Virginia K. Smith

Posts by Virginia K. Smith:

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Tricks to sell a retro apartment—for $1,000 or less
By Virginia K. Smith
December 9, 2014 - 08:59 AM
Dilapidated bargains and tricked-out new developments may dominate headlines, spawning buzzwords like “fixer-upper” or “move-in ready,” respectively. But the truth is, most New York apartments fall somewhere in between—with old appliances, scuffed up floors, dated bathroom tile and unfashionable finishes. How do you sell a place that's in the middle, and get the highest price possible? First, the good news: just because your apartment is less than mint doesn't mean a full overhaul is necessary. (Phew!) In fact, some experts recommend skipping a renovation altogether—particularly in a strong seller's market like this one, where even properties that aren't tip-top will find takers—since you won't recoup your investment.
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Free insurance for Airbnb hosts—but with a catch (or several)
By Virginia K. Smith
December 8, 2014 - 11:59 AM

For better or worse, Airbnb can't seem to go more than a week without making headlines. This time around, they're in the news for giving hosts "free" liability insurance, which would cover the death or injury of guests up to $1 million. Unlike similar sites like HomeAway that offer hosts the option of purchasing insurance policies for their short-term rentals, Airbnb is presenting their version for free. But just as there's no such thing as free lunch, there's also no such thing as free liability coverage (a slogan that's bound to catch on any day now).

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The significance of cruddy New York bathrooms, etiquette for living in a friend's closet, and more
By Virginia K. Smith
December 8, 2014 - 10:59 AM

How to be a good guest if you're crashing in your friend's closet (My First Apartment)

The surest (and most elusive) marker of adulthood in NYC: a halfway decent bathroom (BKMag)

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Reel Estate: Home Alone 2 and its brownstone-turned-battleground
By Virginia K. Smith
December 5, 2014 - 12:59 PM
To a lot of people, nothing says "Christmas in New York" like the Rockefeller tree or the windows at Barneys. But to viewers who grew up with Home Alone 2, nothing says "Christmas in New York" like vigilante violence carried out in a Manhattan brownstone by a small child.
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For the lazy but festive: get your Christmas tree delivered this weekend
By Virginia K. Smith
December 5, 2014 - 11:59 AM
Dragging a heavy tree through the streets of the city may be a Christmas rite of passage, but in a town where round-the-clock delivery options are the norm, you should be able to get a Christmas tree sent to your door on demand, no? So goes the thinking behind Tyler's Trees, an online tree-ordering service that'll deliver, install, and even decorate your tree, without you having to set so much as a foot outside. Perhaps more importantly, once the pine needles have dried and the presents have been unwrapped, they'll also come get rid of it.
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Clothes storage for the closet-less renter, no one can afford Brooklyn, and more
By Virginia K. Smith
December 5, 2014 - 10:59 AM

How to elegantly store your clothes when you don't have a real closet (Apartment Therapy)

Buyer (and brownstoner) beware: Brooklyn is now the nation's least affordable housing market (Bloomberg)

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