Princeton Real Estate Blog

The $8,000 Tax Credit -- Let's Break it Down

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:11:20 -0600

Princeton real estate first time home buyers need to know how the recent stimulus package could effect their plans to buy a home in the greater Princeton area. Princeton real estate homes covered the ideas that were proposed in Princeton Real estate - proposed tax amendment and in Effect on Princeton homes for sale of President Obama's plans, TARP and bailout.

This is a article with an excellent break down of the provision for the tax credit for the first home buyers included in the recently approved stimulus package. This article explains very clearly some of the points that could be confusing for buyers of Princeton homes for sale.

Via Nicole Lahti, Austin Texas Mortgage (Real Mortgage Partners):

Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours....is not just Stevie Wonder's 1970 Motown classic, but our $787 Billion (yes, with a B) stimulus plan with various tax cuts and spending programs aimed at reviving our economy. This is our country's largest anti-recession effort since WW2.

Part of the stimulus included a revision to last year's repayable tax credit to an $8,000 tax credit that does NOT need to be repaid.

Be advised, not all tax preparers are aware of all of the provisions of the new tax credit. I had a client call me from Jackson Hewett saying they would not apply the $8,000 tax credit for a house she purchased in 2009 to her 2008 tax year. This is not correct, see When Can the Credit be Claimed below.

So here's a breakdown of the new $8,000 tax credit:

All first-time homebuyers who purchase a home between January 1, 2009 and November 30 , 2009 may be eligible for a tax credit of $8,000 or 10% of the purchase price, whichever is lower. Unlike its $7,500 predecessor, the $8,000 does not need to be repaid.

Tax Credit vs. Tax Deduction

This is a tax credit, not a tax deduction, meaning its a dollar-for-dollar decrease to your tax liability. Also, the tax credit is refundable, meaning you can receive the full value of the credit even if you do not have an $8,000 tax liability.

Phase-Out

The tax credit phases-out for individuals making $75,000 or over modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), and couples making $150,000 or over MAGI. Below are examples of how the phase-out will apply to the two different scenarios.

Individual Making $75,000 or Over

Assume that an individual homebuyer has a modified adjusted gross income of $88,000. The buyer’s income exceeds $75,000 by $13,000. Dividing $13,000 by $20,000 yields 0.65. When you subtract 0.65 from 1.0, the result is 0.35. Multiplying $8,000 by 0.35 shows that the buyer is eligible for a partial tax credit of $2,800.

Couple Making $150,000 or Over

Assume that a married couple has a modified adjusted gross income of $160,000. The applicable phaseout to qualify for the tax credit is $150,000, and the couple is $10,000 over this amount. Dividing $10,000 by $20,000 yields 0.5. When you subtract 0.5 from 1.0, the result is 0.5. To determine the amount of the partial first-time homebuyer tax credit that is available to this couple, multiply $8,000 by 0.5. The result is $4,000.

Who Cannot Take the Tax Credit

If any of the following apply, you cannot take the tax credit:

1. Individuals making $95,000 or over MAGI, and couples making $170,000 or over MAGI; meaning you receive no tax credit if your income is this much or more a year.

2. You buy your home from a close relative, including: parent, sibling, spouse, grandparent, child, etc.

3. You sell your home within the first three years of purchasing it. If this occurs, the tax credit must be repaid.

4. You are a non-resident alien

First-time Homebuyer Definition

A first-time homebuyer is defined as someone who has not owned a home within the last three years. If married filing jointly, both spouses must meet the first-time homebuyer definition to take the tax credit.

When Can the Tax Credit be Claimed?

The $8,000 tax credit can be claimed for your 2008 tax year (filed by April 15th 2009), 2008 amended return or 2009 tax year.

Homes That Qualify

The tax credit is applicable to any home that will be used as a principle residence. Based on that guideline, qualifying homes include single-family detached homes, as well as attached homes such as townhouses and condominiums. In addition, manufactured or homes and houseboats used for principle residence also qualify. For new construction, the purchase date is considered the day you occupy the home; therefore you must move-in by November 30th 2009 to qualify for the tax credit.

Also, homes in the District of Columbia qualify for the tax credit.

How About Those Who Purchased Homes in 2008?

Homes purchased in 2008 are subject to the $7,500 repayable tax credit.

Princeton Borough Market Update - Single Family Homes and Condos and Townhouses

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:40:58 -0600

Princeton borough homes for sale continue to be in demand by the home buyers looking to be in the downtown Princeton. This is an overview of the market statistics now and at the for the 2008. People considering buying a home in Princeton Borough could find many various prices categories, although there are only 25% homes for less then $500,000.

Princeton Borough homes for sale -Single family homes*

There are 25 homes on the market now
The minimum listing price is $321,000 for a two bedroom 1 bath houses on 7 Lytle street.
the maximum listed price is $3,595,000 for a six bedroom, 7/1 bathrooms house on 17 Hibben street
The median price was $800,000 for Princeton Borough single family homes sold in 2008.
There are 4 houses for less then $500,000
There are 2 houses in the $500,000 to $700,000 price range
there are 5 houses in the $700,000 -$1,000,000 price range
There are 7 houses in the $1,000,000- $2,000,000 price range
There 5 houses in the $2,000,000 - $3,000,000 price range
There are 2 houses over $3,000,000
There were 57 houses sold in Princeton Boro in 2008
19 houses sold in less then 30 days on the market.

Princeton Borough homes for sale -Townhouses and Condos*

There are 13 condos and townhouses for sale in Princeton Borough.
The minimum price is $365,000 for a 1 bedroom, 1 bath house at 36 Moore St. *
The maximum price is $950,000 for new condos on Witherspoon with 3 bedrooms, 2/1 baths.
The median price was $560,000 for Princeton Borough condos and townhouses sold in 2008
There were 15 condos and townhouses sold in Princeton Boro on 2008.
Two condos/townhouses sold in less 30 days.

Data based on TREND MLS (2/6/2009) and is not guaranteed.

This is the live feed of all Princeton Borough houses for sale in the MLS.

Princeton Borough Homes For Sale

This information was first published on the Princeton Real Estate Homes in the article Princeton Borough Market Update

Princeton Borough - Homes For Sale In Downtown Princeton New Jersey

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 14:51:39 -0600

There are many reasons why we always get requests for Princeton Borough homes from buyers who are looking for homes for sale in the Princeton area . The reasons are the college town feel of the downtown Princeton where most shops, restaurants, meseums, galleries, Princeton University and princeton schools are within walking distance. Others reason Princeton Borough homes for sale are so popular is because of the lifestyle they afford combining the urban city convenience of and the quiet serenity of a small suburabn town

If you live in Princeton borough, you would most likely be able to walk to the Princeton Library, Princeton High school, and all the downtown Princeton restaurants and shops.

The commute is also very convenient. There is a train called Dinky, which goes from the Princeton University area to the main train station at Princeton Junction. Of course, Princeton Junction is just a few miles drive.

Princeton Borough is a historic college town, offering the charm of the old and the convenience of the new. With a 55 minute train commute to New York and Philadelphia it's a good choice for home buyers looking to combine the urban and suburban life style.

You can see the live feed of the Princeton Borough homes for sale:

Princeton Borough Homes For Sale

Thinking of buying or selling your house In Princeton NJ area - We can help, in particular with Princeton Borough homes for sale....
If you are considering buying or selling a home in the Princeton NJ Hopewell Princeton Junction Montgomery area…

Contact us at (609)-553-4175 for a FREE quote and to find Princeton Mortgage options and to search all Princeton Lawrenceville Princeton Junction Montgomery and Princeton homes for sale right now..

Montgomery Township Real Estate Review - Market In Last Five Years

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:59:42 -0600

Princeton Real Estate has released it's report on the real estate market in Montgomery Township for the last 5 years.

If you are thinking of selling your home in Montgomery Township this data could help you. If this you are considering buying a Montgomery township home for sale and wondering if now is the right time and to buy, this report could provide some answers.

The report contains some positive news, unlike most of the country that suffered much more severe real estate downturn.

Here are several key observations:

The good news is that the average price of $625,064 has increased 5% compared to the prices 5 years ago. Many people who bought their homes before 2003 may still see positive appreciation. That may not be the case for those who bought in the last several years. Read More: Understanding Real Estate Prices.
The not so good news -the average price of homes sold in Montgomery has declined 7% in 2008 vs. 2007.
The highest average price of the homes sold in Montgomery Township in the last 5 years was in 2005. It has declined 8% since that high.
The number of homes sold has declined 16%. This is coupled with an almost corresponding decline in the number of houses listed, reflecting the sellers' hesitation of selling in this market.
The "days on the market" has increased very slightly compared to last year, but rather significantly -70% from 2005, when the houses were selling in record times.
The highest average sold price was $2,300,000 -reflection of the buyers continued interest in the Montgomery Township luxury real estate. This is a 47% increase since 2004.
It is important for buyers and sellers to understand how how these results compare with the surrounding communities. In Princeton average price has increased 10%, in Hopewell - it has declined 9%, and in Pennington - increased 14% compared to last year. The number of houses sold has declined significantly in these communities as well as in Montgomery.

Here are the Montgomery Townhsip homes for sale in MLS:

Montgomery Township Homes for Sale $500,000 - $750,000

Montgomery Township Homes For sale $750,000 -$1,000,000

Luxury Montgomery Township NJ Homes For Sale -$1,000,000- $1,500,000

Would like to know your Montgomery Township home value and how it's weathering this market? Please call 609-553-4175 for an update.

Part of this report was first published on my Princeton Real Estate Homes web site.

To share or not to share ?-This is the question

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 13:47:30 -0600

This question is about how much is OK to share on our blogs and if it could possibly be detrimental to our clients, or to us? These questions are rhetorical and I am looking for you all to weigh in with the answers.

In their recent post AgentGenius raised a question about providing feedback to the listing agents and how it could be detrimental to a buyer, if you represent a buyer.

This made me think about things we write about on our blogs. Let me give you some examples.

If I write a post about how to find a bargain in Princeton NJ, I am giving away this information to the whole of the Internet. including the buyers represented by other agents. Wouldn't it be to the benefit of my clients for others not to have this information?

There are many posts on blogs of the "buy of the week, month, etc". If you as selling agent and say that the property is priced bellow the market, is does this present a conflict for the seller? If you are representing buyers, wouldn't you want to share this info just with your clients, and not the whole wide net?

Posts with generic ideas on how to buy and sell real estate are a dime a dozen, so there is no issue there. But suppose you have some clever and unique idea, wouldn't you want your clients only to know -to give them the competitive advantage?

How about competition? We all have access to the same data. It's the analysis and interpretation that is important. is it to the agents' benefit to educate their competition on this analysis?

If competing agents pass this info to their clients, does it diminish the advantage your clients have because of your knowledge?

Just pondering...I am sure the brilliant minds on this forum had it all sort it out:)

Find Condos and Townhouses in Princeton NJ

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:56:55 -0600

If you are considering buying a townhouse in Princeton NJ - this is an overview of what Princeton townhouses for sale you could find in MLS.

Princeton NJ is an attractive choice for many home buyers because it offers not only single family homes but also a wide choice of condos and townhouses. Princeton townhouses could be found in many neighborhoods and many price ranges.

The first time home buyers often seek these Princeton NJ homes for sale, because they represent the entry point for real estate in Princeton. There are other buyers who are interested in these homes because they are looking to minimize home maintenance, or because they are downsizing.

There are luxury townhouses such as in Governor’s Lane, with prices in the over $700,000 range. Homes in Princeton Ridge on the Stonewall Circle present an interesting option because design because they are semi-attached, not multiply attached as the townhouses usually are. They sell in the $700,000 -$800,000 range. Buyers could also find condos/ and townhouses for sale in the mid-range of over $500,000, for example in neighborhoods such as Campbell Woods. There are many other possible neighborhoods, such as Washington Oaks, Queenston Common in the Princeton Borough and Fieldwood Manors development in Princeton Township.

There are several such Princeton townhouses and condos for sale available in the MLS.

If you are considering buying a townhouse in Princeton - this is an overview of what you could find and a chanve to see all Princeton homes for sale in MLS.

See the live feed od all Pinceton MLS listings for

Princeton NJ Townhouses and Condos

Princeton NJ Township Real Estate Values Reassessment

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:45:34 -0600

If you are Princeton real estate home buyer you may want to know about the upcoming tax assessment. Thinking of selling your Princeton property? You may want to think about the implications of this on you sale.

If live in Princeton Township you most likely know already that the tax assessments will take place in 2010. The first step in the revaluation would be the inspection by Appraisal Systems, a company hired by the Princeton Township. The Appraisal Systems will visit each Princeton Twp. property and conduct an exterior and interior inspection. According to the Princeton Township they will measure the exterior and all improvements and photograph the front and rear of buildings. The interior inspection would be conducted either on the first visit, or if no one is home at a subsequent date. Princeton township says to "not allow anyone to enter your home without proper identification".

If you as a Princeton Township homeowner think that your Princeton property hase a "unique condition that influences value" , you could send documentation to Appraisal Systems Inc,. * Catano Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07960.

Because of the declining home values for some Princeton homes for sale, you could benefit from knowing your property market value (which is not the same as appraised value) before the appraisal. The market value information I provided helped some homeowners to reduce their property tax.

You may want to sread Princeton NJ Real Estate Market Report to learn about the real estate prices in Princeton.

Please call 609-553-4175 for a confidential discussion.

Warning: Truth Could Be Dangerous To Agents' Business

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:46:52 -0600

Is telling the truth in real estate all it's cracked up to be? Remember the classic scene from "A few Good Men" when Jack Nicholson (as Col. Jessep) shouts at Tom Cruise( as Kaffee ) "You can’t handle the truth! " in response to Kaffe's request :"I want the truth! ". Are real estate sellers now similar to Kaffe? They want the truth but "They can't handle it!!".

To be clear: I completely reject the warning of this post title. l will continue to tell the truth, no matter what. And I am learning valuable lessons from this experience.

I recently "lost" several perspective clients on account of them not liking my message.

This is what happened in a nutshell. Mr. X contacted me to sell their house in town A. The sellers believed their house was a high end property. We discussed the market and I showed them the statistics indicating:

There was only one sale of $2,000,000+ in this town.
There were many more sales in this price range in the neighboring town B.
I explained that when real estate buyers evaluate where to buy, preservation of capital and risk management are part of the consideration. Although for the same money in town B buyers could get less then in town A, if buyers view town B as a safer investment, they may choose to buy there.
Mr. X indicated there was no financial pressure for them to sell. I suggested to hold off on the sale for a few years and rent the property in the meantime.
If they wanted to sell now I suggested things that could be done to make the house look better.

Truth telling did not bode well for me in getting this listing.This information was interpreted as me being negative about their town and their house. I am not sure if a real estate agent with "Better" news about luxury real estate in town A was received better.

I made a rule at the start of my career as real estate agent in Princeton area to tell my clients the bad and the good of the real estate market - as I see it. This knowledge, I thought, is:

Why sellers should pay money to a real estate agent;
What should help them price their home right from the outset;
Market it in a way that beats competition;
Negotiate the best selling price;
Deal with many problems that invariably come up during the selling process.

I was proven wrong.

Why do I still insist on telling the truth? I am content with my old rule, even if on occasion I may "lose" some business, because:

The stakes are too high when buying or selling real estate to sugar coat what is happening.
It is not productive to repeat the gloom and doom scenarios offered by the media, if that is not what is going on in the local market.
The only way to deliver useful information to buyers and sellers is for the agent to know the facts on the ground.

Get smart by knowing exactly where you stand in this market. Only then could you make the right decisions. That's my best advice for the real estate buyers and sellers now.

Not surprisingly, my clients are the smartest of them all. To get the best deal or to sell at the best price, they are not "afraid to handle the truth" .

Princeton NJ Homes For Sale - 20 Bogart Ct., Princeton

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:44:14 -0600

20 Bogart Court, Princeton NJ 08540 – Luxury New Jersey Princeton Homes For Sale

Princeton, New Jersey is a town known world wide for it’s long and significant history and it’s acclaimed present. This vibrant community attracts discriminating international and domestic luxury home buyers.

If you are looking to buy a luxury home in New Jersey, 20 Bogart Court, Princeton NJ should be on your must see list. Located on the picturesque 6.5 acres this estate Princeton home was built by the present owners to be their dream home. Now is a chance for another family to make it their dream home.

This house lacks notning for makes easy and gracious living. From the dramatic foyer to the gourmet kitchen, to lavish bath for each of the 5 bedrooms, to the conservatory and the view to the natural beauty outside – this home offers it all in high class.

The lower level can be best described as “unbelievable”. The movie theater, the gym, the billiard room and an incredible second kitchen would make you never want to go upstairs.

This luxury Princeton home makes entertain guests a pleasure. Those who are compelled to stay, from party guests to visiting relatives, could do so in a style possible only in a five star hotel. A separate guest apartment is located near the main house and features the same high-end amenities as the main house.

Good stories are best told in pictures and bellow are some of the highlights of this distinguished Princeton estate home for sale. This home is located in the neighborhood of other stately homes -you can see the location on the map below.

This Princeton home is offered at $3,675,000. Please call 609-553-4175 for details and confidential viewing. We speak many languages and work with international buyers.

View Larger Map

Princeton Luxury Homes For Sale over $3,000,000

Who else wants to be in the New York Times ?

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 21:19:58 -0600

If you like reading New York Times, read today's Sunday edition article Battling for Bidding Wars. Here is a shameless plug: I am in it :) I mean some of the information from the one hour interview is there.

I received a call form the New York Times last week. They wanted to get my opinion on multiple offers in the buyers market. Why did they call me out of cozillion local real estate agents? If you answered, blogging, you got it right.

Back in late summer I wrote a post on Multiple offers in the buyers market, describing why such a phenomena was possible in Princeton. Fast forward to the New York Times call. The time is now post September 2008 market crash and it was an interesting question for them to revisit.

I was on my way to meet up with some people at The Inman Connect, so I couldn't talk with reporter for long. We agreed to pick up the conversation the next day. I spend a few hours researching the topic to come up with a broader view then just my personal experience with multiple offers. I found a few interesting things which are described in this follow up post Multiple offers in buyers market now.

Interestingly enough, I borrowed the title for this post from another article " Who else wants to be in the New York Times" I wrote back in my early days on Active Rain, urging AR gods to bring attention to this forum as a way for the press to learn what's really going on in the real estate from people who practice it every day. I never thought the NYT would call me:)

With my 2 seconds of fame I am wondering it's possible for anyone on Active Rain to get their time in the spotlight? Blogging on the topics of interest to the consumers seems to be one way.

Hopewell New Jersey Real Estate Update - Five Years 2004-2008

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:17:16 -0600

Princeton Real Estate has released its Hopewell NJ real estate report, examining 2008 and the previous five years. If you are considering selling your home this year, or are wondering if this is a good opportunity to buy, this report is for you.

Hopewell Real Estate Market - Key Points

Hopewell Real Estate Market Reports

The average price of house sold in 2008 in Hopewell Township and Hopewell Borough (combined) was $518,579 and has decreased 9% compared to 2007.

The highest average price in the last five years was in 2005, and has declined 9% since that time.

The numbers of houses sold in 2008 has declined 17% compared to 2007 and 38% compared to the high of 2005.

Average price has declined 2% cumulatively since 2004.

Days on the market (93 in 2008) has declined 10% compared to 2007. It may indicates that sellers of the homes that sell price them more realistically then the year before and therefore selling them faster. The present number is 37% higher then in 2004.

Whether you are considering buying or selling Hopewell real estate, it is important to consider how the market here compares to the surrounding communities.

Here are few comparisons.

Montgomery Township real estate homes for sale sold

Average home price in 2008 declined 7% compared to 2007;
Average home price declined 9% compared to the high of 2005.
Average house price has increased cumulatively 5% since 2004.
Number of houses sold in 2008 has decreased 16% since 2007.

Pennington Real Estate homes for sale sold

Average price in 2008 has increased 14% compared to 2007.
Average price in 2008 has declined 9% compared to the high of 2005.
Average price has increased 10% cumulatively since 2004.
Number of homes sold in 2008 has decreased 23% compared to 2007.

Princeton real estate homes for sale sold

Average price in 2008 increased 10% compared to 2007
Average price increased every year since 2004. The cumulative increase is 15%.
The number of houses sold in 2008 has declined 22%
Days on the market increased 4% compared to 2007.

Interested in learning what your Hopewell house is worth in today’s market? Call us at 609-553-4175 for a confidential assessment or submit your information at What is my home worth?

Want to look for your Hopewell home? Click on the link below.

Hopewell Homes For Sale

Princeton New Jersey Real Estate Update On The Housing Market (2003-2008)

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 00:29:53 -0600

New Jersey Real Estate Housing Report For Princeton 2003-2008

Princeton Real Estate Homes presents the market report for the 2008. We analyzed the Princeton real estate market statistics results and compared them to previous years. Princeton real estate, unlike many places in the country, has good news to report. Thinking of selling your Princeton home soon? Looking to buy real estate in Princeton? This post is for you. Here are a the highlights.

Princeton real estate market 2008 highlights

Average price of the homes sold in Princeton in 2008 was 1,006,832- a 10% increase compared to 2007. This is good news, but not an indication that if bought your home last year, you can sell it for 10% more. Read: Understanding Princeton real estate prices.
Average price of the homes sold in Princeton in 2008 has increased 13% compared to 2005.
Average price of homes sold in Princeton has increased every year since 2004. This is the most amazing piece of news, given what has transpired in the rest of the financial and real estate markets around the country.
Average price of a house sold in Princeton has increased cumulatively 28%. The largest increase of 15% compared to the previous year, has occurred in 2005.
The number of Princeton houses sold in 2008 has decreased drastically by 22%. Princeton has not been completely immune to the bad real estate market. Compared to 2005 this decrease is a whooping 40%. Read my analysis in the upcoming post.
Maximums sold Price for a Princeton house was $4,125,000 - the highest since 2005, and a 11% higher then in 2007.
The number of houses listed in Princeton Township has declined more then in Princeton Borough -27% and 14% respectively.
Days on the market has increased for Princeton Township by 14%, but declined for homes sold in the Princeton Borough by 15%. This information is relevant only if examined in conjunction with your real estate agent, to understand how this statistics is reported and develop a meaningful guide for your home.

Princeton Real Estate Housing Market 2008

Categories 2005 2006 2007 2008

Units Listed                       596               604                 559                  458
Listed Average              1,008,281    1,024,678          1,074,490      1,082,194
Pended                            378      297                  308                  230
Units Sold                        395                295                  305                  237
Average Sold Price          889,084      893,013              911,172        1,006,832
Average List Price           945,893      970,094              991,983        1,122,563
Max. Sold Price           4,080,195       3,340,000         3,700,000       4,125,000
Average DOM                  76                   94                     97                  101

*Data is based on Trend MLS ( 01/05/2009) and is not guaranteed

To understand the affect of the Princeton real estate on price of a home in Princeton please call 609- 553-4175. Not ready for a discussion yet? You could learn a lot on your own by reading:

Princeton Real Estate - Everything You Wanted To Know
Princeton New Jersey Real Estate Homes For Sale Housing Market Reports

Or click here to search for New Jersey Homes For Sale.

Active Rain Beats Them All

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:31:36 -0600

Here is why. 2008 has been my best year -I worked as hard, but earned more. The most important reason -blogging, aside from me being the best Princeton agent:) Having dedicated last year to blogging I found Active rain to be the most stable solution of them all. Here is a report on my findings.

Selecting Your Blog provider.

Selecting a company to develop/host and support your blog is critical, unless you are a pro and doing it all by yourself. Here I refer to blogs outside of Active Rain platform. This may seem self evident, but it's far from easy to accomplish. Here is a little glimpse into my travails:
1. Signed-up with reputable Company #1. Initially things were OK, but soon deteriorated. Personnel changes lead to difficulties.
2. Signed up with another provider. Read #1.
3. Signed with Company #3. Read #2. The site is still not working after several months.
4.Signed up with Company #4. Much work was lost in transition. I won't say much more for now. Check it out here - Princeton Real Estate Homes.
5. "Learned" Wordpress.org. Designed my own blog. Learned that Blog Designer is not what I want to be when I grow up. Checked it out here, leave a comment and please be kind:) It's work in progress - Princeton Real Estate Guide.
6. Active Rain in the meantime remained there all along with no problems. And at a cost of my time alone this is still the best deal in town.

Photo by Zeets Jones

Tips for those contemplating venturing outside Active Rain:

1. Start an outside blog, only if you have a strategy of how it will improve your overall Internet presence. Having another blog may not add much to you being found on the Internet.
2. Start another blog to protect your future Internet presence, if Active Rain changes in some dramatic way. You need to protect your content. Another blog may be your insurance policy and may mature in Google's eyes with time.
3. Links are proverbial make it or break it for blogs - the outstanding content is a given. Having multiple blogs could delute your individual blogs' link "strength", unless you have a strategy for increasing links for each blog.
4. Having a micro-niche blog may or may not benefit your overall presence - back to the links importance. Micro-niche could be achieved from your existing blog, by careful selection of key words that are less competitive, yet accomplish your business goal. This was my approach this year and it worked.

Please comment and share your experiences on providers, link building strategies, niche marketing or any other successful blogging strategy.

Princeton New Jersey Real Estate Average & Median Prices

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:03:29 -0500

Understanding Real Estate Home Prices and Statistics

Princeton real estate home prices, as reported by national press and media, could mean very little for home sellers and buyers. The basic question/concern many Princeton real estate home sellers have is what is their home worth. As a home seller, when you read reports that the average prices are down/up nationally, or in New Jersey, or in Princeton, could you assume that your home is respectively worth less/more by the same percentage? And what about the median home prices? What is difference and which is a better indicator of what is going on in the Princeton real estate market?

The simple answer is that neither of these statistics could provide a reliable indicator of the price trends. Let's look at the reasons why.

I. Real estate is "micro local"
You can't apply the national or even New Jersey state real estate statistics to Princeton. Even more so, the aggregate Princeton sales prices may not apply to your home. The condition of real estate varies not just from town to town, but also in different price ranges, in different Princeton neighborhoods and developments, and in single homes vs. condominiums.

II. What are Median and Average Home Sales Prices
Let's start by looking at the difference between the median and the average prices and what it means when it comes to real estate. Many buyers and sellers ask me about this difference. Let's go back to the math definitions. Here is an example given by Dr. Math .

"The MEAN is the arithmetic average, the average you are probably used
to finding for a set of numbers - add up the numbers and divide by how
many there are: (80 + 90 + 90 + 100 + 85 + 90) / 6 = 89 1/6.

The MEDIAN is the number in the middle. In order to find the median,
you have to put the values in order from lowest to highest, then find
the number that is exactly in the middle:

        80   85   90   90   90   100
                     ^
     since there is an even number of values, the MEDIAN is
     between these two, or it is 90. Notice that there is
     exactly the same number of values ABOVE the median as
     BELOW it!"

For real estate this means median prices and average prices could be different. For towns, neighborhoods, and housing developments where homes are priced within a small range, these differences could be insignificant. For example, if you have 5 Princeton homes similarly priced $1,000,000; $1,100,000;$1,050,000; $1,025,000; $1,090,000 the average price is $1,053,000. Median Price would be $1,050,000 ( with two homes below this price and two homes above this price) which is very close to the average.

When the prices for homes for sale vary greatly, as is the case in Princeton and many surrounding towns, there would be a significant difference between the homes median and average sales price. For example, if you had 5 Princeton homes priced $500,000; $700,000; $1,300,000;$1,500,000; $3,000,000 -the average price is $1,400,000 and the median price is $1,300,000.

III. Problems with Princeton real estate average and median home prices
1. Median and average prices could be different, as explained above.
Median home price in Princeton Township (excluding condos) in 2006 was up 23%, while the average price was up was up only 9% compared to 2005.

2. Median and average prices could be moving in opposite directions.
Princeton median home price (excluding condos) in 2006 was down 6%, while the average price was up 18% compared to 2005. In 2007 the situation reversed. The median price was up 10% and the average price down 12%.

IV. Reporting of real estate homes sales prices
1. The available data may not be meaningful.
For Princeton real estate buyers and sellers it's important to understand what is being reported. The most meaningful way to understand real estate prices is based on the Case-Shiller index, because it tracks sales of the same properties over the years. This index is not updated as often as home sales prices, so real estate reports in the press are often based on the average and median prices, which could often be meaningless, as shown in the example above. Unfortunately, the Case-Shiller index does not cover many areas in the country and does not cover Princeton. Applying real estate trends and statistics reported by the national press to Princeton homes for sale could produce very misleading results.

2.Tracking statistics on a deep level is a complicated and time consuming.

Many real estate agents simply use reports provided by MLS which are based either on median or average prices for a municipality. These prices are not enough to understand the "micro local" trends and the reasons for prices being what they are. To truly understand the trends in the Princeton real estate prices the agents need to know and understand the individual transactions that go into the aggregate statistics reported by the MLS. The agents should be in a position to explain, for example, why median price was up while the average price was down. Without such deep understanding, quoting statistics could be misleading and potentially harmful to buyers and sellers who use these statistics to make important decisions.

V. Who is doing the reporting
1. Press and media reporting.
If the goal of the press is to generate sales for their reporting -the more dramatic the headlines, the better are the chances for the story to generate interest. If I was reporting on the condition of the Princeton real estate in 2006 I could choose either of these headlines: "Median prices are in decline after 2005 highs" or "Average home prices in Princeton rise dramatically while falling everywhere else". Both of the statements would communicate the factual data while delivering the opposite messages. This could be totally misleading for the general public and to the agents who do not do independent research.

2. Real estate agents' reporting
If the real estate agents' motivation is to sell homes, the statistics could be used to further this goal. While the agents are supposed to provide factual data, the example above shows how easy it would be to spin the story based on one's motivation.

To discuss the affect of the Princeton real estate market on the value of your home, please call 609-553-4175. Not ready to discuss your plans with a real estate agent yet? You could learn a lot on your own, by reading:

Princeton Real Estate - Everything You Wanted To Know
Princeton New Jersey Real Estate Homes For Sale Housing Market Reports

Or click here to search for New Jersey Homes For Sale.

Halloween Things To Do Around Princeton

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:55:48 -0500

Princeton New Jersey is known nationally for a its university town ambiance and a variety of cultural and outdoor recreational opportunities. Many of my clients who bought homes in the Princeton area find this to be one of the big attractions and benefits of Princeton as a place to live. Here is a small sample of what is happening in the area for Halloween.

Annual Hometown Halloween Parade - Organized by the Arts Council Of Princeton
102 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ, 08542
609-924-8777
http://www.artscouncilofprinceton.org/

Spooky Saturday - Arts Counsil Of Princeton

Princeton University Art Museum
Saturday, October 25, 2-4
Sign up early, as spaces fill up fast.

Corner of Chaos Haunted Maze
299 Princeton-Hightstown Road
East Windsor, NJ, 08520
609-426-8884
http://www.cornerofchaos.com/

There are a number of haunted houses and other events if you are willing to travel a bit further. Click here for a list.
If you are not a fan of Halloween action, you could always find something interesting happening at the Princeton Library. Fro example, yesterday I saw a great Italian movie Sedotta e Abbandonata (Seduced and Abandoned). Director Pietro Germi, not as known as Fellini, made this movie in the 60's and it is still funny and is a wonderful work of satirical farce and tongue-in-cheek humor. After the movie there was an opportunity to have an Italian dinner at Midetera, where the wines were selected to match the theme of the movie.

Luxury Hopewell Real Estate Market Eeport - Luxury Homes Sales 2003- 2008

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 07:06:56 -0500

Luxury New Jersey real estate in Hopewell is something many of my clients and readers are interested in, especially given the recent financial crisis. This article provides the details on the condition of the Hopewell real estate for houses sold in Hopewell in the price range of $1.5 million - $2 million. If you are considering selling your luxury home in Hopewell understanding this information could help you make intelligent and informed decisions.

Luxury Hopewell Real Estate - Summary

My the recent article "Hopewell luxury real estate 2003- 2008" provided a summary of what happened to the the market in the $1.5million - $2million price range. "The largest number of Hopewell homes sold in the $1.5 -$2.5 million range, was in 2005. So far in 2008 there were 3 homes sold in this price range and only 1 of then was over $2 million. The biggest decline is in the $1,700,000 - $1,999,999 price range with no houses sold in 2008 compared to 4 houses sold in 2007 and 2006. At the top of the range- $2.Million- $2.5 Million there was 1 house sold in Hopewell in each of the last three years."

This article examines in detail the history of the price declines of luxury real estate in Hopewell over the last 5 years and provides the breakdown for the number of houses sold in various luxury price ranges.*

Luxury Hopewell Real Estate - Price History 2003-2008

The unfortunate news is that the prices for luxury Hopewell homes for sale have declined approximately 26% since the high in 2004. Here are the details for the prices of luxury homes sold in Hopewell ($1.5mm-$2.5mm).

Year    Median Price     % Change        Houses Sold

2003    1,847,500                                    6
2004    2,100,000            14%               5
2005    1,995,000            -5%                 9
2006    1,870,399            -6%                 6
2007    1,772,500            -5%                 6
2008    1,550,000            -13%               3

Luxury Hopewell Real Estate - Number Of Houses Sold
The biggest decline in the number of houses sold was in the price range of $2 million - $2.5 million -with only one house sold a year in the last three years, compared to 4 in 2004. Here are the details of the number of luxury houses sold in Hopewell broken down by price range.

Year    $1.5mm - $1.699mm $1.7mm - $1.999mm     $2mm - $2.5mm
2003        2                                         3                                   1
2004        1                                         1                                   3
2005        2                                         3                                   4
2006        1           4                                   1
2007        1                                         4                                   1
2008        2                                         -                                    1

Hopewell Luxury Homes For Sale - Conclusion
If you are seller considering selling your home in this market in Hopewell you have to be prepared to face the hard truth - this is an extremely slow market. I work with clients to understand their situation and give them facts to decide if this is the right time to sell for them. Be cautions of people saying "now is the right time to sell". There is no one answer that fits all, but understanding reality is critical for everyone.

Please call me at 609-553-4175 if you have questions about this article or would like to understand what is the best course for you now.

To check what Hopewell homes for sale are on the market now (in the MLS), click on the link below:

Luxury Hopewell Homes For Sale -$1,500,000 - $2,500,000 - Princeton Area Luxury Real Estate

* Data is based on Trend MLS 09/28/2008 is considered accurate but not guaranteed.

How To Sell Princeton Home In One Week

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:23:44 -0500

Why some Princeton homes sell quickly while others languish? Worst yet, why some of the Princeton homes for sale don't sell at all? These are the frequently asked questions by those selling or contemplating a sale of their Princeton real estate. This year-to date in Princeton Township and Borough there were 327 Princeton homes for sale listed and 186 homes sold. This means approximately 43% of Princeton real estate did not sell and the homes were either withdrawn or expired. So, how as a home seller you could be part of the successful 57% ? One thing you could do is to examine some of the Princeton real estate success stories.
Read: Why Some Princeton Homes Sell Quickly?

Here is a case of the home I marketed recently - under contract within one week. The home was on the market 2 years ago. After several price reductions the offers were low. I found for these sellers an exceptionally profitable rental opportunity and the home was taken off the market and rented out.

Fast forward two years. The homes goes on the market and is under contract within a week for more then the offer two years ago. What has changed? Did Princeton real estate drastically improve over the last two years, or was there something else? How did we do it?

My seller clients know the secret word to make it happen and now I am going to share it with you. The word is "Wow". This is what a potential buyer has to say when they see your Princeton home for sale. It is as simple as that. This is what the "Wow" covers:

Price. Nothing trumps this in importance. The reaction you are looking from a buyer interested in a Princeton home like yours, is something like this: "Wow, all of this (meaning your home's amenities) for this $(meaning a realistic market price). Another way to look at it, your home has to beat all equal competing Princeton homes for sale on price. Often sellers are concerned they would end up selling for less then similar, but higher priced properties. Usually it's not the case. We have seen bidding wars for Princeton properties priced right.

Two years ago this home was priced the same or a bit higher then competition and didn't sell quickly. This time priced right it did, while many competing properties priced higher didn't sell at all.

Photography. You have to Wow buyers with photos. The goal is to make the buyers put your Princeton home for sale on the list of must see homes. You have to Wow the agents as well for them to want to come the Brokers Open House. It's only when they have seen how wonderful your home is in reality would they call their clients to say "Wow, I just saw a house you can't miss seeing".

This is exactly what happened with this Princeton home for sale. Pictures taken by a professional photographer - generated a lot of interest among other agents. Several agents said this could be perfect for their clients. There were many showings right after the house went on the market. One of these agents had a client who fell in love with the house and made an offer.

Bling. Professional photos could draw buyers and agents in and make your home look more appealing. They can't make up what it doesn't have. When the buyers visit the Wow factor has to continue. It doesn't mean the house has to be brand new or have gold plated faucets. Rather, buyers want to see the property was well taken care of and has been updated.
My clients' home was in good condition, it was well maintained, but it was vintage 80's. Reflecting on their first selling experience, my clients asked what updates could make a big difference. They replaced Formica counters with gorgeous granite in the kitchen and bathrooms. It wasn't cheap but it changed the look of the kitchen and bathrooms, the most important items buyers look at.

Visual appeal is very important. New home builders understood this, building elaborate model homes, long time before the concept of staging came to residential real estate resale. Buyers know they are not buying a home with furniture, yet this is how they see the home in their mind.

My client's furniture and presentation was OK, but the change was remarkable with the renter's furniture (at the time of the home being marketed). This furniture made the house look better and gave the rooms the needed extra punch.

There is a lot that goes into selling your Princeton home quickly and for the highest possible price in addition to the three factors above. One important consideration is what other properties are on the market at the same time. What do these houses for sale have that yours doesn't and visa verse. Pricing and marketing strategy have to take this into consideration. Timing is very important as well. For example, a home could have sold for X in June, but this opportunity could be gone for various reasons in July.

I see an opportunity now for Princeton home sellers in certain market segments because the inventory is low and there are buyers who wanted to buy this summer and are still looking. Your Princeton real estate success story could be the next to be told.

This article "House sold in one week- find out how" was first published in my other Princeton Real Estate blog.

If you are considering selling your home and have questions give me a call at 609-553-4175, or stop by at my office - 34 Chambers street, Princeton, New Jersey. Not ready to talk to an agent yet? Search on your own for Princeton homes for sale and homes for sale in West Windsor, Montgomery, Hopewell by clicking on this link Princeton Real Estate - Homes For Sale

How To Select A Princeton New Jersey Real Estate Agent - The Myths And The Truths

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:36:07 -0500

How To Select A Princeton Real Estate Agent - The Myths And The Truths

If you are considering selling or buying a home in the Princeton area, selecting a New Jersey real estate agent, that would be right for you, is one of the most important first tasks. In this article I review some of the important points to keep in mind.

Buying and selling a home is stressful -it involves big changes in peoples lives, represents big financial stakes, and is often a very emotional process. The stress is more so now, given declining Princeton real estate and housing prices in some Princeton areas.

I bought and sold houses prior to becoming a real etstate agent. I know first hand how essential it is to select the right agent. When I switched careers to go into real estate, my idea was to provide the service I wanted when I was a real estate buyer and seller.

Unfortunately, the task of selecting a Princeton area real estate agent is not easy and there are a lot of myths surrounding what is a "good agent".

1. "The best agent is the one who has the most listings".

The idea here is that the more listings the agent has the more experience they have. Some sellers also think that if so many others selected this agent, they must be good.
Granted ,there may be competent agents with many listings. On the other hand there is only so much time in the day and the more the listing an agent has, the less time they could dedicate to each. They may have an assistant, but then you would be hiring an assistant, not the agent.

I limit the number of clients I have, so I could give each the attention and personal service they deserve and reduce their stress as much as possible.

2. "The best agent is the one who agrees to the highest price for the home."

This one of the very dangerous misconceptions which could result in the exact opposite - a home taking a long time to sell, price reductions and more stress.

Real estate agents don't set prices- the marketplace does. You should expect for the agent to understand the dynamics of the Princeton real estate market. How do you check for this understanding? Do it before you even meet the agent in person -look on the Internet for the articles and analysis the agent has written. Statistics could unfortunately be misleading and simply selecting reports from the MLS is not enough. To really understand what goes on in Princeton real estate, an agent needs to know and understand the history of individual transactions and be able to explain to you why sometimes similar properties sell for different prices.

3. "The best agent has been in the business for a long time".
This could be true, but it may as well be false. Many agents have not changed the way they do business and do not understand the mindset of the new generation of buyers. Facebook, Twitter, Skype, Flickr - these are just some of the names used by forward looking companies and even candidates for political office. These new media channels offer new opportunities for real estate as well.

When interviewing real estate agent to sell your Princeton home, ask how they participate in social networks and how they would use them to sell your home.

4. "Alphabet Soup" Designations

The many letters abbreviations after the agents' name indicate that they took a several hours course. I am all for continuing education ( and have enough degrees to prove it), but taking the course to get the designation would not make one an expert in anything.

5. The Final Test

The test for selecting a real estate agent is called the "BS" (not the Bachelor of Science) meter. I borrowed the "BS meter" expression from this TheStreet.com article (via my colleague and a great Phoenix agent -Jay Thompson ). We all have such meter, it's just may not always turned on. "The one who promises the moon and the stars may not be able to deliver, but your B.S. meter could be turned off because you want to sell so badly."

The article suggest "it's really about personality and who you trust will work in your best interests". So, how could you decide who you could trust? Surely, you won't find an agent who says they are not trustworthy. The BS meter is a good one to use in the agent selection. What does your gut tell you? Do you feel comfortable? Being comfortable with a person who will handle such an important event in you life, is a crucial factor not to be overlooked.

I have another suggestion about trust. Use the Internet. You could tell a lot from the agent's Internet presence, especially if they have a blog. Anyone could make/buy a fancy web site, but a blog is different. It allows Princeton real estate buyers and sellers to learn about the agent well before meeting them in person. It is hard to fake the blog. You will get to know the the blog author and decide if they are the right agent for you. My clients say I am the same person "just like in the blog".
Writing 4-6 articles for the Princeton Real Estate blog every week is not easy, but beneficial for my readers. It helped them not only learn everything about Princeton real estate, but also to decide if I am the right Princeton NJ real estate agentt for them. It's been great for me as well - all my clients are the best ones for me.

Call me at 609-553-4165 with questions you may have about Princeton real estate or to request a Real Estate Agent Interview Guide.

Princeton New Jersey Real Estate Housing Market Report - Third Quarter 2008

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:56:56 -0500

This Princeton real estate housing market report may be the only report with some good news amid the financial crisis engulfing the country. The positive news is the 8% increase in the median house price and the 6% increase in the average home price in Princeton Township in the 3d quarter 2008 compared with the same period in 2007. The question "How is the Princeton real estate?" is something I get asked at least half a dozen times daily. I was happy my answer for this article had some good news.

Princeton NJ Mercer county real estate report has been developed to cover the results for the third quarter of 2008. This report details the prices of Princeton NJ homes for sale, trends in the numbers of homes sold, the average days on the market it took to sell the house and the rate at which houses have sold. Data is compared it to the real estate statistics for the same period of last year -Q3 2007.

Princeton Borough real estate median price have increased 6%. The median price of houses sold in both the Princeton Township and the Boro increased 2%.

The number of houses sold have continued to decline in Princeton Township by 25%, which is understandable given the decline in the supply - the number of Princeton Township houses listed declined 39%. In the Princeton Boro the number of homes sold increased by 23%, while the number of houses listed declined 26%.

This does not mean Princeton real estate and homes for sale have been completely immune from the declining prices. The median and average prices reflect a relative direction, but are not precise, because they do not measure the sale of the same Princeton property, i.e. the mix of the houses in the 3d quarter of 2008 is different from the mix of houses sold in the same period last year.

These are the details for this report*.

Princeton Township Real Estate - 3d Quarter
                                    2008                      2007
Number of houses sold    60                        75
Average price sold         1,005,830                948,065
Median price sold         $898,750                 $831,000
Average DOM                97                           75

Min. price sold $245,000
Max price sold $2,925,000

Princeton Borough Real Estate - 3d Quarter
                                               2008                  2007
Number of houses sold listed     27                    34
Listed average price                 $918,103         $1,240,328
Houses pended                          21                      22
Houses sold                                31                      24

Average price sold $864,130 $906,531

Median price sold                   $699,000             $657,000
Average DOM                             97                      114

min sold $220,000
max sold $2,700,000

Combined Township and Boro      Sept 2008             Sept 2007
Houses listed                                27                            40
Houses pended                             10                            17
Houses sold                                  23                            24
Average price sold         $799,714                   $903,041
Median price sold      $850,000                   $831,000
Average DOM                                 137                            120

Information is based on Trend MLS data as of 10/03/2008. Presumed accurate but not guaranteed.

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Housing Report -Second Quarter 2008

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Housing Report -First Quarter 2008

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate -Homes for sale prices 2004-2007

Princeton Real Estate - Housing Prices, Market Reports, Statistics

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate - How Long Does It Take To Sell Princeton 2006-2007

Please call 609-553-4175 to find out how real estate in Princeton, Montgomery Township, West Windsor, Plainsboro, Princeton Junction, Hopewell, Pennington, and Lawrenceville New Jersey affects your buying and selling decisions.

Faina Sechzer does not guarantee or is in any way responsible for accuracy of the information on this site, and provides said information without warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied. Every consumer is urged to perform their own research and analysis.

Princeton Real Estate Housing Market Reports

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:53:08 -0500

Princeton New Jersey Real Estate Homes For Sale Housing Market Reports

Princeton real estate housing market analysis, and real estate market reports for the surrounding towns of Montgomery Township, West Windsor/Princeton Junction, Hopewell, is a big part of the Princeton Real Estate blog.This is also one of the most popular features for home buyers and sellers. It takes several hours to dvelop one real estate report. I do it because there are few, if any, places where such information is available. In this article I assembled the Quarterly and Monthly reports for 2008 as well as the summary for 2004-2007.

Princeton Market Reports

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Housing Report -Second Quarter 2008

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Housing Report -First Quarter 2008

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate -Homes for sale prices 2004-2007

Princeton Real Estate - Housing Prices, Market Reports, Statistics

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate - How Long Does It Take To Sell Princeton 2006-2007

Princeton Monthly Market Reports

New Jersey Real Estate -Princeton Real Estate Housing Report May 2008

Princeton NJ Real Estate Mercer County homes -Housing Market Statistics March 2008

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Report - Housing Statistics 2008

To discover how Princeton real estate market affects your home bying and selling in the Princeton area contact Princeton New Jersey real estate agent at 609-553-4175. If you are not ready to discuss your plans, please explore this site and search for Princeton homes for sale.

Princeton Homes For Sale

Princeton Condos & Townhouses - Luxury Townhouses in Governor's Lane

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 09:07:33 -0500

Princeton New Jersey Condos & Townhouses - Governor's Lane -Luxury Princeton Homes For Sale

Princeton NJ Condos & Townhouses - Luxury Princeton Homes For Sale in Governor's Lane.

Princeton New Jersey is known for it's wide selection of luxury homes for sale including condos and townhouses. Condos and Townhouses in the surrounding towns of Montgomery Township and West Windsor are not properties often associated with the idea of luxury houses, but rather homes for sale for first time home buyers in the Princeton area. In Princeton we have several luxury condominium and townhouses neighborhoods, such as Constitution Hill and Governor's Lane.

Governor's lane homes and townhouses were built approximately 10 years ago and the neighborhood is reminiscent of the English mews houses. The backs of the houses overlook beautiful park like gardens with benches and walking paths.
Princeton luxury townhouses in the Governor's Lane neighborhood usually attract people who prefer to limit their home maintenance chores, as many aspects of these homes are maintained by the Homeowners Association.
Read: Princeton real estate townhouses for sale - Stonewall Circle in Princeton Ridge
Princeton luxury townhouses in Governor's lane have all the amenities found in a single Princeton home for sale. they are usually 4 bedrooms, 3+ bathrooms and have lots of closet and storage space. They are usually on 4 levels, with master suite on the second level and other bedrooms on the 3d. the lower level is usually finished and often has a bathroom.

The homes in Governors Lane are mostly town homes, but there are several free standing homes as well - the Lambert Model. Last time Princeton luxury home in Governor's Lane sold - was 14 Governor's Lane. It sold for $1,039,000.

The are several townhouses for sale in The Governor's Lane now ranging in price between $739,000 and $790,000. These prices reflect the general condition of Princeton real estate - Princeton Townhouses in Governor's lane used to sell for over $800,000 a few years ago.

Governor's lane is not a 55+ years community, it is a neighborhood of exclusive Princeton homes for sale for any age.

Call Princeton real estate agent specializing in luxury Princeton homes and townhouses for sale with questions you may have about Governor's lane homes or in other Princeton neighborhoods. If you are not ready to speak to an agent and would like to explore on your own what is available in the Princeton real estate click on the links below:

Princeton Luxury Condos and Townhouses $700,000+

To search for all Princeton Homes for sale and homes for sale in W. Windsor, Montgomery, Hopewell, and other towns, in the MLS click on the search link below:

Search for Homes

Princeton Luxury Real Estate - Princeton Homes For Sale $5,000,000+

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 09:01:10 -0500

Princeton Luxury Homes For Sale - Princeton Luxury Real Estate $5,000,000+

Princeton luxury real estate is my specialty and I cover it extensively on Princeton Real Estate blog. If you are looking for luxury homes for sale in Princeton, there are many price categories into which such Properties fall.

Princeton Real Estate For $1mln-$1.5mln |New Jersey Real Estate

Princeton Homes For Sale - $1,000,000 -$2,000,000

Luxury Princeton Homes For Less Than $2 million |New Jersey Real Estate

Princeton Luxury Homes For Sale $2,00,00-$3,000,000

Princeton Homes for sale $3,000,000 -$5,000,000

This article focuses on Princeton Luxury homes for sale over $5,000,000. At this time there aren't too many homes of this caliber. They are usually significant historical Princeton houses with a lot of history, such as Princeton luxury real estate house built in 1773 by the Rev. John Witherspoon, a leading patriot, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and 6th president of Princeton University. Historic Princeton homes and luxury homes for sale in Princeton without historical pedigree, in this price category are spectacular homes with all the amenities and usually on many acres of land, if they are located in the Princeton Township. The highest priced Princeton real estate property for sale is $14,500,000.

An interesting fact is that Princeton luxury real estate homes of this caliber have not had many recent sales. The last sale on 89 Rosedale Rd, a 9 bedroom, 6/1 bathroom home on 3.54 acres was in Princeton Township in 07/2004. This Princeton luxury home was sold for $6,250,000.

You could review Princeton Luxury Homes For Sale -$5,000,000 + by clicking on the link below.

Princeton Luxury Real Estate Homes For Sale $5,000,000+

If you are looking for Princeton luxury real estate in other price ranges, you could check them out here:
Princeton Real Estate For $1mln-$1.5mln |New Jersey Real Estate

Princeton Homes For Sale - $1,000,000 -$2,000,000

Luxury Princeton Homes For Less Than $2 million |New Jersey Real Estate

Princeton Luxury Homes For Sale $2,00,00-$3,000,000

Princeton Homes for sale $3,000,000 -$5,000,000

Princeton Real Estate - Princeton Homes For sale - Buying, Selling, Moving

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:45:28 -0500

Princeton Real Estate - Everything You Wanted To Know

With over 100 articles to date - the goal of Princeton Real Estate blog is to provide as much and as unbiased information as possible for: 1. people who live in the Princeton area and are considering selling/buying their home, and/or want to keep up with the state of the local real estate market; 2. people who are relocating, are not familiar with Princeton NJ and would like to know what is it like to live in Princeton and surrounding towns.

There is a flip side, however, to this much information -how do you find what you need? To help a bit with this task I picked some of the popular articles and organised them by topic. So, get in a comfortable chair and explore Princeton and Princeton real estate -just click on the article of interest. If you still couldn't find an answer to your question, just sent me an e-mail, and I would answer it.

If you want to proceed to the next step and search homes for sale in Princeton, West Windsor, Montgomery and in other surrounding towns, you could do it here as well - click on Princeton Homes For Sale.

New Jersey Homes For Sale

Home Search

Homes And Condos For Sale In Princeton Under $300,000 & $500,000

What You Get In Princeton For $500K-$700K |New Jersey Real Estate

What Can You Buy In Princeton For Under $1million |New Jersey Real Estate

Princeton Real Estate For $1mln-$1.5mln |New Jersey Real Estate

Princeton Homes For Sale - $1,000,000 -$2,000,000

Luxury Princeton Homes For Less Than $2 million |New Jersey Real Estate

Princeton Luxury Homes For Sale $2,00,00-$3,000,000

Princeton Homes for sale $3,000,000 -$5,000,000

Princeton Luxury Real Estate

Market Reports

Princeton Market Reports

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Housing Report -Second Quarter 2008

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Housing Report -First Quarter 2008

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate -Homes for sale prices 2004-2007

Princeton Real Estate - Housing Prices, Market Reports, Statistics

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate - How Long Does It Take To Sell Princeton 2006-2007

Princeton Monthly Market Reports

New Jersey Real Estate -Princeton Real Estate Housing Report May 2008

Princeton NJ Real Estate Mercer County homes -Housing Market Statistics March 2008

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Report - Housing Statistics 2008

Hopewell Market Reports

Hopewell NJ Real Estate -Housing Report May 2008|New Jersey Real Estate

Hopewell NJ Prices of Homes For Sale - Sold In January 2008

Montgomery Market Reports

Montgomery Township NJ Real Estate Market Report - June & Six Months 2008

Montgomery Township NJ Real Estate Housing Market Report - 1st Quarter 2008

West Windsor Market reports

West Windsor NJ Real Estate Market Report - June 2008 and First 180 Days 2008

West Windsor NJ Mercer County Real Estate - Housing Report First Quarter 2008

West Windsor Housing Prices 2004-2007

About Princeton

Princeton NJ Real Estate - About Princeton - Relocating And Living

Relocating to Princeton - How To Decide Where To Live

Princeton NJ Little Known Pleasures of Princeton

Princeton Neighborhoods

Campbell Woods - Princeton Neighborhood

Princeton Ridge | Princeton Neighborhood

Preserve - Preserve Neighborhood - Princeton Homes For Sale

Ettl Farm Luxury Homes -Princeton Real Estate

Seller Tips

Seller Information

3 Tips To Beat Competition When Selling A Princeton Home |Princeton New Jersey Real Estate

Princeton Real Estate & Princeton Schools - Princeton Charter School

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:53:18 -0500

Princeton New Jersey Schools - Princeton Charter School

The subject of schools in Princeton , Montgomery , West Windsor and other surrounding towns is inextricable tied to many parents' decision where to live. For this reason it's one of the very important considerations for many of my readers and clients.
Read also: Princeton, Montgomery, West Windsor School ranking
How To Select The Best School| when Relocating & Buying Princeton Real Estate Homes
Princeton Regional Schools - For Non -Residents

This weekend is difficult for my family as my boys are preparing to go to school away from home. With truck loads of socks and other "important items" waiting to be marked, I was reflecting on the important decisions parents have to make when it comes to school choice.

Excellent public schools is why many parents are attracted to greater Princeton area. Parents also have other choices. Some of the best private schools are in Princeton as well. What some out of state prospective home buyers may not know about is the Princeton Charter school.

Here is how NJ Monthly describes this school:
" Set at the southernmost end of an expansive, tree-fringed campus, the Princeton Charter School reflects the community it serves: comfortable, safe, and geographically removed from the turmoil of the states urban communities and inner-city public schools. This is not your typical charter school, at least not in New Jersey, where the vast majority are in economically depressed urban neighborhoods. But it is proof that top-rated schools and stratospheric SAT scores do not necessarily guarantee community satisfaction. Even in Princeton, it appears, parents are hungry for alternatives to the status quo."

"The founders who wrote the charter wanted a more rigorous education for their children and felt that in some cases the education their children got was too dependent on which teacher they were assigned," says Charles Marsee, the schools retiring head of school.

The curriculum concentrates on English and math, with a strong emphasis on writing; this is the kind of place where kids still learn how to diagram a sentence and are expected to do long division without a calculator. Test scores bear out the programs success. For the past five years, the middle school has had the highest number of "advanced proficient" scores in math and science in the state.

For that, Marsee credits the curriculum and the schools quality of instruction. "Weve been very good and very fortunate in bringing together an outstanding faculty," he says. "

"Last year, the Center for Education Reform, an organization promoting school choice, named Princeton Charter and the Hoboken Charter School among the best in the nation."

If you are considering moving and buying a home in Princeton, Montgomery, West Windsor or other surrounding towns you could search for Princeton Homes for sale right here on this site.

Princeton, Montgomery, West Windsor and other NJ Homes For Sale

Princeton Real Estate - Princeton, Montgomery, West Windsor, Hopewell School Ranking

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:45:22 -0500

Princeton, Montgomery, West Windsor School Ranking

Getting kids ready for the start of new year is on the agenda of many Princeton school parents. Every year parents, myself included, feel a certain anxiety about what the next academic year would be like for their kids. This uncertainty is understandably higher for parents who are just considering moving to the Princeton area.

There are many different opinions on how to decide what school is best for your child. Read:How To Select The Best School| when Relocating & Buying Princeton Homes For Sale

Parents often ask how one school compares to another to help them select where to live and/or buy their home in the Greater Princeton. Others argue the rankings may not address your child's specific needs.

Here are few facts to help you in thinking about high schools in Princeton, Montgomery, West Windsor and Hopewell. New Jersey Monthly ranks New Jersey schools and many parents consider these ratings when evaluating the best school for their kids and as part of their decision when moving to the Princeton area. With a freshman in my family, I could particularly appreciate how high the scores are for all area schools. The second observation is the high number of AP classes offered and the high grades (over 3) students received.

There are some changes in the lineup in the recently released 2008 rankings. Princeton High had moved up significantly, while Montgomery High and West Windsor South moved down, West Windsor moved down just one rank.

According to NJ Magazine's ranking of New Jersey schools:
School                            Rank    2008        Rank 2006
Princeton High School            6                       13
Montgomery High School       16                       4
West Windsor High North       19                       18
West Windsor High South       21                       9
Hopewell Valley Central          39                       59

Here a few other facts:
School     Average Size Class        Av. SAT                     #Of AP's Offered       % Scoring >3 on AP
Princeton                    11.8                              1824             27                            91
Montgomery               12.1                              1755             24                            90
W. Windsor N            19.9                              1742             29                            87
W. Windsor S              21.5                              1798             31                            91

If you are reading this article because you are considering a move to Princeton NJ area, you could see here Princeton homes for sale now:

Search Princeton Homes For Sale

Princeton Luxury Real Estate