Dear Santa from a Savvy NYC Real Estate Agent, Child Advocate and Philanthropist
Posted by reptilemind on December 23, 2011
Dear Santa,
It’s been a long chaotic day. Dragging myself home in my Jimmy Choo stilettoes, I saw all of Christmas decorations in stores and all of the last minute shoppers scurrying to buy presents.
I started thinking about Christmas and began daydreaming of all the things I’d like to see under my tree this year.
So Santa, here goes:
I’d like to ask you for a silver Jaguar, a fabulous penthouse at 15 Central Park West, mansions in the Hamptons and Santa Barbara, a villa in Italy, a cottage in the South of France, and a trip to Tahiti with George Clooney … but I think I should be practical and ask you for things that are really important such as (not in any particular order):
Jobs for those who lost theirs, the end of outsourcing and bringing jobs back to the U.S., homes for those without one, free college educations for deserving students who crave an education, affordable health care for those who can pay for it and free health care for those who can’t, a cure for all cancers and other diseases, a congress that agrees with each other and the President, for ALL of our military to come home and stay home, a healthy real estate market with serious buyers and sellers who listen to my professional advice (I’m not telling them to do things just to talk – I’m telling them to do things that will sell their apartments), businesses that thrive and are not forced to close, CEOs who can lead a company without being ridiculously overpaid, a safe and ecology-wise environment, healthy children, parents who love and nurture their children, children who can go to school in a safe, bully and violent-free atmosphere, †a world where kids don’t take their lives because of how others treat them, child predators who live on an island and are never near children, animals who are not harmed, friendly relations with foreign countries, no more disasters, a world with no guns with the exception of law enforcement and the military, no stigmas on child abuse, mental health, dementia and the things that people don’t want to talk about, a world where everyone is friendly with each other like they were after 9-11, no terrorism, and a very healthy economy.
And Santa, could I ask you for just one more thing?
Could I please have a world without the Kardashians and those media hungry housewives from all of these reality shows?
I’ve been a good girl all year long Santa. I hope you can help me!
Happy holidays,
Ross Ellis
NYS real estate agency law: Have you heard about the changes?
Posted by RossEllis on December 19, 2011
Beginning January 1, 2011, New York State Real Property Law will bring changes that increase the transparency of the real estate process and offer increased protections for consumers and real estate brokers.
These amendments will impact real estate brokers by requiring that agency disclosure forms be completed for all residential transactions and permitting consumers to give their advance consent to dual agency representation.
Prior to the amendment, verbal consent for agency disclosure was accepted for multifamily buildings over four units. The new law specifies that a written agency disclosure form must be used for all residential transactions. In addition, the amendments have created a section on the agency disclosure form where consumers can give their advanced consent to being represented by two agents from the same real estate broker in the same transaction.
By law all parties must sign these forms. For more information please visit http://www.dos.state.ny.us for the revised forms, the text of the revised statute and the Frequently Asked Questions section.
For more information or a consultation feel free to email me at Halstead Property
BROOKE ASTOR'S APARTMENT SELLS HALF OF THE $46M ASKING PRICE
Posted by reptilemind on October 9, 2011
More than four years after the death of society heiress Brooke Astor, her apartment has sold - at last! With an asking price of $46 million the Park Avenue duplex is being sold.
This remarkable duplex at 778 Park Avenue on the 15th and 16th floors reflects the renowned personal style of the late Brooke Astor, philanthropist and doyenne of New York society.
Designed in 1931 by Rosario Candela, New York’s most celebrated luxury residential architect, this home has 4 brilliantly sun lit exposures. The architectural assets lend its charm to this home.† There are 15 large and beautifully proportioned rooms, 10 of which have at least 2 exposures, many with partial views of Central Park.†
French doors open to 6 terraces, and there are 5 fireplaces with antique mantels, elaborate and original moldings, antique parquet de Versailles floors and high ceilings.† The entertaining rooms radiate off a 30 foot long gallery with 18th century oak floors and include a grand living room with fireplace and a wall of bayed windows looking up and down Park Avenue.†
The home’s oversized formal dining room has a fireplace and 2 sets of French doors to a small terrace.† The red lacquer and brass trimmed library was designed by Albert Hadley and is likely the most photographed room on Park Avenue.† This room features a fireplace and 3 sets of French doors opening to a large, square south facing terrace. The private quarters are on both the 15th and 16th floors.† The 16th floor boasts a charming oval study with French doors to a small terrace. The remarkable master bedroom has three exposures including Central Park, a fireplace and 2 sets of French doors to a terrace, this master bedroom is truly enchanting. †Before reaching this incredible master bedroom, there is a guest room and a hallway powder room.
The 15th floor boasts another master bedroom almost identical to the one above, with all the same features, with a smaller 4th bedroom and bath.
The service area has a large servants’ hall, kitchen and pantry with 3 maid’s rooms and a bath with remarkable light and views to Central Park.
This is truly a home of grand style!
In contract at $24,900,000, the apartment still has to close — as a few years ago, a Swiss businessman made an offer on the apartment — but was rejected by the building’s co-op board. Will this new buyer pass the coop board and make this their new home?
Manhattan's Most Expensive Megamansion No Longer The Most Expensive
Posted by reptilemind on August 20, 2011
It just resold for $16.5M Less
It was October, 2006 the era of bursting bubbles and new developments, yet a century-old townhouse smashed real-estate records.
The townhouse: The Harkness Mansion at 4 East 75th, a French-Renaissance masterpiece that was listed at $55 million, sold to investor J. Christopher Flowers for $53 Million. That was the biggest single residential deal in Manhattan history.
Runners-up included Tamir Samir’s $40 million Duke Semans mansion and the $45 million penthouse at 15 Central Park West, which had not even been completed at the date of the sale to hedge-fund manager Daniel Loeb.
The Harkness Mansion seemed to be a bargain at 20,100 square feet. The sellers were Woody Allen’s former producers, banker Jaqui Safra and his longtime girlfriend Jean Doumanian.
Since their late-80’s purchase, the couple had not done much. They did a little work but never real renovations. The house needed a lot.
It has a 1,200-square-foot terrace, a center atrium, a skylight at the top, and a Ping-Pong table in the middle of the floor.
In the mid-60’s, Standard Oil heiress Rebekah Harkness transformed the mansion into her illustrious Ballet Arts school.
Fast Forward to August, 2011 when the Harkness Mansion just resold for $16.5 Million less!
The mansion came back on the market this past December, with Flowers—who spent around $4 million to gut the place—hoping to get around $50 million for it. Interested buyers wanted to pay $40 million to $45 million.
Perhaps Flowers should have accepted one of those offers. Needing renovations or not† — the NY Post reported that Flowers agreed to sell the mansion to art dealer and gallery owner Larry Gagosian for a mere $36.5 Million!
Renting an Apartment in Manhattan
Posted by reptilemind on July 1, 2011
Renting an apartment in Manhattan isn’t like it used to be. In the old days, you would see a few apartments, give the landlord one month rent and one month security, signed the lease and moved in.
Not today!
Should you rent in a rental building, a coop or condo?
Today’s renting rules in Manhattan can be daunting, but don’t have to be if you work with a good broker, you’re qualified and organized.
To make finding that perfect rental hassle-free it’s best to work with a broker. Why? You can find hundreds of rentals online, but most of them are already rented, and on some of these sites the information is not accurate.
While it’s not necessary to work with a broker, it is better for you – especially if you’re busy and new to Manhattan. And in today’s rental market you need to decide on an apartment fast. Apartments are being rented quickly these days.
By working with a broker you’ll learn which apartments are for rent and which have already been rented. Your broker can also weed out the type of apartments you don’t want because they’ve likely seen all or most of the rental buildings in the city. They will ensure that the lease is correct and that you have all of the necessary paper work – making your move as seamless as possible.
Whether you find an apartment on your own or work with a broker, make sure you read all documents before entering into any contract. Most leases contain predominantly boilerplate language, but in many cases there are riders to the lease which contain clauses that are added to the lease that changes the lease agreement
And type of leases will vary. A Standard Form of Lease may differ greatly from a Rent Stabilized Lease Agreement or a Cooperative or Condominium Sublease Agreement. Read the language of all documents and always ask questions should it contain something you don’t understand.
Make a check list of information to bring with you in order to finalize your lease agreement. In Manhattan you will almost always need all of the following:
1. A letter of employment and salary verification
2. Bank account numbers (checking and savings), as well as any credit card numbers
3. Current bank statements
4. Contact information (names, addresses, phone numbers) of previous landlords
5. Contact information of your personal accountant or attorney, if applicable
6. Contact information of any personal or professional references
7. Tax returns from the last two years
8. Recent (current) pay stubs, usually from the last two pay periods
9. Two forms of personal identification (driver’s license, passport, etc)†††
10. 40-45x the rent in annual income is required. And in some building 80X the rent in†annual income is required.
11. If the landlord accepts guarantors and you have a guarantor, your guarantor will likely†need to supply the same information as above.
If you are relocating from outside of New York, prepare your funds ahead of time. Landlords will not accept personal out-of-state checks. Bring traveler’s checks or certified bank checks in amounts sufficient to cover two months rent, any brokerage fees, a credit check fee, and any additional fees such as a move-in/move-out fee or building application fee.
Once you have all of your personal and financial documentation in order, you can begin viewing apartments. Do remember that your broker can provide you with a wealth of information to assist you in making an informed decision. Ask a lot of questions about neighborhoods, building types, public transportation access, or anything else that might be of interest to you.
Once you have found an apartment you love, you will then fill out a rental application, or other applicable documents. You or your agent will negotiate agreeable lease terms and then a credit report and reference check will be done.
The last step is to sign the lease and pay all applicable fees. Then it’s move-in day!!!
For more information or a consultation feel free to email me at Halstead Property
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Ross Ellis is a proud member of the Real Estate Board of New York
The High Line: the second phase
Posted by reptilemind on June 12, 2011
The High Line runs through three of Manhattan’s most dynamic neighborhoods: the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea, and Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton. When the High Line was built in the 1930s, these neighborhoods were dominated by industrial and transportation uses. Now many of the warehouses and factories have been converted to art galleries, design studios, retailers, restaurants, museums, and residences.
Last week the highly-anticipated second phase of the High Line opened to the public.
The expansion of the freight rail turned promenade between Gansevoort and 20th Streets opened two years ago. It spans 10th Avenue between 20th and 30th Streets, doubles the length of the existing park. New features include the High Line’s first lawn, elevated catwalks and a 30th Street cut-out that lets visitors view the traffic rushing beneath their feet.
The one-mile garden in the sky winds 30 feet above the street through the Meatpacking District, Chelsea and Hells Kitchen.
Onlookers who wandered the grounds were thrilled with the spectacular view, the beautiful landscaping and more places to sit, such as the teak Seating Steps beside the 23rd Street Lawn. The Lawn also offers the High Line’s only river-to-river vantage point.
The High Line’s second phase features a temporary public plaza beneath 30th Street dubbed “The Lot” which serves beer and wine from Colicchio & Sons. A rotating fleet of food trucks such as The Taco Truck and Red Hook Lobster will also serve the square.
Vendors of the High Line’s first phase include: People’s Pops at the Chelsea Market Passage, on the High Line near West 16th Street who returns to the High Line after their successful debut during a trial run in 2010. They create Greenmarket fruit-based ice pops and shaved ice, transforming local, sustainably grown fruits and herbs into creative and delicious home-made treats. Also a favorite is La NewYorkina at The Lawn, on the High Line near West 23rd Street. Inspired by the flavors of the chef-owner’s native Mexico, La Newyorkina has taken the old and made it new with paletas (ice pops) in flavors that range from mango-chili to hibiscus to fresh coconut.
Now on view at the High Line you can see public art exhibits which include:SARAH SZE, STILL LIFE WITH LANDSCAPE (MODEL FOR A HABITAT)
June 8, 2011 – June, 2012
On the High Line, between West 20th and West 21st Streets
Sarah Sze presents a an elaborate architectural sculpture that allows park visitors to physically enter and pass through the space it outlines, while also attracting birds, butterflies, and insects with perches, feeding spots, and birdbaths.
JULIANNE SWARTZ, DIGITAL EMPATHY
June 8, 2011 – June, 2012
Located within the water fountains, elevators, and public bathrooms on the High Line
Julianne Swartz presents a sound piece that greets visitors with messages of empathy and love in the park’s bathrooms, water fountains, and elevators.
LANDSCAPE WITH PATH
JOEL STERNFELD, A RAILROAD ARTIFACT, 30TH ST, MAY 2000
June 2 – 30, 2011
Billboard east of the High Line at West 18th Street
LANDSCAPE WITH PATH
JOEL STERNFELD, A RAILROAD ARTIFACT, 30TH ST, MAY 2000
June 2 – 30, 2011
Billboard east of the High Line at West 18th Street
An iconic photograph by Joel Sternfeld presents the first work in Landscape with Path, a series of three commissioned banners for a billboard next to the High Line.
KIM BECK,SPACE AVAILABLE
March 4, 2011 – January, 2012
Rooftops along Washington Street, between Gansevoort Streets and West 13th Streets
Kim Beck presents three sculptures resembling the skeletal framework behind advertising billboards.
STEPHEN VITIELLO,A BELL FOR EVERY MINUTE
June 23, 2010 – June 20, 2011
14th Street Passage
Artist Stephen Vitiello presents a multi-channel sound installation for which he has recorded bells all over New York City and beyond.
These exhibits make the High Line a cultural art center.
Whether you choose to visit the High Line for its parks, views, art, design studios, retailers, museums, restaurants and food trucks — or to live there, the High Line is one of New York City’s interesting new neighborhoods enjoyed by New Yorkers and its visitors.