Mayra David

A scratched-up tub, oppressive heat, and too many stairs. Sound familiar? They're among the things these six New Yorkers would change about their abodes if they could:

Sleeker kitchens, flatter outdoors, and, of course, more storage. Six New Yorkers share a few tweaks that would make their living space even more livable: 

Dear NYC "real" estate brokers,

How are you? How's the market doing? I know it can be tough out there, selling Manhattan real estate, especially apartments that could use some work.

And I know that much like a dating site, the web is the first point of contact for buyers and listings. The first impression can mean the difference between clicking on the "more info" button or moving right along.

This recently renovated $3,700 two-bedroom, two-bath in Gramercy has been spruced up with nice appliances, and feels new.

A teachable moment is defined as a point in time when learning becomes possible and easiest. My husband and I had a teachable moment in real estate that lasted about seven months from the time we put in our offer till we finally closed on the purchase of our first apartment--a junior-4 Hamilton Heights one-bedroom--sans broker.

Between the holidays, the banking crisis, and a mortgage officer who checked out (as in, mentally) in the middle of it all I’m not sure there was anything we — or a broker — could have done differently.