I met my client at the property on Thursday morning.  It is not really in Clinton Hill, but for marketing purposes that is where the listing broker said it was located.  It is very near to the subway, on a block that looks to be fairly promising.  However, there is a small complex right next door that may be Section 8. My client is not concerned by this, and neither am I, but his older sister ( and the money behind the deal) is a somewhat worried by the proximity to the Section 8. The house, a 2 family, has good bones.  It was purchased a few years ago by two friends who did a rehab and planned on keeping at an investment.  Well, we all know how those things typically end up.  They overpaid, their friendship is now over, and they are looking for a short sale.  It looks like the house w... 02/01/2009

    J Condominium The J Condominium at 100 Jay Street, between York and Front streets, is offering one month of free rent to anyone who signs up for a $2,400 per month studio, according to a listing on Craigslist.com. The listing for the Dumbo building also offers no broker's fee and no application fee. The Corcoran Group is the sales and marketing agent for the 267-unit building.   01/28/2009

I have been working with a client in Brooklyn who is currently renting an apartment in Manhattan.  He and I have been looking at properties for about 6 months or so.  We have looked at multi families in Harlem and Hells Kitchen, but lately we have been focusing on Brooklyn. While the cash flows on the properties in Manahattan were decent (and much better than they were a year ago), the numbers on the Brooklyn properties make them appear to be screaming buys. The building that we are looking at for a second time tomorrow is a 2 family that was valued at $1.25mm two years ago.  It was on the market for $750K earlier this month, and is now down below $700k.  It will be a short sale, but for the value that my client is getting, it will be worth the hassle.  The rent on one of the units is $... 01/28/2009

Chinese Indian Fusion-Confusion Reigns O.K., I am a sucker for any new cuisine. Tell me about a restaurant that features a cooking from a country, that I never heard about and I am there. According to Indomunch "Indian Chinese Cuisine is the adaptation of Chinese seasoning and cooking techniques to Indian tastes. It is widespread in certain localities in India, and is also enjoyed by people in Malaysia, Singapore and North America." I was hooked!!! IndoMunch is a very pleasant looking small and clean restaurant at 182 Lexington Avenue, near 32 Street, NY, NY. The food was fresh and the portions adequate, but what was missing is taste. I expected the "Prawn Munch Special", to beshrimp cooked in a Chinese style with curry, to have a curry taste, but I was sadly disappointed. There was no ... 01/27/2009

Surviving a job Loss is by properly preparing for job loss. If you have a good job and you earn a good living make sure you have  6- 12 months of cash reserve put away in the bank. Don't have it invested just have it sitting in an account. With news that Microsoft will cut an unspecified amount of jobs, Pfizer announced that it will layoffs will be folded into a larger round undertaken by the combined company, which expects to shed more than 19,000 workers. General Motors Corp. (GM) -- will lay off 2,000 more workers. Home Depot the nation's biggest home improvement retailer said it would shed 7,000 workers. Sprint said it would cut about 8,000 jobs. Steel giant Corus Group said it would cut 3,500 jobs around the globe, 000 jobs. Caterpillar the world largest Heavy Construction machiner... 01/27/2009

Like the rest of the country, Brooklyn New York has experienced a slow down in sales in recent months.  Here are the sales statistics for Brooklyn, and my three favorite neighborhoods of Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, and Bedford Stuyvesant. Brooklyn New York 2008 Sales One Family Houses Sold - 1,516Two Family Houses Sold - 2,791Three Family Houses Sold - 1,043Buildings With Three Or More Families Sold - 871Condos Sold - 3,282Coops Sold - 2,421Others Sold - 941 Total Properties Sold - 12,865 Clinton Hill One Family Houses Sold - 3Two Family Houses Sold - 22Three Family Houses Sold - 5Buildings With Three Or More Families Sold - 19Condos Sold - 45Coops Sold - 70Others Sold - 17 Total Properties Sold - 181 Fort Greene One Family Houses Sold - 3Two Family Houses Sold - 12Three Family Houses So... 01/08/2009

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.  There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.  Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.  Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job.  Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.  It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.  @ Unknown So, my goal is to just DO what I need to do. 12/29/2008

Whether you are buying your first home or your fifth, the process of buying a home can be an emotional, time-consuming venture.  Feeling that, in the end, you made the right decision and got a good deal can make all the difference. As with most major decisions, the amount of work and research you undertake before you start shopping can have a dramatic effect on how well you do in the end. #1  Do you really need that backyard tennis court?Everyone can picture their ideal home.  If you haven't thoroughly prepared yourself prior to viewing houses, chances are that you will find what you think is your ideal home, and will wind up paying too much for it. It is essential to treat the buying process in a slightly detached manner.  Those who fall in love with houses usually pay too much. That's... 12/25/2008

With interest rates low, many renters are starting to think about purchasing a home of their own. While simple rental cost vs. mortgage cost comparisons can be very attractive, buying a home is a serious commitment, and there are many factors to consider: How long you plan to live in the home.Selling a home costs money.  If you potentially may have to move in the short term, the value of your home may not have appreciated enough to cover the costs of buying and selling.The length of time that it will take to cover those costs depends on various economic factors. Average appreciation tends to sit at around 5% per year. In this case, you should plan to stay in your home at least 3-4 years to cover buying and selling costs.  The real estate market can be particularly volatile, however, an... 12/25/2008

Fushimi 9316 Fourth Avenue Brooklyn, NY   An upscale dinner that had existed on this site died, but this did not deter the owners of Fushimi. Fushimi is an upscale Asian Fusion restaurant and lounge decorated in the style of a hip Japanese disco with a branch in Staten Island. There is a Sushi Bar, a liquor bar, seductive dimly lit bathrooms and even a water lily tank in the floor.   Personally I found the décor over the top and done with less taste than their annoying website. Will some tell the web designer that thin knockout type on a dark background is simply illegible? There us a tiny barely useable parking lot guaranteed to generate lot of parking lot scraps and arguments.   I went for the $15 dollar luncheon and I was very impressed. There was a choice of Miso or Lemongrass w/sea... 12/23/2008

Brooklyn Plumbers - Brooklyn Plumbing Company Brooklyn Plumbing and Heating Services: Bathroom Plumbing Kitchen Plumbing Sump Pump Repair Boiler Repair/Replacement Furnace Cleaning and Tune Ups Furnace Installation and Sales Sewer and Drain Rodding Toilet Repairs Back Flow Prevention Hot Water Heaters Tankless Water Heaters Air Condition Repair and Service Broken Pipes 24 Hour Emergency Service and more...... Brooklyn Plumbers Since 1927 Vigilante Plumbing and Heating has been serving Brooklyn and Staten Island.  We are a local company that is family owned and operated. Call us today and save $50.00 with this ad. Other Services Include: Brooklyn Bathroom Plumbing - Toilet Repairs, clogged Toilet, Bath Tub Plumbing, Fixtures and Faucet Repairs or Installation Shower Plumbing - Repair or ... 12/17/2008

Brooklyn Plumbers | Brooklyn Plumbing Company save $50.00 888-317-1227 http://www.ny-plumbing-plumber.com 12/17/2008

Red Bamboo Restaurant 271 Adelphi Street Brooklyn, NY   At one time vegetarian restaurants that served mock meat dishes were a place to recommend only to your worst enemy. I am a CARNIVOIRE and unashamedly so. So, I went to the Red Bamboo, only under duress or threat of familial rendition. I was pleasantly surprised and in some cases even amazed. The Citrus Beef served Chinese style, no only tasted like good beef, but had beef's texture. The half chicken, no only had the right taste and texture, but also looked like a half chicken. How did they do that? I guess the next thing will be to get a drumstick, bone and all out of Soya. Tell me if a chicken goes cluck, cluck, what sound does a Soya make? The portions were not large, I guess, Vegetarians can be concerned with their weight too. T... 12/14/2008

Community is an essential part of family, of lifestyle, and of real estate. Understanding local conditions in Brooklyn is important when it comes to buying and selling real estate, but the neighborhood you choose can have a dramatic impact on all other aspects of your life as well. Please feel free to browse through the complimentary Brooklyn information I've provided. When it's time to move, call me at 917 912 8669 to get a representative on your side who has experience, Brooklyn market knowledge, and the confidence to help you make the best transaction possible. Enjoy!  Dan 12/13/2008

FAQ by client's in today's market. Will signing a 4506 trigger an audit: No! A 4506 is a document order from to get a transcript of your taxes from the IRS system. it is not a reporting form, and every lender is pulling transcripts from the IRS to substantiate that your tax documents are real.   Does it make sense to wait until rates come down?I don't think so because it is not a given that rates will come down. if there is the Slightest scare of inflation rates tend to go up. if there is more bad numbers from the Mortgage Bankers Association regarding default's rates might go up since it is more risk. Therefor don't wait if it is good now go for it refinance purchase or whatever it is you need to do.    What do I do with the savings from the mortgage is there where to invest these days... 12/10/2008

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 Brooklyn MLS (it is not inclusive of all properties sold in these areas). Two Family Homes Median Selling Price – $532,400, a decrease of 14.8% from November 2007 Closed sales – 12     Days on market – 213 Total Active Listings as of November 2008 – 602     Bank Owned – 29 New Active Listings this month – 50 Expired Listings this month – 48     Days on Market – 181     12/07/2008

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 Brooklyn MLS (it is not inclusive of all properties sold in these areas).   One Family Homes: Median Selling Price – $365,000 a decrease of 19.78% from November 2007 Closed sales – 9     Days on market – 171 Total Active Listings as of November 2008 – 279     Bank Owned – 11 New Active Listings this month – 26 Expired Listings this month – 29     Days on Market – 136     12/07/2008

What a great lesson from HSBC on how to be profitable real estate. HSBC Sold its headquarters building in LONDON for 1.09 billion pounds in May 2007 to a Spanish Company which agreed to lease them back at an annual rate of 43.5 million pounds a year.  Now they will buy back that same building for  838 Million Pounds. a 250, 000,000 pound profit. Hay anybody would be willing to deal with this kind of a weight gain in year ;-) In addition to a nice chunk of profit at a time when banks struggle with write-offs, HSBC also gained its said 43.5 Million pounds the agreed leaseback they offered to their landlord. It teaches us a very valuable lesson, That the primary goal of owning real estate is its gain and not just the idea of owning it. Although this s a Strong emotion it should come in sec... 12/05/2008

EXTREMELY GOOD CONDITION, LG LR, LG DR, RENOVATED MODERN KIT AND BATH, BEAUTIFUL POLISHED HDWD FLRS, EXTRA BDM & STORAGE IN ATTIC, STUDIO APT IN YARD, LEGAL BSMT RENTABLE APT, NEW IRON FENCING Marcia Kirton | EXIT All Seasons Realty | 917-826-0342 East 34th St, Brooklyn, NY Semi-Detached 1 Family with Parking 3BR/1.5BA Single Family House offered at $425,000 Year Built 1910 Sq Footage 1,376 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 1 full, 1 partial Floors 3 Parking 3 Lot Size 2,500 sqft HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION EXTREMELY GOOD CONDITION, LG LR, LG DR, RENOVATED MODERN KIT AND BATH, BEAUTIFUL POLISHED HDWD FLRS, EXTRA BDM & STORAGE IN ATTIC, STUDIO APT IN YARD, LEGAL BSMT RENTABLE APT, NEW IRON FENCING see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES Hardwood floor Living room Dining room Refrigerator... 12/03/2008

Preparing a house for really works, I had the chance to redo a moribund house on Marlborough road. With a modest budget and a lot of creativity, we redid the kitchen ( plumbing and cabinets ), painted the interior, did some simple landscaping, and made some minor repairs this cost less than $ 40,000 and we soon sold the house for over $ 120,000 more.  for mor information see www.ditmasestate.com 11/23/2008