The below Market Report is for selected areas in Brooklyn, NY: Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Bushwick, Canarsie, Crown Heights, Cypress Hills, East Flatbush, East New York, Flatbush, Flatlands, Ocean Hill, Old Mill Basin. This information is gathered from the Brooklyn MLS (it is not inclusive of all properties sold in these areas). Two Family Homes Median Selling Price - $380,000 a decrease of 19.4% from February 2008. Closed sales - 15     Bank Owned/Short Sales - 6 Days on market - 160 New Active Listings this month - 52 Expired Listings this month - 52   Days on Market - 195 Information gathered from the Brooklyn, NY MLS 06/07/2009

The below Market Report is for selected areas in Brooklyn, NY: Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Bushwick, Canarsie, Crown Heights, Cypress Hills, East Flatbush, East New York, Flatbush, Flatlands, Ocean Hill, Old Mill Basin. This information is gathered from the Brooklyn MLS (it is not inclusive of all properties sold in these areas). One Family Homes Median Selling Price  - $377,000 a decrease of 14.3% from February 2008. Closed sales - 11    Bank Owned/Short Sales - 3 Days on market - 156   New Active Listings this month - 25 Expired Listings this month - 28   Days on Market - 181 Information gathered from the Brooklyn, NY MLS 06/07/2009

June is "Homeownership Month" and in recognition of this, Tami Bonnell of EXIT Realty Corp International will be hosting two free, live webinars for the general public to address the most frequently asked questions about the real estate market.  These webinars will be held at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 24th.  To Dream the American Dream  The dream is alive and well during Homeownership Month Is it still reasonable to dream the dream of home ownership? Although the white picket fence comes in many forms nowadays, from condos to co-ops, from townhomes to bungalows, the dream is still a realistic one for American families this June, Homeownership Month. "It's not just a platitude to say that this is the best time in years to buy real estate," says Tami Bonnell, President... 06/07/2009

   The Great Rosarians of the World Lecture Series 2009 - East Coast - sponsored by Organic Plant Health, will be a full day event, presented on Saturday, June 6, 2009 at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. 11:00 - 12 Noon - Panel discussion on "Grow Easy Roses".  The panel will consist of Pat Henry, co-owner of Roses Unlimited Nursery; Peter Kukielski, Rockefeller Curator of Roses, The Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, The New York Botanical Garden; Clair Martin, Shannon Curator of Rose & Perennial Gardens, The Huntington Botanical Garden, San Marino, CA; William J. Radler, 2008 Great Rosarians of the World Honoree and hybridizer of the ‘Knock Out' family of roses; and Jeff Wyckoff, Incoming President of the American Rose Society. The discussion will be moderated by Sarah Owens, Curator of the C... 06/04/2009

06/03/2009

We read everywhere that short sales are on the rise.  We hear and read on trulia and active rain that mortgage lenders are more willing to work with homeowners looking to sell their homes and negotiating a short sale settlement.  These are all true from what I am currently experiencing, however we cannot lose sight on how these short sales are being handled.There are many competent short sale negotiators who will assist your Realtor or the homeowner work through the myriad of issues with short sales, however there are many unscrupulous ones as well.When considering a Short Sale, interview the negotiator find out if they are licensed in Real Estate or if they are an Attorney.  I know that at this point a loss mitigator need not be licensed so that leaves many of us not knowing what quali... 05/30/2009

LinksMortgage InformationCompany WebsitePhoto GalleryDescriptionHenry A Setaro President of Appleseed Realty/ GMAC Real Estate announced recently the opening of two new offices located at 5910 Avenue N in Old Mill Basin and 7822 13th Avenue in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. Mr. Setaro stated, “I feel very good about the success of these offices with the direction of John Manrique, Vice President of Brooklyn operations. John has proven over the years to be able to not only motivate but also gain the respect of the people in his offices. John was a Broker/Owner for many years of a very successful Century 21 operation in Brooklyn. He was recruited by Foxtons to oversee their Brooklyn/Staten Island operations. During his time, he not only had a top producing region, he was also their #1 listing p... 05/23/2009

I just wanted to write this short blog to wish everyone a safe and blessed memorial day weekend.  As most of us who are with our families this weekend or holding that open house that cannot wait will be remembering those who have sacrificed to keep this country free and great.  I hope you take a moment and reflect on the good things you have in life and the good days yet to come. With this economic time and the thousands of foreclosures it may be hard to see a brighter tomorrow, but I hope you keep the faith that our service men no doubt must keep everyday while they stand on that line between the America we know that is great and those who wish to destroy her. Say thank you to a vet when you see them in these next few days, do not let their sacrifice go without notice and thank them. K... 05/22/2009

As I sit here completing a BPO that is due for tomorrow, I sit and wonder what have I learned from my experience completing BPO's(Broker Price Opinions)?  Well, a lot!  I have learned that most banks really under value the worth of the product Realtors are completing and the type of work they are doing.  This is reflected in the fee most realtors get for doing BPO's. I have not personally come across those aggressive asset managers who demand you to change your comps, actually my asset managers are quite nice and work hard at what they do.  The fee is reflective to what most companies think what BPO's are worth.  If you do not know how much you get paid for a BPO I am not going to tell you since it is not enough for a good diner in a New York City restaurant.  However, the knowledge you... 05/14/2009

You are invited to a First Time Home Buyer's Seminar. Weichert Realtors HP Greenfield1712 Utica AvenueBetween Avenue H & I718-692-4444Saturday, May 16, 2009 from 1:00 pm - 2:30 pmWednesday, May 20, 2009 from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Come and find out why it's the best time to buy a home in 40 years!  You'll learn how you can take advantage of the Free $8,000 First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit for 2009.  We'll also explain in detail the home buying process from open house to closing, how to get a mortgage and so much more. Refreshments will be served. I look forward to seeing you there, and don't forget to say that Elaine sent you. If you need more information please feel free to give me a call at 917-544-2662 or send me an email by clicking here. Elaine CooperRealtor(r)Weichert Real Estate - HP... 05/14/2009

05/13/2009

The Clinton Hill/Fort Greene section of Brooklyn just got to be an even better place to live.  Why, you may ask?  Well, it just got easier to park your car!  The Department of Transportation is reducing alternate side parking from 4 days a week to only 2 days a week. There's nothing more frustrating then to come home from a great day of work or play and then find yourself driving around your neighborhood for 20 minutes just to find a place to park.  With the new alternate side parking regulations there should be much less time and energy spent parking your small, energy efficient car.  In preparation for the new regulation,  from Monday, May 18, 2009, Street Cleaning/Alternate Side Parking Regulations will be temporarily suspended in the Fort Greene and Clinton Hill area for approximate... 05/12/2009

New Star Restaurant (Dim Sum)1217 Avenue UBrooklyn, NY  718 998 -0350  Yes, I am a Dim Sum fanatic, but who can blame me. This Chinese brunch ritual is wonderful and New Star impressed me.  New Star has expanded and this has given them the ability to present a huge variety of Dim Sum (small plates) at a very reasonable price. Their Shui Mei (meat) and their Har Gow (shrimp) dumplings were excellent. The variety and freshness of their other offerings was amazing. I tried a new item, a mini fried egg with fish mouse inside that seemed to float off the plate and was silky smooth. Dessert for me is always an Egg Custard tart.  I know I can be picky, but I never liked plastic chop sticks the wooden ones though less hygienic have a better grip in your hand and on the food.  An "I ate too much... 05/11/2009

On Saturday about 11 a.m. a walk through Chinatown, NYC, I noticed that most of the restaurants were essentially empty except the Dim Sum places. For those who are not native New Yorker's or Californian's, Dim Sum is a weekend brunch where small tasting plates of various Chinese dishes are wheeled through the dining room. Typically you are put at a large table with people you have never met, often there are family group from Grandma to infants. As they stop by your table, you can pick out the dishes you like and a card is stamped indicating your purchase. These Dim Sum Palaces are often huge and can easily fit several hundred people and often the noise level, while not loud is a constant hum.   Sunshine 27, at 46 Bowery, is the successor to HSF, a Dim Sum stalwart. While I found the var... 05/03/2009

I have been frustrated lately with the lack of information on my MLS.  Basic information like square footage, number of rooms, bathrooms, driveways etc is very apparent.  My MLS in Queens Long Island Board of Realtors does not make these entries mandatory since the Fields are not required to submit the listing.  I believe that Fields such as Rooms and Square Footage to name two should be required.  What is your point of view on MLS listings and how can they be improved?  We do pay a large fee to have this service, should this service not be worthwhile instead of worthless when putting together your next CMA, BPO or property search. I find that in most circumstances when I had the chance to reach the agent whose listing is, lets say scarce of information, I get a reply; I did not bother ... 05/01/2009

It's Springtime here in Brooklyn. A lot of trees are just starting to bloom and there's a lot of strange birds hanging around! A lot of people don't know there are quite a few birds here in the big city, especially in Prospect Park.  I never heard of some of the birds local bird watchers Rafael Campos, Gayle & Xandra have spotted.  I never knew a lot of them were even indigenous to this area! Here is what they spotted this weekend in and around Prospect Park: Canada GooseMallard Ring-necked DuckDouble-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Green Heron: 1 flying around 5 Sisters Red-tailed HawkMerlin Ring-billed Gull Mourning DoveChimney Swift Downy WoodpeckerHairy Woodpecker White-eyed Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue JayGolden-crowned KingletRuby-crowned KingletBlue-gray Gna... 04/27/2009

Luke Constantino April 23, 2009 I have lived in Brooklyn all my life and have never seen a clean Gowanus Canal.  I don't know if I will anytime soon, but it would be a surprise.  As a kid I remember seeing an oily slick over the water and large amounts of trash collecting on the sides.  There were warehouses and a Coast Guard fuel depot there along with traffic going by.   Why was I there?  As a kid, New York City was my playground - all of it. The Environmental Protection Agency requested a Superfund listing for the canal, which would give the EPA veto power over any development the city has scheduled.  With a Superfund, government officials would go after whoever is responsible for the pollution and have them clean the area.  An example of a Superfund cleanup is the Love Canal in Niag... 04/23/2009

Short Sales are a complex drawn out transactions filled with pitfalls that need to be avoided.  But what is a short sale and what is not a short sale?  The report below is geared towards the home owner who is in a situation and wants to find out more about the short sale process. Click on the link and fill out your info, email and name only and receive the Report. Remember to be an informed home seller or buyer it's your best weapon!  Also go and join the new group..  Short Sale and the Law on Active Rain. 04/22/2009

Springtime on Cortelyou Road   Spring has at long last come to Cortelyou Road and Ditmas Park. The first warm weekend day saw couples and family promenading down the stately street of Ditmas Park. The Daffodils were admired and critical comments made as to color combinations on the never ending variety of Victorian homes. A discreet photo of someone's garden, a child admonished about walking on the grass and a smile, when a mention was made of the upcoming Arbor Day Ditmas Park Tree Tour 4/25 ( www.sustainableflatbush.org ).   Little did we know the real spring happening was going to occur that night? We had heard that a 773 Coney Island Avenue a formerly disreputable Irish bar (see a down and dirty bar cleans up its act... Brooklynian.com 4/22) was having a benefit for CAMBA (www.camba... 04/22/2009

773 Coney Island Avenue -Bar Lounge There is an old story that the Police from the 70 precinct used to eat at Georges Diner not only because the food was good and cheap, but also because it was only a few doors down from 773 Bar Lounge and they could easily fill their quota of arrests there. Maybe Seven Seven Three, wasn't that bad but you certainly didn't walk in unless you knew someone or wanted to forget someone. But with new owners, a spruce up and a limited menu, 773 has become a welcoming working man's/women's place. Drinks and Beers are still the staple, but with frozen shots, new lighting and some surprisingly edible finger food, this is now a welcoming place. If last night's jazz group and CAMBA benefit, is a sign of things to come, then maybe you would come to 773 to be seen r... 04/20/2009