Featuring real estate articles and information to help real estate buyers and sellers. The Nest features writings from Georges Benoliel and other real estate professionals. Georges is the Co-Founder of NestApple and has been working as an active real estate investor for over a decade.
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The REBNY Financial Statement is a four-section disclosure (assets, liabilities, income, projected expenses) that accompanies almost every co-op offer in NYC. It isn’t a REBNY-mandated pass-or-fail test. Boards set their own debt-to-income and liquidity standards, commonly 20 to 30 percent.… Read More
A co-op board interview is typically a 20- to 30-minute conversation confirming what’s already in your application. It’s not a formal review, just a chance for the board to meet you before voting. Since 1 January 2025, NYC’s Fair Chance… Read More
House hunting in NYC works best when you narrow the search fast: pick two or three neighborhoods, set StreetEasy alerts, and judge the building before the apartment. At every showing, read the financials and the board minutes, and treat the… Read More
Quick answer: In New York, a landlord has exactly 14 days after you move out to either return your security deposit in full or send an itemized list of deductions — not a vague “reasonable time,” a hard deadline. Miss… Read More
A guarantor in NYC is a person or company that agrees to pay your rent if you can’t. A personal guarantor typically needs annual income around 80 times the monthly rent, double the 40x a tenant needs, plus strong credit,… Read More
We determine if you can afford a home in NYC by deciding where you want to buy. Then, you figure out what mortgage you’ll qualify for. Here’s what you’ll need to know about the NYC real estate market. This works… Read More
Experiencing an eviction can be a significant challenge. In several states, an eviction can stay on your record for up to seven years, seriously affecting your credit score and making it difficult to find suitable housing. You can continue reading… Read More
California is the most populous state in the country by a wide margin — and after two straight years of decline during the pandemic, its population is growing again. The state added roughly 108,000 residents in 2024 alone, reaching about… Read More
If you plan on buying a home in New York, there’s a good chance you’ll be paying a mansion tax, as this tax applies to all homes selling for over $1 million in the state. In 2019, authorities introduced a… Read More
The real estate agent commission in NJ averages about 5.2% of the sale price, split between the listing and buyer sides. The seller pays it. No rate is set by law, so it’s negotiable, and a New Jersey buyer can… Read More
To get pre-approved for a mortgage, give a lender your last 30 days of pay stubs, two months of bank statements, two years of W-2s and tax returns, and let them run a hard credit check. You get a letter,… Read More
Do you need a limited liability company (LLC) for a rental property in New York City? This blog will analyze the benefits of establishing an LLC in NYC real estate. We will go over the common issues about this ownership… Read More
On most home sales, the seller pays the buyer’s agent commission out of the sale price. That did not change with the 2024 rules. What has changed is that the seller now offers it directly in writing, rather than through… Read More
An assumable mortgage lets a buyer take over the seller’s existing loan: same rate, same balance, same term. FHA, VA and USDA loans are assumable; most conventional loans are not. The buyer still qualifies with the seller’s lender and covers… Read More
The NYC Cooperative and Condominium Tax Abatement ranges from 17.5% to 28.1% of your property tax bill, based on your building’s average assessed value per unit. Both co-ops and condos qualify for the same percentage tiers under New York Real… Read More
