This week, Paychecks & Balances is happy to introduce "Ask a Professional." We've realized that we don't know everything, but we do know people who know a lot of answers to those things questions we can't answer. With the help of Desiree Mullins, a licensed real estate agent in New York City, we will navigate some frequent questions for first time home owners and renters re-entering the current real estate and housing market. Inspired by a StreetEasy article estimating some New Yorkers spend upwards of 60% of their income on rent, Desi helps us understand how this came to be; the best time to rent for buyers; why "the rent is too damn high"; and much much more. Sit back, listen, learn and enjoy!

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