ez's Profile
Author's Posts
September 15, 2009
Not Fair & Need Sleep
I own a townhouse which has a 3 family C of O. from the buildings dept. The Dept. of Finance mistakenly has it listed as a 4 family for tax purposes making it a class 2 property. OK, so now I pay about $7400 a year in taxes. My neighbor next door whose building is an identical 3 family with similar market value according to the city, pays $4700. In addition, he has a transitional assessed value of approx 28,000 compared to my taxable value of around 55,000. Why? In addition , the interiors of his building is nicer and would probably sell for more.
With a guaranteed increase every year of 8 percent, I will get choked out of my building in a few years with an out of control tax bill and unfairly so since I am legally a 3 family.
Has anyone changed their status and not gotten punished by the city for opening up this can of worms. Will the city ever reduce their taxable value of a property when changing the class? Does anyone know a great property tax attorney?
Stuff like this keeps me up at night and I need to sleep!
April 9, 2009
My Plants Are Dead
Last September, I bought two rhododendrons from the Liberty Sunset Garden Center in Red Hook to go in front of my house. Listening to their expert advice, I purchased two huge planters along with organic fertilizer, soil, etc. I watered the plants and tookl loving care of them. OK, so here we are just six months later and both plants are dead. I spent nearly $300 (not to mention the $400 for the planters). I went back to Liberty Sunset Center to ask for an exchange and they wailed and blamed me for the demise of the plants. Of course, in their hysterics they refused to do anything to help me. Does anybody think I deserve a credit towards some new plants or some other remedy?
June 25, 2008
301 Cumberland Eyesore
Has anyone noticed the "planters" being built at 301 Cumberland? Though this building is not a townhouse is a pretty nice 1920-30's apt. building with beautiful stone carvings. I didn't notice any landmark approval for this eyesore of a job.
April 28, 2008
throwing the baby out?
I own an investment condo unit which I'm attempting to sell, so far unsucessfully. It's been empty a while and so I'm losing a lot of money each month. I've decided to rent it month to month for much less than the market rental rate. The tenants would have to allow my agent to show the unit and have open houses every other week-end. A nice couple is willing to take it and she is due to give birth in July. The absolutely know the situation; that, when I go into contract they will get sixty days to vacate and they have agreed in writing. Mentioning this to some friends, they think I'm crazy to rent to this couple because of the possibility of their staying on, using the newborn as an excuse. Again, they fully understand they would be moving in month to month. Any thoughts.
February 25, 2008
To Burn or Not To Burn
To my surprise my top floor tenants had a fire going in their fireplace the other night when I went up to check on the amount of heat they were getting (another issue). It was my understanding that the fireplace didn't work according to the last owner who sold me the building a year ago.
I'm a little afraid of the open fire even though they did have a screen.
Beyond that screen though was a shag rug.
I hardly use my fireplace because of fears that the building could go up.
Any opinions out there on whether one should allow your upstairs tenants use of their fireplaces?
February 5, 2008
Really scary dog
Can anyone offer some advice? Opposite my backyard and separated by a right of way (for utilities) my neighbor has a rotweiler/mixed breed dog. Besides barking incessantly it approaches my backyard fence and scares my 3 year old to the point of him not wanting to play by viciously growling through my fence. The neighbor does not have any kind of fencing thus his/her backyard which should be about six feet apart from mine abuts my property. What can I do?
Is there a law regarding mandating the construction of a fence to keep the dog away and respect the right of way for what it is, no one's property? Thanks.
Author's Comments
The last statement refers to my partner , not the salesperson.
Posted by: ez at April 9, 2009 11:31 AM in response to My Plants Are Dead
OK,
Thanks for the comments. The planters are gigantic, three feet in diameter and made of cast stone. I put drainage gravel on the bottom (as was told) . I put in organic soil with organic fertilizer measured as per instructions. I did not overwater them. They are in a position to get three or four hours of sumlight, That was enough as far as Liberty Garden was concerned. There was no construction nearby creating dust, etc. Something they blamed me for when I went to ask for a credit.
Though not a professional, I and my partner made our choice based on prudent and researched care. We spent weeks looking for the right plants and spent an hour with the salesperson who assured us that these plants were the right ones. She's as upset as I am .
Posted by: ez at April 9, 2009 11:28 AM in response to My Plants Are Dead
the last commentor sure sounds like the owner of the building.
Posted by: ez at April 6, 2009 5:08 PM in response to Playing Ball with the LPC at 120 Lafayette
think it's still going to be a restaurant. that building, though it was repaired, still gives me the creaps. looks like it's going to fall down or buckle. check it out.
Posted by: ez at April 6, 2009 10:15 AM in response to Playing Ball with the LPC at 120 Lafayette
to landry,
the problem IS about shoddy construction per se. Fischman is known for crying and whining to the Buildings Dept. and to get his C of O and then screwing the buyers of the units down the road. All I can say is good luck and perhaps we'll bump into each other at the courthouse while we both try to collect remedies from Fischman.
Posted by: ez at March 4, 2009 7:28 PM in response to Checking In On 660 Bergen Street
i wouldn't buy in this building as the developer is known for shoddy construction.
Posted by: ez at March 4, 2009 12:35 PM in response to Checking In On 660 Bergen Street
ask him for the reduced rent but allow him to show the apt. while you are still there. this way , a new tenant will be in place once you're out.
Posted by: ez at February 27, 2009 10:00 AM in response to Renegotiating with Landlord?
my family ate there 2 weeks ago for Valentine's Day. We had a couple kinds of pizzas and a salad. It was great. The crust was thin and baked perfectly in their wood oven. The toppings were delicious. We were able to bring our own bottle of wine. It felt like a really good neighborhood place. Perfectly clean and welcoming. I am a pizza maven (having searched throughout Italy for its' best) and highly recommend this place.
Posted by: ez at February 24, 2009 2:23 PM in response to Streetlevel: New Pizzeria for Prospect Heights
i'm fortunate that i can do most of the repairs on my townhouse. still, when i walk up the stoop and enter the building, i'm still, after 2 years, awed that this thing is mine and still intimidated by the obligations to my tenants and my family.
come spring when the trees in the backyard start blooming and the weather is condusive to sitting on the deck, i feel different and very much like the pioneer who looks over his lands and appreciates the rewards of the hard work he/she has endeavored to do.
Posted by: ez at February 9, 2009 11:49 AM in response to Is Buyer's Remorse Normal?
one guy came over to measure my windows and to give me a price. I kept calling them for four months for their estimate and they gave me the runaround. really bad company
Posted by: ez at November 13, 2008 6:37 PM in response to Heights Woodwork
could be a problem with the pipe venting. try pouring some
water into the floor drain. If it hasn't been used in a while gases can flow back if the trap is not full.
Posted by: ez at September 25, 2008 5:43 PM in response to weird smell- closing soon
ez wrote a review about Bubby's Brooklyn on September 17, 2008 5:20 PM
i always hate it when someone suggests the group go there. if i didn't have a kid, i would never waste my money
thanks all. i decided not to rent it to the couple.
Posted by: ez at April 28, 2008 3:10 PM in response to throwing the baby out?
no way would i write this to generate postings Putnamdenizen suggests above. i have better things to do...
Posted by: ez at April 28, 2008 12:31 PM in response to throwing the baby out?
Thanks for all your advice. For your info, this tenant complains about no heat when she leaves her windows open and so you get the picture.
Her fire place is in the front section of the building above mine which was bricked up and so I was surprised to see hers working.
We never talked (which she might dispute) about the fireplace since she was an existing tenant from the previous owner. In fact , she doesn't even have a lease.
My working fireplace is in the rear section of the building and I had it checked out and its OK to use. Having experience a huge loss as a result of an arson fire (my studio burnt down and all my work) I have been extremely cautious with open flames. The two times I used my fireplace was for Christmas and New Years day.
Personally, I don't give a shit if she doesn't like it if I told her to stop using the fireplace. By posting here, I'm just feeling out the situation as to right and wrong and the concerns I have for protecting my children and life's possessions.
Posted by: ez at February 25, 2008 2:39 PM in response to To Burn or Not To Burn
Thanks for the suggestions. For your information , 9:59, there is an area that divides all the backyards on the block. Most homeowners, myself included, have fences, that mark their property lines. All of the fences go up to the beginning of this right of way. The result being a six foot wide buffer between the rear boundaries. The property owner whose dog is at issue never built a fence and so the animal is able to pace this area and growl menacingly at my child as he plays.
Posted by: ez at February 5, 2008 10:18 PM in response to Really scary dog
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
The last statement refers to my partner , not the salesperson.
Posted by: ez at April 9, 2009 11:31 AM in response to My Plants Are Dead
Obviously the size of the containers can't be at issue since they told you which to buy. I doubt it was over-watering either since we had a dry winter. I think thye should give you two new plants.
Posted by: Arkady at April 9, 2009 11:49 AM in response to My Plants Are Dead
Salt spray from the Brooklyn Bridge waterfalls???
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at April 9, 2009 11:52 AM in response to My Plants Are Dead
I had a azelea bush in a pot which weathered a lot of winters and this winter it didn't make it. This was an unusually long winter season due to La Nina. I don't know if that is a factor.
Posted by: donatella at April 9, 2009 11:54 AM in response to My Plants Are Dead
Lowe's and home depot will replace your plants if they die in the first year. Ya just gotta remember to save that receipt! Their selection isn't as great but if you catch them on delivery day or better yet go to the ones in Staten Island you have a much better seletion.
Posted by: italiana71 at April 9, 2009 12:25 PM in response to My Plants Are Dead
"I did not overwater them."
Honestly, I here people say that a lot and it's seldom true. Things like, I *only* water my plants on Mondays and Thursday. Well, did they actually need to be watered on either of those days? Does the plant need to stay moist or should it dry out and go through a "stress" cycle?
I'm not saying these particular plants weren't bad stock, but statements like "I did not overwater them" are highly questionable.
Posted by: tybur6 at April 9, 2009 12:44 PM in response to My Plants Are Dead
Fertilizer applied in direct contact with roots can burn (i.e. dehydrate) roots. Failure to deeply water plant when first transplanting, and/or damage to roots when it is transferred from nursery container to new container or site can kill plant. Mounding or raising the soil level above the crown of the plant, shrub, or tree can and will kill the plant. UNDERwatering and dry winters can kill rhododendrons. Containers with gravel at bottom but no actual drainage hole can cause the plant to drown. There are so many unknown variables that it is virtually impossible to diagnose the contributing factors from afar.
Posted by: vinca at April 9, 2009 12:48 PM in response to My Plants Are Dead
Go to brooklyn terminal market on Ralph for plants.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at April 9, 2009 12:59 PM in response to My Plants Are Dead
The high end places in Red Hook definitely have a bigger selection but there is something to be said for HD and Lowe's. I don't have a green thumb and so I won't spend much on plants which is why I stick to buying in Lowe's, HD and the Brooklyn Terminal Market who will all take anything back with a receipt.
Posted by: Chosen at April 9, 2009 2:15 PM in response to My Plants Are Dead
There's also Garden World in Queens, although i'm not sure if they take plants back with receipt ...
Posted by: werner at April 9, 2009 10:32 PM in response to My Plants Are Dead
thanks for all your comments. I just talked to two attorneys on this matter. Both said that if i went to Finance to change from a 4 family to 3 family, Finance would take the recent sales price that I paid for the building into account I paid 3 yrs. ago, and in the end my taxes would be much higher. They separately stated that it would be suicidal to approach DOF.
Has anyone gone to Finance and had this situation where even though the tax class was changed to a lower rate, the taxes did go up because of the imposition of a new valuation?
Thanks again.
Posted by: ez at September 17, 2009 9:52 AM in response to Not Fair & Need Sleep