As we all know, every Christmas Eve, Santa hits the skies to deliver presents to waiting boys and girls here, and throughout the world. With technology, it’s easier than ever to track Santa’s flight across New Jersey, the United States, and the world.

Since 1955, NORAD – the North American Aerospace Defense Command, tracks Santa on his flight on their website, noradsanta.com, featuring satellite, radar and high-speed digital camera giving up to date information on exactly where he’ll be.

Chief of Combat Operations William Platt explained how the tracking works. “As Santa Claus departs from the North Pole on Christmas Eve, we monitor his travels with our radar systems,” Platt said. “Once we have St. Nick on radar, we will use satellites with infrared sensors to detect Rudolph’s glowing nose. The last way we track the Man in the Big Red Suit is with Santa Cams. NORAD has placed high-speed cameras throughout the world to capture images of Santa and his reindeer as they deliver toys.” While Santa remains in U.S. airspace, he is accompanied by a fighter pilot escort to make his trip safe and smooth. Some 1,250 NORAD and Department of Defense employees volunteer their time to make Santa’s trip a smooth one and track him as he moves across the globe.

Of course, there’s other ways of keeping up with the big man in red with social networking and more. NORAD maintains a Facebook page with updates on Santa’s location every hour. You can also call NORAD’s Santa Operations Center at 877-HI-NORAD. Using your smartphone you can track Santa with Google Earth; the 3D Santa Tracker app for iPhone or the Countdown to Christmas app for Android phones. You can even send him a tweet (@noradsanta), or send him a video message via smilebox.com, and even check into the North Pole on Foursquare. Be sure to keep an eye out tomorrow night in the sky as Santa makes his flight!

As reported by NJ.com, for the third straight year, the Warren Township Recreation Commission was officially approved by Santa Claus to collect letters from children and send the letters directly to him at the North Pole.

As we all know, Santa is very busy this time of year and relies on local townships to get him every girl and boy’s list before Christmas Eve. While Santa’s crew of reindeer and elves is world-renowned and studied in business schools for their groundbreaking efficiency, there’s just no way for them to collect letters, make toys and deliver them all by Christmas morning.

From November 22nd to December 10th, children dropped more than 200 letters into the speciality designated “Letters to Santa” mailbox, located in front of the Warren Municipal Building. Last Friday, the elves opened the letters and had a little pizza party to celebrate.

“All the letters go directly to Santa and his crew” Warren Township’s Recreation Director, Eleanora Hermann, reports. The big man in red does the best he can to respond to respond to every child’s specific requests. Telling Santa you’ll be leaving out cookies certainly helps, though. “Santa loooooves cookies” Eleanora mentions.

Some of the letters are so wonderful and touching that they’re saved and posted to the Township Website (don’t worry – they’re still sent to Santa right after). Some of the helpers, who actually happen to live in Warren and know some of the children personally, let Santa know so he can respond with a personalized letter.

The first year the “Letters to Santa” program was instituted in Warren, there were roughly 100 responses. Each year the tally increases, so more elves are added to help open them all. So many elves showed up that some had to be turned away – but they’ll be back to help with the towns 3rd annual Yuletide Bonfire that will take place in late January.

Hermann has been collaborating with Santa for quite a while now. “I’ve been doing this 13 years in other towns, so I just brought it to Warren with me”. added Hermann.

“The parents all rave about it. We get a lot of correspondence from them thanking me and Santa, and letting us know how excited the kids are.”

Because of her close relationship with Santa Claus, Hermann also indicated that she’d like to institute a “Breakfast with Santa” program, at some point in the future. However, none of the local schools have lunch rooms. She’s thinking of perhaps doing it in conjunction with the Warren Fire Department, so that its facilities can be used.

Remember to leave your chimney open this Friday night. Maybe, if you’ve been good, you’ll get a visit from St. Nick!

In what will be one of the most interesting concepts brought to the Bridgewater Commons in years, AMC theaters is launching a new concept – having dinner with your movie. As you enjoy a feature film, waiters (quietly) bring you your order to enjoy while watching.

The concept was originally pioneered by Alamo Drafthouse, before being adopted by AMC. Currently AMC has introduced this format to Atlanta, GA; Kansas City, MO; and West Orange, NJ. New locations are planned to open in the near future in Dallas, TX; as well as two more operations in Central New Jersey – one in the Commons, as well as another in Menlo Park, which are being converted from Conventional theaters to the new Dine-In format.

The AMC concept features two levels of dining – Fork and Screen, which is essentially regular, reserved seats, going for about $10 more than a conventional ticket, and Cinema Suites, which feature more spacious seating, for about $15 more than a regular ticket. However, a credit of $10 is given for food. Menus are available online and prices are fairly reasonable – much better then the $7 popcorn you typically get. Items include sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, buffalo wings, burgers and more, as well as a full bar. The bar exists in the lobby of the theater, making it a great spot for an after-movie drink or to meet up with friends before heading inside. If you’re looking to see a movie this holiday and grab a bite to eat, the new Bridgewater AMC is worth checking out!

As reported by NJ.com, New Jersey is poising itself to become a leader in alternative energy by broadening it's off-shore wind power initiatives. New Jersey would be the second state to invest in off-shore wind power (the first project is getting underway in Massachusettes). A collation of New Jersey environmental groups and a member of Gov. Christie's cabinet released the National Wildlife Federation's report "Offshore Wind in the Atlantic", detailing the potential for wind power along the east coast and calls on the Federal government for more friendly, less bureaucratic regulations regarding the development of wind power in New Jersey and other states.

According to Matt Elliot, an advocate for Environment New Jersey, New Jersey has enough commercially viable wind power off its coast to power for all 3 million homes in the state - and nearly 2 million more! The state Energy Master Plan calls for the development of 3,000 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2020 (which would be enough to power 800,00 homes), and take tons of carbon emissions from fossil-fuel burning power plants out of the air.

Elliot contiunes to say New Jersey is a top state for wind energy because it has a strong goal for energy production, and recently enacted a law to give tax credits for wind turbine manufacturers and require some of the electricity sold in the state to come from wind power. New Jersey is truly leading the way at Going Green!

Just as autumn seems to come, winter is just right around the corner – or, if you live in Central New Jersey, you could have summer, fall and winter all in one week! As temperatures drop, you can take certain steps to keep your home safe and warm going into the winter months:

· Before rain and snow hit you should examine your roofing to ensure structural integrity and check for leaks and possible damage. Cleaning fall leaves out of gutters ensures proper drainage.

· Now is a great time to check windows, doors, and other openings for air leaks that can make rooms drafty. Caulk and other weatherproofing materials are relatively inexpensive and can help save on heating bills.

· Inspecting your fireplace and having it cleaned is a good idea ahead of the winter season. Make sure firewood is stored properly and protected from moisture.

· With all the doors and windows closed to keep heat out, check gas appliances to ensure no leaks are present. Consider installing a carbon monoxide detector, and check your smoke alarms.

· Check your heating system, replace your furnace filters, replace faulty thermostats, and clean the ducts of your heating system. Also, considering purchasing humidifiers as air can get dry in the winter.

We hope this tips make winter more comfortable and enjoyable for your family and keep your home warm, toasty and safe!

Halloween is one of Central New Jersey’s favorite holidays – as noted by the millions of dollars in costumes, candy and decorations sold here and everywhere across the US in the weeks leading up to All Hallow’s Eve. Whether you’re having a spooky bash with your neighbors or handing out candy to little princesses, ghosts and ghouls, here are some tips to keep your home and your visitors safe:

• While dark and spooky may set the mood for Halloween, illumination is a key element of safety. Keep walkways clear and well illuminated, especially if you are expecting visitors. Leave your exterior lights on if you are welcoming to trick-or-treaters, conversely, if the thought of handing out candy spooks you (or you’re just not in the mood); leave your exterior lights off.

• If you’re on the road be mindful of the many children crossing the streets. It can be hard to see smaller residents, especially with dark costumes. If you’re a parent sending your child out on their own it’s a good idea to add reflective tape (which comes in black) to your child’s costume to make them more visible.

• Everyone knows Halloween is a night of mischief, but that doesn’t mean you can’t minimize it. Keeping a well lit exterior will deter possible vandals. If you’re throwing a party with your fellow ‘grown-up’ ghosts, hosts should make sure nobody is driving under the influence.

• Parents should know where their kids are in case of an emergency – which is much easier than in years past thanks to cell phones. Still, parents should stay with younger children and if their children go out on their own, it’s good to know who your child is with and where they’ll be. And, what seems like common sense – check your kids candy before they dig in.

We hope these tips make your Halloween fun as well as safe. Enjoy!

I recently attended a Board of Realtors seminar which was quite informative. The presenter used slides representing numerous points which represented return on investment, cost analysis using today’s low interest rates, percent change in sales by price range, mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures by period past due and home price expectation survey to name a few.

Of these the ones that had the greatest impact on me were, return on investment, which demonstrated that from January 1st, 2000 to September 1st, 2010, the Dow, S&P and NASDAQ all showed losses as compared to Real Estate which demonstrated a significant gain. This data was drawn from MSN Money.com, Case Shiller.

The other simpler slide which every buyer should see represented a $250,000 loan using last years and today’s interest rates demonstrating a cost savings, difference in mortgage payments of $240.21/month for principal and interest

And finally the third most interesting slide demonstrated that today’s home prices would make a significant drop in 2011 and rebound to today’s price in later 2012. This was generated from Macro Market Home Price Expectations Survey. So if the seller wants to wait it will be almost 2 years just to get to today’s price again! It was further explained that the surge of foreclosures expected to hit the market by early next year will take a significant chunk out of home values. However, if a buyer is planning on staying in a home for more than 2 years they should begin to see appreciation by that time. The real gain for today’s buyer is the significant savings from today’s low interest rates which would not be available once the market rebounds.

In essence, there is no better time to buy than now and into the next year. And no better time to sell then in the next 90-120 days.

Fall is one of the most scenic times of year - with leaves changing their colors making for gorgeous views. It's also a time of falling temperatures and changing weather conditions, and as everyone knows, old man winter can sneak up quickly. As the air gets colder and we transition from the warm summer months to the cooler months of autumn, here are a few things you can do to keep your home looking in tip-top shape and prepare for winter as well:

•Keep your yard pristine by trimming hedges and shrubs one last time for the season, as they go into dormancy during the winter. Planting winter plants such as mums can keep your front yard beautiful even during those chilly months.

•Make sure your hot water heater, furnace, chimney and other heating appliances are in top shape before you really need to use them. Some things, like changing the filters on your furnace, can be done yourself. Other services, like a chimney inspection and cleaning, may require calling in a professional. Servicing your heating fixtures now will save you from a chilly surprise later!

•Prevent your gutters from becoming clogged with leaves by cleaning them on a regular basis. Installing leaf guards is also a good idea.

•Weatherproofing your windows and deck doors can help conserve energy and save you money! Products such as storm windows can also provide great energy savings!

•Finally, you can decorate your home to match the season. Items like wreaths, pumpkins, and cooler colors such as brown and orange give your home an inviting autumn atmosphere!

We hope these tips make your Autumn even better!

Imagine a pristine, well appointed home on a professionally landscaped corner lot, perfect for entertaining with an open floor plan and plenty of space, in a great neighborhood just minutes from major roadways and shopping. Sound too good to be true?

Our listing at 1 Sterling Drive in the Vanderveer section of  Bridgewater, New Jersey, offers just that. This home is just minutes away from shopping at the Somerville Circle and Bridgewater Commons Mall, and major highways Rt. 202, Rt. 206, I-287 and Rt. 22. It also enjoys Bridgewater's stellar school system and community services.

Outside, this gorgeous home invites you in, sitting on a professionally landscaped corner lot with a beautiful brick exterior, and large foyer windows. Inside, the open floor plan of this spacious home makes for great entertaining and comfortable living. Professionally appointed details such as raised panels in the dining room; brand new silestone counters; beautifully finished hardwood floors;  cathedral ceilings;  a Master Bedroom suite with tray ceiling; master bath with double sink, oversized soaking tub, and a huge walk-in closet, this home is a perfect place to call home. Outside rear of the property features a backyard with sprinkler system, paver patio, privacy fence and indoor/outdoor built-in speakers.

This Sunday, September 19th, the Jannone Team will be holding an Open House from 1 to 4 PM at this property. Come and see this perfect for yourself!

Recently, MSNBC surveyed a number of Realtors nationwide, asking "In a weakened housing market, what can sellers do to stand out from the competition?" While a number of factors play into the decision to purchase a particular property, sellers can take steps to make themselves stand out in the marketplace.

The most important factor that a seller can control is price. Overpriced properties sit on the market longer, and typically do not receive offers. Even if they do receive offers, in many cases they will fail appraisal by the buyer's lender. In today's opportunistic market buyers' seek value and bang for their buck - making sure you are priced competitively against not only comparable properties on the market but also against recent comparable home sales.

There's also the issue of competing against foreclosures and short sale properties which are typically cheaper than a standard property for sale. However a well maintained, well priced property has its advantages over a foreclosure or short sale. A person who actually has a stake to gain in selling their home is more likely to keep the lawn alive and keep the home in good repair then someone who is in foreclosure. There's fewer layers of decision making in a ‘standard' home sale, and there is more room to negotiate home inspection issues with a ‘standard' home sale, where as a foreclosure or short sale is typically sold ‘as-is'.

Another way to stand out from your competition is through online marketing. Multiple detailed high resolution photos, virtual home tours and a presence on both online real estate sites and your Realtor's social networking site will increase exposure, attracting more buyers and help generate interest in your property.

If all other steps fail you may want to try leasing your home as it is a great way to bring in some money if you absolutely have to leave your home. However, you should be aware that many people lease because they were affected by the housing crisis and some have had their credit impacted, leaving them  unable to buy.

The MSNBC survey seemed to focus on real estate markets that have been deeply impacted by foreclosure. In Central New Jersey we have not been immune to foreclosures; however we have not been as adversely affected as some markets in the country. Every home selling situation is different - a Realtor can help you navigate today's market and provide guidance