Snowflake Shapes - 02/29/12 08:16 AM
Snow just started here in NJ - first time in a few weeks. Got me thinking about this.
How Many Snowflake Shapes Are There? Scientists think that there are five different shapes of snow crystals. 1. long needle shape 2. hollow column that is shaped like a six-sided prism 3. thin and flat six-sided plates 4. six-pointed stars 5. intricate dendrites
What Makes The Different Shapes? The shape that a snow crystal will take depends on the temperature at which it was formed.
 When the temperature is around 32°F to 25°F thin six-sides plates are formed.
At 25°F to … (1 comments)

Leaping Lizards! - 02/29/12 03:34 AM
Happy Leap Day!
Every four years, except years ending in '00' we have an extra day in February. The earth's revolution around the Sun takes  365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes, and 16 seconds. Every four years, an extra 23 hours 17 minutes and 4 seconds and have accumulated, making February 29th.  Every 200 years, the leap day is not added. 2000 was such a year.
 
In the British Isles, Leap Day is a traditional day when women may propose marriage. In 1288, Queen Mary of Scotland required that a man accept such a proposal or be fined a silk … (9 comments)

Springfield, NJ Market Trends - 02/28/12 03:27 PM
Wait till you see what's going on in Springfield!
Check out this graph - we're showing active listings of the past 6 Januarys. It's plain to see that the inventory is back up to its normal robust levels!

But that's just part of the picture - what good is a high inventory if nothing's selling, right? So check out this graph, showing the same period of time. 2012 was the second best January of the past 6 years, and the market appears to definitely be on the upswing!

The good news doesn't stop there. A comparison of Days on … (0 comments)

Cranford Marketing Report - 02/27/12 08:07 AM
Beautiful Cranford, NJ, is home to about 23,000 people and is seated in the center of historic Union County.

One thing is abundantly clear when analyzing Cranford, NJ's home sales over the past 6 Januarys - the more houses on the market, the longer they sit there. Another thing is quickly obvious - the days of high inventory and houses sitting on the market a long time are, at least temporarily, over. January 2012 saw the lowest inventory and shortest period of time from listing to sale in six years.

Checking out median sale prices over the last 6 … (1 comments)

Westfield Market Report - 02/26/12 12:54 PM
Westfield, NJ, was incorporated in 1798, making it one of the oldest towns in New Jersey. Home to approximately 30,000 people, Westfield covers 6.8 square miles in Union County, NJ

The housing market in Westfield is booming, and has been for many years.

 
 
An analysis of active listings in January of each year for the past eight years reveals that the huge inventory of 2007 is gone and the market seems to have stabilized. This usually means  less competition between homes.
 
 
 

 
 
What we're seeing instead is that prices in Westfield, over … (2 comments)

It's time to buy in Clark! - 02/26/12 12:19 PM
Clark, NJ, is a beautiful town easily accessibly by the New Jersey Parkway in southern Union County. The township is named for Abraham Clark who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Clark as its 33rd best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.

The housing market in Clark reflects a picture not unlike that in the rest of the region. We analyzed data from Clark from January 2005 through January 2012 and discovered two trends.

The first most obvious trend is that the … (1 comments)

Open House today - 6 Kevin Road, Lincoln Park - 02/26/12 05:12 AM
Open House in this gorgeous townhouse in Lincoln Park - today from 1:00 to 4:00!
Features:
2 bedrooms 2.1 bath fireplace in living room deck off dining room new kitchen cathedral ceilings skylights in living room and master bedroom finished basement
Offered at $379,900 by motivated sellers.
… (3 comments)

Did he really have wooden teeth? - 02/20/12 03:54 PM
Who was George Washington?

Aside from the facts every school child learns – first President, married to Martha – what else do you know? Washington is reputed to have said, “To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.” To his credit, the Revolutionary War was won by his preparations.
Did you know that the Father of Our Country never attended any school or college but was educated as a child by his father and brother.  By age 30 Washington had survived smallpox, malaria, and dysentery, proving that he was strong and robust.
Vain … (3 comments)

Open House This Sunday - 26 John St Apt 2c, Bloomfield - 02/16/12 04:06 PM
Open House this Sunday - 2:00-4:00!

This is an unbelievably good deal - Home ownership and all the related benefits for less than the cost of renting! 
This 2 bedroom condo in Bloomfield is in move-in condition and can be yours for a small down payment and monthly payments less than your rent is now. Check out this mortage calculator to see what your actual payments will be on this $149,000 home.

Contact us at 732-499-0030 x244 and come see us on Sunday from 2-4 to see 26 John St Apt 2c, Bloomfield, NJ.

   
… (0 comments)

Garwood NJ Market Report - 02/15/12 02:21 PM
Garwood is located right in the heart of Union County and is a small town with fewer than 5000 residents. The 400 elementary students in Garwood all attend Lincoln School. Garwood high school students join Clark students at Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark.
 
 

For a small town, Garwood currently has more active listings than were available at this time last year but the active inventory is trending downward from a peak in October of last year.
 
For homeowners interested in selling their homes, the following graph shows good news. The average number of days on the … (1 comments)

Mortgage payments less than renting! - 02/15/12 09:18 AM

If your rent is more than $1200 per month, here's a way you can OWN your own home for less money. Your investment may increase in value and you'll get all those great home ownership tax benefits.
This 2 bedroom condo in Bloomfield is in move-in condition and can be yours for a small down payment and monthly payments less than your rent is now. Check out this mortage calculator to see what your actual payments will be on this $149,000 home.
Contact us at 732-499-0030 x244 to see 26 John St Apt 2c, Bloomfield, NJ.

   
… (2 comments)

Custom Home in NJ - 02/15/12 08:42 AM
Doesn't look like much from the front, does it?
 
But check out the double level deck which leads to a fully fenced back yard with a shed and greenhouse.

Step inside into a foyer then into a living room with a beautiful fireplace.
But here is where the custom part of the house begins. THREE kitchens - one on each floor.
 
        
 
 
 
 
 
 
Four bedrooms with enviable closet space.
 
Call today to see 2167 Kay Ave in Union NJ - available for $359,900.
              … (4 comments)

Berkeley Heights Market Report - 02/14/12 07:13 PM
Berkeley Heights, NJ, was named one of the top 20 towns in NJ by New Jersey Monthly magazine based on these five factors: home values, property taxes, crime rate, school performance and a lifestyle factor. If you're looking to buy a home in Berkeley Heights, here's what you need to know.
throughout 2011, the inventory in Berkeley Heights has been increasing and there are plenty of fantastic homes for buyers to choose from.

Homeowners in Berkeley Heights who are interested in selling would be happy to know that homes are selling quickly in town, based on the following data comparing Days … (0 comments)

Fanwood NJ Market Report - 02/14/12 06:58 PM
The market report in Fanwood shows some improvements over last year.
For starters, take a look at the active lisings in town:

The data shows that the number of active listings is going down. Could this mean the end of the giant inventory and subsequent buyer's market?
Another good indicator of the Fanwood real estate market is the number of days homes take to sell. This data is composed of homes that sold and indicates how many days from listing to contract.

No obvious trend, but December of 2011 showed a very robust market with quick turnover time for … (0 comments)

Clark, NJ, Market Study - 02/13/12 06:09 PM
 
The real estate market in Clark in January 2012 was only slightly less active than January 2011 with 6 homes selling for 95% of list price in 2011 compared to 9 homes sold for 100% of list price last year.
 
Overall, the 2011 data in Clark reflects no significant change compared to 2010 except in the area of length of time it takes to sell as shown in the graph below.  Homes in Clark took longer to sell in 2011 except over the summer.
 
The market in Clark continues to be strong with the average home selling for … (0 comments)

Cranford, NJ Market Study - 02/13/12 04:57 PM
How’s the Market in Cranford?
 
 
It appears as though the inventory in Cranford dropped, predictably, over the winter and that homes are still taking about 2 months to find a buyer. An even more revealing statistic is the Sale Price to List Price ratio which has remained relatively steady throughout the last six months. Therefore, when you’re looking at homes in Cranford, expect to pay 95% of the list price. If you’re selling a home in Cranford, expect to sell it within about 2 months.   
 

… (0 comments)

Dining in Clark? Try Bistro 1051! - 02/13/12 04:05 PM
We ventured out a week or two ago to Bistro 1051 on Raritan Road in Clark. This BYO restaurant features a unique mix of Italian cuisine and sushi. Service was fantastic and food was great and portions were very large (doggie bags all around). Their Brick oven flat bread with vodka sauce, prosciutto and fresh mozzarella was delicious.  The Dynamite Shrimp was exactly as described - dynamite, and the Kobe burger was juicy and served with fantastic sweet potato fries.
Next time, we're trying the Pear Endive salad and the sushi rolls.
Have you tried it yet? Tell us what you thought!
… (0 comments)

2/12 - Happy Birthday Honest Abe - 02/12/12 07:19 AM
Abraham Lincoln had this to say about real estate: "Property is the fruit of labor...property is desirable...is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built."  And isn't it true that home ownership is a positive force in the world? People who own homes are more likely to … (3 comments)

Affordable Condo in Bloomfield - 02/11/12 07:12 PM
26 John St Apt 2c, Bloomfield, NJ

2 bedroom 1 bath 149,000 2nd floor unit balcony   … (0 comments)

Rahway home for only 219,000 - 02/11/12 07:00 PM
 2258 Elizabeth Ave, Rahway, NJ $219,000 3 bedroom 2 bath 0.21 acres partially finished basement … (1 comments)

Union NJ custom home is filled with great surprises - 02/11/12 06:55 PM

2167 Kay Ave in Union NJ available for $359,900
4 bedrooms fireplace in living room full formal dining room 3 kitchens 3 bathrooms .15 acres 2 level deck          … (0 comments)

A Dozen Cheap Valentine's Day Dates in NJ - 02/09/12 05:08 PM
Rosee? Chocolates? Or do you give your partner what s/he really wants - time. Here are a dozen inexpensive date ideas to make give you and your partner the chance to spend some time together.
Check the Star Ledger for a local concert in a smaller, more intimate setting. Buy two cheap canvases and finger paint. Build a fire, snuggle up, and read a book of romantic poetry together. Take a picnic lunch and go to a lake to feed the ducks. Select a new recipe. Shop for the ingredients and prepare dinner together. Get a little fancier than usual. Make … (0 comments)

Chocolate and Wine Trails in NJ for Valentine's Day - 02/08/12 01:38 PM
Celebrate Valentine's Day by visiting these NJ Wineries offering a Wine and Chocolate Wine Trail Weekend February 11-12 from noon to 5 pm.
Auburn Road Vineyard and Winery is offering live music on Saturday night from 7-9. The Rubber Souls, a Beatles tribute band, will perform Beatles Loves Songs. Bellview Winery offers chocolate dipped wine bottles.
Brook Hollow Winery offers custom labels for wine bottles.
Cream Ridge Winery recently released ChocolateBerry wine made with Raspberries.
Four Sisters Winery is featuring a performance of an interactive  murder mystery and a buffet dinner.
Laurita Winery  offers hand rolled chocolate truffles, chocolate lava cake, and a chocolate romance fountain.  Heritage Vineyards is offering a … (1 comments)

15 Facts about Chocolate for Valentine's Day - 02/07/12 05:06 PM
Momma always said life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. – Forrest Gump

Chocolate grows on cacao (Greek for 'food of the gods) trees which are native to Central and South America. A cacao tree can produce close to two thousand pods per year. About 70% of the world’s cacao is grown in Africa. There are about 5  milligrams of caffeine in one ounce of chocolate, and 10 milligrams in a six-ounce cup of cocoa. The name chocolate comes from the Aztec word xocalati meaning bitter water.  The Mayans used cacao beans as … (1 comments)

Local Baseball Heroes - 02/04/12 07:06 PM

The Union County Baseball Association is holding its award ceremonies on Sunday, February 12 at 1:00 at L’Affaire Banquet Center in Mountainside.
Westfield High baseball players Dan Kerr and A.J. Murray will be honored as
Union County Baseball Players of the Year. Jackie Lima of Linden High School will be honored as Union County Softball Player of the Year.
Ray Korn, former Elizabeth High baseball coach will be honored for the winningest overall coaching record in Union County history.
Four new members will be inducted into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame. Dennis McCaffery of Cranford,  Ed Murzinski of Linden, … (1 comments)

Thank a Mailman Day - 02/04/12 12:29 PM

Today is Thank a Mailman Day. In a time when snail mail is passe and everything is quicker, faster, better, let's not forget those who walk through rain, snow, sleet, and hail to deliver our mail. Everyone loves brown paper packages tied up in string, and receiving a handwritten note is so much more fun than receiving an email.
Today, I'm going to try to catch my mail carrier enroute and be sure to thank him for his reliability. I think you should, too :)
… (6 comments)

Did You Wear Red Today? - 02/03/12 01:16 PM
 
Cardiovascular disease is responsible for 1 in 3 deaths in the US and is the leading cause of death – about 2200 deaths per day in our country.  Heart disease and strokes cost the nation more than $444 billion per year in heath care costs and lost productivity.
 
February is American Heart Month.  Million Hearts is the Department of Health and Human Services and Center for Disease Control’s initiative to reduce the number of heart attacks and strokes in the US by 1 million over the next 5 years.  Their plan is to help Americans avoid tobacco and … (1 comments)

Fundraiser for Local Music Shop - 02/02/12 08:25 PM
On January 22, the Sound Station in Westfield was destroyed in a fire. Owners Bob Larsen and Liz Walsh sold rare music finds and albums by local artists as well as hosting live shows. Rumor has it that the couple will open their doors again in a new spot in Westfield but renovations are expensive.
The community is hosting a life benefit on Friday, February 3rd. Supporters of the Sound Station have coordinated a concert called  “Backpack Superheroes present Sound Station Benefit Show” to be held at the Stanley Cup Bar & Grill, 1410 East Elizabeth Ave. in Linden starting at 9 pm. Ten bands will … (0 comments)

 
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Wayne and Jean Marie Zuhl

Clark, NJ

More about me…

Hallmark Realtors

Address: 112 Westfield Avenue, Clark, NJ, 07066

Office Phone: (732) 499-0030 x 244

Cell Phone: (908) 917-4189

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