1) Fresh details about the Upper West Side's Apple Bank building's ride on the conversion train. Next stop: Condoville. Lower floor units have 13' ceilings with 8.5' windows, while the upper level duplexes each have an interior courtyard. However, Apple Bank will still operate a branch on the ground floor, and Baseball Center NYC will maintain its batting cages in the basement. But what about extra basment storage space for the new tenants? Don't fret; there are extra closets spread throughout the units and hallways. [Posting/C.J. Hughes]
2) A market slowdown means it's time for sellers to bone up the art of wooing potential buyers. Tips on succeeding in this supposed buyers' market include: Be wary of evil lawyers and uppity brokers, be willing to negotiate, stay away from your own open houses, and don't try to hold on to every feature in the place. You can't take everything with you. Keep these tips in mind and you may just get your full asking price. [How Not to Scare Off Buyers/NYTime Real Estate Section]
3) Say you find a dingy apartment that needs a ton of work. You think you see the potential but aren't quite sure, so you decide to ask for help. That's what Roo and Bernie Rogers did when they found an third story walkup in the heart of NoLita. And the help? Mr. Roger's architect father Richard Rogers and his pal Renzo Piano. The starchitect duo dreamed up a private elevator, glass and an aerial addition. Since those plans eclipsed the couple's vision, they dropped the dynamic duo for Mr. Roger's brother and cousin, and they built themselves a happy red home. [Habitats/Celia Barbour]
4) The hottest new broker in the city doesn't work for a big agency. He doesn't have a flashy website. Hell, he doesn't even have an office. Pedro Reyes has turned his fruit stand on 137th ST into a booming referral business, sending wayward musicians, hipsters and artists to empty bedrooms in apartments throughout his uptown hood. The spaces is cheap and usually comes with a bed, fridge and strict rules on overnight guests. In a tight vacancy market, Pedro is your uptown man. Pedro himself explains his business model, saying "I have connections. From 125th Street to 160th Street, I know everybody." [Urban Tactics]