Archive for January, 2017

Should This Be the Year You Sell your Home?

Monday, January 30th, 2017
Sell your home

Charles D’Alessandro knows how to accentuate the special and unique features of your home to help you sell your home fast and for top dollar.

Did you sell your home in 2016? 2016 was the best year for existing-home sales since 2006. Existing-home sales were 3.3 percent higher in 2016 than they were in 2015. If you didn’t, should this be the year you sell your home?

The National Association of Realtors predicts positive growth in the market this year in the following ways:

  1. Existing-home sales are predicted to grow modestly by 2 percent this year in spite of mortgage rate increases.
  2. The median price of homes being sold has been forecasted to increase by 4 percent.

These reasons are reason enough to make this year the year to sell your home. I encourage you to consider it.

The Brooklyn real estate market is unique as is your own financial situation. So find out how the 2017 Brooklyn housing market looks. I have over 30 years of real estate experience. With that experience I will help you decide whether or not the sale of your home makes financial sense. Contact me, Charles D’Alessandro, today at (718) 253-9700 ext. 206.

If you decide to sell your home, do these 3 things right now

If after a consultation with me you decide to put your home on the market, there are a few things you should do right now. Getting these to-do’s completed will give you a head start on selling your home this spring.

  1. Hire Charles D’Alessandro as your real estate agent.

Hiring a real estate with experience and great customer service is essential to a successful home sale. With me as your real estate agent, you can:

  • Rely on my expertise to make the decision to sell
  • Believe I’ll choose the right price for your home
  • Have confidence in how I market your home
  • Trust my skill to negotiate offers from buyers
  1. Get a home inspection scheduled before you list.

An early home inspection is a good idea. You want to find and fix any issues there may be with your home before the buyer does. If a buyer finds unseen issues when they conduct their own inspection, it could derail the sale. An early home inspection will give you extra time to address any problems uncovered.  I can advise you on whether it’s better to make the repairs or adjust your asking price instead.

  1. Declutter and stage your home.

Decluttering and packing while making home improvements is an efficient way to prepare your home for sale. Then, once your house is free of clutter, you can stage your home to impress.

  • Clean out your closets
  • Pack photos and knick-knacks
  • Put all that you can in storage
  • Make rooms look spacious. Live as minimally as you possibly can. Store extra furniture pieces, like the quilt rack, hope chest, tall dresser.
  • Clear kitchen countertops and keep them clear
  • Paint the entry way and keep it tidy
  • Invest in new throw pillows, towels, bedding and other accessories

Finally …

I will advise you on the best ways to attract buyers to sell your home. I know how to accentuate the special and unique features of your home and stay within your budget.

Sell your home fast and for top dollar. Contact Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9700 ext. 206 or email [email protected] today. Take my advice and avoid the stress of getting your home ready to sell on a tight deadline. You’ll be way ahead of the competition, too.

Do You Hope to Move from Renting to Buying This Year?

Sunday, January 15th, 2017
Renting to Buying

Prepare to move from renting to buying a home this hear! Start today with these 5 good habits and make home ownership your reality!

The end of a year is a good place to start – some good habits for a new year, that is! Are you hoping to move from renting to buying a home this year? Then there’s no time like the month of January to get started on these 5 habits. Start here. Start now for a seamless transition from renting to buying in the New Year.

5 Good Habits That Will Pave the Road from Renting to Buying

  1. Start saving for a down payment right away

Unless you’ve received a sizeable inheritance, you can never start saving for a down payment too early. For a $200,000 home, the recommended 20% down payment is $40,000. That’s a lot of money, and most people don’t plan for it like they ought to.

The best way to start saving for a down payment is to automate an amount from every paycheck into your savings. Yes, automate saving a small amount of every paycheck. Set it up to go right into a separate savings account named “Down Payment.” Exercising the discipline and perseverance to set aside money for a savings account is tough. But setting up automatic savings makes it easier, and you won’t miss it. Money can be “out of sight, out of mind.” You won’t spend what you don’t see to spend.

By the way, a down payment of 20 percent is not a requirement. There are other options, but it’s best to save as much as you can. Start a savings account with your very next paycheck.

  1. Pay down debt and pay your bills on time

Can’t say this enough, “Pay off debt and pay your bills on time.” Mortgage lenders want to see that you’ve paid off past debts. They also want to see that you are paying your credit cards and other loan payments on time. If you’ve been late in the past, get current and stay current. Even if you make $250,000 a year, a mortgage lender will likely deny a mortgage if your credit card payments are always late. Keep in mind, lenders favor not using more than 30 percent of your available credit, too. Pay down as much debt as you can before applying for a home loan.

  1. Live on a budget

Owning a home isn’t necessarily pricier than renting. It depends on your area. Do your homework and compare the costs of renting versus buying a home. If you expect your mortgage payment to be larger than your rent payment, create a budget that factors that in. When you live on less, you get used to it. Then you won’t choke when your monthly mortgage payment becomes a reality. You’ll also be able to save more for the down payment and pay down debt.

  1. Learn how to do your own repairs and maintenance

When renting, repairs are the landlord’s responsibility. That’s nice. Learn the basics of property maintenance while renting. What if your new home has a lawn? You’ll need garden hoses, a lawn mower and other maintenance tools, because lawn care will also be your responsibility. It would be wise to add home maintenance as a budget item, too.

Knowing how to do basic home repairs and maintenance will save thousands of dollars as a homeowner.

  1. Get to know the real estate market

Here’s something else you should do while renting – get to know the real estate market. Prepare before you’re ready to hire a real estate agent and start touring homes.

Browse homes online to get a sense of what is available. Find out what you can afford and how much of a down payment you should be saving for. This saves you from disappointment when you begin touring homes.

And Now You Know How to Pave the Way from Renting to Buying

Now you know 5 good habits to start now to move from renting to buying a home this year. Hiring an agent may be in the somewhat distant future, but there is plenty for you to do right now. Change your hope of buying a home into a reality in 2017. This is a huge purchase, and it requires some preparation financially and mentally.

Call Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate today at (718) 253-9700 ext. 206 or email [email protected]. With over 30 years of experience, Charles has the expert real estate agent skills needed to help you prepare to purchase your first home.