BrickUnderground

As we've learned here at BrickUnderground after six years of covering New York City real estate, there's so much about our living situations that go wrong. But there's so much that goes right, too. Part of what makes living in this city—and navigating its knotty real estate terrain—so challenging but also invigorating is that just when we think we've had enough, something happens to make it clear that there's so much to be thankful for, too—our neighbors, our neighborhood, the fact that we found an apartment we love in the first place. 

Sometimes you have to wonder what on earth homeowners are thinking. This is one of those times.

This week's batch of questionable listings photos comes courtesy of Andy Donaldson, the man behind the Terrible Real Estate Agent Photographs blog and book, complete with Donaldson's own commentary.

We're going old school with this week's co-op pick, which checks off many a co-op buyer's must-haves. Classic prewar bones, like coffered ceilings, herringbone parquet flooring, and woodburning fireplaces? Check. Architectural provenance, such as the Bing & Bing brothers as builders? Check. Park Avenue address? Check.

1. Reminder: Get your NYC ID now if you want all the perks

2. Is your neighbor harassing you? 4 steps to handle the problem

3. It takes a village (or an apartment building) to nurse a New Yorker back to health

Some neighborhoods are timeless, independent of buzz or hype, and Gramercy Park is one of them. Rooted in the past with its townhouses and prewars, yet firmly in the present, too, with its new condos, conversions, and conversions, this neighborhood known for its private park—only those living around the perimeter get keys—are a favorite among apartment-hunting New Yorkers. 

Here are properties hosting open houses this weekend: