Sunday is “Open House” day in New York real estate. Here’s a list of some gorgeous downtown properties in Manhattan (Scroll Down over My Image & Click onto each listing to view it). From Chelsea and Flatiron to Soho and Tribeca, if you’re looking for a 2-3 Bedroom Condo, Coop or Loft home, check these listings out. Open Houses are happening today. For more information and to receive answers to any of your questions about buying or selling in New York, contact me at Tony.sargent@compass.com. I’ve had 18+ years of experience working with clients in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Happy to share my knowledge with you!
Category: Architecture & Design
Having sold everything from classic lofts to the most modern of ultra-luxury apartments and townhouses in New York City’s real estate market, one of the most asked questions I get as a listing broker or buyers is this: “What kind of floors are these?”
If you are thinking of renovating your home or apartment, new kitchens and baths are definitely high on the list of items to transform, however travel with caution if you don’t replace your floors. In cities which have cold winters hardwood floors provide texture and warmth.
New floors make a huge visual impact on your home. Why? As you know, flooring covers your entire apartment. How it appears affects buyer’s impressions of your apartment and therefor its ultimate sale value. How many people skip spending money on their floors. Do. You’ll get it back multiples.
Over the years I’ve had several listings which had old floors. On one which lingered for 3 months on the market buyers could not get past the aged floors. We recommended the seller install new hard wood floors. She invested $15,000 in them – we received an offer to buy within days after it went back on the market, $120,000 above where the most recent offer had been.
I stage properties for my sellers. On a recent sale (and estate) we removed wall-to-wall carpets that had been down for over thirty years. The floor was dark and old. We sanded them, replaced old tiles and lightened them and used a matte polyurethane finish. Within ten days of listing the apartment went to multiple bids and into contract. The refinishing cost? $3,000.
Last week I listed this luxury 2-bedroom condo in Chelsea at 151 West 17th Street (see photo).
The owner spent money replacing the original maple composite floors installed by the original developer with custom wide-plank (5″) white oak, installed over a cushioning sub-floor. The floors look amazing which makes the apartment desirable and they feel like butter underfoot.
Thinking about selling your home and need some design tips for flooring? Feel free to contact me – or – check out this fantastic article from Elle Decor – “The Complete Guide to Hardwood Flooring Types and Costs“. It really breaks down the wood types, and what qualities they have which may make them more or less desirable for your intended use.
Last Tip: If you can afford it, spend the money for hardwood or top quality composite hardwood floors. In Manhattan at least, stay away from laminates that feel have a plastic look or feel to them. Buyers notice laminates immediately and most don’t respond well to them.
Photo Credit: Dooley Images
Michael Aram Home Brings Modern Energy and Timeless Tradition to NYC’s Luxury Real Estate Interiors
In Hindi, “aram” literally translates as “ease”. Hindi speakers use the word to connote gentle movement with peace, love and care. This is exactly the ethos award-winning artist Michael Aram evokes in his timeless metal-ware, home-ware and fine jewelry designs. Read more…
Cultural Center, Baku Azerbaijian by Zaha Hadid - Photo: iStockphoto/Asurobson
“People think that the most appropriate building is a rectangle, because that’s typically the best way of using space. But is that to say that landscape is a waste of space? The world is not a rectangle.” – Dame Zaha Hadid
Recently, when I learned the sad news of Dame Zaha Hadid’s passing, I was reminded of the moment in 2015 when Read more…
Rendering: Midtown Equities’ retail and office conversion Empire Stores located in DUMBO in the Brooklyn Bridge; http://www.empirestoresdumbo.com/
With little space to build new properties in hyper-dense New York City, it’s no surprise that developers are eager to give makeovers to pre-existing buildings not living up to their potential. Whether they are being redone with an eye towards retail or commercial occupation, there are a slew of exciting renovations slated to open in the next few months all around the city. Check out a few of the most buzzed about below:
- Dumbo’s Empire Stores: Dumbo has long been one of Brooklyn’s chicest neighborhoods, with residents like style-setter Olivia Palermo upping the style factor on this quiet waterfront oasis of calm. The neighborhood is about to get a fresh injection of fashion and fun with the 19th century warehouse Empire Stores opening the end of this year. Expect stunning views over the city, and
Read more…
The High Line District has transformed in 1 year | Photo from Sept 28, 2014 by Tony Sargent
As all New Yorkers know, if you’re not moving forward, you’re behind, and real estate is no exception. Summer saw some of the island’s most influential denizens make real estate moves and news in keeping with the city’s exhilarating pace.
Some noted developments:
Alert to all aspiring Upper East Side trophy property holders and investors: there was a drop in the asking price for the “Versailles in Manhattan” and the listing moved over to Compass. Kenneth D. Laub’s spectacular East 64th Street townhome, dubbed “Versailles in Manhattan” for its rococo Louis XIV layout and interiors can now be yours for a cool $25 million. Over on Fifth Avenue Read more…
August may be over, but my team and I are hanging onto summer a little bit longer with these New York warm-weather favorites. Which are on your must-do list?
1. Rooftop yoga at the James: The rooftop of the James hotel in Soho may serve as a hyper-trendy bar by night, but come morning, the roof deck (and its jaw-dropping city-scape views) plays host to some of the city’s top yoga instructors. These pros can be booked for private lessons, and help aspiring yogis perfect their downward dogs and handstands on Thursday morning group classes.
2. US Open: Whether it’s Federer vs. Nadal or Wiliams vs. Williams, tennis devotees like Anna Wintour, Heidi Klum, and Mary-Kate Olson flock to the famed Flushing courts to see the crème de la crème of matches up close in person at the annual US Open.
3. Drinks in the clouds: The city offers an astonishing array of drop-dead gorgeous rooftop bars, each with its own enchanting ambiance. The Press Lounge serves top-notch cocktails to a lively and fashionable crowd; the roof bar of Gramercy Park Hotel is famously secluded and sophisticated; and the Metropolitan Museum of Art installs a blockbuster exhibition on its roof each summer, which visitors can enjoy all the more with a glass of champagne.
4. Lobster roll at Mary’s Fish Camp: The best lobster roll this side of Nantucket can be found at Mary’s Fish Camp in the charming West Village. In a room reminiscent of its yacht clubs, Mary’s also serves oysters fresh from Cape Cod, and is the next best thing to sitting on the dock and the watching the catch come in for the day.
5. Picnics in the Park: No matter how stressful life gets, nothing a quiet walk through Central Park’s North Woods can’t fix. Skip the crowds flocking Sheep Meadow, and take a quite stroll through this peaceful escape. Make it a picnic with baguette, fruit, and cheese snapped up from famed Upper East Side eatery Zabars.