Virginia K. Smith

Sisters are doin' it for themselves ("it" being "buying their own apartments in New York with more frequency") (NYDN)

Downsize your summer electric bills (as much as possible, anyway) (My First Apartment)

Greenpoint seems to be getting more popular (and expensive) by the day, and while the area's rife with apartments tailor-made for post-grads with roommates, it's not every day you hear about one that comes with a pool (unless it's in a high-priced, ultra-luxe condo, that is).

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: New Yorkers are spoiled for choice (in the best way possible) when it comes to news coverage of neighborhood issues, from the lowdown on new bars to updates on subway service. It might be a phenomenon unique to a city overflowing with writers and journalists—and an audience hungry for news—but either way, the hyper-local blog boom is a trend we can very much get behind. 

The very worst things about renting, and how to get around them (Apartment Therapy) 

You're probably better off doing your own "home makeover" than getting one from a reality show (NYP)

We often receive emails from readers asking for help in navigating their own real estate crises. In Realty Bites, we try to get them answers.

The problem:

It's always a smart policy to stay on good terms with your building's staff, but what happens when you and the super become best buds?

The short answer: fulfilling for those involved but also a source of conflicts of interest for the building at large. Or at least, that's what the New York Times discovered when the paper spoke with New Yorkers who've developed close relationships with their superintendents.