Take your apartment from money pit to cash machine – if you dare

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By Teri Karush Rogers  |
March 19, 2010 - 7:19AM
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Maybe it’s a sign of impending tax deadline desperation: We came across three stories this week with wildly different takes on how to derive money from your NYC apartment (or building) while still living in it.  

We will start with the staid: If your co-op or condo building is in possession of a party space, you might be able to snare some serious savings on your monthly charges by letting strangers whoop it up there.

According to The Real Deal, the 478-unit Atelier condo on W. 42nd Street rents its “Sky Lounge” roof deck to non-residents several times a month, charging $5,000-$10,000 per event.

That has apparently enabled the Atelier to REDUCE its common charges by 10 percent. (A moment of envious silence, please.)

Meanwhile, Lifestylermag.com--a NYC budget-living site for twentysomethings--suggests a few nervy cash-enhancing schemes that probably won’t fly in co-ops or many condos, but could conceivably work in a rental.

These include renting your couch to a boarder ($30-$800 a month on Craigslist, says Lifestyler) or your bedroom to a tourist ($40-$200 per night); renting your living room as workspace; and throwing (illegal) parties at $15-$30 a head.

Brokelyn.com, whose name perfectly captures its target demographic, takes us way beyond eBay to a clutter-busting, cash-raising endeavor we had never considered: Selling your underwear.

There is, apparently, a flourishing online market for used underwear (mainly women’s), and Brokelyn offers a fascinating primer.

The bottom line: Lightly-used unmentionables apparently trade for $15-$35 on average, with some going for up to $75.  However, you must post a picture of yourself modeling said underwear (headshot optional).  
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Teri Karush Rogers

Founder & Publisher

Founder and publisher Teri Karush Rogers launched Brick Underground in 2009. As a freelance journalist, she had previously covered New York City real estate for The New York Times. Teri has been featured as an expert on New York City residential real estate by The New York Times, New York Daily News, amNew York, NBC Nightly News, The Real Deal, Business Insider, the Huffington Post, and NY1 News, among others. Teri earned a BA in journalism and a law degree from New York University.

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