deepBTUz's Profile

Name:
Michael
In Brooklyn Since:
2001
On Brownstoner Since:
2008
Location:
Brooklyn
Neighborhood:
Greenpoint
Abode:
Condo
Profession:
recruiter
Sex:
Male
Age:
32
Website:

Author's Posts

December 9, 2009

Nonresponsive Tenant

I am a relatively new landlord and was hoping someone could key me in on proper procedure, as I have never been through this experience before and am hoping to avoid a mistake. I own a condo that I have rented out for the last year or so. For the most part no major problems. I signed a new lease with a new tenant starting on September 15th. He has always been a bit of a flake but was always communicative before. It was more of a situation where I had to remind him to pay his rent. Now he has disappeared on me. He has not paid December rent and is not responding to voicemails, emails or texts. How should I move forward from here? I want to be smart here and not make a mistake out of anger. I live about a half mile from the condo and am tempted to go over there to see what is going on. Bad idea?

September 1, 2009

Question for Landlords

I own a condo in Greenpoint that I am looking to rent out. It has been on the market for about three weeks and I have received a very limited response so far. I have all ready dropped the rent $400 from where it was last year. I knew the market was down but I didn't know it was this down. It took me about four hours to rent out last August. Has anyone else been experiencing the same difficulties? Is it better to list it yourself with no fee (Craigslist, flyers etc.) or do you think it is better to list it with an agency and give them an exclusive? Any help would be appreciated.

March 30, 2009

question about fencing

I'm sure most NYers have seen these types of fences all over the city. (I have no idea what the correct name is for them so I have included a picture). I know they are almost exclusively used for construction sites, but I am thinking about using them as a fence for my backyard. I saw it done at a bar in Williamsburg, and liked the look, and it also would fit in with the industrial feel of my neighborhood. I have a few questions though. First of all is there a proper name for them? I did a bunch of google searches and the best I could come up with was "corrugated metal fence". Are they legal? Do they posses some inherent downside that I am ignorant of? Does anyone know a local place that I could purchase them (I'm not a contractor). Anyone know the relative cost? I would estimate that my backyard is ten yards wide by twenty feet long. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

December 1, 2008

Question about heater

I am in Greenpoint. I am a new homeowner and have a question about a heater. I have a two family with tenants in the apartment upstairs. The house is heated by a Weil-McLain Gold CGA. The unit is working, but only seems to be heating the front of the house. The back radiators are cold. I spoke to someone and he said that perhaps I have an air-bubble and need to get the pipes flushed. Does anyone know of a company that does this kind of work? Also, do you find it better to enter into a service contract or handle issues on a case to case basis?

August 25, 2008

Aga ranges

Anyone have one? I just bought a Legacy duel fuel. How easy/difficult is installation? It says on their website, "Must be installed by a competent gas mechanic or appliance technician in your area. For a list of preferred vendors, please use our service locator." Is this really necessary? Do you need a specialist, or can any competent handyman/contractor handle the job?

July 7, 2008

question about flooring....

I recently bought a hundred year old two family in Greenpoint. I am looking to have the floors redone. Due to furniture color and circumstance I am looking to have the floors redone. My initial summation of the situation was, "I want grey". Is this a really deviant (uhhh) choice? I have been doing my due diligence, or whatever, on the Internet, and have come to the conclusion that this might be and (unknowingly) unpopular choice. At least on this side of the pond. All the examples that are in line with my desires seem to emanate from the ream of the .uk. I',m nobodies fool, so I'd prefer to stay away from dollars v. sterling. My question is is there anyone who produces such wood locally? I'm no stickler for the absolute perfection in production. Apparently, the Brits are doing a white ash with some sort of black oil staining. Its beautiful, but I'm not really trying to absorb $20+ a sqft in materials alone. BTW way whats an acceptable rate for labor on such a job? I had one contractor over who quoted me $3000 labor + materials on what is a 750 sqft job. Is this reasonable? Does anyone know of a local shop that could approximate such an aesthetic? I understand with a drop in price comes a drop in quality, but can someone recommend an alternative that is affordable and approaches this "look"?

June 15, 2008

Legal disclosure responsibilities for a seller

Hello, hoping I could get some advice on the legal responsibilities of a seller. Two weeks ago I closed on a 98 year old two family townhouse in Greenpoint. I returned home yesterday, after the heavy rain to find about three inches of water on the basement floor. I find it very hard to believe that this is the first time this type of flooding has occurred. Is it the seller responsible for disclosing this to me? What is my best recourse? Do I contact the seller directly to try and work something out amicably? Do I contact the seller's attorney, or should I just contact my own attorney and file suit? And advice would be greatly appreciated.

June 1, 2008

Selling w/o an agent

I was wondering if anyone had experience/advice on selling a property w/o using an agent. I own a duplex garden in Greenpoint, and recently closed on a two family in the same neighborhood. About ten weeks ago I signed an agreement with a realtor from The Developers Group. I signed a six month exclusive with him (4% commission). There were problems from the start. He neglected to tell me about a vacation he all ready had planned. He would cancel showings for the entire week if there was Holiday (mother's/memorial etc.). Basically his sales strategy was to post on craigslist and hold a 90 minute open house on Sundays. It probably didn't help that he was located in the Park Slope area and the apartment is in Greenpoint. Basically after ten weeks of no movement (even with a 91k price reduction from the original asking price!) there has been no movement. While I certainly question his talents, he was ethical enough to let me out of the six month exclusivity agreement. At this point I am considering trying to sell it myself. I have no experience in the real estate industry other than as a buyer. Is this a terrible idea? Should I assume the problem was with the realtor or is just an accurate reflection of current mortgage conditions? Is taking the 4% commission I would have paid to the realtor and using it to further reduce the price of the apartment wise? To what extent can I work with brokers w/o signing any sort of exclusivity agreement? Any idea what the closing costs are on the selling side? The condo is listed right now for 499k. Any advice would be appreciated!

January 31, 2008

need help on a renovation in Greenpoint

Hello. Me and friend of mine are considering purchasing a brownstone in Greenpoint. It is a two family two story brownstone with a unfinished basement. It is in total about 2700 sq feet. The building was built in 1899 and would need at minimum a thorough renovation and possibly a full gut renovation. We would not be interested in living in the property in its present sate. My question is.....what would be the logical next step? We need to understand what the possibilities are for the property. Do we need to have an architect look at the property? A contractor? Could anyone recommend a contractor/architect/firm that could come look at the property at give us a legitimate idea what is possible for the space and a ballpark estimate on price? How long could we expect such a project to take? If we get someone out to look at the property, should we pay for such a service or should said party provide the information for free in an attempt to bid for the contract? I own a condo in Greenpoint, but have never tackled such a project. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Author's Comments

Thank you vanburen. Sound advice.

Posted by: deepBTUz at December 9, 2009 1:13 PM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

anyone know a good real estate attorney?

Posted by: deepBTUz at December 9, 2009 12:47 PM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

He is a freelance web developer. Young guy. Doubt it is a health issue. He has always been a little dodgy. I tried calling him via SpoofCard so he wouldn't know it was me, but he didn't take the bait. I saw him on the streets a few weeks ago and he was wearing a t-shirt that said "FUK WORK" in the design of the Run DMC logo. *ughh*

Posted by: deepBTUz at December 9, 2009 11:53 AM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

Thank you Lo Kee. That sounds right to me. If I had to evict how long the process on average take? I'd like to keep him in the apartment but if he is going to default I don't want him there any longer than he has to be.

Posted by: deepBTUz at December 9, 2009 11:46 AM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

Rent was do on the 1st.

Posted by: deepBTUz at December 9, 2009 11:37 AM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

I would like to believe there is some extenuating circumstance (illness, travel etc.), but have been in business long enough to know generally if it looks like something is happening than it's happening. In this day and age I have a hard time believing that even if the guy is extremely busy or traveling that he couldn't take the thirty seconds to reply to an email or text message. It seems frighteningly irresponsible to me. So the general consensus is that even if this guy is definitely dodging me and in default of his December rent I should do nothing until January?

Posted by: deepBTUz at December 9, 2009 11:32 AM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

I hear you. It is my intent to keep things as amicable as possible, and for him to continue to honor the terms of the lease, but I get a very bad vibe from this guy. A late fee isn't really my main concern. I guess I just have a gut feeling that this is going to go sour, and want to get my ducks in a row because I've never had to go through a default before and don't want to make a mistake early in the process that will come back to haunt me.

Posted by: deepBTUz at December 9, 2009 11:07 AM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

Thanks for the advice everyone. I agree the rental market is frighteningly dead. I'm shocked. I'm thinking of maybe trying to sell it.

Posted by: deepBTUz at September 1, 2009 4:49 PM in response to Question for Landlords

I actually like the Industrial look, that is why I was researching it. Like I said, I saw it at a bar in Williamsburg, and coupled with some modern outdoor furniture, thought it looked great. Also, because I almost always see it used as temporary fencing for construction sites I thought it might be easier to assemble and install. Am I way off track?

Posted by: deepBTUz at March 31, 2009 11:52 AM in response to question about fencing

Posted by: deepBTUz at March 31, 2009 11:51 AM in response to question about fencing

sorry, the site wouldn't let me upload pictures last night. yeah the picture tybur linked is what I'm talking about. minus the razor wire.

Posted by: deepBTUz at March 31, 2009 10:28 AM in response to question about fencing

sorry, the site wouldn't let me upload a picture last night. Funny I tired to add a comment with the same link that tybur6 posted, but it again, wouldn't let me. yes that is the type of fence I'm talking about. No, I'm not considering the razor wire. Anyone know the deal with this?

Posted by: deepBTUz at March 31, 2009 9:46 AM in response to question about fencing

the forum doesn't seem to want to upload pictures today. This is the type of fencing I'm talking about:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/50/108518967_f8eae4fe27.jpg

Posted by: deepBTUz at March 30, 2009 9:56 PM in response to question about fencing

I moved on Saturday. I used Lucky Movers. They were $120hr for three guys and a truck. Move took five hours. They charged me $600 and I tipped them $300.00. They were good guys who worked hard.

Posted by: deepBTUz at August 28, 2008 1:13 PM in response to Ballpark cost for move & tipping movers?

I moved on Saturday. I used Lucky Movers. They were $120hr for three guys and a truck. Move took five hours. They charged me $600 and I tipped them $300.00. They were good guys who worked hard.

Posted by: deepBTUz at August 28, 2008 1:13 PM in response to Ballpark cost for move & tipping movers?

I moved on Saturday. I used Lucky Movers. They were 4120hr for three guys and a truck. Move took five hours. They charged me $600 and I tipped them $300.00. They were good guys who worked hard.

Posted by: deepBTUz at August 28, 2008 1:13 PM in response to Ballpark cost for move & tipping movers?

Thanks Brooklynista for the advice I appreciate it. Why would I defend my consumer choices on the internet? BTW, the question was about installation.

Posted by: deepBTUz at August 26, 2008 1:27 PM in response to Aga ranges

Make sure everything in your financial life is accounted for....and i mean EVERYTHING. I closed on a 750k townhouse a month ago and they were asking me to account for a $300.00 check I had cashed six months ago. Keep in mind this was less than 1/4000th of my income for the year. All anyone is looking at right now is your debt/income ration. Thats the bottom line. And don't believe anything the mortgage broker tells you....it's not going to happen until the underwriter says so. Plan accordingly. I would also recommend avoiding Chase. Their mortgage department is pretty unscrupulous. I'd recommend Wells Fargo.

Posted by: deepBTUz at August 4, 2008 10:58 PM in response to Advice for the closing

Interesting. I was thinking of going grey because of my furniture. A lot of black and espresso stained and wenge wood. I think they would look cooler on black than a brown.

Posted by: deepBTUz at July 8, 2008 11:05 PM in response to question about flooring....

Bond -

"Driftwood" is spot on. It is one of the terms I googled in my initial research. Is there a NYC outfit who could take this on this look?

Regards,

Mike

Posted by: deepBTUz at July 8, 2008 12:08 AM in response to question about flooring....

Bond-

Interesting. I have no kids/pets. Do you know anyone who has done this kind of work?

Regards,

Mike

Posted by: deepBTUz at July 8, 2008 12:03 AM in response to question about flooring....

6:10 PM,

You have great taste. Your reference point is basically what I am striving for. Is this "look" inherently custom? Is there Prêt-à-Porter approximation available?

Regards,

Mike

Posted by: deepBTUz at July 7, 2008 11:59 PM in response to question about flooring....

southside-

Excuse my ignorance but who are "Abbott"? I'd be interested in speaking to them.

Regards,

Mike

Posted by: deepBTUz at July 7, 2008 11:48 PM in response to question about flooring....

4:42 PM--

Thanks. I'm truly a novice. My floors now are about hundred years old, but for the most part are in good shape. Do you think your proposal, ("Can't you just sand off whatever typical brown color is on your floors and stain them grey") would be more economically favorable than just replacing the floors entirely? Do you know of anyone who does such work?

Regards,

Mike

Posted by: deepBTUz at July 7, 2008 11:43 PM in response to question about flooring....

A very good friend of mine owns a metal fabrication shop in Baltimore that does this kind of work. He is the best, period. He does all my work. Although, he is in Baltimore he comes to Brooklyn semi-regularly, because he does work on my house, and because he is a friend of mine. If you want, I could pass along his information.

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 17, 2008 12:49 AM in response to fence contractor recommedations?

6:03 PM, solid point. I agree. I do not think the inspector was incompetent. Actually, found him through recommendations from this forum. Might have to chalk this one up to extremity. I have lived in Greenpoint for 10 years, and can not really recall a storm of the magnitude of the one on Saturday. There was a lot of water period....

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 17, 2008 12:25 AM in response to Legal disclosure responsibilities for a seller

ytnyc2, you are seriously one of my neighbors? Like a neighbor in terms of greenpoint, or a neighbor neighbor?

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 17, 2008 12:20 AM in response to Legal disclosure responsibilities for a seller

isn't it easier to seek what out what you desire than to lament what you have lost? change is inevitable, and YES you are still free to react how you wish.....

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 15, 2008 11:52 PM in response to Bleeker Street Syndrome

Thank you all for your help. I am a first time homeowner and honestly I find my ignorance a little embarrassing. I did receive a $500 check at closing which I accepted. My lawyer did not really do an adequate job of explaining what exactly I was accepting. I am no fool. I know that there will inherently be issues with a 100 year old house. I understand that more than likely you can expect some leakage in basements, especially during periods of extreme storms. But what is normal? In my case, this was not a small amount of water. I would estimate it in the range of 30 gallons. Is that normal or exceptional in terms of degree? I did hire an independent inspector before I entered into contract. He seemed to be very knowledgeable and competent, and I would have classified the experience as positive. He however, found no evidence, or suggested that there could be, this amount of leakage. If this leakage is in fact an accepted inevitability, how do you live with it? I rent the three bedroom on the second floor, so the finished basement makes up a sizable portion of my living space. I know their is a separate thread on how exactly to fix these leaks, but how expensive is it? I am a furniture collector who plans to put several very expensive pieces in the space. Would I be better off just having the furniture insured?

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 15, 2008 11:43 PM in response to Legal disclosure responsibilities for a seller

Steve what is a PCD?

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 15, 2008 6:21 PM in response to Legal disclosure responsibilities for a seller

Steve thanks for the help, but wouldn't this form be a little after the fact? I have all ready closed on the property and am occupying it.

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 15, 2008 5:25 PM in response to Legal disclosure responsibilities for a seller

Have a Mr. Slim in a condo I own. I like it, it does the job. Quiet.

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 11, 2008 3:12 AM in response to Fujistu vs. LG mini split systems

9:22 did you have your Mr. Slim installed? I own a condo now that came with a Mr. Slim unit, and I too am happy with it. I just bought a 98 year old townhouse, and was considering going with the Mr. Slim setup. Any idea on a ballpark of what that would cost to have installed?

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 10, 2008 7:40 PM in response to Ductless AC - Outside Wall?

2:49...I will contact you off this website....If you have novel ideas I am all ears.....

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 2, 2008 10:00 PM in response to Selling w/o an agent

10:56....thank you! I'm definitely thinking of going that route....

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 2, 2008 9:58 PM in response to Selling w/o an agent

9:24 thank you for your valued advice. It is certainly appreciated. Not to say too much, but I am 32 and inexperienced. I'm no fool, but I am certainly learning as I go. Thanks for taking the time.

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 2, 2008 9:56 PM in response to Selling w/o an agent

guest, the post was written in the general tone of a question......

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 1, 2008 8:48 PM in response to Selling w/o an agent

Ysabelle- Agreed. I am in sales but not real estate. I posted more to gauge if there was some potential pitfall I was missing. "A lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client".... that sort of thing.....

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 1, 2008 6:17 PM in response to Selling w/o an agent

curiosity, thank for your insightful post. It is good advice. In fact, many close friends have said the same thing. I think on a strictly economical level it is the correct advice. However, circumstances are a little different here. Like, I mentioned in my original post I am not in the real estate business, and have zero experience as a landlord. I was willing to take on the rental unit in the two bedroom, because it made financial sense and allowed me to buy a house I really loved. My intent now is not necessarily to maximize the potential profits on the condo. I would rather just sell, free up some cash flow, and use it to make renovations on the historical house I just bought and love. More a lifestyle issue than a financial issue.

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 1, 2008 6:14 PM in response to Selling w/o an agent

9:44 read the article in the times today as well. IMO opinion it was excessively dire. yes, it is harder to get a mortgage these days, but it is by no means impossible, as long as you are being reasonable. I just closed on a two family this week and was able to get a 10% down, 6 1/4 fixed w/ wells fargro. on the flip side, I am selling a condo and am finding it extremely difficult to find buyers, even offering it at what I consider to be a competitive price. my verdict (and this really goes for north brooklyn)....getting a mortgage possible as long as being reasonable, selling a two family an up....surprisingly easy....selling a condo.....very difficult.....

Posted by: deepBTUz at June 1, 2008 4:25 PM in response to Mortgage on credit report?

I had concrete countertops installed this summer. I would STRONGLY not recommend them. Granted I got white, but they stain very easily. Lots of invisible water stains. Go with something else.

Posted by: deepBTUz at February 7, 2008 10:39 PM in response to Tumbled Marble Countertops?

Thank you all so much for thee feedback! I really appreciate it. Your advice is invaluable to me because from a knowledge and experience standpoint I am really starting from scratch. Al I would be very interested in speaking to you. I will give you a call. My name is Mike, so when I call you won't think I'm nuts. Once again, thank you all for the help, I am very grateful. Regards -Mike

Posted by: deepBTUz at February 1, 2008 7:55 PM in response to need help on a renovation in Greenpoint

thanks! how long should we expect for this kind of renovation? six weeks? six months?

Posted by: deepBTUz at January 31, 2008 11:53 PM in response to need help on a renovation in Greenpoint

Responses to Author's Forum Comments

It can take a very long time, although it does not have to and does not always.

NYC housing court is notoriously tenant friendly. It's been years since I did any work there, but I am sure nothing has changed.

I can recall proceedings where tenants would not pay rent for three months during the pendancy of the proceeding, then come to court with two months in moneys orders and a promise to pay the remaining arrears... three months later we were back in court, same tenant, same situation. This went on with some problem tenants for years.

Hopefully you will not find yourself in such a situation.

Best of luck to you.

Posted by: Lo Kee at December 9, 2009 11:52 AM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

It can take a very long time, although it does not have to and does not always.

NYC housing court is notoriously tenant friendly. It's been years since I did any work there, but I am sure nothing has changed.

Hopefully you will not find yourself in such a situation.

Best of luck to you.

Posted by: Lo Kee at December 9, 2009 11:52 AM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

Posted by: deepBTUz at December 9, 2009 11:53 AM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

DO NOT contact his employer. That is illegal.

Posted by: benson at December 9, 2009 11:57 AM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

From all your comments, I think you should hire a real estate lawyer who specializes in landlord issues. Your tenant is avoiding you, his rent is due, there is no good ending, just bad and worse options. Whatever you do, follow the law, this will be key for a speedier resolution.

Posted by: Maly at December 9, 2009 12:04 PM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

having been through the eviction process as a lanlord recently it's critical you get your facts and documentation straight. Agree with Lo Kee above on that. A lawyer will help you through this but it certainly seems worth speaking to your tenant. Just be honest and upfront. From your comments your worry is leading you to conclusions which won't necessarily stand up in housing court. Stick to the facts and eventually you will clear this up, but as prior posters have noted housing court can be a frustrating experience so be prepared for that should it come to it.

Posted by: 10thStreetReno at December 9, 2009 12:31 PM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

"He is a freelance web developer."

Damn.

"I saw him on the streets a few weeks ago and he was wearing a t-shirt that said 'FUK WORK' in the design of the Run DMC logo."

Damn.

Good luck. I hope you can hold on and get through this.

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at December 9, 2009 12:42 PM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

Agree 100% with Lo Kee. Do exacty that. Start your paper trail now.

I recommend you retain an attorney now, who will advise you to exact language, timing, etc. It's an additional expense, but well worth it in my view.

Good luck.

Posted by: curiositykilledthecat at December 9, 2009 12:45 PM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

anyone know a good real estate attorney?

Posted by: deepBTUz at December 9, 2009 12:47 PM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant

A bit premature to start racking up the legal fees, but a little counsel could go a long way. Keep good notes and recotrds on all your efforts to reach him. If you need to escalate this, do so on a firm foundation of your own diligence. Not too soon to act on hunches, but too soon to draw firm conclusions about what you are dealing with.

Posted by: slopefarm at December 9, 2009 12:58 PM in response to Nonresponsive Tenant