Archive for April, 2020

What Have You Uncovered in the Heart of Your Home?

Thursday, April 30th, 2020

You’ve been spending a lot of time at home lately, haven’t you? And I’m willing to bet it’s been rewarding to finally have the time to tackle all those projects that have been piling up. Yeah, nice. But while the whole self-isolating thing may have been great at first, stir craziness is probably starting to set in. So, if you’re still self-isolating and haven’t already tackled the TLC projects in the heart of your home, consider this. You can easily improve the atmosphere of your home in addition to your outlook with seven worthwhile DIY projects for your kitchen. And they’re surprisingly easy!

Heart of your home
Uncover the value of the heart of your home while self-isolating this spring

Uncover the Value of Home and Family in the Heart of Your Home

Traffic in your kitchen has definitely increased with staying home. Am I right? You’re cooking and creating and discovering the value of the heart of the home again.

Why not spice up your kitchen space and increase the value of your home while you’re at it?

Kitchen Project #1: Organize Your Pantry

Organizing your pantry can seem overwhelming and make you skip over that “easy” word used earlier. But it really is an easy space to organize and super rewarding, too.

  1. Start by clearing out your pantry.
  2. Next, sort like items together.
  3. Then, choose what you’d like to organize it all with – woven baskets, clear bins, lazy Susan turntables.

“You can use woven baskets, clear bins, or a combination of both,” Amato-Scotto says. “Baskets are great for snacks and chips, as those items can’t stack or stand upright on a shelf. Clear bins and containers are good for items that you use frequently, so you can view at glance how much is left.”

Shop The Container Store nearest you. Stores are temporarily closed due to COVID-19. But Contactless Curbside Pickup is available at select locations.

Kitchen Project #2: Add Some Pop with Paint

A fresh new look in the kitchen is easily accomplished with a bit of paint.

No need to paint the whole kitchen if you’re not up to that amount of work. A subtle yet contrasting applied to your kitchen island is just enough to do wonders to the look and feel of your whole kitchen.

Shop here for your perfect color inspiration before committing to a shade on your island.

Window in the heart of your home

Kitchen Project #3: Treat or “Untreat” Your Kitchen Window

Home decor trends are moving away from curtains and window coverings. So if your windows are adorned with beautiful trim, don’t cover them up. Show them off. But if the sun happens to be an issue, fabric shades in a pattern or natural woven shades are great options.

Kitchen Project #4: Add a Bit of “Glass” to Your Kitchen

I love all these easy DIY kitchen upgrades. But this one … this one speaks to me! It’s class in an instant!

 Just install glass in a couple of tired-looking old cabinet doors, and you’ve just added visual openness and a layered effect in your kitchen.

Watch Meghan Carter, host of AsktheDecorator.com, demonstrate how to install glass in cabinet doors in this video.

Kitchen Project #5: Make Your Kitchen Shine

Install a new set of pendant lights. Pendant lights add interest and highlight to your newly painted island. They’re highly functional, too.

Some pendant lights may create visual heaviness for small kitchen spaces. Clear glass pendants keep the look and feel of your kitchen sleek and, well, light.

Kitchen Project #6: Upgrade to a Dish-Drying Rack

Believe it or not, some of us are not fortunate to own a dishwasher.

So for those of us who get to hand-wash our dishes, I suggest this upgrade. Install a decorative and functional dish-drying rack above your sink. This allows your dishes to drip-dry while making your dishes look neat and orderly. And your dishes are far more accessible on a daily basis than they would be stacked in a pile on the counter. From wet and ugly to decorative and functional. Boom! Neatness, color, and pattern added to your space, just like that!

 This video will get you started on this easy upgrade.

Kitchen Project #7: Hook Up with Your Collection of Coffee Mugs

Yes, this project is super simple. You’ll wonder why you didn’t do this when you weren’t self-isolating way back when. Add under-the-cabinet hooks for your coffee mugs.

This improvement adds personality and clears up space in your cabinets, too.

Focus on the Heart of Your Home

Unprecedented times such as these call for common sense, thoughtfulness, and respect for others. Be kind. This will come to an end.

And while you’re home doing the social distancing thing, put your extra time and energy into something productive. Apply some TLC to your kitchen and uncover the heart of your home.

If you’d like to make even more improvements on the heart of your home, contact me, Charles D’Alessandroyour Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate. I have space-saving ideas and great resources to help you with your kitchen space.

Our office is completely shut down and committed to your safety during the COVID-19 health crisis in compliance with the State of New York public health policies. I can be reached by phone at (718) 253-9600 ext. 1901 or by email at [email protected].


Charles D'Alessandro

Charles D’Alessandro
Your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent
718-253-9600 ext. 1901

Is Now the Best Time to Consider Purchasing a Home

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020
Is this spring really the best time to purchase a home?

According to real estate experts, springtime is the best time to purchase a home. But this year, spring is different. It is anything but typical or ordinary. Many real estate agents are now working remotely and conducting most of their business online. And buyer and seller consultations are done virtually. But many home shoppers are wondering if now is really the best time to consider purchasing a home.

Coronavirus or Not, Always Weigh the Factors

Social distancing because of the coronavirus is attempting to cripple our economy in many ways. And to offset the negative effects this virus is having, the FED lowered interest rates significantly. But even as wonderful as that is, it’s still wise to weigh all the factors, negative and positive, before purchasing a home.

Exercise Caution When Purchasing a Home Now

It makes sense to pay less to borrow money, of course. And you should always exercise caution before taking on a mortgage. But since the possibility of a recession is at hand, it’s even more important that you purchase a home you can truly afford.

Caution: Can You Really Afford the Monthly Payment?

Amanda Abella, millennial business coach and author of Make Money Your Honey: A Spirited Entrepreneur’s Guide to Having a Love Affair with Work & Money says, “Assuming you can afford a mortgage and the other costs involved and your job is not in danger of being cut, then yes. Smart investors and people who are financially savvy know these times are ridden with opportunity because the general public is going to contract. But every individual situation is different. Unless you’re sitting on pretty hefty savings and know your industry won’t be impacted by what’s going on, then you should err on the side of caution.”

Amanda made two valid points.

1. “Assuming you can afford a mortgage and the other costs involved …”

With or without all that dealing with the cornonavirus has thrust upon us, low interest rates don’t have much to do with all of the costs associated with purchasing a home. There are property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and closing costs, with every home purchase. The closing costs alone can cost you anywhere from one to five percent of the closing price. You must calculate your home-buying budget accurately, beyond the monthly mortgage payment alone.

2. “ … and your job is not in danger of being cut …”

Caution: Can You Secure a Mortgage?

Mortgage rates are low, but they’re not at zero percent. Here’s what Drew DeWitt, senior vice president of investments for Ivy Equities, a Greenwich, Connecticut-based real estate private equity firm has to say.

“Lower interest rates mean lower monthly mortgage payments on your home loan; therefore, you technically can pay more since your monthly costs are lower. However, it also means that there is greater risk in the economy in general. The FED drops rates to spur growth when there is risk of unemployment and people not being able to make their monthly mortgage payments. As a result, banks will tighten their lending standards, and it may be harder to actually secure a mortgage despite the lower rates. This is where people get confused.”

Caution: Are You Taking Logistic Difficulties into Consideration?

Danielle Lurie, a licensed real estate sales person with Compass sheds perspective on logistical issues that also need consideration. There are government agencies, such as notaries and title offices, which are now closed.

“Even if you could buy a home at a steal right now, most buyers would wish to physically go and see the property, bring a home inspector to assess the property, and—assuming you get an accepted offer and arrive at the virtual closing table—you will need to hire movers to move into the property. Depending on what amount of time is needed to contain this virus, those three things are all difficult if not impossible to do right now.”

Look for Win-Win Opportunities

If you’re determined to buy a home now, and you’re willing to walk through homes virtually instead of the traditional way, there is opportunity for a great deal out there. Some agents say now is the best buyer’s market they’ve ever seen!

According to Homelight’s recent poll of 600 top real estate agents across the country, you will have to work hard to find a great deal. Their poll found that “22% of respondents say sellers are taking their homes off the market in response to coronavirus concerns.” And there were reports of a housing shortage before life as we knew it changed, too.

Unmotivated and uncommitted buyers have dropped off which means less competition for you as a buyer. And that’s a good thing. With fewer home buyers out there looking, you have less competition to contend with. But the window of opportunity for buyers won’t stay open like it is right now forever.

Seize the Opportunity While Minimizing Your Risk

Once the quarantine guidelines are lifted, a strong rebound will likely follow the soft real estate market we’re now seeing. And the high demand of a strong rebound could push home prices up. And as Roger Ma, a New York-based financial planner and owner of lifelaidout, says, “Recession or not, it’s impossible to time the market, whether for buying stock or buying real estate.”

Yes, current market conditions offer incredible opportunities for you as a homebuyer since you can lock in a historically-low interest rate. But rates are actually going up, and quickly, too! Why? Because so many people are refinancing.

Prepare to Buy a Home Now

So, if you’re still employed, have the necessary resources, and want to take advantage of the low interest rate opportunities, do these things now:

1. Start browsing online

2. Get yourself familiar with the market

3. Look through your finances and prepare for the time when you are ready to buy

4. If you’ve already found your dream home, put in your offer and lock in your rate

5. Get pre-approved for a mortgage

Confused About Purchasing a Home Now?

Do you need help with your decision about purchasing a home now? Sellers are selling. Interest rates are low. And there are great deals to be had. Right now you can own a home for less per month than you can rent in most areas. But is now really the best time to consider purchasing a home?

Contact me, Charles D’Alessandroyour Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate. I can help you weigh economic concerns and help you determine if now is a good time for you to consider purchasing a home.

Our office is completely shut down and committed to your safety during the COVID-19 health crisis in compliance with the State of New York public health policies. I can be reached by phone at (718) 253-9600 ext. 1901 or by email at [email protected].


Charles D'Alessandro

Charles D’Alessandro
Your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent
718-253-9600 ext. 1901