Archive for October, 2019

11 Mistakes That Will Keep a Quick Sale From Happening

Wednesday, October 30th, 2019
Quick sale
There are reasons why a quick sale isn’t happening for you. Ask yourself these 11 questions and make it happen.

Were you hoping for a quick sale when you listed your home last spring? Did you invest a lot of time and money into your home in order to attract buyers right away? Are you left wondering where all those potential buyers are months later? Don’t panic if the months have flown by and that coveted SOLD sign isn’t in your yard yet. There are possible reasons why a quick sale isn’t happening for you.

What to Ask Yourself When a Quick Sale Isn’t Happening

If your home isn’t selling, ask yourself the following questions. Then make the necessary changes. The good news is it’s all fixable, so there’s no need to panic.

Is my house overpriced?

If your house is overpriced, it won’t sell. To properly price your home, compare your property to others similar to your own. Look at those in your area that have sold recently. This gives you a much better idea of what your home’s true value is.

Note: Don’t make the mistake of assuming that renovations add value. Renovations don’t always translate into added value.

Does my listing do a great job of attracting a buyer’s attention?

Buyers will skip over poorly written listings. And if yours has only a few images, add more to it. But don’t add just any image! High-quality photographs of the interior and exterior of your home are extremely necessary to attract buyer attention.

Note: Don’t forget to list your home’s unique features in the description as well.

Should I be present whenever my agent shows my home?

Buyers don’t want sellers lurking around while walking through a home – not ever, not even during an open house. Your unwanted presence at showings puts unwanted pressure on them. Having you there in the house makes them feel uncomfortable. Allow buyers the freedom to envision themselves and their belongings in the house. Let your agent handle your showings.

Note: Don’t forget to take your pets and their belongings with you before your agent arrives to show your house.

Do I really want to sell this house?

If a part of you really doesn’t want to sell your house, negotiating with or coming to an agreement with a potential buyer will be difficult.

Note: Come to terms with yourself. Move past the attachment you have to your home or any thoughts that your house is the best on the market.

Is my house clean?

A dirty house leaves a bad impression on buyers. You can scrub a lot of what needs to be cleaned before your agent starts showing your house, yes. But hire professionals to help you with carpets and drapes before the first walkthrough takes place.

Note: If you’ve walked on it or touched it, get it clean. You’d be amazed at how dirty your carpets, windows, doors, baseboards, handrails, cupboards, etc. really are.

Does my home need to be staged?

Stage your house. Furniture and decor give buyers a better idea of how big a room truly is and how it can be used. Staging a home well makes buyers feel at home as they tour through it. And isn’t that how you want them to feel?

Note: Even an empty house needs to be staged. Buyers find it difficult to imagine themselves living in an empty house.

Should I pack more of my personal décor? 

Take everything that is personal down and pack it all away. This includes all of your family portraits. Your personal décor makes buyers feel uncomfortable. It also makes imagining living there more difficult for them to do.

Note: Trophies, award-winning ribbons, your children’s artistic drawings, and even your prized collectibles need to be packed away from potential buyers’ views.

Is my home too personalized? 

This question sounds a bit redundant after that last one. Doesn’t it? But this has to do with bright, loud, bold colors throughout your home. Neutral colors also allow potential buyers to better imagine themselves and their belongings in your house.

Note: For example, don’t scare off buyers with an incredible mural on the wall in your child’s room. Take a picture of it, and then paint over it with an aesthetically pleasing neutral paint.

Do I have too much furniture displayed?

Your home may be immaculate, but it may still feel cluttered. How? Too much furniture in a room makes the house feel smaller than it is. While your home is being shown, live minimally.

Note: Imagine this – an 11’x10′ bedroom “stuffed” with a King-sized bed, two dressers, two nightstands, and a floor lamp feels cluttered! Pack everything but the smaller dresser and a nightstand over to your storage unit and find a twin or full bed to use until the house sells.

Are there too many repairs that still need to be done?

Most buyers do not want to deal with the cost or take the time needed to make repairs. And the more repairs needed, the more unappealing your home is to a buyer.

Note: Walk through your house. Tighten handrails, replace broken tiles, apply caulking wherever needed. Are there broken pull tabs on blinds or missing fan pulls in the house? You get the picture.

Did I choose the wrong real estate agent? 

Choosing a great real estate agent makes all the difference when it comes to a quick sale. It’s the most important decision you make when selling your home. 

Note: When you list your home, hiring the right real estate professional is the best way to avoid mistakes that prevent a quick sale.

While you shouldn’t panic if a quick sale doesn’t happen the moment you list it, ask yourself why the offers aren’t coming in. Then contact Charles D’Alessandroyour Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate. Call (718) 253-9600 ext. 206 or email [email protected]


Charles D’Alessandro
Your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent
718-253-9600 ext. 206

How to Celebrate Halloween 2019 in Brooklyn, New York

Friday, October 18th, 2019
Choose to celebrate Halloween 2019 in Brooklyn, New York

From parades and petting zoos for the little ones to adult music, drinking, and “horrific” entertainment, you can celebrate Halloween 2019 in a variety of scary degrees. Brooklyn has already been celebrating Halloween since October 1st, but there are a few events that run into the first part of November. For a complete list of events to choose from, visit Halloween in Brooklyn.

Celebrate Halloween Tomorrow

10th Annual Children’s Halloween Parade – Sat, Oct 19, 11AM

Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk, 37 Riegelmann Boardwalk, Brooklyn, NY

This free event is brought to you by The Alliance for Coney Island. The party starts at 11AM with games, bounce houses, face painting, live music and so much more!

Celebrate Halloween in Brooklyn Through October 22nd

$29 Tix: Dancing Of The Dead Rooftop Party with 2 Hour Open Bar ($54 Value) – Oct 12 – 22

Kimoto Rooftop Restaurant & Garden Lounge, 216 Duffield Street, Brooklyn, NY

If your life has been a Halloween filter since September, then it’s time to nail down those plans and get your fill of frights and bewitching splendor as you head to The Annual Dancing Of The Dead Open Bar Halloween Party at starting at 6:00pm on Thursday, October 31, 2019, at Kimoto Rooftop Garden Lounge.

Treat yourself to this $29 Open Bar Ticket (a $54 value), dress to impress (or distress) to gain access to this garden of ghoulish delights at Brooklyn’s most breathtaking indoor/outdoor rooftop, offering panoramic views, bloodthirsty energy, and deep, dark pleasures.

Surrender your inhibitions to the seductive natures of Hallows Eve with a free-flowing foray of endless cocktails, wines and beers, all ready and waiting to encourage you to misbehave as you dance the night away at one of the city’s most spirited, spooky parties.

Bask in eerie thrills and the epic views, waking the dead with the sounds of an incredible night spend amidst the stars…

Your $29 Open Bar Ticket (a $54 Value) Includes:

  • Admission to Dancing Of The Dead Halloween Party from 6:00PM until 1:00AM on Thursday, October 31, 2019
  • 2-Hour Open Bar Serving Cocktails, Wines, and Beers from 6:00PM until 8:00PM
  • A Selection of Foods available for purchase
  • Live DJ Entertainment
  • Halloween Favors & Surprises
  • Indoor & Outdoor Rooftop Venue With Breathtaking Views Overlooking Manhattan & Brooklyn
  • Costume Contest

Adult Halloween Event Through October 25th

$29 Premium Open Bar Halloween Booze Cruise Aboard The Timeless – Oct 14 – 25

Pier 36 New York, 299 South Street, New York, NY

New York City’s beauty will be on full display for you to enjoy at a thrilling affair teeming with horror thanks to the sea-faring-experts at Empire Cruises, whose accessible and majestic fleet has been gracing the New York harbor for almost 10 years.

Climb aboard if you dare, entering a ghoulish bacchanal on the Timeless yacht, which can hold upwards of 550 passengers and boasts three levels of spacious indoor decks as well as a massive outdoor deck perfect for fresh air selfies and shots of the many jaw-dropping views you’ll see on this epic cruise.

A bevy of full-sized bars will serve up delectable, thirst-quenching libations, so whether you crave beers, wines, or cocktails (just to name a few), your thirsty cries and howls at the moon will be answered.

Tasty fare for purchase is ready for when hunger strikes, plus glamorous amenities like a high-tech sound system so the jams played by a live DJ will flow throughout the vessel.

Beware, good times lie waiting on the water…

Your $29 Ticket (a $54 Value) Includes:

  • Admission To A Premium Open Bar Halloween Party Booze Cruise Around NYC on The Timeless on Saturday, October 26, 2019, from 8:00PM until 10:30PM.
  • 2 Hour Premium Open Bar from 8:30pm until 10:30pm.
  • Spectacular photo opportunities of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Brooklyn Bridge & more!
  • A Selection of Foods available for purchase.
  • Live DJ spinning throughout the evening.

Empire Cruises’ Website | Halloween Party Booze Cruise

Halloween Parties on Friday, October 25th

Halloween Massacre – A Brooklyn Halloween Party – Fri, Oct 25, 10PM – Sat, Oct 26, 4AM

Brooklyn Bazaar, 150 Greenpoint Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

One Party…
Three Rooms of Music…

Halloween Costume Contest with Cash Prizes
Halloween Decorations, Candy, Giveaways & More

Very limited amount of early bird tickets available. Must be 18 or older. No refunds.

A Night to Dismember Halloween Party – Fri, Oct 25, 10PM – Sat, Oct 26, 4AM

Amarachi, 189 Bridge Street, Brooklyn, NY

Come for a dismantling Halloween party at Amarachi lounge under the bridge. On Friday, October 25th, the massive bar, and lounge beckon NYC partiers to a live DJ-led dance party in its Halloween den of vice. To celebrate Halloween with additional prestige, indulge in VIP packages for reserved seating and bottle service. Zombies, vampires, and ghouls alike will delight in the frightful festivities at this hair-raising Halloween party in NYC.

Celebrate Halloween in Brooklyn on October 26th

Beyond X Industry City: Kids’ Halloween Parade – Sat, Oct 26, 10AM-4PM

51 35th Street, Brooklyn, NY

Join Beyond and Industry City for the third annual Kids’ Halloween Parade + Trick-or-Treat Scavenger Hunt! Including fun activities like mural painting and a pumpkin patch, come in costume for an evening to remember.

The Cityfox Halloween Festival 2019 – Sat, Oct 26 (4:30-5:30PM)

Avant Gardner, 140 Stewart Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

Green Meadows Farm Brooklyn Halloween Fun Weekends – Oct 26-27 & Nov 2-3 (11AM-5PM)

Come have a BOO-tastic day at Green Meadows Farm! Your little ghouls and goblins get to dress in their costumes and explore a kid-friendly haunted house! They’ll enjoy petting lots of furry farm pets — alpacas, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, turkeys, pigs, and cows. Plus, there is a new event on November 2 & 3 — Pumpkin Smashing! Come belly laugh the day away.

KIDS, WEAR YOUR COSTUMES TO THIS HALLOWEEN EVENT!

Cost: $9 per person

Additional Fees for:

  • Animal Feed
  • Pony Rides
  • Pumpkin Smashing!

For additional information, call 718-470-0278 or visit www.greenmeadowsfarmbrooklyn.com or their Facebook page.

Halloween Events Through October 27th

Halloween Harvest 2019 – Sep 28 – Oct 27

Hosted by Luna Park NYC, 1000 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

Halloween Harvest returns, magic shows, stilt walkers, trick-or-treating and more! All activities are included in any day Luna Pass. Tickets available at lunaparknyc.com.

The Dodo’s Best Dog Day Ever: Halloween Edition – Oct 4 – 27

25 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

Mark your calendars for The Dodo’s Best Dog Day Ever: Halloween Edition! This dog-friendly event will be held from 10AM to 7:30PM on Oct 4, 2019, to Oct 27, 2019, at 25 Kent in Brooklyn, NY.

BringFido out to the most perfectly spooky fall day with unforgettable experiences, extreme photo ops, and of course, very special treats, and tailor-made activities for him/her.

Dress your pup in costume so he/she can make an appearance in the epic parade! Discover a pumpkin patch just for pups, Dyson’s Transformation Lab where you get hands-on with Dyson technology while your dogs enjoy complimentary, mess-free makeovers with Dyson engineered tools, the ultimate trick-or-treat shoppe (with dog-friendly ice cream!), a happy AND haunted house packed with adorable rescue pups, Target’s Costume Cam and so much more.

Best Dog Day Ever is designed to make your dogs as happy as they make you.

Sponsored by Dyson and Target. Admission is varied.

Green Meadows Farm Pumpkin Picking – Oct 5 – 27

Aviator Sports & Events Center, 3159 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

MOST VISITED PUMPKIN PATCH IN BROOKLYN, NY IS AT GREEN MEADOWS FARM!


Green Meadows Farm Pumpkin Picking on October 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 19 & 20
Bring your family and friends and enjoy a crisp autumn day of fall fun. Visit with friendly alpacas, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, turkeys, pigs and cows, giggle on a hayride, and pick your own perfect pumpkin. You’ll find your special Halloween pumpkin in the pumpkin patch with sizes large and little, tall, and small. (FREE PUMPKINS with paid admission)

Time: 11:00AM – 5:00 PM
Admission: $9 per person

Admission Includes:
– FREE PUMPKIN
– Kid-friendly Haunted House
– Visit with Friendly Animals
– Enjoy a Hayride
– Milk a Cow
– Play in our Corn Box
– Sit on a Real Bulldozer
– Try the Giant Hay-wagon Slide
– Bunny Barn
– Barnyard Playground

Additional Fees for:
– Animal Feed
– Pony Rides

For additional information, go to www.greenmeadowsfarmbrooklyn.com or call 718-470-0278.

Events Going on Now Through October 31st

Rageoween – Oct 3 – 31

Absurd Conclave, 360 Jefferson Street, Brooklyn, NY

Halloween will never be the same! Following the successes of events like HEATWAVE and Rage Against The Grades, this will be the biggest rager October 31st has ever seen. This event features sounds by the best DJs in the city, a costume contest, exclusive one-time-only merch, special guests, and all the spooky vibes and high energy you can handle. Don’t miss out! This night only comes once a year. See you there!

The Springs Presents a Walk of Fear Haunted House – Oct 4 – Oct 31

The Springs, 224 Franklin Street, Brooklyn, NY

Enter the Walk of Fear if you dare. This Haunted House pop up at The Springs (224 Franklin Street) in Greenpoint will be open from October 4th – October 31st from 6PM – 11PM on Sunday – Thursday and 6PM – 12AM Friday and Saturday.

  • Starting on Oct 27th – Every Tuesday night at 9PM, four terrifying rooms to wander and test how much horror you can take in addition to Trivia
  • Oct 25-26 – Costume Dance Party starting at 10PM as well as a new fall cocktail menu

Admission: Purchase of one drink for adults and $5 for children. For more information, visit thesprings-bk.com.

Brooklyn Plantology – Oct 6 – 31

Brooklyn Plantology by Lapide, 26 Brooklyn Terminal Market, Brooklyn, NY

From Newyorkhauntedhouses.com: It’s beginning to look a lot like Halloween and Fall here at Brooklyn Plantology!! Come see Brooklyn Plantology for all your fall decorating needs.

Brooklyn Plantology by Lapide – The area’s largest selection of retail and wholesale garden supplies family operated for 65 years in the historic Brooklyn Terminal Market.

They offer seasonal classes, event space, workshops, garden design and drafting services as well as organic and conventional products and materials. They deliver too!

NYC Pumpkin Beer Kegs – Oct 7 – Oct 31

Loreley Beer Garden, 7 Rivington St, New York, NY

Seasonally Decorated Heated & Haunted Outdoor Beer Garden

FREE Admission, NO Cover! Pumpkin Kegs Tapped & Filled with Southern Tier Pumking Beer, served directly to your table! Pumpkin Beer, Pumpkin Spiced Cocktails, Pumpkin Spiced Coffee, Seasonal Craft Cider, Cider Cocktails & more!

Special items available every day of the week Starting October 1st.

Big groups welcome! Reserve tables at www.loreleynyc.com or email [email protected] for reservations.

Halloween Events on October 31st Only

Halloween Flash Mob – Oct 31

Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY

Come join our flash dance mob and have fun with Jojo Seven Entertainment and dance the night away on Halloween night, Thursday, October 31st in Brooklyn, NY (Secret Location – You must register to find out the location). Three rehearsals for our FLASH MOB PERFORMANCE ARE LEFT. These classes will be held at Spoke the Hub (upstairs) at 748 Union Street from 3PM to 4PM every Sunday this month.

All ages are welcome! The event will be televised!! Inbox for rates, discounts, and group prices.

Rare Halloween: Carnage, Getter, 12th Plant & More –  Oct 31 (9-10PM)

Great Hall – Avant Gardner, 140 Steward Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

How ever you choose to celebrate Halloween, be safe and mindful of others. And when you need to buy or sell real estate, contact Charles D’Alessandroyour Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate. Call (718) 253-9600 ext. 206 or email [email protected]


Charles D’Alessandro
Your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent
718-253-9600 ext. 206