Geoff Gove's Blog

Dramatic 700k Price Drop Illustrates the Reality of Home Pricing in NJ

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Thu, 10 May 2012 01:44:16 -0700

Melissa and Joe Gorga first put their home on the market in 2010 for $4.5 million shortly before becoming part of Real Housewives of New Jersey. They took it off the market when the hit reality show began -- perhaps thinking that the growing popularity of the show would add to the home's value.

This week they relisted their 13,500 ft. mansion for $3.8 Million -- a hefty %700,000 price drop. Tax rcords indicate that Joe Gorga, a developer who builds custom homes to order, bought the property in 2008 before building their French Chateau style mansion.

Perhaps the Gorgas lowered their asking price to compete with this comparably sized mansion now under constructioin in their neighborhood listed at $3.89 Million.

Notorious "Foreclosure Mill" Shuts Down After Halloween Flap

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:35:30 -0800

<a href="http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/11/21/foreclosure-firm-steven-j-baum-to-close-down/">The NY Times reports</a> that Steven J. Baum P.C., the firm of foreclosure lawyers who had earlier agreed to a settlement of 2 million dollars for improper activities that included<a href="http://longislandbankruptcyblog.com/steven-baum-pc-served-foreclosure-papers/"> "robo-signing" foreclosure documents</a>, will permanently shut down. The reason was not because of their bank related actions, but rather a Times story showing photos of a homeless themed party last Halloween.

Publication of pictures some of of the firm's 89 employees in costumes mocking folks who had lost their homes led Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to forbid servicers of their mortgages from using Mr. Baum and his colleagues.

Joe Nocera, The Times columnist who originally wrote about the firm’s Halloween party, published another column about the controversy. In it, he quoted an e-mail that Mr. Baum had sent him last week.

<blockquote>“Mr. Nocera — You have destroyed everything and everyone related to Steven J. Baum PC. it took 40 years to build this firm and three weeks to tear down."</blockquote>

The Power of the Passaic

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:33:06 -0700

A couple of miles upriver from the nationally renowned Great Falls, Little Falls can sometimes be even more turbulent after a storm. It's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SciUkqlevPo">sound and fury</a> two days after the "departure" of Hurricane Irene is awesome to behold.

Seen here just after reaching the high water mark in hundreds of Little Falls township homes on it's way to invading hundreds more in Paterson and other towns downriver.

Prologue to the Revolution

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 17:45:05 -0700

This is a day for reflecting on our country's roots in the human need for "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." For my extended family, I can't help reflecting on my ancestors' little known contribution to the revolutionary fervor that culminated in the events of 1776:

From The Hampton New Hampshire Library archives:

"It is a singular and interesting fact that the first armed resistance to British oppression in the North took place in Hampton almost 100 years before the outbreak of the Revolution. In 1682, Charles II of England sent to New Hampshire as royal governor, Edward Cranfield, a most arbitrary and injudicious man. The ruling body at this time was the Assembly, made up of representatives of the four towns of Exeter, Hampton, Portsmouth and Dover, which ably managed the affairs of the little commonwealth. This Assembly refused to comply with Cranfield's commands and he dissolved it. One of the members was <a href="http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/HISTORY/dow/chap5/dow5_7.htm">Edward Gove, of Hampton</a>, a high-spirited and impulsive man, who resolved not to lightly submit to what he considered an infringement of the people's ancient prerogatives. Mounting his horse he rode through Exeter and Hampton with the cry: "Freemen, come out and stand for your liberties!" He gathered around him a little band of supporters. But before the movement could become formidable, Gove was surrounded by the militia in Hampton village and surrendered. He was tried, convicted of high treason, sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered. But this ferocious sentence was never carried out.

After several years commitment to the Tower of London, he was pardoned by the King and permitted to return to Hampton. Gove has been harshly treated by the historians. They have represented him as a rash and impulsive man who headed a hopeless rebellion against constituted authority. But there is another side. I like to think of<a href="http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/biog/gove.htm"> Gove as a pioneer patriot,</a> as a man in advance of his times, as the morning star of the American Revolution. Had Gove lived a century later, he would have been acclaimed as a great patriot, and his name would have been enrolled with those of Sam Adams, Josiah Quincy, Joseph Warren and John Sullivan."

Prologue to the Revolution

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 17:44:18 -0700

From The Hampton New Hampshire Library archives:

Analyzing the Analytics -- My Blog's Curious Attraction for Iranians

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 04:22:57 -0700

I've become increasingly fascinated by the Google Analytics for this blog. It's a great way to see what stories draw the most viewers (above).

Take a look at the geographical breakdown below. While the numbers vary quite a bit from day to day, the top three sources have stayed the same for the past few weeks. I can sort of understand why Germany would be following many of my environmental posts. But number 3 baffles me. Can anyone explain this?

A New Way to Delay Foreclosures: Get a Paint Job!

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 12:08:30 -0700

Homeowners having trouble keeping up with their payments may have a new option available to them. Along with loan modifications, short sales, and going cold turkey by defaulting with their lender, they can now opt to get a free paint job -- and turn their house into a billboard. Adzookie, is an innovative mobile advertising company known for its direct advertising on smartphones. They sum up their tempting offer <a href="http://www.adzookie.com/paintmyhouse.php">on their website</a>:

Adzookie will pay the home-owner’s mortgage for at least three months with an option to extend up to a year. If the contract is canceled by Adzookie or the home-owner during the contract period, they will paint the house back to its original colors.

The other likelihood is that their town's Zoning Board will step in with new restrictions -- if there is nothing currently spelled out in their codes. For those on busy streets, this could be an effective, if temporary, win-win. For those on quieter streets, this could make them busy(and unpopular with their neighbors) if they're the first to take the dare and jump in. Some neighbors may actually prefer it to some <a href="http://bloomfieldgreenways.blogspot.com/2011/03/cell-tower-opponents-speak-out-at.html">other options</a>.

Be warned that Adzookie is not a huge company and has already gotten thousands of requests within a week of it's announcement. It is planning to pick 10 to get the ball rolling this spring. CEO, Romeo Mendoza, is now looking for other advertisers to sign on so it might help as many as 100 homeowners this spring.

Survival efforts for No-Kill Shelter Goes Viral

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 11:56:22 -0700

Hell hath no fury as a volunteer scorned. The mostly volunteer <a href="http://www.pets911.com/organizations/johnabukowskishelterforanimals/org_locations.php?loc=24545">Bloomfield/Bukowski Animal Shelter </a>has been fighting for its life for several weeks now -- ever since the town's 2011 budget was announced with a 100k cut. The volunteers maintain that this cut would eliminate so many vital functions that the shelter would have to either close or send most of it's animals to other shelters that can euthanize unadopted animals after as little as 7 days. After pleading their case at <a href="http://www.baristanet.com/2011/03/bloomfield-residents-plead-for-human-services-funding/">packed town council meetings</a> with shelter supporters. Mayor Ray McCarthy assured the Shelter advocates that money would be found to eliminate the cutbacks. Yet the Board of Health has continued to be pressured to make deeper cuts by trading off the needs of people and animals.

Tonight's Council meeting is scheduled to include a final vote on a revised budget, and Shelter supporters are taking no chances. A Facebook page was recently setup to spread the word and marshall support from <a href="http://www.animalnews.info/shelters/rescues_shelters_new_jersey.htm">no-kill supporters</a> from around the state <a href="http://www.nokillnetwork.org/">and beyond</a>. Earlier today, Volunteer <a href="http://marcscribe.wordpress.com/">Marc Mercer</a> revealed himself to be the creator of <a href="http://www.facebook.com/stbbs">the page</a>.

"My role was really just as a social media consultant. I thought that this page would max out at about 1200 and that it would take a lot longer to reach that. I underestimated the passion that so many people have for shelter pets, which is something of an irony since my shelter beagle is behind me on a big dog bed, keeping an eye on the boss " In only a couple of weeks the FB page has gained more "Likes" that any other page in Bloomfield.

At this writing, it has over 4000 followers including nationally known comedienne <a href="http://www.elayneboosler.com/">Elayne Boosler</a>. In her role as president of the animal advocacy group Tails of Joy, she concluded her extended written comments to the council with this plea: <blockquote>" …As city planners I appeal to your good sense in what will best serve your community and actually enhance your budget. The rescue community in America is organized and strong, and watching. You are judged by how you treat the weakest among you. Often that is not only animals, but people as well. Please look again; at the end of every leash is a vote."</blockquote>

Grow Your Brain -- Grow the Grain

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:36:42 -0700

<a href="http://freerice.com">FreeRice.com</a> is the ultimate feel good website.<br /><br />It's basically an evolving vocabulary quiz(multiple choice).<br />For each word you get right, they donate 20 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program. The bowl can fill up surprisingly quickly.<br />If you get it right, you get a harder word. If wrong, you get an easier word.

Bloomfield Neighorhood Association redefined

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 04:26:05 -0700

Spent this morning at a productive meeting of Bloomfield Neighborhood Association today.Most of the meeting was spent updating our brochure and redefining the goals of the group. The BNA was established in 1997 to provide a forum for neighborhood groups to meet with Bloomfield's Mayor and to discuss issues affecting group as well as townwide concerns. It has usually met in the Mayor's Conference room, but as it has grown, moved most of its bi-monthly meetings to the larger Bloomfield College Library on Liberty Street.  No one could remember a time when the current Mayor participated, but we've met with most other town leaders, including, the Police Chief, Fire Chief, assessor and town manger.

The newest issue to come up this morning was word of a planned methadone clinic for 14-20 Watsessing St. The location seems problamatic to most attendees because of it's proximity to Watsessing RR station and the Lawrence Ave. condo redevelopment project. So far, here seems to have been little public notice of their plan. One more issue to bring up during the public comment section of Monday's <a href="http://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/">Conference meeting of the council</a>. Last week saw public comments taking up about 90% of the meeting.

Rock Bottom?

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:51:25 -0800

The advent of QE2 has led many pundits to make hopeful predictions that Mortgage rates would decrease through the winter -- or at least stay at current record lows. In the past few days, we've seen 30 year rates as low as 4.05%. Now, some are predicting that the Fed's efforts could backfire in it's effect on long term interest rates. They fear that bond holders and buyers might rebel against the lower rates, which could result in rates rising sooner that anticipated. Today's 4.14 Zillow rates may just be the beginning. Stay tuned...

Mega-Mortgage Holders are Dropping the Ball With Home Owners

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 22:52:22 -0700

Yesterday, I talked to the owner of a 3 family homer who had fallen behind on his mortgage. He had lost his job and two of his tenants . After getting a lower paying job, he managed to get an agreement for a trial loan modification program through his mortgage holder.He told me that he has made last 5 timely payments on a trial Loan Mod, partly by digging into his savings and was still waiting for closing date. Every time he called for an update, he was referred to an office in a different state. He wound up hiring a lawyer. Today's NY Times has a story about screw ups by another of the major banks that help explain why the housing market is in such a mess. It seems that GMAC Mortgage has suspended all foreclosure operations because a growing number of them were not backed up with legal documentation. One of their conclusions is is that if you're facing foreclosure, hang in there! The bank may not even be able to prove they own your mortgage.

Our Local Real Estate Market, c. 1900

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 12:58:28 -0700

A century before the Multiple Listing Service and Realtor.com, the best way for a prospective home buyer to find out what was for sale was to walk into a Realtor's shop and see what he had to sell. If he was lucky,he could look at a single black and white print from a 5 x 8 glass plate negative.
Nathan Russell, a turn-of-the-century Realtor, photographed his listings from about 1890 until his death in 1917. Many were newly constructed when he photographed them. When he died, the pictures remained in his house at 216 Ridgewood Avenue. The day before the demolition began for the new high school, Syd Wilson literally commandeered his good friend Tom Booth to rescue thousands of photos (annotated in Russell's hand) and 5" x 8" glass negatives, each weighing a quarter of a pound, a herculean task.The Russell Collection is now in the Glen Ridge Public Library.
His listing descriptions contain many selling points that are specific to his day:
<blockquote>"Stable,3 stalls hold 15 tons of hay, 90 bags of oats -- enough to keep 3 horses for one year, Barn on 2nd floor connected by shute to 1st floor...Butler's pantry. In 1904 10 tons of coal used to heat the house & 6 for range... stationary tubs in basement...stable for two horses and two carriages. 'Thatcher' furnace and range...cesspool connection, attic with manhole, chicken coop, trunk room,"</blockquote>
Rich Rockwell, a member of both the Bloomfield Zoning Board and the Historical Society of Bloomfield, has scanned and digitized many of them and put them on the <a href="http://historicalsocietyofbloomfield.org/zenphoto/RussellCollection/">Society's web site.</a> Many of the photos are indexed by street and house number, but there are nearly 200 that are unidentified. Anyone recognizing any of the photos can comment on them on the web site. As more are identified, they will be added to the index.

Balancing the Scales on Renting vs Owning

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:07:38 -0700

If recent activity is any indication, there are significantly more prospective renters out there than buyers in today's housing market. While there are many reasons folks may have little choice in the matter, there may never be a better time than the present to invest in your own home.
If you crunch the numbers on a mortgage calculator, you will find that you can now get a 3 bedroom entry level home in many Essex Co. suburbs for a monthly payment as low as $1,000 per month. Most 2 BR rentals, on the other hand, start at $1100. Of course property taxes can add $400 to $700/mo to that figure -- you'll get a good chunk back from the IRS from that beloved Homeowner's Deduction.
Combine this with the landlord restrictions on such factors as pets, private driveways, and larger families and renter choices can be very limited. The bottom line is that interest rates have never been lower and have nowhere to go but up.

Digging Out

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:35:30 -0800

Our latest Snowmageddens brought back memories of one of the earliest comic books I can remember reading. Little Lulu was a plain Jane ageless pre-teen with a thimble-hat, whose parents were rarely seen or heard, but had countless humorous encounters with her boy friend, Tubby, brother Alvin and her curious puppy.
For this snow-deprived California born lad, her most memorable adventure was digging out of her home alone after a blizzard that left drifts above the roof line. My comic book collection is long gone, but Google brought the circa 1950 story back to life. Loved the fact that she could dig a tunnel for blocks that beelined to the front door of her favorite soda fountain. Holsteins here I come!

Realtor-free Open House

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:48:28 -0800

Had an interesting encounter with a gent with a different approach to open houses. He's not licensed as a Realtor, but apparently gets paid to snag passers by(like me) who he sees pausing in front of steps to condo lobby -- from the relative warmth of his minivan a couple of houses away. He then shares info about the units and gets a fee from management for showing them. We discussed the sluggish <a href="http://emailrpt.gsmls.com/public/show_public_report_rpt.do?report=client2up&Id=51471077_9328">condo market in Bloomfield</a> and he reported that half the 14 units are still unsold after over two years on the market.

Meanwhile, several blocks away on Montgomery Street, sits another just completed block of a dozen townhouses with no sign of life on a Sunday afternoon. They're asking about 100k more. Their 339k unit is the highest priced in Bloomfield. It has been on the market for 443 days. For yet another 100K you can move up to the Brookdale section of Bloomfield where<a href="http://ecorealty.blogspot.com/2006/05/dep-scraps-condo-plans-in-bloomfield_07.html"> Bloomfield's last woodland forest</a> has been clear cut in half to make way for a much larger development of 42 townhouses.

I've written earlier about my discussion with the aforementioned Liongate developer who seemed unaware of the declining market for condos and townhouses in town. He seems to have had a reality check since the only development to the site in the past year has been a growing pond of stagnant rainwater. Developers continue to be attracted to Bloomfield's proximity to the high end gloss of Montclair and express RR and Bus service to NYC.
Commuters are just starting to appreciate the advantages of Bloomfield, but not so much the advantages of condo living.

Helping the Homeless in Haiti

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:56:02 -0800

During my early photojournalistic years, I spent an unforgettable Thanksgiving weekend in Haiti during the reign of Papa Doc. I'll never forget the beauty, dignity, and graciousness of the people I encountered in spite of their intolerable living conditions. Hunger, brutality, and shantytowns co-exicted with a flourishing tourist industry. Upon hearing about yesterday's catastrophic earthquake,

I was especially concerned, because a journalist friend, of many decades, Tequilla Minsky, had been sending Facebook updates of her latest trip there. For many years, she had been reporting on Haiti's culture and it's emigre community in NYC. Tequilla's silence was finally broken with this post pn Facebook: "7. 0 or so...many building have collapsed but not the Oloffson(hotel), which is my home...all is fine here (i arrive about 2 hours before this happened)." She was then able to upload her stunning photographs to to the NY Times before anyone else.

There are many ways you can help:

UNICEF requests donations for relief for children in Haiti. You can also call 1-800-4UNICEF.On the Internet: unicefusa.org/haitiquake

You can easily donate through Wyclef Jean's foundation, Yele Haiti. Text "Yele" to 501501 and $5 will be charged to your phone bill and given to relief projects through the organization.

Locally, Farm 2 Bistro suggests dropping off relief supplies at 177 Franklin Ave. in Nutley from 11 am -10pm. Free gift in return for every donation.

<a href="http://www.baristanet.com/2010/01/help_for_haiti_quake_victims.php">Baristanet</a> and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/12/haiti-earthquake-relief-h_n_421014.html">Huffington</a> have many other opportunities for support.

•Operation USA is appealing for donations of funds from the public and corporate donations in bulk of health care materials, water purification supplies and food supplements which it will ship to the region from its base in the Port of Los Angeles. Donate online at www.opusa.org, by phone at1-800-678-7255

CARE Telephone: 800-521-CARE (800-521-2273) On the Internet: care.org

Updated property damage reports can be found <a href="http://haiti.ushahidi.com/reports ">here</a>:

News of the NJ connection to Haiti can be found at <a href="http://www.northjersey.com/news/011310_North_Jerseyans_pray_urge_people_to_help_Haiti_after_earthquake.html">North Jersey.com</a>

Here Comes The Sunshine

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:56:18 -0700

We were always under the impression that members of the public are entitled to videotape public meetings but yours truly was recently stopped mid-frame by Bloomfield Planning Board Chairman, Alan LaQuaglia. The Planning Board attorney gave no legal basis for his ruling so we wondered if there were any precedents. Is it ever possible with or without prior permission?
We queried Martin O'Shea, New Jersey's Guru on Sunshine laws, and received a fast response:

"Bottom line: We all have an absolute right to videotape every public meeting in the state. The source of the information attached is the New Jersey Press Association. I think your problem can be fixed with a simple letter to the planning board lawyer."Letter sent; problem solved.

Qualify Your Lender!

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:06:37 -0700

Whether your a 1st time buyer, or a homeowner looking to refinance or modify your existing mortgage, it's more important than ever to "qualify" your lender -- just as they're qualifying you. The lowest interest rate isn't always the best deal. Closing costs and prepayment penalties, for example, can adversely affect the bottom line. We give our clients a selection of vendors who have a good track record, but they're still free to use someone with whom they've established a relationship.

The Star Ledger is reporting that six people have been indicted on various mortgage fraud-related charges in threee separate cases in New Jersey. Among those charged are two women who authorities say used loan application information to obtain more than $1 million in unauthorized mortgages, lines of credit and credit cards. Banks in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York were defrauded in the schem

Your Questions...

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 09:49:24 -0700

We’re on the lookout for answers to several perennial questions in our blog:

Why do some homes sell an a few days, while others take months?
How important is “location, location, location,”
or is price and the economy the driving force?
Why in the world are they building such a big house in such a small lot?

How seriously are environmental issues addressed before approval of mega-developments?
How are different towns in North Jersey and the NYC Metro-area
dealing with common problems? We’ll share more questions
and suggest a few answers as we watch future developments.

A Home for the Ages

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:51:47 -0700

Our latest whirlwind trip to DC left us only a couple of hours to wander the Smithsonian National History museum,so serendipity would have to rule. We wound up spending the most time at a longstanding exhibit displaying the the largest single object in the museum. The two-and-a-half story Georgian style Colonial home that once stood proudly at 16 Elm Street in Ipswich, Massachusetts is now the centerpiece of the groundbreaking exhibition called Within These Walls. Within the structure of this timber-framed home, professionally displayed for visitors interested in the architecture, lies the stories of five families from the wealthy Choate family of early colony days to the widow Mary Scott. We didn't find out until our return home that the the massive project, which included dismantling and reassembling the massive house from the ground up, was sponsored by our own National Association of Realtors.

Railing about Transit in Bloomfield

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:37:26 -0700

While PATH was celebrating its 80th anniversary, NJ Transit was pooping at the party in Bloomfield with parking fees for it's popular Grove Street commuter lot. Starting March 1, the daily rate is $2 or $40 monthly.
Adding insult to injury was the Sunday Times mostly glowing report on NJ Transit Village success stories that singled out Bloomfield lagging efforts. Since winning the designation in 2003, the township is still looking for the light at the end of its tunnelvision. A great leap forward occured July 1 when Bloomfield reopened it's newly rennovated RR station waiting room days after expanding it's rush hour free Jitney service to Brookdale neighborhoods.

NJ Real Estate at a Glance

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:20:35 -0700

The first step in buying a home is determining how much home you can afford. Then you can look in towns and neighborhoods that have the most appealing homes in your price range. The NJ Star Ledger "By the Numbers" web site can facilitate the search. with neighborhood breakdowns like this one from Clifton.(Click on picture to enlarge) In the next few weeks we'll link to more local economic maps.

Ecorealty

Geoff Gove (Century 21 Van Der Wende) — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 23:10:36 -0700

Check out www.ecorealty.blogspot.com