November 2021

Happy Thanksgiving!

As we approach the holiday where we all overindulge, we want to bring light to an organization that helps so many kids in this country who don't have enough food. No Kid Hungry takes your $1 donation and turns it into 10 meals. There is no shortage of food in America however, the problem is ensuring that children have reliable access to the food they need. Click here to donate.

As a mother of two I I feel strongly about ending childhood hunger; especially during the holidays when we are all fortunate enough to be surrounded by oversupply of food. Thank you in advance for contributing.

On that note, thank you for reading my newsletter, thank you for trusting my team to help buy, sell, and invest in real estate and thank you for continuing to support my brand.

We hope you and your families have a wonderful thanksgiving!

The Signings Don't Stop

Working from home these last few weeks hasn't stopped the momentum in NYC, the team has been getting deals done in Manhattan. The fourth quarter is off to a strong start. There were 1,291 contracts signed in October (up 31% compared to September). Additionally, 198 contracts were signed above $4M- a 50% increase from the previous month. Here are some of our personal stats from this month:

Closed

1. 1160 3rd Avenue #10G

2. 455 East 86th Street #27B

3. 220 East 60th Street #6A

4. 533 East 12th Street #3C 

In Contract

1. 214 Riverside Drive #202

2. 150 East 85th Street #4D

3. 58 West 58th Street #17E

Happy Diwali From Mine to Yours

Diwali is the festival of lights, it signifies good over evil and light over darkness. This year we had a small party for Lyanna's friends to ensure she grows up having the same memories that I had as a kid about Diwali. The house was always full of friends and food and we got to dress in our new Indian clothes. Sparklers or fireworks are always apart of the celebration at dark; and dance parties to end the evening.

Foreign Buyers Are Back

The U.S. will lift the travel ban on about 33 countries for vaccinated visitors, easing restrictions that prevented most foreign real-estate buyers from entering the country to view and buy properties.

Sales data suggests the wave of overseas buyers could generate tens of billions of dollars in added sales.

Foreign buyers spent $267 billion on U.S. real-estate in 2018 and $183 billion in 2019, before the pandemic, according to the National Association of Realtors. (CNBC)

As always, the new development and the higher end properties will be the biggest beneficiaries of the foreign buyers returning. In New York, we are seeing Europeans as the biggest demographic of contributors instead of the Chinese since the government has really tightened its restrictions on overseas investing. I can't wait to see the impact on the spring market numbers. We've already got buildings in mind to show our clients coming to NYC after the holidays.

October 2021

Spooky Season

A post-pandemic halloween- here's what to do NYC!

1. The Village Halloween Parade: Each year over 50,000 costumed locals take to the streets of Greenwich Village in Manhattan to celebrate.

2. Haunted Cocktail Soiree: A one-of-a-kind frightening experience exists in a Financial District Townhouse.

3. Pumpkin Flotilla in Central Park: Bring your carved pumpkins to a designated spot in the park to see the City's largest glowing flotilla.

Market Update

The Fall season in NYC is off to a hot start, and all signs indicate that the market's trajectory will stay hot. A whopping 46 contracts were signed the first week of October at $4,000,000 and above.

This initial week's total marks the 11th time this year that 40 or more contracts were signed. Inventory is tightening but the demand remains high, if you are thinking of selling now is the time!

Postpartum Life

The first 3 months of a newborn's life are considered the 4th trimester for a mother. The trauma your body goes through, the healing process, the hormonal changes, the breastfeeding, the lack of sleep all attribute to (in my opinion) the hardest trimester!

The effects on the mother are not talked about enough. We are expected to bounce back to our pre-baby bodies right away and in this country, return to work in 90 days.

I am fortunate enough to have a strong support system with my family and the girls on my team, however not everyone is as lucky.

This is my PSA for the month - if you are around a new mom, offer help. Sometimes as moms we are afraid or don't know how to ask for help because we don't want to seem weak. The pressure of being a super mom and all-star woman takes over and we want to be able to prove to the world that we can do it all.

In reality, we have just created a new life and the impact that this has on our mental and physical state should not be overlooked.

Property of The Month: 150 East 85th Street #4D

IN CONTRACT AFTER ONE OPEN HOUSE

Welcome to this quiet and spacious Manhattan two bedroom, two bath home at the Ventana. With a surplus of floor-to-ceiling bay windows, 4D is drowned in natural light.

This New York City property features a spacious open kitchen, grand living room, dining area, and two sizable bedrooms, this corner apartment also features generous closets. The primary bedroom includes built-in storage, an en-suite bathroom, and comfortably fits a California King bed. With North and West exposures, the apartment is bright all day.

The Ventana is a luxury, full-service Manhattan condominium with 102 units, 15 stories, plus a lower level that includes a fitness room and storage room with individual bins. Ground floor includes an updated grand lobby, concierge, mailroom, and four separate commercial spaces. Enjoy the roof deck patio, a laundry room on every other floor, and live-in super.

Located one block from the green line 4,5,6 express stop and crosstown buses on East 86th Street and Lexington Avenue, the Ventana is a pet friendly building located in one of the most desirable areas in all of Manhattan.

There is an assessment of $444.90 until August 2022 and an assessment of $246.31 until January 2030.

September 2021

Welcome to the World - Rayna Sophia Nerl!

On September 4th, 2021, baby sister joined us here on earth. My family and I are overjoyed to have welcomed my daughter Rayna Sophia Nerl. The little nugget weighed in at 8lbs 8oz and 19.6 inches. Check out my instagram @ronniekalra for tons of baby content!

It has been two joyous/exhausting weeks with her and we feel very blessed but let me tell you, life with two littles is no joke! Thank you to everyone who has already reached out!

September 11th

It was only two decades ago when life for the native New Yorker- as well as the Tri-State area local- changed forever. Most know exactly what happened on this day; between watching hours of footage, hearing recollection of horror stories, or even being connected to the lives that were lost. I was a freshman in high school and it was second period. At first we were told something happened to the twin towers, that there was an accident. Then later as we watched the second plane hit the second tower live on TV it was clear it was no accident. We were sent home early that day and I remember praying that my dad was still home and not in the city where he works in the garment district. We got lucky, he was home. On the 20th anniversary, a commemoration ceremony took place at Ground Zero. There is no way to forget the devastation that occurred, but I believe our city does a great job of honoring those lost. #neverforget

2021 Met Gala
The star-studded fundraising event to benefit The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC known as the Met Gala rolls around every year building traffic throughout the city and excitement amongst many. This year's ball was themed "American Independence". While some of the fashion was questionable, we love a good costume party and are so happy they are back!
Here are my favorites...(click for image)
J Lo
Zoe Kravitz
Kendall Jenner
Lupita Nyong'o
and my least favorite.....

Market Update

After just one week of going live with our newest listing at 214 Riverside Drive in Manhattann, we received multiple offers after a mere two Open Houses. This is a major indicator for the market's trajectory this Fall. September is off to a busy start. Buyers are still battling low inventory as a result of the surge in demand. Some Stats...

• Inventory is up approx. 10% to 10,670

• 55% of the deals signed were asking under $1M

• 27 Contracts were signed last week at $4million and above. Despite a week that included Labor Day and the Jewish holiday, the luxury market topped the 2018 Labor Day-week record of 20 contracts signed!

• Pending sales are hovering at about 1700 units- this is up 18.1% over July

• Rental market activity in NYC has soared and pricing has rebounded notably.