It Happened One Weekend: Of Co-ops and Men, 7 Rules for Buying, Buyers' Remorse Becomes Renters' Revenge, More!

1) It's strange to think of the writer of "The Grapes of Wrath" living in a post-war Upper East Side high-rise, but John Steinbeck did just that in the final years of his life. Now, after the 2003 death of his widow and a long family feud, his co-op on the 34th floor of Tower East at 190 East 72nd Street has hit the market for $2.1 million. The place needs a $250,000 renovation, but do you really want to be the guy who messed with John Steinbeck's study? [Big Deal/'Family Row']

2) The old maxim that you should stretch financially when buying your first home now has as many supporters as a Lehman brothers company picnic. And so, here are the seven new rules for a first-time home buyer. Don't commit more than 35% of our pre-tax income? Chupi, you've eluded our grasp yet again. ['Seven New Rules for the First-Time Home Buyer']

3) In The Hunt this week, a couple that rushed into owning ("buy now or be priced out forever" syndrome) soon grows tired of the hassles of ownership, and longs for the full service, high-rise rental life they left behind. So they sell their Weehawken condo at a slight loss, and shell out $2,120 per month for some luxury Jersey City livin' that they could never afford to buy. Suck it, Weehawken! [The Hunt/'These Apartment Hunters Are the Happy Renters']

4) Getting relocated by an employer always sucks, but being forced to sell a Manhattan home in this crummy market is especially stinging. But if All My Children's Cameron Mathison has trouble unloading his Harlem townhouse after the show moves out to L.A., we're sure the writers can send his character on vacation or something until he gets that $2.7 million asking price. Oh, he paid $1.225 million in 2004? Maybe a coma then. [Big Deal/'Soap Opera Star Forsakes New York']

5) Some of New Jersey's most shmancy and historic homes (nope, they're not all McMansions owned by people on Bravo shows) are up for grabs and have undergone some epic PriceChopping. This includes the Georgian mansion in Montclair owned by ex-New York Giant Michael Strahan, which has come down in price from $7.75 million to $4.75 million. [In the Region/'Wanted: Keeper of the Flame']