GAME PLAN

BE FIRST Developers want to kick-start sales to generate momentum, and they also need to sell a certain percentage of units to qualify the condominium as a functioning business entity.

BE LAST Especially if a project has been on the market for many months, the developer and brokers may offer discounts or incentives to unload the final few units.

ON THE MARGINS Smaller developments in emerging or out-of-the-way neighborhoods can be harder to sell. But if they meet your needs, there are bargains to be had.

BRING CASH Buyers who don’t need financing contingencies in their contracts are a developer’s dream.

RESPECT THE ASKING PRICE Developers are loath to offer price discounts because they lower the value of all other units. Instead, ask if some closing costs or legal fees could be covered.

Ambitious Bike Share Program Kicks-Off in NYC

By the Summer of 2013 NYC will have one of the largest bike-share programs in the world. The concept is that for a yearly membership of less than $100, folks can borrow bicycles to traverse & explore the cityscape and then simply park the bike in the next bike docking station (which Bloomberg says will be “pliable” and easily assembled or removed, “without leaving a trace”).

Hundreds of thousands of NYC residents submitted suggestions for the placement of the bike routes–which it was just revealed–will first be implemented throughout Midtown and Lower Manhattan.

Supporters of the bike share program praise the environmental and physical health benefits. Naysayers worry that it will reduce the preciously rare vehicle parking spaces (however, it is noted that most of the spaces slated for bike docks were previously No Parking/No Standing areas anyway).

For more information, check out this article on Bike Share Stations in NYC from the NY Times.

The new law requires landlords to adopt an explicitly written policy in their contracts addressing where tenants and guests may, or may not, smoke. This ensures that anyone on the brink of signing their lease, can know beforehand, potentially meaningful factors of the living conditions. If the building doesn’t uphold the law, and a nonsmoker doesn’t like it, they would have the legal right to breach contract and move and recoup expenses.

It’s interesting from every perspective, but neutral to that, it is fascinating to think of a possible future where there is a niche market for Smoker’s Housing (you can imagine the specific decor and name of the building all smokercentric; guff & defiance). You’ve probably run across those social reports that find statistically, we are moving into enclaves of like-minded individuals; uprooting across the country in search of jobs is quite close to the norm, people also have more access to tools intended to stylize their lives (the wonders of researching on the Internet) now more than ever we can find the communities that appeal to our sensibilities. That’s among one of those big shifts in our culture, this idea that we are going out and “finding our tribe,” but also forming rather insular pockets and sometimes you have to wonder if the partisanship doesn’t forfeit some bits of immeasurable, texture and joy that is gained from navigating relationships with other citizens on a less conditional basis.

On the grander scale, a lot of people with restlessness in them have been pulled to the anonymizing fellowship with other insomniacs, artists, prostitutes, businessmen and vibrant immigrant food and culture, ah, the sounds the smells the tastes. NY City at its best is the most endearing duality of human conditions–people living with desire in the face of death, a cognitive awareness on one hand, that you’re a little fish in a big pond, not only in the city but the cosmos themselves. On the other hand, the reaction to that, is having a huge, never-ending, indulgent, luxurious, extravagant, bawdy party. Kwame Anthony Appiah is a scholar of Cosmopolitanism (he believes that people from many different cultures can live together with mutual respect). It was from Kwame Appiah that I realized the root of Cosmopolitan, is Universe-City.

NY City is a Universe City and artists find relief in the 24/hour LIFE. An adroit ending to a meditation about this sweet little tune by the Wombats.

You can hear what I mean and enjoy the song at Songza, a made in NY start-up that has a cool feature for mood/atmosphere/style that generates a sort of-radio of suggestions, you can play and rate.

Christchurch, NZ

Reader Question:

I am currently 18 years old and I live in Christchurch, New Zealand. I am currently studying Radiation Therapy and after I have qualified I want to move to New York and work in a hospital over there. I was just wondering if you could help me start planning on what I have to do to get over there. As much as New Zealand is an awesome country–I want to get out and see the world starting with New York.

Thanks again for your question–there are a lot of factors to consider when preparing to emigrate. I’ve divided them up into major topics so you can refer to this reference with ease in the weeks and months ahead as you continue to strengthen your plans.

Organize Your Research & Resources

The research should come from a wide array of both technical & informal (human/anecdotal) sources. The resources involve everything from saving money, to keeping a record of vital services and contacts that you may need to be prepared for the best and worst case scenarios.

You’re going to want to diversify your research among many sources and types of forums–this blog is a good place to start, but you’ll also want to look in depth at the technical sites about the legal documentation process–There are three types of legal resident status–Visa, Green Card, and Citizenship. You mentioned that you hope to travel the world, so most likely, you just need to get the Visa, which allows you to work in America.

Perhaps equally valuable are the non-technical forums you can find online– of folks casually gathering to share their experience and struggles on the topic of emigrating to NY (or about finding a job in Radiation Therapy, or about living on a recent grad’s budget, etc.). Discussion forums are a great place to consider other peoples’ real life experiences; a discussion forum allows you to learn from the other members experiences and find solace in sharing the same struggles and stresses and comedic relief that comes with most big life changes.

Being sure to get a wide sample of resources will empower you against the more shady or unscrupulous offers to vulnerable immigrants.

Gaining Confidence & Staying Motivated

Scientific studies have shown that the more we incorporate our goals into the consciousness of our everyday lives, the more likely we are to be successful at achieving those goals. This can be as simple as bringing up your goal of moving to the U.S., with family and friends or peers at school (the low-tech way to network); this can lead to info. from the incidental contacts you have and continue to gain; it keeps the wheels turning in your mind, that can then be “digested” while you sleep (and research shows that dreams are often good ways of practicing or working out problems or challenges we face in waking life).

The more you immerse yourself in the empowerment of knowledge & advice, the more richly and tangibly you will be able to visualize and stay motivated about your journey.

Getting an Idea About Job Opportunities in Your Field

Even though you aren’t quite ready to apply for a job until you’ve graduated, it’s a good idea to start looking at the Classifieds from NYC right now, so that you can have an idea of the starting pay and position availability. Here’s a link to Radiation Therapist Jobs in NY, NY.

You may also want to check out some of the excellent features from our recent Moving to New York Blog reader question– Student Moving to NYC for the First Time. The links described and provided there can help you find apartments in NY, and a whole lotta’ other practical things you worry about when you’re moving to a NYC for the first time.

Timothy "Speed" Levitch, tour guide from, ''The Cruise," (1998 documentary about NYC)

My name is Michael, I’m a twenty-one year old college student living in Orlando, Florida. But I want to move out of Florida, and I am considering moving to New York City, for I have family here and it’s a great place to be on my own and make a life for myself. However, it’s a not a decision I want to rush into, so I am wondering if someone can send me information about the living expenses over, the state of it’s economy, the kind of schools over there, for I’m a neuroscience major on a pre-med track.  Any information would be helpful. I’m thinking about moving in a year.

Good for you, Michael, on taking your first step towards such a significant move in your life–seeking and gathering as much information as you can.  A lyric comes to mind, written by legendary jazz saxophonist, Teddy Edwards, “luck is just opportunity, mixed with preparation and the same is true for every generation.”

It’s also great that you’ve identified an organic resource–the fact that you have kin in NYC.   If you haven’t been in touch with those relatives in a blue moon, you might consider sending them a letter, or even better, a friendly phone call, letting them know of your plans and questions–I find that most people are flattered when you ask them eagerly and humbly, about something they have expertise in.   Now, let’s get to the nut-meat here with some resources that I think would help you.

Finding an apartment:
http://www.nakedapartments.com/
http://www.renthop.com/
http://www.mapthatpad.com/

Entertainment on a College Student’s budget? Luckily, NYC is rich with culture you can witness and participate in for free just strolling the streets.  But when you’re looking for cheap events, it’s hard to beat Free concerts and giveaways in NYC.

Speaking of saving money, Centzy lets you compare prices of local goods/services  in NYC.

Unigo is a Made in NYC company that can help with finding, getting into, and paying for college:

Viva Street features free classifieds in NYC-cars, apartments, jobs, personal, for sale, etc.

Whether it’s to get another perspective on schoolwork or questions about NYC, you might want to try the experts at Honestly, now.

As a pre-med student you’re probably short on free-time, but will occasionally need to de-stress with a night out.  Grouper could make it easier for you to meet people, Grouper sets a small group of friends up for drinks with a group of friends they’ve never met.

Maybe you find renewal in spirituality.  FaithStreet helps you find a church in NYC.

Finally, after your hard research and narrowing down some locations with affordable housing, you will probably want to go visit the area before you move and make a note of all the amenities within walking/biking distance so you aren’t (as) overwhelmed on moving day.   An interesting app that could help you as you transition to your new location and in the weeks and months following as you get acquainted with your new home  MyCityWay.

Good luck and thanks for your question!

People are drawn  to the city for a plethora of reasons, none of which I could ever judge.   So, whether you’re coming to reenact mobster history, or if moving to the Big Apple in the age of upskirt videos makes you feel hemmed in, or you’re having a sordid affair, or you’re involved with shenanigans on Wall Street, it would be prudent to read-up on evading personal surveillance from perverts and enemies alike.

Skipp Porteous, the founder and president of Sherlock Investigations, Inc., is a TSCM (technical surveillance countermeasure) specialist. He received his formal TSCM training at the World Institute for Security Enhancement. He looks for eavesdropping devices for celebrities, police departments, government, private investigators, corporations, and ordinary people. Skipp Porteous holds a Technician Class amateur radio license issued by the Federal Communications Commission. His call letters are KC2PYP.

He exclusively works at locating eavesdropping devices.

How to do a car sweep for eavesdropping devices:

Using a flashlight and mirror, check carefully under the dashboard, air vents for hidden microphones, the map light, fuse box, and under the driver’s seat for microphones, recorders, or GPS trackers (GPS units are usually underneath for vehicle). Look for sloppy wiring that was not originally installed.

Check under the hood and see if there are any unusual connections on the battery. If there are, trace the wires.

I did a sweep once of a car of a certain city’s mayor that has been recently elected. I met two detectives at night and we went to an alley. The two detectives stood at each end of the alley. The black Lincoln Town Car was in the middle of the alley.

First, I popped the hood. There were alligator clips on the battery. I was sure the car was bugged! I traced the wires. They led to a siren, not to a listening device. The mayor had a siren in his car.

There are two kinds of GPS trackers. Passive devices and active devices. With a passive device you have retrieve the GPS and attach it to a computer. It shows where the car has gone. More common is an active GPS tracker. It has a built-in cell phone that let’s you know on a computer where the car is right now. All active GPS trackers have a motion detector that senses if the car is moving.

So, with a cell phone detector (you have to move the car to detect it) check for an active GPS unit.

Usually you can readily see if there’s a GPS device underneath the car. Remember, most GPS trackers are contained in a black plastic box attached with powerful magnets. It only takes seconds to attach it. The human arm is only so long, so it’s in a place that’s highly visible underneath the car.

Check underneath the car thoroughly with a flashlight. I also check with a LED-lighted video borescope, including the grill.

Also, cell phones are the most popular kinds of bugs today. All the eavesdropper has to do is call the cell phone (it doesn’t ring) and they can hear all the conversations in the car. If the cell phone is listening, you detect it with a cell phone detector. If it’s not transmitting at the time, a cell phone sends out a signal to the nearest cell tower every 10 to 20 minutes (be sure to turn your cell phone off).

Of course, if you have a broadband receiver, infrared camera, or a spectrum analyzer use these electronic tools.

Fortunately, a new website called RentStuff.com solves the issue of wanting access to stuff without having to waste money and space on buying and storing it in a New York City bedroom that could pass for a coat closet in other cities.

Chris Jaeger, the company’s CEO, came up with the concept along with his twin brother Robert back in 2008. The two brothers were frustrated after spending countless hours trying to track down kayaks and bikes to rent for a long weekend from small rental shops all over New York City.

Jaeger created the site, which is essentially “an eBay for rentals,” to unlock the network of other people’s stuff. The best part is that many of the items can be found right in your own neighborhood; someone living in your own building could potentially have what you need.

“The site creates a win-win situation for both the lender and renter,” said Jaeger in an interview. Not only does the renter save money by not having to buy and store the item, but lenders “can earn serious income on items sitting idle in their apartments.” RentStuff.com joins companies such as Airbnb.com, Zipcar, and Skillshare in the exponentially growing collaborative consumption space. The site links up with Facebook to add an additional level of comfort and trust among lenders. Security deposits fully protect items in case there is damage, and secure credit card payments prevent both parties from awkwardly dealing with cash. Creating an account and posting items are both free. They even have a video that helps to explain the whole process.

RentStuff.com is currently open in Nashville, Chicago, and New York City and plans to expand across major cities in the US in the coming months. Jaeger believes that the “timing is perfect.” With the current economic climate, people are looking for more ways to save money and earn additional income. The site is helpful for the environment as well. Choosing “access over ownership” helps with the overproduction, under consumption issue that runs rampant in the US.

In addition, the high tech site ironically brings users back to the old days when you would ask your neighbor for a cup of sugar. The face to face interactions and sharing mentality help to build small, trusted communities within larger networks.

It is interesting to see the list of top rentals on the site and how they are pitched:

1. Party Time. Put in a Boyz II Men cassette tape and take it back to 1992 with a smoke machine. Hosting the next Jersey Shore party? Try this 3 bottle Jagermeister dispenser. Jagerbombs!

2. Outdoor Gear. Rent a surfboard and head out to Montauk for the weekend. Training for a triathlon or wanting to leisurely bike ride through Central Park? Try out a bike before you buy one. They even have a Rumble Roller for sore muscles post workout.

3. Clothing. Turn heads in this red cocktail dress at your next event. More of a DIY personality? Rent a sewing machine and make one yourself.

4. Kitchen Tools. Big dinner party? Rent out a Crock Pot to make perfect Chili or a KitchenAid mixer to churn out delicious desserts.

Your apartment will feel bigger from all the space you will save by not crowding valuable apartment real estate with extra stuff. Plus, with all the money you’ll be making from renting out your stuff, your wallet just might get bigger too.