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☆ How the Renovation of a House Rocked a Famous Church
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Abyssinian Baptist Church is one of the oldest Black churches in America, and certainly one of the most storied. Hundreds of mourners have gathered at the 216-year-old institution in recent years for the memorial services of Cicely Tyson and André Leon Talley. It’s the kind of church where networking mixes with Bible study, and the roll reads like a who’s who list of Black intelligentsia and entrepreneurship. A year later, Ms. Porter and her husband, Tommie Porter, hired the deacon as a contractor to lead the renovations of the $1.44 million house. “We really loved the idea of keeping it in the community,” said Ms. Porter, 44, host of “CrimeFeed” on Investigation Discovery.

Persons: Barack Obama, Cicely Tyson, André Leon Talley, Mara Porter, Porter, Tommie Porter, “, ” Organizations: Abyssinian, Church, Columbia University Locations: America, Harlem

☆ Could First-Time Home Buyers Lose Out Under New Commission Rules?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | Rukmini Callimachi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

With a landmark legal settlement poised to upend a decades-old norm that has dictated who pays real estate agents and how much, economists, agents and lenders are beginning to worry that the burden could now be on first-time home buyers. Buyers may soon have to pay out of pocket for something that had always been baked into the price. “First-time home buyers are usually the people who don’t have much cash and experience — and that experience matters,” said Daryl Fairweather, the chief economist of Redfin, the online brokerage that cut ties with the National Association of Realtors last year. The lawsuit was initially brought by home sellers in Missouri who accused N.A.R. of artificially inflating home prices by coupling commissions paid to sellers’ and buyers’ agents.

Persons: ”, Daryl Fairweather, Buyers, N.A.R Organizations: Redfin, National Association of Realtors Locations: Missouri

☆ I Want the House, Not My Spouse
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As soon as she knew her husband wasn’t coming back, Terri Martin logged onto Facebook Marketplace and bought a 1949 General Electric refrigerator for $5. Her marriage might be over, she thought, but her relationship with her home certainly wasn’t. “I started to realize that even without him, I still loved the house,” said Ms. Martin, 37, a knitwear designer in Cincinnati. With her husband, Tim Larson, 37, out of the picture, Ms. Martin would no longer have to sell him on her vision of a retro kitchen that would embrace the historic character of the 1916 American Foursquare, a house the couple bought in 2021 for $180,000. “It is exciting to think about doing the entire kitchen now and not having to compromise,” Ms. Martin said on Feb. 1, hours after filing for a dissolution of marriage.

Persons: wasn’t, Terri Martin, “, ”, Martin, Tim Larson, Ms Organizations: Facebook Locations: Cincinnati

☆ The Curmudgeon of Rivington Street
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The drag queens who once paraded through the hallways are long gone. The rundown walk-up on the Lower East Side’s Rivington Street was a refuge that offered freedom and acceptance, though it was rife with burglaries and drugs — and no shortage of mischief, when Pierson Tyler-Leonard moved in some 35 years ago. Then the Lower East Side changed, snuffing out the spirit of the gritty tenement. He found himself surrounded by button-down professionals who marched off to day jobs in sales, marketing and tech. To him, they represented the erasure of a neighborhood.

Persons: —, Pierson Tyler, Leonard, snuffing Locations: East Side’s

☆ Is This Really ‘the Worst Time to Buy a Home’?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | More About Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For four years now, the housing market has defied all logic. Even so, home prices stubbornly kept rising, creating the most unaffordable housing market in generations. So while buying a home continues to be an infuriating experience, marked by high prices, high interest rates and low inventory, renting an apartment is getting easier. That means that unless you plan to live in a house for the next decade or so, now may not be the best time to buy it. “This is about the worst time to buy a home,” said Christopher Mayer, a real estate professor at Columbia Business School.

Persons: ”, Christopher Mayer Organizations: Columbia Business School

☆ After a Landmark Verdict, Realtors Ask, ‘What’s Next?’
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | More About Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Similar suits are making their way through the courts, with more filed after the verdict, adding additional pressure on the industry. The ruling “will reshape the housing market," said Ryan Tomasello, a managing director covering real estate technology at the investment bank Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, affecting “the industry not just from the perspective of the consumer, but from the perspective of real estate brokers and agents.”N.A.R. said it plans to appeal the verdict. Interviews with real estate agents in markets around the country revealed an industry wrestling with its identity and uncertain about the road ahead. Others are convinced that the verdict will result in only modest changes, perhaps a few more disclosure forms atop an endless pile of paperwork.

Persons: brokerages, Ryan Tomasello, Keefe, ” N.A.R Organizations: National Association of Realtors Locations: Missouri

☆ The Celebrity Apology Video Aesthetic
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | More About Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Last week, Drew Barrymore took to Instagram to defend restarting her talk show amid a bitter writers’ strike, a move that her critics said amounted to crossing a picket line. Facing the camera, slightly off-center, in a room so heavily wallpapered even the ceiling wasn’t spared, she asked her 17 million followers for their understanding. “I know there’s just nothing I can do that will make this OK to those it is not OK with,” she said, a macramé wall hanging behind her. The homey setting was familiar. It’s an essential element of the celebrity apology video genre.

Persons: Drew Barrymore, Instagram, ”

☆ Writers, Actors and Others Struggle to Pay the Rent as Strikes Continue
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | More About Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Faye Lauren, a celebrity makeup artist, loved the Williamsburg, Brooklyn, apartment she shared with two roommates for eight years. But in July, when Hollywood actors called a strike, celebrity red carpet events, and, in turn, Ms. Lauren’s career, evaporated. Without income, Ms. Lauren could not pay the rent. “When the actors’ strike happened, I knew that I had to leave,” she said. Two months into the actors’ strike, and almost five months into a writers’ strike against the same entertainment companies, people who work in the film and television industry are struggling to keep up with basic living expenses.

Persons: Faye Lauren, Lauren’s, Lauren, ”, “, sublet, Bowie Locations: Williamsburg , Brooklyn, South Florida

☆ What Happens When Wall Street Buys Most of the Homes on Your Block?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | Ella Koeze | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +21 min

Alvin and Patricia Maisonet bought their house in Bradfield Farms almost a decade ago. Bradfield Farms fit the bill: It is in an area that, in 2020, was 35 percent Black and 11 percent Latino, according to census data. Tarchia Barber chose to rent in Bradfield Farms because of the neighborhood’s rural feel. The RentersTarchia Barber liked the rural feel of Bradfield Farms, with cul-de-sacs and shady streets surrounded by farmland and woods. A school bus drops off students in Bradfield Farms, a quiet neighborhood where parents say their children often roam freely.

Persons: Ronda Kaysen, Ella Koeze, Logan Cyrus Sept, “, Alvin Maisonet, Maisonet, Patricia Maisonet, Joggers, ”, Alvin, Kelli Enos, Cash, can’t, Laurie Goodman, “ Covid, David Howard, Keith R, Madeline Bankson, They’re, Jessica Moreno, Tarchia Barber, Barber, He’d, Nikki Sloup, Sloup, Becky Johnson, didn’t, Johnson, Jesus ”, Greg McBride, Hall, Brandon Little, Keller Williams, Bradfield, “ We’ve, Jade Rahmani, Keefe, “ It’s, ” Mr, Rahmani, Enos, ” Dana Hartness, James M, Hasty, Ms, Lisa Damas, Kasey, Jim Sylvester, Sylvester, Hartness, —, — she’s, Dana Hartness, She’s Organizations: →, HomeRiver, Investor, Vegas, Kansas City, Antonio, Houston, Investors, New York Times, Homeowners, “, Bradfield Farms, Charlotte Airport, NORTH, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH, CAROLINA SOUTH, Bradfield, Housing Finance, Center, Urban Institute, National Rental Home, Rentals, Florida State University, Equity, Bankrate.com, Sheree, Nationwide, Facebook, Mecklenburg Police Locations: Ronda, Charlotte, N.C, Bradfield Farms, Bradfield, Paterson , N.J, United States, ATTOM, Atlanta, Phoenix, Memphis, Birmingham, Ala, Orlando, Fla, Jacksonville, Tampa, Kansas, Mo, NORTH CAROLINA, CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA, “, American, North Carolina, New Jersey, Peru

☆ A Real Estate Reporter Interested in Interest Envy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Josh Ocampo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In July, Ronda Kaysen, a Real Estate reporter for The New York Times, put out a call to readers. She wanted to learn how homeowners and prospective buyers felt about their mortgage rates. During the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates to bolster the economy. This drove up home prices, and, as the Federal Reserve has raced to bring inflation under control, mortgage rates have surged. For an article that appeared in last Sunday’s newspaper, Ms. Kaysen corresponded with 35 homeowners across the United States.

Persons: Kaysen, ” Organizations: The New York Times, Federal Reserve Locations: Ronda Kaysen, United States

☆ Feeling Mortgage-Rate Envy? You’re Not Alone.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | More About Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

At a rooftop party on a steamy July night in Philadelphia, the margarita machine was churning, the seafood boil was hearty, and the conversation turned to the default of the upwardly mobile: real estate. Almost anyone shopping for a home in the 2020s knows the script by now: Someone mentions their recent home purchase, a tale undoubtedly rich with drama, stress and suspense. Guests, well schooled in the volatility of the housing market, lean in for the follow-up: When did you buy? The response to that key question “is normally followed by an ‘Oooh,’” said Evan Barker, 36, a lawyer who attended the party and has participated in enough of these exchanges to know that the “Oooh” means one of two things: You either got the interest rate of a lifetime, or you squarely did not.

Persons: margarita, ’ ”, Evan Barker Locations: Philadelphia

☆ The Modern Farmhouse Is Today’s McMansion. And It’s Here to Stay.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | More About Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Pottery Barn Kids advertises a modern farmhouse crib, on sale for $600, and Home Depot sells a modern farmhouse outdoor playhouse for $299. “If a builder says, ‘I need three elevations,’ one will always be modern farmhouse,” she said. Ms. Sachs, 32, a stay-at-home mother, and Mr. Sachs, 36, who owns a commercial finance business, doubled down on modern farmhouse soon after they moved into the $1.351 million home. For Ms. Sachs, midcentury modern feels too cold, and the Italianate style she grew up with felt too ornate and uncomfortable. By contrast, modern farmhouse feels like home.

Persons: Jessica Cloe, Kris Jenner, Khloé Kardashian, Deryl Patterson, ‘, ”, Mark Canale, Sachs, “ It’s Organizations: Home Depot, National Association of Home Builders, Housing, Hamptons Locations: Santa Monica, Philadelphia

☆ Lessons Learned From a Decade of Answering Your Real Estate Questions
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

I soon became something of a 311 operator for The Times, fielding questions from New Yorkers baffled by the byzantine rules that govern their housing. Week after week, I searched for solutions, sifting through laws, talking to industry professionals, government agencies, lawyers and other experts about how — or if — these problems could be fixed. Read your lease, read state and city laws, anticipate the worst-case scenario before you decide what to do. If you’ve been dealing with stolen packages for months, odds are you’re not the only one. Of course, this means you have to talk to your neighbors, and what New Yorker wants to do that?

Persons: you’ve Organizations: The Times

☆ How Do I Force a Developer to Finish Construction Work in My Building?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Issues like this come up often in new construction, as owners are left sparring with developers to get work done and problems corrected. The situation is complicated because individual owners generally cannot make a claim against a developer for problems with the common areas. So, until the owners have control of the board, and not the developer, your options are limited. The developer does have an incentive to finish this work — until it’s complete, the building cannot get a permanent certificate of occupancy. “I’m generally averse to litigation, I think it’s terrible for everybody,” said Ms. Cummins.

Persons: ”, Cummins, “, Ms, “ I’m

☆ Home Insurance Is Getting Trickier. Here’s How to Optimize Your Coverage.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In 2016, when Shawn Loht bought his house near New Orleans, he easily found homeowner insurance with a $2,000-a-year premium. Then his provider failed, leaving him facing a premium of nearly $13,000 a year from the state’s insurer of last resort. Mr. Loht’s experience has become increasingly common as insurance companies react to cascading natural disasters by raising rates, reducing coverage and exiting some markets entirely. And Allstate, the state’s fourth largest insurer, quietly stopped selling new home, condominium and commercial insurance policies last year, confirming the change to The San Francisco Chronicle last week. “These disasters are wiping out large swaths of homes and insurance companies are responding in kind by getting out of there.”

Persons: Shawn Loht, ”, Hurricane Ida, Loht, Pat Howard Organizations: Allstate, San Francisco Chronicle Locations: New Orleans, Louisiana, California, Northern Colorado, Nebraska, Mississippi

☆ My Apartment Is Infested With Bugs. How Do I Make My Landlord Fix It?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

It’s possible your latest request was routed to the wrong city agency (this should be handled by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development), or you missed a call from an inspector. “There is no harm in filing multiple complaints,” said William Fowler, an HPD spokesman. While your 311 calls work their way through the system, you can file what is known as an HP proceeding in housing court. This will bring your complaint before a judge, who can order the landlord to correct the problem. You don’t need a lawyer to file a housing court case.

☆ When Packages Go Missing, Can Tenants Check the Surveillance Tapes?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In recent months, there has been an increase in the disappearance of packages left by delivery workers in the unattended lobby. We have surveillance cameras in public spaces, but they are for the safety of our tenants, not to monitor packages. But tenants have been asking to see the video footage to investigate the missing packages. A: You should address a security problem in your building, but sharing video footage with tenants is not the solution. And once you show one tenant video footage, what do you do when the next tenant asks for it?

☆ Roman and Kendall Roy’s ‘Succession’ Pads Hit the Market — for Real
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

If Roman Roy were a real person, he wouldn’t live on the Upper West Side. So said a real-life real estate broker recently. Fans of the show were there with Roman (played by Kieran Culkin) during a recent episode when he solemnly brushed his teeth the morning after a devastating plot twist. Daniella G. Schlisser, the real-life associate broker with Brown Harris Stevens and a listing agent for the apartment, said that if Roman were a real person, she would redirect him south, probably to TriBeCa, where he might receiver a warmer welcome. Given his winning personality, she’d advise him: “No one’s going to talk to you here — you won’t make any friends” in the family-oriented Upper West Side.

☆ The Ice Cream Truck Across the Street Is Making Way Too Much Noise
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Food trucks cannot idle with the engine running. Street vendors “don’t want to cause problems because they’re out there on the street everyday,” said Matthew Shapiro, the legal director of Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center. A decade ago, the city plugged a few food carts into the grid, but the initiative fizzled out. Now, the Street Vendor Project is working on a pilot program to power a few food carts with batteries to test the cleaner and quieter technology. If it’s successful (and gets funding), the technology could potentially work for larger food and ice cream trucks, too.

☆ They Wanted to Live in Greece Full Time. But What Would They Find for $300,000?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

But by early 2022, they wanted something big enough to live in full time. There’s a lot of young people, a lot of energy,” said Mr. Hados, an architect. The hilly neighborhood also offered streets with fantastic city views, and Mr. Hados wanted an apartment with a view of the Acropolis and the Parthenon. Instead, they scoured various real estate listing sites. With the money in hand and their options narrowed to a few finalists they found online, Mr. Hados flew to Greece in February in search of their ideal home.

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