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: My rent is going up by 30 percent. Can I fight this increase?
June 22, 2022 - 09:30 AM
NYC landlords know that if a current tenant won’t accept a proposed rent increase, there lots of other renters eager to take their place. But this doesn’t mean you have to immediately accept your landlord’s rent hike or move out. It’s still worth trying to negotiate.
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With both NYC rents and mortgage rates rising, does it make more sense to buy or rent in NYC now?
June 21, 2022 - 12:30 PM
Weighing whether to rent or buy in NYC? If your carrying costs exceed 30 percent of your monthly income or hinder your ability to continue to save, you should probably opt to rent.
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Is paying less upfront for a co-op in a landlease building worth the risk?
June 13, 2022 - 14:00 PM
Landlease buildings tend to have lower prices, but they have higher maintenance fees. Because the land is owned by someone else, shareholders pay a portion of the land rent to the owner, which is usually incorporated into their monthly fees.
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Ask Sam: My landlord won't renew my lease. I think he's retaliating against me, but how do I prove it?
June 8, 2022 - 14:30 PM
A landlord who tries to evict you or declines to renew your lease after you've complained about apartment conditions may be guilty of retaliation, but it is difficult to prove.
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My landlord wants me to vacate for a 'bank inspection.' Does this mean he's planning to sell?
June 6, 2022 - 13:30 PM
"A bank inspection usually means the landlord is either selling, or refinancing and trying to get another mortgage," says attorney Sam Himmelstein.
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Can my co-op building dictate how many air conditioners I install?
May 31, 2022 - 12:30 PM
As a shareholder in a co-op, you are subject to the rules outlined in the proprietary lease, which could include restrictions related to AC use and placement.
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