Esquire Realty Ciaramella & Co. is a premier real estate brokerage proudly rooted in Howard Beach and Ozone Park, Queens. Led by Brina Ciaramella Esq., an award winning and top-producing broker and local real estate attorney ranked in the top 3.5% of Realtors in Queens, our team combines legal expertise, deep neighborhood knowledge, and innovative marketing to deliver exceptional results. Trusted by buyers, sellers, and investors, we specialize in residential sales, luxury listings, and strategic negotiations. Known for community impact and award-winning service, Esquire Realty Ciaramella & Co. is dedicated to elevating the neighborhoods we serve.
I see properties mispriced all the time, and very often theyโre listed by agents who donโt actually live and work in this area.
There are real distinctions between Hamilton Beach, Old Howard Beach, New Howard Beach, and Lindenwood. When those differences are missed, pricing and marketing are off from day one.
Iโve seen open houses scheduled in Hamilton Beach during high tide. Iโve seen houses advertised with the wrong zoned schools listed. Buyers notice these kinds of things immediately.
You also need an agent that’s regularly available to show the property. I recently took over a listing that had been with an agent who lives nearly an hour away. Showings were scheduled around her availability instead of buyer demand. How do you think that works out?
Local knowledge isnโt just comps and contracts- itโs living and breathing the neighborhood, down to the slice.
โก๏ธ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐.Contracts, rider negotiations, approvals, mortgage contingencies โ delays cost leverage, money, and sometimes the deal itself.
โก๏ธ ๐พ๐ค๐ช๐ง๐ฉ-๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฎ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐๐ง๐๐ฃโ๐ฉ ๐๐ช๐๐ก๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ก๐ค๐ฌ.If someone spends most of their time in court, theyโre often unavailable during business hours when real estate actually moves. Deals donโt pause because someone is mid-trial.
โก๏ธ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ช๐๐จ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ โ๐ง๐๐ง๐.โLiens, judgments, estate issues, missing satisfactions, co-op complications- they come up all the time. Attorneys who only dabble in real estate usually donโt see these problems coming until itโs too late.
โก๏ธ ๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฃ ๐ง๐๐๐ค๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ.Someone who handles real estate every day can spot red flags early, fix issues quietly, and keep transactions moving. Someone whoโs done โa few closingsโ is learning on your deal.
An โeasy dealโ can turn complicated overnight. And that won’t be the moment you want your attorney Googling solutions.Real estate attorneys donโt just review contracts. They manage risk, timing, pressure, and people, all at once.
True story I wish wasnโt so common. Another agent asked to show one of my co-op listings. Their buyer has a 50% DTI. This building requires 33% or less. When I asked about it, the agent didnโt even know what DTI meantโฆ yet had a full day planned showing co-ops the buyer cannot qualify for.
Before you tour a single co-op, your agent should confirm:
Debt-to-Income limits
Minimum down payment
Post-closing liquidity requirements
Credit score requirements
Primary residence rules
Occupancy rules
Pet policies
Interview standards
A good agent protects you before you get financially and emotionally invested. A bad one hands you a long list of apartments you were never eligible to buy. Choose your buyer’s agent carefully. Your time matters.
Happy, young couples with big smiles. And even though they work as a dog walker and an under-water basket weaving instructor, they have endless budgets. Everything feels exciting, hopeful, and is neatly wrapped in a bow by the end of the episode. Lol well, that usually ain’t it.
A huge number of real estate transactions start with grief. With divorce. With financial pressure. With families trying to make decisions during some of the hardest moments of their lives. Deaths. Bankruptcies. Siblings that don’t talk. You get the idea.
I bring a lot of technical knowledge to the table, as a broker and as an attorney, and that’s great, but none of that exists in a vacuum. Real estate is the business of people. And people are emotional.You have to be skillful in reading the room, understanding whatโs really driving decisions, and knowing when to slow things down versus when to push forward. You have to know when to be firm, and who needs a hug and a dozen donuts.
No TV show ever really captures that part of it. So maybe this blog post isn’t so technically educational, but just acknowledging the emotional side of it all- and that really matters too.
If weโre going to sell your home together, easy access is essential. No matter how beautiful my photography is or how much I advertise, homes donโt sell from the sidewalk.
๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐: ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐For vacant properties, allowing a lockbox is one of the smartest decisions a seller can make. Access is limited to licensed New York State real estate agents, booked through verified showing platforms, and logged electronically. I also post reminders at the entrance asking agents to secure the home and turn off lights before leaving.
If you live in the home, providing me with key for times when youโre not available allows me to show the property without delays. That flexibility prevents missed opportunities and lets me do my job effectively. I promise I’m not going to snoop through your stuff. I have plenty of weird stuff in my own house too ๐คฃ๐ก
One of the hardest real estate moves to pull off, logistically, financially, and emotionally, is selling a home in order to fund the purchase of the next one.It can absolutely be done, but it needs proper timing, real education, and honest guidance, not pressure. In a fast-paced real estate environment like New York, it is uncommon for a seller to grant a contract agreement that is “contingent on the buyer’s sale”, and so the situation can become very tricky.
In New York State, the most commonly used Contract of Sale gives a buyer 45 days to obtain a mortgage commitment. If the buyer receives a good faith loan declination within that window, the contract is cancelled and the deposit is returned. Even after a commitment letter is issued, there is still a (small but real) risk of something called post-commitment failure to fund, where a loan falls apart late due to final conditions, employment changes, documentation issues, or underwriting concerns.
In other words:
๐ An accepted offer is not the same as a guaranteed sale.
๐ A contract is not the same as money in the bank.
If a seller needs the proceeds from their sale to fund their purchase, the best advice is this:๐๐ผ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐น ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ “๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ด๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐”, and even then you must be very careful!!
๐น๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐๐น๐น ๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ด๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น:This is where experience matters.There is a big difference between: a clean commitment, and a dirty commitment loaded with unresolved conditions! The conditions list tells the real story. Some conditions are routine. Others are red flags. An extremely knowledgeable agent knows how to read the commitment and spot unresolved underwriting risks. Many agents never even look at this document!!!
๐น๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ง๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ:โGo out shopping now!โ, โYouโll be fine.โโWeโll figure it out.โ Why? Because that creates another deal ๐
But hereโs the nightmare scenario no one wants to talk about- your seller client goes under contract on a purchase, puts down a large deposit, relies on their sale proceeds- and then finds out late that their own buyerโs deal is shaky or falling apart. Now they are contractually bound to buyโฆ with no way to fund it!!! That is not aggressive representation. That is just reckless advice.
When youโre selling real estate as an Executor or Trustee, you’re acting for the benefit of beneficiaries. That means the sale isnโt just about getting to the closing table; ๐ถ๐โ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐น๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฑ๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐พ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ณ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ.
Below are key listing principles I use when guiding fiduciaries through the sale of the propery assets.
๐ธ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ. I often recommend starting slightly high to demonstrate a good-faith effort to test the open market and avoid later claims that the property was undersold.
๐น๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด. Any price adjustments are data-driven, strategic, and documented.
๐ธ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐. Full market exposure, clean offer comparisons, no shortcuts.
At a good open house, I turn into a full-blown party host- greeting nonstop guests, chatting, sharing details, and floating on adrenaline so I donโt even realize how bad my feet hurt.
Few phrases confuse buyers and sellers more than โas is.โMost people think it means the seller has zero responsibility and the house can be delivered in any condition, but in the standard New York sales contract, thatโs not true.๐โ๐๐ ๐๐โ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐: ๐๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐In New York, โas isโ simply means the home must be delivered in the same condition it was in when the buyer viewed it.No new damage.No deterioration.No surprises.๐ง๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐Even with an โas isโ contract, sellers are typically still responsible for basic functionality, including:Working heat and central ACWorking appliances (stove, fridge, etc.)No active plumbing leaksNo roof leaksSo โas isโ does not mean โbroken is acceptable.โ๐๏ธ ๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ง๐ฟ๐๐ฒ โ๐๐ ๐๐โ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐A real, full โtake it or leave itโ condition generally appears only in:ForeclosuresExtreme Estate LiquidationsDistressed or bank-owned salesFor normal residential deals? Itโs extremely rare.๐ก ๐๐ผ๐๐๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒโ๐๐ ๐ถ๐โ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐- ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ.And most standard contracts still guarantee a home thatโs functional, safe, and in the same condition the buyer agreed to purchase.๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ๐!
1๏ธโฃ Verbal โYesโ- Basic Terms Agreed โ Price and general terms are set. Nothing is official yet.
2๏ธโฃ Home Inspection ๐Inspection happens before contracts.Repairs/credits (if any) are negotiated.
3๏ธโฃ Deal Sheet Sent to Attorneys ๐Once inspection items are settled, the deal sheet goes to both attorneys.
4๏ธโฃ Sellerโs Attorney Drafts the Contract โ๏ธContract + Riders are prepared and sent to the buyerโs attorney.
5๏ธโฃ Attorney Review โ๏ธBuyerโs attorney reviews everything and negotiates protective changes. Edits go back and forth until the contract is finalized.
6๏ธโฃ Buyer Signs & Sends Deposit ๐ฐBuyer signs first and conveys the contract deposit. Still not binding yet!
7๏ธโฃ Seller Signs โ Now Itโs Official ๐๏ธOnce the seller signs, the seller’s attorney deposits the escrow, and the contract becomes fully executed. Mortgage timelines begin.
8๏ธโฃ Buyer Begins Mortgage Application ๐ฆBuyer submits further income docs and explanations. Lender issues disclosures and starts processing.
9๏ธโฃ Appraisal & Underwriting ๐ ๐Lender orders the appraisal.Underwriter reviews the buyer and the property.
๐ Title Search ๐The title search reviews everything about the property such as taxes, potential judgments, liens, municipal searches for violations and open permits, as well as deed information, bankruptcy, and patriot searches.
1๏ธโฃ1๏ธโฃ Loan Commitment Issued โ๏ธLoan is approved subject to final conditions.
1๏ธโฃ2๏ธโฃ Clear to Close & Schedule Closing ๐ All conditions met means that the lender issues a โClear to Close.โ Attorneys schedule closing with the bank and title company.
1๏ธโฃ3๏ธโฃ Final Walk-Through ๐ถโโ๏ธ๐ Buyer checks the property before closing. Buyer checks for “as is” condition being met, as well as completion of any agreed upon repairs or changes.
1๏ธโฃ5๏ธโฃ Review โญโญโญโญโญ All parties involved rave about Esquire Realty Ciaramella & Co. and leave glowing Google and social media reviews.
Esquire Realty Ciaramella & Co. 