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President Dan Wurtzel Featured in The New York Times’ “Ask Real Estate” Column (1)
May 06, 2023Read more
For this month's edition of The New York Times' "Ask Real Estate Column," FirstService President Dan Wurtzel answers whether a board or building owner can restrict new and existing tenants to use previously approved moving companies.
The answer may surprise you. -
$10K Savings in Monthly Electricity Costs: The Value of Community Distributed Generation Programs
Apr 03, 2023Read more
Is the steady rise of utility costs placing a financial burden on your building? In an article written for Mann Report, Kelly Dougherty, president of FirstService Energy, discusses how Community Distributed Energy can significantly lower electricity costs for New York City boards and building owners.
A stand-out example of how a property can benefit from subscribing to a CDG program is 75 Wall Street, a 346-unit condominium tower in Manhattan’s Financial District. The condominium’s board of owners elected to subscribe the property to this completely free program and is estimated to save more than $70,000 in electricity costs over the next 12 months. The building’s experience illustrates how easy it is for boards and owners to save money while also contributing to New York’s efforts to “green up” the energy grid. -
Building Walkthroughs: What Boards & Building Owners Should Expect
Mar 13, 2023Have you ever wondered how often a property manager should walk or inspect your building, or perhaps their role in co-op/condo annual meetings?Read more
Michael Wolfe, president of property management at FirstService Residential, shares his insights on what boards and owners should expect in an article by Brick Underground.
More recently, Amanda Mercado, a senior property manager at FirstService Residential, walked The Balfour in Forest Hills, Queens, where she and the superintendent discussed how they work in collaboration to keep the building in top-shape and maintain a positive lifestyle experience for every resident.
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President Dan Wurtzel featured in The New York Times’ “Ask Real Estate” Column
Mar 11, 2023Around New York City, there are buildings that continue to limit or restrict a delivery worker’s access to resident front doors. Dan Wurtzel, president of FirstService Residential New York, offers his insights on persistent door-to-door delivery restrictions in The New York Times.Read more
"Most buildings revoked the service during the pandemic to limit outside visitors. But by now, the majority have restored it. The ones that haven’t often cite security concerns or staffing issues. Some residents balk at the idea that delivery people could wander the halls unattended."
— Dan Wurtzel | President, FirstService Residential New York
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Michael Wolfe Discusses Window Maintenance & Replacement in The Cooperator New York Newspaper
Mar 02, 2023Windows are often the most expensive facade component to repair or replace in a multifamily building. Michael Wolfe, president of property management, discusses the expected lifespan of typical window systems, project costs, and navigating shareholder/owner expectations.Read more
"Many buildings keep their windows for 30 to 50 years. It’s a massive undertaking to replace all of a building’s windows – not like Local Law 11, which you must do every five years."
— Michael Wolfe | President, Property Management, FirstService Residential New York
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FirstService Energy President Kelly Dougherty Discusses Valuable Energy Programs & Resources
Mar 01, 2023In 2023, FirstService Energy delivered roughly $600,000 in annual energy cost savings to buildings managed by FirstService Residential through a local Community Distributed Energy Program. Kelly Dougherty, FirstService Energy president, discussed how the program works and what interested boards and owners can do to yield similar savings.Read more
"Anyone with an eclectic or utility bill can subscribe to the project. Those individual subscribers get a discount on their utility bill for being a part of the project."
— Kelly Dougherty | President, FirstService Energy
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Spring 2023 Leasing Trends: National Apartment Association Interviews Calynne Oyolokor
Feb 28, 2023While inflation and rent growth have cooled slightly, the demand for quality rentals is still near its peak. Calynne Oyolokor, Senior Vice President of FirstService Residential’s Multifamily Rental Division, shares persistent and emerging tenant trends in an article by the National Apartment Association.Read more
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REBNY Selects Athenes Bauza, Business Development Director, to Join Leadership Fellows Program
Jan 24, 2023We are pleased to share that Athenes Bauza, Business Development Director for the Multifamily Rental division, has been selected to participate in the Real Estate Board of New York's (REBNY) 2023 Fellowship Program. The elite program taps 20 rising leaders for a high-impact, project-based curriculum aimed at developing the skills needed to solve complex challenges in New York’s real estate and development sector.Read more
Get the full story from Commercial Observer.
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Multifamily Amenity Trends: Multifamily Dive Interviews Marc Kotler, New Development Group President
Jan 20, 2023As Gen Z renters enter the market, multifamily owners and developers are adapting to their preferences – particularly the provision of amenities and social spaces. Marc Kotler, president of FirstService Residential’s New Development Group, discussed these emerging trends in a recent article by Multifamily Dive.Read more
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Michael Wolfe, President of Property Management, Discusses New York City’s Updated Trash Policy
Jan 19, 2023New York City’s “Rat Reduction Act” aims to curb the presence of vermin by amending when multifamily buildings are permitted to place garbage bags on city streets, required containers, and pick-up schedules. This has forced some building to consider overtime compensation for building staff.Read more
"Let’s talk about a 100-unit building in Manhattan or the boroughs. They have a super, or maybe a door person and a porter or two. In that case, the porter and super work normal business hours. Who is putting the trash out at 6 or 8 PM? One option will be to pay overtime to a porter to extend his or her day. Another option is to have the doorman (if you have one) lock up the front door while they put out the trash. They won’t be happy about it."
— Michael Wolfe | President, Property Management, FirstService Residential New York