It's gone, for anyone who wants to know.

Posted by: eFortGreene at October 10, 2009 3:48 PM in response to Electric Fireplace

I also highly recommend San Art on 7th Ave. They have done wonderful work for various kinds of pieces, using archival materials, their taste is great, and they offer high end to middle range of options, depending on what you can spend.

Posted by: eFortGreene at October 8, 2009 11:25 AM in response to Art Framers

In my experience, a financing contingency is quite standard, though all-cash offers are certainly an advantage in negotiations. You should speak to a lawyer who you will use for the contract and the closing, who can advise you. This lawyer should and could give you specific advice for nothing, as part of the arrangement for the contract and closing. DO NOT pick your lawyer through the RE agent; get your referrals via other means. Hanley & Goble in Manhattan, on Broadway, is a very good firm (small partnership, been my lawyers for years); not the cheapest, but reliable, excellent and honest. They can quote you a flat price for a standard contract, etc.

Posted by: eFortGreene at October 5, 2009 10:51 AM in response to CoOp Offer Subject to Financing?

hey, homey: I emailed you, but your spam filter sent me a request to be viewed, which I did fill out. Did you get the reply?

Posted by: eFortGreene at October 4, 2009 5:29 PM in response to Electric Fireplace

Front width @19", rear width 16"
12"D X 17"H

Posted by: eFortGreene at October 3, 2009 2:52 PM in response to Electric Fireplace

Wasder: what do you mean it went to the BSA? they were vested in the July 2007 rezoning. But a few facts for those of you who are still following this thread:
1. the developer, Calvo, originally gained approval because of a zoning lot merger agreement (air rights) with the church on Carlton and 124 Adelphi St. (the house with the porch)
2. there was an intent to revoke SWO issued a year ago because of evidence submitted that Calvo misrepresented one of the properties party to the ZELDA, by omitting the illegal 2-story extension on 124 that Calvo himself had built when he owned all three lots.
3. DOB lifted the SWO December '08, slapping Calvo on the hand by reducing his square footage by 762 sq ft (boo-hoo, in an 11-story bldg). DOB proves again that lying to two City agencies pays off in the end.
3. don't feel sorry for 124, which is owned by Azulai, (who owns Ozzie's coffee, by the way) because he got $$ off his purchase of that house in exchange for giving the air rights, and clearly he doesn't give a damn about the house, if you see how the steel is butting up against that porch. feel sorry for the rest of us on the block, by all means.

Posted by: eFortGreene at April 24, 2009 6:44 PM in response to Fort Greene About to Get Fingered

Liberty Mutual. It is a well regarded company. I have a small frame house and pay just over $1000/year.

Posted by: eFortGreene at February 21, 2009 12:17 PM in response to Homeowner's Insurance - Slope

Boy Luv Girl 105 Atlantic at Henry. Anna is owner, also gone to Jen there. 718-596-3868

Posted by: eFortGreene at January 25, 2009 5:38 PM in response to Hair Salon Recommendation

One to two family houses have a cap of 6%/year, 20% over five years. The assessed values were set in 1981, and were closer to the market value at the time; market values were assigned at that point because the state forced the city to do so, to conform to the way the rest of the state does it. Newer properties, condos or changes in C of O get assessed at the purchase price, generally, and then fall under the cap. The reason they keep raising the tax rate is that it is politically the easier way to raise taxes across the board; truth is that most NYC houses are undertaxed, but some are way over taxed; it is very unfair. This recent hike will actually be more like 13% next fiscal year because of the the 6% + the 7%; check it out when you get the new tax statement in March. I also wondered about how the slump could factor into tax protests, though, especially for people who are over taxed. If you really want to get the stats, check out NYPIRG's study of about 5 years ago. Gene Russianoff has been arguing for a reform of the system for fairness for some time.

Posted by: eFortGreene at January 3, 2009 9:41 PM in response to NYC Assessed Value

You have to wonder why they haven't gotten a full C of O in all these years. You might want to look at whether there were violations and still are violations regarding leaks, etc. Go on DOB and HPD sites and type in the address. Moldy carpets got wet at some point. If your landlord is absentee, she may not even know; it doesn't get her off the hook, however, if there really is a health issue. You're paying her mortgage for an unregulated apartment, but you have some rights, no matter how snotty some of these postings are!

Posted by: eFortGreene at January 3, 2009 9:17 PM in response to I made a health complaint... can i get thrown out now?

Scott Schnall on Atlantic Ave is the best source for zoning law and filing (expediting). He is not cheap, but he knows what get approved. He will not design or do construction drawings, but he will give parameters.

Posted by: eFortGreene at January 3, 2009 8:54 PM in response to buidling an outhouse thing?

Depending on how many units (3 or more), the building is supposed to file a multiple dwelling registration every year. You can look it up on HPD as well.

Posted by: eFortGreene at December 6, 2008 2:58 PM in response to How do I determine if my apartment is a legal residence?

Our friend, Juris Cimbulis, does good work. He has worked on three different renovations for us over a 14-year period. He can be reached at: 718-596-7143

Posted by: eFortGreene at December 3, 2008 12:24 PM in response to Paint/Sheetrock HELP!

We had a broken line (original ceramic pipe!) under a brick walk we'd laid in our horse's walk, and Harris Water Main & Sewer were fantastic (718-495-3600). They got the permits, managed to tunnel to the spot to do the repair from there to the street without damaging the walk, and had the sidewalk repaired the next day--all included in the price. They even arranged to have the sidewalk guy match the tint in the pavement in the new sidewalk we'd laid within the previous year! I've heard nightmare stories, so these guys are the peace of mind guys.

Posted by: eFortGreene at December 1, 2008 11:21 AM in response to Replacing a Sewer Line...

I use White Glove Elite, in Manhattan. 4 hour minimum, $25/hour, though if you set up regular service (twice monthly minimum) it is $22/hour. I have a regular schedule with the same woman, and I do tip as well.

Posted by: eFortGreene at December 1, 2008 11:00 AM in response to good cleaning service

While I can certainly see scenarios in which a tenant should go after a CofO violation in order to protect onself (ie, finding out that you are living in a "luxury loft" that used to be used for some nasty heavy industrial use and are having a hard time getting out of the lease and don't want to shove it onto someone else), it could also be a real Dick Move on the OP's part, and could backfire as a practical matter.

I used to live in a loft building that had CofO problems, and some tenants in the building used the CofO issue to start a legal battle with the landlord because they were cold and had high gas bills in winter. This was not straightforward, it was a long, protracted legal battle, I think the only people who got anything from it were the lawyers, and it was a shame because the landlord was actually a fairly decent human who didn't need to be sued in order to do the right thing.

Posted by: vanburenproud at December 8, 2008 4:52 PM in response to How do I determine if my apartment is a legal residence?

You can pretty much assume these things are illegal...maybe your neighbors don't care, or they were built a long time ago.

Posted by: oe at January 3, 2009 10:35 PM in response to buidling an outhouse thing?

For my (PPS / Ditmas Park area) house, the "estimated market value" is $1.25 million. Less than what houses on the block sold for in '06, and I'd say a little over the current actual market value.

The "Assessed Value" is about 30K and annual tax about $4800.

I have noticed that houses in Brownstone neighborhoods that are worth a lot more than my house pay less in taxes. Coops are undertaxed because the market value is determined by using rental properties as comps, rather than comparable sales of other coops.

Posted by: Bklnite at January 5, 2009 10:25 AM in response to NYC Assessed Value

My partner swears by Delilah's and specifically Leila as well. I have been thrilled with the cuts I get from Milla at Slope Suds. I used to go to a v expensive salon in Soho and haven't returned since trying Slope Suds.

Posted by: freerangesam626 at January 26, 2009 3:44 PM in response to Hair Salon Recommendation

You might want to check out trenchless pipe restoration. It is great - they use an epoxy pipeliner that repairs the inside of the pipe. It saved us a bunch of money. The guys that helped were great - http://accurateleak.com It is a cool technology.

Edith

Posted by: Edith_Texas at May 3, 2009 11:05 PM in response to Replacing a Sewer Line...

hey, homey: I emailed you, but your spam filter sent me a request to be viewed, which I did fill out. Did you get the reply?

Posted by: eFortGreene at October 4, 2009 5:29 PM in response to Electric Fireplace

That goes in the contract, not the offer. Agree to price, then your lawyer forwards a contract that includes a mortgage contingency clause. Sellers sometimes balk, but not much leverage for sellers on this one in the current market. The realtor isn't balking at the contingency, but the fact that you are putting it in the offer.

Get a lawyer lined up so you are ready to go if you get an offer accepted. Do not accept referrals from the realtor for lawyers, mortgage brokers or inspectors.

Posted by: slopefarm at October 5, 2009 10:51 AM in response to CoOp Offer Subject to Financing?

Anyone who tells you financing contingency is not standard or acceptable is flat out lying to you. I wouldn't believe another thing that person said. Also, if they are telling you that, I would start being suspicious that there is something wrong with the property they are trying to hide that might be uncovered by the mortgage review.

My advice is to never make an all cash offer if at all possible. Weird things happen -- tenants don't leave, problems with the building or neighbors -- and having a mortgage contingency makes it alot easier to back out of a deal gone bad.

Posted by: slopenick at October 5, 2009 10:59 AM in response to CoOp Offer Subject to Financing?

Thank you SO much for your responses.

eFortGreene, thanks for the lawyer recco. I didn't want to use the attorney the agent referred me to but have been at a loss as to how to find someone.

Slopefarm, I really appreciate your distinction between including contingencies with the offer and with the contract because I honestly didn't know the difference. Just to be clear, an offer isn't binding, only a contract, correct?

Slopenick, let's just say I knew I was dealing with a snake after she told me that I wouldn't meed a mortgage contingency at all --not just in the offer but in the contract-- because there was 'no reason' I wouldn't be approved and that I 'couldn't believe everything people said' about how difficult it is to get financing.

Posted by: bitterlikehoney at October 5, 2009 11:36 AM in response to CoOp Offer Subject to Financing?

Believe that's correct - contingency in contract, not offer. NEVER take RE agent's lawyer recommendation.

Good luck. Stressful process but prices and rates are low. Good will come from all of the heartache!

Posted by: Johnny at October 5, 2009 11:56 AM in response to CoOp Offer Subject to Financing?