The Strangest Female Renting Habit

As May 1 approaches, my e-mail and phone have been jumping with activity. Since yesterday I have been booked for all day Saturday, and I don't doubt Sunday will fill up as well.

I have a listing for a two bedroom on Morton Street, and it's been getting a lot of responses. Most are from women, and none of the leads have gone anywhere.

Why? Almost 100% of the women will not give me a phone number where we can talk about what they need. Usually they want to see the place within an hour or two, as if I'm just sitting around, not doing anything. I'm not the kind of broker who randomly meets people in the street. We sit down, we have a conversation. I send them things that meet their specs. Then we go out, because I don't want to waste time.

When I ask when they need to move, these young women claim to be "flexible." This often means that they are in a roommate situation that they don't like, or they just had an argument and one girl has decided that she is out. Just as soon as she can find another place and find someone to take their spot on the lease. Good luck with that.

If a guy calls me, then he has to move usually within two weeks. We'll go out for two hours, he'll see roughly five places, and he'll take one of them. If there's a gap in the viewing schedule, he will pick up the tab for lunch, despite my refusals. He will have his paperwork in his back pocket. He will be overly qualified for the place. He won't argue about the broker fee. I will likely get at least one referral from him.

If anyone thinks that there isn't a difference with the way men and women make decisions, I whole heartily disagree. I have never had a moment's worth of grief with a male client. In fact, I have been charmed by every single one. Women, sometimes, drive me to drink. Before noon.

Inside The Mind Of TR

Hey Zeus!, originally uploaded by thomasr9.

TR has a little sketchbook where he, uh, sketches things. Every now and then I go through it, often amused at what I find. This was one recent sketch.

Here is another. Is this what a desk job does to your brain?

Music Man

Seen On The Job: An Eviction Notice

Eviction notice, originally uploaded by La Pauline.

There's now a great one bed railroad apartment available on W. 12th and Greenwich Avenue for $2600.

Creepiest Guy Alive Offers Advice On How To Flirt

File this under: Do Not Date This Man

The Quotable TR: Sunday Morning Edition

TR: Some days I wish I were an octopus. That way I could get so much more done.

Andre On Saturday Afternoon

Andre Reading, originally uploaded by thomasr9.

I've been slacking a bit with the blog, but only because I have, in fact, been busy with work. Things get crazy very quickly come spring, and with any luck in May I'll actually have an assistant. (Crack the whip!)

One of the best rental deals in Murray Hill is a little pre-war building on 36th and Third. I had a client who lived there and she said it used to be a mansion, but has since been converted. The more units I see in this building, the more I believe her. Almost every single unit has a a fireplace, there are tons of windows, built in bookcases and random balconies.

This mosaic is in a one bedroom that is available for $2400. I was amazed it was still intact, but more curious about what the space was used for before the building was converted. It's on the second floor, so it very well may have been a dining room or some sort of parlor.


Midtown gets a bad rep for being devoid of charm, but there is a great building on 48th and Third that has a leafy, common courtyard. Most of the units are large one bedrooms, otherwise I was totally live here. It's like something out of 1920.

Full Floor Penthouse In Murray Hill -- $6000

After months of looking at nothing but one bedrooms, I've been on a two bedroom kick. Today I found a whopper of one a block away from my place.

It's a full floor penthouse with a wrap terrace in Murray Hill. We're talking 360 degree views. A lot of brokers have it billed as a three bedroom, but it's a two bedroom with a den. It's massive, bright and once the renovation is done (someone moved out a few days ago) it's going to go to one very lucky person.

Full specs here. Photos below.

TR Made This

Dinosaurs, originally uploaded by thomasr9.

It's been a very busy two weeks here on Planet Pauline. Between near constant showings and lease signings, I haven't had much time to check out new stuff. Now that the dust has settled, I spent the morning looking at new things. Below are a few of my favorites.

Full disclosure: I'm an old soul. I like pre-war apartments, full of charm, high ceilings, fireplaces and parquet floors. While the rest of Manhattan drools over the West Village and SoHo, I look at Murray Hill and Sutton with awe. Who needs glass and steel and modernity when you can have a wooden elevator?

Below is such a place, a two bedroom right off of Madison in the East 30s, which is currently undergoing a gut renovation. Everything about it is huge, including the sunny, eat-in kitchen with a separate entrance for deliveries and the help. At $4950, it might as well be free. Photo is below (it was difficult to shoot with all the workers in there) and full specs are here.


Same building, a few floors down, is this one bedroom with one of the nicest courtyard views I've ever seen. A long foyer leads to the living room with deco fireplace, which leads to the large bedroom. The bathroom is large enough to have a party in. Full specs here.

Living room


Old school phone in the kitchen. I really hope they leave it in.


It was also a day of enormous studios. I don't think of the one below as a studio as much as it is a 600 square foot room. That explains the price tag of $2450. 36th and Madison.


Kapow!


Almost everything was under construction today, including this $1775 studio with a dressing room on 57th Street. Yes, $1775 in an amazing doorman building. There's a similar one for $1800 that is also being gutted right now.

Grammar Police!

Incorrect use of the possessive.

The Quotable TR: Life Advice Edition

TR: That's one thing I want to tell Andre someday: Never trust a woman who doesn't like The Beatles.