Virginia K. Smith

Pretty much every renovator hopes to do three things: Add light or space; swap tired fixtures for modern upgrades; and of course, boost the property's value. But how to do this in a prewar co-op while still staying true to its old-school spirit?

We're used to apartments in the Village having idiosyncratic shapes and layouts, crammed as they are into centuries-old buildings on even older streets. But most of them don't also come with massive floor-to-ceiling windows and a spacious rooftop terrace, as is the case with this "boutique" three-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom penthouse at 17th Avenue South.

Dear Sam: I play an acoustic guitar at home. Can my landlord impose a fine for a noise complaint? For what it's worth, I measured the decibels at the source when I play, and it's lower than a vacuum.

Escape your roommates with these cute NYC listings on Airbnb (BuzzBuzzHome)

Modern co-living spaces have a lot in common with Victorian-era boarding houses (CityLab)

A terrifying, illustrated list of diseases you can catch on the subway (Thrillist)

Spring is still a month away, but we've already reached the point in the year where seasoned and organized (and, for the most part, moneyed) renters are locking down their summer rentals. 

Normally we stick to the residential side of the real estate world, but given the stiff competition for good investment properties, it may be time for buyers to consider investing in another option: pizza.