May 5, 2026
Is Your Building Staff Going on Strike?
No, not likely, as the threatened strike by the 34,000 residential building employees was literally just averted...
May 5, 2026
Is Anything Factual Anymore?
If you are spending a lot of time online and on social media, you might not think so. There is an incredible amount of...
May 5, 2026
How is the New York City Real Estate Market? | April 2026
If you are looking for a single headline, you won’t find one. We had a very strong start to the year on many levels. In...
May 5, 2026
What Is the Pied a Terre Tax Everyone Is Talking About?
If you feel like your building is assessing you to no end, you are not alone. Assessments are seemingly everywhere these...
April 15, 2026
How to Choose the Right Manhattan Real Estate Broker for a $2M+ Apartment
Selecting the right Manhattan real estate broker for a $2M+ apartment comes down to three factors: proven experience,...
April 9, 2026
Brick Underground: What Happens to NYC Residential Real Estate If There's a Recession
Michael on how Manhattan's luxury market holds — and where the opportunities surface — when broader economic uncertainty...
April 9, 2026
Architectural Digest: Where Energy Meets Soul in Manhattan Houses — How Michael J. Franco Reads Architecture as a Lived-In Art Form
A sole-focus profile on how Michael approaches every home as a living environment — reading rhythm, light, and spatial...
April 8, 2026
How to Price a Manhattan Apartment Using Real Comps
“How do you determine what my apartment is worth?” is one of the first and most important questions sellers ask. It...
April 8, 2026
Sydney vs. Manhattan: What Luxury Real Estate Looks Like Down Under
Spending time in another global city is one of the best ways to see your own market more clearly. A recent trip to...
April 8, 2026
What Does “Brand” Really Mean for a New York City Real Estate Broker?
Ask a room full of people what “brand” means and most will think of logos, colors, fonts, and maybe a sleek website....
April 8, 2026
Why Does Everything Feel So Expensive in New York—and Is It Still Worth It?
Everything feels more expensive in New York right now because, in many cases, it is—and those price increases have...
March 3, 2026
How Much Does It Cost to Renovate an Apartment in NYC?
“How much will it cost to renovate this apartment?” is one of the most common questions clients ask when they tour a...
March 3, 2026
How Mamdani Wants to Close New York City’s Budget Deficit
New York City is facing a projected $5.4 billion budget deficit, and the question on many residents’ minds is simple:...
March 3, 2026
Are the Wealthy Leaving New York City in 2026?
“Are the wealthy fleeing New York City?” has become one of the most common questions buyers and sellers are asking right...
February 14, 2026
Is Real Estate Romantic?
At first glance, “romance” and “real estate” do not seem like natural companions. One conjures images of flowers,...
February 12, 2026
WHAT IS MORE BELIEVABLE, PESSIMISM OR OPTIMISM? | MJF Weekly Newsletter
Pessimism! Especially if you ask Morgan Housel, author of The Psychology of Money, which I just finished reading over...
February 12, 2026
How Is the New York Real Estate Market? A Look at Q4 2025
The short answer: things are looking good. Heading into late 2025, there was a great deal of hand‑wringing in the New...
February 12, 2026
Did Compass Just Become the Largest Luxury Real Estate Holding Company?
Yes. Compass recently completed its acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate in a $1.6 billion all‑stock merger, many months...
February 12, 2026
Do Buyers Really Need Their Own Real Estate Agent in NYC?
“Do I really need my own agent?” is a question buyers ask more often than you might think—especially in a market like...
February 12, 2026
How AI Is Affecting Residential Real Estate in 2026
If you had asked many real estate professionals a couple of years ago whether artificial intelligence would meaningfully...
January 5, 2026
How Much Should You Tip Your Building Staff in NYC?
“How much should I tip my building staff?” is a question I receive from clients, friends, and neighbors almost every...
January 5, 2026
Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Early?
If you ask Oprah, the answer is yes. She has remarked that many of her wealthiest friends, wealthy by almost any...
January 5, 2026
When Will New York City’s Holiday Gridlock End?
If you are wondering when New York’s holiday gridlock will finally let up, the practical answer is: right after New...
December 12, 2025
WHAT CAN MAMDANI DO? | MJF Weekly Newsletter
We just lived through one of the most emotional mayoral elections I have ever seen in all my years in New York—and it...
December 12, 2025
WHAT IS THE GREAT WEALTH TRANSFER?| MJF Weekly Newsletter
The “Great Wealth Transfer” refers to the massive, multi-generational shift of assets from the baby-boomer generation to...
December 12, 2025
Are You Grateful? Why Gratitude Matters in New York Life
Gratitude can feel like a simple idea, but its impact is anything but simple, especially in a city like New York, where...
December 12, 2025
Is Landmark Preservation Important in New York City?
Yes, if you value New York’s wildly diverse architectural landscape, its layered history, and the stories embedded in...
November 4, 2025
WHAT IS ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE THE CURRENT NYC MARKET? | MJF Weekly Newsletter
Resilient! The Manhattan market proved its resilience yet again in the third quarter of 2025. Despite political noise...
November 4, 2025
WHAT MAKES A GOOD REAL ESTATE SHOWING? | MJF Weekly Newsletter
Emotional intelligence is a good starter! The phrase emotional intelligence, or EQ, is used quite a bit these days in...
November 4, 2025
DO YOU PREFER OLD OR NEW? | MJF Weekly Newsletter
Either way, you’re in luck when it comes to New York real estate — because we have it all! However, the new—as in new...
November 4, 2025
DO WE REALLY NEED ANOTHER BANK BRANCH IN MANHATTAN?| MJF Weekly Newsletter
The answer is yes — if you’re asking Wells Fargo. If you’re a New Yorker and see an empty storefront, you might think,...
November 4, 2025
SHOULD I PERFORM A HOME INSPECTION? | MJF Weekly Newsletter
Outside of New York City, the answer is a resounding yes! Inside New York City? It depends. My clients often ask about...
October 1, 2025
IS MAYOR ADAMS MOVING TO D.C.?| MJF Weekly Newsletter
If Trump had his way, he most certainly would be, as it is no secret that Trump is no fan of Mamdani! Read the full...
October 1, 2025
IS HOME WHERE THE HEAR IT IS? | MJF Weekly Newsletter
It is if you find your “place” and fall deeply in love with it. This could be your abode, the block you live on, your...
October 1, 2025
WHY IS RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE IS SO EMOTIONAL? | MJF Weekly Newsletter
Because buying or selling a home is one of life’s biggest milestones. It’s not just a huge financial transaction; it’s...
October 1, 2025
DID COMPASS JUST ACQUIRE CORCORAN AND SOTHEBY'S? | MJF Weekly Newsletter
Yes, indeed! It is big news that is shaking up the real estate world nationally and locally right here in NYC: Compass...
August 30, 2025
Is 70 the New 60?
That depends on who you are asking and how old they are! Retirement and when it will happen seems to be a hot topic...
August 30, 2025
What Is the Primary Residence Capital Gains Tax Exclusion?
The current tax law provides a valuable exclusion for homeowners on the sale of their primary residence (subject to a...
August 30, 2025
How Important Is a View?
It’s one of the many questions we ask buyers when we start working together. And what kind of view? In Manhattan, a...
August 30, 2025
How Much Screen Time Is Too Much?
During a group text with my in-laws, the topic of “screen time” came up, and everyone started checking and texting their...
August 30, 2025
How Important Is Homeowners' Insurance?
Very important—especially when you must make a claim for coverage! A few weekends back, it was one of those nights...
August 30, 2025
Are Rates That Important?
According to the stock market, very important! When interest rates come down, investors flee from bonds to the equity...
August 30, 2025
Can You Wear White After Labor Day?
Of course! Labor Day may mark the unofficial end of summer, but it doesn’t really mean the end of white apparel....
July 17, 2025
How Much of My Coop Maintenance Is Tax Deductible?
I still get this question on occasion from some real estate agents, and while I don’t want to sound sarcastic or...
July 17, 2025
What Happens When There Is More Demand Than Supply?
If you took even one economics class in school, you likely remember this fundamental concept: when demand exceeds...
July 17, 2025
Why Are People So Impressed With Celebrities?
A question I’ve been asking myself more and more lately. I grew up (and still am) a little Hollywood-obsessed, which is...
June 25, 2025
Is Money Important to You?
If you’re answering “no” to this question, maybe you are not be being completely honest with yourself! Money is...
June 24, 2025
Are Mortgage Rates Up?
Yes—but just a smidge! As we sit in the midst of a busy (and healthy) spring real estate market, the impact of mortgage...
June 24, 2025
Does a Team Always Outperform an Individual?
In residential real estate the answer is a resounding yes! I just got back from a Compass event with the top 100...
June 24, 2025
Does the Value of My Coop Impact My Real Estate Taxes?
If you live in a one- to three-family home in NYC, your real estate taxes are based on the “assessed value” of your...
June 24, 2025
Do Mothers Make Good Real Estate Agents
They do indeed! And I’m not just throwing a bone to the moms out there for Mother’s Day (although it did inspire the...
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