The Monmouth County Library will host a Mischief Night costume party 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. October 30th at its headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive.

The festivities for students grades 6 to 12,  will include a DJ and emcee, tarot card readers, chances to play The Beatles: Rock Band and other games, costumes contests, refreshments and a goodie bag bar.

Attendees must arrive by 6:30 p.m. in costume and pre-register with the library at 732-431-2222 or sacosta@monmouthcountylib.org.

I recently came across this article from the Associated Press explaining Short Sales.  I think they did a fabulous job and wanted to share this information. We as realtors are asked daily about them and this is a concise response to those folks seeking explanation.

For a homeowner who needs to sell but has a mortgage balance higher than the property value, one option is something called a "short sale."

And don't let the name fool you. This type of sale is complicated and can drag on for months.

So what exactly is a short sale? Here are some questions and answers.

Q: What is a short sale?

A: A short sale happens when a lender allows a borrower to sell his home for less than what's owed on the mortgage. The lender usually forgives the difference and considers the debt repaid.

Q: How often do short sales occur?

A: Short sales now make up about one in every 10 home sales, according to the National Association of Realtors. That's a lot more than you usually see when the housing market isn't distressed - in fact, the NAR doesn't have historical records on short sales before the current downturn because they were such an insignificant segment of the sales market.

Falling home prices have eroded home equity at a rapid place, making short sales more commonplace. About 16 million homeowners owe more than their homes are worth and would have to seek a short sale if they were forced to sell their homes now.

Q: What's in it for the lenders?

A: Lenders minimize their losses. If the borrower defaults and the bank has to foreclose, there are extra costs to auction the property and maintain it while it's vacant. Foreclosed homes also typically sell for much less than short sales.

Q: What are the drawbacks for the borrower?

A: While not as bad as a foreclosure, a short sale will still blemish a borrower's credit report. A short sale would knock an "A" borrower down to a "B" borrower, while the same borrower would fall to "D+" after a foreclosure, said Ritch Workman, co-owner of Workman Mortgage in Melbourne, Fla.

The extent of the damage also depends on the borrower's credit history before the short sale. A borrower with good credit won't get hit as hard, while a borrower with tarnished credit will feel more pain.

Normally, a borrower would have to pay taxes on the forgiven part of the balance, though the Bush Administration granted homeowners a reprieve that applies to debt forgiven through 2012.

Q: Why is the process so complicated and why does it take so long?

A: Short sales are plagued with snags on both sides. Desperate sellers or inexperienced real estate agents often send in the wrong paperwork, only to get it kicked back. It's an easy mistake to make because each lender requires different documents.

For their part, lenders don't have enough staff to handle the flood of short sale applications. It can take months before a lender will get back to a seller about an offer from a potential buyer. Some deals take more than year to finish.

And approvals from third parties - such as private mortgage insurers, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, and lenders who hold a second mortgage on the house - also can slow a short sale.

In May, the Obama Administration promised to standardize documents and offer incentives to mortgage servicers, borrowers and second mortgage holders to encourage timely short sales. The Treasury Department has yet to release specific guidelines to lenders, which will take months to implement.

Q: What should I do if I'm interested in a short sale?

A: Most lenders will approve a short sale only if the borrower is behind on his mortgage, but some are now considering non-delinquent borrowers because they don't want them to walk away from their mortgages, said Pava Leyrer, president of Heritage National Mortgage in Michigan.

Ask a trusted mortgage or real estate professional to recommend a real estate agent, attorney or company to help with the short sale. Or, contact a local nonprofit housing counseling service. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development maintains a list of government-sponsored housing agencies at www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm.

And don't pay any upfront fees.

"Be cautious when choosing someone," Leyrer said. "Make sure they have the experience necessary to facilitate the sale and not hinder it."

The Associated Press

I love to have flowers in my Manalapan backyard. My yard backs up to beautifully manicured woods and I love to plant flowers along the border. The pop of color adds so much to greenery. I also have many pots scattered all around especially in the front yard.  Since I am a Manalapan Realtor, I recognize the value of curb appeal.  A buyer needs to feel that your home is well maintained and manicured landscaping is key. Many buyers just drive by and won't even go inside if they don't like the way the outside of the house looks. I digress...I was writing about flowers!

When I first moved to this home my husband painstakingly dug out beds for me all along the back of the property. Since it is partially shaded from the woods and trees, I plant impatiens. Every spring I buy 7 flats of impatiens, usually in 2 different colors, and spend 2 - 3 days planting them in the ground. I no time they are huge and gorgeous.

Every morning when I wake up, I look at my bedroom window to see them. They make me happy to be alive. Several years back, we were planning a family BBQ and my husband made sure that the yard was just perfect. He takes a lot of pride in manicuring his property. The morning of the BBQ, I awoke and looked out the window as I always do, and I could not believe my eyes. Every single flower was gone!! All that was left was the green stalks. My friendly neighborhood deer must have gotten word that we were having a party and didn't invite them, so they decided to help themselves to my precious flowers. I was devastated. Why on THAT particular day? They couldn't wait one more day until everyone had left and seen my beautiful blooms?

Needless to say my yard was dismal the rest of the year. I proceeded to do my research and found out that deer love impatiens. Who knew?  So, the next year I planted begonias. Pretty, but not the same. They need more sun to grow large and I have too much shade. I decided that I was going back to impatiens the following year but was going to use one of the deer repellent sprays and hope for the best.

I came to find out that deer prefer a bland diet of plant material. Deer repellents are sprays that protect plants from being browsed by covering their leaves and flowers with a smell suggestive of either animal elements (from eggs or bloodmeal ingredients) or spicy taste (from minty oils, garlic or hot pepper ingredients). I was afraid of a chemical because my dog goes into the woods. Upon further investigation I determined that all of these repellents contain natural ingredients and are safe to use even with children and pets around. I spent a lot of time researching and decided to go with a product called Deer Off.  Catchy name, I liked that. Deer Off protects two ways, by odor (from putrescent whole egg solids) and, in case Bambi has a stuffy noise, by taste (from capsaicin and garlic). OMRI certified organic. Dries clear.

I am here to report that Deer Off is hands down the best product I have every used. It works just as it advertises. Its smells really, really bad at first and then you hardly notice it. I see deer strolling around the yard and they make no attempt at all to go near my flowers. YAY!!! Until....you forget to follow up. You need to spray every few weeks to ensure safety. What we have been doing the past few years is that in mid to late September we just stop spraying and let the deer have their feast. They fill up for the winter. This past week, all the little Bambi's were out having a major feast at my expense.  As much as I love seeing my flowers all summer, I do like to see the young deer munching on my flowers. I feel like I'm contributing to nature!

Manalapan Parks and Recreation presents:

The 21st annual

Manalapan  Monster  Mania

Magic Show Parade and Costume Contest

&

Haunted Hay Ride

&

Fright Fest

Thursday & Friday, October 22 & 23, 2009

Open to ages 2 through 9

Spooky Schedule of Events

Thursday, October 22:

7:00 p.m. - Nightmare before Christmas Hayride

Friday, October 23:

6:00 p.m.- Halloween Magic Show by magician John Carlson

6:45 p.m.- Halloween Parade & Costume Contest

7:00 p.m.- Fright Fest (Crafts, games, monsters and more!)

Crafts & treats are for children in attendance only!

7:00 p.m.- Nightmare before Christmas Hayride

Hayride is suitable for all ages! Line begins at field #2.

All events, except for Hayride, are held at the Manalapan Recreation Center

Basketball Courts (near parking lot #1)

MRC located on Route 522 across from Municipal Building

The Manalapan Monster Mania is held rain or shine.

This program is free of charge.

Bring a camera for photo opportunities with

the Halloween ghosts & ghouls!

Seasonal Flu & Pneumonia Vaccination Clinics

Manalapan Township Board of Health will be hosting the following 2009 seasonal Flu and Pneumonia shots for residents age 18 and over:

Tuesday, October 20    7:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Manalapan Town Hall

Thursday, October 22    9:00 am - 12 noon at Covered Bridge 1 Clubhouse

Friday, October 23    1:00 pm - 3:00 pm at Manalapan Town Hall

Monday, October 26    10:00 am - 11:00 am at Covered Bridge II Clubhouse

Shots are free for Seniors possessing Medicare Part B cards.  The fee is $20.00 for Flu and $ 25.00 for Pneumonia for all others.  For more information please call the Manalapan Health Department at (732) 446-8345.

I am addicted to HGTV! There I said it. My favorite show is House Hunters! Why??? It is my life. I live it weekly. I can show 100's of houses in a week but I still enjoy watching other realtors show houses. What draws me to this show? I can watch people look at houses all day. Their comments are the most intriguing thing of all. What is wrong with me??

 I love to listen to them as they rave about the abundance of natural light and windows in a room. Paint is very important to these people on TV. What is wrong with them? Doesn't their Realtor tell them that its only paint. Even a monkey can paint with quick instruction!!! They rule out houses for the most ridiculous reasons. And where do they get all the vacant houses from?? Most of them are empty.  Where are all the homesellers who follow you and explain every outlet and switch to you??

Also, the prices seem unbelievable. I live in New Jersey. Granted our prices are a little higher than most of the country, I can't believe that these people can get a house for $175,000 with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. That's outrageous!!! Their mortgages are going to be less than my rent when I first got married.  

I can't stop watching! It's like a car accident where everyone rubbernecks!! I guess it is why people go to open houses. It is interesting to see how people live and what their homes look like. As I write this I am watching House Hunter International and can't believe how folks in France live. Not me!!!

PROVIDER'S/ABILITIES FAIR

The Mayors Special Needs Council of Manalapan is hosting it's 4^th Provider/Abilities Fair on Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 7:00 pm at Manalapan Englishtown Middle School.

There will be a panel of service providers to help answer your questions or address your concerns.  If you need special accommodations or interpreters, please contact Charlene McLaughlin at (732) 446-3200 ext. 4002 or email mayorspecialneedscouncil@yahoo.com.

We hope to provide individuals with a disability, parents and caretakers of those with a disability an opportunity to come and preview opportunities for resources and therapeutic possibilities under one roof.

The area office of the state Soil Conservation District is looking for photographers to capture subjects promoting the beauty and uniqueness of the natural environments in Middlesex and Monmouth counties.

Wildlife, landscapes, natural resources, agriculture, waterscapes and conservation practices all are suitable subjects.

Photography contest prizes are $200 for first place, $100 for second place and $75 for third place.

Photographs must be received at the Freehold Township office of the district by Sept. 30. The office is at 4000 Kozloski Road, P.O. Box 5033, Freehold, NJ07728; e-mail info@freeholdscd.org.

According to the contest rules:

Photo location, landmark, town or address should be included with the entry.

Photos can be color or black and white.

It is open to people age 18 and older as of Sept. 30 of this year.

Photo sizes must by 8 by 10 inches or 8 by 12 inches.

Photos will not be returned.

More information and an entry form are available at www.freeholdscd.org. Questions may be directed to Karen Rowe, at info@freeholdscd.org or 732-683-8500.

Totally not real estate related but I am feeling nostalgic today. Often I feel like I know what is going to happen before it does. Call it intuition or premonition but it has happened many times in my life. None more memorable than one that I had on September 4, 2001.

I don't always remember my dreams but that morning I remembered perfectly. I'll spare you the details but there was something major happening at my home and I was frantically yelling for someone to call 9-1-1 emergency. I said it so many times that when I woke up I screamed out "Call 9-1-1!!"

That morning as always, I sat down with my coffee to read the newspaper. I glanced over at the NJ Lottery results and I saw that the number was 9-1-1. Wow, I was shocked!! I showed my son and told him my dream. He told me I was crazy. One thing had nothing to do with the other. I shook it off and promptly dismissed it. Maybe I do have some psychic ability.

Exactly one week later as I drove to work, I heard on the radio that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I stayed in the car and listened, thinking that it was an accident. I had many, many friends and neighbors that worked in the area. As we all know, it was a horrific day that I will never forget. I was so consumed by the events of the day that I did not realize the date. Not until the next day, did I hear some say that "We will never forget 9/11". I was stunned!!! 9-1-1!!! There is was again. How could that be?  I couldn't move. What made me dream that date?

As I sit here this morning and re-live it all over again, I can't help but feel emotional. Many of my co-workers were there and have their own horrendous stories of escape to tell. So many families were deeply affected by that day. Mine is minute and really insignificant but I needed to tell someone my story as ridiculous as it seems.

Gail Szeluga
Weichert Realtors - Marlboro / Manalapan
732-580-7893 (cell)

732-536-4400 x152 (office)
Gszeluga@aol.com

www.SoldByGail.com

Buying a home is a major decision. For most people it is the largest purchase that they will make in their lifetime. I have put together a list of tips that will help you make an educated decision.

1.  Always do your homework before you go out looking. Decide what town and neighborhoods you'd like to focus on. What features are most important to you and most of all, what is your monthly budget for your home?

2.  Be Practical.  It's okay to be selective but don't be unrealistic with your expectations. Create a guide of needs and wants and use that to evaluate each home.

3.  Review your credit report. Speak to a lender and get pre-qualified for a mortgage. Make sure that you have enough money to cover your down payment as well as closing costs. This will help you determine what price range to look in.

4.  Think long term. Will this be the home you plan to stay in or will you buy a starter home with plans to move up to a larger home in a few years? This is very important as it will determine the size and style of home you choose.

5.  Get a home inspection. This will determine not only what currently needs to be addressed but will alert you to future repairs. A home owners warranty purchased either by the seller or you is a great insurance policy.

6.  Determine your timeframe. Do you need to get into a home before school starts? Is your lease up soon? Can you continue month to month until you close? Do you need to coordinate a purchase with a sale? All of these factors are important when negotiating for a home.

7.  Make the final decision yourself. Don't ask too many people for opinions. Find someone you trust for guidance but be prepared to make the final determination on your own.

Above all else, enlist a real estate professional to help you with your search. The internet is a wonderful tool but nothing can replace the feeling you get from being inside a home. You will know as soon as you walk in the door that you have found the home for you.

Follow these tips and enjoy the notion that you will be in your new home very soon.

Gail Szeluga

Weichert Realtors

www.SoldByGail.com