Teri Karush Rogers
Founder and publisher Teri Karush Rogers launched Brick Underground in 2009. As a freelance journalist, she had previously covered New York City real estate for The New York Times. Teri has been featured as an expert on New York City residential real estate by The New York Times, New York Daily News, amNew York, NBC Nightly News, The Real Deal, Business Insider, the Huffington Post, and NY1 News, among others. Teri earned a BA in journalism and a law degree from New York University. During law school she realized she would rather explain things than argue about them, so she returned to service journalism after graduation.
Posts by Teri Karush Rogers:
Q. I recently saw a listing for a one-bedroom co-op for sale in a doorman building on the Upper East Side. It lists both a “maintenance charge” of $1,099/month and an “ongoing monthly assessment” of $1,286.
That adds up to about $2,400, which seems like a lot for a $299,000 one-bedroom, doesn't it? And what is an “ongoing" monthly assessment?
A. You are correct to be curious, say our experts.
Accepted at about 1,200 NYC apartment buildings, Insurent Lease Guaranty guarantees leases for thousands of New York renters each year at an average cost of about 80% percent of a month’s rent (if you have US credit) and 110% (if you are foreign with no U.S. credit).
Here are a few great reasons to choose Insurent...
Q. My co-op is now demanding that in addition to notification and approval of deliveries of large items such as couches, beds, etc., we must have the retailer and delivery service file proof of insurance documentation with our managing agent prior to delivery.
The time needed to process the documentation with the managing agent would be ridiculous for many deliveries like a simple piece of furniture.
The response we have received is that this is standard protocol for NYC co-ops.
Q. I live in a two-year old condo building that's still controlled by the sponsor. My common charges are already about a third higher than the developer said they were going to be.
What are my rights?
A. First, you need determine what is behind the spike in costs, say our experts, so that you can gauge whether the sponsor's estimate may have been deliberately low or whether the increase is reasonable.
Q. Last week one of my window air conditioners fell out of my window six stories down into the air shaft below.
Thank God no one was hurt, but the a/c was destroyed and there was apparently about $1,000 worth of damage to some contractors equipment being temporarily stored down there. I have no idea how this happened and I can only assume my a/c was improperly installed by my super.
Who must pay for the damage?
