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Posts Tagged ‘Democrat’

AND NOW?

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

What will be the results of to-day’s election?  Chances are we will see a distinct shift to the right nationally, although locally the shift will be less pronounced we imagine. How will this all affect New York real estate?  Here are our predictions:

1)  GREEN BUILDING: This area will be less supported by the Federal government, although we think the movement is so strong already, private enterprise will trump government and the shift towards more self-sustaining green construction will continue and escalate regardless. Private enterprise is ruled by profits, and green building, while expensive at first, may just be cost-effective over the longterm. And the New York luxury buyer is beginning to demand it.

2)  TAXES: A lesser tax burden on New Yorkers will only fuel more spending. That cannot hurt. If (IF) corporations feel they will have a lower tax burden, they may actually start spending the trillions of dollars they have stashed away…..that could fuel jobs, corporate profits, and corporate spending on equipment and infrastructure. More jobs means fewer people reliant on the State’s coffers….more money in Albany  means less stress on the State to further raise taxes (we pray!). All of this adds up to more money for real estate.

3)  INTEREST RATES:  With tighter fiscal policies, it may be possible that we will see the end of the very low interest rates, especially if any signs of inflation appear.

So what do you think will happen after this election?

CHARLIE RANGEL AND RENT CONTROL

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

While aggressive evictions are reducing the number of rent-stabilized apartments in New York, Representative Charles B. Rangel enjoys 4 of them, including 3 adjacent units on the 16th floor overlooking Upper Manhattan in a building owned by one of New York’s premier real estate developers.

The Harlem building where Representative Charles B. Rangel has four rent-stabilized units.

Democrat Mr. Rangel who is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, uses his fourth apartment, six floors below, as a campaign office, despite state and city regulations that require rent-stabilized apartments to be used as a primary residence.

Mr. Rangel, who has a net worth of $566,000 to $1.2 million, according to Congressional disclosure records, paid a total rent of $3,894 monthly in 2007 for the four apartments at Lenox Terrace, a 1,700-unit luxury development of six towers, with doormen, that is described in real estate publications as Harlem’s most prestigious address.

The current market-rate rent for similar apartments in Mr. Rangel’s building would total $7,465 to $8,125 a month, according to the Web site of the owner, the Olnick Organization.

Leonard Steinberg, head of LUXURYLOFT team and publisher of the monthly newsletter LUXURYLETTER says: “How on earth does New York continue to allow the abusers of rent control laws to persist, especially an elected official, especially someone this powerful? Democrat or Republican, we should all stand up to this abuse. We all pay for this after all. New York rent control laws are like ANIMAL FARM: We are all equal but some are more equal than others?”