Monday, December 10, 2012

Realtor Spotlight: Luke Constantino Remax at The Slope NYC




For the latest spotlight on the amazing Realtors who answer Realtor.com's Q&A section, we head to New York City with Luke Constantino, Realtor at Remax at The Slope



Why Remax at The Slope? Because Brooklyn is “The New Manhattan”,and with the large influx of people who want to live here from everywhere in the world, Remax New York seems to be the perfect match. I, being born and raised here in New York City , am more than happy to show them around my neighborhood… The Greatest city in the world!

Luke is a native New Yorker who loves his city with a passion. With over 15 years in the real estate field, he brings a level of skill and professionalism found only through experience. He has proven to be a tremendous asset to his clients when it comes to analyzing and understanding the market, accessing information quickly, and bringing closure to a transaction. Every deal is a new experience and every client a lasting relationship.

Prior to entering real estate, Luke enjoyed a successful career as a stock broker for a major brokerage firm. He has also held the position of Social Media and marketing Chairman for The Brooklyn Board of Realtors. On his time off, he takes pleasure in going to the theater, fitness and dining at the many exquisite gourmet restaurants New York City has to offer.

1) You transitioned from life as a stockbroker to a career as a Realtor. What was that like and who has it tougher in a down market, realtors or brokers?

Being a stock broker is very much like being a Realtor. The more educated the buyer/seller, the smoother the transaction. I have to admit, as a stock broker, my clients were more stressed in a down market than in real estate. Even though the clientele and product was different, it was always about closing the deal. I always put myself in the buyers/seller’s shoes to make sure the deal was a perfect fit.

I literally negotiate deals with millions of dollars every day with the most affluent people buying and selling the finest properties New York City has to offer. Though carefully analyzing Remax International and a majority of their associates throughout the country, I found it to be a very smart move. The majority of my referrals are from Remax, the most widely known real estate company in the world. 

2) New York City can be a very complicated market, how do you walk first time buyers through the differences between condos and co-ops and how do you prepare people for dealing with co-op boards?
As we all know, condos are fee simple, meaning you own the unit outright, as for coops, you own shares of the co-op corporation that owns your building. Each serves a purpose for the diverse variety of people who live here. We also have something called a “Condop” in NYC which is a condo owned by the cooperative-ownership structure (It can be somewhat confusing). Manhattan was built on coops… We deal with quite a lot of them here.

How-to prepare for a co-op board… that can be a seminar in itself! I usually tell people to be prepared to show almost all financial records, which no one wants to do. A buyer once told me: “It’s like being stripped down naked and thrown to the lions”. Make sure all letters of reference start with “Dear Members of the Board” not “To whom it May concern”.Always dress appropriately and look presentable. You never know what might be a reason for rejection. So put your best foot forward and keep things simple and light! I also have a guide I give potential coop buyers to help them complete a board package, it makes things less painful.


3) What’s your favorite neighborhood in Brooklyn and why?

Brooklyn is my home, that’s impossible to that… It is so diverse here. There’s literally something for everyone: Historic architecture, parks, museums, fine dining, entertainment and all kinds of shopping and stores: Even Coney Island!!!
Again, I think New York Magazine said it best:“Brooklyn is the new Manhattan”.

4) If you could sell a unit in any building in NYC, what listing would it be? Is there any building that you have always wanted to represent?

145 Hudson Street #PH: Asking 48,000,000
A Tribeca Duplex Penthouse Masterpiece: sheathed in museum quality, high-performance, insulated glass set atop an historic Art Deco loft building at 145 Hudson Street. The glass envelope of its 7500 interior square feet was designed to provide the utmost quiet indoor environment, with the maximum exposure to the 4500 square feet of private, wrap around terrace and the 360-degree panoramic views of Manhattan and the Hudson River are spectacular!

5) New York City is the city that never sleeps and always eats, what’s your favorite restaurant in your neighborhood (or beyond)?
Let’s face it: I’m a guy, and I love steak… What guy doesn’t?

Peter Luger Steakhouse has been rated the number one steakhouse in the country for over 24 years. Old wooden tables and chairs are complimented by these old world type chandeliers and saw dust on the floor. Trust me… Once you bite into one of their steaks, you will know why this is a world renowned steak house. On any given night, it’s not uncommon to have a celebrity or some Yankees or Mets sitting across from you. Sometimes it takes 3 months to get a dinner reservation. Here’s a secret tip from a Native New Yorker:
Go at 11AM…Most of the time you don’t need a reservation for lunch.



Luke Constantino
Realtor
Commercial/Residential
Remax NYC
261 4th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215
Direct: (212) 300-3919

lukeconstantino@gmail.com

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

My Neighborhood: Cobble Hill, Brooklyn


By Luke Constantino 11/14/2012

Cobble hill, Carroll Gardens, Luke Constantino, Douglas Elliman

What does the word “cobble” mean?
Cobble Hill is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Brooklyn, just south of Brooklyn Heights and north of Carroll Gardens; its name was derived from all the cobblestones left here from the ships that used them as ballast. Cobblestone ballasts kept large ships (which had large sails back in the 1600’s) from tipping over and gave them an even keel. Back then, South Brooklyn was a major shipping port.  
The beautiful homes
luke constantino, cobble hill, douglas elliman, real estate
Cobble Hill has some of the most beautiful homes in NYC, dating back to the mid 1800’s. Most of the homes here are designated as historical landmarks. There are a few different influences here: Romanesque, Greek, Gothic, Queen Anne and French structures. The tree lined streets here are some of the most beautiful streets NYC has to offer.
Retail, Restaurants and Lounges
mooburger, luke constantino, cobble hill, court street, douglas elliman, real estate
Where do I start? You can get everything here and then some! Court and Smith Street have some of the best restaurants and shopping in NYC.  People from all over the 5 boroughs flock here at any given time, especially on the weekends. If you are a foodie like me… Cobble Hill is the place! From “The Peanut Butter Bomb” at “Wild Ginger” to “The Hangover” at “Mooburger” you will be hard pressed to find such an eclectic variety of restaurants so close to each other. They even have formal dining, such as “Marco Polo’s Ristorante” (one of my favorites).But if your just looking for a good loaf of Italian bread of some cookies, stop by Capouto’s on Court Street, right next to my office.

caputos bakery, luke constantino, court street, cobble hill, douglas elliman, real estate

There is so much to see and do here I cannot mention it all. Here are a few sites that might help you:


Luke Constantino 
Realtor

Coldwell Banker
(212) 300-3919
lukeconstantino@gmail.com 
7428 5th Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11209



Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Sackett Union Townhomes, 340 Court Street Brooklyn NY 11231


Sackett Union Townhomes, 340 Court Street Brooklyn NY 11231





























Sackett Union is this beautiful condo/townhouse going up right across from my office, Prudential Douiglas Elliman Real Estate. We get quite a few people who come in and ask “What’s available”? I show them the floor plans and tell them “The best time to buy is in pre development. The place is more than ½ sold!
Availability: We keep in close contact with the developer, Alchemy Properties so we are current on what is still available:


I love the Carroll Gardens/Cobble hill area! You have everything here and are close to everything else. Imagine waking up early on a Sunday morning and smelling Caputo’s Bakery making bread, getting fresh rolls and having them with your morning coffee.

Give me a call if you are interested in purchasing any of the units or the exclusive townhomes.


Luke Constantino 
Realtor

Coldwell Banker
(212) 300-3919
lukeconstantino@gmail.com 
7428 5th Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11209





Sunday, July 22, 2012

The New York Coffee Cup – “We Are Happy To Serve You”.

By Luke Constantino
Every time I go into Brooklyn Heights or Manhattan I’m surrounded by either a Starbucks or some little cafĂ© selling some foo foo vente’ chai latte half calf with hazel nut moco garbage. I think I need “The Idiots Guide on how to buy Coffee “here. My friends seem to enjoy buying this stuff, and I always ask “What did you get?” They always give me some description of their coffee that is in 3 different languages and is topped with something that should be on ice cream. I always answer “You didn’t get sprinkles with that?” laugh, and walk away.
I’m sorry, I’m a real New Yorker, born and raised. My coffee comes in a paper cup that says “We Are Happy To Serve You”. "Coffee black", or “Regular” which is universally known to be with a little sugar and cream. Since I was a child I remember seeing this cup, it is the only New York coffee cup I have ever known, but where did it come from… Ancient Greece?
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New York has always been a diverse melting pot or in this case, a melting pot of coffee. Leslie Buck a New Yorker born in Czechoslovakia designed this “Anthora” cup in the early 60’s. Back then The Greeks ruled the greasy spoon diners throughout the 5 boroughs (which we all loved dearly). He wanted to appeal to this market with his cups. As we all know, Leslie did way better than that. Not only did the diners go crazy over these cups, so did a lot of street vendors. Now his “Athora” cup is synonymous with New York coffee.
Early morning I’m in lower Manhattan getting a coffee from the breakfast cart in front of the court buildings; “Coffee regular”, I yell as everyone behind me impatiently waits for their coffees, muffins, bagels etc. I look at the cup and I smile “There is no place I’d rather be”.

Luke Constantino 
Realtor

Coldwell Banker
(212) 300-3919
lukeconstantino@gmail.com 
7428 5th Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11209




Thursday, July 19, 2012

How to rent an apartment in Brooklyn, NY


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To get the best places and be ahead of the crowd, you need to be prepared. You can gain an edge over others by following these few simple steps:
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1. Know your credit score. If you don’t have a recent credit report, get one before you start looking for an apartment (go to ftc.gov). Nobody expects perfect credit from a renter, but a score above 580 or 600 is a plus,
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2. Know yourself: Do a background check through an online service like intelius.com.
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3. Line up your fan base. Prepare a list of references in advance, and get a letter from your last landlord that brags about what a wonderful tenant you were.
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4. Xerox stuff. Photocopy your driver’s license, Social Security card and work ID.
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5. First impressions count. When you meet with a building owner, dress nicely, be on time and bring all the information you’ve assembled. Owners want to know who you are and that they’re going to get paid. Provide them with these assurances, and you move to the front of the line.


Luke Constantino 
Realtor

Coldwell Banker
(212) 300-3919
lukeconstantino@gmail.com 
7428 5th Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11209


* Luke Constantino has been a Realtor in the NYC area for over 15 years. He has also spoken at numerous seminars and given professional advice in magazines, newspapers and television.