Ridge Thai Awarded "Best in Bergen County" by 201 Magazine
Ridge Thai's Website (Ridgewood, NJ)
According to 201 Magazine Ridge Thai nudged out another Ridgewood Restaurant for first place on this year's list. Taste of Thai, in Ridgewood, was the category's runner up.
Ridge Thai serves traditional Thai Dishes, in large portions, at its 24 seat establishment located at 50 Chestnut Street near the Ridgewood Train Station. One local resident quoted in the 201 Article describes it as "small, inmate" while another says "The staff is accommodating, to the point of being sweet without being sugary. The spices are real and delicious. When I wipe the back of my neck and back of my head and they are wet with perspiration, but my mouth and throat are not burning in the least, I know I'm enjoying the best Thai food."
48 Ridgewood Homes Sold in the August 15th - October 9th Time Period
The image above probably does not fit with the title of this post . However, I thought it captured how I have felt over the past couple of months which is good news specifically for for me - and for Ridgewood Real Estate in general. My goal is to post a Ridgewood Real Estate report on a weekly basis. However, you will notice that the time period covered here is 2 months. The reason for the huge time lapse from the last report, to this one, is that Ridgewood Home sales have been very hot and there has literally been zero time to write this weekly report. I have been extremely busy as an individual agent and my entire firm (Marron Gildea & Donohue) has experienced the same surge in activity and I am hearing the same from Realtors at other local firms.
This is good news for agents but it is also good news for Ridgewood Homeowners as well. We are seeing more homes with multiple offers and some homes are selling very quickly. These local indicators coupled with the positive news on the national real estate market seem to indicate that we have found a bottom and may have already started to turn back up.
Ridgewood Real Estate Round-Up:August 15th - October 9th
The properties in this blog post were listed and sold by various participants of the NJMLS based on information from the New Jersey Multiple Listing Service, Inc. for the period of August 15th through October 9th 2009.
----------
About Al Donohue
Al Donohue heads up Marron Gildea & Donohue's Ridgewood office and is one of the top agents in Bergen County.
Al attributes much of his success to lessons learned during his years as a top sales executive on Wall Street. Most of Al's clients are busy professionals and business owners and they love the fact that he speaks their language and understands the incredible demands on their time. Al stays in constant touch with his clients not only through phone calls and face-to-face meetings but also through email, instant messaging, and web pages created specifically for his clients. Clients can view the status of the sale of their home, read feedback from agents that have shown their home and review the status of their personal marketing plan 24-hours-a-day via their personal web page.
Al understands that technology is just a tool and says it is really his focus on providing world class customer service that has enabled him to achieve great results for his clients. He says the key to his success has been his ability to listen more than he speaks and always put the needs of his clients first.
Excellent New York Times Article on Graydon Debate Gives Fair Shake to Both Sides
Photo Credit: Rob Bennett for The New York Times
I think the article it does a good job of framing the debate and it is a good primer for anyone who would like to bone up on the issue in advance of Wednesday's (9/9) Council Meeting. However, I doubt that there is anybody left in Ridgewood that is not up to speed on this issue and does not already have a strong opinion.
Here's an excerpt:
"Both sides say they are Graydon's real defenders. The pool project's report is billed "Restoring Our Village Landmark." Advocates say a concrete pool, sensitively built and respecting the park's distinctive natural setting, is the only way to return it to the community gathering place it used to be.
The swimming season ends Labor Day, but the battle is just heating up. The council is considering a request for proposals for a new or updated pool. The Preserve Graydon Coalition plans a show of force for a pro-pond presentation to the council on Wednesday. A pro-pool group, Fix Graydon Now! - headed by a longtime Graydon member, Leigh Warren, who has reluctantly come to believe that Graydon will never lure back enough people in its current form - plans a show of force in opposition.
"I'm told there will be a police presence," one of the pro-pond organizers said ominously."
Seven Ridgewood Homes went under contract this week.
Severn Ridgewood Homes were Sold this week.
It was a pretty consistent week in Ridgewood Real Estate. Not only did we have the exact same number of homes in all three categories but the average price in each category was also very similar this week (8/8 - 8/14). See below:
Average Prices:
New Listings: $677,700 Under Contract: $629,643 Sold: $670,971
Click Here to view the details on all homes listed below.
Street #
Street Name
Bedrooms
Status
Days on Market
Style
Price*
426
JACKSON
3
Active
8
C/C
$542,000
560
VAN BUREN
3
Active
7
S/L
$569,000
537
BANTA
5
Active
4
S/L
$599,000
186
LINCOLN
4
Active
4
S/L
$670,000
683
EASTERN
4
Active
7
COL
$695,000
443
WASTENA
4
Active
5
COL
$779,000
120
HIGHLAND
4
Active
7
COL
$889,900
481
GROVE
4
Under Contract
11
C/C
$428,800
642
GLEN
2
Under Contract
64
RANCH
$475,000
315
WALTHERY
2
Under Contract
57
RANCH
$498,800
488
GROVE
3
Under Contract
186
COL
$549,900
416
COLWELL
4
Under Contract
16
RANCH
$559,000
435
GLEN
5
Under Contract
85
COL
$799,000
136
MONROE
4
Under Contract
15
COL
$1,097,000
458
NORTHERN
3
Sold
112
B/L
$535,000
485
FRANKLIN
3
Sold
29
COL
$582,000
453
GLEN
4
Sold
173
S/L
$525,000
390
BERKSHIRE
4
Sold
18
COL
$642,000
231
BOGERT
5
Sold
70
COL
$643,000
184
KATHERINE
3
Sold
65
COL
$767,500
227
MCKINLEY
5
Sold
24
RANCH
$830,000
* For Ridgewood homes marked Active, Attorney Review or Under Contract "Price" refers to
the list price. For homes marked Sold, "Price" refers to the final sale price.
The properties in this blog post were listed and sold by various participants of the NJMLS based on information from the New Jersey Multiple Listing Service, Inc. for the period of August 8th through August 14th 2009.
How Many Days Does the 3 Day Attorney Review Period Last?
Nope. You are wrong. Read On.
3 Days?
Ridgewood Sees Some Green Shoots
The real estate industry has recently begun to see some "green shoots" and Ridgewood is doing significantly better than the national average - by almost every metric. One by-product of the difficult real estate market is that the transactions themselves have become more difficult for both buyers and sellers. This is reflected in transactions taking longer to complete the "attorney review" process, more contentious negotiations over home inspection issues and, in some cases, in deals just completely falling apart.
So, I was delighted to see that of the 5 Ridgewood Homes that entered the Attorney Review phase, in the 7 day period covered in this report, 4 have already moved to the "Under Contract" phase. This means that the buyers, sellers and their attorneys have approved the contracts and have agreed to move forward. This may not sound impressive becuase most folks think the 3 Day Attorney Review period actually lasts 3 days but that is where they are wrong. Once both sides engage an attorney things can last much longer. Click here for a full explanation of the Attorney Review Period.
Ridgewood Real Estate Transactions - August 1st - August 7th
Click Here to view the details on all homes listed below.
7 new listings. 5 homes marked as being in "attorney review" (4 of which moved to Under Contract) 8 homes went under contract. 5 homes were sold.
Street #
Street Name
Bedrooms
Status
Days on Market
2008 Taxes
Home Style
Price*
687
ELLINGTON
3
Active
6
$7,982
C/C
$445,900
274
GLEN
4
Active
8
$7,450
C/C
$469,000
678
SPRING
3
Active
10
$9,752
RANCH
$595,000
230
HILLCREST
3
Active
10
$10,117
COL
$659,900
43
GLEN
4
Active
5
$13,166
COL
$675,000
441
ALPINE
4
Active
6
$12,328
COL
$779,000
729
MARY ANN
5
Active
4
$20,813
COL
$1,135,000
416
COLWELL
4
Attorney Review
13
$11,332
RANCH
$559,000
11
MONROE
2
Under Contract
121
$8,429
COL
$349,900
481
GROVE
4
Under Contract
11
$9,160
C/C
$428,800
469
GEORGE
3
Under Contract
99
$10,289
S/L
$549,000
530
BENNINGTON
3
Under Contract
107
$9,600
RANCH
$595,000
374
VAN EMBURGH
5
Under Contract
385
$13,913
COL
$649,900
78
RIDGE
5
Under Contract
140
$13,783
COL
$798,000
353
BOGERT
4
Under Contract
50
$12,626
COL
$809,000
489
COLONIAL
6
Under Contract
172
$16,851
COL
$839,900
239
CLAREMONT
4
Under Contract
44
$16,053
COL
$875,000
286
MAPLE
5
S
17
$8,434
RANCH
$520,000
150
HOPE
4
S
304
$9,819
COL
$515,000
420
HILLCREST
3
S
144
$10,794
S/L
$565,000
161
VALLEY VIEW
3
S
17
$12,657
COL
$698,000
226
BEECHWOOD
5
S
142
$20,919
COL
$915,000
* For Ridgewood homes marked Active, Attorney Review and Under Contract "Price" refers to the list price. For homes marked Sold, "Price" refers to the final sale price.
The properties in this blog post were listed and sold by various participants of the NJMLS based on information from the New Jersey Multiple Listing Service, Inc. for the period of August 1st through August 7th 2009.
----------
About Al Donohue
Al Donohue heads up Marron Gildea & Donohue's Ridgewood office and is one of the top agents in Bergen County.
Al attributes much of his success to lessons learned during his years as a top sales executive on Wall Street. Most of Al's clients are busy professionals and business owners and they love the fact that he speaks their language and understands the incredible demands on their time. Al stays in constant touch with his clients not only through phone calls and face-to-face meetings but also through email, instant messaging, and web pages created specifically for his clients. Clients can view the status of the sale of their home, read feedback from agents that have shown their home and review the status of their personal marketing plan 24-hours-a-day via their personal web page.
Al understands that technology is just a tool and says it is really his focus on providing world class customer service that has enabled him to achieve great results for his clients. He says the key to his success has been his ability to listen more than he speaks and always put the needs of his clients first.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner Bought his Home at the Peak of the Market in 2004 and Doesn't Understand Why He Can't Sell It for More Today...Uh Oh.
According to this very funny video, from The Daily Show, Tim Geithner purchased his home at the 2004 market peak for $1.6 Million and has now listed it for $1.635 million. Even folks without his financial background know that the real estate market has come down considerably in that time. Anyway, check out the video. Pretty funny.
Graydon Pool Preservationists Show Up En Masse at Ridgewood Village Council Session
Graydon Pool Ridgewood NJ
The supporters of the Preserve Graydon Coalition (PGC) showed up in force this week at a Village Meeting sporting "Preserve Graydon" stickers. By most accounts, the meeting featured lively discussion with supporters of both factions (PGC and Ridgewood Pool Project) making strong points.
Below are a couple excerpts from Michael Sedon's coverage in the Ridgewood News.
"The people here tonight are only a small sample of the hundreds and hundreds of supporters we have gathered in just two weeks," said Susanne Kelly, co-chair of the PGC. "This includes seniors and young families."
"The fact of the matter is there's a financial imperative, there's a health imperative," Aronsohn said. "Ladies and gentlemen, we need to move forward, [and] we need to move forward with civility. All voices, all people have a seat at the table."
Is the Old Graydon Pool Safe? Will the New Pool Project Lead Ridgewood Down a Path to Financial Ruin?
Fox News Says "We Report - You Decide". My tag-line on this subject would be more like... "I Vacillate - You Decide".
I Love Graydon Pool the Way it Is!
Whether the Pool Project is a Blessing or Boondoggle depends largely on who you ask. We have a town divided. I am a Ridgewood Resident with two young children and our family goes to Graydon. I always liked the idea of the sand bottom and the natural look and feel of Graydon. It made our pool different and more fun. And, of course, I don't love the idea of our town making a huge investment during these uncertain financial times. If you love Graydon the way it is be sure to visit the Preserve Graydon Coalition Site.
The New Ridgewood Pool Project is a Great Idea!
Clearly I am confused and probably confusing you in the process. If I love Graydon the way it is, how can the Ridgewood Pool Project be a great idea? Well...after reading the Ridgewood Pool Project Report and talking to one of the co-chairs I think I was swayed to the dark side, or the right side, depending on your vantage point. Click here to view the full PDF version of the Ridgewood Pool Project July 2009 Report. It seems like the facts below are irrefutable or at least I am told they are. So much for doing my own research. Anyway, being a paranoid concerned parent and a bit of a germaphobe this sentence from the report was the clincher. "Graydon is allowed to have roughly 200 times the bacteria count of a traditional pool". At least until I run into an anti-Pool Project person who convinces that me that the additional tax burden will be much more scary than the germs.
Below is a bit more detailed info from the supporters of the Ridgewood Pool Project
FACTS ABOUT GRAYDON POOL AND THE RIDGEWOOD POOL PROJECT
1. Membership at Graydon has fallen 70 percent in ten years. Where towns like Glen Rock have 40 percent of its residents join the pool, Ridgewood now has only 7 percent. Hundreds of Ridgewood families now belong to other traditional pool facilities, with Indian Trail Club, Saddle River Valley Swim Club, Paramus Pool and Stony Brook in Hillsdale being the most popular.
2. The Ridgewood Pool Project (RPP) is not a special interest group- it was formed through Village Parks & Recreation and is officially advised by several senior Village staff members. It initially started with a neutral, research-based approach, and its mission assigned by Village Council in 2006 was to find out why residents are leaving Graydon and what will bring them back. The RPP began advocating for a pool renovation once the research was complete and showed overwhelmingly that this was the only approach that would restore Graydon to a community gathering place for current and future generations.
3. Following an EPA ruling, the Village is no longer allowed to use any chemicals to disinfect the water at Graydon. Although the pond passes all of its water tests and is deemed perfectly healthy by the State, the standards for bacteria levels in the water are much lower than those for swimming pools. In essence, Graydon is allowed to have roughly 200 times the bacteria count of a traditional pool.
4. Research indicates that many residents - particularly young families, who make up nearly half of the Village population and are essential to restoring membership levels - indicate they will only return to Graydon if it becomes a traditional, cement-bottom pool (although they do want to keep a unique, natural looking feel). The reasons are: they want the swimming water to be disinfected, and they want to be able to see children under the water. Meetings with DEP officials in 2008 confirmed that as long as Graydon is a pond, it cannot be disinfected.
5. Following a concept from a pool designer that was too commercial looking, the RPP had resident and architect Nicole Walla provide arendering that marries modern pool design with the natural beauty and nostalgia of Graydon (http://ridgewoodpoolproject.googlepages.com/newdesignconcept). The design provides for a separate, sizeable pond at the corner of Linwood and Maple, which is intended to be ornamental but could be swimmable if there is resident interest.
6. There are absolutely no official cost estimates for the new design concept. Though the original design was quoted at $13.9 million and a revised number of $10 million has been circulating, the RPP has absolutely no confirmation of this number and will not have that information available until the Village RFP process is completed later this year. Regardless, the RPP is confident, based on its research, that a new facility can be self-funding and self-sustaining through membership fees.
The Ridgewood Pool Project is not without its Detractors
"Founded in July 2009, the Coalition is dedicated to retaining the unique character of Ridgewood's historic Graydon Park, including its large, open swimming area, center rafts, and extensive sandy beaches. We provide accurate information about Graydon's safe, clean water. We enlist the support of residents who love Graydon and would deplore its loss to a concrete-based facility with a much smaller pool."
Now is a great time to consider entering the market:
Interest rates are still near all-time lows.
Affordability is high.
Prices are starting to climb.
Consider what Jeffrey Otteau, New Jersey's real estate valuation guru, had to say this week about the local NJ real estate market.
"With evidence mounting that the national housing market is beginning to show signs of life, New Jersey is experiencing a stronger recovery pace than the rest of the nation. To illustrate this, consider that national existing home sales rose in June for the 3rd consecutive month marking the first time this has occurred since 2004. In New Jersey however, home sales have now risen for 6 straight months which last occurred back in 2003 in the midst of a home buying frenzy fueled by the sub-prime lending boom."
This Week's Ridgewood Home Sales Triple Last Week's Numbers...
...and are more than double from the week before that. This week 15 Ridgewood Homes closed versus 5 last week and 7 the week before that. These numbers bounce around from week to week but we are definitley seeing an upward trend.
Ridgewood Real Estate Transactions for the Week
Summary - Click Here for Full Details on All Homes Below 5 new listings. 5 homes marked as being in "attorney review". 6 homes went under contract. 15 homes were sold.
* For Ridgewood homes marked New, Attorney Review and Under Contract "Price" refers to the list price. For homes marked Sold, "Price" refers to the final sale price.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
;)
;)
