Elaine Cooper - Brooklyn, NY - Co-op, Condo & Multi Family Property Specialist

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 approximately six to eight weeks while 2,000 new signs are installed with the new reduced regulations.

The area that is getting the new regulations are within the borders of the following:

North: Flushing Avenue (included) from Navy Street to Classon Avenue.

East: Classon Avenue (included) from Flushing Avenue to Fulton Street.

South: Fulton Street (not included) from Classon Avenue to Flatbush Avenue.

West: Flatbush Avenue (not included) from Fulton Street to Myrtle Avenue; Myrtle Avenue (included) from Flatbush Avenue to Navy Street; Navy Street (not included) Myrtle Avenue to Flushing Avenue.

So, besides the fact that Fort Greene and Clinton Hill are beautiful neighborhoods just minutes from Manhattan with tree-lined streets, majestic brownstones and fantastic food and shopping, you will soon be able to park your ride a lot easier.

If you'd like more information about the Clinton Hill/Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, or would like to buy a brownstone, condo or co-op in the area, give me a call at 917-544-2662, or go to my website at www.sellahomebrooklyn.com and send me an email. I'll be glad to help you!

Are you a first time home buyer looking to purchase a house, coop or condo in Brooklyn New York? Do you have a lot of questions about the home buying process? Well, wonder no more. You are invited to a free First Time Home Buyer Seminars at our Utica Avenue office.

Who is it For?

These seminars are for anyone interested in learning more about buying a piece of property in Brooklyn, NY, but especially first time home buyers.

What is it About??

The seminar will cover topics such as the home buying process, how to determine how much you can afford, how to take advantage of the $8000 tax credit and much more. There will also be an opportunity to get prequalified for a loan by a liscensed mortgage broker.

When Are the Seminars?

The seminars will be held as follows:

Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 12:00 Noon

Wednesday, April 1, 2009 At 7:00 pm

Where Are the Seminars?

Weichert Realtors - HP Greenfield
1712 Utica Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
Btw Avenues H and J

How Will This Help You

Information is power and one powerful way to take the anxiety out of a big decision like home buying is to get as much information about it as you can. These seminars are a great way to do just that, so interested first time buyers please stop by and don't forget to say that Elaine sent you.

For more information abou the seminars or directions, please feel free to call Elaine Cooper at 917-544-2662.

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 - 1,516
Two Family Houses Sold - 2,791
Three Family Houses Sold - 1,043
Buildings With Three Or More Families Sold - 871
Condos Sold - 3,282
Coops Sold - 2,421
Others Sold - 941

Total Properties Sold - 12,865

Clinton Hill

One Family Houses Sold - 3
Two Family Houses Sold - 22
Three Family Houses Sold - 5
Buildings With Three Or More Families Sold - 19
Condos Sold - 45
Coops Sold - 70
Others Sold - 17

Total Properties Sold - 181

Fort Greene

One Family Houses Sold - 3
Two Family Houses Sold - 12
Three Family Houses Sold - 9
Buildings With Three Or More Families Sold - 11
Condos Sold - 133
Coops Sold - 55
Others Sold - 9

Total Properties Sold - 232

Bedford Stuyvesant

One Family Houses Sold - 32
Two Family Houses Sold - 241
Three Family Houses Sold - 146
Buildings With Three Or More Families Sold - 83
Condos Sold - 125
Coops Sold - 0
Others Sold - 76

Total Properties Sold - 703

You may be wondering why I have not included statistics for the number of properties on the market, time on the market and the like. Well, in Brooklyn, those particular numbers are not easy to come by since several large firms have opted not to join the Brooklyn MLS. Due to that fact, the statistics are skewed, and I choose not to use them.

A colleague and I have had the privilege of helping a really nice young couple buy their first home. It's been a good time for all, especially me since I love working with first time buyers. The one problem that we've been having is their income and credit score greatly limits how much they can afford to pay for a house.

They've been shown several houses in foreclosure in their price range, one of which was declared uninhabitable by the bank's appraiser, and have been unable to find a house they like that they can afford.

So we explained to them that buying a condo would be a great alternative for them at this time, and here are the reasons why:

1. You can buy a really nice condo in a great neighborhood for less then a house in the same area.
2. Since you own real property, you get the same tax benefits as you would if you owned a house.
3. Instead of giving money away to a landlord, as you pay down the mortgage on your condo, the equity you have in your property increases.
4. Like most properties in Brooklyn, you can get a condo at much better price then you could just a few months ago. It's a great time to buy!
5. You may qualify for an FHA loan just like you can with a house, which allows you to put as little as 3% down.
6. When the recession ends, and it will, the value of your property will appreciate just like a house does.
7. You won't have to cut grass or shovel snow as you would with a house since your common charges will cover someone else doing those chores.

As you can see, there are several reasons why purchasing a Brooklyn condo is a great alternative when you can't afford the house you really want to buy.

For more information about buying a Condo in Brooklyn, please give me a call.

Elaine Cooper, Weichert Real Estate - 917-544-2662