Welcome to It Happened One Weekend, our weekly roundup of The New York Times real estate section...
1) Rich people. What are they spending millions of dollars on? What are they complaining about? This is What's Up With Rich People?
How much should you slip your building's staff come the holidays? The Times asks this question and more in an article exploring the complex and touchy ritual of doorman-tipping in New York City. It's full of hearsay of insane generosity, such as one doorman who was rumored to have received $25,000 one year, and another who claimed he once got a Mercedes. Basically, what we take from the article is that tipping one member of the staff more or less than the others of the same job is a great way to foment jealousy and make everyone in your lobby hate each other. Tread carefully, or better yet, check out our very own annual guides! ["For Doormen, the Holidays Bring Tips and Colleagues' Curiosity"; photo via Roey Ahram/Curbed Photo Pool]
2) Every "The Hunt" column begins with the Hunters describing the apartment they want, and ends with them rationalizing whatever they came away with. This is The Hunt: Dreams vs. Reality]
The Hunter: a couple expecting a baby and looking to buy
Price
Dream: $500,000
Reality: $550,000
Neighborhood
Dream: near Carroll Gardens
Reality: Carroll Gardens
Amenities
Dream: two-bedroom, multi-family
Reality: two-bedroom, balcony
Summary
The Hunters this week are some seriously lucky ducks. A couple expecting their first baby decided to move out of their 565-square-foot hovel and into a bigger two-bedroom. The problem? They wanted to stay near Carroll Gardens for under $500,000. After a couple of dead ends, they eventually found an expired listing for a 900-square-foot two-bedroom, with an owner raring to sell for well under market. They paid $550,000, and a few months later, two similar apartments in the building hit the market asking around $700,000. Good snooping, you guys! [The Hunt/"Escape From the Pink Shag Rug"]
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