Author: schnepsrestagent

Median rent in northwestern Queens drops as market outlook weakens: report

northwest

Nov. 14, 2023 By Ethan Marshall The median rent in northwest Queens plummeted in October, down 9.4% from September, according to a market report recently released by the real estate firm Douglas Elliman. The amount paid to rent an apartment in northwest Queens — covering Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside — had a median…
Read More

QNS Weekender: Six things to do in Queens this weekend

do

Nov. 9, 2023 By Nevine Salameh As the days grow cooler, Queens continues to offer a variety of activities to consider for your weekend plans. Gather your family and friends for a mix of performances, comedy shows, a basketball clinic and a museum visit, ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Friday, Nov. 10 Museum…
Read More

Queens communities gather at Borough Hall for festive Diwali celebration

Diwali

Nov. 9, 2023 By Ethan Marshall Around 100 members of Queens’ Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain communities, along with local leaders, gathered together to celebrate Diwali at the Helen Marshall Cultural Center in Queens Borough Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 8. Several Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain individuals and organizations were honored at the celebration as well. The celebration kicked off with the lighting of the Diya lamp, which is meant to symbolize the holiday’s message of the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Those honored at the Diwali celebration with citations included Ram Hardowar, Harish Chander Puri,…
Read More

Astoria man cuffed for firing shots at mugger in Midtown subway

Vigilante cuffed for firing shots at mugger

Nov. 9, 2023 By Dean Moses A vigilante wanted for taking justice into his own hands by firing shots inside of a Midtown subway station at a panhandler who was attempting to rob a woman was cuffed Wednesday for endangering the lives of commuters, police said. John Rote, 43, of Astoria, intervened in a…

Queens DA Katz cruises to victory over two challengers to win second term

Katz

Nov. 8, 2023 By Bill Parry Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz secured a second term as the borough’s top law enforcement official cruising past two challengers on Tuesday, Nov. 7, with nearly 67% of the vote with more than 97% of the scanners reported, according to unofficial results from the city’s Board of Elections. Howard Beach resident and criminal attorney Michael Mossa finished second with just over 27% on the Republican and Conservative party lines, while retired Judge George Grasso of Douglaston finished third with just over 5%, appearing on the “Public Safety” line. “First and foremost, I want to…
Read More

Average rental price in Queens increased year-over-year nearly 3% in October 2023: report

average rental price

Nov. 7, 2023 By Ethan Marshall There was a 2.94% increase in the average rental price in Queens in October 2023 compared to the same month last year, according to a report from the MNS Real Estate firm. The year-over-year increase came despite the fact that rental prices for two-bedroom units actually went down 0.48%, from $3,441 to $3,424. This is largely due to more significant increases experienced with studio (5.40%) and one-bedroom (5.46%) units. Rental prices increased in studio units from $2,140 to $2,256 and in one-bedroom units from $2,588 to $2,729. Despite the significant increase in the average…
Read More

Cops dismantle interstate gun trafficking ring; deals done in Astoria parking lot to Staten Island

gunring-3

Nov. 6, 2023 By Iryna Shkurhan A seven-month investigation into an interstate gun trafficking ring spanning from Cincinnati to an Astoria parking lot resulted in the seizure of over 100 guns and the indictment of three individuals.  Over the course of five meetups with an undercover police officer at the P.C. Richard & Son parking lot on Steinway Street in Astoria this summer, the defendants sold a total of 97 firearms, including 17 assault weapons. The purchases by the plainclothes cop totaled $124,000 at approximately $1,200 per gun.  “Guns and the recovery of weapons on the streets of Queens are…
Read More

Queens real estate group CEO noticing trend of looks of home being prioritized over amenities

look

Nov. 6, 2023 By Ethan Marshall There appears to be a growing trend of prioritizing the looks of a home over its amenities among potential home buyers across the United States. Eric Benaim, the founder and CEO of the Queens real estate group and brokerage Modern Spaces, points to people’s desire for attention on sites like Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok for playing a big role in this growing trend. “We’re definitely seeing an uptick of people looking for apartments and homes where the developer has put a focus on design details,” Benaim said. “In the planning stages, we are working…
Read More

One in three NYC homes on the market don’t sell: report

home

Nov. 6, 2023 By Ethan Marshall A study conducted by the New York City real estate firm StreetEasy concluded that 35.7% of previously-owned New York City homes on the market don’t get sold. StreetEasy also concluded that the average listing spends a median of 89 days on the market in New York City, compared to…
Read More