Brooklyn is becoming the new Manhattan because everyone wants to move to Brooklyn....

I have clients who ask if Brooklyn is still cheaper than Manhattan and for years the answer was yes. People moved to Brooklyn for better prices and more space but now due to everyone finding Brooklyn desirable, the price gap between apartments in Brooklyn and Manhattan barely exists and the "it" neighborhoods in Brooklyn are becoming as expensive as Manhattan. The most expensive NYC apartments can now be found in neighborhoods like DUMBO and Williamsburg.

According to Stephen J. Smith of NextCity, rents grew the fastest in Brooklyn. Average monthly rent rose by 77% during the Bloomberg years, besting the 65% growth in Manhattan and the Bronx.

Below is a graph with showing the rents over the years. (Courtesy of Quartz)

A Spring Cleaning Checklist to help you get started

A Comprehensive Spring Cleaning Checklist Spring is finally here! This is the perfect time of year to give your home a thorough, top-to-bottom cleaning. Use this checklist to get you started: Often overlooked tasks: Wash walls and switch plates. Clean window coverings and screens. Thoroughly clean kitchen appliances. Wash and repair children’s toys. Get organized: Empty coat closets of out-of-season clothing and gear. Purge the pantry, remembering to check expiration dates. Sort through storage areas. Put family photos into albums or frames. Sort through DVDs, books and magazines. Declutter bedroom closets. Get rid of ill-fitting or out-of-style clothing. Check the bathroom cabinet for expired medicine, sunscreen or cosmetics. Dusting do’s: Wipe down electronics. Clean computer and TV screens. Dust or wash light fixtures. Clean ceiling fan blades. Vacuum floor registers and vent covers. Laundry and soft surfaces: Wash bedding, including duvets, pillows and mattress covers. Spot clean upholstery. Launder throw pillows and blankets. Shampoo carpets and area rugs. Pay attention to these details: Polish wood furniture. Sharpen knives and polish silverware. Reseal grout lines. Change smoke detector batteries. Finish with the great outdoors: Wash outdoor furniture and patio decks. Clean windows and siding. Do a thorough yard and garden cleanup. Clear gutters and downspouts of debris. Nest Seekers International 415 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10017 Designed and Delivered by OutboundEngine, Inc

2. Manhattan Valley

Because it’s suburbia with subways.

• • 
    
  By S.Jhoanna Robledo 
• Published Apr 3, 2011

(Photo: Susan Wides for New York Magazine)

The Upper West Side’s stepchild is so perpetually overlooked that many don’t even know where it is. (For the record, it runs from Broadway to Central Park, and from 96th Street to 110th Street.) But the nabe is slowly sloughing off its anonymity, in part thanks to the five glassy buildings that comprise Columbus Square. The still-expanding behemoth is responsible for 710 rentals, two schools, and over 500,000 square feet of retail space, some occupied by stores that are, for better or worse, suburban-mall in flavor. Its construction was a battle royale, with many locals fearing a loss of authenticity and affordability—and some locals have yet to embrace the transformation (the new Whole Foods can’t have helped). But the metamorphosis continues apace, inching north along Amsterdam Avenue, which, in Buca Brick Oven Pizza and the upcoming American bistro The Neighborhood, will have more buzzy restaurants than these parts have seen in years—if ever.

Courtesy of nymag