As a result of the changes in the real estate market and economy over the last few years, several new real estate trends are appearing. Here are four of them you might want to take into consideration when searching for Brooklyn homes to purchase.

Buy a home you can afford. In the past, some buyers bought more home than they could really afford. Today’s trend is to buy within your means (or even below your means). You still want to get pre-approved for a loan so you know the maximum you can spend, but don’t let that be your only guide to determining how much home you can afford. Consider your lifestyle. Do you want to spend your hard-earned income on vacations, hobbies, clothing, charity or your children rather than spending it all on mortgage payments? Do you prefer to live frugally now so you can save for your retirement? Or is your home where you prefer to spend the majority of your earnings?

1. Consider live-in value as well as resale value: Buy a home that you’ll enjoy living in for the next five to seven years, rather than focusing exclusively on the future resale value of the home.  The rule in the past was that you needed to own a home for about five years in order to break even when you sold it. Now that real estate values are increasing at a slower pace, you may need to stay in your home up to seven years in order to break even or earn a profit when you sell it.
2. Search for Brooklyn homes based on proximity: With the increasing price of gas, your daily drive to work can be very costly if it’s a long commute from your home. Consider buying a home that’s close to your work place or close to inexpensive mass transit. If you can find a home you enjoy that’s also close to where you shop and play, even better. You’ll save travel time and money.
3. Compare the benefits of a well-planned smaller home to a rambling McMansion: According to Sarah Susanka, architect and author of Not so Big House, you can comfortably live in one-third less space than you think you can. Buy a home that you find beautiful and functional, and the size won’t matter.

Whether you’re looking at large or small Brooklyn homes, I can help you find and buy the home that fits your needs. Give me a call today  Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate a call at 718/253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected].

How to Catch a Brooklyn Home Buyer

In this economy, every leg up on other sellers will help your home sell faster and at the price you want.  If you’re not getting the offers you want on your Brooklyn home, here are nine ideas to get things moving in the right direction:

Get an appraisal.  Knowing what a professional appraiser thinks your home is worth gives owners a reality check. It also helps you determine the best price for your home.

1. Get a home inspection before listing your home.  Find out the hidden problems with your Brooklyn home and correct them in advance. If you get your home inspected and find problems but elect not to repair them, be sure to include the problems on the property condition disclosure form.
2. Consider offering a home warranty.  Everyone likes a security blanket and a home warranty gives buyers an assurance that if something goes wrong with major appliances, plumbing or electrical systems, they will not have to spend a lot of money to get it fixed.
3. Pay for lawn care through the summer.  This lets the buyer know you’ve thought of everything, and it’s one less worry for them when moving.  Taking care of the pool cleaning tab is another incentive you may want to consider including.
4. Pay the HOA dues. If you’re in a homeowner’s association (HOA), pay the new buyer’s fees for the first year.
5. Pay all or part of the buyer’s closing costs. This can be deducted at closing from the proceeds of the sale.
6. Pay the buyer’s property taxes for a year. You may already have paid a portion or all of it anyway.
7. Offer to leave furnishings. If you have a couch that perfectly fits an unusually shaped living space, offer to include it in the sale of the home.
8. Have some flexibility on the price.  Being willing to negotiate on the price shows a buyer you are willing to work with them.

If you’re looking for a real estate agent who can get your Brooklyn home sold at a good price, give me a call today call Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate a call at 718/253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected].

Located in the heart of Brooklyn’s Midwood community

– This detached central hall home for sale boasts a large living room and formal sized dining room,

3 spacious bedrooms + a first floor den, a bathroom on each floor, plenty of closets,

a huge 3 room finished basement with laundry room and bathroom,

private driveway and garage on large property. Priced to sell!

For more information, please call

Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate a call

at 718/253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected]

There is still an opportunity to profit by buying short sales in Brooklyn, but you need to know how to proceed in order to achieve success. Here are four steps to follow to increase your chances of success when buying short sales:

Step 1: Hire a short sales expert.
Hire a real estate agent who has experience helping people buy short sales. You need someone who can find short sales in Brooklyn for you and help you through the complicated process. Although the short sale process has gotten better over the last few years, it’s still a slow and frustrating process.

Step 2: Have your finances in order.

If you’re buying with cash, fabulous! Otherwise, visit a lender and take the steps necessary to finance a short sale. Many short sale banks want to close within 30 days of short sale approval. Ask your lender up front if they can guarantee a 30-day closing. If they cannot, you may want to consider finding a new lender.

Step 3: Move quickly.

When you find a short sale you want, move quickly.  With any luck, you’ll be the first to submit a market value offer. Lenders look for offers that are reasonable and equal to market value. To make your offer even more attractive, eliminate as many contingencies as possible.

Step 4:  Negotiate with the bank.
Banks don’t enjoy taking a loss, but short sales remain a necessary evil for lenders.  Be firm, polite and patient.  Don’t ever be forceful or rude.  Lenders are busy and overworked, and they want to see you as somebody who is minimizing the damage and the hassle of the bad debt.

If you’re interested in buying or selling short sales in Brooklyn, give me a call today at call Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate a call at 718/253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected].