It’s a well-known fact that realtors will take advantage of any detail to gin up business and to sell or rent a property. One would think that in a city as desirable as New York City it would be unnecessary to come up with new and creative strategies, but apparently that’s not true.
With highly controversial congestion pricing to go into effect in June in the Big Apple, savvy realtors have found a way to use it to their benefit. They are pitching it to promote apartments in Manhattan outside zones where the toll will be imposed.
Glenn Barnett of Nest Seekers sends out listings with the heading “Avoid Congestion Pricing.”
“I do get a better response. People are curious,” Barnett said in a recent interview with The Post. “There are a million listings that say, ‘Great Views.’ Let’s do something different. It can’t hurt.”
It’s great to have a “beautiful view” but even better to avoid a $15 toll each day when you either go in or come out of your neighborhood.
Barnett recently marketed a one-bedroom flat at 340 E. 93rd St. near First Avenue, with the “Avoid Congestion Pricing” pitch.
Only residents who live in the congestion zone and make less than $50,000 annually will be able to rebate their toll bill against their income tax, leaving out many—indeed, most– apartment-hunters in Manhattan’s notoriously costly real-estate market.
“If you’re in the housing market, it will give you food for thought,” Barnett said of the new toll. “Life here is expensive enough.”
The introduction of congestion pricing in NYC has sparked fierce backlash, with numerous demonstrations cropping up across the city. Protesters have argued that the policy disproportionately affects lower-income drivers who rely on their vehicles for work. Taxi drivers have seen their earnings take a hit due to increased costs, leading to rallies outside city hall. Small business owners have expressed frustration over the potential loss of customers who are deterred by the additional fees. Commuters, especially those from outside Manhattan, are furious.
Renters and prospective owners may be looking for any relief possible and Barnett knows this—as do other realtors who are catching onto the marketing trick.
Barnett’s email blasts typically make their way to key real-estate sites such as Zillow and StreetEasy. “If you know someone looking for a one-bedroom apartment, send them my way,” Barnett quipped.
MTA Communications Director Tim Minton likes Barnett’s approach. In an e-mailed statement to The Post he wrote, “The listing boasts the apartment is ‘close to all trains,’ and since 90% of commuters use mass transit it’s no surprise a broker would highlight that. So yes, take those trains and avoid congestion pricing.” Or better still, live in a congestion toll free zone.
