Virginia K. Smith

Posts by Virginia K. Smith:

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Buying near the 2nd Avenue subway, creating your own laundry room, and more
By Virginia K. Smith
March 27, 2015 - 10:59 AM

If you're optimistic about the future of the 2nd Avenue subway, now's the time to buy in the neighborhood (NYMag)

Creative ways New Yorkers have managed to squeeze laundry rooms into their apartments (Sweeten)

For a fresh spin on classic subway tiles, switch up the pattern (Zillow Blog)

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What to do when the worst case scenario happens to your building
By Virginia K. Smith
March 27, 2015 - 09:41 AM

With the city still reeling from yesterday's terrifying building explosion in the East Village, New Yorkers are left with a lot of questions, including "How do I keep this from happening to me?" and "What do I do if it does?" 

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No, a landlord can't pretend they don't know your apartment is rent-stabilized
By Virginia K. Smith
March 26, 2015 - 15:30 PM
Remember that Harlem landlord who owed his tenant $112,000 after overcharging him for years? He's lost his appeal, DNAinfo reports, and is going to have to pay up. While the landlord claimed he'd bought the building after the apartment's rent was frozen in 1993, the building's deed told a different story. "The petitioner’s first contention that they did not own the building when the rent reduction order was issued is not supported by the facts," said an order signed by commissioner Woody Pascal and issued Wednesday.
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Applications are open for Ocean Hill rentals as cheap as $640 a month
By Virginia K. Smith
March 26, 2015 - 12:15 PM
Affordable Housing Ocean Hill
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Steal style tips from a Crown Heights apartment, save money on your next move, and more
By Virginia K. Smith
March 26, 2015 - 10:59 AM

This Crown Heights crib is a master class in tastefully decorating a pre-war rental (Apartment Therapy)

Tips to save money (and headaches) in the midst of a move (Design*Sponge)

Your laundry situation is a pretty good quality of life indicator, it turns out (The Billfold)

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The women's-only boarding house: "virgin vault" or ingenious apartment alternative?
By Virginia K. Smith
March 26, 2015 - 10:15 AM
While expensive, dorm-style living for adults has been making a lot of headlines lately, lest we forget, New York has had a version of this for well over a century, in the form of women's boarding houses. And as Catie L'Heureux over at the Cut discovered after a fruitless search of Craigslist and Airbnb, this old school arrangement has its unexpected benefits.
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