nyc real estate | Kevin Brunnock | NYC Real Estate Professional

Tag: nyc real estate

January 20, 2021

Why New York City is Poised for a Real Estate Bounceback in 2021

Throughout 2020, New York City has been hit hard through various lockdowns and preventive measures against the COVID-19 pandemic. Hope has been on the rise though through upcoming vaccines, and some of the project developments that have cropped up in the meantime. Take a look into just some of these projects opening up in New York City from 2021 and beyond.

Residential

More people than ever are coming to New York City to start fresh or take on a new job opportunity. The city is building around these people through various buildings like Sven, a 958-unit skyscraper built in Long Island City, or the easily affordable building opening up at the Astoria waterfront. For those living around the Bronx, many restaurants and shops are planning on opening up at the La Central residential complex in 2021. Make sure that you are always looking more into how New York City is building itself around the people that live in it.

Commercial

While people have been spending 2020 working from home, businesses have been spending time reinventing their office spaces. JP Morgan Chase is choosing to move to 425 Park Avenue for their brand new tower, a home for many employees working out of the city. Developers around New York City understand the need for more restaurants for workers which is why the Manhattan West complex is planned to open up in 2021, a food hall including some of the most famous chefs and food brands around the city. Always look around and see how New York City is constantly becoming a better place for those working there.

Art

New York City isn’t just a great city for those looking for a new job but for those interested in art as well. At the World Trade Center, the Perelman Performing Arts Center will be opening up for black creators looking to make their work known in theater, music, dance, and more. Architect David Adjaye has also been working with The Studio Museum in Harlem to construct a new building to hold all of their collections. Whether you are interested in some of the pre-existing venues or some of the new art establishments being built in New York City, you always have somewhere to visit no matter what art medium you’re interested in.

December 8, 2020

Tips for New York Home Appraisal

If you are looking to buy a new home or just refinance your current mortgage, your lender will want to schedule an appraisal. This objective assessment helps to determine what your home is worth. Something that ranks high to all lenders is the consideration of collateral on their loan. Whether you are buying or selling, it will help you get a feel for how appraisals work. Here’s how you can prepare for your NYC home appraisal.

What’s Involved?

So what should you expect if you have someone come to your home to appraise it? An appraiser’s job is very similar to a home inspector’s position, with some tiny differences. Items that range from big to small will be taken into account by your appraiser, so that geometric mural that you did during the lockdown may need to go.

Things That Go Into a Home Appraisal

While your potential buyer may love your place and decide that they are ok with your asking price, all lenders will require you to have your home appraised to determine its value. To help them arrive at an estimate, they will look at the following:

Your home’s exterior: The appraiser will look at just about every part of the construction of your home. From the roof to the foundation, walls, and flooring, these will all be the potential cause for the house’s value to decrease if the appraiser finds something wrong.
Size: A big part of determining the home’s value is the slot’s size and square foot of the lot. The more rooms and bathrooms that a house has can help to raise the value of the home. Knowing the floor area or FAR of the property will tell you if space has room for extensions, which can be another factor in the value.
Condition: Just like your exterior, the appraiser will go over the inside of your home with a fine-tooth comb. The flooring, kitchen, plumbing, electrical, and lighting are all components that your appraiser will be assessing.
Improvements: Your appraiser can also help you determine what might need to be updated to increase your home’s value. Renovating a bathroom or adding an HVAC system can add years of life to the property, which helps increase the value.

Who Receives the Appraisal Information?

The final verdict will be gathered by your appraiser and at the disposal of who ordered it; this is usually the lender. It is then up to them how the information is distributed, regardless of who paid for it. If the buyer asks for an appraisal, the lender is obligated by law to release that information. Your appraisal is valid for six months, but market prices can change quickly. Many lenders will only consider an appraisal to be valid for about three months. Any changes to the market or the property can drastically alter the value price.

May 14, 2020

Making the Most of a NYC Studio Apartment

New York City is known for a lot of things, one of them being its real estate. While many people dream of someday living in a spacious New York City apartment, a lot of those living in a city are confined to small one-bedroom or studio apartments. It can feel a bit cramped, but with these tips, you can make the most of your NYC studio apartment.

Clever Storage

The best way to ruin the layout of a tiny apartment is by having all your belongings out in the open. To give the apartment a clean and open appearance, find ways to store your belongings away. Every piece of furniture is a storage opportunity such as a bedside bureau, a side table with shelves or a drawer, or a lidded ottoman.

The Mirror Trick

Making tiny apartments feel bigger can be tough, but there is a super easy trick you can try. Especially is your space is lacking natural light, decorate your apartment with mirrors. Setting up a mirror helps bounce light around, creates depth, and makes the room look bigger than it really is.

A Stylish Dresser

To add style and sophistication to your small space, invest in a good dresser. In a studio, the dresser can be utilized in many different ways. The top of the dresser can be used as a dressing table, a makeshift kitchen table, of a place to add some decoration. A dresser can easily become the focal part of your studio, so make it count!

Furniture to the Wall

Another great way to keep the space open is by keeping furniture against the wall. Furniture in a small space can easily block out the natural light and make it appear to be even smaller. Pieces such as couches, dressers, bookshelves, nightstands, and other pieces should also be kept partially open to create expansiveness in your studio by leaving room for white space.

January 14, 2020

Blending Traditional and Modern: New York City Real Estate Architecture

When you think “New York City architecture”, you probably immediately picture towering skyscrapers that reign over the city with all glass windows. You aren’t wrong, but if you look closer you’ll start to see several addresses transforming their facades in a new and exciting way. More and more architects are reimagining what buildings throughout NYC should look like. Many real estate addresses are taking a blended approach, giving a nod to the past while bringing the building into the future. Here are five of these innovative buildings you can search for the next time you find yourself in the Big Apple.

Prospect Leffert Gardens, Brooklyn

This 467-unit luxury rental building still boasts a glass facade, but incorporates brownstone-esque bay windows, precast concrete, and a chevron pattern to give homage to the surrounding architecture. The result is a stunningly unique place to live in Brooklyn if you’re looking for something both modern and traditional.

Oskar, Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan

This luxury rental fuses modern glass and shapes with old-school masonry. The building features a rounded glass form but incorporates the traditional with white terracotta wrapped around the facade. While it blends well within its surroundings, its impressive fusion of modern and traditional elements set it apart, making it a unique find within New York’s real estate market.

11 Hancock, Harlem, Manhattan

This building, by far, has the most powerfully modern shape, but the traditional aspects are certainly there to make it stand out above the rest. The 12-story cantilevered structure offsets its modern shape by combining glas, steel, brick, and burnished copper, all paying tribute to different eras of construction in the city.

40 Bleecker, NoHo, Manhattan

Manhattan has no shortages of condos, but not all condos are made equally. This 12-story building sits in a landmark-rich neighborhood. The architects wanted to do something different but not so different the building would stand out as an eye sore. This address features a brick and metal facade with punched-glass window openings to give homage to the pre-war buildings that dominate the area.

April 10, 2019

Tips for Millennials When Saving for a Home in NYC

The cost of housing may be going up, but millennials could account for 43 percent of property buyers in the United States over the next several months. If you are a part of this demographic and you plan to buy a home in New York City soon, here are some tips that will help you save for your big purchase.

Keep an Open Mind

New York is one of the most expensive places to live, so you might not have as many options as you think you do. Instead of accepting nothing less than a posh Manhattan apartment, be prepared to look at other places that might be more affordable. It’s a great way to keep your options open, even if you ultimately don’t end up where you originally planned to live.

Consult a Mortgage Expert

Before you start shopping around for homes, speak to a mortgage expert to determine what you can afford for a down payment and your future mortgage payments. That will give you a better idea of what you should be looking for.

Stay in One Place or Downsize

Since it costs so much to live in even a small New York apartment, you might need to spend a couple of years saving money. To make this easier, either remain in the home you are in now or downsize. If you won’t have to spend the extra money you make on living expenses, you can set that aside for the kind of home you really want.

Be Patient

Even though we did say that you should keep an open mind and be prepared to look at homes outside of where you originally planned to live, there’s nothing wrong with being patient and waiting for something you love to open up. Buying a home is a long process, especially when you want to live in a place as expensive as New York City. It will take time to save up enough money and be approved for a loan anyway. You can wait a little bit longer for the perfect home to become available.

April 10, 2018

5 Essential Books for Commercial Real Estate Professionals

The best real estate professionals are always looking to learn. Whether it’s making the most of new technology or being as productive as possible, there’s always room for improvement. The problem is, there are hundreds of books, podcasts, and seminars to choose from. In this post, real estate professionals will discover the 5 most important books to advance their career.

1) The Millionaire Real Estate Agent

This book, written by Gary Keller, is widely considered the best book for real estate professionals in existence.

Real estate professionals will be given clear, actionable steps they can use to improve right away.

The book is most helpful for brokers, but it doesn’t focus on just one specialization – so almost anyone involved in real estate can benefit from it.

2) Real Estate Finance and Investments

It’s rare that a book can help both the beginner and the experienced professional – but William Brueggeman and Jeffrey Fisher accomplished just that when they put together this text.

This book not only teaches readers how to invest in real estate, but it also has a lot of complex strategies and formulas. This makes it an excellent reference guide to always have handy.

3) Raving Fans!

This book is all about providing the best customer service in order to close deals as a real estate agent.

Readers will discover how to clarify their vision so that customers want to do business with them. Then, the book goes a step further and shows the reader how to make those new customers lifelong fans.

4) The 4-Hour Work Week

If someone is looking to improve their productivity as a real estate professional, this book should be at the top of their list.

They’ll learn every possible way to get the most out of their time, whether it’s outsourcing administrative tasks or attracting new customers.

5) Principles of Commercial Real Estate Underwriting

This classic text is an excellent reference material for someone who needs a refresher on certain aspects of real estate.

With this book handy, the reader can underwrite commercial real estate assets with ease.

These are the best books available for commercial real estate professionals. Whether a professional is looking to simply improve their productivity, have a go-to guide, or immerse themselves in the industry – it’s all possible with the books on this list.

May 11, 2016

Large-Scale Real Estate Projects Underway in New York City

New York City has a number of large-scale real estate projects in the works, headed by numerous Manhattan developers, including Joseph Chetrit’s Chetrit Group, L+M Development, Sumaida + Khurana, and Kenneth Horn’s Alchemy Properties.

Half of permits filed during the month of April were for projects greater than 100,000 square feet, according to PropertyShark. The other half consisted of filings for residential projects, as well as a Brooklyn office, school expansions, and hotels. These projects,whether launched by larger or smaller firms, are important constructional developments, offering New Yorkers housing and schooling options, as well as a closer proximity to retail outlets.

One of New York City’s more prolific affordable developers L+M Development Partners filed a permit application for a 59-story, 266,000-square-foot residential tower, which will be located in the Financial District (23 Park Row). Joe and Rachelle Friedman, the founders of J&R Music and Computer World, partnered with L+M Development Partners to construct the apartment complex, which will hold 108 apartments. Also, COOKFOX Architects have been slated to design the property.

A 19-story,174,000-square-foot Downtown Brooklyn office building may be erected at 540 Fulton Street if the Dushey family’s Jenel Management has anything to say about it. The future office building will have three levels of retail space, and it will be replacing the two-story, 26,000-square-foot retail establishment that stood there one year ago prior to demolition.

The Tel Aviv, Israel-based property management firm Sumaida + Khurana and the Chelsea-based firm LENY are planning an 80-unit, 34-story, 123,000-square-foot condo tower in Hell’s Kitchen (609 West 56th Street). Also, on the base floor, there will be retail outlets available. In addition to the Hell’s Kitchen property, they 823 11th Avenue.

In partnership with Shifra Hager’s Cornell Realty Management, Joseph Chetrit’s Chetrit Group acquired a number of retail properties near Penn Station in a deal with investor Charles D. Cohen. After parting ways, the Chetrit Group filed a permit for a 122,000-square-foot hotel, which will have approximately 33 floors and 300 rooms. The proposed hotel is expected to be located at 249-263 West 34th Street.

Another hotel is planned for Long Island City, where investment firm Brooklyn North Capital filed a permit for a 198-key Red Lion Hotel. Expected to open in 2019, the building will stand 14 floors and will have 61,000 square feet of space. The investment firm purchased the site, located at 38-15 9th Street, for $4.7 million in March.

iStar, which is a real estate finance firm and developer, is planning to construct a 135-unit, 107,000-square-foot supportive housing project just minutes from Coney Island’s boardwalk. They leased the promising space from the city’s Economic Development Corporation last year. In months and years to come, iStar plans to build 1 million square feet of housing in the area.

The New York City School Construction Authority is planning a five-story, 96,000-square-foot expansion of P.S. 19 in North Corona, Queens (40-10 99th Street) and they’re planning to add a five-story, 67,000-square-foot building at P.S. 46 Edgar Allen Poe branch in Fordham, Bronx (2760 Briggs Avenue). These changes will bring forth more space for cafeterias, classrooms, auditoriums, offices, and an outdoor playground.

June 14, 2015

Pro Tips : Real Estate Investing for Beginners

Nowadays people from various industries are looking to expand their portfolios by investing in properties. Real estate investing is a great opportunity to do just that, and I recommend it to those ready and willing to make the commitment. However, before purchasing any properties, consider the following 5 ways to prepare.

Make a Plan

Never forget that this is a business. This means you should treat it accordingly. Make sure that you do your research and come up with a solid business plan that outlines your goals over the next 10 years in 2 to 3 year phases. Your business plan should not only identify the short and long-term goals, but should share how you intend to accomplish these.

Know Your Credit

At the outset of this exciting new venture, make sure that you are armed with as much information as possible. In this case, make sure that you look up your own credit report to determine your eligibility and ability to finance a property. Lenders usually demand a score of 700 or higher FICO scores from those looking to purchase investment property. In addition to procuring your FICO score, calculate your debt vs monthly income ratio . If it is currently too high, you may want to reconsider your budget, and start to pay down any outstanding debts or loans.

Do Your Research

No need to stay too close to home when considering properties to invest in. Of course there are advantages to living near your potential investment, but try not to limit your options with this mindset.

Connect with the experts

Talk to an accredited mortgage broker in your area. Ask a certified realtor for recommendations. Join a real estate club, take your friends that work in real estate out to lunch, join online forums. However you choose to engage with the real estate community, find a way to get involved. It’s critical that you speak with people currently in the industry, so that you can get a better sense of what it is you are committing too.

Diversify your sources of purchase:

Consider mixing up the means through which you purchase properties. Instead of launching your search through just one venue, look into multiple avenues. Real estate auctions, word of mouth and more traditional multi-listing sites are a great place to start. Use your network and some creativity!

March 31, 2015

How Are Millennials Affecting the Housing Market?

That the odds stacked against Millennials isn’t necessarily secret. Those who are between the ages of eighteen and thirty-three have several factors set against them in the search for financial stability. Many struggle under crushing student loan debt; others can’t find a well-paying job to even begin paying off said loan debt. Between these and any number of other contributing factors, Millennials struggle to enter the housing market. As a result, several authorities in the real estate market were recently asked whether they thought Millennials were dragging down the housing market; their responses were collected for an article recently completed by U-T San Diego.

Nearly all those asked noted that several factors that are beyond the control of Millennials play a role in their difficulties to join the housing market and become homeowners. Several factors include difficulty paying off their very expensive college degree—specifically in finding an actual job that is capable of paying off student debt—tight lending standards, high housing prices, a delay in marrying and/or starting a family and hesitancy due to seeing friends and family suffer through debt of their own. As a result of all of these factors, Millennials are forced to live at home with parents for an extended period of time—longer than any other previous generation. Alternatively, even those who are able to find a job to help pay off their various debts, the job does not often pay enough to afford to become a homeowner in the slowly recovering economy; many are forced to settle as renters.

However, despite all of the struggles that exist against Millennials, many of the authorities asked believe that the desire to become homeowners is strong. Leslie Kilpatrick, president of the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors, cited a study recently conducted by the California Association of Realtors found that the majority of Millennials plan to buy a home in the next five years. Although all those asked agree that an economic turn around is needed for this statistic to become a reality, some are seeing the signs of the start of a turn around. Home prices have stabilized and interest rates remain at historic lows. Credit availability and lending guidelines have improved and finally fewer investors are in competition with first-time buyers. All of these factors combined may indicate a positive future for Millennials entering the housing market. All authorities asked on the issue believe that the group holds enough in number and in power to have a strong influence on the housing market, should they decide to pursue owning a home instead of renting.