12/02/08

August 2008

Who got crunched — and who didn't

A year ago this month the credit markets erupted, and since then it has been rough going. While the wheel of fortune always turns -- there will forever be some real estate players on top while others take hits -- this year many of the stories appear to be related to credit market woes...
By Lauren Elkies

How long will downturn last?

The residential real estate market in New York City is showing clear chinks in its armor. The average Manhattan apartment sales price in the second quarter fell for the first time since the fall of 2006, and some analysts expect the bumpy ride to be a rather long one.
By Alison Gregor

Hailing other holiday spots


For many New Yorkers, getting out of the city on summer weekends is an inalienable right. With the Hamptons market hurting but still pricey, smart investors are evaluating other nearby destinations with even better deals. This month, The Real Deal checked out the Catskills, the Jersey Shore, Long Island’s North Fork and Montauk to see how they are faring.
By Jill Gardiner

Small spaces prop up office leasing market

Small spaces continue to shuffle through the market, holding up Manhattan's leasing activity.
By James Kelly

A look at the good, the bad and the ugly housing markets

For this month's supplement, we check out a bunch of markets across the country that are actually in good shape.
By Dorn Townsend

Holding open houses for rentals

In what some brokers contend is a sign of a softening rental market, open houses for rentals, once rare, are now proliferating.
By Marc Ferris

Faith

Brokering in good Faith

Most real estate brokers don't show up at cocktail parties with a publicist in tow. But then again, probably only one has been quoted in the press some 75 times since the beginning of the year.
By Adam Piore
More ›

Plush hotels stay flush

Plush_hotels_magbox

Something rare is coming to Fifth Avenue: a new, six-star hotel. The hotel could have as many as 250 rooms, as well as residential and retail components.
By Kerry Murtha and Jennifer Karp

The Real Deal Webcast: Checking out resales and rentals at the Plaza Hotel

The_real_deal_webcast_magbox

The Real Deal recently visited the Plaza Hotel, which has been converted into residential units, condo-hotel rooms and hotel rooms, for a special Webcast segment.

The Closing: Diane Ramirez

The_closing_magbox

President of Halstead Property since 1999. Ramirez and Clark Halstead founded the residential real estate firm in 1984, and Ramirez was a partner until 2001.
By Lauren Elkies

State considers moving 421-a boundaries again

If the fight over the 421-a tax abatement rules seems like ancient history, guess again. The new rules enacted by the city and state last year (and bemoaned by many real estate developers) have been in place for just a month. But state legislators are already considering changes that could make many in the industry unhappier. By Sarah Ryley

As sales slow, brokers play nice

If there is a silver lining to be found in the current slower real estate market, it lies within the brokerage community, which is experiencing a kinder, gentler working environment as of late. Many brokers have noted that interactions with their competitors are noticeably less cutthroat than during the boom times of the past few years. By Vanessa Weiman

Summer sales slower than usual

July was hot, and buyers were not bothered -- at least when it came to buying Manhattan real estate. Open house attendance was down, beyond the usual summer ebb, and price adjustments were more frequent -- both indicators of a weakened housing market.
By Lauren Elkies

Can I get the door, hipster?

When was the last time you saw a doorman in a rental building in Williamsburg? Probably never. But that is changing. What is likely to be the first rental in Williamsburg to have a doorman is scheduled to open in September.
By Abby Luby

In Williamsburg, upping fees to match expectations

There was a time when one month's rent was enough to pay a broker to close a deal on a rental apartment in Williamsburg. But times are changing. As more Manhattanites cross the river, brokers in that Brooklyn neighborhood have capitalized on their new clientele's bred-in-Manhattan willingness to shell out cash for finding a prime rental.
By Katherine Dykstra

Story Index
A d v e r t i s e m e n t s