La Villita 1249 Avenue U Brooklyn, NY 718 998 0222 If you want a cheap, but interesting family meal Avenue U is definitely the place to go. There are a half dozen Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants, but one Mexican Restaurant La Villita. This small Formica table place has maybe a couple of dozen seats, but what it does have is good inexpensive food. The Guacamole is a fresh yellow green and creamy (Guacamole turns brown almost immediately) and the Salsa fresca is a winner. Warning the regular salsa can be spicy. I had the Mole Poblano, usually made with Turkey, but this time chicken fillets were used. Mole Poblano, a dark savory sauce is made with bitter chocolate, and should be easy to take down, but have an after burn. The sauce was thin, but tasty. A salad was included all for $ 11. ... 03/26/2009

Triple Z 1410 Avenue U 718 382 4328 With Ducks and half pigs hanging in the window, there is no doubt that this is an authentic Chinese eating place. There are lunch specials as cheap as $ 4 and the food is very fresh, as there is a major Chinese market next door. A la carte main courses run about $ 10 The green vegetables are done just so and the sauces have none of the gloppiness of a Junior High School cafeteria. You can even get your Chow Fun dry The ambiance is definitely family style, expect to sit at a large round table with people you don't know. BTW definitely go to the market next door, the Chinese love their greens and always have at least a dozen varieties available. Don't worry if you don't speak perfect Mandarin, the store's help always answer every question with "very goo... 03/26/2009

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 a... 03/25/2009

Time for long time, satisfied customers to stand up. We have been using Vigilante Plumbing for 38 years. Yes they may cost more, but you get quality work that endures and adds to the value of your house. I've tried other plumbers from time to time, some good and some caused more problems than they solved. To put things in perspective .... brownstones are old, with outdated and often patched together plumbing that does not meed today's plumbing standards. Whenever, you have a problem, there is often a problem behind the problem. Personally, I am willing to pay to have it put right. I do not like to put on a band-aid only to have the underlying problems from outdated, about to fail plumbing emerge later. We have always been given the choice. They were willing to unplug my tub drain, but i... 03/21/2009

Being in Real Estate since the age of 18 years old I have seen many marketing ideas come across my desk.  When a young Realtor came to me today, and asked me if they should focus on farming and sending out flyers as their office had suggested, I continued to ask questions as to what results he wanted to achieve.  The conversation went on for over an hour and he came to the conclusion he would focus on just two main avenues of marketing offline. During my conversation I actually thought back during my youth and when I was 18 years old and new real estate license in hand.  How did I promote my Real Estate Services?  I further went into how I still promote my Real Estate Law Practice.  I went on to tell him that I have tried various methods, postcards, news paper ads, Internet mailings, co... 03/20/2009

Luke Constantino| March 20, 2009 This is a very different market today than it was 2 years ago. If you don't stay current and work with an educated mortgage company you can miss out on quite a bit of business. Gone are the days where you can say "That's a good question, let me get back to you on that", you have to stay current and knowledgeable. Buyers are very intelligent and know more than you think. I am more current with this ever changing market, more than I ever was in the past. Along with years of experience I'm ready, this will be a great year. Good luck to all my peers.   Luke Constantino Commercial | ResidentialRE/MAX at THE SLOPEDirect: (212) 300-3919 | Fax: (360) 368-0098http://LukeConstantino.com   03/20/2009

While visiting a couple of websites with Blog logs I noticed I was immediately added to the persons Blog log.  Seems like a super way to track the people who actually go to your site.  However I would understand those who probably are weary about being so open on the net.  Does it make a difference to you how these Widgets are used or what purpose they really serve? Personally I would like more mapping widgets or ones that can have visitors ask me real estate questions that would automatically text me and I can text my response back and totally connect immediately and seamlessly. If you have any outstanding widgets that you come across or have seen let me know would love to test them out to better serve you the Real Estate community and my clients. KB 03/19/2009

You may be able to deed the property to your lender/servicer and avoid a lengthy foreclosure. This would help to keep away from a long-lasting foreclosure. For information on how this will disturb your credit rating, consult an independent tax advisor. This alternative sends to the credit bureau that the economic condition was mitigated. If accepted, the Deed-in-Lieu documents will be forwarded to your banks attorney's office to finalize the procedure. Here are the required documents you will need to complete the process: Updated financial information for all parties on the mortgage(s) Interior appraisal Title Reports, to ensure that the property is free and clear of any debts, liens, encumbrances, and the premises are vacated Completed Deed-in-Lieu documents The entire process takes ro... 03/15/2009

Shogun Assassin a.k.a. Lone Wolf and Cub, which is what this movie is based on, is a legendary manga (Japanese comic book).  It's not only the best manga (or even comic book, for that matter) of all time, but it ranks up there as one of the greatest stories ever written. They just don't make classics of this breed anymore! One of the goriest samurai movies ever made really hits a note of brilliance during it's first two minutes. For many years Ogami had served the shogun faithfully as chief executioner. Now he has been betrayed by the elderly and paranoid ruler. Lone Wolf's wife is killed and he vows revenge. The hitch? He's dragging his three-year-old son along with him, killing any who get in his way. That's the most simplistic way to put it, but like any good revenge tale there are m... 03/15/2009

I have been marketing this property from the beginning of January and haven't gotten any calls on it. I have made over forty inquiries to different developers in the area to no avail. I think the commercial market in my area must be extremely slow because this is an excellent development area. The other corners close to the have condo developments on them. Too bad the mayor took away the fifteen year tax abatement. If anyone has any serious buyers or this area please contact me as soon as you can. Thank you. Luke Constantino Commercial | ResidentialRE/MAX at THE SLOPEDirect: (212) 300-3919 | Fax: (360) 368-0098 http://LukeConstantino.com   03/15/2009

  Lalezar Turkish Restaurant 2715 Avenue U, Brooklyn, NY 718 769 7003   My group of friends decided to go to Lalezar for lunch. Two of us arrived early, and we told the restaurant that other were coming, we were told to take a seat in a darkened dining area. When we were approached by a waiter, we asked that the lights be turned on and that bread and water be brought to us. I was rather aghast when the response was -we will when the others come!?! I should have walked out then, but my friends were meeting us there. My friends arrived so did the lights, water and bread. When the lights turned on I noticed that the dining room was dingy. Lalezar had none of the delightful flat Turkish bread, but did give us a stingy amount of dry Pita. Not a good start. The lunch menu, a folded plain pape... 03/13/2009

While on a listing appointment I came across these pretty birds in New York City.  It looks like the first bird is also giving a listing presentation. Ok Ok, you got me...I look at everything through the Eyes Of Real Estate EORE lol.  Hope you enjoy the shot, I know I did once I took a closer look at the ccharacters at the end.  During your appointments, what interesting things have you come ac cross lately?  A great picture, a rainbow, children playing in a park.  Maybe my pic should be on Fliker, but I think we should be well rounded agents and start to share our daily adventures.  Real Estate will always wait for 5 minutes while you smell the roses.   03/12/2009

  New York Real Estate.  Local Expert or General Practitioner? New York Realtors are incredible.  Living in such a large city I meet and run in to many Realtors throughout my work week.  Some are territorial and others are helpful beyond belief.  I posted this map from google maps below just to capture the enormity that is the City of New York.  The clear part of the map is Manhattan, the island right in the middle.  So why am I writing this blog post?  Well, the reason is, in its entirety NYC can be very intimidating for new arrivals, new expats from different countries and even those just moving across the river from New Jersey.  I want to put forth that New York is just one small town, actually Many Many Small towns all bundled up into one large great massive community, and as such t... 03/11/2009

I have been in the real estate business for quite a while now and have had the fortune of joining Keller Williams in New York. I wanted to post this short note to share the fact that I believe Keller Williams is like no other real estate organization I have seen. Below I am putting a link for you to find out more about Keller Williams and I would like to be available to you to discuss any questions you may have for me as well as to put you in touch with my Team Leader so she can show you what we are all about. Come check Keller Williams out, I am sure you will love the Keller Williams Difference. No matter where you are NY or California there is a Keller Williams office ready willing and able to show you the new future that is available to you. Join Keller Williams     03/09/2009

As I drove to an appointment today, my photographer snapped a picture of the New York City Building scene.  I was amazed by how much construction is still going on even during these hard times.  I would imagine most of the funding has already been earmarked or granted, however as we all know a City like New York always finds a way to build up, up and up no matter the economic times. As I have stated before, the deals are out  there, the building are being built, now lets get out there and sell them. Good luck on your Resales and Rentals. 03/09/2009

I'm always in search of low cost, high return methods of of getting the word out not only for myself but my listings and clients aswell. Here's another FREE site I recently came across that offers 1000's of FREE customizable e-Cards. There is: No registration required No Spyware No adware Smiley Central Cursor Mania Screensavers The MyWebSearch Search box Search Assistant (responds to misspelled or incorrectly formatted browser adresses) Check them out www.myfuncards.com To find the value of your home with a FREE, over-the-net home HIGHEST Price Analysis, please visit: http://www.newyorkmarketvalue.com/   SEARCH over 50,000 homes online for FREE and be the first to know about HOT NEW LISTINGS before other buyers do, please visit http://www.allnylistings.com/ Disclaimer: The above Real E... 03/08/2009

Primorski-  282 Brighton Beach Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11235  http://primorski.net  718-891-3111 In almost the center of Little Odessa ( a.k.a. Brighton Beach ) is Primorski. A nightclub, known for its copious buffets and flowing Vodka, but they are also open for lunch-or are they??? There was a roof leak and most of the bathrooms were flooded. We were the only patrons and none of us spoke Russian and our waitress spoke no English! Primorski advertises a $6 dollar three course, sit down hot lunch, with soup, salad, main course and coffee it is a real bargain. However, trying to resolve the complexities of their menu without speaking fluent Russian is not easy. It turns out there is a second prix fixe lunch at $ 12 and it is a true banquet. There is hot Georgian Borscht and a Lamb and Pota... 03/08/2009

A key to protecting the investment you've made in your home is by following a regular maintenance schedule. By performing preventative maintenance on an on-going basis, you'll avoid many of the big ticket repair items that can lower the value of your home. Here are helpful checklists for monthly and spring maintenance. Inside Your Home Test your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector. Check the filters on your heating and cooling systems.  Be sure to clean and change according to the manufacturer's schedule. If you have a humidifier or an electronic air filter, check these as well.   Check faucets for drips.  Check plumbing for leaks. Check furnace air filters each month during the heating season.  Clean or replace as necessary. Inspect fireplace, wood stove and chimneys.  Have each c... 03/08/2009

The sunny, mild weather with a few rainstorms mixed in bring hordes of wood-devouring termites out into the open to swarm - mate - and, eventually, inhabit your home.  Pest control industry estimates claim that the damage termites cause now tops $5 billion each year! From now through May, termites will be at their worst as termite swarm season descends on the United States. Recognizing termites is tricky, since they are often difficult to distinguish from flying ants. Termites have relatively straight, beadlike antennae, while ants have elbowed antennae. Termites have two pair of wings (front and back) that are of almost equal length. Ants also have two pair of wings but the fore wings are much larger than the hind wings. The abdomen of the termite is broadly joined to the thorax while ... 03/08/2009

By Luke Constantino | Friday, March 06, 2009 Brooklyn has quickly become one of the most desirable boroughs to live in New York City. There is a vast majority of neighborhoods and different ethnic backgrounds here which makes it (in my opinion) the greatest place to live. You have a majority of ethnic restaurants, museums, entertainments and parks that outweigh Manhattan by far. Why Brooklyn than Manhattan? It's less expensive and more residential... It's a place where people live. (Some kids playing "Stickball" on a residential street in Brooklyn) Before buying or renting a place in Brooklyn: "DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!" One of the best sites that I have found to give you a great description of an area you're thinking of moving into is "PropertyShark" http://www.propertyshark.com/mason/nyc/in... 03/06/2009