As a result of the changes in the real estate market and economy over the last few years, several new real estate trends are appearing. Here are four of them you might want to take into consideration when searching for Brooklyn homes to purchase.

Buy a home you can afford. In the past, some buyers bought more home than they could really afford. Today’s trend is to buy within your means (or even below your means). You still want to get pre-approved for a loan so you know the maximum you can spend, but don’t let that be your only guide to determining how much home you can afford. Consider your lifestyle. Do you want to spend your hard-earned income on vacations, hobbies, clothing, charity or your children rather than spending it all on mortgage payments? Do you prefer to live frugally now so you can save for your retirement? Or is your home where you prefer to spend the majority of your earnings?

1. Consider live-in value as well as resale value: Buy a home that you’ll enjoy living in for the next five to seven years, rather than focusing exclusively on the future resale value of the home.  The rule in the past was that you needed to own a home for about five years in order to break even when you sold it. Now that real estate values are increasing at a slower pace, you may need to stay in your home up to seven years in order to break even or earn a profit when you sell it.
2. Search for Brooklyn homes based on proximity: With the increasing price of gas, your daily drive to work can be very costly if it’s a long commute from your home. Consider buying a home that’s close to your work place or close to inexpensive mass transit. If you can find a home you enjoy that’s also close to where you shop and play, even better. You’ll save travel time and money.
3. Compare the benefits of a well-planned smaller home to a rambling McMansion: According to Sarah Susanka, architect and author of Not so Big House, you can comfortably live in one-third less space than you think you can. Buy a home that you find beautiful and functional, and the size won’t matter.

Whether you’re looking at large or small Brooklyn homes, I can help you find and buy the home that fits your needs. Give me a call today  Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate a call at 718/253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected].

How to Catch a Brooklyn Home Buyer

In this economy, every leg up on other sellers will help your home sell faster and at the price you want.  If you’re not getting the offers you want on your Brooklyn home, here are nine ideas to get things moving in the right direction:

Get an appraisal.  Knowing what a professional appraiser thinks your home is worth gives owners a reality check. It also helps you determine the best price for your home.

1. Get a home inspection before listing your home.  Find out the hidden problems with your Brooklyn home and correct them in advance. If you get your home inspected and find problems but elect not to repair them, be sure to include the problems on the property condition disclosure form.
2. Consider offering a home warranty.  Everyone likes a security blanket and a home warranty gives buyers an assurance that if something goes wrong with major appliances, plumbing or electrical systems, they will not have to spend a lot of money to get it fixed.
3. Pay for lawn care through the summer.  This lets the buyer know you’ve thought of everything, and it’s one less worry for them when moving.  Taking care of the pool cleaning tab is another incentive you may want to consider including.
4. Pay the HOA dues. If you’re in a homeowner’s association (HOA), pay the new buyer’s fees for the first year.
5. Pay all or part of the buyer’s closing costs. This can be deducted at closing from the proceeds of the sale.
6. Pay the buyer’s property taxes for a year. You may already have paid a portion or all of it anyway.
7. Offer to leave furnishings. If you have a couch that perfectly fits an unusually shaped living space, offer to include it in the sale of the home.
8. Have some flexibility on the price.  Being willing to negotiate on the price shows a buyer you are willing to work with them.

If you’re looking for a real estate agent who can get your Brooklyn home sold at a good price, give me a call today call Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate a call at 718/253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected].

Brooklyn Real Estate For Sale

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Brick One Family For Sale Located in Brooklyn's Madison Community

Detached brick home on prime Brooklyn Street for sale, bright and sunny rooms, excellent condition with driveway and garage. Present all offers, with bank qualification. For more information, please call Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate a call at 718/253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected]

Just because you can buy a home in Brooklyn does not always mean that you should.  It’s important for you to consider if it is better for you to own or rent a Brooklyn  home.

Here are five reasons you might want to rent:

1. You may be moving within five years. It usually takes five years to break even on your home purchase or investment.
2. You don’t want the responsibilities associated with being a homeowner.  It can be expensive and time consuming to maintain a home.
3. You have a bad credit report.  If your score is below 620, you will not get a good interest rate.
4. You have a high debt ratio. A high debt ratio means you may not qualify for a loan.
5. You have job instability.  If your job is not secure, it’s not a good idea to buy.

Here are four reasons you might want to buy:

1. You want to build equity.  The longer you own your home the more equity it will build. When you pay rent, that money goes down the drain.
2. You get a tax break when you deduct mortgage interest.
3. You want the emotional satisfaction of owning your own home in Brooklyn.
4. It’s an investment. With low interest rates and home prices, buying investment property is a wise decision.

If you are ready to buy a home in Brooklyn or purchase investment property, call Call me at Charles D’Alessandro of Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected]..

When you see “motivated seller” in real estate listings, does that mean the sellers are desperate to sell their Brooklyn home and are open to negotiation?  Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Do not assume it means you’re going to get the home at a bargain price.

When you see “motivated seller” in real estate listings, it could mean a wide variety of things including:

1. The seller is willing to accept a lower price or give some concessions.
2. The Brooklyn home could be near foreclosure.
3. The sellers want to see an offer before canceling the listing.
4. It’s a marketing strategy. (In other words, it means nothing.)

Here are some tips on how to deal with motivated sellers:

1. Decide if you really want to buy the Brooklyn home. Don’t buy it just because you think you might get it at a greatly reduced price.
2. Have your agent ask the listing agent why the seller is so motivated to sell. If there is no realistic reason, you could be wasting your time.
3. Consider giving a low-ball offer to see how the seller responds.  If the seller does not give a counter offer, you have your answer.  If they give a reasonable counter offer, they’re obviously willing to negotiate.
4. Wait for a price reduction.  Most listing agents will ask the sellers to reduce their price when the property hasn’t gotten any offers or sold in the expected time frame.
5. Ask if other offers have been made. If yes, find out why they were rejected, and try to overcome the seller’s objections.

Owning a home is the American Dream. Figuring out if it’s the right time for you to buy, and which property is best for you to purchase, is something only you can decide.

When you’re ready to find your American Dream home, I’d love to help. Call me at Charles D’Alessandro of Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected]..

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Mill Basin Detached Two Family Home For Sale

Brooklyn’s Home For Sale Deal Of The Day !

Detached 2 family high ranch – Beautiful Street, on large property –

Handicap accessible, priced to make a deal today! For more information, call.

Please call Charles D’Alessandro of Fillmore Real Estate at

(718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected]. .

This one will not last. Located in Brooklyn’s Bedford Stuyvesant

One family Brooklyn home for sale needs some love but worth it!

Check it out just click on the picture!

Waiting for you ! Brooklyn House For Sale

Open House Sunday April 15th 1pm to 3pm

Call or e mail me Charles D’Alessandro your Brooklyn Realtor

There are many ominous superstitions associated with Friday the 13th. From black cats to broken mirrors, bad luck can stem from almost anywhere and many sellers like to blame it for their Brooklyn home sitting on the market for too many months.

Without casting a single spell, you can banish bad luck this month and sell your Brooklyn home fast by ensuring you’ve fixed all the pesky problems that home inspectors focus on. Below is a list of problems to address to help you turn your bad luck to good.

Electric shock – Faulty wiring, which is especially common in older houses, might spook some inspectors into suggesting that the entire electrical system needs to be replaced. Have your wiring checked and update what you can before putting your house on the market.

• Structural damage – While damage can be minor and not of immediate concern, you can be sure the inspector will point out potential long-term issues. Repair problems early, so that prospective buyers will feel at ease knowing you’ve taken the necessary precautions.
• Water and air infiltration – This is probably the easiest and most inexpensive way to avoid scaring off a buyer. Just replace the caulking around windows and doors.
• Hazards to health – If you live in an older house that contains asbestos or lead-based paint, before you put your house on the market, determine if these are a direct health hazard. If so, check with your insurance provider to see if any of the renovation costs will be covered.

Be proactive and banish bad sales luck this Friday the 13th. Fix the little issues that spook property inspectors. You’ll sell your Brooklyn  house quickly and take good luck with you to your new  home.

If you could use more information on problems inspectors love to hate, please call Charles D’Alessandro of Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected].

Even though we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day this month, do not count on the luck of the Irish when it comes to selling your Brooklyn home. Finding the right buyer in this housing market can seem about as easy as spotting a leprechaun. However, with a little bit of research, you can identify the type of buyers most likely to purchase your home and develop a marketing strategy to target that group.

Pinpointing the buyers most likely to purchase your home and marketing specifically to that group is a tool that real estate professionals use all the time. Below are two crucial steps to identifying potential buyers of your home, appealing to the people most likely to purchase your property and selling your house quicker — which means claiming your pot of gold.

1. 1. Identify the lifestyle fit. Think back to when you initially bought the property and what qualities caught your eye. Were you a single man looking for a bachelor pad or an empty nester looking for a place to retire? Coincidentally, whoever buys your Brooklyn home will probably have a lifestyle similar to the one you had when you bought your home. So, be sure to highlight attractive features, such as a game room for a bachelor or one-level living for a retiree.
2. 2. Notice the neighborhood. Once you’ve identified the type of buyer, it is important to examine your Brooklyn neighborhood. People want to live in areas where they have the amenities they need. Do you live close to a desirable school district? Is a new shopping development going in right down the road? Are there multiple parks within walking distance? These can all be things that attract the right buyer, but are often left out of advertising.

Do not count on leprechauns and luck to sell your Brooklyn home! While your buyer could turn out to be the complete opposite of your target market, you are more likely to have house-selling success if you reach out to a specific demographic.

If you could use help developing a marketing strategy to sell your real estate, please call Charles D’Alessandro of Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected] today.

Is your family starting to feel cramped in your current house, or are you ready to quit renting and start investing? With the extra day added into this leap year, you have an additional 24 hours this month to decide if you’re.

Not sure how to decide if this is the year? Whether you’re a property-purchasing pro or a first-time home buyer, take a look at the three points below to determine if you’re prepared to take the leap and invest big.

You have a sizeable down payment. Knowing what you can actually afford is half the battle. A good estimate is to triple your household income, and that will roughly be what you’ll want to spend. Whatever you’ve saved as a down payment can go on top of that or, if you’re frugal, can just be used to reduce your monthly payments. The larger the down payment you have, the smaller your mortgage payments will be, and it could possibly get you a better interest rate.

1. You have a good real estate agent. It’s important to find a trustworthy, competent agent before you find your dream house. Take the time to thoroughly interview agents and get referrals. You’ll want to make sure you have someone who is knowledgeable about the Brooklyn real estate market to help you make one of the biggest decisions of your life.
2. You have a brag-worthy credit score. Strike while the iron is hot! If you’ve taken the time to build up and ensure a great credit score, use your good standing to take advantage of today’s low interest rates.

If you meet all three qualifications, consider taking advantage of this month’s extra day, as well as the low interest rates and home prices, and leap into a new home. Please call Call Charles D’Alessandro of Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected] if you have questions concerning your credit score and down payment, or want to work with a knowledgeable Brooklyn real estate agent.