Virginia K. Smith

Besides "pollen tsunamis," budding romance, and outdoor drinking, spring is also known for that other seasonal tradition, tours of fancy New York houses. (Technically these run through the summer and the fall, too, but spring is the kickoff).

While some of us would argue that stoners make ideal (and docile) neighbors, not everyone is dying to live in a cloud of someone else's smoke. "We don't smoke cigarettes and don't begrudge people that smoke, ahem, other things, we just don't want to smell it in our house," one beleaguered renter wrote in to Apartment Therapy's recurring "Ask Alice" eti

When a movie or TV show is set in New York City—and if the people making it are savvy—real estate becomes part of the story itself. In Reel Estate, we look at some of the more memorable domiciles to grace the screen.

It's your lucky day: that $1,795 shower-in-the-kitchen apartment is still up for grabs (The New Yorker via

The future is now, and it's a "smart trash can" (CityLab)

For buyers in the Bronx, landing a mortgage might be tough (DNAinfo)

Some fancy, ventless alternatives to wood-burning fireplaces (WSJ)