Brian Phillips - Brian Phillips

Understanding the Evolution of New York Criminal Background Checks in Housing

by Brian Phillips, CRS | Jul 11, 2026

Criminal background checks have become a common part of the tenant screening process, but the laws governing how they may be used have changed significantly. Learn how New York criminal background checks in housing work, why these protections were enacted, and what landlords, renters, cooperative and condominium boards, buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals should understand before making housing decisions.

Historic Districts and Property Values: Benefits, Challenges, and Long Term Impact

by Brian Phillips, CRS | Jul 11, 2026

Historic districts and property values are closely connected. Learn how landmark designation, buyer demand, preservation, and thoughtful renovations influence long term home values in New York City.

Vacant Home Costs in New York: What Property Owners Should Know

by Brian Phillips, CRS | Jun 20, 2026

Learn the hidden costs of keeping a home vacant in New York, from taxes and insurance to estate properties, co-ops, maintenance, and missed opportunities.

What Happens to a Home When Someone Dies Without a Will in New York

by Brian Phillips, CRS | Jun 20, 2026

When someone dies without a will in New York, what happens to their home? From Surrogate’s Court and estate administration to inheritance rights, co-ops, condos, mortgages, and selling inherited property, here’s what homeowners, heirs, and families need to know.

NYC Housing Plan: Can Mayor Mamdani’s Block by Block Strategy Deliver 400,000 Affordable Homes?

by Brian Phillips, CRS | Jun 6, 2026

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Block by Block plan seeks to build and preserve 400,000 affordable homes over the next decade. Here’s a balanced look at what the proposal includes, why supporters are excited, why critics have concerns, and what it could mean for New York City’s future.

From Harlem to Williamsburg to Bushwick: What Does a Whole Foods Opening Really Mean for a Neighborhood?

by Brian Phillips, CRS | Jun 6, 2026

Whole Foods is expanding into Bushwick, Ridgewood, and other New York City neighborhoods. But does the arrival of a major retailer drive neighborhood change, or does it simply signal changes already underway? This article explores affordability, housing supply, investment, and what Whole Foods can tell us about the future of Brooklyn and NYC real estate.

How NYC Is Reinventing Its Historic Landmarks

by Brian Phillips, CRS | May 23, 2026

Across New York City, iconic landmarks are being reimagined as restaurants, cocktail lounges, cultural venues, and immersive destinations, proving that the city’s past is becoming one of its most powerful tools for reinvention.

THE BRONX ARMORY THAT SAT EMPTY FOR DECADES MAY FINALLY TRANSFORM THE BOROUGH

by Brian Phillips, CRS | May 9, 2026

🏰 The historic Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx is moving toward a $500 million redevelopment featuring affordable housing, cultural space, recreation, and community investment. Here’s what the project means for NYC. For decades,...

One of New York’s Biggest Barriers to Building Housing May Finally Be Changing

by Brian Phillips, CRS | May 9, 2026

🏗️ New York’s housing shortage is not just about demand. It is also about how difficult, expensive, and time consuming it has become to actually build housing. New York’s housing crisis is often discussed in simple terms: rents...

SOUTH HARLEM (SoHa): A NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDE (2026)

by Brian Phillips, CRS | Apr 26, 2026

Discover South Harlem: A Defined Pocket Within Harlem South Harlem, often referred to as SoHa, spans roughly from 110th Street to 125th Street, between Fifth Avenue and Morningside Park. Within this footprint lies one of the...

A New NYC Tax Could Boost Homes Under $5M

by Brian Phillips, CRS | Apr 25, 2026

👀 Everyone is watching what happens above $5,000,000. The more interesting story may be what happens just below it. As New York leaders consider a new tax on high-end second homes, most of the conversation has focused on whether...

Harlem Brownstone Duplex and Triplex Condos: Why They’re Among Manhattan’s Smartest Buys Right Now

by Brian Phillips, CRS | Apr 25, 2026

🧱 More space. Better layout. Smarter value. The definition of a desirable home in New York City is changing. Across Harlem and surrounding neighborhoods, buyers are no longer focused only on square footage. What matters now is...