Welcome to sum-, sum-, summertime in Brooklyn! There are about four weeks left of summertime in Brooklyn before the start of another school year. If you’re tired of roasting subway platforms, reeking rubbish and raucous window units, it’s time to get out of town! Take a break from hot, smelly and noisy. Ahhhh, day trips! No planning necessary. Just get in the car (or not), and go!

Here are 16 amazing day trips and activities to choose from:

1. Beacon, NY – Dia: Beacon is a 300,000 square-foot art museum. This building used to be a Nabisco factory and is located 59 miles north. It is a delight for the contemporary art enthusiast. If and when you get overwhelmed with its grandness, take a break and grab something yummy at Homespun Foods.
2. Bear Mountain, NY – Bear Mountain Park is full of activities for every age. There are hiking trails, a carousel, a swimming pool, a zoo, refreshment stands and picnic areas just 45 miles from NYC in the Hudson Highlands.
3. Brooklyn Bridge Park – Brooklyn Bridge Park is a world-class, 85‐acre sustainable waterfront park, and it’s right around the corner! Located at 334 Furman Street, it stretches 1.3 miles along Brooklyn’s East River shoreline, melding seamlessly into DUMBO. Parking is very limited. It’s highly recommended that you get there by subway, bus, ferry, walking or biking.
4. City Island – Charter a boat, go fishing, eat delicious seafood by the water or tour the Nautical Museum on the island. City Island is very close to The Bronx, but it feels far away from everything. Visit the local Chamber of Commerce for the best guide on what to do here.
5. Cold Spring On Hudson, NY – The town of Cold Spring On Hudson is located about 80 minutes north. Here you can hike Mt. Taurus and take a stroll in the Boscobel Gardens to view the Hudson in all of its splendor. Hiking works up an appetite, so be sure to stop by and enjoy farm-to-table French fare at Brasserie Le Bouchon.
6. Coney Island – The one and only Coney Island comes packed with new restaurants, like Wahlburger’s on the boardwalk and its classics: Nathan’s Famous, Beach and Boardwalk, Brooklyn Cyclones, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, Luna Park and its Coney Island Cyclone, New York Aquarium.
7. DUMBO – Raw and charming, DUMBO is Brooklyn’s most buzz-worthy neighborhood. The Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges define its borders. Walk, ride a Citi Bike, take a train or enjoy the glamorous East River Ferry to reach this day trip right here in Brooklyn. Included amenities ABOUND! Stop in for yum at the best eats in DUMBO – Noodle Pudding and Grimaldi’s.
8. Fort Tilden Beach, Queens – This day trip calls for quiet! Fort Tilden Beach is an island located off of Queens. It used to be an Army base. It’s a very long walk away from the A train and is easiest to reach by bike. There are no lifeguards, snackbars or bathrooms at this beach. Pack it in and pack it out.
9. Freeport, Long Island – Like to fish, do you? If so, Freeport, Long Island is the day trip for you. Reserve a seat on Captain Lou’s vessel. He knows which fish are biting and the best bait to use to catch them, hook, line and sinker!
10. Governors Island – Get on a ferry for a quick ride in New York Harbor. Head on over to Governors Island for picnicking, bike riding, eating ice cream, lying in the grass and taking in the views. Little Eva’s opened recently. Have you been there yet?
11. Mountainville, NY – Storm King Art Center is 500 acres of modern sculptures located an hour north in Mountainville, New York. Picnicking is permitted on the grounds, so bring your basket.
12. New Haven, CT – There are lots of activities to enjoy in New Haven, Connecticut, just 90 minutes away. Take a cruise on Captain Bob’s 45-minute Thimble Islands cruise. Purchase everything you’ll need for a picnic from Caseus or enjoy a panini there. Watch a play at Long Wharf or Yale Rep Theatre. Eat dinner at Union League Café.
13. Rockaway Beach, Queens – You can ride Rockaway’s own ferry from lower Manhattan to this hot spot. Rockaway is basically the Brooklyn Flea at the beach. If you’re hungry, Rockaway Beach Club offers artisan food from around 20 vendors on the boardwalk.
14. Short Hills, NJ – A day trip full of the best people watching ever at The Mall at Short Hills might be just what you need in a getaway. It won’t take much time to get there from New York either. Air conditioning and free parking are nearby! Shop everything from Chanel to Forever 21, and grab a bite to eat at the Ritz Diner on your way home. An out-of-this-world brisket-on-latke sandwich is suggested.
15. Smorgasburg, Brooklyn – Notice to foodies: try this gastronomic pop-up phenomenon known as Smorgasburg. This is a weekly event that begins in the spring and ends at Thanksgiving. From hot dog maker to popsicle company there are some 100 food vendors to tempt your taste buds. Smorgasburg is held at Pier 5 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
16. Warwick, NY – About 75 minutes from the GW Bridge, summer and living are easy at the Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery. How does wine, draft cider or gin (you pick your poison), a brick-oven pizza and sunshine on the patio sound? Top this day trip off with a movie at the Warwick Drive-In before you drive on home.

You don’t need to own a summer house to escape the concrete jungle for day trips and activities. Your sanity can be saved and your spirit refreshed with one of many day trips and activities around Brooklyn.

Are you are looking for a summer house to buy? Would like a few more tips on day trips and activities around Brooklyn? Contact me, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate, Charles D’Alessandro. Reach me at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email [email protected]. With over 27 years of real estate experience, I can help you find the perfect summer house to buy or the best day trips and activities around Brooklyn. Enjoy what’s left of your summer!

Sources:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/24/new-york-day-trips_n_1543856.html

You’ve decided. It’s a great time to sell, and you’re going to list your Brooklyn home. You know your home could use a few upgrades, but which home improvement projects will add value to your Brooklyn home? Which home improvement projects will make your home appealing to buyers? Be a smart seller. Use one or all 10 of these home improvement projects to add value and appeal to your home. Best Home Improvements

Home Improvement Projects #1 – Create Open Space In Your Home

Create spaciousness and a sense of flow in your home. Homebuyers respond well to open floor plans. So go ahead. Take down that non-structural wall between the kitchen and the living room. Create a big space that allows people to be together.

Links to help you get it done

• Open Up a Wall
• Three Rooms Become One
• Before You Tear Down That Wall

Home Improvement Projects #2 – Landscape Your Yard

Landscaping could make a significant difference in the price of your home. It is one of the top three smart home improvements that bring the biggest return on investment. It could very well be the most important home improvement investment a seller can make. According to a survey conducted by HomeGain, an investment in landscaping can bring a return of four times what you investment in it originally.

Links to help you get it done

• Working With A Tree Removal Pro
• Prune Small Trees and Shrubs
• Make Hedge Trimming Easier

Home Improvement Projects #3 – Let The Sun Shine Into Your Home

Enhance your home’s appeal to buyers with light and lots of it.

• Create moods with dimmer switches
• Add warmth to empty spaces with soft lighting
• Make small spaces appear larger with high wattage bulbs
• Fix broken panes
• Make certain each window opens and closes
• Add motion-sensor lights that turn themselves off

Links to help you get it done

• Solar Tubes Beat Skylights
• Unsticking A Double-Hung Window
• Converting To LED Lighting

Home Improvement Projects #4 – Address Home Repairs and Maintenance Now

• How’s the insulation in the attic?
• Does your home need plumbing leaks repaired?
• Are the rain gutters rusty and bent?
• Have you had the furnace and septic system inspected lately?
• Do your windows need to be replaced or repaired for leaks?
• What kind of shape are your storm doors in? Do you even have storm doors?
• Has the flower garden been weeded?

Investing in home repairs and maintenance is smart, because it could be crucial to the sale of your home. Homes that get buyer attention are in tip top shape. Address basic home repairs and maintenance now before investing in that kitchen upgrade. These simple home improvement projects don’t cost much, but they add a lot of value. Two or three hundred dollars invested here could add a few thousand dollars’ worth of value to your home.

Links to help you get it done

• Insulate Your Attic
• Repair A Corrosive Copper Pipe
• Maintain A Furnace

Home Improvement Projects #5 – Go Green To Save Green

Buyers ask about the cost of utilities. If you’ve invested in and taken care of the home repairs and maintenance in #4, it’s time to think about investing in green efficiency. It’s been reported that energy savings add twenty times their yearly savings to the value of your home. For example, investing in new heating or air conditioning systems can save up to 30 and 40% of what your old systems are costing each month. You could invest around $7,000 in a solar-powered water heater, get back $2,100 in green tax credits and save as much as 80% on your water-heating bills!

Links to help you get it done

• Solar Water Heaters
• Pellet and Woodstoves
• 10 Ways To Shrink Your Energy Bills

Home Improvement Projects #6 – Welcome People To Your Home With Impressive Curb Appeal

There’s power in your front door, and you have eight seconds to use it. You’ve got eight seconds to impress potential buyers with the curb appeal of your front door or porch. Make sure your porch has an awning or overhang to protect you from the weather while you’re fumbling for the key to your front door. Then, step back onto the sidewalk in front of your house and look at your front door through a buyer’s eyes. Or take a picture of the front of your house. See anything that needs to be repaired or enhanced? What would it look like with a flower box or two?

But don’t forget about the curb appeal of your back yard. A deck, even a small one, will add value to your home in the buyer’s eyes. You’ll get back dollar for dollar with the deck you put in as long as the right material is used.

Links to help you get it done

• Upgrade Your Front Door On A Budget
• Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal
• Build An Inexpensive Wood Deck

Home Improvement Projects #7 – Spend Some Money On Your Floors

It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, but 94% of real estate pros recommend spending some money on flooring. To give you an idea, investing an average of $600 to $900 on flooring could bring an estimated $2,000 in value to your home.

Fix those creaking boards, too. Well-placed nails, repairing broken tile, patching damaged floor boards and getting rid of wall-to-wall carpeting doesn’t cost much for the huge impact it can make on potential buyers.

FYI, homes with a mixture of flooring – carpet, tile and hardwood, are appealing to today’s home buyer. Waterproof flooring at each entrance is smart flooring upgrade.

Links to help you get it done

• Fix Squeaky Floors
• Replace A Broken Floor Tile
• Install Floor Tile

Home Improvement Projects #8 – Spiffy Up The Kitchen And The Bathroom

Adding value to your home is a sure bet when you spiffy up the kitchen and bath. Ask any broker. They’ll tell you the condition of the kitchen is tops with buyers. The condition of the bathroom is a close second.

Most kitchen and bath upgrades are costly. You may not want to invest as much as an upgrade could take since you want to list your home right away. However, some bathroom upgrades may only cost about $500 to take a bathroom from “ugh” to “AWESOME!” Consider these spiffy upgrades:

• Replace clear glass with frosted glass
• Clean the grout
• Remove rust stains
• Apply fresh caulk
• Update doorknobs and cabinet pulls
• Replace faucets
• Install a low-flush toilet
• Buy a new toilet seat

Links to help you get it done

• Caulk Around A Tub
• Replace A Bathroom Faucet
• Install A Low-Flush Toilet

Home Improvement Projects #9 – Paint Neutral Colors On Your Walls

Since you’re listing your home, walk through your home and look for chipped paint. If you find any chips, pull out the plaster and paint and take care of it now. If more than touch ups are needed, go with neutral paint colors on your walls. Potential buyers want to see themselves in your home. Neutral paint on those walls will help them be able to do this a little easier.

Links to help you get it done

• 6 Simple Steps To Painting A Room
• Paint Doors, Windows And Walls
• Pro Painting Tips

Home Improvement Projects #10 – Fix It Or Remove It From Your Home

If anything causes a potential buyer to ask, “What’s that,” fix it or remove it, and do so before they ask. Things like 1980’s wallpaper, a broken front step, a cracked threshold, pink and grey vinyl flooring are huge deterrents to potential home buyers. If you need help, ask a friend for their impartial advice on what needs to be fixed or removed. Then, get it fixed or removed pronto.

Links to help you get it done

• Replace A Rotten Entry Door Sill
• Remove Wallpaper
• Remove Vinyl Flooring

Bonus – Get The Help Of A Trusted Professional

Get the help of real estate agent Charles D’Alessandro. It’s a sellers’ market, but you need his experience to get your home sold quickly. He is active in the Brooklyn real estate market and has handled many transactions. He is familiar with terms and conditions of individual home sales beyond the prices published for those home sales. He knows how to market Brooklyn homes, negotiate and close transactions. He can provide all the assistance you need in listing your home and for the best price. Call him today.

Links to help you get your home sold

• Contact Charles Through His Website
• Call Him At The Office: (718) 253-9700 ext. 206
• Email Him At: [email protected]

Source:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20247552,00.html