A New Austrian
I am a new Austrian. That is I was recently given Austrian citizenship and a passport under Section 58c of the Austrian nationality act (2019), which offers dual nationality to descendants of victims of Nazi persecution. For most of my …
For current action in the Manhattan market over $4 million–consult the Olshan Report.
Donna Olshan and Emily Chen, at Olshan Realty, have been carefully tracking contracts signed, at $4 million or more, on a weekly and monthly basis since 2011. Contracts are an important measure of current market activity, sales to not usually …
How has Covid 19 affected average sale prices and sale volume in Manhattan?
In the Manhattan housing market, sale volume has dropped, but there are deals, a revival since the market was legally re-opened in late June. This could be in temporary jeopardy this winter, as we retreat indoors and face a second …
The Covid housing market has not been easy
Since the market re-opened at the end of June, I have seen difficulties for both buyers and sellers. On the Upper West Side, an enthusiastic couple negotiated the purchase of a renovated multi-million-dollar apartment, and then backed out in anger …
Manhattan’s housing market has changed
Working from upstate or my apartment in New York, in semi- isolation and driving into the city for the occasional appointment or showing, I manage a tiny piece of Manhattan’s real estate market almost entirely from my laptop. The market …
Beauty and Housing
After a break from real estate writing, I remind myself that this work offers the constant pleasure of beautiful things, particularly useful things, like apartments, or houses, or furniture. It is inspiring to see the occasional wonderful house or apartment–there …
Israel and the Palestinians, in a letter to a younger French friend
September 20, 2020 Dear Brxxx: Thanks for the article you sent me about Sheldon Adelson and his purchase of the former American embassy residence in Tel Aviv (le monde.fr). Your note pushes me to clarify my own view of this situation, …
Sitting in my Garden (fixing the world)
June 1, 2020 At this later time in my life, I have a few favored ways to spend leisure time. One of them is sitting in my garden, or on my porch, looking at it. Sometimes, I do nothing but …
GEORGE SICULAR
Our father was a very strong man. He was built like a bull, a very good athlete, a boxer, swimmer, and I think a football player in his youth–an excellent and competitive tennis player his entire adult life. But when …

The Best Upper West Side Apartments
This morning (Sunday, June 6), I searched the StreetEasy website for real estate in Manhattan and found 282 cooperative and condominium apartment listings on the Upper West Side, priced from $3 to $10 million. Most buyers would not look across …