We’re all looking for ways to cut costs in our Brooklyn homes.  One of the most efficient ways to save money is to insulate.  There are two simple ways to insulate your home that you may not have thought of before.  Here is the low down on each of them:

Add Weatherstripping

You may be familiar with weatherstripping on your car, but have you ever thought about weather-stripping your house?  It comes in many different sizes, so you can easily choose the right kind for your Brooklyn homes. Pre-weather stripped doors are now sold in many home improvement stores.

When choosing which weather stripping to buy, consider the amount of friction that it will need to stand up to.  It would be better to use vinyl weatherstripping in high traffic areas. You could use felt weather stripping to protect areas that don’t get a lot of wear and tear.

Clean and dry the area before applying the weather stripping in one long strip.  When installing the weather stripping to doors, make sure that the edges compress slightly when closing the door.  Install around each of the windows and doors to your house.  It will keep the cold air out, and help improve the energy efficiency of your home.

Insulate Your Water Heater

Another way to conserve energy is to insulate your water heater.  A water heater jacket is one of the most inexpensive ways to protect from heat loss.  Look for an insulating jacket that has a rating of at least R-8.  You can buy them pre-cut for easy installation.  Most water heater jackets are held in place with belts provided in the installation kit.

Check the manufacturer’s instructions before you set the temperature on the water heater.  A temperature setting that’s too high can cause the wiring to overheat.

These insulation tips are easy to do in your spare time.  You can save a lot of money on your utility bills by preventing energy loss and insulating your Brooklyn homes.

Want to buy a well-insulated, energy-efficient home?  I can help.  Call Charles D’Alessandro of Fillmore Real Estate today at 718 253-9600 ext.206 or email me at [email protected].

Charles D’Alessandro

[email protected]
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573

Brooklyn Real Estate Blog It May Take A Family To Buy A Brooklyn Home

Getting rid of clutter in your Brooklyn homes can be a challenge for anyone.  We are overwhelmed with junk mail, paper from our children’s school, bills, magazines, trinkets, toys and clothes.  It can be difficult to sort through the mess to determine what we really need.  Even when the clutter is all sorted, new clutter seems to replace it overnight.  There are several ways that you can get rid of the mess in your home.

• Start in one room and finish it.  It can be overwhelming to try to organize a whole house.  Start in one room and go through it.  Discard things that you have not used in the last six months.  If you have not worn it or used it in that time, then you don’t need it.  Discard all broken or stained items.  You aren’t going to fix them, or you would already have done it.

• Throw things away.  Don’t set things aside to sort later, just in case you may need it.  When sorting, make a bin of items to keep and a bin of things to throw away.  Getting in the habit of discarding unneeded items can be difficult at first, but it will drastically cut down on clutter in your Brooklyn homes.

• Give things away.  Get rid of clutter and help those in need by donating items that you’re no longer using.

• Label your storage bins.  Many times clutter develops because there is no set place to put things.  For instance, in the toy room, have individual storage bins for toy cars, railroad tracks, dolls and crayons.  Each bin should be clearly labeled so that all family members can participate in putting things where they’re supposed to go.  With young children, it may be helpful to take a picture of the items that go in the bin, and tape it to the front of the container.

It’s easy to have clutter free Brooklyn homes using these organizing tips.

If your home is already organized, but you still don’t have enough room, it may be time to buy a larger home.  I can help.  Call me today at (718) 253-9600 ext.206 or email me at [email protected] for more information.

Charles D’Alessandro

[email protected]
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573

Brooklyn Real Estate Blog The NYC Citizen Corps Council is proud to announce a new community service Youth Program

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Those with Brooklyn homes for sale are buckling down for the long haul, but exactly how long will that be? I spent a little bit of time roaming the Internet to get the general “feel” from people on the housing market. It turns out that the answer all depends on who you ask…

Housing Predictor

Housing Predictor.com says, yes, the housing market appears to be making a rebound. However, that rebound, says economist, John Hines, is a false front. The government is pushing the rise in sales to make the housing markets look good and increase buyer confidence. Will the market ever get back on track? According to Hines, if Congress can get the lending pipeline going again, we might finally see a bottom around the third quarter of next year.

The Ledger

According to an article at The Ledger, Stephen Blank of the Urban Land Institute isn’t at all optimistic. Blank says there’s no quick fix, and that 2010 will be sobering. While the housing market is being helped by various factors, the foreclosure rate probably isn’t going to drop and lenders aren’t lending. Blank worries that financing may be lacking, even for those wanting to buy. He doesn’t see the market doing much for another year.

CBS Money Watch

The best article I’ve come across so far, however, was written back in June at CBS MoneyWatch. The article says give the market at least seven years to recover. The author doesn’t just quote doom and gloom, however. She has some great points for people with Brooklyn homes for sale. I highly recommend the read, but here is the quote that stuck firmly in my mind:

“If you are a seller, get realistic about what you can get for your house. With so little upside in the foreseeable future, you may be better off to sell, even at a loss, since you can probably get back into a similar house at a lower price and very low interest rates.”

It’s a buyer’s market; the supply of empty homes is much higher than the demand for them. If you have one of the Brooklyn homes for sale and it’s not selling, you may need to change your mindset a little. In this buyer’s market, sellers may just have to bite the bullet.

Ready to buy or sell?  I can help.  Give me a call today at (718) 253-9600 ext.206 or email me at [email protected].

Charles D’Alessandro
Fillmore Real Estate
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573

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Brooklyn Real Estate Blog Keep Your Brooklyn Home Clean the Green Way