Virginia K. Smith

Sometimes, it seems like there are as many real estate jargon terms out there as there are actual apartments. In our new feature, Bricktionary, we're taking on the task of decoding them, one buzzword at a time. If you've ever visited an open house (or cruised a listing) for an older property, chances are you've heard the term "good bones." On its face, it sounds reassuring and positive, yes, but what does it actually mean? As with many real estate terms, the definition, as it turns out, is fungible and dependent on whom you ask. "It’s one of those terms that everyone is going to use it slightly differently," says Citi Habitats broker Caroline Bass.

In this week's 'Ask an Agent' column, the folks at The Agency--a tech-savvy brokerage that gives buyers and renters access to the same database of listings used by the city's real estate agents, and pays their agents bonuses for client satisfaction--advise on a daunting, all-too-familiar scenario for NYC renters: what to do when your lease renewal rolls around—and your landlord wants a whole lot more money.

What to do if you lose your co-op's stock certificate