1) Taking us back to the HoodWatch days of 2006, the team behind The Fairchild is trying to make the North Tribeca neighborhood nickname stick. Down south "feels more like the financial district," says broker Raphael De Niro, who is really stabbing his dad in the back here, no? Little De Niro says North Tribeca is the next West Village, and he also heats up the rhetoric: "There's a lot of new development in TriBeCa, and a lot of it leaves a lot to be desired." To which Tribeca responded, "Uh, you sure you want to go there, big guy?" [Posting/'A New Neighborhood? That’s What They Say']
2) New Upper Upper West Side megadevelopment Columbus Square is offering three months' free rent for some apartments and a $1,000 bonus to brokers who bring renters in. Ethical dilemma! Do brokers inform tenants of this incentive, or do they just pretend like Columbus Square is the most awesomest thing ever and OMG they have to check it out right now!!! [Big Deal/'Bounty for Brokers']
3) A new congressional report on the road destroyin', business killin', resident displacin', budget bustin' Second Avenue Subway offers some praise for the MTA and a surprising B- grade for the project. Howevs, the report also warns that that the first phase of the Upper East Side's great hope could be delayed again, to 2018. Why? Stuff like this probably has something to do with it. ['2nd Ave. subway may be delayed, again, and gets B-minus in report'/NYDN]
4) Here's an interesting little sales strategy: the Saffron, a 76-unit condo in Jersey City, will auction off between 9 and 15 units before the conventional sales effort even begins. The developers think the auction prices won't be out of whack with the units' market value, and the auction gives the building some buzz. Will the pre-grand opening auction event work? It if does, other developers are already lining up to copy the idea. [In the Region/'In Jersey City, Jump-Starting Condo Sales']
5) A long story about the state of the appraisals industry sounds like the cure for insomnia, but holy crap, it's like the Wild West right now! "Appraisals are one part science and, especially in a down market, many more parts art," and that art is getting corrupted by lenders hiring out-of-town appraisers who don't know diddly about the NYC market (but will work cheap). The result? Estimates that are coming in too low, leaving buyers scrambling to save the deal?or using the low estimate as leverage in negotiations. ['New York Appraisals Get Shortchanged']
6) Three gals in their early '20s who aren't really buddies find a three-bedroom share on the Lower East Side, with just enough room for their framed Matt Damon photo. [The Hunt/'Roommates, Not B.F.F.'s']
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