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Suit Up With Baez
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Suit Up With Baez
Episode 20: Parisian Insights & Urban Challenges: Exploring Real Estate Ventures, New York Congestion, and Bronx Housing Struggles
Welcome to Suda with Bias podcast and I'm here with co-host Angelo Bias and I'm Alex Bias, and I'm super excited about this week.
Speaker 1:Angelo, it's the new year, happy new year to everyone's our first podcast of the year of 2025 and and we have some good news we actually started pretty strong guys. We actually decided to open our own company, bias Real Estate, and we're excited to continue helping families out there that are interested in buying or selling or if they have any real estate questions. Right, it's a family business. I'm extremely happy. We had the grand opening last week on Friday.
Speaker 2:And the mayor came.
Speaker 1:Mayor, mike Spano, from Yonkers came to our office, supported our company, supported us, which we appreciated. We got the approval from City of Yonkers. Our office is located in 747 Palisade Avenue, yonkers, new York, 10703. Guys, we are available. We have a beautiful office and it's available for our clients.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely Just walk in or send us any questions that you have real estate related, or yeah, just any questions.
Speaker 1:Yeah, guys. So our company, we help families that are interested in buying or selling commercial or residential right sales. So we're here, we also speak Spanish, Hablamos Español también. Right sale. So we're here, we also speak spanish.
Speaker 2:And also, before we move on, you went to paris oh yeah, I was in paris, guys.
Speaker 1:It was actually fun, it was beautiful, it was great. I was there for 10 days actually. I was there for christmas and new year's, heidi's birthday and levi's birthday everything just packed together everything, so I did a one shot right there.
Speaker 2:So how was your years over there in paris?
Speaker 1:it was nice yeah, paris reminds me a lot of new york city the way the cabs, everything's like, the way lifestyle is like, always in a rush, always in a run. Prices are just like, for me, like new york city, very close to new york city. It was beautiful. I'll be honest. You're very beautiful.
Speaker 2:We had a great time you said that the people in paris are straight shooters, just like in new york. Don't tell you straight to the point.
Speaker 1:They're pretty, they're pretty hardcore, so I'm used to it, right, because we're from new york. I was born and raised in new york so I'm used to it, but paris is very similar to new york city. The alpha tower was beautiful in person. It's gorgeous, especially when the lights go on. They have it on like every hour, the lights, so I mean it was beautiful At night. It just looks incredible. Yeah, the museum is gorgeous.
Speaker 2:You saw the Mona Lisa and it's just like a little.
Speaker 1:A little picture, and it was thousands of people I couldn't even barely see. I had a lift of Levi in the air. Then I carried Heidi too.
Speaker 2:Oh, you carried Heidi on your shoulder.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was like yeah, I put Heidi on my shoulder. I lifted her up. She could take a picture of it. It was nice. I'll be honest, it was really nice. One thing I do recommend I think the best thing of the trip was Disney Paris. It's the most beautiful. What Disneyland?
Speaker 2:Oh, Disneyland.
Speaker 1:It was beautiful. I mean gorgeous castle. The server was amazing. Disneyland paris is definitely. If you haven't done it, you should definitely do it with your kids daughter, my son, they enjoyed. It was for leo's birthday. We went there. Um, it was amazing. We definitely had a great time. Me, I had an amazing time over.
Speaker 2:I can't complain I didn't know that they had disney in paris. Yeah, they do?
Speaker 1:I didn't know either. My wife was the one that found it and I was like we have to go, we're gonna be in paris. I was like, yeah, let's definitely do one thing I like to go to different places. I do not like going to the same place, because I want to get adventure as many places as possible what's next on the on the list? We have italy, we have bain madrid or dubai dubai yeah, which ones are you?
Speaker 1:personally, I think I'm looking at more at italy italy yeah, definitely want to go over to italy, so that would be interesting. I like to go to different places yeah one thing is just creating. Uh, my, my wife knows that. I always tell her, let's pick different places yeah, what about the food in paris?
Speaker 2:how was the food?
Speaker 1:man, all we ate was basically bread and butter, and and um hot chocolate. Jesus christ, they drink so much hot chocolate, so much hot chocolate, jesus Christ.
Speaker 2:They drink so much hot chocolate. So much hot chocolate yeah.
Speaker 1:And then one thing they have cafes every corner and you got to make always lines in all these cafes to go in, yeah. And then one thing they do too is that when they sit you down, it's like you're sitting all together.
Speaker 2:They put you all together.
Speaker 1:It's like so close and then every table is like on top of each other, so it's like you can't even have a conversation. I was hearing everybody's conversation, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I'm like oh my God, how do you even hear? Your partner then, like you just have to scream, I don't.
Speaker 1:At that point it was like everybody just whispers. Oh, they just whisper A lot of people just whisper because it's like we're so on top of each other and you know you feel able to right yeah and my kids are loud, so I'd always tell them to calm down quietly. It was like, ah, jesus god, but it's beautiful. I definitely recommend people to go out there. Pictures are beautiful. I mean the pictures we take. We took were very beautiful. I mean paris definitely very unique yeah, no, very unique, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Uh, maybe in the future I'll go and visit paris yeah, you should definitely go with your girlfriend. Yeah, no, absolutely I think um something in the future I'll go and visit paris. Yeah, you should definitely go with your girlfriend. Yeah, no, absolutely. I think um something in the news that has been like riling up a lot of people that we've actually noticed as well was the congestion price now oh my god.
Speaker 1:I mean, I'm from the bronx, I used to go down a lot to manhattan. I'll be honest, you man that right there, what man? What they did in manhattan I think was wrong. I personally think it was so wrong. The MTA did it right because they wanted to do a lot of upgradings to their service that they give to the city. But but reality it's a lot. You know, $9. And I was told that in certain areas you go in and out, it's an extra $3, $3. So it's like, yeah, it's up. Definitely is going to hurt a lot of to me personally, it's going to hurt a lot of business, Small businesses that rely on that traffic coming in.
Speaker 2:Correct yeah.
Speaker 1:Because it definitely is going to hurt a lot, to be honest. Well, one thing about New York City too, about new york city till you get used to it, I would say too right because people get used and adapt to it. You know we got no control of it, right, that's what they say, but I think it's more hurting than beneficial. What they did you know? I think it's more thing. I think I feel like new yorkers just thinking about their pocket before the public right and it's not fair.
Speaker 2:I saw videos of people like in like the seventh floor, eighth floor, looking down at the at the streets below 60th and there's like no one there. There was one where there was like a christmas tree going around and I thought it was tumble yeah and I saw it.
Speaker 1:I saw that one. Yeah, new york city definitely is gonna. You know, the impact is gonna be big for those business owners over there. Right, you know it's definitely people gotta get used to it. But I was told and I saw that Trump wasn't in agreement of it and he was saying that he is going to end it. I hope it's true. Right, I did hear it that Trump was going to end that congestion. He thought it was also ridiculous and I honestly think it was real, real stupid of them to do.
Speaker 2:You know what was ridiculous? The amount of people in the train that were trying to like just squeeze themselves in there. So yeah, of course.
Speaker 1:I mean now everyone. My mom goes on the train and she tells me, like now a lot of people, the trains are going to be so full. You know, oh yeah, and right now the trains, you know it's not as safe as it used to be. I feel like it's gotten worse. The trains. It's like you see so many crimes happening.
Speaker 1:You saw, the guy that turned a woman on fire yeah, that and the train. Um, he said he was drunk and even know what he was doing. He burned a woman live from in the train station. So it's like you know, it's so much crimes happening in this train station and I hope they put more control to it for more officers in the train, but that congestion thing, I don't think it was beneficial. It's not going to be beneficial just to new york city's pockets. Besides, I don't think it's beneficial to anyone else right, I mean it's just more hurting than anything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because that's a. That's a big time to do like nine dollars every day that you're with.
Speaker 1:By the way, we're the first city that does that in the united states. Yes, yeah and the united states that a lot that has congestion, congestion prices. It's ridiculous Inside the city. So I have seen a lot of videos that people are parking, I think it's on 62 or 63rd Street on the east or west side, and they just walk. Yeah, it's getting crazy, or they end up taking bikes.
Speaker 2:I remember there was like one of these hacks right when there was like there was a parking garage that you would go underneath and kind of.
Speaker 1:That video went so viral that the owner of the parking lot he had to close the other side because it went too viral. Everyone was driving through there to not pay for it.
Speaker 2:Exactly Also, they did close it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, they definitely closed it. I saw it. They had to. I mean everyone. Once he goes on TikTok and it goes viral. You know everyone's watching TikTok and I hope they don't ban TikTok. You know that's something big Trump, please save TikTok.
Speaker 2:Yeah, TikTok is so great.
Speaker 1:And Trump is coming in on the 20th to the office. You know, I think 2025 is going to be a very interesting year. I think Trump have a lot of things that he wants to do and change. Let's see what happens. I mean, I always look forward to like the positive outcome of it.
Speaker 2:Let's see what the new president, donald trump, does and hopefully, you know he does the best for the americans, as he promised, absolutely. And something else that concerns americans are like the california fires, like some crazy stuff happened to america well, it's interesting, right, it's in areas that are very expensive.
Speaker 1:A lot of people are losing their property, and we're talking about millions yeah a prop like like they have. You know very rich homeowners there you know, I saw one single family that was like 35 million that when it was totally gone. I've seen a lot of celebrity lose their houses in california this isn't a really luxury area of california. Well, I hope they have home insurance and I hope their insurance is definitely going to cover them, which I'm pretty sure they do.
Speaker 2:I heard that they basically a lot of like the top insurance companies basically pulled out before the fire started happening, saying that they weren't going to cover like fire insurance or something like that.
Speaker 1:I forget the specifics. I did see that President Biden said that he was going to cover the cost of what's going on in California.
Speaker 2:I wonder if he can cover all of it, because that's a lot of money, a lot of millions.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'll be honest with you, I'm so in shock how much fire has been going on there. I did see that it's kind of interesting that it was this show that was happening and this lady was mocking God Right, god right. And literally the next day all that fire happened in california and it happened. So I know it's interesting where all this fire is coming from.
Speaker 2:But I would say that I hope they're safe and everyone is good yeah, I mean that fire definitely is I know our neighbors are doing uh, a little bit of work here and there as well canada and mexico, they both like bro, that's awesome.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I remember that I did see see that Mexico is sending out.
Speaker 2:Yes, I did see that. Yeah, I didn't know.
Speaker 1:Canada, too, was doing it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I feel like I saw videos of Canada.
Speaker 1:Well, donald Trump said that he wants Canada to be our 51st state. I mean, I found it funny to be honest with you, right? But wow, I mean that would be interesting right, there you go I love the idea to be honest with you canada being the 51st state, oh wow I don't know, canada likes that idea though.
Speaker 2:But yeah, they were sending them, like these planes that you know, um, they get water and then they just like pour it over and like I saw it looks so crazy everything that's going on in california. I hope everyone is well, it looks like a movie, almost like something that you would only experience like in a movie with like everything burning, like I know that they're putting so many memes around like the mcdonald's that was burning and like the wind was going, like crazy and stuff you just mentioned.
Speaker 1:So insurance, I put, are basically pulling out that they don't want to. Yeah, that's so sad. You know why? Because we pay so much home insurance and for them to tell you that after years of paying, nothing happens for years, and now you're going to. It sounds like a scam.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:With these insurance companies, Because in reality it doesn't make any sense.
Speaker 2:It doesn't.
Speaker 1:That's the point of them covering, but they're going to be hit hard and I'll be honest with you, they could definitely do that, but you could always sue them. So all those homeowners go sue because you're not going to come after me paying so many years, and now you want to back out of it when in reality, now is when you need them. They should definitely be able to cover and do the right things.
Speaker 2:And not just one person should go. Like all of you who got affected that are, like you know, having trouble getting your insurance claims, you should all form like a, like a group, and tried to do a class action lawsuit, because that's ridiculous. I've seen some videos where the people like a daughter, like in her 50s or so, her parents are like I think it was like 80 or something like that. There were elderly people and they were in their home very scared because they were like our insurance pulled out. We've been with them for like 60 years and out of nowhere they just denied the insurance thing.
Speaker 1:Jesus.
Speaker 2:Christ, yeah. And now they're just like trying to salvage 60 years and out of nowhere, they just denied the the insurance thing. So, jesus christ, yeah, now they're just like trying to salvage everything and it's just like how could you do that right, like they've been with you for so long and stuff. Yeah, that's crazy. Yeah, it just goes to show you that, honestly, just insurance companies do not have your back. Some of the time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I noticed something about insurance that they for any little thing. They want to come out and they want to like. We understand a lot of scam is happening and it always happens, right, but you know it's pretty obvious that this is not a scam right in california. It's so public right now. It's all over the news. Everyone's all your insurance company. Make sure you cover them, man. That would be the right thing to do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, even though you're going to be at a huge loss or whatever, you still like it.
Speaker 1:But they always cover up with all the houses that they have. Nothing happened to them, right.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, we're going to have to put the insurance we're going to have to. What do you call it? Pay a premium because of it, which is?
Speaker 1:the reality of things. Yeah, yeah, the reality of things.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, but as long as they get covered, that's what matters. Yeah, for sure. No, absolutely. And talking about fires, there was a fire here in the bronze and I believe 2910 wallace 2910 wallace, I believe last friday and it was basically um. It left seven people injured and over 250 people displaced um yeah, they said that the cause was something related to you know those electric heaters. Or maybe someone left the gas stove on because, um, apparently, how many units is it?
Speaker 1:is it like four buildings on a row?
Speaker 2:I believe it was I think it was like four, yeah, four multi-family buildings. They were all kind of like, but the top floors were kind of going up in flames.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I did see that on news and so much fire is happening, you know, I'm pretty sure those were renters, right correct, they were renters so to all those renters, you know they do offer insurance, right? Yeah, you know homeowner insurance for for those renters. So I recommend all those renters to definitely have insurance. You never know what could happen how much were you paying angel?
Speaker 2:I heard you say earlier I think it was like it was dirt cheap and I think it covered me up for like 20 000. I think I paid like maybe at most like 60 70 for six months or something like oh jesus, that's great, yeah, that was nothing and it covered up for,000.
Speaker 2:It was actually part of, like the bundle that I got for, like, my car insurance as well. Because if you do renter's insurance along with your car insurance, the renter's insurance actually provides you extra identity for your car insurance Because they want to make sure you're living in the premise that you're saying that you're living in and if you get renter's insurance, that kind of gives another kind of like sense of like yeah, you are living there right, because some people say that they live somewhere to get cheaper car insurance.
Speaker 2:So they, if you bundle them both together, it's like okay, there's more validity to your I see what you're saying yeah, so that's why, if you bundle both of them together, you actually get a cheaper price on your car insurance, because it's cheaper like that yeah. Double verification yeah.
Speaker 1:What those landlords were? They like slumlords, they were slumlords.
Speaker 2:We won't name names because of legal things. Apparently, this person was, if I'm not mistaken, voted for one of the city's worst landlords in 2015 by News 12, I believe it was Wow you know, I've been noticing that in the Bronx remember the other building that collapsed because he had a slumlord.
Speaker 1:So all these landlords that own buildings in new york city apartment building will have to be hard on them, shrink on them and hpd, because you know it's people's safety. You know you gotta make sure. You know these. These tenants are paying rent. You should definitely make sure they're safe and always do a full inspection. They should definitely come up with something with department of building hpd for people's safety, safety. You know I know they're paying rentals and that's why I always recommend these renters to definitely go buy a house. These are the reasons. Right, when it's your house, you're more safe because you're going to make sure you're safe. It's your property, you're going to invest into the property. Much of these slumlords, angela, do not like investing into property, but if you're not paying rent, they instantly taking the courthouse right trying to evict you.
Speaker 2:But the reality is that, like um, usually when these things happen, like fires or a building collapsing, usually because they're slumlords yeah, they're not taking care of their property right right and you can see like something like this already, um, unfolding before it did, because slumlord kind of didn't, you know, didn't put the heating on most of the time, so people had to do these things like uh turn on the stove, do the electric thing, because imagine you can't, you can't have your kids there, like feeling all cold and stuff. You gotta do something, right? It's a lot of people that lost their apartments.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I hope they are safe and hopefully they found a home. I hope the city definitely helped out, but mostly those landlords.
Speaker 2:Man, that's so wrong man yeah you know your building getting on fire, so all over the news yeah, that's why our co-worker chris, he basically says, like dude, if you're ever um, essentially in that situation when you have a summer, always when something like that happens, you should always contact, like the city, make a complaint, make a complaint, because after a certain amount of complaints they're going to be up in their ass.
Speaker 1:They're going to definitely investigate them.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So it's best for when these landlords are not doing the correct thing, you can go to the department of building, you can go to HPD and make complaints about it and make sure you're definitely getting in contact with them, because they know they build a list on them, you know.
Speaker 2:so it's best for them to definitely do that yeah, no, absolutely, because you have to have a track record. You can't just be complaining and not doing anything about it. Right, you have to be actively doing something, telling, uh, telling the city that what's going on, because how will they know?
Speaker 1:right to take action you have to communicate, you know you have to let the public know what's going on. But I really hate slumlords, man. I mean when I was growing up we had a slumlord, so our apartment actually got on fire too.
Speaker 2:Oh, you told me yeah our apartment got on fire.
Speaker 1:So we actually had an apartment. We had no electric, no heating, and my single mother, we a in a building in the bronx same thing got on fire and they don't really care. Yeah, it's just a common occurrence I actually told us, the slumlord, how you feel if your family and your kids was in this situation. He just walked away like they don't care yeah all they care is about getting their money their rental money.
Speaker 1:That's all they care about. So all those renters, man, um, especially those renters that you know went through this tragedy, man, I wish you guys the best. I hope you know you guys getting the attention you guys deserve, and we are here for you guys yeah, no, absolutely.
Speaker 2:I always advise you to reach out to your you know, to your local, you know, community, everyone. Yeah, just um the city if you have any complaints like that, because it's always better to be active than just like be another statistic call 311.
Speaker 1:They always have um. You know routes and they always have help out there that you guys could get um. Always call 311 and keep calling 311 until they do something.
Speaker 2:Yes, 100, yeah because you're gonna have to call them several times to get anything done. But after a certain amount of times you're gonna get through to them, especially like in this case where, like, the building in general was having problems with maintenance. Tell other, tell other tenants to also call, like um, the city because, like then there'll be more complaints. Right, every time you complain it's not just one person, it's multiple persons, so it's going to fill up the queue a lot faster and get you to. You know, have something put against the landlord so he can actually do something about it.
Speaker 1:Yes, guys. Guys, thank you so much for watching our podcast. We appreciate you. This is Sudo with Bias Podcast and we're here for you. Guys Please like, subscribe. And guys please reach out to us if you need anything with real estate. Thank you so much, guys.
Speaker 2:Bye guys. If you have any questions, leave them down in the comments.