Alanna Schubach
Contributing writer
Contributing editor Alanna Schubach has over a decade of experience as a New York City-based freelance journalist. She has written about real estate for Brick Underground, Mansion Global, and Barron's. She has also contributed features, essays, and op-eds to The Nation, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and The Village Voice. She won a National Association of Real Estate Editors’ silver award in 2018 for her Ask an Expert column for Brick Underground. She is also a fiction writer and a creative writing teacher, and currently lives in Brooklyn.
Posts by Alanna Schubach:
Ask Sam: Under the new rent laws, can my landlord still kick me out so his family can move in?
July 24, 2019 - 10:00 AM
NY's new rent law makes it much more difficult for the landlord to kick you out so that they or their family members can move in.
Read More
How can I protect my rights as a tenant while renting in a condo?
July 22, 2019 - 09:00 AM
Renting directly from an owner of a condo unit gives you better odds of a clean, sleek space with quality fixtures and appliances. On the flip side, you are right to be concerned about the owner showing the space to potential buyers while you're still living there—or worse, giving you the boot before your lease term is up.
Read More
I'm renewing my lease, and the agent I worked with a year ago is asking for a 'renewal fee.' Is that legal?
July 15, 2019 - 09:00 AM
Broker's fees should only be paid upon signing a new lease, not a renewal.
Read More
Good news: The new rent laws just made it easier to challenge your rent-stabilization status
July 10, 2019 - 10:00 AM
The new rent laws are good news for renters who were given market non-stabilized leases but suspect their apartments are actually stabilized.
Read More
What happens when the owner of a NYC co-op dies?
July 8, 2019 - 10:00 AM
"When a cooperative shareholder passes away, the heirs need to review the terms of the shareholder’s will, if any, and the terms of the cooperative’s proprietary lease," says Jeffrey Reich, a partner at Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas. It's likely that if the heir named in the will wants the apartment and is qualified financially to take it on, they'll be approved.
Read More
How can I stop my neighbors from stinking up the building common areas with their smoking?
July 1, 2019 - 13:00 PM
Last summer, a new smoking law went into effect that requires all NYC multi-dwelling buildings to establish and clearly post a smoking policy. Note that this doesn't mean smoking is banned inside apartment buildings, but rather that every building must determine its own rules regarding smoking.
Read More