Margot Slade

We thought it was a no-brainer that when a building's reserve is low--not just low, zero--the smart buyer says "no." A recent thread on Brownstoner.com, however, gave us pause. While several posts advised buyers to run, don't walk, several others said their buildings have happily kept reserves at a barely-there minimum, funding repairs through temporary assessments.

Transparency and accountability are the pillars of power for New York’s apartment dwellers and the theme of this year’s seven real-estate entries in The NYC BigApps Competition.  Now’s your chance to signal which of the real-estate contestants are doing the job effectively.

Original art is beyond the reach of many New Yorkers, who lack the cash and connections to find that affordable something they like. Artsicle.com launched this week with the goal of changing that by letting wannabe collectors rent the works of emerging artists for $50 a month. There’s no limit to the rental period, you can buy the art if you like, and you can exchange works. 

BrickUnderground has written a lot about the sorts of questions to ask before buying or selling an apartment.