Fresh Start Fridays: The Remote Doorman is In

  • Convertible two-bedroom two-bath 1,186-square-foot loft on West 55th Street between Ninth & Tenth Avenues features 12' ceilings, central a/c, washer-dryer, gourmet kitchen and is located in a condop building with a Virtual Doorman.  $799,000, $2,495/mo maintenance. [Corcoran]

  • Three-bedroom, two-bath 1,333-square-foot new condo at 110 Warren Street in Brooklyn features Bosch washer/dryer, shared roof deck, garage, live-in super and a virtual lobby attendant that accepts deliveries. $905,000, $885/mo cc, $54/mo r.e. taxes. [Halstead]

  • Two-bedroom, two-bath new condo in a converted pencil factory in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, has a washer/dryer, soaking tub, on-site parking, roof deck, storage and a virtual doorman. $566,000, $518/mo cc. [Prudential Douglas Elliman]

  • Two-bedroom, two-bath Lower East Side condo features balcony, teak floors, the usual upscale appliances, soaking tub, key-locked elevator and a Virtual Doorman system and package room.  $1.4 million, $862/mo cc, $135/mo r.e. taxes. [Corcoran]

Not everyone believes an onsite doorman is worth his or her weight in carrying costs--particularly in smaller buildings, where there are fewer residents to ante up.

Far less expensive are remote doorman and package systems. They can't hail a cab or walk your dog. But they do a good job of manning the entry via camera, and they can also make sure your deliveries find their way into a secured package room.  

And you don't have to tip at the holidays.