Category Archives: Uncategorized

Spring Cocktail Party At Superfine In DUMBO

BKS fundraiserLast night we were honored to be a part of the first annual Spring Cocktail party for the Brooklyn Kindergarten Society.
The organization has been around since 1891 and helps to serve underprivileged children in local public schools. James Matison, the executive director said a few words thanking the key donors including, Donald. There were so many amazing people who attended and all with the same goal– committed to helping the Brooklyn communities achieve better opportunities for their children’s education.
We are always looking to get involved in our Brooklyn neighborhoods. If you have any events or sponsorship opportunities that we might be interested in, please email Sabrina@brennanrealtyservices.com.

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Brooklyn Kindergarten Society Fundraiser!

120th-anniversaryOn May 13, the Brooklyn Kindergarten Society’s Annual Spring Cocktail Party will be held at Superfine in DUMBO. All proceeds from this event go to helping children in poorer Brooklyn neighborhoods obtain a strong educational foundation for their future. Brennan Realty Services is sponsoring this event because of our commitment to service in the communities we work and live in. Join us as we help to make strides in today’s educational system. To donate, please click here.

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My 2 Cents: Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble?

Note: This update went out to our exclusive clients the week of May 7th. If you would like to be put on our exclusive distribution list, please send me an email:dbrennan@brennanrealtyservices.com

If you follow the national housing market you are bound to come across data and opinion generated by Robert Shiller (co-author of the S&P/ Case-Shiller Housing Indices).   In a recent piece for the Financial Times titled The Property Predicament he questions the societal benefit of the dramatic increase in home prices.  The theme is one he has based his newest book on – Finance and the Good Society. Here is a passage from the FT piece:

“Note that in the latest bubble home prices in the US and the UK rose rapidly relative to the cost of renting. It was not a rental boom. It was thus financial in origin, not caused by a rise in the real scarcity value of housing services that people want to consume. It was instead a change in the investment demand for ownership of a claim on a stable flow of rents.  Before we can answer what would be the effects of large future home price increases relative to rents, we would have to ask why those increases would be happening. Let us consider why they increased the last time, in the early 2000s. The reasons are basically the same in both the US and the UK.  Price increases were related to a loosening of credit standards (continued…)

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Where do buyers go to start their search?

Third party listing sites of course!

Streeteasy, New York Times Real Estate section, and Trulia to name a few.

Take a look at this chart below. Streeteasy, one the most popular listing sites in NYC, gets significantly more page views then even the city’s biggest brokerages. As you can see using a bigger brokerage doesn’t mean more people will see your property.

Source: Alexa.com, the Web Information Company.”

Today it’s so important to have a real understanding of the relationship between online exposure and sales; we recognize the changing face of real estate brokerage, and know that the process of looking for a home begins on the internet.

We list all of our properties on Streeteasy, The New York Times, and of course of our own user-friendly and innovative website. We were the first brokerage in NYC to allow users of our site to share listings via Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

As a seller why go with the status quo? You can do so much better by using Brennan Realty to market your property.

Here are a few testimonials from some of our satisfied clients:

“Donald, Betsy and everyone at Brennan Realty give life and validation to the theory that bigger is not always better.”

“It was so refreshing, after some inconsistent and occasionally mind-numbing experiences with other firms, to work with a group of dedicated, diligent professionals who just get it.” 

“…support started long before the apartment was put on the market and lasted right up through and beyond the close.”

“I can’t say enough about the advantages of going with this boutique firm over one of the bigger ones. There is such a difference when you feel like the #1 priority. Every question is answered in minutes, not days, and every concern was treated with respect, patience and understanding.”

“In such a difficult market, I never imagined we’d be in contract in less than a month, but we had multiple offers over asking price. From the smallest studio to the biggest house, I would recommend Brennan Realty to anyone and everyone.”

Read more about what our clients are saying by visiting our testimonial page: click here.

Contact us today for a free property valuation!

Donald Brennan, Principal and Licensed Broker
dbrennan@brennanrealtyservices.com cell: 917-568-6525

Betsy Hoffman, Licensed Salesperson
bhoffman@brennanrealtyservices.com cell: 917-622-3879

Take a look at some samples of our marketing materials:
1. Two-family custom town home, Cobble Hill
2. One bedroom condo, Fort Greene
3. Classic 6, Park Slope

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Unanimous Approval—LPC Votes Yes on Strong Place.

Our Strong Place custom townhouse development project was presented to the Landmark Preservation Commission last week. This was our first trip in front of the commission. The vote to approve the project was unanimous and no conditions were imposed in conjunction with the approval. A representative from Community Board 6 provided public testimony in support of the project, which is a rarity but not a surprise. It did not come as a surprise because our business strategy is to engage the local community as early as possible in the process. Early engagement allows us to understand what the community expectations are before we commit to any particular design aesthetic. Surprisingly each neighborhood has a slightly different view on what is appropriate when it comes to building new or substantially renovating a property. In this instance the communities expectations match perfectly with what our buyer clients seek in such a location , which is a historically correct duplicate of what may have been constructed in the same era as the adjacent properties. Brownstoner.com picked up the news of the LPC approval and ran a blog post about it this past Wednesday. Check it out here.

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Over My Shoulder – January 2012

Here is a selection of news items and market data I have read over the past month that I think you might find informative.  Follow me on Twitter for daily updates. 

Brooklyn Townhouse Market Does Well in 4Q11

Outer Borough Markets Performing Better Than Manhattan

Toll Brothers Sees NYC to See Best Home Market

Bloomberg, Thumbs Up for Buttermilk Channel Fried Chicken

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Strong Place Project Update

Well Under Way! from Brennan Realty Services on Vimeo.

We are actively marketing the properties for sale and are offering pre-construction discounts on the advertised prices to buyers willing to enter into purchase agreements before construction begins. Pre-construction buyers will be able to participate in the customization of their homes by selecting their own finishes, appliances, cabinets, etc. Please contact Betsy at 917-622-3879 or bhoffman@brennanrealestate.com if you would like to learn more about the project.

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Public Notice – Community Board 6 Meeting 1/26, 6PM

Our architect, CWB Architects, will present our development proposal for 2-4 Strong Place to the Community Board 6 Landmark/Land Use Committee on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 6:00PM.  The Community Board meeting will be held at 1 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, NY 11215.

Last week we met with members of the Cobble Hill Association that live nearby our site.  The architect presented our proposal and while the audience had a few questions regarding the construction process the design of our new building met with unanimous approval.  The architect’s mother was even in attendance, she lives on Strong Place (as did the architect as a child), and appeared to be pleased with what her son had designed.

 

 

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Pricing Now Available — Three Custom Townhomes in Cobble Hill!

The pricing is now available for the three custom built townhomes located at the corner of Strong Place and Kane Street in Cobble Hill. Brennan Realty Services are the exclusive listing brokers for the project. If you have been waiting for the opportunity to own your own brand new custom townhome, on what may be one of the most desired blocks in all of Brooklyn, your time has come. These 1- or 2-family homes are currently in the permitting phase so contact us now to learn how you can reserve a one-of-a-kind home to make your very own.

Click on the address below to go to the individual listings, where you can see pricing, images, floor plans and property details.

2 Strong Place (corner of Strong and Kane)
1-family, 4,127 square foot 4 1/2-story 5-bedroom custom home. Plus a 800 square foot 2-story detached carriage house facing Kane Street (garage and studio). Outdoor space includes multiple terraces and a large rear garden.

4 Strong Place
1-family, 3,877 square foot 4 1/2-story 5-bedroom custom home. Outdoor space includes multiple terraces and a large rear garden.

4A Strong Place
2-family, 3,891 square foot 4 1/2-story 5-bedroom custom home. Plus a garden level one-bedroom rental unit. Outdoor space includes multiple terraces and a large rear garden.

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Approximately, 2% of the adult population

Much information is available regarding the signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia. We will also discuss in greater detail the symptoms of fibromyalgia in women and the symptoms of fibromyalgia in men. Both are fascinating topics to research and try to understand.

Approximately, 2% of the adult population, in the United States suffers from fibromyalgia, approximately 5 million people. fibromyalgia symptoms in women Nearly 90% of the existing cases are women. Researchers are still trying to determine why women are diagnosed with fibromyalgia in greater numbers than men.

Let us begin by defining fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a disease and is a chronic condition affecting the muscular-skeletal system. According to Wikipedia, fibromyalgia is recognized as chronic widespread pain in the body. Widespread refers to pain, or aching, above, as well as, below the waist. However, it is not arthritis, and the cause is currently unknown.

In persons with fibromyalgia, all four quadrants of the human body are affected. Again, the pain is not localized. The signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia commonly include constant pain and fatigue, stiffness in joints, tender muscles and tendons. Some have also reported numbness and tingling, bladder and bowel dysfunction, chronic headaches and jaw pain. Difficulty swallowing, nasal congestion and shortness of breath are also considered symptoms of fibromyalgia patients.

It is noted when pressure is applied to certain areas of the body, such as the back of the head, top of the shoulders, outer elbows, inside the knees, upper back, etc., the pain increases. These areas are called “tender points” or also referred to as “trigger points.” The signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia include, in a majority of cases, fatigue that remains even after many hours of sleep. Both men and women diagnosed with fibromyalgia report they cannot easily fall asleep or have disrupted sleep throughout the night. External stimuli, such as lights and weather conditions, can negatively affect victims of fibromyalgia.

Not surprisingly, fibromyalgia symptoms in women are linked to sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea. In addition, there appears to be a strong correlation between waking up at night, restless sleep and the chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia, especially in women. Depression, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating are likely symptoms of fibromyalgia in women. It has also been stated that symptoms of fibromyalgia in women may mimic other diseases, therefore, difficult to diagnose.

Symptoms of fibromyalgia in men may also be misdiagnosed. fibromyalgia symptoms womenOften, men are taught, from their youth, to mask their pain so they may not seek immediate medical attention. The symptoms of fibromyalgia in men are similar to women, but symptoms may seem milder, with less pain, less joint stiffness and fatigue. Nonetheless, widespread pain and ongoing fatigue are the primary symptoms among male sufferers.

Men who complain of continual pain are often ridiculed or not believed. Some people mistakenly think that men cannot have fibromyalgia, which hinders adequate treatment options. Men have been reported to have the symptoms of fibromyalgia for ten years or more without an adequate diagnosis.

Researchers all over the world continue to learn more and more about the signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia and the corresponding treatment options in men and women.

Fibromyalgia symptoms in women and men are similar. But, you must have knowledge of the symptoms of fibromyalgia in both sexes. what are the symptoms of fibromyalgia Be informed.

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