Ilan Bracha's (bracha_group) Blog

  Spring is here and summer is approaching quickly.  Time to make those showings gleam and nothing does that better than a few smart home staging strategies. I’ve noticed there are some impressive home stagers here on Active Rain.  Obviously these experts know the importance of first impressions!...

As Memorial Day approaches, New York City is celebrating with plenty of events to honor and remember our country’s men and women who’ve paid the ultimate sacrifice.   Fleet Week is in its 24th year here in Manhattan, kicking off this past Wednesday the 25th, with the “Parade of Ships.” With a hos...

An Elegant and Historical Manhattan Neighborhood From 59th to 96th Street and from the East River to Central Park is Manhattan’s Upper East Side.This section of New York City has some of the most expensive real estate in the nation and was once referred to as the “Silk Stocking District.” During...

AN ECLECTIC ENCLAVE OF NEW YORK HOUSING, HOTSPOTS AND HISTORY   Soho in New York City is a hip area of Manhattan and home to celebrities and artists. Its cobblestone streets, eclectic atmosphere, trendy restaurants, shops and art galleries make this section a place to be and be seen. From Canal S...

The Latest About Real Estate, The Economy, Technology and Other News   We keep a close watch on what’s going on in Manhattan and I thought I’d share some news about what we’re hearing and reading about.   Good News About Employment   The New York Post reported recently that New York led the natio...

  At one time or another, all of us are faced with a situation that may, upon initial inspection, seem a bit daunting.   As brokers, we face those situations on a fairly regular basis!   Whether it’s a sure thing at the last minute falling through, a property or development not being completed wh...

The New York Times reported recently that Mayor Bloomberg plans to make New York City the “No. 1 Digital City.”   Now, I’m not saying that we’re leading the pack here as far as technology goes or that Mayor Bloomberg took a cue from us, but we’re already using the latest and greatest at Keller Wi...

This past Thursday we celebrated RED Day, a Keller Williams’ annual initiative to give back to our communities.   Keller Williams designated the second Thursday of May as RED Day in honor of Mo Anderson, Vice Chairman.  Mo’s birthday is always on or around RED Day and she’s considered the “heart ...

Lower Manhattan, New York City   At the southern tip of Manhattan is The Financial District.  Its boundaries border surrounding neighborhoods, Battery Park City, Tribeca and Chinatown and unofficial borders are from West Side Highway to the East River and from Manhattan’s southern tip to the Broo...

Which is the “better” buy in Manhattan?   New York City was the first city in the United States to establish the idea of co-ops. Two architects built the Randolph on West 18th Street in 1876 which was the start of similar projects, known as “home clubs.”   These home clubs were owned by stockhold...