Best Habitat Magazine Podcasts (2025)

1
Why Timing Means Everything in Condo Foreclosure 16:23

4d ago16:23

16:23

Send us a text A condo board let an arrears situation drag on for years, convinced they had no chance of recovering delinquent common charges against an owner with massive tax and mortgage debts. They were wrong. Eric Goldberg, partner at Kahn & Goldberg, reveals how a stroke of luck involving a 60-day window between the board and the IRS filing li…

1
How to Turn a Two Million Dollar Crisis Into a Win 40:10

4d ago40:10

40:10

When a condominium's facade project ballooned to over two million dollars, the board was facing a crisis. The solution involved unconventional contractor negotiations and a prepayment strategy that surprised everyone with its success. In this episode, three veteran property management executives reveal the insider strategies that separate strugglin…

1
How Withholding Information Complicates Management Transitions 22:41

11d ago22:41

22:41

Behind many co-op and condo property management switches are stories of broken trust, hidden problems, and boards desperate for answers. Andre Kaplan, CFO at Orsid New York, and Scott Soifer, Senior VP at Maxwell-Kates, reveal some of the uncomfortable conversations that need to happen and why boards sometimes hide critical information during the h…

1
How to Prepare for the Number 4 Oil Phase-Out 12:29

11d ago12:29

12:29

New York City’s phase-out of No. 4 heating oil is accelerating, and Jeff Cohn, Director of Energy Programs at Approved Oil, lays out the practical steps every No. 4 oil-fueled building must take to stay compliant, control costs, and avoid mid-winter emergencies. Drawing on a real-world conversion at 95 Park Terrace, he explains how to evaluate your…

1
How Your Neighbor Might Hold Your Renovation Hostage 20:47

18d ago20:47

20:47

Send us a text When buildings need to place scaffolding on a neighbor's roof or temporarily close off a courtyard, some owners see dollar signs, while others face project-killing delays. As a result, the space between New York City buildings has become a surprisingly lucrative battleground. Dani Schwartz, partner at Offit Kurman, explains why neigh…

1
What Happens When Nobody's Watching Your Election 11:02

22d ago11:02

11:02

A 200-plus unit Manhattan condo thought they were holding a routine virtual election. Votes were cast through Zoom chat and emergency intervention was required to certify the results. In this episode, Corinne Arnold and Will Kwan from EZ Election Solutions explain why they were brought in to salvage the situation. They walk through what went wrong,…

1
Did Your Building's Budget Problems Start Years Ago? 33:33

25d ago33:33

33:33

You probably think your board is managing your building’s finances responsibly. But are you certain? In this episode, three of New York City's leading property management CEOs discuss case studies that expose how buildings can easily spiral into crisis. Peter von Simpson of New Bedford Management, Michael Feldman of Choice Management, and Dan Wollm…

1
How Smart Building Controls Pay for Themselves 12:47

25d ago12:47

12:47

Warren House, a 330-unit post-war condo in Murray Hill, was staring down rising utility bills and Local Law 97 fines. What happened next offers a blueprint for other buildings facing similar pressures. Robert Post, vice president of co-op and condo at Parity, walks through the challenges Warren House encountered with their fan coil heating and cool…

1
The Condo that Stopped Replacing “A with A” 16:11

1M ago16:11

16:11

Residents of 1 Grand Army Plaza — a sleek, all-glass condo in Brooklyn — struggled with sweltering corridors and soaring repair bills, and set out to find why. Unfortunately, the “why” turned out to be a fundamental design flaw in the building’s ventilation system. The fix, shared by Amalia Cuadra, senior director of engineering at En-Power Group, …

1
Why the Storefront Isn’t So Simple 16:36

1M ago16:36

16:36

Send us a text That dry cleaner or restaurant on your building's ground floor might seem like a simple revenue stream, but the dynamics behind managing commercial tenants are surprisingly complex. Christopher Tumulty, partner at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, explains the different challenges commercial tenants bring depending whether they are in a co-…

1
Why NYC Property Management Just Got Extremely Complicated 40:37

1M ago40:37

40:37

Something fundamental has shifted in NYC property management, and Kyle Gregory from New Way Management and Margaret McAdams from Buchbinder & Warren are pulling back the curtain. They reveal why compliance work has ballooned from 25% to 60% of their time, how buildings are navigating impossible choices between assessments and deferred maintenance, …

1
When Water Damage Goes Wrong 16:05

1M ago16:05

16:05

Send us a text A $30,000 water leak becomes a $300,000 nightmare — all because a board waited too long to act. Ian Brandt, partner at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, exposes the surprising traps that leave buildings with massive repair bills when disaster strikes. He reveals why insurance companies are denying claims that used to be automatic approvals,…

1
Why Your Insurance Premium Just Tripled — and What To Do 15:22

1M ago15:22

15:22

Insurance carriers are abandoning New York buildings at an alarming rate, and your co-op or condo could be next. Jason Schiciano, co-president of Levitt-Fuirst Insurance and Bonding, reveals how a 108-unit cooperative saw their premium nearly triple after being non-renewed by their carrier. Learn why insurance companies are walking away from New Yo…

1
The Co-op That Lost Its Tax Break — and How It Got It Back 9:38

2M ago9:38

9:38

When a small Manhattan co-op suddenly saw its budget spike, rising costs weren’t the culprit — it was an administrative filing error. Turns out the co-op had lost its co-op tax abatement worth $60,000 because its management company had missed the rule regarding prevailing wage requirements. Avi Zanjirian, partner at Czarnowski & Beer walks us throu…

1
From Empty Storefront to Steady Income 18:17

2M ago18:17

18:17

Send us a text When a co-op or condo loses a commercial tenant, a cash crunch often follows. Finding a new tenant is just the beginning — the real challenge is structuring a lease that protects the building’s finances and residents. Mark Axinn, partner at Phillips Nizer, explains how to think like a professional landlord while recognizing your uniq…

1
Garage Ramps: The Canary in the Coal Mine 12:19

2M ago12:19

12:19

When a routine facade inspection uncovered a catastrophic structural failure, the garage at an Upper East Side co-op became a ticking time bomb. In this episode, Michael Monteiro, senior project engineer at Cowley Engineering, explains why ramps are the canary in the coal mine for structural issues, what warning signs residents can spot themselves,…

1
Why Management Transitions Fail — and How to Avoid Disaster 36:18

2M ago36:18

36:18

If you’re thinking about switching management companies, buckle up. You might be preparing to sabotage your new management relationship without even realizing it, particularly if you leave important details about the state of your building unsaid. In this roundtable discussion, Stuart Halper of Impact Real Estate Management, Howard Mandel of TKR Pr…

1
Why Your Building's Insurance Costs Keep Skyrocketing 24:17

2M ago24:17

24:17

Send us a text No building is ever really prepared for a contractor accident, but you can be proactive about keeping your building protected. Howard Schechter, partner at Fox Rothschild, breaks down the critical concept of risk transfer and why it could save your co-op or condo from devastating financial losses. Learn why New York's unique Scaffold…

1
The Simple System That Caught Over 3,000 Leaks 23:29

2M ago23:29

23:29

Water damage is insidious: it will eat into your building's budget and drive up insurance costs. John Rusk, president and co-founder of ProSentry, reveals how an affordable leak detection system can transform your building's risk profile through the story of a condominium that saved $300,000 on insurance after installing sensors throughout the buil…

1
How Smart Planning Prevents Building Panic 36:12

2M ago36:12

36:12

Planning and executing building projects is a board’s key task, which sounds much simpler than it actually is. Complicating the task is timing, financing and communicating to building residents. Habitat’s Emily Myers speaks with Ira Meister, President of Matthew Adam Properties; Anton Lekic, Co-Founder of Murray Hill Management; and Jamie Sikorski,…

1
Turn $100K Fines Into Smart Building Investments 11:06

2M ago11:06

11:06

Time is running out for New York co-op and condo boards facing Local Law 97's 2030 compliance deadline, but there's a smart path forward. Punit Shah, Vice President of Existing Buildings at Bright Power, shares the surprising reality facing one Upper East Side condo that was looking at massive penalties. Shah reveals the three-phase approach that's…

1
Document Requests Are Rising and Your Board Needs a Plan 14:15

2M ago14:15

14:15

Send us a text Every board dreads that moment when a shareholder demands to see corporate documents, contracts, or financial records. But ignoring the request isn't an option. Evan Gitter, partner at Cohen Warren Meyer & Gitter, breaks down the shifting landscape of transparency laws and reveals why boards without proper procedures are setting them…

1
Why Your Alteration Rules Might Land You in Court 15:44

2M ago15:44

15:44

Send us a text When board members think they have unlimited power, they run the risk of going too far when handling unit owner alterations. Carol Sigmond, partner at GreenspoonMarder, shares eye-opening stories from her legal practice, including one particularly puzzling case involving dangerously hot walls and a board's baffling response that turn…

1
The Hidden Challenges of Switching Management Companies 37:38

3M ago37:38

37:38

Changing managing companies can be a fraught endeavor, but it’s a hurdle many boards will face at least once. Habitat’s Emily Myers sits down with three seasoned NYC property management experts: Mark Levine (Principal, EBMG), Robert Ferrara (President, Ferrara Management Group), and Evangelos Fantakos (CEO, Highrise Property Management) to reveal t…

1
When Building Electrification Uncovers Decades of Hidden Problems 14:20

3M ago14:20

14:20

When a post-war Upper West Side co-op decided to electrify to meet Local Law 97 requirements, they thought they had a clear roadmap. But what started as a $2 million project quickly spiraled into something much bigger and much more complex. Tina Larsson, CEO of The Folson Group, reveals why even well thought out projects can double in cost and scop…

1
Board Members' Worst Nightmare: When Bad Faith Ruins Everything 17:17

3M ago17:17

17:17

Send us a text The Business Judgement Rule protects a lot of board decisions, but when your actions are ruled “in bad faith,” everything changes. Steven Sladkus, partner at Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg and Atlas, unpacks a shocking case where board members faced personal liability after a judge found they acted in bad faith. What started as a c…

1
When the Gas Goes Out: A Bronx Co-op’s Laundry Saga 7:15

3M ago7:15

7:15

Gas shutdowns are every building's nightmare, and depending on which service is affected residents could be without heat, cooking or laundry service for who knows how long. Getting service restored can open a can of worms though, particularly in a laundry room. Ashley Erichsen, an account executive at Automatic Industries, explains why and details …

1
The Ladder Approach to Resolving Apartment Smoking Disputes 13:07

3M ago13:07

13:07

Send us a text Smoking disputes have exploded since the pandemic, and they're turning neighbors into enemies faster than ever. In this episode, Peter Massa, partner at the law firm Fox Rothschild, reveals why boards that ignore these complaints face serious legal liability. He shares his proven "ladder approach" for resolving conflicts before they …

1
Why Your Sponsor May Still Owe Your Building Money 14:47

3M ago14:47

14:47

Board members taking control of new condominiums need to engage an independent accountant to perform a proper financial true-up — before it's too late. Amy Jennings, a manager at WilkinGuttenplan, reveals how one Manhattan condo board discovered their sponsor owed them six figures only after the waiver period (when the sponsor markets the building …

1
How a Harlem Condo Uncovered Hidden Water Waste 11:13

4M ago11:13

11:13

Water waste is often a silent drain on your building’s finances, and it takes a bit of sleuthing to find the source. Alan Rothschild, president of the Vantage Group, a water cost management consultancy, reveals how one Harlem condominium discovered their commercial tenant was secretly using water-cooled refrigeration equipment that bypassed their s…

1
The Hidden Alteration Risk That Could Bankrupt Your Building 9:21

4M ago9:21

9:21

When an Upper East Side co-op’s gas pipes failed Local Law 152 inspection and service was immediately shut off, what happened next could have cost over half a million dollars. Instead, smart planning kept repairs under $200,000, and engineering expert Peter Varsalona, principal at Rand Engineering and Architecture, reveals the step-by-step strategy…

1
How One Late Payment Can Sink Your Building's Budget 16:48

4M ago16:48

16:48

Send us a text Every board will have to deal with residents in arrears at some point. But in this conversation, Marc Schneider, managing partner and CEO at the law firm Schneider Buchel, reveals why waiting even 45 days to pursue collections can devastate your building's finances. Schneider explains how communities with 20% arrears can still surviv…

1
Why Your Building Could Lose Insurance Coverage Tomorrow 17:08

4M ago17:08

17:08

Your building's insurance renewal just became a high-stakes game, and many boards don't even know they're playing. In this episode, risk control specialist Brice Reynolds of Mackoul Risk Solutions reveals how insurance companies are now aggressively using "loss recs" to cancel policies within 30 days, leaving buildings scrambling for coverage. You'…

1
From Dysfunctional Entrance to Stunning Space for $800K 12:58

5M ago12:58

12:58

Asking a doorman to watch packages and the front door simultaneously has become unsustainable in today’s package-happy world, but that’s the reality in many buildings. Marilyn Sygrove, president of Sygrove Associates, recounts how one Upper East Side co-op tackled a dysfunctional lobby that was set up so the doorman had to do both — a security nigh…

1
When Your Building's Mortgage Bomb Explodes in 2025 12:55

5M ago12:55

12:55

If your building's mortgage is coming due soon, you're not alone — and you're definitely not prepared for what's coming. Don Einsidler, president of Einsidler Management, reveals the harsh reality facing co-op boards as interest rates skyrocket from the low threes to over six percent. Einsidler shares actual loan scenarios from his portfolio, expla…

1
Stop Throwing Money at Your Heating Bills 12:08

5M ago12:08

12:08

Imagine cutting your building's energy costs by 25%, while keeping residents comfortable and complying with Local Law 97. One Queens co-op did just that, saving $24,000 using smart heating sensors. Izzy Friedman, director of technical services, and Daniel Berg, account manager at Entech, reveal how indoor temperature sensors can transform your buil…

1
Why Your Next Construction Project Needs a Professional Quarterback 13:20

5M ago13:20

13:20

It's true that construction projects tend to go over budget, behind schedule, and drive residents crazy. Matt Resnick, senior director of project management at AKAM, explains the hidden costs that can blow your budget before construction even begins, like attorney fees and special inspections that boards often overlook. Resnick reveals how the righ…

1
Beat the Clock on Local Law 97 Without Breaking the Bank 9:51

5M ago9:51

9:51

With the 2030 carbon emissions deadline approaching fast and major retrofits looming by 2035, New York City board members need to listen up. Mark Balsam, president of ReDocs, an energy and compliance consultancy, reveals why so many buildings are still scrambling despite years of advance notice — and more importantly, what smart boards are doing ab…

1
The Terracotta Trap: Why the 'Obvious' Fix Isn't Always Right 14:34

5M ago14:34

14:34

When a century-old building's terracotta cornice started cracking, the board faced what seemed like a straightforward fix: replace the damaged sections with new terracotta. But a closer examination of the numbers told a different story, says Michael Wolfe, president of Wolfe Realty Services, who consulted with the board. The cornice work cost $750,…

1
How One NYC Co-op Stopped Playing Whack-a-Mole with Water Leaks 14:14

6M ago14:14

14:14

Board members struggling with constant water damage need to hear this: Jerry Kestenbaum, CEO of the technology and service provider Aware Buildings, explains how one 220-unit luxury co-op in Sutton Place transformed from having staff literally walk hallways listening for leak alarms to deploying a sophisticated wireless sensor network that catches …

1
Navigate Co-op Ownership Transfers Without Legal Drama 14:01

5M ago14:01

14:01

Send us a text It’s too easy for the complex world of co-op ownership transfers to become a costly headache. Attorney Aaron Shmulewitz, partner at the law firm, Belkin Burden and Goldman, breaks down the three main types of co-op ownership and explains why shareholders increasingly want to transfer apartments into trusts and LLCs for estate plannin…

1
75. Join me for lunch with Alex Zafran of Logical Buildings 24:16

6M ago24:16

24:16

Host Mark Levine of NYC Property Management company EBMG sits down to lunch with Alex Zafran of Logical Buildings to talk about Local Law 88 and Local Law 97. We cover their due dates, extensions, pathways forward and more. Email the show! [email protected] Email Alex Zafran directly at [email protected] for more information…

1
How One Bronx Co-op Cut $100K Annually Through Smart Building Technology 16:18

6M ago16:18

16:18

Tired of sky-high heating bills and residents complaining about wildly uneven temperatures? In this interview, Kelly-Ann Corrigan, CEO at the technology and service provider Runwise, reveals exactly how a 191-unit Bronx co-op transformed their bottom line using wireless sensor technology and strategic system upgrades. You'll discover how they inves…

1
Don't Let Your Next Construction Project Bankrupt Your Building 17:40

6M ago17:40

17:40

Send us a text If you're facing a major renovation, some crucial information could save you thousands of dollars and months of headaches. Attorney Lisa Radetsky, partner at the law firm Phillips Nizer, reveals why standard construction contracts are stacked against building owners, and how New York's recent retainage law changes have made protectin…

1
Digital Payment Platforms May Be Secretly Routing Your Building's Money 10:57

6M ago10:57

10:57

Think your digital payment system is safely depositing maintenance fees directly into your building's account? Think again. This eye-opening episode reveals how a Queens co-op discovered their payments were making mysterious detours through unauthorized intermediary accounts before reaching their bank. Carl Cesarano, managing shareholder at the aud…

1
74. An Interview with Emily Myers for Habitat Magazine - Updating Governing Documents 17:32

6M ago17:32

17:32

NYC Real Estate Podcast host Mark Levine shares a 15-minute interview hosted by Emily Myers that was recorded and uploaded to Habitat Magazine on May 19, 2025. This interview focuses on updating core building documents, such as bylaws and Proprietary Leases; many of which require a supermajority of shares (or % of common interest if a condo) to pas…

1
73. Artificial Intelligence and Board Confidentiality Issues with Marc Schneider of Schneider Buchel LLP 25:16

6M ago25:16

25:16

Host Mark Levine of NYC Property Management firm EBMG sits down with Marc Schneider, Esq., the CEO and Managing Partner of Schneider Buchel LLP to discuss potential issues with Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the coop and condo community. Email the show! [email protected] Topics discussed include recording meetings, AI-emailed summ…

1
How to Collect Overdue Maintenance Without Going to Court 21:56

6M ago21:56

21:56

Send us a text If you’re struggling with unit owners who aren't paying maintenance or common charges, you're not alone. Attorney Maria Beltrani, partner at Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg and Atlas, reveals game-changing pre-litigation strategies that can get you paid faster — and for less than going to court. Discover how to legally redirect subt…

1
Your Commercial Unit Owner May Be Secretly Costing You Thousands Every Year 14:05

7M ago14:05

14:05

Surprise! You might be subsidizing your commercial unit owner's expenses. This eye-opening conversation with property management expert Greg Poverelli, senior property manager at Harlem Property Management, reveals a costly mistake that's bleeding money from countless condo buildings across New York City. Many boards discover too late that their co…

1
72. Know Your Neighbor - Amy Linden of Fort Greene, Brooklyn 50:02

7M ago50:02

50:02

Host Mark Levine, owner of NYC Property Management company EBMG, sits down in the studio with Amy Linden; Fort Greene Brooklyn resident, music writer (SPIN and more), teacher and long-time cooperative Board member to talk about her life, experiences, music, family and of course, the NY Knicks. Amy is also the host of the ImmaLetYouFinish Podcast (a…

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