 2009 8:37 AM in response to fireplace on rowhouse backyard
The bank takes account of some anticipated rental income on a multi-family house. With our house it was roughly 3/4 of market rate rents at the time we purchased, to account for time off the market between tenants. I would expect any bank dealing with this sort of loan now to be even more strict though, but I'm sure you could assume half the market rate.
You really need to ask some brokers. Big, unusual loans are hard to come by these days.
Posted by: corolla at January 19, 2009 8:34 AM in response to How To Buy a Brownstone?
Never mind the trolls, Ringo. You clearly stated a large discount to 2007 prices.
Posted by: corolla at January 17, 2009 10:11 AM in response to best pricing strategy now?
Rents may be going down, but CG, Bed Stuy and Bensonhurst are not comparables. $1100 sounds low in CG.
Posted by: corolla at January 16, 2009 1:04 PM in response to Getting our apartment rented
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
Segue: I have 2 cats who have free run of the outside yard, porch and, for all I know, my neighbor's yards.
I wonder if the next time I need a tenant, I should specify 'no cat allergies' in case they demand I restrict my cats from their porch? Or is that illegal under ADA law ;)?
Posted by: cmu at September 28, 2009 5:31 PM in response to Does the landlord have to clean?
If you have such severe cat allergies, why did you even take this apartment? A once over by your cleaning lady ain't gonna get rid of cat dander. It hides EVERYWHERE.
Posted by: bowl of dicks at September 28, 2009 5:37 PM in response to Does the landlord have to clean?
I feel like she should be following up with the cleaners herself to get the $$$ to reimburse herself, she certainly deserves it.
I would love to just deduct it from the next rent check, but that would constitute a defualt, would it not?
Posted by: ro at September 28, 2009 5:38 PM in response to Does the landlord have to clean?
not removing cat hair from out in the open in inexcusable, it wasn't even hiding!
CMU: the point is that she promised to clean the cat hair and didn't do it. That's not my fault, it's hers. As a landlady, if you promised to do something and didn't come through, and the tenant reacted to that, do you think you'd still be in the right? Even though you didn't do what you promised? If we didn't discuss it upfront (in writing) i wouldn't have a basis for argument.
Posted by: ro at September 28, 2009 5:43 PM in response to Does the landlord have to clean?
Eh, yeah, I guess. All of the above is true, but you may want to do a lot of research on the location and quality of the construction you're buying. Williamsburg was the land that time forgot for some good reasons: one of them is that there are some highly toxic industrial sites. I wouldn't buy near Macarren, or the BQE strip for that reason.
Posted by: Heather at September 28, 2009 5:45 PM in response to Williamsburg - To Buy or Not?
ro, you ain't listening to anybody's opinion anyway, so just deduct the $70 from the rent and tell it to the judge.
Posted by: denton at September 28, 2009 6:35 PM in response to Does the landlord have to clean?
Sure, come on over. Buy a piece of crap at inflated prices over here so my inflated priced piece of crap house can hold its 15x more than I paid for it value and help make my tax bill so high that I can never retire. And Pringler, you must not get out much. We still have the crack whores and gun slingers. They just come out later at night.
Posted by: williamsburgguy at September 28, 2009 6:57 PM in response to Williamsburg - To Buy or Not?
"life is not always fair" -- move on
Posted by: SenatorStreet at September 28, 2009 7:10 PM in response to Does the landlord have to clean?
I am pessimistic about any kind of good relationship between you and the landlord going forward. Aside from being duped by her cleaners, she is foolish to not eat the $70 in order to maintain harmony with her new tenant - I mean really! But - the $70 is probably not worth driving yourself nuts over. Just pay it and turn the page. And I guess you probably *should* have said something before taking action.
Posted by: henrycurtis at September 28, 2009 10:35 PM in response to Does the landlord have to clean?
Dave said it perfect in the first post. For a $2600 rent, $70 is not worth getting a relationship with your new landlord in a tizzy over.
Posted by: Crownlfc at September 28, 2009 10:56 PM in response to Does the landlord have to clean?
If you're sticking around I would eat the cost. If you don't care, I bet you could win in small claims court with that email in-hand.
Posted by: corolla at September 28, 2009 3:55 PM in response to Does the landlord have to clean?