James Lockard - Bergen County Real Estate Blog

Raised Ranch in New Milford For Sale

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:37:59 -0500

James Lockard | RE/MAX Properties | 201-825-6600

144 Fulton St., New Milford, NJ

Recently renovated this raised Ranch is a must see home. Located in a quiet neighborhood the home sits on a corner lot on a dead end street.

5BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $399,000

Year Built	1972
Sq Footage	Unspecified
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	2
Parking	1 Car garage
Lot Size	7,501 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Recently renovated this raised Ranch is a must see home. Located in a quiet neighborhood the home sits on a corner lot on a dead end street.
There is plenty of the extra space, with the large master bedroom, an additional bedroom, one bath, large family room and entrance on the ground floor while the main section of the house has a spacious living room, dining room, modern eat in kitchen and 3 bedrooms and a bath. The home boasts an open floor plan, hardwood floors upstairs and tiled family room. Enjoy the privacy of your fenced in rear yard.
Short Sale subject to bank approval. Buyer responsible for all inspections and CO.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

- Central heat	- Walk-in closet	- Hardwood floor
- Tile floor	- Family room	- Living room
- Dining room	- Dishwasher	- Refrigerator
- Stove/Oven	- Stainless steel appliances	- Laundry area - inside
- Yard

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Corner Lot on Dead End	Low exterior maintenance
Privacy Fenced Yard	Kitchen with Center Islan
Spacious Living Room	large Family Room

Contact info:

James Lockard

RE/MAX Properties

201-825-6600

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Sep 30, 2009, 5:14am PDT

Easter Bunny Coming to Crestwood Lake!

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:04:24 -0500

On Saturday April 4, 2009 at 10 am the Holiday Observers of Allendale will host Peter Cottontail during his annual visit to Crestwood Lake in Alllendale.

All Allendale children under the age of 12 are welcome to attend an egg hunt which will be done by age groups. The older the children the tougher the bunny will make it to find the eggs. Special plastic eggs are hidden and for those who find these treasures, a special prize awaits.

A Special Egg hunt for all Moms will take place after the children have completed their search.

Come and join the fun!

For more information, visit the Holiday Observers website.

Want to know more about Allendale?
Visit my Allendale Blog

James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
Office: 201-825-6600
Cell: 201-674-3114
Email: jlockard@remax.net
Website: http://www.bergencounty-homes.com/

Spring Cleanup - Where to Recycle in Bergen County

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:26:53 -0600

The spring is coming and soon people in Bergen County will be cleaning out the basement and garage. What do you do with the junk the garbage man will not take?

The Bergen County Utiliites Authority will host several Household Hazardous Waste days in 2009. Rain or shine all sites will be open from 9 am to 3 pm. Proof of Bergen county residency is required.

Items such as pesticides, paints, batteries and motor oil can be dropped off at the eight collection events at three sites throughout the county. They are:

Bergen Community College, 400 Paramus Rd., Paramus on Sunday, April 5, 2009; Sunday, June 28, 2009; and Sunday, October 4, 2009.
Moonachie Location:BCUA, Foot of Empire Blvd., Moonachie on Saturday, March 14, 2009; and Saturday, July 18, 2009.
Mahwah Location: Bergen County Campgaw Mountain Reservation, 200 Campgaw Rd; Mahwah on Saturday, May 16, 2009; Sat., Sept. 12, 2009 and Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009.

All HHW collection events are offered free of charge to Bergen County residents.

For more information see the BCUA website at http://www.bcua.org/

Information provided by
James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
www.BergenCounty-Homes.com

Loan Modification - Does it work?

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:42:20 -0600

Based on today's news from the offices within the U.S Treasury, lenders who modified loans in the first quarter of this year to reduce payments for borrowers to help curtail foreclosures found that after six months 55.1% were now 30 or more days late on a payment and 36.9% were 60 days or more late with a payment.

Similarly, loans modified in the second quarter of this year after only three months 40.5% are now 30 days late on a payment and 21.4% are 60 or more days late on payments.

Base on this last set of data, it means 21% of the people could only make one modified loan payment and 40% of the people could only make two payments at their new rate until they re-defaulted on their loan.

Loan modification may work for some but the banks must take a serious look at who they are trying to help and apply the same criteria they do with new loans to the modification process. Otherwise, who are they kidding?

James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
Office: 201-825-6600
Cell: 201-674-3114
Email: jlockard@remax.net
Website: www.BergenCounty-Homes.com

Allendale Real Estate Market Report - 12/31/2008

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 09:34:56 -0600

Allendale Real Estate Market Report - 12/31/2008

This is the time of year for reflection and in real estate a time to compare the market of the past year to previous years. You may have heard many people quoting statistics for the nation and how home prices have dropped. I am also sure you have heard how the real estate market is localized and what happens in one area of the country does not necessarily reflect on the market in Bergen County and more specifically in Allendale.

So let's compare the 2007 market to the 2008 market. I believe a few tables of figures can show the picture.

Listing Status	Total	Average List Price	Average Sold Price	SalePrice /List Price
Sold 2007	62	$ 846,641	$ 803,299	94.881
2008	51	$ 885,842	$ 814,829	91.984
New 2007	121	$ 946,509
2008	134	$ 943,184
Expired 2007	43	$ 1,131,774
2008	57	$ 844,277
Active on 12/31/07	33	$ 893,842
Active on 12/31/08	42	$ 1,015,137

I believe the important figures to look at are the decrease in number of homes sold, about 17%, the increase in inventory at each year end of about 22%, and the good news, a relatively flat average sold price. The number of new homes on the market and the number of homes that the listing agreement expired pretty much stayed the same when you consider if a listing agreement expires, it usually gets relisted as a new listing.

Not bad for Allendale home owners considering recent reports of prices of homes in 20 US cities fell 18% as reported in The Record on 12/31/2008. Yes, less homes have sold and inventory is up, usually an indication of falling prices. But consider that in 2005 the average sold price in Allendale was $805,219, and in 2006 which many consider the peak of the market, it was $850,625, we really haven't lost value in the last three years.

The market could get worse before it gets better. Time will tell. Allendale home owners still have weathered the storm much better than many others throughout the country.

If you are interested to find the current value of your home allow me to provide a free Comparative Market Analysis specifically for you. Please visit my website at http://www.bergencounty-homes.com/ or call me directly on my cell phone: 201-674-3114

If you would like a free list of Allendale homes for sale or would like more information about Allendale real estate, or you would like to be the first to know about hot new listings before other Allendale home buyers do, then give me a call at:

James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
Office: 201-825-6600
Cell: 201-674-3114
Email: jlockard@remax.net
Website: http://www.bergencounty-homes.com/

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:55:36 -0600

Santa Claus is coming to Allendale, not once but twice in the next couple of weeks.

On Friday evening December 5, 2008, The Allendale Chamber of Commerce's will hold it's annual Holiday Walk though downtown Allendale. At 7pm the big tree at the Allendale Bar and Grill will be light up. Many merchants in town will be dispensing holiday gifts to all residents. Santa then makes his appearance shortly afterward with treats for the youngsters.

On Saturday, December 13, 2008 at 1 pm Santa will join the Allendale Holiday Observers on the west side of town when the Observers will light their tree and provide refreshments and caroling while waiting for Santa. Santa will arrive shortly after 1 pm riding the fire truck and then allow all children up to eight grade to tell what they want for Christmas and gift them a gift.

Please join in the Holiday Festivities!

James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
Office: 201-825-6600
Cell: 201-674-3114
Email: jlockard@remax.net
Website: http://www.bergencounty-homes.com/

$1,300,000 referendum on slate for Allendale and Upper Saddle River voters 12/9/2008

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:24:41 -0600

When I first read in the local papers that Northern Highlands was spending $1.3 million for new boilers for the school I thought this is a bit excessive and what was that going to do to my taxes. Digging a little deeper I came up with some more facts.

Not only will the original boilers, which are now over forty years old, be replaced, but also an emergency generator will be installed to support emergency lighting, the phone system, full power to the gym and auditorium, the computer networks and the toilets. It turns out, Northern Highlands is a designated emergency facility for the area and the backup generator is necessary for this function.

The total cost of the project is $1,397,080. If it does not go to the referendum, it would have to be paid completely by taxpayers. However, under existing laws if a successful referendum is held the state will pay for 40% of the debt service or $558,832. In addition, the district will apply $400,000 left over from the 2002 bond that helped build the new science wing which came in under budget.

Total estimated tax cost is average Allendale household will pay $8.30 the first year and $10.60 each year for the next nine years. Similarly, average Upper Saddle River households will pay $9.12 the first year and $11.64 for the next nine years or about less than one dollar a month for ten years.

Although I do think some consideration should be made to look into more energy conscious alternatives such as geo-thermal heating for the school, the bottom line is that all Allendale and Upper Saddle River voters should get out and vote to pass this referendum. If not, the costs to us as taxpayers will be three times as much over the next ten years.

James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
Office: 201-825-6600
Cell: 201-674-3114
Email: jlockard@remax.net
Website: http://www.bergencounty-homes.com/

144 Fulton St, New Milford, NJ

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:36:05 -0500

James Lockard | RE/MAX Properties | 201-825-6600

144 Fulton St., New Milford, NJ

Recently renovated this raised Ranch is a must see home. Located in a quiet neighborhood the home sits on a corner lot on a dead end street.

5BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $549,900

Year Built	1972
Sq Footage	Unspecified
Bedrooms	5
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	2
Parking	1 Car garage
Lot Size	7,501 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central heat	Walk-in closet	Hardwood floor
Tile floor	Family room	Living room
Dining room	Dishwasher	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Stainless steel appliances	Laundry area - inside
Yard

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

James Lockard

RE/MAX Properties

201-825-6600

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Sep 10, 2008, 2:05pm PDT

103 Morningside Rd. Paramus, NJ

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:56:13 -0500

James Lockad | RE/MAX Properties | 201-825-6600

103 Morningside Rd, Paramus, NJ

Location, Location, Location! Tree lined developmentwith House located at end of cul-de-sac near a park.

3BR/1.5BA Single Family House

offered at $499,900

Year Built	Unspecified
Sq Footage	1,512
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	1 full, 1 partial
Floors	3
Parking	1 Car garage
Lot Size	9,840 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Location, Location. Location. Nestled on a quiet tree lined street at the end of a cul-de-sac near a park with a playground, this 3 bedroom, 1.5 baths split level is a perfect family home. Hardwood floors adorn the three ample sized bedrooms, & the living, dining room. Master bedroom can handle all your clothes in the walk in closet and enjoy the comforts of the half bath in the master. Central air conditioning and attic fan keeps the whole family cool in the summer. Put your own touches on this home bringing it up to date with some TLC in the kitchen and baths.

Low exterior maintenance with aluminum siding, this elegantly landscaped property with underground sprinkler system has a shed for your work tools. Private back yard to entertain your guests with a summer barbeque on the built in grill while sitting in the screened porch.

Enjoy all of this with low Paramus taxes, an excellent school system, convenient mall shopping, and easy access to NYC transportation.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Walk-in closet
Hardwood floor	Tile floor	Family room
Living room	Dining room	Dishwasher
Refrigerator	Stove/Oven	Attic
Washer	Dryer	Laundry area - inside

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

James Lockad

RE/MAX Properties

201-825-6600

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Aug 18, 2008, 6:15am PDT

29 Evergreen St., Waldwick, N.J.

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:26:25 -0500

James Lockad | RE/MAX Properties | 201-825-6600

29 Evergreen St, Waldwick, NJ

Expanded Split Level - Ideal Family Home!

3BR/3BA Single Family House

offered at $699,000

Year Built	1965
Sq Footage	Unspecified
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	3 full, 0 partial
Floors	3
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	22,048 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Recently decorated and updated, this lovely expanded split level is highlighted by a country kitchen with cherry cabinets, new counters and floor, and a large breakfast nook with wood burning fireplace The spacious master bedroom with walkin closets, gas fireplace and master bath with separate shower and jacuzzi tub, and sliding doors to a raised deck balcony looking over the private rear yard provides a relaxing and inviting space. Formal dining room and living room, large den with stone fireplace, two more upstairs bedrooms and two more full baths expand the comfort of this lovely home. The large back yard with koi pond and waterfall, separate carriage house/artist studio, makes this is a must see home!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Fireplace
Walk-in closet	Hardwood floor	Tile floor
Family room	Living room	Dining room
Breakfast nook	Dishwasher	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Attic	Washer
Dryer	Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

James Lockad

RE/MAX Properties

201-825-6600

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Aug 19, 2008, 8:26am PDT

Allendale Real Estate Market Conditions - August 2008

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:13:56 -0500

Below are the market statistics for Allendale residential homes from the New Jersey MLS system for the period 5/1/2008 7/31/2008.

	May 2008	June 2008	July 2008
Number of Homes on market at end of month	51	53	53
Number of Homes sold(closed)	3	9	7
Average Sold Price	$1,076,667	$936,389	$800,971
Sale Price / List Price	91.27	92.735	90.345
Average Days on Market	95.33	48.67	70.43

The market is holding relatively steady with 7 homes sold in July as opposed to 9 in June. Four more are also under contract. Another $140,000.00 decrease in average selling price in July from June as was about the same from June from May. Of the seven sold in July two were under $450,000 and two ere over $1,000,000. As predicted last month in the my blog, Allendale Real Estate Market Conditions - July 2008 , the days on the market has rebounded back to an average of 70.43 days, which is still less than the average of 89.5 days for all of Bergen county residential homes.

Anything in these numbers you see that you would like to discuss? Would you like to see any other statistics for Allendale or surrounding towns? Send me an email and let me hear your thoughts! I am always interested to hear what you have to say.

If you would like a free list of homes for sale in Allendale or would like more information about Allendale, or you would like to be the first to know about hot new listings before other Allendale buyers do, then give me a call at:

James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
Office: 201-825-6600
Cell: 201-674-3114
Email: jlockard@remax.net
Website: http://www.bergencounty-homes.com/

Statistic from NJ MLS System. Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed!

Allendale - From Past to Present - Allendale Ball Field

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:18:25 -0500

Having lived in Allendale since 1965 when my parents bought a house in a development on the north side of town, I have seen the town grow to what it is today.

1965 was a big year for Allendale. Northern Highlands Regional High School (NHRHS) was completed and the first classes started in September. The residents approved the site of the new elementary school(Hillside School) and the town approved the sewer ordinance. However, my earliest memories of the town are of the Allendale Ball Field. That's what I remember calling it. Some say the real name is Recreation Park, but regardless, it sits at the corner of Crescent Ave and Allendale Ave across for Crestwood Lake and next to Brookside School.

The landmark of the Ball Field is the Grand Stand. It stands regally over the major league diamond on the first base foul line. The grand stand was revitalized recently in the 2000's by the Allendale Recreation Commission & the Holiday Observers and painted by the local Boy Scouts to give it its look as it is today. From what I can remember it was first built in 1915 and then in 1935 it was replaced. Over the years it has always served as the diamond for the next level of organized baseball after little league(13- 15 year old boys). There were also semi-professional baseball teams playing there in the 30's and 40's and in the 1970's I remember watching the Allendale Highlanders play in the Metro league. Jim Bouton, the retired Yankee pitcher and Author of the book "Ball Four" pitched for the Merchants of the same league at that time.

View to Left Field View to Center Field

Two little league or softball fields are also on the same field, one in the far reaches of left field and the other way out in right center from the "big diamond". Today deep right field holds a concession stand that is manned by the parents of the players during Allendale Recreation Commission league play. In my day back in the late sixties and early seventies, that area of the concession stand and park parking lot was the Allendale pool. A long shot to deep left from Field Number Two as a little leaguer could put one over the pool fence.

In the grassy knoll behind where the big willow once stood, there are horseshoe pits used mostly on the 4th of July for the Holiday Observers Men's Horseshoe Tournament.

Over the years the Ball Field has declined as the center of attention for many activities in Allendale. In 1972 Crestwood Lake was purchased by the town and little by little more functions were moved to Crestwood. More baseball diamonds were added at Crestwood. The annual fireworks once held at the ball field was moved to Crestwood which is a much safer area for that venue. Eventually, the Allendale pool was filled in as Crestwood Lake became the town's main swimming hole.

There are still some signs of the asphalt road that used to circle the ball field. I remember, it was 1/3 of a mile around. We used to have to jog it in gym class. The field has many memories for me and I am sure for many older and younger Allendale ball players. I hit my first home runs there, no fences, you had to run them all out. We played football, soccer and tossed Frisbee on the ball field. Today, it is still being used for many sports. My son is only four years old so I don't know the exact schedule of use but as I drive by I see baseball games, soccer games and gym classes occupying its green grass.

The Allendale DPW still does an amazing job of upkeep to the field manicuring the diamonds each spring and after the rain falls to keep play on schedule. last year some money had been allocated from the town and some of the fields got a major upgrade mostly for drainage reasons. . It seems the same areas which accumulated puddles 40 years ago are now fixed.

Allendale - Past to Present - Crestwood Park

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:03:16 -0500

What do softball games, soccer games, ice skating, an Easter Egg Hunt, barn owls nesting, a 9/11 Memorial, rugby matches, July 4^th fireworks and, oh yes, swimming all have in common? They all happen at Allendale's Crestwood Lake. The 71 acre park is town owned and the focal point for many of the town's activities bringing it's residents together. But it wasn't always like this.

I've lived in town since 1965 and can give you a fairly accurate description of the history of the lake since then. Prior to that point I rely on bits and pieces I have gathered over the years from the old timers, and Allendale history books. From what I can gather, back in the 1920's the land around Crestwood lake was purchased and the plan was to build a lake community. As the depression hit, the need for housing declined and with it the idea of the lake front homes. Instead a swim club was opened. Unique to its day, in the early 1930's Crestwood Lake put Allendale on the map. Located only about a quarter mile from the train station, people numbering in the thousands made their way to Crestwood lake from southern Bergen County and Paterson. I have seen pictures which show a parade of people coming down West Allendale Ave from the train station during this time. Accounts I have read say more than 3000 people visited the lake on a summer Sunday.

I actually remember one day in the late 1960's while playing a baseball game at the Recreation Field across the street from Crestwood, a line of cars waiting to get into the swim club. As the cars drew closer to the entrance, people would get out of the car and open the trunk of the car and get inside. They were trying to save the per head cost of admission for a day's swim by hiding in the trunk.

The owners of Crestwood Lake tried to sell the property in the mid 60's but meet resistance from the planning board when attempting to get the area zone for industrial use. A couple of years later, the town opted to try to purchase the lake itself and in 1972 Crestwood Lake was opened for swimming for town residents only.

Since that time, tennis courts have been added over by the red barn, a softball diamond was added in back of the barn and a soccer field was landscaped over on the west side of the lake. Today Crestwood Park has a children's playground and is home to the town's 9/11 Memorial which sits in a serene area in the north corner of the property.

In 2007, the new mayor has formed a committee to look at ways to improve the lake area. As the swimming season has begun, you can see improvements in the refreshment stand area, new paint on the docks and dam areas and a general refreshing upgrade overall. Allendale is proud of its crown jewel, Crestwood Lake and its ability to bring its residents together in fun and games.

Interested to know more about Allendale and about its real estate market? Contact me for a free consultation!

James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
Office: 201-825-6600
Cell: 201-674-3114
Email: jlockard@remax.net
Website: http://www.bergencounty-homes.com/

Allendale - From Past to Present - Orchard Commons

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:55:06 -0500

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
with 24 condos and some green acres
Housing plots
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone

My apoligies to Joni Mitchell for changing the lyrics but it seems Allendale residents, the mayor and council do know what they have and have won a battle to keep it before it was gone. This is the case with Orchard Commons, the 3 acre planned townhouse development at the corner or Orchard and Franklin Tpke.

Going back years ago, we used to call this corner the Thruston property. I don't know if the Thurstons did in fact own all of this land but most recently the owner is Ramon Alvarez. The parcel of land in question runs very close to the A& P shopping center and is passed by thousands each day as they traverse Allendale. Mr. Alvarez's plan for the town houses initially was stopped by FEMA because a stream running through the property deemed it in a floodway. It was at this time councilman Jim Strauch led a crusade amoung the Allendale residents to provide contributions to buy the land from Mr. Alvarez. Suddenly, FEMA changed their mind and said they were mistaken and the plan was approved.

With a timeline to adhere to, Mr. Alvarez with in the course of a few days, brought in construction equipment and knocked down all the trees and cleared the land. I have to say I was among the many people who drove by one day this past spring and was shocked. "Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got till it's gone..." With the land cleared, the picture of 24 townhouses in this 3 acre plot could be easily visiulized.

FEMA then granted an extension to the planned time table and the Mayor and council of Allendale opened negotiations to buy the land from Mr. Alvarez as construction was halted. What finally emerged was an agreement between the town and Mr. Alvarez for the town of Allendale to purchase the land. The town would introduced a bond to fund the purchased and Mr. Alvarez agreed to take payment over a period of three years. In place of the 24 townhomes, 8 units would be built on the north corner of the property to satisfy some Mt Laurel obligations and the rest would be turned into parkland.

Recappiing the history of this transaction does not even scratch the surface of all the efforts which have gone into the final results. I know without Mayor Barra taking charge to talk directly to Mr. Alvarez it would never have happened. Council Strauch and Schoeplin had the initial foresight to try and gather resident support. Let us not forget to thank Mr. Alvarez for his willingness to work with the town. There are many others involved which I do not know about but whom I would like to thank for their efforts.

This type of story is one that shows people what Allendale is all about. It's spirit of it's people to try and protect it and keep it what it is today. People working together and looking towards the future and trying to presevere the quality of life in this lovely town. Allendale already has some wonderful "open space". The Celery Farms nature presevere is about 60 + acres of protected land thanks in part to a large effort made 25 - 30 years ago to save this land. The purchase of Crestwoood Lake by the town in the early 1970's saved another 70 acres for development. With all the large tracts of land gone, now the effort comes down to saving two and three acre plots around town.

The Fell house on Franklin Tpke just north of Cottage Place is the next battle. The mayor has already stated the town would help facilitate where it can to help save this land from the proposed 11 townhomes development but no purchase by the town would be made. The residents must make it happen on their own and they have started to organize to make this happen.

Not all the battles for open space will be won or can we afford to win them all. Someone has to pay in the end. What's next on the list? I do not know what is happening with the old nursing home on FranklinTpke that has been sitting vacant for at least 5 years that I know of. There has been plans in front of the planning board for the Freeman property at the end of Chestnut St over the railroad tracks as a site for more townhomes. Our town may not stay as we would ultimately like it. Time moves on. However, the spirit of the people in town to try and band together for what they believe is right remains. It is why I chose to raise my family in Allendale as my father did his.

Thoughts or comments? I would be glad to hear them.
(this is a Repost from Oct 2007)

If you are interested to know more about Allendale and about its real estate market, contact me for a free consultation!

James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
Office: 201-825-6600
Cell: 201-674-3114
Email: jlockard@remax.net
Website: http://www.BergenCounty-Homes.com/

Allendale Real Estate Market Conditions - July 2008

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:57:10 -0500

Allendale Real Estate Market Conditons

Below are the market statistics for Allendale residential homes from the New Jersey MLS system for the period 5/1/2008 through 5/31/2008 compared to 6/1/2008 through 6/30/2008.

	May 2008	June 2008
Number of Homes on market at end of month	51	53
Number of Homes sold(closed)	3	9
Average Sold Price	1,076,667	936,389
Sale Price / List Price	91.27	92.735
Average Days on Market	95.33	48.67

A big increase in the number of closed homes for June over May while inventory remains fairly constant. List to sale price is holding at 91% -92 % fairly average for Bergen County at this time although a drop off from higher percentages(about 95%) from last year. The biggest eye opener is the drop to 48 days average on the market for the homes sold in June. This would indicate to me that these homes came on the market recently and were priced right for this market. Expect this number to go back up next month and in the months to come.

Statistic from NJ MLS System. Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed!

33 Willard St. Garfield - Two Family Investment

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:49:14 -0500

James Lockad | RE/MAX Properties | 201-825-6600

33 Willard St., Garfield, NJ

Investment Opportunity!

6BR/2.5BA Multi-Family, 2 units

offered at $269,000

Year Built	1930
Sq Footage	Unspecified
Bedrooms	6
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	3
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	2,500 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

This two-family home in Garfield is comprised of generous living accommodations. Both the first and second floor apartments have a similar floor design. Living room with wall-to-wall carpeting, tiled kitchen and dining rooms floors lead to both of the bedrooms and a full bathroom. The top unit further benefits from an enclosed porch and access to an attic with two finished bedrooms and a half bath. The property is perfectly located moments from specialty shops, assorted restaurants, major highways, a train station and other forms of mass transportation.
Attention Investors! Good Rental History. TLC Required. Owner pays heat and hot water, tenants pay electric. Short Sale subject to Lender/Bank approval.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Living room	Dining room	Stove/Oven
Basement

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

James Lockad

RE/MAX Properties

201-825-6600

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jul 1, 2008, 5:11am PDT

Cancel the Deal because........

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:20:16 -0500

Is it me or is representing buyers getting harder in this market?

My latest contract is holding on by a thread. My clients are a young Chinese couple who are first time buyers who I very much like but they do have some particular tendencies. I understand first time home buyers as I have helped many of them. There is always the thought, "Are we doing the right thing? " "Will we be able to make the payments?" After a few days and while in attorney review I have had to talk a couple of them into not cancelling the contract because of these negative thoughts. It is a big step they are making and sometimes the first time buyers need a good pat on the back and praise to boost thier confidence.

So two days after we complete the physical inspection and the seller's agree to fix some very minor issues, my buyer calls me to ask if she can cancel the contract. I ask, "Is there a problem with the house?"
"No" she says "but I don't think we want the house."
"Why Not? I inquired.
"Well, it will make you laugh" was the reply.
"Obviously the reason is very serious to you and I would not consider that funny. But I need to know what your reasoning is in order to help you."
"OH, well we sent a diagram of the house to the Chinese fortune teller." was the response.
"OK, and what did he say?
"You are going to laugh. He said the house has negative energy for the man in the house and I don't want to buy the house and make my husband upset. If anything happens then it will be my fault and my mother in law will never talk to me again".
I told her I have never heard of backing out of a contract for this reason and sugggested she talk to her attorney to see if there was anything he could do.
The attorney convinced them they did not have a legal reason to back out of the contract and after a family meeting they decided to go ahead with the purchase.

Ok now I have heard it all! What will they come up with next?

Does anyone have have a situation that can top this? I think we all would like to hear it!

James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
Office: 201-825-6600
Cell: 201-674-3114
Email: jlockard@remax.net
Website: http://www.bergencounty-homes.com/

Allendale Women's Club to Host House Tour

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:17:36 -0500

On May 14, 2008 there will be seven distinct Allendale homes on display between 9:30 am and 2;30 pm.

This is a great way to get some decorating ideas for the interior and exterior of your home while supporting a worthwhile cause.

The Allendale Womens's Club will host the event for the benefit of The Smile Forever Foundation a 501 (c )(3) not for profit charitable organization dedicated to providing financial aid directly to families touched by cancer. Other local charities will also benefit. Tickets are $40 and can purchased from local merchants. Check the Allendale Womens's Club website for more information.

There is also a raffle for four Grand Prizes:A GreenLife African Safari for 2; a Samsung 42" Flat Panel HD Plasma TV, a $1000 BestBuy gift certificate and a private dinner party for 15 hosted by the Allendale Bar & Grill. Raffle tickets may be purchased for $10 prior to the event from AWC members, anytime during the House Tour or by logging onto the club's website .The winning raffle tickets will be drawn at 5:00 pm on May 14 at the AB&G. ( Winners do not need to be present.)

West Orange - 1.77 Acres of Lush Wooded Property For Sale

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:42:02 -0500

James Lockad | RE/MAX Properties | 201-825-6600

109 Old Indian Rd, West Orange, NJ

Natural setting of 1.77 acres of lush wooded property. 125' frontage. Near Rte 280 and new shopping mall. Seller listening to all offers!

1.77 acres Vacant Land

offered at $750,000

Lot Size

1.77 acres

DESCRIPTION

Beautiful natural setting of 1.77 acres of lush wooded property. This secluded and private setting is a wonderful place to build your dream home and have it overlook the Essex County Golf course which backs the rear of the property. Fairly rectangular in shape it has approximately 178 foot of road frontage and is 380 feet deep. Perfect for an upscale home the property is located on a street of multi million dollar houses. This is a rare opportunity to have a building lot of this size in a beautiful natural setting but still just minutes away from Route 280, the Garden State Parkway and a new shopping center.

The property is offered as is with the Buyer required to do their own due diligence with regard to subdividing, variances required and any other city requirements for use of the land.

see additional photos below

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Call 800-715-7262 x804 for a free recorded message about the property

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

James Lockad

RE/MAX Properties

201-825-6600

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Apr 25, 2008, 2:08pm PDT

2 out of 3 Ain't Bad? I would have hoped for better!

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:56:17 -0500

Realtors in New Jersey just received a link from NJAR to the 2007 Profile of NJ Buyers and Sellers report which was compiled by the NAR for NJAR. It is interesting enough that I suggest all that can access it take a look. One section which I will share with you is how home buyers felt about their real estate professions.

- 96% of home buyers ranked "honesty and integrity" as very important factor when choosing a real estate professional to assist with a home purchase.

- 85% reported they were "very satisfied" with the honesty and integrity of their agent.

- 66% of buyers said they would definitely use their agents again.

If I read into these numbers I see that 11% of buyers felt their agents were not honest with them or did not possess enough integrity. If that is not enough, 30% of agents did something their buyers did not like so that they would not use them again!

I for one do would not accept these numbers if they were rating my performance. 75% of my business comes from referrals of past clients and friends. If I do not perform better than satisfying 66% of my clients, I might as well change my profession.

How do you insure you are satisfying your clients during the process?

Do you get the same interpretation of the numbers? I would love to hear your response!

James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
Office: 201-825-6600
Cell: 201-674-3114
Email: jlockard@remax.net
Website: http://www.bergencounty-homes.com/

Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is?.... in this Age of Technology?

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 13:13:25 -0500

Pardon me but who decided to change the time to leap forward so early this year? I didn't beleive it when someone told me in the beginning of the week that Saturday night was time to spring forward. OOps, can't use that one anymore since it is not even spring yet!

Here in New Jersey we had a massive rain downpour all day followed by 60 -70 mile per hour winds Saturday evening. The lights kept flickering and I knew the electricity was going to go out at some point in time. Still when getting into bed to go to sleep, I set the digital clock at the bedside ahead one hour.

When I woke up to a cloudy sky I thought it was about dawn, my clock was flashing with a time of 4:05 am. Sorry, just couldn't be. The electricity must have gone out and the clock reset to 12 midnight sometime when I was asleep.

OK, so what time was it? I checked my cell phone. 7:05 it read. but does the phone reset itself or did I have to do that last fall. I couldn't remember. I looked up at the cable box on top of the Television. 7:05. Must not be right. How would the cable box know to move ahead one hour? Still unsure, I went into the kitchen. the microwave clock read 6:45. Now that does not make sense at all! If the electricity went off, I know that clock could not be right. Going into the office I check the clock on the computer. One computer read 7:10, the other read 6:15. Now we were getting somewhere. The machine with windows xp was one hour ahead of the windows 2000 machine. I think I knew what time it was. Then I thought, what about Grandma's old battery clock? The one from 1940's. Sure enough, going into the guest room the clock read 6:12. I walked over and set it ahead one hour. At least I knew what time it really was. Setting the clock for one hour change twice a year is a small price to pay for knowing what time it really was.

I Have a Buyer for Your Home, When Can I Show It?

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 12:37:11 -0600

Ever had trouble getting in to show a home to your buyer client? Today was one of those days.

On Friday I talked with my buyer and and she wanted to see five different homes on Saturday. I printed out the listings, went through the showing instructions and mapped out a good tour. Then I sat down with the phone and tried to schedule the appointments with the sellers or their agents.

OK, one was vacant. I could use this one as a filler in case one appointment went short or bypass it if one went long and come back later. We may have to drive a bit further to make the appointments work. No problem. So I call the first seller.
"Hi Ms. Seller "Can I show your home at 3 pm on Saturday to my clients?
"No, I am having company tomorrow. It is not a good day. How about Sunday?"
"Sorry Ms. Seller, we will have to reschedule."

On to the next call. "Hi Ms. Agent, can I show the home at 123 Main St at 3 pm tomorrow?".
"Let me talk to the owner and call you back".
Five minutes later the phone rings. "About 123 Main St. The owner says tomorrow is no good. She has to put the dogs outside when showing and it is suppose to rain and she doesn't want the dogs to get wet."
"Ok, we will try another time".

Call number three, another call to an agent. "Can I show the home at 456 Maple St tomorrow at 3 pm? "
"Sorry. We have two contract offers which are really good and we are deciding on which one to accept. The owners are really tired of people going through their house all the time so they don't want any more showings right now."
"Congratulations! I hope it works out for them. Can you take my number in case they change their minds?

So now I am O-fer 3 with one more possibility. I make the call and get an answering machine. "I would love to show the home at 789 North St. tomorrow at 3 pm. Can you call me back at this number to confirm?"

So with only two of the five still in play, I call my buyer back and give her the news. "Oh Jim, we are sorry, we have to cancel tomorrow because the baby is sick. Can we reschedule?"

I can't make this stuff up!

Allendale - Past to Present - And into the Future? Part Two

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 16:14:09 -0600

County Executive McNerney still pushing shared government services for small NJ towns!

In the Opinion section of The Record today( Sunday, 2/17/2008) there were two articles as a follow-up to an earlier article which ran this week commenting on County Executive Dennis McNerney's call for consolidation of services of towns which have less than 10,000 residents.

The first article was an open letter by McNerney. He states that the solution to his constituents complaints about high taxes is for small towns to consolidate administrative services. He proposes a plan for a pilot program in which two smaller towns would merge all government services. The carrot on the end of the stick is for a five year timeframe of transition, taxes will be frozen, the state will supplement the towns for any justifiable financial increases and homeowners would be entitled to a 100 percent increase in property tax rebates.

The second article was an evaluation of McNerney's plan by Ernest C. Reock Jr., who was director of the Rutgers University Center for Government Services, until 1992. In his opinion article Come Together , Reock states "When we rank the state's municipalities by size and examine their budgets, we find that there is little difference in the average budget per capita for large and small communities". He goes on to say this is so because the smaller towns do not offer the services of the larger towns.

I said in my last blog on the subject (Allendale - Past to Present - And into the Future?) I don't think town mergers will ever happen in New Jersey and especially in Bergen County. I do think Reock said it best in his article when he wrote:

"Obviously, these New Jersey residents or their ancestors did not choose urban living - they chose small-town living. And this is what they are getting in New Jersey. This is a small-town state by choice, and a large majority of its residents apparently prefers to keep it so."

I would love to hear other views about this proposal. Can it work? Will it work? Does it have even the slightest chance of becoming law? Let me know.

Interested to know more about Allendale and the Allendale real estate market? Contact me for a free consultation!

James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
Office: 201-825-6600
Cell: 201-674-3114
Email:jlockard@remax.net
Website: http://www.bergencounty-homes.com/

Allendale Past to Present - And into the Future?

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 10:46:33 -0600

Allendale and Waldwick to merge into new town of Allenwick.

Not it hasn't happened yet but beware, if Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney gets his way, towns of less than 10,000 people would merge with similar towns with the purpose of reducing administrative costs and decreasing taxes.

Ok so call me old fashion, a homer, or a snob, but my first thought is I like Allendale the way it is and that is why I chose to live here for the last 42 years. Yes, taxes are high. The majority of that going to the school system. Already the high school is regionalized with Upper Saddle River, Saddle River and Ho-Ho-Kus. But the schools are what initially attract people to move to Allendale. The local town feel, the small neighborhoods where everyone knows your name and the community activities is what grows on you over time.

If I review the proposal and think about it a little deeper, I can understand the rational. Yes, it does maybe make sense to combine such services as garbage collection, recycling, street sweeping and other DPW functions where it makes economic sense. Should Allendale open up Crestwood Lake to Waldwick? The place is really never crowded and I am sure Waldwick residents would like a lake instead of a little pool. In exchange how about Allendale using the Waldwick high school's new turf field. That sure would stop some of the bickering going on in town on whether(weather?) to turf the Highlands football field. Combine libraries? Sure why not? Fire departments and police departments? I am not so sure about these.

But let's get down to the real issue. How will property values be affected in each town?

According to the NJMLS in 2007, for residential properties in Allendale,

The average price for the 31 (total listings) properties sold was $960,183.

The highest price was $2,499,000.

The Lowest price was $469,000.

In Waldwick in 2007 for residential properties,

The average price for the 48 (total listings) properties sold was $518,440

The highest price was $889,900

The Lowest price was $364,900.

Can you see where this is going? In order to make the McNerney's plan work, there is going to have to be more equity in the choice of the towns that merge. In any case, someone is always going to feel they are getting the short end of the stick in some way.

While I understand the intent of the proposal, I don't ever see a full merger of towns in Bergen County happening. Some services, yes. It could help to some degree. Stay tuned. You will be hearing a lot more of this in the future as the battle to decrease taxes in New Jersey and Bergen County continue in the political arena.

Please read the article in The Record for more detailed information: Bergen Towns to Merge?

I would love to hear other views about this proposal. Can it work? Will it work? Does it have even the slightest chance of becoming law? Let me know.

Interested to know more about Allendale and about its real estate market? Contact me for a free consultation!

James Lockard
RE/MAX Properties
Office: 201-825-6600
Cell: 201-674-3114
Email: jlockard@remax.net
Website: http://www.bergencounty-homes.com/

Allendale NJ Real Estate Market Conditons - 2/1/2008

James Lockard - Realtor, Allendale, NJ (RE/MAX Properties - Saddle River) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:42:43 -0600

Allendale Real Estate Market Conditons

Below are the market statistics for Allendale residential homes from the New Jersey MLS system for the period 1/1/2008 through 1/31/2008.

Listing Status	Total	Average List Price
Sold	3	$ 843,000
New	12	$ 845,898
Under Contract	8	$ 806,225
Current Active	31	$ 921,312

Current Inventory remains constant at 31 homes or about 6 months of inventory using the statistic of 61 homes being sold last year. List price to sales price of the three homes which sold in January was down drastically from last years average of 95.169% to 88.573%. These three homes sold in January were on the market for an average of 85 days.