nj: Flood Insurance & FEMA --- or, How I Lost My Shirt at the Shore - 07/19/14 02:41 AM
Occasionally, I get questions about flood insurance, particularly from buyers looking for a second home at the shore. I usually send them to FEMA’s website.  But, I do know one thing: premiums on flood insurance have gone up exponentially,  particularly since Hurricane Sandy. One friend has a home at the Jersey Shore where he’s been paying about $3,000/year for flood insurance.  His insurer told him to prepare for that to go over $30,000 unless he gets his home out of flood plain --- something that could be extremely costly. That made me start thinking about whether insurance practices are  regulated in … (3 comments)

nj: Luxury Homes in Bergen County, NJ - 06/26/14 01:33 AM
For much of my 25-yr career, I've worked in the Luxury Market --- towns like Franklin Lakes, Wyckoff, Saddle River, Upper Saddle River, Ridgewood, Ho-Ho-Kus and Allendale. We used to refer to 3,000 square foot, $950,000 homes luxury homes.  Then came the roaring 1990s, and we started seeing homes built the size of the local municipal building. Five thousand square foot homes became the norm, but in time we saw homes over 8,000 square feet going up, and that's when I began to worry.  It's one thing to build an 8,000 sf home on a 2 acre lot (Saddle River, for … (0 comments)

nj: Beautiful 4 Bedroom Home in Wyckoff, NJ - 06/09/14 01:16 AM
http://postlets.com/s/354-drake-rd-wyckoff-nj-07481/11535312
 
This updated and meticulously maintained 4 Bedroom home, in everyone's favorite town, Wyckoff, NJ, sits perfectly on a lushly landscaped .69 acre lot.  Baths and Kitchen have been updated, a wonderful Great Room is surrounded by glass and adjoins the charming Garden Room, a new Laundry Room, gleaming hardwood floors, new furnace and central A/C, and so much more make this not just a beautiful place to live, but a solid investment.  It is Wyckoff, after all.  Call Kate for more information: (201) 264-4417.
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nj: Franklin Lakes, NJ --- from Pot to Heroin: a gruesome journey - 06/01/14 04:19 AM
I moved to Franklin Lakes from Asbury Park, in the early 70s, and was instantly hit with cultural shock --- single family homes the size of an apartment building, no public transportation, and women wearing tennis skirts to go shopping. But, it was beautiful, and I soon got over my reverse snobism, and enjoyed such new experiences as The Market Basket (if you don't like to cook dinner, Tony does it for you), the Shadow Lake Club (swim & tennis club), and starting a Democratic Club (little did I know I was only one of a few Dems in town.
My … (1 comments)

nj: Beautiful Expanded and Renovated Wyckoff, NJ Split Level 354 Drake Rd - 05/31/14 02:58 AM
 
http://354drakerd.agentmarketing.com/
You'll Fall in Love with 354 Drake Rd in Wyckoff NJ.  This beautiful expanded and renovated split level in the hottest town in New Jersey --- Wyckoff! --- offers a spacious 4 BR, 3 Bath home on a beautifully landscaped .69 acre lot. 354 Drake Rd offers a Newer Kitchen, Baths and Laundry Room, newer furnace, C/AC and a brand new septic system being installed.  This is a dream come true!! 

354 Drake Rd has Newer Baths, a beautiful Paver Driveway & Walkways, Hardiplank Siding, A Sundrenched Deck, Gleaming Hardwood Floors and a Truly Modern Kitchen!  354 Drake Rd … (3 comments)

nj: The Luxury Home Market in Wyckoff and Franklin Lakes New Jersey - 05/23/14 02:03 AM
While I was showing an agent and her clients through my beautiful $1,979,000 home, in Wyckoff, I heard something I haven't heard in a while --- "This home is underpriced." While I was confident the home was well-priced, I don't often hear that from buyers or their agents. But this home is magnificent, and the seller and I worked hard to get the price right. The luxury market in both Franklin Lakes and Wyckoff --- two of the towns I've lived and specialized in --- is seeing a strong resurgence.  In part, this is due to sellers being more diligent about pricing … (0 comments)

nj: Another Household Hazard - 05/08/14 02:06 AM
Recently, my townhouse complex sent a letter telling us we are now required to have our dryer vents cleaned at least every 3 years.  I had mine done about 2.5 years ago, but figured I'd do it while I was thinking about it. I'm only one person so I didn't think there would be much to clean, so it was surprising, to say the least, when my plumber called and said, "Kate, are you taking in laundry?"  It seems my vent was so clogged it looked like a family of 6 lived there.  Apparently, the vent stretches out about 15' from the … (3 comments)

nj: Beautiful Designer's Townhouse, Wyckoff, NJ $735,000 - 05/30/13 01:44 AM
http://www.postlets.com/repb/9265015
Stunning 3 bedroom, 2.5 Bath townhouse in Cedar Hills --- Country Club living in beautiful Wyckoff, NJ.  Designer's own home with a lovely open floor plan, beautiful design, built in 1994. Spacious rooms, lots of storage, 2-car garage, Clubhouse, Swimming Pool, Tennis. Amazing price!
 
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nj: Sold Stats for 13 NW Bergen County Towns, 1/1/13 - 5/1/13. WE'RE BACK!! - 05/01/13 03:20 AM
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nj: Now the Insurance Guy Wants to do a Walk-through?? - 04/26/13 05:06 AM
When did it become necessary to allow the home insurer to do a walk-through before closing?  Are insurance companies becoming as paranoid as lenders?  I expect to have a bank appraiser call, days before closing, to let me know the bank is requiring another appraisal, but the insurer came as a surprise, After all, the buyers will probably make changes to the home, perhaps enlarge it, and when they do the requested walk-through, the buyers belongings --- furniture, etc --- won't be in the house so what is it they want to determine?
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nj: NW Bergen County Home Sales in 2013... - 04/22/13 03:17 AM
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nj: Escalation Clauses in Real Estate Contracts - 04/13/13 03:19 AM
The first thing I remember learning in real estate licensing school was that no matter who an agent works for --- buyer or seller --- all parties to the contract must be treated fairly. We don't think much of that on the face of it because most of us think we always treat clients fairly.  But very recently I was confronted with a practice I've never encountered in my almost-25 years in real estate:  the Escalation Clause.
An escalation clause says something like "my clients will beat all offers by $2,000 up to $750,000."  It might be worded more gracefully, but … (3 comments)

nj: Franklin Lakes, NJ Achieves Sustainable Status - 03/12/13 01:05 AM
After forming a Green Team in town, including an Environmental Commission, and taking on several tasks required by the State (upgrades in the municipal buildings, adopting a land-use pledge, and several other repairs/replacements). Health and wellness programs, including Mayor Bivona's Wellness Campaign, were put in place, and members of the community, including students, jumped on the bandwagon to meet ther requirements of the State.  Only 100 of the State's 566 municipalities have been given Sustainable Jersey. Bravo, Franklin Lakes! Energy Audits for all Municipal Buildings Energy Tracking and Management (Formerly Energy STAR Portfolio Manager) Fleet Inventory Municipal Carbon Footprint Natural Resource … (2 comments)

nj: Franklin Lakes Sold Listings 9/1/12 to 3/10/13. 21 Homes over $800k sold. - 03/10/13 01:09 AM
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nj: Franklin Lakes, NJ SOLD Stats from 1/1/2012 to 11/19/2012 - 11/19/12 02:51 AM
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nj: Hurricane Sandy Devastates My Home State of New Jersey - 11/06/12 03:13 AM
I grew up at the Jersey Shore --- Avon, Bradley Beach, Asbury Park and Wanamassa --- in the 50s, 60s & 70s.  Not once did we ever lose power, and certainly not heat.  The closest we came was (and I'm guessing) in the mid-50s when we were told a hurrican was coming our way.  We all descended into the dirty, rat-infested basement to hide until the threat had passed.  I remember peeking out the Bilco door to see if I could see the hurricane, but alas it missed us.
As I watched Sandy beat the hell out of my old stompiny … (2 comments)

nj: Mold --- It's Baaack! - 10/25/12 04:46 AM
   Although I'm not in favor of the government getting involved in every area of our lives, the issue of mold remediation is quickly becoming a problem in New Jersey, at least in some of the homes I've listed in NW Bergen County.  Now, I'm not talking about serious mold --- the kind you can see AND feel when you breathe in.  I'm talking about what looks to the human eye like mildew --- the product of damp basements.  I don't know about the rest of the country, but here in the Northeast, we have hunidity problems that require dehumidifiers.  You … (0 comments)

nj: The Appraisal Process: The Fix is In, At Least In Bergen County, NJ - 10/20/12 03:23 AM
  I can't speak for the entire country, or even the entire state of New Jersey, but I can speak for NW Bergen County, and here's what I'd say : 
 If there’s one thing that throws a monkey wrench in a real estate transaction more than the physical inspection, it’s the appraisal, and we all have the banks to thank for that.  Banks have made it clear to their chosen appraisers they want them to err on the low side of home values.  When that happens, often the banks tell the buyers they’ll either have to increase their down-payment, or renegotiate the price … (2 comments)

nj: Are We Headed for a Financial Cliff? - 10/11/12 05:18 AM
http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/10/11/n-imf-christine-lagarde-america-fiscal-clif.cnnmoney
 
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nj: Franklin Lakes, NJ Home Sale Statistics - 10/11/12 04:17 AM
http://www.priv.njmls.xmlsweb.com/statisticsreports/Reports/MarketTrendReport.asp … (0 comments)