Garfield Realty

Who we are

• Independent, owner-operated brokerage led by brokers and owners Elizabeth Kohen and Paul Paglia.
• Team of straightforward, smart, friendly and accessible agents who live and work in Brooklyn.
• Ranked among Real Trends' Top 5 large teams in Brooklyn by volume and among the top 1.5% of real estate professionals nationwide.
• Members of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), giving sellers exposure to thousands of cooperating agents across the city.

What we do

Garfield Realty specializes in residential real estate in Brownstone Brooklyn neighborhoods such as Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Prospect Heights and the surrounding areas.

The team helps clients with:

• Selling townhouses, co-ops and condos
• Buying homes and investment properties
• Renting and leasing apartments and houses
• Preparing and staging homes for sale
• Navigating co-op, condo and townhouse purchase processes

Our approach

• Real estate is treated as a relationship business, built on trust and long-term partnerships.
• Local market expertise comes from decades of living in New York City and personally renting, buying, renovating and selling homes.
• The brokerage emphasizes service over size, offering personalized attention instead of a large corporate structure.
• Guidance is practical and transparent — Garfield Realty does not advise clients to do anything the team would not do themselves.

• Phone: 718.622.7600
• Email: info@garfieldbrooklyn.com
• Office address: 155 Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215

You can call, email or stop by the office to talk about Brooklyn real estate.

Service areas

Garfield Realty focuses on residential real estate in Brownstone Brooklyn, including:

• Park Slope
• Windsor Terrace
• Prospect Heights
• Kensington
• Nearby Brooklyn neighborhoods in and around Brownstone Brooklyn

The team handles both sales and rentals throughout these areas and beyond in Brooklyn as needed.

Lists Prospect Heights, Elizabeth, Garfield, Brooklyn, Kensington, New York City, Park Slope, and Windsor as a location. Names New York, Brooklyn, and New York City as a service area. Areas beyond these are not published.

• Get pre-approved. Before you start shopping, secure a formal mortgage pre-approval letter from a reputable mortgage banker. Based on your recent tax returns, income and credit, they will outline how much a bank is prepared to lend you.
• Having pre-approval ready allows you to move quickly on new listings and makes your offers stronger.

Typical down payments

Guidance from Garfield Realty's buyer resources includes:

• Condos: Plan for a minimum of around 10% of the purchase price as a down payment.
• Co-ops and townhouses: Often require 20% or more down.
• FHA loans: For some new-construction condos, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans may allow down payments as low as about 3.5%.

Specific requirements vary by building and lender.

Competing in a multiple-offer situation

When there are multiple bids on a home, factors that can help strengthen your offer include:

• A larger down payment
• Fewer contingencies (where you are comfortable doing so under advice from your lender and attorney)
• Flexibility on timing and other terms to meet the seller's needs
• Considering whether to waive an appraisal contingency under professional guidance, if appropriate
• Including a thoughtful, personal cover letter to the seller
• Offering an odd total dollar amount to stand out slightly from other offers

Typical purchase timeline

While every transaction is different, Garfield Realty's guide outlines an approximate timeline from offer to closing of about 60–120 days, for example:

• Prepare and submit offer: roughly 1 day
• Negotiate offer and reach acceptance: roughly 2–5 days
• Due diligence, contract signing and escrow deposit: roughly 7–10 business days
• Loan application, appraisal, loan approval and commitment: roughly 2–4 weeks
• Co-op board package and interview or condo application: roughly 4–6 weeks
• Bank and attorney closing preparations: roughly 1–2 weeks
• Final walkthrough: within 24–48 hours of closing
• Closing: typically 2–3 hours

Actual timing depends on the property type, lender, building and parties involved.

Overview of common property types

Garfield Realty's buyer guide explains the main types of homes you are likely to encounter in Brooklyn:

Co-ops (cooperatives)

• Common in Brownstone Brooklyn and Manhattan.
• You purchase shares in the corporation that owns the building and receive a stock certificate and proprietary lease.
• Monthly maintenance fees usually cover heat, hot water, building staff, insurance, real estate taxes and any underlying building mortgage; a portion is typically tax-deductible.
• There is a board screening process that reviews your financials and references and conducts an interview to ensure a good fit for the building community.

Condos (condominiums)

• Each apartment is real property with its own deed and tax lot, more similar to owning a house.
• Common charges generally cover building maintenance and services but may not include utilities; real estate taxes are paid separately.
• Financing is often more flexible, and you may be able to finance a larger share of the purchase price than with some co-ops.
• Screening, if any, is usually less involved than a co-op board process.

Cond-ops

• A hybrid structure where a residential co-op sits above a separate commercial condo on the ground floor.
• Maintenance is generally tax-deductible and covers similar items to co-ops, and shareholders go through a board approval process.

Townhouses

• You own the property outright with a title and deed.
• You are responsible for all real estate taxes, maintenance and repairs.
• You can choose to live in the home or rent out all or part of it, subject to applicable laws and regulations.

Market perspective and closing costs

Garfield Realty's resources describe the Brooklyn market as historically resilient over the long term, with periods of both growth and short-term declines. They also provide a separate financing and closing costs guide outlining estimated closing costs for different property types and for both buyers and sellers.

Exact closing costs, tax implications and financing terms depend on your specific situation. Buyers and sellers should confirm details with their attorney and mortgage professional.

For personalized guidance on buying a home in Brooklyn, contact Garfield Realty directly.

Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess.