North Jersey Real Estate Blog

Are you thinking of selling your home? Want to maximize your sale price and minimize the time it takes to sell?

I listed this beautiful Colonial in Oakland and it was on the market only 8 days when it went under contract.

The Seller of this home was realistic about price and worked hard to stage the house so that it showed to its best advantage – clean, uncluttered and tasteful! Serious Buyers are out looking right now. It feels like Spring and the Buyers are buying like it’s Spring!

Call me if you’re thinking about selling. I’d be happy to walk through your home with you and offer suggestions on how to show your home in its best light and get it sold fast.

Check out these beautiful homes that will be open Sunday, Feb. 12, 1-4 PM.

966 Lily Pond Lane, Franklin Lakes
4BR, 4FBA, 2HBA Colonial
Offered at $1,399,000

31 Howard Street, Wyckoff
4BR, 3.5BA Colonial
Offered at $1,199,000

337 William Way, Wyckoff -JUST LISTED! FIRST TIME OPEN!
5BR, 3FBA, 2HBA Colonial
Offered at $1,195,000

42 Howard Street, Wyckoff
5BR, 4BA Colonial
Offered at $859,000

48 Deer Trail, Ramsey
4BR, 3BA “Nantucket Style” Colonial
Offered at $724,750

Paul McCartney, who will be 70 in June, has a new album, “Kisses on the Bottom,” out next week. On it he covers standards like “It’s Only A Paper Moon,” “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive,” “Bye Bye Blackbird” and “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter.”

You can hear the album in its entirety on NPR’s website.

Recently a young couple, hoping to buy their first home, asked me what the difference is between a co-op and a condo.

In general terms, a co-op is a corporation that owns real estate. If you belong to a co-op, you own stock in the corporation and the exclusive right to a given unit. There is usually an underlying mortgage on the property and your co-op fee includes some or all mortgage payments as well as other costs.

With a condo, you own real estate and you have access to certain common facilities. The condo is typically repsonsible for exterior maintenance and you pay a monthly condo fee. You have your own title and mortgage, so mortgage costs are not part of the condo fee.

Whether you are buying or renting, your credit score is an important piece in the process. If your credit needs repairing, you need to know that there is no quick fix. It takes time, patience and discipline.

The first things you should do:
1. Check your credit report.
2. Set up payment reminders.
3. Reduce the amount of debt you owe.

The factors that affect your score are:
– payment history;
– amounts owed;
– length of credit history;
– new credit; and
– types of credit use.

Read tips for each of these categories at How to Repair Your Credit and Improve Your FICO Credit Score.

This is a great quote for Sellers to keep in mind:

“Sellers are NOT the deciders of what their home is worth, but they ARE the deciders of how quickly their home will sell.”

The value of your home is determined by one thing and one thing alone: the market. The real value is what a willing buyer will pay for it, and what you will accept. Nothing more. Nothing less.

If you want to sell your home quickly and for top dollar in this market you have to:
– take the time to prepare your home to show in its absolute best condition … check out NAR’s quick video 5 Tips To Prepare Your Home for Sale;
– set the right price for your home from the start;
– be prepared to adjust the price over time, depending on how buyers respond;
– work with an experienced, local professional who has a thorough understanding of what’s happening in the local real estate and mortgage markets, to guide you through the process.

Yesterday’s Open Houses at my listings were well attended! I was in Franklin Lakes and we had 14 groups and 4 realtors come through. The open houses at my listiings in Wyckoff and Ramsey also had great turnouts! The Buyers are out looking and are serious.

The Buyers are out in droves and are serious! Houses are being shown, contracts are being written and open houses are well attended.

For the past two Sundays, we have had great turnouts at the open houses we’ve hosted . . . and that was competing against football playoffs! I can’t wait to see what tomorrow’s numbers are like.

The Wyckoff Y is hosting a Winterfest tonight, January 27, from 7 to 11 pm in the Carl Pfiefer Performing Arts Center.

“Winterfest in Wyckoff” will feature specialties from local restaurants and eateries, including appetizers, light fare, desserts and more. There will be a cash bar and live entertainment.

Tickets are $30 per person. More info at http://www.wyckoffymca.org.

If you want to keep up with what’s happening in Bergen County, check out the new website Bergen.com.

It was created by the same team behind (201) Magazine, and covers:

– People and Places
– Things to Do
– Eat & Drink
– Fashion
– Shopping
– Health & Beauty
– Family

My favorite part is a section called “Vintage” which features old pictures of “Bergen County yesteryear.”