If these guys have a stabilized lease the LL is fscked already - s/he has to renew regardless of what pigs they are.

Posted by: geekspice at March 16, 2010 12:19 PM in response to Dirty Tenants

That Smith St listing is spectacularly incompetent. Where do people find these awful brokers? How do the brokers stay in business? It never ceases to amaze me.

Posted by: geekspice at March 12, 2010 3:44 PM in response to Open House Picks

1. Kitchen reno. i had to live without my kitchen for just a week to have the floor redone, and it was brutal. Can't imagine what a full kitchen reno would have been like.

2. Any kind of excavation in the basement/cellar: The mess! The noise! The irate neighbors!

3. Totally agree on chimney work. Disgusting filthy ugh.

4. Refinishing floors: you might as well move out and then back in, it would be less mess and disruption.

Posted by: geekspice at March 2, 2010 2:35 PM in response to Renovation Poll

No food at all? Hmmm, not sure how popular that will be. But I suppose we shall see.

Posted by: geekspice at March 2, 2010 2:30 PM in response to Streetlevel: Lincoln Park Tavern To Open

I had this exact thing done by AYC Construction, along with a bunch of other work. I was thrilled with how it came out (although the actual process was noisy and messy, so be warned).

http://www.allyourconstruction.com/

Posted by: geekspice at March 1, 2010 2:41 PM in response to Unfinished Basement Finished

Ditto what vinca said. Car owners dig out their own cars. Sounds like a nutjob.

Posted by: geekspice at March 1, 2010 1:36 PM in response to Snow on Sidewalk

I second the curtain idea.

Posted by: geekspice at March 1, 2010 1:30 PM in response to Hanging a Closet Door

I have open shelves on one side of my victorian kitchen. It looks great but I constantly have to clean and reclean everything wtored on them. The kitchen is narrow and it really opens up the space, though.

Posted by: geekspice at February 23, 2010 3:59 PM in response to Kitchen Reno--No Upper Cabinets

I'm not sure if i'm going to get a scolding for this or not - but the plane noise was one of the major reasons i decided not to move to park slope. i used to live in the heathrow flight path and it was intolerable - esp back when the concorde was still flying.

Posted by: geekspice at February 12, 2010 1:04 PM in response to The Planes, the Pain!

*do make very little sense

Posted by: geekspice at January 28, 2010 3:43 PM in response to Dept. of Finance Market Values

hunh? how is answering the OP's question accurately "bitter"? I don't have a problem with the RE taxes I pay (quite the opposite), but a) the DOF market values do many very little sense relative to the actual housing market, and b) the DOF market values do impact the taxes we pay. Those are incontrovertible facts.

Posted by: geekspice at January 28, 2010 3:41 PM in response to Dept. of Finance Market Values

The turtle is illegal in NYC as are most other reptiles. E.g. that cockroach-eating iguana: also illegal. But not exactly uncommon. Not sure why a LL would be too concerned with a turtle in an aquarium.

Posted by: geekspice at January 28, 2010 2:29 PM in response to Are These Legal?

Taxable Value: The amount your taxes are based on. It is determined by multiplying the Market Value (minus any reductions) by the appropriate class Assessed Percentage Rate.

Tax Rate: The rate for each tax class used to multiply by the Taxable Value.

Tax: The final dollar amount due for your taxes - (Taxable Value times Tax Rate).

So per the DOF, the market value is directly related to the taxable value.

Posted by: geekspice at January 28, 2010 2:24 PM in response to Dept. of Finance Market Values

By contrast, the market value on our house is roughly 50% what we paid for it 2 years ago, and at least 40% below the recent comps in the neighborhood. Those valuations are complete rubbish. Feel free to challenge it, but I wouldn't expect it to change, since they're obviously just making up numbers at random.

Posted by: geekspice at January 28, 2010 1:57 PM in response to Dept. of Finance Market Values

I saw ConEd and the police had it blocked off last night around 12:30 - couldn't drive down the block so didn't observe any power outages. The blocks on either side were fine.

Posted by: geekspice at January 28, 2010 1:55 PM in response to Power Outage on Flatbush?

Carpet Culture on Crosby Street has saved several of my antique carpets from self-inflicted ruin.

Posted by: geekspice at January 28, 2010 12:51 PM in response to Old Wine Stain in Carpet

In Brooklyn, you have to take it to Dept of Sanitation's hazardous waste dropoff. They are open most Saturdays and one Friday a week. You can get the location from their website.

Posted by: geekspice at January 26, 2010 1:57 PM in response to Disposing of Mercury Thermostats

I had a similar situation in my basement, and ended up demolishing the old slab and pouring a new one. We had a small area demolished first to confirm the diagnosis. If your basement ceiling is rather low, this is also an opportunity to excavate and raise it - we dug out an extra 6".

Posted by: geekspice at January 26, 2010 1:56 PM in response to Basement Slab Eval?

cmu, it sounds like OP wouldn't have made the report if the neighbor weren't a pig who had garbage spilling into OP's property. It's kind of insulting to imply that only gentrifyers have a problem with garbage spilling from their neighbor's property onto theirs - wouldn't anyone have an issue with that?

Posted by: geekspice at January 22, 2010 2:36 PM in response to Question about DOB Violation

long low planters

Posted by: geekspice at January 20, 2010 9:49 AM in response to Doggie Jail

Mr. Shower Door. Did a great job. Also not cheap.

Posted by: geekspice at January 19, 2010 1:25 PM in response to Frameless Glass Shower Door

Zoltan Olti at AYC Group did my basement and bathroom reno including radiant floor heat. It shouldn't take long to heat up. 917-903-3995. His team isn't cheap but their work is top-notch.

Posted by: geekspice at January 10, 2010 3:15 PM in response to Electric Radiant Heat

BM Navajo White. It wears really well.

Posted by: geekspice at January 8, 2010 11:45 AM in response to Favorite Interior White?

You can get rid of bedbugs - but there's no guarantee. personally I would not move into the place based on what you've told us so far. Sounds like you can't even really be sure whether the bed bugs are gone or not - even if they're not in that unit now, they could still be in the others. if the whole building isn't treated and confirmed bedbug free, it's still pretty high-risk that they could return.

Posted by: geekspice at January 8, 2010 11:42 AM in response to Need Bed Bug Advice

I have no specific knowledge of this kind of thing, but it sounds extremely sketchy. I would have him put all his requests for information in writing and mail them to you. Does anyone really know what a "tax assessor" badge looks like? I would be very uncomfortable giving that kind of info to someone who rang my doorbell unannounced.

Posted by: geekspice at January 8, 2010 11:38 AM in response to Advice? Visit from Tax Assessor

agreed with slopefarm - the target demo for this shop seemed too small to sustain them. my husband is a fairly serious guitarist, but every time he tried this place, they didn't have what he needed. he ended up having to go to guitar center anyway.

Posted by: geekspice at January 7, 2010 3:39 PM in response to StreetLevel: 3rd Ave Music Store Calls it Quits

I have the kind diors is referring to. It's sold by Kilian's Hardware in Philly; they can ship them. It's true that they protrude somewhat, but in my case at least, they protrude less than the valve, so they fit fine. They hold a fair amount of water, and imo they look a little less goofy than something hanging off the front of the radiator.

There was a post on this topic just a few days ago:

http://www.brownstoner.com/forum/archives/2010/01/radiator_powere.php

Posted by: geekspice at January 7, 2010 3:30 PM in response to Radiator Humidifer?

We used this company: http://www.woodenradiatorcabinet.com . They came and did all the measurements themselves and then came back a few weeks later to do the installs. The covers look like they have always been in the house. They did an absolutely fantastic job.

Posted by: geekspice at January 7, 2010 3:17 PM in response to Radiator Covers

Oz did a good job for me including packing and unpacking.

Posted by: geekspice at December 30, 2009 3:40 PM in response to Brooklyn Movers?

Sorry, I just realized OP never actually said s/he was a renter. As an owner if I had this issue and couldn't resolve it myself, I would start with the super, and then go to the board if the super couldn't help track down the unit it's coming from.

Posted by: geekspice at December 30, 2009 1:10 PM in response to Marijuana Odors

As a person who works in an industry with random drug testing and a zero-tolerance policy - this kind of exposure isn't always just a matter of "getting over it." OP sort of implies s/he has no concerns like this, but depending on the situation, this could put someone at risk of losing their job or worse. I had a similar problem with my next door neighbor back when I lived in a condo. That was easier to solve as I could just block the smoke from coming in around the door. The fact that's it's coming in through your ventilation system makes it more difficult, but it also makes it your landlord's problem too. It would be nice if you could track down the offender and ask them to cover their ventilation duct and open a window when they light up - but if that's not possible, you should probably notify the landlord in writing and see if they can take care of it.

Posted by: geekspice at December 30, 2009 1:05 PM in response to Marijuana Odors

Also - cracking the window often makes the problem worse as it can actually draw cold air down the chimney and force smoke further into the room. I've found that having a fireplace screen with glass doors and keeping the doors closed while the fire is heating up does the trick. Or for the low tech approach, try hanging something in front of the fireplace while ithe fire is getting hot. (Something flame-retardant of course!)

Posted by: geekspice at December 22, 2009 12:39 PM in response to Smoke Coming into Room

I have this exact same issue in my top floor bathroom. My solution was similar to some of the others suggested - I bought a clear shower curtain, wrapped it tightly around the entire skylight, and secured it with transparent duct tape. I have done this for three winters running with good results. Unless the bathroom is otherwise airtight and your tenant spends 12 hours a day in the shower, the air in general is so dry in the winter that you should not see any plaster or other damage from the steam.

Posted by: geekspice at December 10, 2009 1:37 PM in response to Landlord at Wits End

I used Mr. Shower Door, they did a good job and the price was reasonable.

Posted by: geekspice at November 20, 2009 3:19 PM in response to Custom Shower Glass and Hardware

A cat is the way to go if possible. The cat will drive the mice right out of the house (and over to your neighbors houses, but that's not your problem, now is it?). The cat doesn't even have to catch any mice - when they smell it, they will most likely flee. Most other methods of mouse eradication involve disposing of dead mice, or starving the mice out inside your walls. The cat method is much more elegant. Plus, cats are awesome, unless you're allergic.

Posted by: geekspice at November 5, 2009 9:55 AM in response to Mouse Infestation - Help!

There is a dropoff in Brooklyn on Saturdays for hazardous waste. The location is on the Sanitation Dept website.

Posted by: geekspice at October 14, 2009 3:19 PM in response to Seeking Safe Home for Toxic Goop

When I covered my radiators, my rooms got noticeably warmer, as the heat seemed to be directed out into the rooms more instead of rising straight to the ceiling. Plus, it looks way better and you can put stuff on the covers. Win-win-win.

Posted by: geekspice at October 14, 2009 3:18 PM in response to Radiator Covers' Impact?

classic brownstoner thread - hitting so many hot buttons. annoying kids! indulgent (or maybe incompetent?) parents! selfish childless neighbors! crappy (new? old?) construction! now if someone could only work in sublets, slumlords and street crime we will have hit all the high notes.

it really makes little difference whether the kid should be running, or why the kid is running, 'cause the kid *is* running, and all the self-righteous indignation everyone can muster isn't going to change it. you can bet those parents aren't reading brownstoner for our advice on how to raise their kids to respect (or drive batty) their downstairs neighbors.

when i lived in a condo, there was an 80% floor covering rule that existed expressly for situations like this.my formerly quiet upstairs neighbors became extremely noisy first-time parents and had to carpet their unit as a result. a similar rule exists in the bylaws of many coops and condos in NYC, so check your bylaws. if the rule is there, these people need to get rugs, carpets, foam mats, whatever. be nice and maybe they will handle it on their own initiative. if not, you have to get the board involved. if the rule isn't there, you can take the issue to the board and try and have the rule added. just don't suffer in silence cause that kid is getting heavier every day. :-)

Posted by: geekspice at September 8, 2009 5:17 PM in response to Running Child Upstairs

I have lived in PLG for a little over two years and I love it as well... but don't be oversold on the services. I leave the neighborhood for pretty much all my shopping and services, and there's only a couple of good restaurants (although there's a lot of great West Indian food shops). I know some people live here without a car, but I admit I don't know how they do it. I couldn't. But the housing stock is fantastic, the housing market isn't spastically bid, and all the people are really nice. I don't have kids but most of my neighbors send their children to private school, so I expect the public schools are probably pretty bad.

Posted by: geekspice at September 3, 2009 3:36 PM in response to PLG Schools and Amenities

What they've done with the floorplan in this house (which you can mostly gauge from the photos if you're familiar with the originals) is a little strange. I live in one of these and while I appreciate some of the restoration they did, I don't like the changes they made. They might be running up against that. But eventually someone will come along who agrees with the choices, and then the house will go for over $1MM. It's in fantastic shape and despite what the haters say, this is a great neighborhood that will continue to improve steadily in terms of services.

Posted by: geekspice at September 3, 2009 11:06 AM in response to House of the Day: 168 Midwood Street Revisited

Short term - the only thing that will really help you if the infestation is bad is a fogger. And no, they are not green, and you shouldn't spray anything you are planning to eat. Keep your child out of the yard for at least an hour after you use it. I used one once out of desperation and the results were great, but they're also highly toxic, so I consider them a last resort.

Long term - I have a mosquito magnet. It really works. But it take at least a few weeks to noticeably reduce the population. And you do have to be vigilant about replacing the propane and the attractant every 3 weeks, as well as getting rid of any standing water.

Posted by: geekspice at August 17, 2009 2:44 PM in response to Mosquitos

I used "Mr. Shower Door" to do this. They did a very good job. They have a website under that name.

Posted by: geekspice at July 24, 2009 10:39 AM in response to Replacing Shower Doors, etc.

I own my brownstone as TIC with my partner. That part is easy.

I don't think it possible for you to get separate mortgages on a single family home. It doesn't even really make much sense. What would happen if one of you stopped paying - that person's bank forecloses on 1/3 of the house?

owner12 - There are a great many people on this site who find rob amusing. I suggest you refrain from unprovoked ad hominem attacks. If you don't think he's funny - just ignore him.

Posted by: geekspice at July 21, 2009 3:28 PM in response to Tenancy in Common and Mortgage

I've removed paint mist with very fine steel wool. Be gentle.

Posted by: geekspice at July 20, 2009 2:53 PM in response to Removing Paint Mist from Window?

I use Safeguard on Empire. It's new, clean, and the price is good.

Posted by: geekspice at July 13, 2009 10:02 AM in response to Storage Facility Recommendations

I'm not that impressed with the renovation. It looks like a lot of the original detail has been lost. There have been other LM houses this size that have sold for more, but they had considerably more detail. I'm happy to see they still have the tiny 4th bedroom and the pass through closet on the top floor, though!

Posted by: geekspice at July 6, 2009 10:09 AM in response to House of the Day: 212 Midwood Street

I use the beer traps, they definitely work for slugs. You can use a regular shallow bowl or saucer, but you can also buy traps with covers on them; that way they don't fill up with rainwater. The only downside is, it's a little gross to clean up the bloated drowned slugs.

Posted by: geekspice at July 6, 2009 9:12 AM in response to critters getting to herbs/fruits

I live near Empire and I am very pleased about these changes. Empire is a fairly wide road which sees little traffic, which encourages drivers to speed. That makes it more dangerous for everyone. I am hoping they will do something similar on Rogers Avenue - the speeding is completely out of control, and there have been many dramatic (and in some cases fatal) accidents as a result.

Posted by: geekspice at July 2, 2009 1:43 PM in response to Empire Blvd now has just 1 lane

I wouldn't say anything and pray you can keep their security deposit. I agree with the poster above who said they are likely to just not pay last month's rent and have you use their security deposit if they are 'tipped off'

Posted by: dirty_hipster at March 16, 2010 12:52 PM in response to Dirty Tenants

also why dont you just be direct with them and tell them that you dont appreciate having dirty stinky tenants and that it's bringing down the quality of your life? i swear, if i owned a building, id be making monthly inspections on each tenants cleanliness.

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at March 16, 2010 12:55 PM in response to Dirty Tenants

starfish, we do not know if this is RS, RC or market rate. The OP never posted that.

As far as a tenant leaving without paying the last month, I'd sue, ruin their credit history and most likely their ability to rent anywhere else that's decent.

People like this though don't need decent...they can apparently live in a pig sty (no offense intended to the LL and how this apt. was beforehand).

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at March 16, 2010 12:57 PM in response to Dirty Tenants

As long as their filth stays within their apt, get over it and buy a cat.

Posted by: DD at March 16, 2010 1:01 PM in response to Dirty Tenants

quote:
buy a cat.

uh... why would they wanna ADD to the filth!?

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at March 16, 2010 1:08 PM in response to Dirty Tenants

My old landlords were filty and crazy. They used to leave dirty underwear in the hallway...and feces in the washing machine. So...should I have charged them a security deposit and ruined their credit?

Posted by: cillmylandlord_again at March 16, 2010 1:17 PM in response to Dirty Tenants

skip the cat, get a tarantula

Posted by: raphael9 at March 16, 2010 1:40 PM in response to Dirty Tenants

yeah the comment about intentionally ruining someones credit is just heartless and mean

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at March 16, 2010 1:54 PM in response to Dirty Tenants

You see, it's landlords like cillmylandlord_again's that drive otherwise good people to buy overpriced real estate in Brooklyn. "Lame" rentals full of pigeon poop, rats, dirty underwear in the hall. Then again, maybe that's a way to get rid of tenants you don't like. That and increasing the rent 500 percent in one month.

Posted by: mopar at March 16, 2010 3:05 PM in response to Dirty Tenants

You like collecting a good heafty rent from three hard working tenents? Well then buy a cat or a mask. I can't believe some people should be greatful tenants are still paying their rents after homeowners got free money from the government. And now I even have to hear of wear and tear on the tiles! Don't rent it and keep it clean as you like. You want the rent and no one living there plus a 300 dollar check from City Hall. Go work for a living will ya!

Posted by: hannible at March 16, 2010 3:48 PM in response to Dirty Tenants