We're starting out the new year with a fantastic LEED GOLD penthouse project in an NYC new construction residential building in the Flatiron District. One would think a new construction project would be fairly straight forward and simple - but it's actually not. Developers design these buildings so they can make fast money, and don't always take in to consideration the real users of the space. While wowing you with high end appliances and modern amenities, sometimes things like lighting and AV could be left up to the new owner. Here are 10 things to ask your real estate broker before purchasing a new construction apartment in NYC: 1. Is there accommodation for lighting in the ceiling? This seems like a no-brainer, but in NYC it's all about square footage. New construction is usually concrete slab and the floor to floor heights are often as tight as possible so the developer can squeeze more units out of a lot. By not dropping portions of the ceiling to add electrical, plumbing and HVAC, they can give the new owner a higher ceiling height, but sometimes no accommodation for lighting! The new owner won't be able to add it in later either, because making modifications in the slab could compromise it's structural stability. Make sure your new home at least has junction boxes in the ceiling to accommodate lighting where you need it.   2. What is the ceiling height? It seems...