Teri Karush Rogers

In the wake of the widely read AirBnB.com confessional posted here recently (“I made $14K on AirBnB.com at $99/night”), it has come to our attention that many of you are unaware that renting out an apartment for less than 30 days has actually been illegal in New York City since May 2011.

Q. I own a co-op and want to refinance my mortgage. Are there any tips or tricks to getting it approved by my co-op board?

A. Definitely, say our experts.   You stand the most chance of winning approval if your new loan is at a lower interest rate than your old one and you don't increase your total indebtedness--except, perhaps, by the amount of the closing costs, says property manager Thomas Usztoke. 

• Brooklyn co-op goes condo, claims it is worth 50% more overnight...

NYC renters have been finding roommates and apartment shares through their Facebook friends for years.  Now, the newish apartment-building ratings and no-fee listings site Rentenna.com is betting its future that renters will use Facebook to find entire apartments.

"See what neighborhoods and buildings your friends have lived in, the apartments they loved & hated and rental recommendations tailored to your social network!" explains the site, which yesterday began requiring users to log in through Facebook Connect.

• Most people tip the Fresh Direct guy (unless he pees in the stairwell)...

Q.  I know that when a co-op decides not to allow dogs anymore, owners who currently have dogs are allowed to keep them. But are they also allowed to get a new one when that dog passes on? It seems unfair to deprive someone of  the right to have a dog if they bought their apartment in the expectation of having one.

A.   Fair or not, it's up to the co-op to decide whether it will allow a replacement dog, says co-op and condo attorney Robert Braverman.