Robert Levin

Amid the continued volatility of the New York City housing market at the dawn of a new year, we checked in with a wide range of real estate experts--from a closing lawyer, to a mortgage broker to a pest control operator and more--for their best under-the-radar buying and selling tips for 2012.  

If you’ve dreamt of living in one of Manhattan’s most glamorous neighborhoods, but have been discouraged by the prohibitive costs -- well, we can’t blame you. After all, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment across Gramercy, Chelsea, the East Village, Upper East and Upper West Sides  was $2,816 in October, according to Citi Habitats.  And the average sale? Just south of $1.8 million in the same neighborhoods.