Lucy Cohen Blatter

We could probably describe your rental kitchen without even seeing it: vinyl tile on the floors, laminate countertops in an inoffensive (if drab) pattern, those honey-colored wood cabinets that must be on special at the landlord supply store (if such a thing exists). But your cookie-cutter kitchen can be saved with a few affordable and easy upgrades, which Apartment Therapy recently rounded up:

1. Get a (new) handle on the cabinets

Co-op boards tend to get a bad rap in this city for being snobby, holding up sales and rejecting buyers out of hand.  But what many people may not realize is that when it comes to sales, condo boards also have a so-called "right of first refusal," which means that they, too,  can stop your sale. While it's rare for a condo board to use this power, it has been known to happen. Here's what you need to know, according to Habitat Magazine.

For those New Yorkers with cars, the thought of parking without having to consult the alternate-side schedule is nearly priceless. But that's not to say developers don't put a price tag on parking spots. On average, it reportedly costs about $136,000 for your own space in an in-building garage in Manhattan, but not surprisingly, the dollar figure can go up considerably from there.