We’re keeping this recurring piece to do a bit more for those genuinely interested in New York real estate, not just food porn, and give my LinkedIn designation a little luster.  Taking a note from the easy to absorb nuggets of information in MarketSnacks‘ newsletter (blanketed with this unshakable food theme), here are your RealEstateSnacks so I can make this newsletter tax deductible.

1. As the L-train shutdown ominously lingers on the horizon, a city wide cap on the app-based ride-hailing industry is furthering apprehension about what will happen to North Brooklyn. The MTA recently announced that the L-train will be shutting down 15 weekends ahead of the 15-month shutdown in 2019. This comes hand-in-hand with a citywide bill to reduce the number of ride-hailing app cars on the road, a grim notice for the presumed future lifeblood to Williamsburg.

2. On a dorky note, there are some massive unmovable boulders on quite valuable land which offer us a cool glimpse into New York City’s history. The Manhattan Schist is the bedrock and backbone to the island, however it still decorates the landscape and will continue for the near future as removing the rock would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. *side note* Here are two interesting bits about the bedrock of Manhattan, why skyscrapers are built where they are, and what happened to NYC during the continental shift

3. For anyone who rides the New York Subway, you know that in the summer time, subway stations turn into legitimate rings of Dante’s Inferno. So much so that the city actually measured the temperatures in stations and ranked them.  Last month, the 4/5/6 platform at Union Square registered a whopping 104 degrees compared to 86 degrees outside. A few other stations cracked 100 degrees and many others registering in the high 90s. See here for how your local station ranks in on the “absolute pit of hell” scale.

4. Before you complain about how easy rent stabilized tenants have it, know that the Rent Guideline Board approved yet another increase for tenants in this category for the 2nd year in a row. To bring you up to speed, check out this thorough write-up by Curbed. Summary: after two years of rent freezes, the board voted increases of 1.5% on one-year leases and 2.5% on two-leases, following 2017’s increases of 1.25% and 2% respectably. It’s like playing limbo on opposite day but with protected tenant’s rents, if that makes sense…

5. Another one bites the dust on the LES – another historic federal home on the market, this time a 186-year-old home on Grand Street, angering preservationists and heralding the change happening to the ‘hood. This is one of the last remaining homes from the period after the Revolutionary War when NYC was developing into a major port, and while aspects of the home are protected by the Landmarks Commission, the air rights could be transferred to an adjacent lot meaning…MORE CONDOS. *single tear*