Crystal Ball Real Estate

NJAR Convention - in Atlantic City

Handy internet connection in Ballys hotel, easy walk to  Convention Center for the
Triple Play convention ( NY, Pa and NJ) and meeting with lots of technologically savvy
Realtors and other industry professionals. The 38th floor with an ocean view and comfortable amenities - makes for a great learning experience. Have picked up over 50 recommended sites ( Linda Davis) and video from Amy Cherow...that will keep me busy checking them out and using them.  Heavy rain is predicted - and I guess more beach erosion ...a New Jersey plight these days.

Six degrees of separation open house!

The neighbor's open house at Parkview in Bloomfield did just what I had hoped - brought interested neighbors who have friends thinking of moving to the area! What better endorsement for an area that a happy new resident. Tomorrow is the open house for the ' public' - ....the snow might make a difference.

2010 Census Coming!

Meeting the other day in town hall to go over the Census 2010 arrival - only 10 questions - 250,000 people will get longer questionnaires, but otherwise easy to fill out. The point of the meeting was to get all to tell others that it is important - for the community and all - illegal immigrants have to be counted - people living in non conforming housing have to be counted - and in each of those cases, they will probably be fearful of any repercussions. The census information is private and is not to be divulged. The census takers are scrutinized ( any  police reports or infractions will not allow a person being hired) Squeaky clean people only. April 1 is census day! and from May to July,census takers will visit household that did not return a questionnaire by mail. By December, by law th counts are delivered to the president for apportionment - and by March 2011, by law, the Census Bureau completes delivery of redistricting data to states. We lose some, we win some. We'll see who is where?

Garden State Postcard Club, 50 years!

Celebrating 50 years of promoting collecting, cataloging and selling historic post cards the club is celebrating it's founding in 1959. Meetings are monthly, and now at the Long Hill Senior citizen Center on Valley Road in Gillette. December 6th, from 11 - 4pm Auction items and sharing of histories. Remember that before telephone, post cards were a convenient way to communicate  - one cent - and there were 3 daily deliveries - until 1907, the address was on one side, and a photo on the other - after that, there was a line, so a message and an address could be used. Every one sent cards - on trips or as notes - Montclair has many of its buildings and houses documented on post cards - fun to look at and collect.

New Franchise in town! Sothebys

New office opening soon! Located at 87 Park Street - that's all we know!!! Rumors abound!

Red Hats!

Great luncheon at the Brownstone in Paterson with the Red Hats from around NJ and a few Senior Groups! Bavarian Music and good food.

When to Sell? My crystal ball has nothing to say, but I do.

The 'best' time to sell is when it is convenient, necessary or 'no alternative'.

Currently, the interest rate is the lowest it has been for decades ( and I've been in the business and have seen 17%) a few decades ago. Listening to friends , relatives and financial advisers is a good idea, but following the advise requires your needs. The market goes up and down - for the past few  years it had reflected in values rising 5 -6% a year in some areas - it might float down at the rate too. Too many variables to really predict. The unemployment rate: the interest rate, the arrival of a new business or loss of a business in an area - the intrinsic aspects of a particular community. ( we have sidewalks, parks, neighborhood shops, over 200 civic, volunteer, historic and service organizations) are near Montclair State University), train to mid-town NY,( direct ) and a bus line too and 20 minutes from Newark Airport) Do they make a difference? What do you think?

If you are behind in mortgage payments - foreclosure is possible, but a short sale would be less 'negative' on  your credit for future  needs. Bankruptcy should be the last alternative. To sell, ( hope to get the debt dismissed, )or  you are still on the 'hook' for the difference in the mortgage owed and the amount received at the sale.

We are a credit based economy - from restaurant dining, to internet purchases, to auto leases etc - start  using cash - or not spend if a house debt is too big. Try to have the mortgage you have restructured - rent a room to a student - read all that is available - make your own decisions,

Multiple offers on a new listing! How nice!

Happy buyers and satisfied seller  - house put on the market last Friday - 11/20 with an open house for Realtors: an open house for the neighbors, 11/21, ( my 6 degrees of separation invitations) and an open house for the ' public' on 11/21 - brought forth 3 offers that we had presented to the seller on Tuesday and the property is now in Attorney Review. (In NJ that is a 3 day period - business days for the attorneys to approve the contract and make any changes necessary) The neighbors who came to the open house (some even brought food - we had cider and cookies )- were a positive aspect to the entire process - being very welcoming to the buyers that were brought over by Realtors that day. As I told the seller we can expect a few ' glitches' just because - but I'm sure we will come to a happy conclusion.

HAPPY Thanksgiving from Montclair NJ - tem. 50 degrees

Beautiful day - good Macy's day Parade - Football should be good too. Happy is the couple who ' won' the multiple offers on a new listing  selling over the asking price with a closing date acceptable to the seller -  buyers have a difficult time perhaps understanding that multiple offers can happen - and are disappointed. 

Whole Foods had people buying last minute items - cheese cloth for basting, filo dough, ginger ail in cans ( none left) Beautiful orchids for sale, also Christmas cactus and Amaryllis - and a neat 99 cent bag for carrying pies ( or whatever)

Short Sales - experts!

A West Essex Board program with 5 attorneys and ' speed' seminars - introduced several attorneys to us who are pretty expert in Tenant/Landlord , Short Sales, Disclosure and Respa aspects of the current market . If  you are thinking of selling your house - and are ' up side down' - owing more than you will gave after a closing - an expert in short sales is what you want - a quick ( well, sort of ) completion to the process and be on your way - without having totally ruined your credit. Call us for that information.The attorneys moved from table to table - and each took 15 minutes to complete their subject. A great Professional Development program by the board.