This Week in Comments

Dolly Lenz loses Cipriani listing

If no one is buying units, isn’t losing a listing a blessing in
disguise? Now she can sit at home and not sell units instead of sitting
in a sales office and not sell units.

Shop for homes on eBay
Why not? If people can sell their virginity on eBay, then real estate can be done there.

Cutting back on rental commissions
The prospective renter needs a broker. Do you know how many times on-site leasing agents have to deal with walk-ins that waste their time because these people have no idea [about] the market or where to start? Without a broker you can look for weeks for an apartment; with one, [in] two hours they should show you everything suitable and you can just pick [the unit you want].

The Closing: Robert Levine
Does anybody out there want to buy my condo here at One Brooklyn Bridge Park? I will throw in that nice big bridge as an extra amenity. Seeing it every day just makes me want to jump off of it!

Williamsburg developer holds out for buyers
1. He’s just shooing the reporter away. He’ll lower [the] prices. He just can’t drop the prices on all of his properties simultaneously; it undermines his own position if he does. That’s what “you just don’t bid against yourself” means.
2. If he does not slash prices he will have to wait for Northside Piers to sell their lower priced units before he can start selling any of his, or maybe he is just attempting to price fix the Williamsburg market.

Underwater loans put pressure on owners
I reject the premise that rent regulations drive anyone to the point of default. There are alternative places to invest your hard-earned dollars, including many communities in close proximity to New York City that don’t have rent regulation. If rent regulation is the problem, put your money where there is none.