Wrap up your holiday season and say goodbye to your tree at Mulchfest. Join NYC Parks and the New York City Department of Sanitation in the NYC holiday tradition of recycling your Christmas tree!
Put on your boots and haul your tree to a Mulchfest location — we’ll chip your tree into wood chips that we’ll use to nourish trees and make NYC even greener.
More than 50,600 trees were recycled last year. Help us top this number!
Che ck at all the details and locations at this link. NYC Parks
Designers are predicting a rise in eclectic, bold, and maximalist interior design – the return of the accent wall is perhaps inevitable. So many great prints out there to make a quick impactful change. See my quick update done in a couple or hours.
Also check out this great active from House Digest for some other great ideas.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($647,200 or less) increased to 6.81% from 6.75%
Mortgage applications to purchase a home fell 2% for the week and were 39% lower than a year ago.
Mortgage demand dropped again last week as rates climbed higher, but one type of loan is attracting borrowers. Adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs, which offer lower rates, are seeing renewed demand after getting very little interest over the last decade.
Total mortgage application volume dropped 2% last week compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index, a consequence of surging rates.
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The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($647,200 or less) increased to 6.81% from 6.75%, with points increasing to 0.97 from 0.95 (including the origination fee) for loans with a 20% down payment. That is the highest rate since 2006.
“The news that job growth and wage growth continued in September is positive for the housing market, as higher incomes support housing demand. However, it also pushed off the possibility of any near-term pivot from the Federal Reserve on its plans for additional rate hikes,” wrote Michael Fratantoni, MBA’s chief economist in a release.
The average rate for 5/1 ARMs, which has a fixed rate for the first five years, increased slightly, but was still lower, at 5.56%. The ARM share of applications was just under 12%. When rates were lower at the start of this year, that share was barely 3%, where it had been for several years.
ARMs can be fixed for up to 10 years, but they are considered riskier loans because the rate eventually adjusts to the market rate. Rates have been so low for so long that before rates started to rise borrowers didn’t need to take on that additional risk.
Higher overall rates crushed refinance demand even further, with applications off 2% for the week and 86% from the year-earlier week. At this rate level, there are barely 150,000 borrowers who can benefit from a refinance, because so many people already have loans at far lower rates, according to Black Knight, a mortgage technology and analytics firm.
Mortgage applications to purchase a home, which fell 2% for the week, were 39% lower than a year ago. Buyers have stepped way back this fall, as higher rates have made affordability even worse. Home prices are starting to ease, but potential buyers also are concerned that if they buy now, their new home may drop in value in the coming year. Concerns over a recession also have buyers wary of making such a big investment.
Mortgage rates moved even higher to start this week; another survey from Mortgage News Daily has the 30-year fixed now well over 7%. All eyes are now on the latest inflation report set to be released on Thursday. It could move rates decidedly in either direction.
A ferry would cut commuting time to Lower Manhattan by 30 minutes while also helping to relieve traffic, officials say. James Messerschmidt for NY Post
City officials are taking a deep dive to assess the possibility of bringing Manhattan ferry service to a historic Coney Island pier.
The new stop could be Steeplechase Pier, on the Atlantic Ocean at Coney Island’s more tourist-friendly southern end.
A century ago, the landmarked Steeplechase Pier welcomed steam-powered paddle boats. It’s now a popular spot for fishing and crabbing.
A ferry would cut commuting time to Lower Manhattan by 30 minutes, and help relieve traffic and transit issues that have long plagued the neighborhood, according to officials.
Steeplechase Pier sits next to Maimonides Park, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones, and is within walking distance of billionaire developer John Catsimatidis’ new Ocean Drive condo complex. Catsimatidis, who is also pushing to bring casinos to Coney Island, has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars lobbying the city for a neighborhood ferry landing.
The city had long planned a ferry stop on the north side of the filthy Coney Island Creek, but the proposal is all but dead in the water after a significant sand-shift was discovered during construction that requires significant dredging work to make it navigable, officials said.
The city’s Economic Development Corp., which oversees NYC Ferry, claims it hasn’t given up on putting a stop along the creek, but after a push from community advocates, has begun working with engineers to see if the project could be moved to Steeplechase Pier, which has its own issue: the ocean’s choppy waters. The city is studying both plans and is expected to have results next month.
City officials are eyeing Steeplechase Pier as a ferry potential stop. Paul Martinka for NY Post
In January 2019, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an expansion of NYC Ferry service that included the Coney Island Creek stop. The route was supposed to launch last year, but the project was held up after Assemblywoman Mathylde Frontus (D-Brooklyn) and other critics raised concerns about environmental issues with the creek site.
By Appointment Only: Saturday, August 6, 2022, 11:30 – 12:30
553 Clinton Street, Apt. 3
Beautifully designed 2BR plus two private outdoor spaces! This wonderful new layout is comprised of a living room, custom updated eat-in kitchen, king and queen-size bedrooms (with bay window seats in the master),and custom closets. This apartment has a private terrace off of one bedroom as well as an exclusive roof deck! This apartment includes an In unit Washer Dryer plus built in A/C. The large bath is fully tiled bath w/ soaking tub and great storage. Lovely hardwood floors throughout and a barn door into the master to maximize space. Exposed Brick accent walls and built in hand made benches using local reclaimed beams. Lovely High ceilings Pets upon approval. Hot water is included..Located in leafy Carroll Gardens on Clinton St, just a block off Court Street and near great restaurants, coffee houses, gyms and more. There’s close proximity to Carroll Park and a cute playground right across the street. Currently Zoned for PS 58 Closest train is the F/G. Available Sept 1st!
Call today or send me a message on my contact me page today.
The 122-plus-year-old Jacob Dangler mansion at 441 Willoughby Avenue was calendared by the Landmarks Preservation Commission in a last-minute, surprise move today that could prove a huge victory for local residents and preservationists who have been fighting to save the building from a pending demolition.
The vote by the LPC came in the final minutes of a four and a half hour meeting, following an email in support of landmarking the French Gothic-style property sent by Council Member Chi Ossé earlier in the day, as Brownstoner reported.
LPC Chair Sarah Carroll said the late addition to the agenda was due to the “imminent” demolition of the historic building, with developer Tomer Erlich moving forward with obtaining a demolition permit.
The LPC research team told the commissioners the house warrants further investigation because of its “fine architectural design and historic and cultural significance” to the neighborhood. The vote to calendar was unanimous.
A group of locals gathered Saturday in a rally to protect the building. Photo by Anna Bradley-Smith
German immigrant and prominent local meat purveyor, Jacob Dangler, commissioned the house for himself and his family. Brooklyn’s most prolific German American architect at the time, Theobald Engelhardt, designed the house for the Dangler family in 1897, online records show.
The family owned the house until 1967, when it was sold to a Masonic chapter. The deed was transferred to the United Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star (OES) for $40,000 in 2003, and the organization is currently still listed as the owner. OES has a mortgage on the property with Advill Capital LLC for $1.525 million, records show.
A 1941 ad for the auction of the house. Image via Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Erlich told Brownstoner Friday he is in the process of buying the mansion and that he plans to demolish it in the coming weeks, once the permits are issued. The demolition recently passed a pre-inspection, he said, and records show he has been granted permits to install a sidewalk shed and lighting.
Erlich said he has plans to build apartments on the site, adding he would work with the community to include some affordable units and/or a community space. So far, no applications for new building permits have been filed with the Department of Buildings.
Calendering a building for a public hearing is the first formal step in the designation process, and the first step at which a building at risk of demolition can get some protection. Once a building is calendared, the DOB will not act on a permit application for 40 days. If the LPC does not designate the property within 40 days, the DOB can issue a permit.
The LPC is scheduled to meet twice again this month, on June 15 and 22.
Residents who have been organizing to save the building are “ecstatic and in total disbelief” with the last-minute decision, Lauren Cawdrey (who has helped spearhead the landmarking effort) said.
“These things don’t usually go in our favor,” Cawdrey told Brownstoner. “The big takeaway for me is that time is of the essence, this is not a done deal. Now we have to organize, rally and support more than ever.” Over Instagram and email, neighbors and supporters sent dozens of messages and comments of support and surprise at the LPC’s decision, and the prospect of saving the building.
City Council Member Chi Ossé, who sent a letter to LPC during Tuesday’s meeting calling for the building’s landmarking, said it seemed LPC understands the weight of the issue due to the haste with which the commission moved. “I’m happy that they did that, obviously there was a lot of concern in regards to time, and there still is now,” he said, adding he hopes the “beautiful mansion will be landmarked.”
Ossé said he plans to speak with the LPC to discern the next steps in the process, and Cawdrey said local residents will be meeting soon to determine their next actions within the 40-day period LPC has to make its decision.
When reached by phone the morning after the LPC vote, developer Tomer Erlich said he had just learnt of the decision, and because of that he isn’t yet sure what will happen. “We will study all the material and respond,” he said. Erlich didn’t want to comment on whether he would be pushing forward with obtaining the demolition permits, saying “I don’t know exactly which direction we’re going to go in at this stage.”
Moving day is almost here. How prepared do you feel right now? Moving into a new apartment is exciting, but most renters would probably agree that the physical part of moving can add tons of stress. Mistakes are bound to happen during the process – life is just funny that way.
Hopefully, these situations are minor mistakes and can easily work themselves out in the end. It (generally) always does. Making common mistakes can hinder your moving process. The best thing you can do is be prepared and avoid common mistakes like these:
Hiring Movers Without Vetting Them
Finding the cheapest movers won’t help much if they’re not insured. There are hundreds if not thousands of local movers but to find the professionals, you need to research and vet them first. Proper due diligence is necessary when you’re entrusting a team of apartment moverswith your belongings.
Check referrals, review websites, and shop around for moving quotes. If you go with the first moving company you see with a Google ad or hire the cheapest company without fully researching them, you could be taking a big risk with your most valuable possessions. An insured and certified mover (long distance if it applies to you) with a reputable reputation is a must.
Neglecting to Purge Before Packing
Boxes, packing supplies, and a moving truck all cost some serious dough. Before you pack up your life, purge any unused, unwanted, and unnecessary items you’ve been keeping around. Rule of thumb: If you haven’t used something within the past year, just toss it. Only keep what you use, unless it has sentimental value.
If not, you’ll be shelling out a lot of money on your move for more boxes, tape, bubble wrap, and a larger truck. If you don’t want it, purge it. You don’t necessarily have to throw it out – donate it if it still has some years left to make someone else happy!
Procrastinating on Packing
Moving requires weeks of planning. It doesn’t just happen overnight. Start early with your packing plan and begin with those items you don’t need right now (i.e. trinkets, holiday décor, fancy dishes, stemware, etc.).
You’re basically starting with the items you won’t miss. Then, as you approach moving day, pack up the rest of your home. Don’t procrastinate! If you do, you may be in for a rude awakening of long nights and numerous trips to and from the store for packing supplies.
No Moving Checklist
Oops. A moving checklist was never made. How are you going to survive? A moving checklist is designed to help renters keep tabs on what you’ve accomplished and what you need to do next in the moving process.
The unmarked boxes are your action items. Prepare a moving checklist now so you don’t fall behind and lose your head. When moving day comes, you’ll be happy to have made and completed your moving checklist.
Forgetting to Purchase Renter’s Insurance
You don’t have renter’s insurance? You should get on that like right now. Many apartment communities require their residents to have renter’s insurance by the day they move in. Don’t delay your move because you forgot to purchase a policy for your apartment. It’s quite affordable and covers the cost of your personal property, liability coverage, and temporary housing when/if you file a claim.
Not Putting Together a First-Night Box
Unpacking your moving boxes takes time. You could be spending upwards of a couple of weeks, even with consistent unpacking. Your first-night boxshould contain the essentials that’ll get you through the first night at your new apartment.
Forgetting to pack a first night box might entail an unnecessary run to the store for supplies that you already have (hidden in boxes somewhere), such as toilet paper, paper towels, toothbrush, toothpaste, and hand soap.
Incorrectly Packing Your Boxes
Uh-oh. Say it isn’t so. You didn’t just place your dinnerware at the bottom of the box, and your prized book collection on top, did you?
Packing a boxtakes practice and skill, especially when trying to maximize space within the box. Breakables, such as glassware and ceramics, should be placed comfortably within a box and wrapped in bubble wrap. Never force anything into a box as it could break during transport.
You don’t want to place items from different rooms into a box. Keep things consistent and organize your boxes by room.
Not Cleaning Prior to Moving Out
Cleaning the old apartment is an essential part of the move-out process. If you don’t, money may be deducted from your security deposit to cover the expenses of a cleaning service. Make sure you clean the appliances, bathrooms, floors, ceiling fans, and sweep the balcony. Better yet, create a cleaning checklist!
When you move out, you’re expected to leave the apartment in the same condition as you found it. Clean the apartmentbefore turning over your keys for good!
Forgetting About Utilities
It’s important to remember to schedule your utilitiesto turn off on the day you move out. In addition, you’ll also need to turn on your new home’s electricity and gas. Not doing so may mean living by candlelight at night and running a cold shower. That, my friend, would not be fun!
Not Taking Measurements of the New Place
Instead of winging it and praying your sectional will fit in the new living room, use a tape measure to see if it will actually fit inside the apartment. If it doesn’t, you may need time to sell or donate the furniture.
When you do a walk-through, bring a tape measure with you and take pictures. It’ll help you determine what you can keep and what to say “buh-bye” to.
The stress of moving day can overwhelm a person. It’s completely understandable. Don’t let these easily avoidable moving mistakes delay your move. Follow the tips so you can load up and hit the road ASAP.
