Paula C.'s Blog

LAND FOR SALE- WHITESTONE: 75 X 100, R3-2

Paula Caruso Annarumma, Trusted Experience Modern Results (RE Max Team) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 02:23:50 -0800

FOR SALE: 75 X 100 PROPERTY IN WHITESTONE, CORNER PROPERTY. A piece or land sits on the corner of 15 Avenue and 149 Street in Whitestone. Currently, a small 2 family sits on one end of the property, which is a vacant 2 family house. 2 homes can be built on the property. The survey is available upon request. Call PCA Realty for more information: 718-746-5539

RECENT SALES--FLUSHING NORTH, NY

Paula Caruso Annarumma, Trusted Experience Modern Results (RE Max Team) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:55:12 -0800

RECENT SALE: 151-47 26 AVENUE, FLUSHING, NY 11354Finally! the house listed at 151-46 26 Avenue, Flushing North has closed after a long struggle with the buildings dept. The asking price was $ 639,000 and the selling price was $644,000. This area has a very high deamnd for brick detached ranches! The house needed a full renovation, but the street is very desireable and close to all. It included 3 Bedrooms, 2 baths, finished basement and new oil heat. The property is 38 x 100. PCA Realty was the listing and selling broker.

JUST SOLD--FLUSHING NORTH, NY

Paula Caruso Annarumma, Trusted Experience Modern Results (RE Max Team) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:40:22 -0800

JUST SOLD: 29-43 163 STREET, FLUSHING NORTH, NY 113583 Bedroom, 2 bath, semi-attached frame house in very good condition sold in December 2007 for $ 564,000. Living room, formal dining room, eat in kitchen, deck, one car garage, finished basement, pull down sttic, new bathroom. Listed and sold by PCA Realty, Inc.

JUST SOLD--BELLEROSE TERRACE, NY

Paula Caruso Annarumma, Trusted Experience Modern Results (RE Max Team) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:30:58 -0800

JUST SOLD: 245-14 SUPERIOR ROAD, BELLEROSE, TERRACE, NY 11001 3 Bedrooms, 2 full baths, LR, DR, eat in kitchen, Porch, deck finished basement, 30 x 100 property on quiet street, RE taxes, $ 6400 sold 1/14/08 for $419,000 by PCA Realty, Inc.

BAYSIDE CO-OP SOLD IN 4 DAYS!

Paula Caruso Annarumma, Trusted Experience Modern Results (RE Max Team) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:05:48 -0800

BAYSIDE, BAYDALE CO-OP SOLD IN JUST 4 DAYS! A rare one bedroom was listed and sold by PCA Realty in the Baydale co-op development in Bayside North. An upper 1 Br, in nice courtyard setting yet down the block from stores on 35 Avenue, laundry behind building, off site mgmt, listed $ 187,000 sold for $181,000. maintenance $564.00 Updated kitchen, original bath, wood flrs.

Rare in Whitestone, NY! a house for $405,000

Paula Caruso Annarumma, Trusted Experience Modern Results (RE Max Team) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 06:54:55 -0800

JUST SOLD: 151-54 24TH AVENUE, WHITESTONE, NY 11357SEMI ATTACHED BRICK ONE STORY HOME CLOSED IN December 2007 FOR $ 405,000. Shared driveway, private backyard, nice block, near shopping and buses. Taxes $2800 Listed and Sold through PCA Realty, Inc.

Discount Brokers, BEWARE!!

Paula Caruso Annarumma, Trusted Experience Modern Results (RE Max Team) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 02:50:49 -0800

I have just about had it with agents taking over-priced listings with a pittance for commissions! It's still happening here in good ol' Whitestone, Bayside, Flushing, New York. These agents ruin it for the rest of the professionals who really work for their money. They don't want to invite co-brokes because the split is so low. Can't mention numbers, but you get the idea. Some of these agents do actually sell it themselves, but that's the whole point. And the sellers aren't even aware of what the listing says. In fact, I've seen some expireds who signed up for higher commissions, only to learn, after the fact, that their agent put it on MLS for far less to the selling agent. What a surprise! The listing agent keeps more that the selling agent. Some MLS's have rules that it's 50/50 but not here! Some of these agents/brokers are "upstanding" professionals in my brokerage community, and they should be ashamed of themselves. Others are just looking to make the phone ring and chances are the listing won't sell anyway. They put up their sign and just let it sit. If it's not priced right, they still get many buyer calls from the sign. Sometimes another agent will sell, (co-broke) sometimes not. I should explain that we are still mainly a seller agency area. To top it all of, there are approximately 3 for-sale-by-owners in one town alone. And they are getting buyers directly. They ARE selling themselves. The sellers in this area, Whitestone, Bayside, Flushing are pretty arrogant since they feel that they will attract buyers on their own. The market here is not as slow as some other areas of the country, so they still feel that they don't need agents/brokers. Some are expireds who are tired of the BS from agents they used, but the whole marketing plan, or lack of one, was all wrong. If I want to sell my property, don't I want to put it on for an attractive fee? I would rather take them to another house, and I do. If the buyer insists on seeing a property with a joke for a commssion, I will simply present the offer with the contingency that the deal is based on me getting a certain fee. The trick to this is that you must do this directly to the seller, with the agent and seller either on a conference call or in person. If the seller has listed for a larger fee, the seller will know something's wrong with the conversation. Worth a try anyway. What's the worst that can happen? They say no to the fee but yes to the deal? Don't know until you ASK! I am just about to start reading the book "Waging War on Discount Brokers" by Bernice Ross. I will get back to you on that! Discount agents should be aware that they ruin their reputation, not to mention that of their broker, and the entire real estate trade. (As a broker/owner, I have a policy on fees. Anything under a certain number will not be taken as a co-broke) It's just not worth it. Maybe to some of you it is. That's sad!

Where are all the good agents hiding?

Paula Caruso Annarumma, Trusted Experience Modern Results (RE Max Team) — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 17:13:07 -0700

To me selling is easy! it's running this office as a broker/owner that's making me nuts! I'm open for only a year and a half, and the list of agents to whom I have shown the door, continues to grow. All I want is mutual respect! Just showing up used to be a blessing, but as a small office, power struggles are extremely obvious to customers and other agents, especially the part-timers. I started out on Wall Street in commercial real estate in 1983 with a naiive look, and Italian name and no mentor. Anything after that is a walk it the park. I attribute my success as a broker to my personality, and let's not forget folks, we are actors and actresses! The most exhaustings days are when I have to be "on" for an extended period of time instead of just one showing. What do these agents want?? I gave them every lead, (I list, they sell) and they would still ask me to make the deal for them> them who is selling the prop: you or me? They even had formal training; i hired Corcoran Coaching for one year, which was well worth it.I recently ran a blind local newspaper ad for agents. One girl called, she didn't have a car! I tried craigs list, nothing. I can't do it all! Frustrated in New York!

PCA Realty's Recent Sale in Queens, NY

Paula Caruso Annarumma, Trusted Experience Modern Results (RE Max Team) — Sun, 20 May 2007 13:15:56 -0700

PCA Realty reports that the prices in Northeast Queens have been rising since the start of 2007. Some recent sales are:160-15 11th Avenue, Beechhurst. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, centerhall colonial on a 9,600 sq. ft. lot. (Closed on Februrary for $990,000)154-60 10th Avenue, Beechhurst. 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, full renovated. (Closed in March of 2007 for $730,000)160-10 Riverside Drive, Beechhurst. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, 7,000 sq. ft. lot. (Closed in March of 2007 for $978,000)13-46 146 Street, College Point. 3 bedroom, ranch. (Closed in April of 2007 for $600,000)151-35 12th Avenue, Whitestone. 2 bedroom, attached, brick. (Closed in May of 2007 for $505,000)Please visit our website at www.pcarealtyinc.com for more information on these properties and more proporties in your local area.