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Brick Underground Your guide to New York City real estate since 2009. Called “A first stop for New Yorkers getting ready to move.” by The New York Times

BrickUnderground.com is practical NYC real estate advice and firsthand experience with finding an apartment and living happily ever after.

The tenant blacklist is the bogeyman of the NYC rental market—it sounds scary, even if it isn't exactly a real thing.Wha...
09/17/2026

The tenant blacklist is the bogeyman of the NYC rental market—it sounds scary, even if it isn't exactly a real thing.
What is real: If you end up in NYC housing court for any reason, your name will typically come up in court data searched by tenant screening bureaus, known as TSBs. The collected data is often called the tenant blacklist, even though it isn’t actually a list. Instead, companies gather this public information and provide it, along with credit reports, to landlords when they screen tenants during the rental application process.
There are ways to stay off the list if you're involved in a dispute. Check out the article for Brick's advice. (Updated for 2026.)

It's not an actual list, BTW.

The Community Opportunity to Purchase Act would give nonprofit groups and community land trusts on New York City’s quali...
09/15/2026

The Community Opportunity to Purchase Act would give nonprofit groups and community land trusts on New York City’s qualified buyer list the chance to make offers on struggling multi-family buildings when they go up for sale.
COPA’s supporters say it will preserve affordable units in distressed buildings that might otherwise become targets for speculation, leading to the displacement of longtime residents.
Now that the bill has had a committee hearing, it can be scheduled for a committee vote before a vote by the full council. COPA isn’t yet scheduled for a vote, but with 28 co-sponsors, it has the support to pass.

A priority for the Mamdani administration.

In the current NYC rental market, a lease renewal often comes with a rent increase, and you may be inclined to go to bat...
09/14/2026

In the current NYC rental market, a lease renewal often comes with a rent increase, and you may be inclined to go to battle.
But staying polite and pointing to your record as a reliable tenant can go a long way.
Consider your renewal a negotiation and not a fight, said Jules Garcia, a broker at Coldwell Banker Warburg. "Thinking mainly in terms of 'leverage' could influence a mindset of a battle versus a constructive conversation, making any negotiation not as fruitful."
Check out the article for how to deal with a rent increase when you're renewing a lease. (Updated for 2026.)

Small landlords may be more willing to negotiate.

New lease signings in Manhattan and Brooklyn plunged in August, indicating that many chose to renew their leases instead...
09/10/2026

New lease signings in Manhattan and Brooklyn plunged in August, indicating that many chose to renew their leases instead of moving, according to latest edition of The Real Deal Rental Report by Jonathan Miller.
In Manhattan, rents continued to rise at almost double the rate of inflation, Miller said. Median rent increased by 6.5 percent to $4,900 compared to August 2025, the report said. The result: Renters signing new leases are seeing housing costs eat up a disproportionate share of their income.
In Brooklyn, all the ways to measure rents showed increases last month. Median rent was $4,000, reflecting an increase of 1.3 percent from a year ago, but a drop of 11.1 percent from July, when median rent was $4,500, so renters signing new leases caught a small break.
Like the Manhattan market, nearly one in five Brooklyn rentals went for more than the asking rent, Miller said.

Landlords sweetened leases a little more in August

Real estate professionals had mixed reactions to a query about whether renting to friends is a good idea. For those cons...
09/10/2026

Real estate professionals had mixed reactions to a query about whether renting to friends is a good idea. For those considering a similar situation, keeping rent increases flat or low will be the best way to protect your friendship. “Many reasonable landlords don’t raise the rent or raise it just a little every year,” said Kiyoko Fuchimoto, an agent at Brown Harris Stevens. This would go a long way towards maintaining your friendship.
And even if you're friends, it's a good idea to sign a lease or some written document that clearly outlines the responsibilities of both parties.
Check out the article for more intel on how to have a smooth landlord-tenant relationship between friends.

Sign a lease, even if you’re friends.

Households that earn $73,783 to $238,160 are eligible to apply for these housing lottery units, where rents start at $1,...
09/09/2026

Households that earn $73,783 to $238,160 are eligible to apply for these housing lottery units, where rents start at $1,936 for a one bedroom.
The new 40-story building at 355 Exterior St. has a pool, gym, roof terrace, pet spa, indoor pickleball court, and golf simulator. One River Park, named for its location next to the Harlem River, allows one pet with a weight limit of 30 pounds.
The apartments are set aside for New Yorkers earning from 70 to 130 percent of the area median income (AMI)—a metric that depends on how many people you live with.
Applications must be submitted online or postmarked no later than Sept. 24th.
If you’re interested and think you might qualify for one of these apartments, you can create a profile and apply online via NYC Housing Connect.

Apply by Sept. 24th.

If you need to leave your NYC rental apartment before the end of the lease, you risk losing your security deposit or, ev...
09/08/2026

If you need to leave your NYC rental apartment before the end of the lease, you risk losing your security deposit or, even worse, having to pay the rent each month until a new tenant is found.
The reassuring news is that New York landlords have a duty to mitigate damages. As such, they must do everything possible to find another tenant at the same rent or at the current market rent, whichever is lower. Alternatively, they can increase the rent in a highly competitive market (such as the current one), thereby letting you—the original tenant—off the hook.
Despite some challenges, you can make the process work in your favor. Check out the article to help you stay on the right side of the law and avoid paying more than necessary. (Updated for 2026)

Here's how to avoid overpaying.

The NYC Office of Special Enforcement released its annual report yesterday that said more than 460 new short-term rental...
09/03/2026

The NYC Office of Special Enforcement released its annual report yesterday that said more than 460 new short-term rental registrations were granted to hosts in fiscal year 2026, bringing the total number of active, approved hosts to 3,522, up from around 3,000 in 2025.
Local Law 18 created a registration system that put teeth into NYC’s laws against illegal short-term rentals, which city officials say contribute to rising rents and lower inventory for New Yorkers seeking long-term housing. Before Local Law 18 took effect, there were nearly 40,000 total Airbnb listings in the city, according to a 2022 estimate from Inside Airbnb, an independent site.
Enforcement of Local Law 18 began in September 2023, and by 2024 tens of thousands of illegal listings were removed from listings platforms.

Some hosts had their registration revoked.

With flooding is becoming a bigger problem for NYC as a result of climate change, there are some preventative measures t...
08/31/2026

With flooding is becoming a bigger problem for NYC as a result of climate change, there are some preventative measures that homeowners can take. Three programs for homeowners administered by the nonprofit Center for NYC Neighborhoods aim to prepare NYC residents’ homes for stormwater flooding.
These three resources work together: One website helps you determine your home’s flood risk, the next program helps you identify repairs for better flood protection, and the third helps you to pay for those improvements.
If you’re a renter instead of an owner, flooding should still be on your mind. Under a 2023 law, owners must disclose a building’s history of flood events.
And if you live in an area that’s at high risk for flooding, you have the option to sell your home to the city through the NYC’s Resilient Acquisitions program.

Know your risk.

In this edition of Buy Curious, Brick looks at where you can find NYC apartments with private elevators and what securit...
08/27/2026

In this edition of Buy Curious, Brick looks at where you can find NYC apartments with private elevators and what security measures you should expect.
A truly private elevator typically serves a single residence, while a key-locked elevator may serve multiple apartments, with each resident's key providing access to a particular floor or unit. Real estate listings often use the two terms interchangeably.
In older buildings, key-locked elevators commonly use a physical key. Residents can also buzz visitors into the building and, depending on the elevator's setup, provide access from their apartment.
In newer construction, access may be controlled by magnetic cards, keypads, codes, or biometric systems such as fingerprint readers.
A keyed elevator is particularly appealing for people who value privacy and don't necessarily want to interact with a doorman—or pay the associated building costs and holiday tips.
Check out the article for more details and current listings. (Updated for 2026).

Most have extra security features.

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