Virginia K. Smith

NYC's most common noise complaints—and noisiest nabes (New Yorker)

Renovation strategies for even the most miniscule of bathrooms (Apartment Therapy)

While we're still advocates of taking market reports with a large grain of salt, the Brooklyn numbers came out this week, and the consensus is clear: Brooklyn's no place for bargain hunters, and the borough's persistent price hikes show no signs of stopping. (In case there were any shadow of a doubt left.)  And the group hit hardest by the hikes may be renters.

Besides being the time of year when we're most likely to spend entire weekends hunkered down in our apartments, January is also the most dangerous month when it comes to accidental carbon monoxide poisonings, according to the Center for Disease Control. So no time like the present to make sure your building (or at least your apartment) is up to snuff on its safety.

Even in a world where $50 million apartment sales are getting to be old hat, $326 million can get you a long, long way in New York City real estate. So, assuming that this week's record-breaking Mega Millions winner, retired New York principal Harold Diamond, wanted to invest his winnings in NYC property (and received all of that cash pre-taxes), what would his options be?