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Good design making a lot of cents; and sales even in down market; INTERIORS By Sygrove, Marilyn You have decided to sell your apartment now for any number of reasons. Whatever your reason, the fact is…... Read more >

Good design making a lot of cents;
and sales even in down market;
INTERIORS
By Sygrove, Marilyn

You have decided to sell your apartment now for any number of reasons. Whatever your reason, the fact is people buy and sell apartments even in depressed economic times.

The question is "how do you make your apartment more attractive in a buyer's market?"

We asked several New York City real estate brokers about the importance and impact of apartment building public spaces on that sale. "All factors come into play even more in a buyer's market such as the curb appeal ... it's street front, including the lobby," commented Miles Chapin of Warburg Realty Partnership.

"You only get a first impression once and if those areas aren't nice, then you can forget about it. Hardly anyone decides to buy an apartment in the first ten minutes, but many people decide not to buy one in the same time frame."

The overwhelming highest impact area brokers identify is the lobby, followed by the hallways, facade and elevator cab.

Recently, we were contacted by a long-time client--a cooperative building board of directors--about "freshening" their lobby, which we initially designed in 1989 along with their hallways, elevator and facade.

The scope of work they identified was to replace the worn elements such as the wall covering material, re-upholster the original sofa, lounge chairs and benches in new fabrics and trims, re-plate original brass wall sconces, clean up intercom panel labeling, recess the new security monitor, and now that there are more families in the building, bumper protection inside the wood-paneled elevator cabs. William Bernstein, architect and a current member of the board said, "Although we were concerned about spending money on improvements in this environment, we also felt that we would be able to do this project more quickly and less expensively in a less frenzied construction environment."

Most contractors are lowering their costs between 20%-30%, making this an optimum time to do renovations.

A well-designed and decorated lobby and hallways could be the difference between an offer and no offer on the apartment.

BY MARILYN SYGROVE, PRESIDENT, SYGROYE ASSOCIATES DESIGN GROUP
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Fred Peters and Miles Chapin's 630 Park Avenue in the NY Post $3.7 MILLION Park Avenue might not be on the park, but that doesn't mean you can't look out the windows of this "elegant" two-bedroom co-op…... Read more >

Fred Peters and Miles Chapin's 630 Park Avenue in the NY Post

$3.7 MILLION

Park Avenue might not be on the park, but that doesn't mean you can't look out the windows of this "elegant" two-bedroom co-op and gaze upon "tulips and flowering trees" (at least in spring). Just about every room in this classic seven -- living room, dining room, kitchen, even the maid's room -- overlooks the avenue, with the bedrooms and a "spacious" library set quietly in the back. "Ultra-high" ceilings throughout are also a plus, and there are 3½ bathrooms. The prewar apartment is "priced appropriately for today's market" -- in other words, it's a seven-figure deal. Agents: Miles Chapin and Frederick Peters, Warburg Realty Partnership, 212-327-9660 and 212-439-4502

 

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New York’s First LEED-Certified Townhouse Seeks Eco-Friendly Resident for “Reuse” Posted By Susan Piperato, 04/29/09  NEW YORK, NY—Warburg Realty Partnership, one of Manhattan’s oldest…... Read more >

New York’s First LEED-Certified Townhouse Seeks Eco-Friendly Resident for “Reuse”

Posted By Susan Piperato, 04/29/09 

NEW YORK, NY—Warburg Realty Partnership, one of Manhattan’s oldest residential real estate brokerages, has been named the exclusive sales agents for the first LEED-certified townhouse in Manhattan, located at 151 West 122nd Street in Harlem.

“Many new developments and housing communities are increasing their efforts for greener living,” said Marlene Hartstein, one of the townhouse’s exclusive brokers. “However, a LEED-certified townhouse is extremely unique, since the qualifications are so arduous.”

Added Miles Chapin, the other exclusive agent, “This home presents a watershed moment for a new buyer, to support green living and the current owner’s efforts to promote sustainable living in this great city.”

The building, a classic Harlem Italianate brownstone row-house, has been completely gut-renovated and rebuilt with locally-sourced material whenever possible. The features include compact fluorescent lighting; insulation made from recycled denim; recycled wood flooring; energy-efficient appliances; multiple tankless, on-demand hot water heaters; a rainwater collection system for outdoors use; and low volatile organic compound paints, adhesives, and finishes throughout which result in an indoor environment that’s ultra-low in airborne toxins. In addition there is an array of photo-voltaic solar panels on the roof which actually sell power back to Con Edison.

These renovations allowed the current owner to apply for LEED status (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) which is conferred by the United States Green Building Council. The certification is granted under the strictest circumstances and after rigorous testing.

For those interested in viewing this green townhouse, queries and appointments can be made through Marlene Hartstein (212-327-9633) mhartstein@warburgrealty.com or Miles Chapin (212-327-9660) mchapin@warburgrealty.com. The townhouse may be viewed at www.warburgrealty.com, listing #305072.

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EARTH DAY EVERY DAY BE GOOD TO THE GLOBE YEAR-ROUND WITH THIS ECO-FRIENDLY OFFERING Perfect retrofit New eco-friendly buildings like the Kalahari and Observatory Place have sprouted up in Harlem the last…... Read more >

EARTH DAY EVERY DAY

BE GOOD TO THE GLOBE YEAR-ROUND WITH THIS ECO-FRIENDLY OFFERING

Perfect retrofit
New eco-friendly buildings like the Kalahari and Observatory Place have sprouted up in Harlem the last couple of years, but those aren't the classic row houses that Harlem is known and loved for. Priced at $2.995 million, this five-bedroom, four-bath brownstone at 151 W. 122nd St. has been retrofitted green, with recycled wood floors, insulation made out of shredded denim and a rainwater collection system. There are plenty of traditional luxuries, too, including dining rooms, home offices, walk-in closets, terraces and a garden (plus a cellar with a gym and a vault). Even though it's big -- 5,700 square feet -- you won't have to sign over your paycheck to Con-Ed: The photovoltaic solar panels on the roof pump energy back into the electrical grid. "It's funny," says Warburg Realty broker Miles Chapin, "Sometimes when all the lights are off, you see the meter is running backwards." The US Green Building Council stopped by late last month to decide on the home's LEED rating; gold or silver status is expected. Contact: Miles Chapin and Marlene Hartstein, Warburg Realty, 212-327-9660 and 212-327-9633

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