Category : Residential

A man of humble beginnings, as a child Anthony Lolli dreamed of bigger things. ANTONY LOLLI It was a promise that he made to his mother of a mansion to live in that set him on course to becoming the driving force behind one of the fastest growing real estate franchise companies in the country. In just over two years, Rapid Realty — a rental based firm — has grown from a single office in Park Slope, to 51 franchise locations in all five boroughs. The company recently opened its first location in New Jersey and has a second planned by the end of the year. By 2013, an ambitious Lolli says he will have 50 more locations across the nation in key markets like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston.

Olinda Turturro — a member of the Turturro acting family otherwise know as the Barrymores of Brooklyn — has joined the ranks of A.C. Lawrence. She will serve as recruitment director for the growing bokerage led by Larry Friedman. Turturro — sister to Sopranos star Aida and cousin to John — has worked in brokerage for 30 years while taking acting gigs in movies like Ballad of Little Jo with Oscar Winner, Ian McKellan.

By Liana Grey Not too long ago, Mexican families in East Harlem had to return home to buy an authentic tres leches, a sponge cake soaked in milk. Now, they can order the popular dessert at Mexico Lindo, a bakery on Second Avenue near 116th Street that also sells tacos and sandwiches. Like other shops along East 116th Street — Manhattan’s bona fide Little Mexico — the bakery not only appeals to East Harlem’s Hispanic community, but luxury diners in search of the kind of off-the-beaten track eating options popular on food blogs.

By Liana Grey Jamella Swift, a broker at Citi Habitats, lives in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and often handles listings there. Lately, she’s sold a handful of two-bedroom condos and brownstones to young professionals ready to start families. The neighborhood’s quaint historic district is particularly attractive to parents priced out of Park Slope. The average apartment in Bed Stuy — currently the most-searched Brooklyn neighborhood on Trulia — is listed at $478,732.

By Liana Grey Not long after Vince Collura, president of Gotham Photo Company, launched a virtual staging service, a broker asked him to touch up a listing that was too cluttered to attract buyers. No less than 85 picture frames adorned the living room walls. Another agent called when a seller refused to stow away half-packed boxes during photo shoots and open houses. “Depersonalization is very important,” said Collura. “Sometimes sellers aren’t willing to clean, remove diplomas from the den or children’s artwork from the fridge.”