Archive for January, 2010

East Flatbush Brooklyn Mixed Use Property Needs TLC Needed!

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

Priced Below Market

Two Family Plus a Store and Two Car Garage

Need TLC But Worth It!

CLICK ON THE PICTURE FOR DETAILS!

East Flatbuch Brooklyn

East Flatbush Brooklyn


Charles D’Alessandro

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tel 718 253-9600
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Brooklyn Real Estate Blog Living Across From The Brooklyn Parks

Living Across From The Brooklyn Parks

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

In Memory Of  The Man  Carmine Carro President Of Marine Park Civic Association Brooklyn New York! Carmine dedicated his life to Family, Friends, the Community!

I was born at home 23 North Elliott Place in 1935.   Less then 25 yards from the entrance of “City Park”.  I know that the official name is “Commander Barry Park”,But everyone I knew called it “City Park”.   It was not a very large park.  Bounded by Flushing Avenue to Park Avenue on the east and west, and Navy Street to North Elliott Place (North and South).   The area of the park nearest to North Elliott Place was enclosed by a 6ft. fence with no gates.   If my memory serves me there were seven entrances on Park Avenue, Flushing Avenue, , and North Elliott Place.   This area consisted of two rectangle patches of grass and benches around the perimeter black top and several trees. The rest of the area was enclosed with a twenty foot high cyclone fence with two heavy  gates that were locked each night at dusk.   The fenced in area contained two  large baseball fields with bleachers, eight hand ball courts, one black top softball field, four black top tennis courts, basketball courts, a wading pool and sprinklers sand boxes, swings, monkey bars, slides and sea saws.  The park staff was lead by a large Irish man named Dan.. Hehad six “parkies” of different races and nationalities , a recreatin director, and a matron. They were all housed in the field house that also contained the bathrooms. Big Dan ran the park with an Iron Fist and to a ten year old his six foot four inch height might as well been ten foot tall, when he screamed down at them,”Get off that damn bike” orDon’t roller skate in my park”. I can just see a park foreman talking  like that to kids today. He would wind up being sued. But City Park under and his crew had no Graffiti, no Vandalism, and was a sake haven for all kids alone or in a group. Your worst fear was Dan catching you doing something wrong and telling you “your not allowed in my park for a month”. God help you if you showed up twenty eight days later. You would be banned for another week. We never saw him write anthing down. (But he knew!)Unlike today there were very few organize sport back then for kids.  If you wanted to play touch football you rolled up newspaper and taped it with block electrical tape.     No one I knew owned a football or basketball.   So what you did was go to the field house an leave the recreational director or the matron your library card, a chain, or a key and they would give you a basketball, knock hockey, tennis racket, or other pieces of equipment.   When you returned what you borrowed you got your deposit back.   I spent many hours sitting on a branch of the tree between home plate and third base near the blacktop softball field.   I had my own skybox watching the older guys playing softball.   It amazed me how the outfielders played “The Tree”.   The Tree was a forty foot or more high oak  right in the middle of center field.   When a ball was hit into the tree the outfielders would circle under the tree waiting for the ball.   The runners had to wait to see if the ball was caught before they could advance.   As the older guys got to know me and the vantage point I had,I could see the whole field they would ask, “Hay Kid was that guy safe or out” Depending on how they like your call they would either give me a soda or throw their glove at me.

Now! The ground crew at Yankee Stadium could have learned from Big Dan and his crew how to maintain a baseball field.   The grass baseball field were manicured every Sunday.  Teams would come from everywhere to play.  The Brown Bombers, from the Bronx, the Blue Birds from Williamsberg, the Cadets from Queens.  Players like “Buck Wingo” who had one arm and fielded and hit with the best of them.  The pitcher “Mukie”, who showed up with hats for all teams and pitched   2 or 3 games in one day for whatever team paid him the most.  The guy for the Brown Bombers who hit a shot one Sunday to straight away center that cleared the twenty foot fence, the flag pole and the field house and landed in the blacktop softball field.  That ball started on Park Avenue and came to rest on Flushing Avenue.   All  other games were played in season.  There was no calender, but all the kids started and seem to change at the same time.    There was a time for Punch ball, stick ball, touch football.  Stoop ball, Ring a Leve Oh, Johnny on the Pony, Giant
Step, Corks, carpet guns, and scooters.  Scooters were made with one old roll skate, a two by four, awooden produce box, some nails, a hammer, and a lot of imagination.  Decorations included Bottle Caps, tin cans, and reflectors which you borrowed from trucks parked in the neighborhood.

Hours were spent listening to the radio shows like Jack  Armstrong the All American Boy, Sgt. Preston, the Green Hornet.  I spent more hours with my moms clothes pin bag.  The clothes pins became a standing armies catapults, tanks traps, cars, trucks, and connons.  My sister Jean would listen for the Announcers last word from My programs and switch radio channels to Martin Block and the Make Believe Ballroom.  It never failed as soon as she tuned in Martin Block would say, ” and that concludes fifteen minutes of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennet, or whoever and she screamed for fifteen minutes more.

During World War II the center of the park was taken over by the army.  They had dug in gun emplacement for anti-aircraft guns to protect the Brooklyn Navy Yard.  They also had guns on the roof of the Navy building up the block.  Tanks, army trucks, anti-aircraft guns, and the tents all across the street from my house.  My clothes pin army had turned into the real thing.  We felt very adult as we collected scrap metal for the war effort or walk the block with my uncle who was an Air Raid Warden.  During blackout if the windows were not covered right Uncle Carmine would blow his whistle and yell, ” don’t you know there’s a war on”.   One Sunday mom cooked a big meal for my fathers brother and his large family.  For some reason they called to canceled at the last minute.  Mom told me to go across the park and invite eight soldiers to have Sunday dinner with us.  Between mom’s homemade pasta, ( we called it macaroni back then) and the two gallons of homemade red wine my dad brought home.  Those guys had a meal to remember.  As I remember on G.I. said, ” I feel like I died and went to hog heaven”.  I forgot to mention my older brother Angelo was in the Navy serving in the Pacific.  I guess this was mom and dad’s way to say thank you, to my brothers comrades in arms.

As a kid my life revolved within the points of a triangle that covered less then 1/2 a mile.  At one point was home at 23 North Elliott Place.  Across the street to City park and up the block to P.S. 67.  Also inside my triangle was RoseMarie Gerbasio who lived at 35 North Elliott Place.  On June 2, 1956 RoseMarie, I, and our families went to St. Michael St. Edwards Church  inside then triangle and were married.  That was over forty years ago.  Right after we were married I started a small meat market at 33 North Elliott Place called Park Side Meat Market.  (What else)  Both our children Michael and Maria were born inside the triangle at Brooklyn Hospital.  They were christened at St. Michael St. Edwards Church.  I watched from my meat market as RoseMarie pushed the carriage into City Park.  I watched my son run the same bases I had earlier.  Unfortunately Michael and Maria never got to meet Big Dan or the parkies Fred, Bill, and Joe who had all retired.  But they both got to meet the recreation director Paul Morabito who became an attorney.

After twenty-nine years we decided to move.  After looking at many houses in different areas we chose a house on Avenue S “Across from the park”.  Paul Morabito acted as our attorney at our house closing.  A few years before me moved in I was coaching a sandlot football team called the Baron’s in City Park.  We traveled to Marine Park to play the Titans at their home field.  It was a cold winter’s day in November.  As we stood on the sidelines with the wind blowing in off the creek on Avenue U I lookeed around the perimeter of the park and said, “anyone who buys a house here has to be crazy”.  A year later we moved in and have been there for over thirty years.  So you know where I am coming from.

When our neighbors from downtown came to visit us, my father-in-law Jim would ask “How is everything in the city?”  And when our daughter married and became our attached neighbor, we had the best of both worlds we could walk to work, but lived in “the country.”  The first time my grandson’s Charles and Carmine asked me, “Grandpa can you cross us, to play in the park?”, I had a flashback of over fiftyr years and saw myself at 5 or 6 years old saying, “Ma! can you cross me I want to play in the park!”, I would only add one more word to the bumper sticker on my car which says, “I love Marine Park.”  That word is Truly.  “I Truly Love Marine Park.”

Written by Carmine Carro

President

Marine Park Civic Association

1993-2005

Real Estate Update for Brooklyn Home Sellers and Buyers

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

2009 was a rough stretch for many Brooklyn home sellers and buyers, but new reports hint at possible stabilization in the housing market that may prove beneficial for everyone. As 2009 rolled to a close and 2010 opened into a new year, economic and real estate reports poured out good news, but bad news wasn’t far behind. For each positive note, there is always that unavoidable “but”:

  • Mortgage rates are holding steady around 5%, thanks to government intervention. Thanks to the low rates, more people are buying and refinancing. However, the downside is that banks are more reluctant to refinance or loan. This leaves many, who want to buy a Brooklyn home, with the inability to do so. Ironic that, in a buyer’s market, it’s the banks with all the selling power.

The other “but” is that the Federal Reserve program providing the low mortgage rates is set to expire in March. Rates could very well double shortly after, which is highly likely to drop the number of interested buyers. A drop in buyer numbers will only further shift the supply/demand ratio.

  • As of December 10, 2009, the number of foreclosures in a month had dropped 16%, nationwide. The home buyer tax credit expansion, foreclosure prevention programs and loan modification programs have helped, as well as state mandated financing programs. As great as that is, there were still over 300,000 foreclosures in November, 2009, which is 18% higher than November, 2008.
  • Home prices are “firming,” showing improvement over five consecutive months. Although the rise is considered mild, fewer homeowners are underwater, where they owe more mortgage than their house is worth. Because housing prices are improving, home sellers are more confident in the listing prices they’ve set.

However, many – who are currently unemployed – have ARM mortgages that will be resetting shortly. While they can afford their current mortgages, many won’t be able to afford a higher one. This could bring another round of foreclosures and another drop in housing prices.

What does all this mean for Brooklyn home buyers and sellers? As Ben Franklin put it, “nothing in this world is certain, except death and taxes.” However, there is also the famous “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” 2010 could be rocky, but, if you’re careful and do your research, you’ll find smooth sailing ahead.

If you’re trying to buy or sell a home, I can help. Call me at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected] for more information.


Charles D’Alessandro

[email protected]
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573
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Search The Brooklyn NY MLS Thousands Of Brooklyn Homes For Sale

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Brooklyn Real Estate Sales brings directly to you the Brooklyn MLS Real Estate Search! Just click here to search the Brooklyn NY Real Estate Search and start looking through thousand of properties for sale.

For a free added bonus Search Here to search Fillmore Real Estate listings!

If you plan on buying or selling real estate in Brooklyn call Charles D’Alessandro at Fillmore Real Estate (718) 253-9600 EXT.206 or email [email protected]


Charles D’Alessandro

[email protected]
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573
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How to Improve the Insulation of Your Brooklyn Homes

Monday, January 11th, 2010

We’re all looking for ways to cut costs in our Brooklyn homes.  One of the most efficient ways to save money is to insulate.  There are two simple ways to insulate your home that you may not have thought of before.  Here is the low down on each of them:

Add Weatherstripping

You may be familiar with weatherstripping on your car, but have you ever thought about weather-stripping your house?  It comes in many different sizes, so you can easily choose the right kind for your Brooklyn homes. Pre-weather stripped doors are now sold in many home improvement stores.

When choosing which weather stripping to buy, consider the amount of friction that it will need to stand up to.  It would be better to use vinyl weatherstripping in high traffic areas. You could use felt weather stripping to protect areas that don’t get a lot of wear and tear.

Clean and dry the area before applying the weather stripping in one long strip.  When installing the weather stripping to doors, make sure that the edges compress slightly when closing the door.  Install around each of the windows and doors to your house.  It will keep the cold air out, and help improve the energy efficiency of your home.

Insulate Your Water Heater

Another way to conserve energy is to insulate your water heater.  A water heater jacket is one of the most inexpensive ways to protect from heat loss.  Look for an insulating jacket that has a rating of at least R-8.  You can buy them pre-cut for easy installation.  Most water heater jackets are held in place with belts provided in the installation kit.

Check the manufacturer’s instructions before you set the temperature on the water heater.  A temperature setting that’s too high can cause the wiring to overheat.

These insulation tips are easy to do in your spare time.  You can save a lot of money on your utility bills by preventing energy loss and insulating your Brooklyn homes.

Want to buy a well-insulated, energy-efficient home?  I can help.  Call Charles D’Alessandro of Fillmore Real Estate today at 718 253-9600 ext.206 or email me at [email protected].


Charles D’Alessandro

[email protected]
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573
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The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting for temporary work!

Sunday, January 10th, 2010

2010 Census Jobs

The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting temporary, part-time census takers for the 2010 Census. These short-term jobs offer good pay, flexible hours, paid training, and reimbursement for authorized work-related expenses, such as mileage incurred while conducting census work. Best of all, census takers work right in their own communities.

Census taker jobs are excellent for people who want to work part-time, those who are between jobs, or just about anyone who wants to earn extra money while performing an important service for their community.
Click to watch video clips about being a census taker
Hundreds of thousands are needed for temporary jobs

Conducting the census is a huge undertaking. Hundreds of thousands of census takers are needed nationwide to help locate households and conduct brief personal interviews with residents. Most positions require a valid driver’s license and use of a vehicle. However, use of public transportation may be authorized in certain areas.
Your community is counting on you

Every 10 years, the Census Bureau takes a snapshot of our population, determining how many people reside within the nation’s borders, who they are, and where they live. The results help determine your representation in government, as well as how federal funds are spent in your community on things like roads, parks, housing, schools, and public safety. As a census taker, you’ll play a vital role in making sure that everyone is counted.
Bilingual speakers are encouraged to apply

All census takers must be able to speak English, but people who have bilingual skills are needed in communities where a large number of residents primarily speak other languages. If you have the appropriate language skills and cultural knowledge to communicate well in your community, we encourage you to apply.

Apply today by contacting your Local Census Office or by calling 1-866-861


Charles D’Alessandro

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It May Take A Family To Buy A Brooklyn Home

Sunday, January 10th, 2010

As a Brooklyn Realtor and a family man, I keep my eye on todays Brooklyn real estate market on a daily basis. My report is,  Home sales and prices have shown some signs of stabilizing this year, and the survey results affirm the market continued to favor buyers, particularly first-timers.Tax incentives, record high affordability conditions and a pent-up demand brought a record share of first-time home buyers into the market,First-time home buyers this year have been able to take advantage of a tax credit of up to $8,000 meant to entice new home buyers to enter the market. According to the National Association of Realtors First-time buyers accounted for a record 47 percent of home sales between July 2008 and June this year, up from 41 percent in the prior-year period.Yet there are still many who would like to take advantage of the opportunities in todays Brooklyn real estate market but their income and or their down payment is not enough to qualify for the mortgage. What about a Family Home Ownership  in Brooklyn, back in the early days when our parents and grand parents immigrated to this country families all lived together in the same house working on the American Dream Brooklyn Home Ownership!“The Family Home” Parents, Grandparents,Children and Grandchildren all under one roof, pooling together their paychecks sharing expenses to keep up the family home. Some wise man once said “As Much Things Change They Stay The Same”! If you are interested finding the perfect Family Home in Brooklyn , call me Charles D’Alessandro of Fillmore Real Estate (718) 253-9600 ext.206 or e mail [email protected]


Charles D’Alessandro

[email protected]
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573
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Was Your Brooklyn Real Estate Financing Declined?

Friday, January 8th, 2010


If you’ve recently applied for credit to finance a Brooklyn real estate purchase, and were declined, you might be wondering why a lender would deny you credit.  Most lenders have a checklist of qualifications necessary to get approval for a home loan, and some don’t have anything to do with what your credit score is.  Here are the basic reasons a lender may deny a mortgage loan:

  • Little or no credit.  You may be under the mistaken impression that no credit is better than bad credit, but you’d be wrong.  A blank credit history is not something a mortgage lender wants to see.  A lender needs some idea of how you make payments.  You can build your credit history by getting a department store credit card, and only using thirty percent of your available credit to make a purchase.  Making regular payments will soon add up to good credit, and lenders will look more favorably at your loan application.
  • Bad Credit.  It’ll be difficult to find a lender that will approve a person with bad credit.  It’s not the end of the road.  You can improve your credit score with a little hard work and still buy that Brooklyn real estate you want.  You’ll want to get a copy of your credit report from all three of the major credit bureaus.  If you have frequent late charges or many items in collections, you’ll need to call each company and arrange to get your accounts current.  You’ll be surprised at the difference each timely payment makes on your credit score.
  • Credit-to-Debt Ratio.  Most mortgage lenders will decline a loan application if your credit to debt ratio is too high.  The ratio is figured by dividing the amount of credit available to you by the amount that you are actually using.  Using all or a high percentage of the credit available to you may leave the impression that you are short on money and will have trouble making loan payments.

Let me help you get on the road to a Brooklyn real estate loan.  Call me at (718) 253-9600 ext.206 or email me at [email protected] for more information.


Charles D’Alessandro

[email protected]
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573
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Get Rid of Clutter in Your Brooklyn Homes

Thursday, January 7th, 2010


Getting rid of clutter in your Brooklyn homes can be a challenge for anyone.  We are overwhelmed with junk mail, paper from our children’s school, bills, magazines, trinkets, toys and clothes.  It can be difficult to sort through the mess to determine what we really need.  Even when the clutter is all sorted, new clutter seems to replace it overnight.  There are several ways that you can get rid of the mess in your home.

  • Start in one room and finish it.  It can be overwhelming to try to organize a whole house.  Start in one room and go through it.  Discard things that you have not used in the last six months.  If you have not worn it or used it in that time, then you don’t need it.  Discard all broken or stained items.  You aren’t going to fix them, or you would already have done it.
  • Throw things away.  Don’t set things aside to sort later, just in case you may need it.  When sorting, make a bin of items to keep and a bin of things to throw away.  Getting in the habit of discarding unneeded items can be difficult at first, but it will drastically cut down on clutter in your Brooklyn homes.
  • Give things away.  Get rid of clutter and help those in need by donating items that you’re no longer using.
  • Label your storage bins.  Many times clutter develops because there is no set place to put things.  For instance, in the toy room, have individual storage bins for toy cars, railroad tracks, dolls and crayons.  Each bin should be clearly labeled so that all family members can participate in putting things where they’re supposed to go.  With young children, it may be helpful to take a picture of the items that go in the bin, and tape it to the front of the container.

It’s easy to have clutter free Brooklyn homes using these organizing tips.

If your home is already organized, but you still don’t have enough room, it may be time to buy a larger home.  I can help.  Call me today at (718) 253-9600 ext.206 or email me at [email protected] for more information.


Charles D’Alessandro

[email protected]
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573
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The NYC Citizen Corps Council is proud to announce a new community service Youth Program

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

The NYC Citizen Corps Council is proud to announce a new community service Youth Program for NYC high school students currently enrolled in grades 9 to 11. Participants will gain valuable experience in emergency preparedness and disaster response, while developing relationships with important citywide organizations and other NYC youth. Once selected, youth leaders will meet every other Tuesday evening from February to June 2010. These leaders will be trained in NYC emergency management and work on improving existing preparedness messaging for high school youth.  Youth leaders will attend hands-on training sessions with community leaders and emergency managers from organizations like the American Red Cross and NYC Office of Emergency Management, among others. They will also offer feedback about current preparedness outreach tactics and work to design a youth-oriented emergency preparedness event.  The application deadline is Friday, January 8. To download the Youth Program application or for additional information, visit www.NYC.gov/citizencorps or email [email protected].

Herman Schaffer,

MSW Director, Community

Outreach New York City Office of Emergency Management

165 Cadman Plaza East Brooklyn, NY  11201

Tel: 718-422-4821 Fax: 718-422-8451


Charles D’Alessandro

[email protected]
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573
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