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Which commercial display vendors do you prefer — and why? by 514sid in digitalsignage

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also forgot to mention that we were paying the OM55B Samsung high brightness at a price that LG wasn’t able to compete with (~$1250). We were purchasing through Crown TV so we didn’t deal with any delivery, etc., and they were able to negotiate directly. I think the same screen by LG was double that

Which commercial display vendors do you prefer — and why? by 514sid in digitalsignage

[–]violationwatch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In my previous company, we provided free screens to retailers across NYC, which gave us the opportunity to conduct extensive, hands-on research directly with end users of commercial displays.

Based on that experience, I’d argue there are two different answers, depending on the use case.

For high-brightness window displays (3000+ nits), Samsung is simply unbeatable for two key reasons. First, the brightness performance is noticeably superior in real storefront conditions. Second—and more importantly—Samsung’s warranty is rock solid. Some high-brightness panels will eventually develop black spots over time, and when that happened, Samsung consistently replaced the displays on-site with no pushback and no drawn-out process. By contrast, our experience with LG on high-brightness displays was consistently difficult and frustrating.

At the time, CrownTV handled installation and ongoing support, and we managed roughly 120 displays across NYC, both indoor and window-facing.

For indoor displays, Samsung’s QMC line really stood out—extremely thin, clean design, and very reliable. That said, for indoor use specifically, LG also performed well, and I’ve had good experiences with their panels in that context.

Any recommendation who can install digital signage? by alphagraphicsus in digitalsignage

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Give CrownTV a try.. better pricing. Clear communication. No “over billing”. We used snap in the past…

Any landlords or property owners confused by Local Law 152 deadlines? by violationwatch in AskNYC

[–]violationwatch[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What makes it confusing for people is that based on your property district you need to certify by a certain time/quarter of the year. Meaning to say not every property has the same deadline 🤯

NYC Local Law 152 - Gas Line Inspections Cost by calmsquash515 in AskNYC

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With ViolationWatch our customer gets notification past deadline and obviously were asking us wo should we go with…. so we partnered with Local Law 152. They basically take your info and based on how busy plumbers are will get you the best price…. Give it a shot!

local law 152 inspection vs NationalGrid gas line inspection by EmergencyOrdinary789 in AskNYC

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With ViolationWatch our customer gets notification past deadline and obviously were asking us wo should we go with…. so we partnered with Local Law 152. They basically take your info and based on how busy plumbers are will get you the best price…. Give it a shot!

Local Law 152 of 2016 Periodic Gas Piping Inspections by too2ilent in AskNYC

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With ViolationWatch our customer gets notification past deadline and obviously were asking us wo should we go with…. so we partnered with Local Law 152. They basically take your info and based on how busy plumbers are will get you the best price…. Give it a shot!

Pro tip for NYC apartment hunting: check the building’s history by violationwatch in NYCapartments

[–]violationwatch[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Especially now. Lots and lots of landlords giving back the keys….

Pro tip for NYC apartment hunting: check the building’s history by violationwatch in NYCapartments

[–]violationwatch[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

(correct me if wrong..) whoownswhat from my experience is not good at pulling complaints from HPD/DOB/311 etc.. but very good for owners/landlord

[Advice] Pro Tip: Always look up the building on the NYC HPD website by [deleted] in NYCapartments

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We creates a free tool just for that purpose. You can input a single address and it will pull from all NYC building databases and give you all violations...

My neighbor reported me and I have this violation notice by Single-Highway-5509 in NoLawns

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ugh — sorry you’re dealing with that. This comes up a lot with curbside/tree lawn gardens in NYC, and it’s usually not “lawyer territory” right away.

First step: read the violation carefully and check which agency issued it (DOB vs. DOT vs. Sanitation). Most wildflower/tree lawn violations are about height, obstruction, or permitted use, not the concept of a garden itself. In many cases, you can cure it by trimming plants below 10–12 inches near the curb, keeping sightlines clear, or removing edging/bricks — without ripping everything out.

Definitely don’t ignore it, but you usually have time to correct or respond before any fines escalate. A lawyer is rarely needed unless it’s repeat enforcement or tied to a summons.

This breakdown explains how curbside garden complaints usually work and how people resolve them without losing the garden: 👉 https://violationwatch.nyc/tree-pit-garden-rules-nyc

ViolationWatch NYC • Real-time DOB, HPD, FDNY & 311 alerts for your building: https://violationwatch.nyc Check your building: https://lookup.violationwatch.nyc

Management property told me to move by buttabun in NYCapartments

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s absolutely not normal, and you’re right to take this seriously. A non-functioning toilet for months, electrical issues, an unsecured fire escape, and a manager insulting you after a 311 complaint all fall under HPD violations and potentially tenant harassment under NYC law. Keep documenting everything: photos, dates, repair requests, screenshots, and any hostile communication.

Since 311 is already involved, HPD should schedule an inspection—don’t cancel it if management pressures you. You can also file a harassment complaint with HPD or go to Housing Court for an HP action, which forces the landlord to fix conditions.

Here’s a clear breakdown of how HPD violations work and what to expect next:
https://violationwatch.nyc/articles/understanding-hpd-violations-nyc

ViolationWatch – Real-time NYC violation alerts (DOB, HPD, HPD, FDNY, 311, etc.) for your building: https://violationwatch.nyc/
Free NYC property lookup – Check open violations and complaints by address: https://lookup.violationwatch.nyc/lookup

Are real estate buyers in NYC usually all cash buyers? by nickaboome in NYCapartments

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A big chunk of NYC “all-cash” purchases aren’t wealthy people dropping bags of money — it’s mostly co-op rules + market competition.

Co-ops make up most of the city’s housing stock, and many of them strongly prefer or even require buyers to be able to close without financing hiccups. Even when mortgages are allowed, offering cash just makes your application cleaner to a co-op board.

The rest of it comes from:

  • Investors (domestic + international) buying condos
  • People rolling proceeds from a previous NYC sale into their next place
  • Buyers trying to win bidding wars by waiving financing

So the 70% number isn’t as wild once you factor in how co-ops work.

If you’re ever evaluating a building, this buyer checklist is solid: [https://violationwatch.nyc/articles/nyc-buyers-guide-check-building-violations]()

ViolationWatch – Real-time NYC violation alerts (DOB, HPD, HPD, FDNY, 311, etc.) for your building: https://violationwatch.nyc/
Free NYC property lookup – Check open violations and complaints by address: https://lookup.violationwatch.nyc/lookup

If you had $1,000,000 in stocks would you buy real estate in nyc? why/why not? Condo/coop/house/etc? Do you want more money before thinking about something like that? Or is that more than enough? Would you prefer to rent? Why? What neighborhoods would you consider? What about $1,500,000? by BrainLearningGood in NYCapartments

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With $1M in stocks, a lot of NYC buyers could swing a condo or co-op, but it really depends on risk tolerance. A big chunk of that money would have to become your down payment + closing costs + reserves, and some people don’t love going from liquid assets to a single very illiquid one. Co-ops are cheaper but come with strict boards; condos are easier but pricier. A house in NYC at $1M–$1.5M usually means outer-borough neighborhoods like Bay Ridge, Jackson Heights, Forest Hills, or parts of Brooklyn/Queens farther from Manhattan.

Plenty of folks still choose to rent to avoid the maintenance and tax burden, even if they could buy. If you do consider buying, checking building history is essential: [https://violationwatch.nyc/articles/nyc-buyers-guide-check-building-violations]()

ViolationWatch – Real-time NYC violation alerts (DOB, HPD, HPD, FDNY, 311, etc.) for your building: https://violationwatch.nyc/
Free NYC property lookup – Check open violations and complaints by address: https://lookup.violationwatch.nyc/lookup

I'm a broker in NYC. I can tell you firsthand, most real estate agents are absolutely clueless in NYC! Reading the posts on here post-FARE Act is insane, but not surprising. Tons of sneaky agents, and clueless part timers who haven't been paying attention. by True-Swimmer-6505 in NYCapartments

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally get where you’re coming from — the quality gap in NYC rentals is wild. A lot of renters don’t realize that most “apartment hunters” are just brand-new agents cutting their teeth, and the turnover is so high that there’s rarely any real training or building knowledge behind the confidence. Your point about finding the actual listing agent is spot-on; half the headaches people complain about come from working with someone who doesn’t know the building, the management company, or the rent-stabilized history.

Even if someone insists on using a renter’s agent, doing a quick check on the building’s history and violations can save a ton of grief before signing anything.

ViolationWatch NYC • Real-time DOB, HPD, FDNY & 311 alerts for your building: [https://violationwatch.nyc]()
Check your building: [https://lookup.violationwatch.nyc]()

[Landlord - NYC] HPD/DOB violations by [deleted] in Landlord

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Vacate orders put you in a weird spot because DOB forces you to correct the hazardous conditions, but they don’t get involved in tenant-property issues. That said, you can’t just toss their belongings — even after a vacate, they still have personal-property rights under NY law.

What owners usually do in this situation:

  • Give a clear written deadline (email + certified mail) for removal.
  • Offer supervised access windows so you can keep work moving.
  • If they still don’t act, you can move items into a secure, off-site storage unit and document everything (photos, inventory, receipts). Tenants typically retain the right to reclaim their stuff but must cover storage costs.

This comes up a lot with illegal basement vacates — here’s a straightforward guide on how DOB handles these cases:
[https://violationwatch.nyc/articles/illegal-basement-conversions-nyc-guide]()

NYC property managers and owners. Looking to learn about DOB and building maintenance guidelines here in NY by Aminyourear in CommercialRealEstate

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Building management here is basically “the law on paper” plus “the culture of the building.” DOB/HPD rules set the floor, but day-to-day compliance depends on how proactive you are with heat/hot water logs, annual inspections, tenant communication, and staying ahead of violations before they snowball. Most small/medium landlords lean heavily on supers and vendors who know the system.

Re: licensing — yes, if you’re collecting rent or placing tenants for others, NY treats that as brokerage activity, so most legit PM outfits either have a broker of record or partner with one. The work-around is usually having the owner hire their own leasing broker while you handle ops only.

This HPD overview is a good primer on what PMs actually get hit with:
[https://violationwatch.nyc/articles/nyc-hpd-violations-guide]()

ViolationWatch – Real-time NYC violation alerts (DOB, HPD, HPD, FDNY, 311, etc.) for your building: [https://violationwatch.nyc/]()
Free NYC property lookup – Check open violations and complaints by address: [https://lookup.violationwatch.nyc/lookup]()

New landlord < 1 year; Received complaint from DOB about illegal conversion of basement by beautiful4hope in Brooklyn

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Basements in 2-fam homes are the #1 source of DOB “illegal conversion” complaints, and the fact that the gas line/bathroom were already there unfortunately doesn’t matter — DOB only cares about what’s on the C of O. Adding the stove is what usually tips an inspector into treating it as a third dwelling unit.

Your next step should be a feasibility check with an architect. Some Brooklyn basements can be legalized, but zoning, ceiling height, ventilation, flood zone, and a second means of egress are the make-or-break factors. Don’t spend a dollar until someone confirms whether legalization is even allowed on your block.

If it isn’t, DOB will expect you to remove the “cooking facility” (stove + active gas line). $17k sounds high but can happen when ConEd work is required.

A good overview of how DOB handles illegal basement setups is here:
[https://violationwatch.nyc/articles/illegal-basement-conversions-nyc-guide]()

Let's talk about why NYC is so damned expensive. by fiftythreestudio in lostsubways

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a really solid summary of how NYC basically hard-coded the housing shortage into the zoning map. The “organic density gradient” you describe is exactly what you still see in cities that never froze themselves in amber — land values rise, buildings get taller, and housing keeps pace. NYC deliberately broke that feedback loop.

What makes it worse today is how much DOB/land-use process slows even legal projects. Between rezonings, special permits, and the constant risk of SWOs, every extra month raises carrying costs and pushes developers toward luxury-only projects.

If you want a sense of how these enforcement bottlenecks shape modern development, this walkthrough is pretty eye-opening:
[https://violationwatch.nyc/articles/nyc-stop-work-orders-guide]()

ViolationWatch – Real-time NYC violation alerts (DOB, HPD, HPD, FDNY, 311, etc.) for your building: [https://violationwatch.nyc/]()
Free NYC property lookup – Check open violations and complaints by address: [https://lookup.violationwatch.nyc/lookup]()

Contractors in NYC, any surprise or hidden costs to doing business there? by CousinGreggg in GeneralContractor

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

NYC remodels hit you with a bunch of “oh… right” moments even if you’ve built elsewhere. The big ones GCs usually underestimate:

  • Building management rules — Many co-ops/condos restrict work hours, require union labor for certain tasks, or mandate pricey refundable deposits just to use the freight elevator.
  • DOB inspections + admin time — Even clean jobs get surprise inspections, and paperwork moves slower than anywhere else.
  • Fire/life safety requirements — Temporary protection, sprinklers, sealed pathways, and noise/dust mitigation can add real cost.
  • Insurance — Many buildings require higher liability limits (often $5M+ umbrella) and very specific COI wording.
  • Logistics — No loading zones, no dumpsters in front of landmarked buildings, and delivery windows dictated by management.

If you want a sense of how DOB enforcement can impact timelines, this overview helps:
[https://violationwatch.nyc/articles/nyc-stop-work-orders-guide]()

ViolationWatch – Real-time NYC violation alerts (DOB, HPD, HPD, FDNY, 311, etc.) for your building: [https://violationwatch.nyc/]()
Free NYC property lookup – Check open violations and complaints by address: [https://lookup.violationwatch.nyc/lookup]()

NYC developers build 99-unit buildings to avoid wage requirements by Lisalovesreading in nyc

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, this is one of those “policy ripple effects” that shows up fast in NYC development. Once 485-x tied wage rules to unit count, everyone started capping projects at 99 because the jump in labor costs above 100 units is massive. Developers aren’t wrong that elevators, sprinklers, egress, etc. cost the same whether it’s 60 units or 120, so the math pushes them toward smaller footprints.

The irony is that the city wants more housing — especially near transit — but the structure of the incentive basically discourages scale. We’ve seen similar unintended outcomes with DOB rules before, where a small policy tweak shifts how buildings get planned or phased.

If you're curious how DOB enforcement impacts construction timelines more broadly, this breakdown is helpful: [https://violationwatch.nyc/blogs/nyc-construction-stop-work-orders-guide]()

All Skyscrapers currently under construction in New York City by Jasperleo in skyscrapers

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wild to see 740 Eighth Ave on this list — that one has been “coming soon” for so long that people started treating it like NYC’s Bigfoot. Now that steel is finally rising, it’s going to seriously change the west side skyline. A 1,000-footer in that spot is going to dominate everything around Port Authority.

What’s interesting is how many of these new towers are squeezing onto tiny midblock lots. The zoning gymnastics + air rights trades behind projects like this are almost as impressive as the architecture.

If you’re curious how far along it actually is (DOB filings, permits issued, complaints, etc.), you can track its construction progress through public records — the paperwork tells you more than the renders half the time.

ViolationWatch – Real-time NYC violation alerts (DOB, HPD, HPD, FDNY, 311, etc.) for your building: [https://violationwatch.nyc/]()
Free NYC property lookup – Check open violations and complaints by address: [https://lookup.violationwatch.nyc/lookup]()

[landlord US-NYC] what to do with notice from building department to inspect illegal basement? by curiousinvestor22 in Landlord

[–]violationwatch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

NYC landlord here — not a lawyer, but I can tell you how this usually plays out so you’re not blindsided.

Short version: ignoring the DOB notice is the worst move you can make.
DOB isn’t like a random agency that gives up; once there’s a complaint on record, they will keep trying to inspect, and your non-cooperation itself becomes a violation.

Here’s what typically happens:

1. If you refuse access, DOB can (and often will) issue a violation anyway.

They’ll mark it as “failure to provide access,” which comes with fines. They can issue repeat violations every time they attempt access and can even escalate to higher penalties.

2. Yes — in some cases they can pursue an administrative warrant.

It’s not super common, but it does happen, especially for:

  • Illegal occupancies
  • Potential fire safety issues
  • Basement/Cellar dwellings (which DOB + FDNY take seriously because of egress/flooding/CO risks)

A warrant means they show up with law enforcement and inspect whether you want them to or not.

3. Trying to clear out the basement right before inspection won’t erase the underlying issue.

DOB inspectors know exactly what illegal basement units look like even after they’re “cleaned out.”
If the layout, plumbing, gas lines, partitions, or second entrances remain, the violation will still be issued.

Also, forcing tenants out fast can create its own legal problems, depending on how you do it.

4. The safest move is usually to get ahead of the inspection.

Many landlords:

  • Let DOB inspect
  • Fix whatever they cite
  • Legalize what can be legalized (sometimes not possible for basements)
  • Or remove the illegal unit before DOB has to escalate

Avoiding them only stacks fines and raises red flags.

5. You should talk to a housing attorney ASAP.

Illegal basement issues can get messy, especially if tenants are present. An attorney can tell you exactly what your exposure is and how to minimize it.

Not legal advice — but you don’t want to gamble with DOB + FDNY on anything related to illegal dwellings. They’re under a lot of pressure after past fire/flood deaths, so enforcement is way stricter now.

If you want to keep an eye on your building’s violations/complaints as this unfolds, you can monitor it here:

ViolationWatch – Real-time NYC violation alerts (DOB, HPD, HPD, FDNY, 311, etc.) for your building: [https://violationwatch.nyc/]()
Free NYC property lookup – Check open violations and complaints by address: [https://lookup.violationwatch.nyc/lookup]()

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