Does your managing broker compete with you? - 01/31/10 10:18 PM
I've answered many questions on Trulia where new agents are deciding on what brokerage to join.  Although there are several reasons why I joined the Prudential New Jersey Properties office that I did, one of the main reasons was because the manager did not compete with the agents in the office for business.  
What's funny is that I had interviewed with several top brokerages before choosing Prudential New Jersey Properties and in ALL those other offices, the manager I met with -- both listed and sold properties (i.e., competing with the other agents in the office).  Until I met Annette DeCicco and I knew that Prudential New Jersey Properties … (0 comments)

What did the seller pay? What does the seller owe? Who cares - it's not my buyers' problem!!! - 01/28/10 12:35 PM
Once again, I was inspired by a thread I was following on Trulia.  In a nutshell, a buyer was making an offer on a property for a little less than what the seller originally paid.  Their concern was should negotiations on the price begin and the sellers counter,   should the buyers come up with an amount equal to what the sellers originally paid, should it be more than what the sellers originally paid or more than what the seller owes?  My opinion -- who cares what the seller originally paid or owe -- it's not my buyers' problem!!  What the property is worth TODAY is the … (5 comments)

The New Jersey Realty Transfer Fee (RTF) and what it means to New Jersey Sellers - 01/17/10 03:32 PM
It never ceases to me amaze me when I meet with sellers at a listing appointment and when going over the "must ask" a/k/a "qualifying" questionsabout their equity in the home,  mortgage payoff information, etc. and while the homeowners are jotting down their numbers on what they expect to net after paying off any and all mortgages/liens, broker commission, attorney fees, I bring up the New Jersey Realty Transfer Fee (RTF)...dead silence fills the room and they stare at me with a blank look.  HUH????
Now if they are first-time New Jersey homesellers(sellers who are now selling their New Jersey home for the very first … (4 comments)

Looking for something to do on Wednesday nights in Caldwell, New Jersey this winter? How about Dinner and a Movie? - 01/16/10 08:37 PM

Looking for something to do on Happy, Happy Hump Day Evening in Caldwell, New Jersey this winter? 
 
Once again, The Caldwell Downtown Association (CDA) is  offering its Dinner and a Movie program every Wednesday night from January 20, 2010 until March 10, 2010. 
 
 Diners will receive 20% OFF dinner at participating restaurants between 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. and a $2 coupon toward the admission price of a Wednesday movie at Clearview's Caldwell Cinema, located on Bloomfield Avenue in Caldwell, New Jersey.  Find showtimes and pricing for Clearview's Caldwell Cinema. 




For more information on Dinner and a Movie in Caldwell, New … (1 comments)

West Essex at a Glance ~ Market Reports and Stats for the Communities of West Essex (Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell, Roseland, Verona & West Caldwell), December 2009 - 01/15/10 08:58 AM
West Essex at a Glance
Market Reports and Stats for the Communities of West Essex for December 2009

The Communities of West Essex Combined Market Report and Stats for December 2009 reflect:   
Active Listings:  292 New Listings for December 2009:  31 Under Contract in December 2009:    32                                                                                    Solds in December 2009:   56 Months Supply on the Market:  9.1  Absorption ratio: 11% (only 14% of the total inventory went U/C in December, leaving 89% of the inventory unsold)                                               If you are interested in receiving individual monthly West Essex at a Glance Market Report(s) and Stat(s)for The Communities of West Essex (Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell, … (0 comments)

Selling your Northern New Jersey Home to the Most Financially Secure Potential Buyers in the Country - 01/10/10 10:58 AM
Qualified buyerscan be hard to come by nowadays.  But what if you could present your Northern New Jersey home to the most financially secure potential buyers in the country(i.e., employee "buyers" at Fortune 500 Companies and U.S. Government Agencies? 
You may ask...how can this be done?  Isn't my home already listed on the internet no matter who I list with?
Chances are your home is probably on the internet but is your New Jersey home for sale on Corporate HomeView? Unless you've listed your Northern New Jersey home for sale with Prudential New Jersey Properties, your home is NOTin front of the most financially … (0 comments)

Pass Go and Collect Your Commission or Go directly to jail...The Question EVERY listing agent MUST ask their sellers - 01/09/10 04:22 PM

I was inspired to write this post by a thread I was following on Trulia where a buyer was buying a home in New Jersey and it was NOT disclosedthat the house was a short sale until attorney review.  So now I must ask all you listing agents, are you asking the question(s) EVERY listing agent MUST ask their sellers? 
Scenario #1, you're so happy you got the listing - at least until the sellers tell you the price you're suggesting based on your careful CMA just isn't enough. Why?????  They owe more than that on their mortgage and/or home equity loans.
Scenario #2, you're so happy you got … (153 comments)

The Soprano Family isn't the only "Family" in New Jersey - 01/08/10 10:40 PM

For those that think the only "family" in New Jersey is The Sopranos think again....
The Godfather, Don Corleone's son in law, Carlo Rizzi [Gianni Russo] will be making an appearance for a meet and greet and performance at Buco Ristorante in Clifton, New Jersey on January 12, 2010.
Enjoy a five course dinner and wine pairing featuring Gianni Russo's wine collection at Buco's for $49.95 per person. 
The owners of Buco Ristorante, The Bucco Family [no relation to Tony Soprano's longtime childhood friend "Artie" Bucco), were the former owners of Martha's Vineyard Ristorante which was located on Route 3 West in … (3 comments)

Winter Wonderland in Little Falls, NJ - 01/01/10 10:15 PM
Last year around Christmas time I wrote about how every year we take the kids to Santa's Secret Wonderland in Little Falls, New Jersey.  That's been part of our family holiday tradition since we bought our first house and had our first child in Little Falls, New Jersey about 10 1/2 years ago. 
Unfortunately, we didn't get there before Christmas this year because my oldest came down with pneumonia but just the other night I finally got a chance to take my younger two children.  As we turned down Williams Street they were so excited as they saw those bright white Christmas lights lighting up the whole block.
… (6 comments)