Welcome to the EMB Monthly, my monthly newsletter! Coming to your inbox once a month, you’ll find pertinent real estate information and a market update, as well as a fun new recipe to try, an update from the sports world, and for six months of the year, my Summer Concert Series!

The Manhattan real estate market had an extremely strong second quarter of the year, great news if you're considering selling your home. Read on to learn more.

Please don’t hesitate to call, text or email me at any time to discuss any real estate related topics, I love answering your questions!

Best,
Erika Matera Banoun

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson — New York
Sales Associate – New Jersey
O. 212.381.2374 | C. 201.362.7000
ebanoun@bhsusa.com

131 Sullivan Street #2C New York, NY

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The second annual Hoboken Food & Wine Walk is from 1 to 5 p.m. this Saturday, July 25th. You can enjoy the best of Hoboken’s vibrant food and wine scene – sampling curated bites and sips from top local restaurants and bars as you walk.

Participating restaurants include: Brass Rail, Grimaldi’s, Stingray Lounge, The Hoboken Biergarten, Carlo’s Bakery, and so many more!

You can purchase tickets on their website. That day you can check in for the event at Urban CoalHouse Pizza and Bar.

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Manhattan real estate had an extremely strong second quarter of 2026. Both the average and median prices of Manhattan apartments reached their second highest levels ever.

The average price of an apartment in Manhattan rose to $2,231,819, a 5% increase from the second quarter of 2025. Similarly, the median price for an apartment rose 6% over the last year, to $1,290,000. The record numbers for both average and median prices for Manhattan apartments were set in the second quarter of 2019. That year saw a rush of sales before increases in the mansion and transfer taxes kicked in when the fiscal year began in July of 2019.

In 2Q26, co-ops drove pricing gains, led by 3 bedroom and larger apartments.

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After nearly 5.5 weeks of matches, celebrations and events surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the tournament has finally come to an end.

On Sunday, Spain beat Argentina in a low-scoring final to become World Cup Champions for just the second time in their history, and the first time since 2010. It took extra time, but Spaniard Ferran Torres finally broke through the scoreless match in the 106th minute.

Spanish players took home a number of the individual awards as well, including Rodri winning the Golden Ball award for the tournament's best player, goalkeeper Unai Simon winning the Golden Glove award and Pau Cubarsi winning the FIFA Best Young Player Award.

The one award that was not won by the Spanish, the Golden Boot Award, went to French superstar Kylian Mbappé who scored a total of ten goals in just eight matches. The tournament's top scorer, Mbappé also broke the record for the most goals scored in men's FIFA World Cup matches, with 22 career goals scored in just 3 FIFA World Cup tournaments.

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It’s so hot outside that we all need something to help cool us down. Originally served as a palate cleanser in aristocratic Italy, now served as a digestivo or dessert after meals, a sgroppino checks all the boxes. Light, refreshing and part dessert, part cocktail. What more could you ask for?

Sgroppino
Ingredients: (makes 1 serving)
• ¼ cup lemon gelato (can also use a lemon sorbet)
• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce Prosecco
• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• Lemon or lemon peel for garnish, optional
• Mint for garnish, optional

Directions:
In a pre-chilled bowl, mix the gelato, vodka, Prosecco and lemon juice. Whisk together until the mixture is smooth and frothy.

Pour the mixture into a pre-chilled glass. Garnish to your liking, and enjoy!

Note: it is important to keep everything super cold while making it, because of the gelato.

So many concerts, so little time! Tomorrow night (July 21st), The Temper Trap will be at Rough Trade Below in Midtown, then they’ll be at the PNC Bank Arts Center the following night with Muse. Train will also be at PNC Bank Arts Center a few nights later on the 24th. Then, on the 25th, Lucy Dacus will be at The Stone Pony and Passion Pit will be at Pier 17.

On August 5th and 6th, millennials in NYC will be re-living their childhoods when Hilary Duff performs at MSG. And then on August 7th and 8th, Usher and Chris Brown perform at MetLife Stadium.

And yes, there is more. On August 10th, Good Charlotte will be at UBS Arena and on the 11th, 12th and 13th Mumford & Sons will be at MSG. On August 15th Lost Frequencies will be at the newly opened Pacha NYC in Brooklyn.