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	<title>askLaLa</title>
	<link>http://www.asklala.com/blog</link>
	<description>The reliable inside scoop on Manhattan real estate.  Contact us if you would like to participate!</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:04:54 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Bedbugs!</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Long article today in New York Times about bedbugs &#8212; and the trained dogs that sniff them out.  We had a bedbug scare when we adopted two rescued kittens &#8212; I have 130 bites all over my body.  Some speculated bedbugs &#8212; it turned out it was (only) fleas!!! 
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		<link>http://www.asklala.com/blog/2010/03/12/bedbugs/</link>
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		<title>Coop says, &#8220;No dogs permitted&#8221;</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Not until I recently became a cat owner and fell in love with our two adopted kittens, did I ever lament the &#8220;no pet policy&#8221; of many coops.  In general, anti-dog coops support this policy because dogs are perceived as a nuisance on elevators, and their barking may disturb other neighbors.
For more information about [...]<script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Coop says, &#8220;No dogs permitted&#8221;", url: "http://www.asklala.com/blog/2010/02/10/coop-says-no-dogs-permitted/" });</script>]]></description>
		<link>http://www.asklala.com/blog/2010/02/10/coop-says-no-dogs-permitted/</link>
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		<title>Looking for a No Fee apartment?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Before you narrow down your search to a &#8220;No Fee&#8221; apartment, be sure you understand the Manhattan rental market.  There are approximately 9000 available apartments for rent.  About 50% of these apartments are available directly from landlords; the other 50% of apartments are rental apartments or coops and condos sublets represented by exclusive [...]<script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Looking for a No Fee apartment?", url: "http://www.asklala.com/blog/2010/02/09/looking-for-a-no-fee-apartment/" });</script>]]></description>
		<link>http://www.asklala.com/blog/2010/02/09/looking-for-a-no-fee-apartment/</link>
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		<title>Dead Mouse</title>
		<description><![CDATA[For the past several months, we&#8217;ve been wrangling with the Sponsor to fix the mouse situation.  To no avail.  Meanwhile, other unit owners suffer their own mouse problems &#8212; including mouse eaten sweaters.  
This morning the exterminator came to check our &#8220;mouse-free&#8221; apartment.  Lo and behold, he found a dead mouse [...]<script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Dead Mouse", url: "http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/12/28/dead-mouse/" });</script>]]></description>
		<link>http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/12/28/dead-mouse/</link>
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		<title>Two Little Darlings</title>
		<description><![CDATA[My tech guy got tired of lending me his cats, so he suggested we adopt our own kittens.  I&#8217;ve never been a pet person, but when we met Madeline and Coraline, they were purring and so cute.  We adopted them immediately.
Such big names for such little cats.  M &#038; C are now [...]<script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Two Little Darlings", url: "http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/12/28/two-little-darlings/" });</script>]]></description>
		<link>http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/12/28/two-little-darlings/</link>
			</item>
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		<title>A Mouse in My House</title>
		<description><![CDATA[I love our new apartment at Madison Square North.  Apparently, so do a half dozen four legged furry creatures.  
I thought about blogging about our mouse-capades after the first incident, and resolved that this was an issue better dealt congenially with the building management.  However, six weeks and half a dozen mice [...]<script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "A Mouse in My House", url: "http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/10/21/a-mouse-in-my-house/" });</script>]]></description>
		<link>http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/10/21/a-mouse-in-my-house/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Part VI:  Mortgage Woes</title>
		<description><![CDATA[

Only 15% of Manhattan apartments are condominiums, but the market was loaded with properties that languished for months while lenders were reluctant to offer mortgages. Even before we started our search, I contacted our friendly mortgage broker to start an application. We began with a mid-range price but no specific property, understanding that the loan [...]<script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Part VI:  Mortgage Woes", url: "http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/10/03/part-vi-finally-home/" });</script>]]></description>
		<link>http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/10/03/part-vi-finally-home/</link>
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		<title>Part V: Lawyers Muck It Up</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
We were purchasing a condo from the sponsor who developed the building, converting apartments from their prior rental condition. This included new appliances, countertops, floors, molding, etc. There was a thick prospectus that my attorney recommended I read, and file away safely. The contract for sale did not anticipate protections my attorney wanted for us, [...]<script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Part V: Lawyers Muck It Up", url: "http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/08/02/part-v-lawyers-muck-it-up/" });</script>]]></description>
		<link>http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/08/02/part-v-lawyers-muck-it-up/</link>
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		<title>Lessons We Learned From LaLa Part IV:  A Deal is Made</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
I prepared for our visits by filling a ring binder with copies of the online realtor’s listing, prior sales information (when found), and a detailed review of the buildings from CityRealty. I also found useful information from StreetEasy, especially the price from prior sales. Ultimately, LaLa understood us better than I understood the data. The [...]<script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Lessons We Learned From LaLa Part IV:  A Deal is Made", url: "http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/07/05/lessons-we-have-learned-from-lala-part-4/" });</script>]]></description>
		<link>http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/07/05/lessons-we-have-learned-from-lala-part-4/</link>
			</item>
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		<title>Lessons We Learned From LaLa, Part III:  Seduction of Amenities</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
We started with a basic menu of requirements: doorman, elevators, and fitness center. So, after location, size, and layout, what really mattered? I thought it was under-counter sinks. All things being equal, it seemed like a way to determine quality. “Sinks can be changed,” LaLa patiently instructed. Built-ins? We saw all manner: drawers, cabinets, closets. [...]<script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Lessons We Learned From LaLa, Part III:  Seduction of Amenities", url: "http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/06/10/lessons-we-learned-from-lala-part-iii-seduction-of-amenities/" });</script>]]></description>
		<link>http://www.asklala.com/blog/2009/06/10/lessons-we-learned-from-lala-part-iii-seduction-of-amenities/</link>
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