Archive for the ‘For sale by owner’ Category
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012
The reality of today’s real estate market means that there are many opportunities to purchase Brooklyn short sales. While the process can still be confusing, it is increasingly common. Here are a few tips on how to make sure you leap through the extra hoops a short sale requires with ease and grace:
- Avoid short sales with multiple mortgage lenders: Offers on Brooklyn short sales with two different lenders are at a much higher risk of being declined. The first mortgage lender will likely only allow a small percentage to go to the holder of the second mortgage – who will therefore be likely to veto a deal, on the hope that more funds would be generated in a foreclosure.
- Check the Real Estate Agent’s Short Sale Track Record: Agents with experience in short sales are much more likely to be able to successfully navigate the system than those new to the vagaries of short sales.
- Make Reasonable Offers: Short sales can be better deals, but they are unlikely to be magically cheap. No matter what, the bank isn’t going to give the home away just to avoid foreclosure. You want to put together an offer that makes the buyer and the bank happy.
- Follow Up on the Details: With the bank involvement, there will be more negotiation and more detail. Keep your i’s dotted and t’s crossed to make sure the process doesn’t stall.
- Allow For Extra Time: Short sales are not a short process, so if you are truly in a hurry to close a deal, consider other options.
If you’re looking for a real estate agent with experience in Brooklyn short sales, give me a call. I can help you navigate the system and close on your new home. You can reach me at 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]
Tags: Agents with experience in short sales, avoid foreclosure, Avoid short sales, Brooklyn short sales, MORTGAGE LENDERS, Real Estate Agent’s Short Sale, second mortgage, short sale
Posted in For sale by owner, Homeowners Loan Program, Mortgage News, Real Estate, Real Estate, Selling Brooklyn Real Estate, Selling vs. Foreclosure, Short Sales and your Home | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been in the news quite a bit over the last year, so it’s a good time to do a refresher on who they are and what role they play in the Brooklyn real estate market.
Who are Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?
Fannie Mae is the Federal National Mortgage Association. Freddie Mac is the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. They were originally created to raise homeownership levels and increase the availability of affordable housing.
Fannie and Freddie don’t sell mortgages directly to homeowners. They buy mortgages from lenders, so the lenders can use the money to issue new home mortgages.
In 2008, due to mismanagement resulting in billions of dollars of losses, Fannie and Freddie were taken over by the government.
How do Fannie and Freddie impact Brooklyn real estate?
- They contributed to the financial crisis and real estate downturn, by loosening underwriting standards, buying and guaranteeing risky loans and increasing purchases of mortgage-backed securities.
- They are key players in the government’s Making Home Affordable foreclosure-prevention program. If your mortgage is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, you may be able to refinance your loan and take advantage of lower interest rates.
- They influence mortgage interest rates and the availability of home loans. Freddie, Fannie and the Federal Housing Administration together now guarantee about 90 percent of all new mortgages, far above their historic level.
What’s going to happen to Fannie and Freddie?
Fannie and Freddie’s future is uncertain. The House Republicans and the Obama administration agree that the pair should be done away with. But this will not happen soon, if at all. Congress must agree on a plan, which could take years, and then the market’s dependence on the companies and the financial backing they provide must be reduced.
If you have questions about Brooklyn real estate or how national or international events impact Brooklyn real estate, please give 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] I’m happy to help.
Tags: brooklyn real estate market, Charles D’Alessandro your Brooklyn real estate agent, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae is the Federal National Mortgage Association, Fillmore real estate, Freddie Mac is the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Obama administration
Posted in FHA Home Loans, For sale by owner, Homeowners Loan Program, Mortgage News, News, Real Estate, Selling Brooklyn Real Estate | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012
Brooklyn’s Midwood Community !
Click on pictures for more information
Brooklyn Home For Sale
Spacious detached two family on 44 x 100 property with 2 car garage. Close to all!
Come see, and compare! 24 hour notice! Call today!
Midwood Property for Sale !
House needs TLC! House sold “as is condition”. Lots of potential, priced to sell! Prime Midwood Location!
For more Information, call
Brooklyn's East Flatbush Brick One Family Home For Sale
East Flatbush/Flatlands border is where you’ll find this solid cameo brick home for sale featuring –
living room, large formal dining room, modern eat in kitchen with center isle, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths + full finished basement and new heating system
Studio Apartment Blocks from Brooklyn's Kings Highway's Beth Israel Hospital
Low Price low maintenance renovated and convenient
to all!
with Fillmore Real Estate today (718) 253-9600 ext 206
or e mail me at [email protected] today for private tour and or Open House Schedule !
for these or any other Brooklyn House For Sale, priced to deal !
Tags: brooklyn real estate for sale, Brooklyn Real Estate For Sale Deals of The Week, Brooklyn's Midwood Community, Charles D'Alessandro your Brooklyn Realtor®, Fillmore real estate
Posted in Brooklyn, Deal of the Week, For sale by owner, News, Real Estate, Selling Brooklyn Real Estate | No Comments »
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012
Charles D'Alessandro your Brooklyn Realtor®
If you need (or want) to sell your Brooklyn real estate this winter, you’ll have to step up your game a bit. People tend to be less likely to buy in the winter because the weather keeps them indoors rather than out house hunting. And let’s face it, most homes just don’t look as good in the brown, drab winter as they do in the spicy spring and summer.
If you’re one of the lucky owners with a home for sale in an area that stays beautiful all year long, you can still find a few tips here to help get your home ready to sell.
Six tips to help you sell your Brooklyn home this winter:
- Keep it cozy. You want your home to be warm so people can comfortably take their time viewing your Brooklyn real estate. Saving money on heating costs isn’t worth it if it means freezing out your potential buyers.
- Turn up the light. Keep curtains and blinds open during the day. Turn on your lights, both inside and out, at night. Put your lights on timers if you won’t be home until after dark. Use motion detectors to light up in the evening when a potential buyer approaches your doorstep.
- Point out cold-weather benefits. Have mass transit within walking distance? That’s a big benefit in bad weather because you don’t have to de-ice or dig your car out of the snow in order to get to work. Have an attached garage? Ditto.
- Take advantage of good winter locations. If your home is in a location that people flock to in the winter, say an area with great outdoor winter sports such as skiing or a warm-weather area like Florida, now is the time prime time to promote your house! Put all you’ve got into marketing the benefits of living where it’s always sunny or where winter living is fun.
- Set the mood. Play soft, classical music. Toss afghans or throws across the back of your sofa. Hang plush robes in your bedroom or bathroom.
- Clear away snow and ice. Shovel a path through the snow so potential buyers don’t have to get out their snowshoes. De-ice your driveway, sidewalk, steps and porch to prevent slips and falls.
If you’re ready to sell your Brooklyn real estate this winter, I can help. 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] for more information.
Tags: Charles D’Alessandro your Brooklyn real estate agent, Clear away snow and ice, De-ice your driveway, Fillmore real estate, How to Sell Your Brooklyn Real Estate, sell your Brooklyn real estate, Sell Your Brooklyn Real Estate this Winter, sidewalk, Six tips to help you sell your Brooklyn home this winter, Six tips to help you sell yourBrooklyn home this winter, steps and porch to prevent slips and falls
Posted in For sale by owner, FSBO, Real Estate, Real Estate, Real Estate Professionals, Selling Brooklyn Real Estate, Selling vs. Foreclosure | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
Tags: Brooklyn Real Estate Deals of The Week, Brooklyn's Marine Park Community, Brooklyn's Mill Basin community, Charles D'Alessandro your Brooklyn Realtor®, Fillmore real estate, house for sale
Posted in Brooklyn, Buying Real Estate, Deal of the Week, For sale by owner, News, Real Estate, Real estate agent, Selling Brooklyn Real Estate | No Comments »
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011
Should you be marketing to first-time home buyers in order to sell your Brooklyn real estate? The 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers has a wealth of information on first-time home buyers and will help you figure out if you should market to this large and important group of buyers.
Here are the stats (courtesy of AgBeat.com) you need to know about first-time home buyers before selling your Brooklyn real estate:
- Long-term survey averages show that 4 out of 10 buyers are typically first-time buyers. This segment is critical to a housing recovery because they help existing home owners sell and make a trade.
- The median age of first-time buyers was 31 and the median income was $62,400, up from $59,900 in the 2010 study.
- The typical first-time buyer purchased a 1,570 square foot home costing $155,000.
- First-time buyers who financed their purchase used a variety of resources for the down payment: 79 percent tapped into savings; 26 percent received a gift from a friend or relative, typically from their parents; and 7 percent received a loan from a relative or friend. Nine percent sold stocks or bonds and 8 percent tapped into a 401(k) fund.
- Ninety-four percent of entry-level buyers chose a fixed-rate mortgage. Fifty-four percent of first-time buyers financed with a low down payment FHA mortgage, and 6 percent used the VA loan program which requires no down payment.
What this Information Means to You
If you’re selling an existing, entry-level home, you’ll most likely be selling to a first-time home buyer with a median age of 31 and a median income of $62,400. First-time home buyers are most likely to get a fixed-rate, FHA mortgage. Gear your marketing toward that buyer to have more success.
If you’re ready to sell your Brooklyn real estate, whether it appeals to first-time buyers or other types of buyers, I’ll market it to get it sold quickly and for as much as possible. Give me a call Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate for more information. at 718/253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected]
Tags: 2011 National Association of REALTORS®, brooklyn real estate, Charles D’Alessandro your Brooklyn real estate agent, entry-level buyers, entry-level home, FHA Mortgage, first-time home buyers, fixed-rate mortgage, low down payment FHA mortgage, Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, ready to sell your Brooklyn real estate, real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate, selling an existing, Selling your brooklyn real estate, VA loan program
Posted in For sale by owner, News, Real Estate, Real estate agent, Selling Brooklyn Real Estate | No Comments »
Friday, December 16th, 2011
As a Brooklyn real estate agent, I spend a lot of time rushing in and out of Brooklyn homes. It’s easy for me to get caught up in the hustle-bustle of real estate transactions, and I forget to slow down to appreciate the pleasures of owning a home. So today, I want to take a moment to reflect on the home aspect of real estate.
My job (one I love) is to help people just like you find a house that suits their lives. Once you move in, you make that house into a home.
Holiday Traditions
Your Brooklyn home is where you and your loved ones celebrate holidays and where you create and continue family traditions. Whether you deck the halls with layers of tinsel and wreaths or have the whole family over to spin Hanukkah dreidels, the spirit of the season comes from the energy of the people gathering together in your home.
Season of Family Warmth
While you’re making your famous sugar cookies or spiking your secret-recipe punch with extra holiday cheer, pause for a moment to enjoy the warmth and beauty of your Brooklyn home. My wish for you is that you live every day like it’s a holiday, being thankful and spending time with loved ones.
Happy Holidays!
May your home be filled with the joy of family and friends this holiday season. There’s truly no place like home for the holidays!
Tags: brooklyn homes, brooklyn real estate agent, Happy Holidays!, Holiday Traditions, home aspect of real estate, making your famous sugar cookies, real estate transactions
Posted in Brooklyn, For sale by owner, FSBO, News, Real Estate, Real estate agent, Selling Brooklyn Real Estate | No Comments »
Thursday, December 8th, 2011
Hiring a real estate agent still gives you the best chance of selling your home
Are you Considering Selling Your Brooklyn Home for Sale by Owner ? Should you try to sell your home on your own as a Brooklyn home for sale by owner (FSBO)? The 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers has new information about FSBOs here is the Need to Know If that can help you decide if you should try to sell your home without the help of a real estate professional.
Here are the top 4 facts you need to know if you’re considering selling your Brooklyn home for sale by owner:
- It’s harder to sell your Brooklyn home for sale by owner in today’s market. FSBO transactions accounted for 10 percent of sales. That’s slightly above the record low of 9 percent in the 2010 study, but well below the record high of 20 percent set in 1987. The share of homes sold without professional representation has trended lower since 1997.
- If you know someone who wants to buy your home, you’ll be more likely to be able to sell it on your own. Many FSBO properties are not sold on the open market. Factoring out private sales between parties who knew each other in advance, the actual number of homes sold on the open market without professional assistance was 6 percent.
- If you’re good at attracting buyers, pricing your home and filling out paperwork, selling your Brooklyn home for sale by owner may be the way to go. The most difficult tasks reported by unrepresented sellers are attracting potential buyers, getting the right price, and understanding and completing paperwork.
- Hiring a real estate agent still gives you the best chance of selling your home. 89 percent of buyers used real estate agents and brokers. 7 percent bought directly from a builder, and 4 percent purchased a FSBO.
Ready to hire a real estate professional to get your home sold? If you’re thinking about selling your Brooklyn real estate and would like more tips on how to get it ready, 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], for more information and discover how I can help you.
Tags: Brooklyn Home for Sale by Owner, Considering Selling Your Brooklyn Home, FSBO properties, Hiring a real estate agent, Home for Sale by Owner, pricing your home, sell your Brooklyn home
Posted in For sale by owner, News, Real Estate, Real estate agent, Selling Brooklyn Real Estate | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 7th, 2011
The data from the 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers is now available. Here are the significant changes you need to know that will help you market your Brooklyn real estate and get it sold:
- Most buyers are married: 64 percent of all buyers are married couples (up five percent from 2010), 18 percent are single women, 10 percent single men and 7 percent unmarried couples.
- Your property is competing against 12 other homes: Buyers searched a median of 12 weeks and visited 12 homes, both unchanged from 2010.
- Multiple bedrooms and bathrooms are preferred: The typical home had 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
- Most buyers want single-family homes: 77 percent of respondents purchased a detached single-family home, 9 percent a condo and 8 percent a townhouse or rowhouse.
- You need to promote your home to buyer’s agents: 60 percent of buyers working with real estate professionals were represented by a buyer’s agent.
- Hire a Brooklyn real estate agent to sell your home: 87 percent of home buyers use real estate agents to find their home. 91 percent of buyers who used the Internet to search for a home purchased through a real estate agent.
- Market your home online, with yard signs and at open houses: When buyers were asked where they first learned about the home they purchased, 40 percent said the Internet; 11 percent said a yard sign or open house.
Want to work with a Brooklyn real estate agent who knows how to market your home to get it sold? Let me show you my proven marketing plan. Schedule an appointment with me today by calling me at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or emailing me at [email protected].
Tags: 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, Brooklyn real estate agent who knows how to market, detached single-family home, Hire a Brooklyn real estate agent to sell your home, Market your home online, National Association of REALTORS®, promote your home to buyer’s agents, real estate professionals, represented by a buyer’s agent, yard signs and at open houses
Posted in For sale by owner, News, Real Estate, Real Estate, Real estate agent, Real Estate Professionals | No Comments »
Friday, November 11th, 2011
If you get a mortgage for more than 80% of your Brooklyn real estate’s fair market value, your lender will require that you pay Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). PMI payments are expensive at about 0.5% to 1% of the entire loan amount on an annual basis.
Obviously, it would be a good thing if you didn’t have to pay PMI. To help you achieve that goal, here are several tips to avoid paying PMI on your Brooklyn real estate:
Save for a big down payment: The easiest way to avoid PMI is to have a down payment of at least 20% of the value of the home you want to purchase.
- Borrow to get 20% down: Check with friends and family for down payment assistance. You can offer repayment with interest and still never pay as much as you would have to for PMI.
- Get a Second Mortgage: Getting a second mortgage to cover the difference between your down payment on your first mortgage and the 20% threshold for your PMI can make a substantial difference in your monthly payments. Talk to a qualified mortgage professional to discuss your options.
- Pay More Interest: Some lenders will waive PMI if you agree to a higher interest rate. Again, discuss your options with a mortgage professional.
- Consider a Less Expensive Home: This goes back to being able to hit that 20% threshold. As we’ve all seen in this tough economy, stretching beyond your means can have dire consequences if your circumstances change. Consider if you really need that extra bedroom and extra expense. If you haven’t saved enough to afford an expensive home, downsize your expectations and buy within your means.
If you’d like a referral to an outstanding mortgage professional or need help finding Brooklyn real estate that fits your budget, give Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate at 718/253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected],
Tags: brooklyn real estate, Brooklyn real estate’s fair market value, Get a Second Mortgage, Mortgage Insurance on Your Brooklyn Real Estate, Private mortgage insurance, The easiest way to avoid PMI, tips to avoid paying PMI, value of the home you want to purchase
Posted in Buying Real Estate, FHA Home Loans, For sale by owner, Mortgage News, PMI Insurance, Real Estate | 1 Comment »