Signal is an app, like WhatsApp, that can be used for direct messaging, group chats, and voice and video calls. It’s known for its enhanced encryption capabilities, which makes it popular among those seeking the utmost discretion and security in a commercially available app. Signal uses the same encryption protocol as WhatsApp, meaning only the sender and recipient can access the messages.

Both apps offer functionality that can prevent the risk of accidentally adding the wrong person to a group chat—if that functionality is implemented. That doesn’t seem to have been the case with the White House officials. In any event, Signal is still considered more secure than WhatsApp and less likely to be hacked due to its built-in privacy features. Government officials have used Signal for organizational correspondence, such as scheduling sensitive meetings—or even to inform colleagues to check for a classified message sent through more secure means. However, it is not “approved” for use with classified content.

Now, of course, Signal and WhatsApp aren’t the only games in town. There’s also Facebook Messenger, Google Messages, Telegram, Viber, Snapchat, WeChat, and good old-fashioned texting. Whatever you use, I think it’s safe to assume that your information isn’t ever truly protected. This is the advanced tech world we live in today—for better or worse.

And speaking of advanced tech, I’ve been experimenting with some AI tools in and out of my business.

I use ChatGPT quite often now—whether I’m brainstorming newsletter ideas, editing newsletters (and client emails), or initiating some early research on any given topic. It also comes in handy for sprucing up listing descriptions. It’s great for proofreading! I no longer need my partner (or a colleague) to proofread my writing. I do, however, write my own content for these newsletters—otherwise, AI wouldn’t have included this sentence (I’m testing whether you’re reading this far!).

I’ve also tried Anthropic’s Claude, which feels more thoughtful and deliberate—like a well-read professor. Then there’s Google’s Gemini, which is still figuring out its identity, and Microsoft’s Copilot, which seems like it will take over the corporate world before long. They each have their strengths, but for fast, flexible conversations, ChatGPT has become my go-to.

So, what does any of this have to do with real estate? Actually… everything.

AI is already transforming the way we work in this business. In addition to writing listing descriptions, AI can help with market reports by analyzing trends in seconds. We’re also now using AI to virtually stage apartments—replacing the old process of sending files off to a virtual stager and waiting days for the final product. AI can snap it together in minutes.

But it’s not just helping us behind the scenes. Buyers are getting smarter with AI, too. They're showing up to open houses having already used AI to compare neighborhoods, understand the differences between co-ops (and their rules), and calculate renovation budgets. Expectations are higher, and the pace is faster than ever.

Of course, none of this replaces the human touch. AI can’t walk someone through a gut renovation or truly teach them the characteristics of any given NYC building, neighborhood, or block. It can’t read the nervous energy of a seller deciding whether to adjust their price—or the anxious excitement of a first-time buyer ready to take the plunge. And it certainly can’t tell a buyer whether that prewar gem on the Upper West Side has the soul they’ve been searching for.

But it can help us get to the heart of things faster. And in this city, where time is the ultimate luxury, that’s priceless.

So, whether you’re switching to a more secure messaging app, testing out a new AI tool, or exploring a move, the common thread is the same: we’re using technology not to replace connection—but to deepen it.

Grab your paddles, pickeball fans, because the popular sport is back in Central Park all spring and summer long. CityPickle will open at the park's Wollman Rink as of April 4 through the early fall. 

This is the third season for pickleball on 14 courts in the center of Manhattan—the largest pickleball offering in the Northeast. This tennis/ping-pong/badminton hybrid has become the country's fastest-growing sport, with more than 130,000 New Yorkers flocking to Wollman Rink's courts in past years. All skill levels are welcome for court rentals, clinics, open play, and private events from 8am to 9pm daily. Plus, expect summer camps, events, and special free programming. 

The 2025 pickleball season will kick off a month earlier than last year. Reservations will open on Friday, March 28, one week in advance of the opening day on Friday, April 4. Reservations will be available from 8am to 9pm daily. Courts can be reserved for up to eight players, starting at $10 per player during off-peak times and $15 per player during peak hours. Also keep an eye out for daily $5 community play sessions, which include paddle rentals.

Like was the case in many Gilded Age mansions, the staircase at The Frick Collection was a barrier to the more private, intimate spaces upstairs. The second floor, where the Frick family’s bedrooms and quiet spaces existed, has been strictly off limits to the public, still strangely upholding that old upstairs/downstairs dynamic that so many of us are familiar with thanks to shows like Downton Abbey.

That all changes on April 17, when The Frick Collection reopens to the public since 2020, after a massive renovation that’ll allow you to walk through the chambers of what was once one of the most wealthy industrialist families in the country.

The colorful Easter festival dates back almost 150 years!

Dating back to the 1870s, New York City’s annual Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival is a beloved tradition that showcases some of the most lavish costumes and hats imaginable.

On Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, thousands of New Yorkers will gather once again on Fifth Avenue around St. Patrick’s Cathedral to participate in this century-old spectacle.

As we approach this festive celebration, click the link below to learn everything you need to know about the 2025 Easter Parade in NYC!

Traditional loft living in the heart of Chelsea at 130 West 17th Street, Apt. 3S. A key locked elevator brings you to a semi-private landing with only one other residence on the floor.

Upon entering 3S you are greeted with an expansive living space accentuated by oversized windows and soaring lofted ceilings. This spacious 2-bedroom loft seamlessly blends industrial chic with modern luxury. The open concept living and dining area extends the length of the loft creating the perfect setting for comfortable living and lavish entertaining.

The total expanse of this loft also accommodates multiple furniture plans for both living and dining leaving plenty of space for a separate workstation and a media room.

The open kitchen features two windows, incredible custom white shaker cabinetry, sleek black granite counters accented with a stainless-steel backsplash, and high-end stainless-steel appliances. A breakfast bar is the ideal setting for casual meals.

The generous primary bedroom is a tranquil retreat, offering ample closet and storage space and a serene atmosphere. Oversized windows with courtyard views provide lovely southern light coupled with a pin-drop silence.

The spa-like bath boasts a cavernous walk-in rain shower, a deep soaking tub, a custom vanity and handsome fixtures and finishes.

The second bedroom features a custom Murphy bed, a large closet, and a tranquil courtyard exposure. This flexible space is ideal for a home office, nursery, or as a guest room.

Other key features of this gem include a virtual doorman accessible with your smart phone, a wine fridge, a washer with dryer hook up, stunning solid wood floors throughout, incredibly intricate and architectural columns, custom built-ins tall, beamed ceilings, and recess lighting.

130 West 17th Street was originally a handbag factory and has been converted into a boutique cooperative with only 14 units and 9 floors. The commercial space on the ground floor is owned by the Rubin Museum Education Center.

This well-maintained, and financially sound cooperative is situated in convenient central Chelsea, proximate to Flatiron, Union Square, and the West Village and surrounded by the city’s best and most sought-after dining, shopping, and cultural hotspots, including The High Line, Union Square, Madison Square Park, the Chelsea art galleries. Central Chelsea is also known for being surrounded by every mode of transportation making city life a breeze

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Experience authentic loft living in one of Manhattan’s most vibrant neighborhoods. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to own a timeless Chelsea residence.