The Role of Smart Bathrooms in Luxury Commercial Real Estate

In a competitive real estate market where property values are soaring, how do you make your space stand out? Tenants are looking for features that justify premium rents and enhance their experience. Smart bathrooms transform ordinary commercial properties into luxurious ones, making these features a worthwhile real estate investment.

Technology That Pays for Itself

The benefits of automatic faucets in commercial buildings include measurable water conservation and reduced maintenance expenses. Motion-activated faucets eliminate water waste from forgotten taps, and occupancy sensors optimize lighting usage. These systems typically generate savings that offset installation costs within two years.

Modern touchless technology also minimizes facility maintenance requirements. Fewer mechanical components mean fewer repairs, and antimicrobial surfaces reduce cleaning frequency. Building managers report 30 percent lower maintenance costs in smart bathroom installations compared to traditional fixtures.

Tenant Attraction and Retention Benefits

Smart bathrooms in luxury commercial real estate increase tenant satisfaction. High-quality businesses expect sophisticated amenities that reflect their brand standards. These facilities signal attention to detail and modern thinking that appeals to premium tenants.

Prospective tenants notice touchless fixtures, automated climate control, and ambient lighting during property tours. These features create positive first impressions that influence leasing decisions. Current tenants appreciate the convenience and hygiene benefits, leading to higher renewal rates and positive referrals.

Enhanced Property Value and Market Position

Installing smart bathrooms is an investment that pays off. Properties with smart features often see higher valuations and can charge premium rents, standing out in competitive markets. In fact, buildings with automatic amenities typically command 10 to 15 percent more in rent than those without.

For buyers, the benefits are clear: these upgrades attract high-quality tenants and lower operational costs, and they lead to stronger returns on investment. Plus, properties with these fixtures can qualify for sustainability certifications such as LEED, thanks to their water and energy efficiency. This adds extra value and appeals to eco-conscious tenants and investors alike.

A Future-Proof Investment

Smart bathroom technology keeps getting better, with new features and improved efficiency. The great thing is, current setups are designed to make future upgrades simple, without major changes to the infrastructure. If a building already has smart systems, it’s easy to add new features as technology evolves.

Market trends indicate growing tenant expectations for touchless technology and automated building systems. Properties without these amenities risk obsolescence as competitors upgrade their offerings. Early adoption positions buildings advantageously for long-term competitiveness.

Strategic Implementation Considerations

Boosting your commercial real estate business requires strategic investments that enhance property value and tenant satisfaction. When it comes to bathroom projects, success depends on careful planning and professional installation. Working with experienced contractors who understand commercial-grade systems and building integration is key. This ensures optimal performance and protects warranties, helping you maximize your property’s value.

To keep costs down and avoid bothering tenants, consider rolling out changes in phases. You could start with busy spots or during planned renovations to get the most bang for your buck. A common place to start is with lobbies and common areas. Then, you can move on to individual tenant spaces later.

Smart bathrooms represent a proven upgrade that delivers measurable returns through reduced costs, increased rents, and improved competitiveness. Building owners who embrace this technology position their properties for long-term success in an increasingly competitive market.

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What Friends Taught Us About Buying An Apartment

Apartment living, specifically New York apartment living, played a central role in the much-loved TV show Friends, providing a backdrop for the lives of our best-loved twenty-somethings, and preparing an entire generation for predominantly apartment-based lifestyles. 

Now, with as many as two in ten Americans in hotspots like New York enjoying apartment life, it’s fair to say that, even thirty years later, it doesn’t get better than this for seeing first-hand what apartment life actually entails. Here, we consider the best lessons that Friends had to offer, and how you can turn those same insights towards your hunt for an apartment moving forward. 

Lesson 1: Always choose your neighbors wisely

As well as being a much-loved (in the end) character, Mr. Heckles from Friends wasn’t exactly what you would call a decent neighbor. In fact, his banging on the ceiling at even the smallest noises was so ridiculous that it became a running joke. In reality, however, a neighbor like this could make your living situation incredibly difficult. As such, the first lesson that you’re going to need to apply to your apartment hunt is that you should always seek properties with decent neighbors. Obviously, you can't knock on the doors of everyone in a building before buying! However, you can take certain precautions, such as buying in celeb-heavy complexes where you know your neighbors will keep to themselves, or simply taking note of the condition of your neighbor’s properties, how friendly people seem, and whether you notice any noise disruption or other issues during a viewing.

Lesson 2: If you love pets, factor for them in your search

via GIPHY

From Marcel through to Chicken and Duck, pets were as much a part of Friends as the friends themselves, and that leads us to our next crucial lesson – if you want pets, factor for them in your apartment search. The simple fact is that not all apartment complexes allow animals, and you won’t want to compromise your property by breaking those rules. Other options, like these cat friendly apartments, will allow certain animals for an agreed fee. In other cases, you may find that apartments are entirely open to animals of all shapes and sizes. Just do your research, and make sure that there’s room for your four (or two…) legged friends before making an offer. 

Lesson 3: Choose locations near to friends...or not

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Ultimately, Friends is a lesson in friendship, and the importance of being close to the people we love. Buying in a city filled with your nearest and dearest is certainly a great way to ensure that you’re able to put roots down in. Be warned, however, that living across the hall from your closest friends (or even across the street, as Ross found out the hard way…) doesn’t always buy you the privacy, and happy living arrangements, that you need to settle into the perfect apartment.

Apartment living can be great, but it can also get complicated. Get past that by learning from your Friends, and avoiding these pitfalls at the viewing stages! 

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Falling for Flavor: The Cocktails Defining Autumn 2025

The first crisp breeze of the season has arrived, and with it comes the unofficial swap from spritzes to something a little warmer, bolder, and more layered. Fall cocktails aren’t just about what’s in the glass — they’re about the ritual, the mood, and the moment. Whether you’re sinking into a leather armchair by the fire, bundling up after a weekend apple-picking trip, or just looking to elevate a cozy night at home, this season’s cocktails deliver the perfect balance of comfort and craft. From smoky takes on classics to playful twists with unexpected ingredients like matcha and pineapple gum syrup, these recipes prove that fall drinking is as much about creativity as it is about tradition.

If you’re looking to shake things up this Fall, here are a few cocktails to try:

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Blood Orange Margarita

• 1.5 oz. Casamigos Blanco Tequila OR Casamigos Reposado Tequila  

• .75 oz. Fresh Blood Orange Juice  

• .75 oz. Fresh Lime Juice  

• .5 oz. Simple Syrup   

• ½ Thick Rim Equal Parts Chili Salt/Sugar  

• Garnish Blood Orange Wheel  

Wet ½ rim of glass with lime wheel or wedge and dip into salt mixture. Combine all ingredients into a tin shaker (and muddle serrano if using.) Add ice, shake vigorously and fine strain into a rimmed rocks glass. Add fresh ice and garnish.  

NOTE: To make spicy add 2 Dashes Scrappy’s Fire Tincture Bitters OR 2 Serrano Slices  

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The Official Cocktail of Fighting Irish Fans: Fighting Irish Highball

• 2 oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey

• 2 oz Apple Juice

• 2 oz Ginger Ale

• 1 Lemon Wedge

• 1 Apple Slice

Build all ingredients over ice in a highball glass. Stir and garnish with a lemon wedge and apple slice.

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Sonrisa Espresso Martini

•  1.5 oz Sonrisa Oro Especial
  1 oz Espresso Liqueur
  1 oz Cold Brew

In a shaking glass, add Sonrisa Oro Especial, espresso liqueur, and cold brew. Cover with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Optional: garnish with coffee beans.

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Laelia Old Fashioned

• 3 oz Laelia Reposado Tequila

• ¼ oz Agave Nectar 

• 1 Dash Angostura Bitters

In a mixing glass, lightly muddle the agave nectar, bitters, and orange peel. Add the tequila, then fill with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a glass. 

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Kim Crawford Matcha Tea-Ser Cocktail

• 1 Tbsp matcha green tea powder

• ½ cup hot water

• ¼ cup Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

• 1 Tbsp sugar

• Gold leaf for garnish

• Single serving

Whisk matcha powder with water using bamboo whisk until smooth. Mix Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc with sugar. Combine tea and wine mixture. Garnish with gold leaf.

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New Earth

• 2 parts Reyka Vodka

• 3/4 part Small Hand Foods Pineapple Gum Syrup

• 1 part Lime Juice

• 5 Cilantro Sprigs

Shake and strain into a Montelobos Mezcal-rinsed coupe. Garnish with an orange peel and cilantro sprig.

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Apple Bounce

• 1 1/2 oz Ardbeg Wee Beatie

• 1/2 oz lemon juice

• 1/2 oz Carpano Antica

• 1 oz apple syrup*

• 3 oz pilsner (light draft beer)

Shake all ingredients except the pilsner in a iced filled shaker, fine strain into a highball, top with pilsner.

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Pumpkin, Spice &Everything on Ice

• 1.5 oz Broken Shed Vodka

• 1 oz pumpkin maple coffee syrup

• Garnish: 1 star anise pod

Pumpkin Maple Coffee Syrup

Mix equal parts cold coffee, maple syrup and pumpkin purée.

Stir everything over ice, then double strain into a double rocks glass over 1 large ice cube. Garnish with a star anise pod.

Cocktail created by Tom Levron

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1888 Rum Daiquiri

• 60ml Brugal 1888

• 20ml Fresh Lime Juice

• 10ml 1:1 Sugar Syrup

Add Brugal 1888, fresh lime juice and sugar syrup to cocktail shaker. Add ice & shake. Pour into a coupe glass and decorate with a lime twist

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Our favorite listing this week is 508 West 24th Street, Unit 5th Floor, home to NBA Player Carmelo Anthony. The ten-time NBA All-Star, has listed his New York City condo. The home is the largest unit in the Cary Tamarkin designed building at 508 W 24th that overlooks the High Line and is walking distance from world-class shopping and prominent art galleries.

251 East 51st Street, Unit 2M, listed on the market as a Compass "Coming Soon," is a recently renovated, perfect pied-a-terre (and ideal one bedroom for all the rest of us). What truly sets this pad apart from the rest is the dreamy outdoor terrace with endless possibilities and city views. Accessed by the living room and overlooked by the bedroom, this 24x12 outdoor space is an oasis in the center of the Midtown hustle and bustle.

Our last #openhouse roundup will you be checking out this #parkslope home? #nycrealestate #brooklynrealestate #milliondollarlistings #luxuryhomes #OffTheMRKT

DNA Development announced that closings have commenced at 350 West 71st Street, the successful Upper West Side luxury conversion that seamlessly combines two historic pre-war buildings into one stunning contemporary condominium with a classic façade. As construction nears completion, the seven-story building’s 38 elegant residences and bespoke amenities are coming to life, as DNA welcomes its first residents.

Our favorite listing this week is located at One West End, the sculptural glass residential tower designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli within Riverside Center. At $19.5 million, 29B offers 5,302 square feet of interiors space, with four bedrooms, five and a half baths, a media room, lofted library, and a double height great room leading out to a 3,000 square foot terrace with impeccable views.