When people think of Midtown, images of theaters, neon lights and tourists are evoked. But the area is also home to swaths of New Yorkers who want to be where the action is, but still have a comfortable place to call their own. Here are three of our favorites in the neighborhood.

Where: 247 West 46th Street, #1203
Size: 2 bedroom/2.5 bathroom
Asking: $1,960,000
Listed by: Lindsee Silverstein

Totally fresh and contemporary, we love this home for bringing the grand proportions typically reserved for much larger homes to a two-bedroom layout. Situated right on 46th Street, this unit is in The Platinum condominium, one of the neighborhood’s top buildings. Designed by renowned architect Costas Kondylis, the building is like a resort, featuring a common landscaped terrace with cabanas and stone fireplace, and amenities like a 6,000-square foot lounge with a fitness center, yoga studios, sauna, spa treatment room and game room. (more…)

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New York City’s neighborhoods are always evolving, whether it’s an established area like Fifth Avenue by the park, or a neighborhood without a name. Today the Wall Street Journal shines a light on the area that’s not quite Chelsea, not quite Midtown, and, up until a few years ago, was only known for its discount electronics and fragrance stores. Now the neighborhood has a flashy nickname, NoMad (for north of Madison Square Park), and a boutique hotel, the Ace that is driving all sorts of new restaurant and retail development.

Who stands to profit? Local property owners, of course. “Real-estate people predict the pace of development in the area will continue in the next few years,” the Journal writes, hinting at high-end projects to come like the NoMad Hotel a block away from the Ace on Broadway and 28th Street. Will residential real estate prices mirror the neighborhood’s rise? The paper highlights a handful of for-sale apartments in its look at NoMad, including the one-of-a-kind apartment at 120 West 29th Street listed by CORE’s Parul Brahmbhatt, seen here. (It also made the WSJ’s neighborhood map, right.) It just goes to show that sometimes all it takes is a spark, or in this case, a hotel, to change a neighborhood’s fortunes — and a wise buyer knows when to check in.

During the holiday season it is always better to give than to receive, and with that in mind, CORE’s Christian Rogers renewed his involvement with a special charity this year. As the CORE Blog heads into a break until the new year, Christian tells us about this important cause.

Hosts Tyler Perry and Jessica Biel (L); The Waterwalk, partially sponsored by CORE and Midtown Equities (R).

It’s been a fantastic year, so I was really excited to be able to give back. It’s funny how giving back, however, is not exactly straightforward. There are so many great causes and so many fantastic charities. How does one choose? The existence of sites like Charity Navigator can make it easier, but the fact that they exist, and the many different categories and sub categories they list for qualifying charities, is a testament to the complexity of choosing a cause.

Not being predisposed to a particular cause, I applied some basic criteria. The charity had to be efficient, meaning as much money as possible had to go directly to helping people on the ground rather than to paying for administrative costs. It also had to help a large number of people in a fundamental way.

As I searched I came across an incredibly efficient charity with an incredibly big, yet clear goal that was excellently branded – charity: water, a non-profit organization that brings clean and safe drinking water to developing nations. Scott Harrison, the founder, has a big objective with a very simple approach: bring clean drinking water to 1 billion people, make sure 100% of public donations go directly to funding projects, prove to donors where their donations are spent, and in his own words, “not suck at design!”

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The Columbus Circle Holiday Market

Is it too late to find a fantastic holiday gift for someone special? Or two? Or ten? Not in New York City, of course. We asked some of our top CORE agents to share their last-minute picks for great holiday shopping. Procrastinators can thank us, well, later.

Columbus Circle Holiday Market [link]
Neighborhood: Columbus Circle/Central Park South
Tips: This is my favorite market for holiday gift shopping since you will find a wide range of unique goods such as handmade clothing, jewelry, toys, ornaments, artwork and gourmet foods from boutique vendors and craft purveyors. You’ll be sure to find something for everyone on your list! It’s only open until Christmas Eve.–Lisa Graham

C. Wonder [link]
Neighborhood: SoHo
Tips: Co-founder of Tory Burch mixes with Chanel and Goyard. It’s a fun, chic store that’s super affordable…there’s something for everyone, including guy stuff. I purchased a tote bag that offers a monogram, palm tree cocktail plates for a Yankee swap party with a “beach style” theme, nylon attaché cases, and monogram wine corks and cheese boards.–Lawrence Treglia

Tiffany & Co. [link]
Neighborhood: Midtown
Tips: When racking one’s brain for the perfect gift, last minute or otherwise, Tiffany always shines. Even at its busiest, it radiates a calming energy. Their personal shoppers take the drag out of holiday shopping, as there are no lines or bargain hunters to contend with. And let’s face it, even the most jaded New Yorker must admit that the timeless mystique of Tiffany’s legendary blue box is intoxicating. (Holly Golightly knew this.)–Tom Postilio and Mickey Conlon

Lord and Taylor [link]
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
Tips: They have everything in every price range for women, men, and kids. It’s one-stop shopping, and there are no crowds!–Susan Rubell

The Shops at Columbus Circle [link]
Neighborhood: Columbus Circle/Central Park South
Tips: Particularly Sephora, Whole Foods, Williams-Sonoma and Godiva. I love the convenience of having a variety of options all in one place in my neighborhood. For example, I can run down to Whole Foods and have a basket of cheeses made with delicious meats and pick up a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. Then I can easily run up to Williams-Sonoma and Godiva to help complete the gift baskets. And in the midst of shopping madness you can take in a coffee and a pastry at Bouchon.–Adrian Noriega

Chelsea Market [link]
Neighborhood: Chelsea
Tips: There are vintage vendors in a pop-up space. In addition, there are additional pop-up stores at 19th street and 10th avenue and 15th street and 10th avenue offering various items. I bought cool vintage belt buckles, a knife set and a vintage mink wrap.–Lawrence Treglia

The Upper Breast Side, Bank Street Bookstore, J. Crew, American Apparel and Paul Smith
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Tips: The Upper Breast Side for cute baby gifts like swaddle blankets, socks that look like Converse sneakers, ballet slippers and awesome headbands. The Bank Street Bookstore for the best kids’ and teen books and the most knowledgeable sales people. J. Crew and American Apparel for scarves, gloves, and hats. And Paul Smith has the best stocking-stuffers and men’s gifts.–Natalie Rakowski

West Elm [link]
Neighborhood: Chelsea
Tips: There is something for everyone’s home here. I often walk through the block-long store, entering on West 17th Street and exiting on West 18th Street (even after the gift-giving season, just to warm up).–Stuart Sussman

Best Place of the Week: 220 Riverside Boulevard
New York Daily News (12/16)
The Daily News named this 3,000-square-foot condo (right) in the Upper West Side’s Trump Place its “Best Place of the Week,” and it’s not hard to see why. CORE’s Emily Beare told the paper, “You see the George Washington Bridge to the right, and you can see through the kitchen and see a beautiful view to the left. Wherever you are in the apartment, you see amazing views.”

House of the Day: Chelsea, Storage, Space
Wall Street Journal (12/15)
A cool apartment in Chelsea with high ceilings, private outdoor space, all sorts of added storage and a “hiding space” behind the kitchen was the subject of a great Wall Street Journal “House of the Day” slideshow. CORE’s Stuart Sussman and Tom Postilio have the listing at 246 West 17th Street.

Just Sold!
New York Post (12/14)
The $1.6 million sale of a 2-bed/2.5-bath condo in SoHo’s Urban Glass House at 330 Spring Street made the Post’s weekly roundup of big sales around New York City. CORE’s Adrian Noriega had the deal.

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What’s New is a weekly look at one of CORE’s most striking new listings.

Where: 211 Madison Avenue #30-AB
Size: 4,500 square feet and several possible configurations
Asking: $7,400,000
Listed by: Reba Miller and Susan Rubell

Look beyond the Don Drapers and luxury boutiques lining Madison Avenue and you’ll find that the venerable boulevard also has some fantastic places to call home, especially just south of the hustle and bustle of Midtown. At the full-service, white-glove Morgan Court, this massive sky-high duplex offers the rare ability to customize your dream layout in an established condominium with the assistance of the building’s sponsor. Three bedrooms? Five bedrooms? Up to four additional oversized windows to add to the already incredible 360-degree views? It’s all possible, and more. If a little flexibility goes a long way, then this apartment has to be a shoo-in for gymnastics gold at the 2012 London games. What won’t change: The unit’s private elevator entrance and beautiful balcony, a glimpse of which is seen below.

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Where: 213 West 23rd Street
Size: 5 bedrooms/4.5 bathrooms/6,000 square feet
Asking: $8,950,000
Listed by: Emily Beare and Christian Rogers

It might be too chilly to gather with family and friends out on the 7,000 square feet of outdoor space that comes with this triplex penthouse, but no need to worry: 6,000 square feet of indoor space should do the trick. The spacious and sleek kitchen in this Chelsea masterpiece has ample counter space for cooking one of the longest kitchen islands around, so there’s plenty of room for side dishes. And when everyone needs to take a nap after the feast, 5 bedrooms should cover it. That’s not all though, we’ve got two more Turkey Day treats!

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“Halal and hipsters on West 29th Street”
The Real Deal (11/1)
West 29th Street is in the midst of transforming from gritty to glam in the wake of the success of the Ace Hotel, and The Real Deal spoke to CORE Senior Vice President Lawrence Rich (right) about the changes in the neighborhood, and what’s to come.

“3 residential brokerages shift into drive”
Crain’s (11/8)
Crain’s on CORE’s growth, including the recent relocation of CORE’s main corporate office to a 5,000-square-foot space in the Flatiron District at 104 Fifth Avenue. Said CORE CEO Shaun Osher: “There was an opportunity to move to this new space, that truly reflects our brand, in the most exciting office market in New York City.” Check out photos from CORE’s housewarming party on Facebook.

“Osher’s Core acquires residential firm R.P. Miller & Associates”
The Real Deal (11/8)
Residential real estate firm R.P. Miller & Associates, helmed by industry veteran Reba Miller, was acquired by CORE last week. The Real Deal got comments from Miller (who has sold over $1 billion in property during her long career) and CORE CEO Shaun Osher about the deal. Miller will take over the role of managing director of sales at CORE.

“Less Than $1M For a Pre-Civil War House in Fort Greene”
Curbed (11/9)
Doug Bowen’s and Win Brown’s listing for a historic townhouse at 141 Clermont Avenue in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, caught the eye of real estate blog Curbed, which remarked: “It’s currently configured as two one-bedroom apartments (squeezed into 1,324 square feet!) but would be easy enough to renovate into a single-family residence. Side bonus: the lot is 25′x100′ and it’s got a driveway.” This is the same Fort Greene charmer that was featured in CORE’s Three of a Kind last week.

We’ve been on a kick when it comes to historic townhouses, so why not finish off the week with one? Just across the Chelsea/West Village border is 237 West 15th Street, a century-old carriage house with a secret: A private courtyard separated from the street that leads to the building’s entrance. CORE’s Elizabeth Kee is marketing a one-bedroom apartment in the house, and her listing provides us with this excellent look at a lush and tranquil space that thousands of people walk by every day, yet few know exists.