The Yak Management Blog

Winterizing Your NYC Rental Property Checklist

Prepare an NYC rental for winter with a checklist for boilers, heat, pipes, roofs, gutters, windows, snow plans, emergency supplies, and tenant notices.

7 Signs It's Time to Hire a Property Manager

Seven signs it may be time to hire a manager for your NYC rental, including compliance pressure, repair delays, tenant issues, vacancy, and limited time.

What Happens When a Rent-Stabilized Tenant Moves Out? Post-HSTPA Rules

What happens when a rent stabilized tenant moves out in NYC: the unit stays stabilized, no vacancy bonus, DHCR registration, and re-renting rules in Brooklyn.

The Ultimate Guide to Property Management in Brooklyn

How property management works across Brooklyn and NYC, what managers do, what it costs, the rent stabilization and HPD rules that matter, and how to choose one.

NYC Tenant Rights: What Every Renter Should Know

Renting in NYC? Know your rights, habitability, heat and hot water, security deposits, rent increases, source-of-income protection, and eviction rules.

NYC Security Deposit Rules: What Landlords Must Know

Understand NYC security deposit rules, including the one-month limit, inspections, lawful deductions, recordkeeping, and the 14-day deadline for returns.

Source-of-Income Discrimination Laws in NYC: What Landlords Must Know

Learn how NYC source-of-income discrimination laws protect voucher holders, which landlord actions are prohibited, and how to screen applicants lawfully.

Section 8 Payment Standards in Brooklyn: What Landlords Earn

Understand Brooklyn Section 8 payment standards, including who sets them, bedroom-size limits, rent reasonableness, tenant portions, and NYCHA subsidy payments.

How to Rent an Apartment in Brooklyn: Full Guide

Navigate renting in Brooklyn, including neighborhood research, budgeting, broker fees, application documents, lease review, move-in costs, and tenant rights.

Do You Need Renter's Insurance in NYC?

Is renter's insurance required in NYC? What it covers, why your landlord's policy won't protect your stuff, and what a Brooklyn renter should look for.

Lease Renewal Compliance: The 90–150 Day Rule for Stabilized Units

Follow NYC's rent stabilized lease renewal timeline, including the 90-to-150-day offer window, tenant response periods, required forms, and compliance steps.

NYC Rent Stabilization: A Guide for Landlords

Understand NYC rent stabilization, including apartment coverage, legal rents, annual increases, renewals, DHCR registration, HSTPA changes, IAIs, and MCIs.

How Much Can You Raise Rent in NYC?

How much can a landlord raise rent in NYC? The answer depends on whether your unit is rent stabilized or free-market. Here are the rules, limits in Brooklyn.

Rent Guidelines Board Increases 2025–2026: What Brooklyn Owners Need to Know

How the NYC Rent Guidelines Board sets 2025-2026 rent increases, when they apply, and how Brooklyn owners of rent stabilized buildings should prepare.

Preventive Maintenance Schedule for Brooklyn Rentals

A season-by-season preventive maintenance checklist for Brooklyn rental properties, boilers, roofs, plumbing, and the HPD compliance tasks landlords can't skip.

Preferential Rent vs. Legal Rent: What Every NYC Landlord Must Track

Preferential rent vs legal rent NYC: what each means, why HSTPA changed the rules, and how Brooklyn landlords must track both to avoid overcharge claims.

NYC Rental Assistance Programs for Landlords: 2026 Directory

A 2026 directory of NYC rental assistance programs for landlords: Section 8/HCV, CityFHEPS, FHEPS, HASA, and HAVP, agencies, paperwork, and rules, at a glance.

NYC Landlord-Tenant Law: The Complete Guide

A plain-English guide to NYC landlord-tenant law, rent stabilization, HPD registration, security deposits, heat rules, Fair Housing, and eviction in Brooklyn.

Every NYC Housing Voucher Program Explained: A Brooklyn Landlord Guide

All NYC housing voucher programs landlord guide: Section 8/HCV, CityFHEPS, FHEPS, HASA, and HAVP, who runs each, how payment works, and your legal duties.

The NYC Eviction Process: Step-by-Step

Understand the NYC eviction process step by step, from required notices and housing court filings to hearings, judgments, warrants, and lawful tenant removal.

Moving to Brooklyn? Everything You Need to Know

Plan your move to Brooklyn with guidance on neighborhoods, rental prices, apartment applications, broker fees, transportation, and settling into the borough.

Most Common HPD Violations in Brooklyn

The HPD violations Brooklyn landlords get cited for most, heat, hot water, leaks, pests, lead paint, plus what each class means and how to avoid them.

MCI Applications in Brooklyn: Timeline, Costs & Approval Process

How Major Capital Improvement (MCI) rent increase applications work in NYC, eligible work, DHCR filing steps, realistic timelines, and post-HSTPA caps.

Lead Paint Disclosure Rules for NYC Landlords

NYC landlords face federal and city lead paint rules, disclosure for pre-1978 units, Local Law 1 duties, and Local Law 31 XRF testing. Here's what you must do.

Lead Paint Compliance for Brooklyn Landlords

A practical guide to lead paint compliance for Brooklyn landlords: Local Law 1 duties, Local Law 31 XRF testing, safe renovation rules, and HPD enforcement.

Tax Deductions Every NYC Landlord Should Know

Review NYC landlord tax deductions, including depreciation, mortgage interest, repairs, insurance, management fees, utilities, and professional expenses.

Landlord Insurance in NYC: What You Need & Costs

Understand landlord insurance in NYC, including dwelling, liability, loss-of-rent, flood, and umbrella coverage, common exclusions, costs, and policy questions.

HSTPA 2019 Explained: What Changed for NYC Landlords

See how HSTPA 2019 changed NYC rent laws, including vacancy deregulation, security deposits, lease renewals, IAIs, MCIs, overcharges, and landlord obligations.

How to Pass a Section 8 HQS Inspection in Brooklyn

An HQS inspection checklist for NYC landlords: what NYCHA and HRA/DSS check, the most common fails, and how to pass the first time for local landlords.

HPD Violations: How to Avoid & Resolve Them

An HPD violation on your Brooklyn building? Learn what the A, B, and C hazard classes mean. Get practical context for Brooklyn owners, landlords, and renters.

How to Submit a Maintenance Request | Yak

Yak Management tenants can follow this step-by-step guide to submit a maintenance request in AppFolio, add photos, explain access, and identify urgent repairs.

How to Price Your Brooklyn Rental (Guide)

A data-driven way to price your Brooklyn rental: how to read comps, factor in rent stabilization, avoid the overpricing trap, and land a great tenant fast.

How to Find & Screen Great Tenants in Brooklyn

Find and screen reliable Brooklyn tenants with guidance on listings, applications, income checks, references, Fair Housing compliance, and lease approval.

How to Handle Late Rent Payments in NYC

Learn how NYC landlords should handle late rent, from documenting missed payments and serving a 14-day demand to filing a lawful housing court case correctly.

How Much Does Property Management Cost in NYC?

See what property management costs in NYC, how percentage and flat fees work, what services are included, and which setup or leasing charges to ask about.

How to Become a Section 8 Landlord in Brooklyn

Become a Section 8 landlord in Brooklyn with guidance on NYCHA and HPD programs, RFTA paperwork, rent approval, HQS inspections, leases, and ongoing compliance.

HASA Vouchers in Brooklyn: What Landlords Need to Know

A Brooklyn landlord's guide to HASA vouchers, who administers them, how payments work, inspection rules, and the source-of-income law you must follow.

10 Things Every First-Time NYC Landlord Needs to Know

Start with ten essentials for first-time NYC landlords, from HPD registration and rent stabilization to tenant screening, leases, deposits, repairs, and taxes.

Emergency Maintenance: What NYC Landlords Must Fix

Know which rental repairs are emergencies in NYC, including no heat, major leaks, gas odors, electrical hazards, and lockouts, plus proper response steps.

DIY vs. Property Manager: The Real Cost

Compare self-managing a NYC rental with hiring a property manager, including time, fees, compliance risk, tenant communication, maintenance, and vacancy costs.

DHCR Registration: A Step-by-Step Guide for Brooklyn Landlords

Register stabilized apartments with DHCR correctly using this Brooklyn guide to deadlines, required data, annual filings, amendments, and common errors.

Crown Heights Rental Market: A Landlord's Guide

Explore the Crown Heights rental market, including rents, housing stock, tenant demand, stabilized units, and key considerations for local property owners.

CityFHEPS vs. Section 8: Which Voucher Pays More in Brooklyn?

CityFHEPS vs Section 8 difference explained for Brooklyn landlords, who administers each voucher, how payment amounts are set, and which pays more in Brooklyn.

The Complete Brooklyn Landlord Guide to Rent Stabilization (2026)

Rent stabilization rules Brooklyn landlords need in 2026, DHCR registration, RGB increases, HSTPA changes, IAIs/MCIs, and voucher tenancies, explained.

CityFHEPS for Brooklyn Landlords: The Complete Guide

How CityFHEPS works for Brooklyn landlords, eligibility, payment standards, inspections, source-of-income law, and how to rent to CityFHEPS tenants correctly.

CityFHEPS Payment Amounts in Brooklyn (2026 Update)

How CityFHEPS payment standards are set in Brooklyn, who sets them, how they interact with legal rent, and what landlords need to verify before signing a lease.

Bushwick Rental Market Report & Landlord Guide

Review the Bushwick rental market, including rent prices, housing stock, tenant demand, seasonality, development, and its stabilized inventory and outlook.

Can Rent-Stabilized Apartments Be Deregulated? (Post-HSTPA)

Can you deregulate a rent stabilized apartment in NYC? Not the way you used to. Here's exactly what HSTPA (2019) changed and what still applies today.

Brooklyn Rental Market Report & Trends (2026)

Review Brooklyn rental market trends for 2026, including neighborhood rents, vacancy, seasonality, concessions, tenant demand, and insights for landlords.

Brooklyn Rent Trends: Quarterly Market Update

Track quarterly Brooklyn rent trends, including neighborhood pricing, seasonality, concessions, vacancy patterns, and takeaways for rental property owners.

Property Investment

Investing in Brooklyn Rental Property

Evaluate Brooklyn rentals using neighborhood research, deal analysis, financing, operating costs, rent stabilization, compliance, and management planning.

How Gentrification Affects Brooklyn Landlords & Tenants

Gentrification reshapes Brooklyn rents, tenant turnover, and compliance risk. Here's how it affects landlords and renters, and how to stay profitable and legal.

Best Property Management Software for Small Landlords

Compare property management software for small NYC landlords, including rent collection, accounting, maintenance tools, tenant portals, pricing, and usability.

Property Investment

Best Brooklyn Neighborhoods for Landlords

Compare Brooklyn neighborhoods for rental property investment using prices, rents, tenant demand, housing stock, transit access, and long-term growth factors.

Bed-Stuy Rental Market Report: Prices & Trends

Review the Bed-Stuy rental market, including rents, housing stock, tenant demand, seasonality, rent stabilization, and considerations for local landlords.