BrickUnderground

Photo Credit / oinonio

Q. I'm searching for an apartment to buy and I'd like to know how to find coops that don't require 1 or 2 years mortgage and maintenance in liquid funds. This seems like a ridiculous request if you have the equivalent in a Roth IRA which would be accessible. 

I've found one co-op that will consider far less with 10 years or greater employment history with one's current employer.  What other options are out there and how do I find them?

A.    This requirement is not unusual--nor is it universal. The challenge is finding a more flexible board, say our experts.

"There are plenty of co-ops whose rules are more lenient," says real estate attorney Adam Stone of Regosin, Edwards, Stone & Feder. "But those generally will not be the Fifth Avenue or Park Avenue buildings. It may not be possible to know a building's particular rules before going to see the apartment. But once you know who the managing agent is you can request a copy of the coop application and ask if there are any predetermined guidelines for applicants."

This one-bedroom corner-unit condo on West 19th Street sports 11 foot ceilings, two balconies and access to a shared rooftop sundeck. It's going for $1.24 million.

Buyers, perhaps salivating for summer, seem to have their eyes trained on windows and outdoor space this past weekend, as half the properties on this week's StreetEasy Open House Scorecard—the 10 open houses saved on StreetEasy more often than any others this weekend—boast some sort of open-air area, from balconies and rooftops to courtyards and sundecks.  

Let's start with the bright, modern Flatiron-district $1.24 million one-bedroom condo pictured here. The lofty corner unit has 11 foot ceilings gets a double dose of sunlight from the south and east. A set of French doors in the living/dining area opens to double Juliet balconies. Owners also have access to a two-tiered Mediterranean style sundeck. The kitchen is no mere kitchen but a "freestanding kitchen pod" outfitted with the usual high-end appliances; it can apparently be closed off when not in use. 

Photo Credit / TheeErin

Remember back when you pronounced "Houston" Street like that city in Texas, assumed all apartments came with closets and dishwashers, and that coops were homes for chickens?

Maybe you still do.

Whether you are a new or old hand at NYC real estate, chances are you will find this collection of most-frequently asked questions--provided by brokers who work with first-timers--educational, entertaining or both.

1. "When should I start looking? How long will it take?"

"Out-of town renters are shocked at the speed with which deals are made here. Especially in a hot rental market like the one we’re in now," says real estate agent Leslie Hirsch of Brown Harris Stevens. Remember that you should show up to any showing with documentation ready and prepared to sign a lease. It can happen that fast.

We're loving the spacious kitchen in this $2,800 one-bedroom in Park Slope. Bonus: It's rent stabilized.

This $2,800 one-bedroom in Park Slope is rent stabilized and across the street from Prospect Park. Not a bad combination.

Pros: Aside from those mentioned above, the apartment seems to be generously sized. Plus there's a washer-dryer in the apartment.

Cons: We're pretty sure this is a walk-up and find it curious that there's no photo of the bedroom. Perhaps it's really small.

No-Fee Rental of the Week showcases an apartment that’s currently on the market and is being offered with no broker fee (otherwise known as the holy grail of New York City rentals). For tips on how to find more no-fee apartments, check out the The 8 best websites for finding a no-fee apartment in NYC and our Guerrilla Guide series.

This $820k three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom co-op on West 93rd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue is an estate sale with gorgeous bones.

Looking for a family-sized NYC apartment in the $800k price bracket? So are lots of folks, judging by this week’s edition of StreetEasy’s Most Wanted--the 10 sales listings StreetEasy users saved more often than any others this week.

On the Upper West Side, an $820k three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom co-op (pictured) in a non-doorman elevator building on West 93rd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue can serve as a two-bedroom with the smaller third bedroom functioning as a home office or small bedroom maid’s. Gorgeous prewar details include high, beamed ceilings, moldings and French doors. Central Park is a half-block away, and maintenance is a very reasonable $1,132. But this Edwardian, estate-sale apartment needs to be restored (which may explain why it’s priced so far below $1m).