Not yet on the market --- wonderful 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath Center Hall Colonial at the end of beautiful cul-de-sac. Sellers are preparing it for the market!! Priced at $939,000. Fabulous value! … (0 comments)
kate conover: Mold, Radon, Lead Paint, OH, MY!
- 11/04/10 07:11 AM
In the late 80s, when I started my career in real estate, we started hearing about radon. We were told it was a gas that came from decaying radium found in rock and soil. Although it was discovered in 1900, it wasn't until 1988 that the EPA came up with suggested guidelines for detecting and possibly remediating it. The suggested maximum reading of 4.0 pico curies isn't a scientific measure of hazard to your health, but rather a suggested number at which to consider a radon remediation system --- a soil suction reduction system consisting of vent pipes and fans. … (1 comments)
kate conover: The Resurgence of the 80s Townhouse
- 11/02/10 07:24 AM
When you get to a certain age, the prospect of mowing lawn, trimming shrubs, shoveling snow and replacing various systems in your home loses its allure. I realized that about 11 months ago, and embarked on a journey to consider townhouse living. The thought of it gave me chills --- living smack up against other humans, having to weart make-up to get my mail, learning the art of small-talk --- so I avoided it as long as I could. When I fell out of my tree trying to saw off a broken limb, I realized I had had enough. I found the … (2 comments)
kate conover: Wyckoff and Franklin Lakes, NJ Comparative Stats
- 11/01/10 07:57 AM
When I read The Record, our "hometown" newspaper, I always wonder where they're getting their statistics on our real estate market. While I understand that they're covering all of Bergen County, NJ, it is terribly confusing to its readership to lump towns like Rutherford in with towns like Wyckoff. You just can't begin to compare the towns, so how can you give any meaningful statistics when you lump all of Bergen County together? To say the Bergen County real estate market is down 15-10%, and not discuss which towns and price ranges you've analyzed, does nothing but frighten everyone. The latest stats … (0 comments)
kate conover: MOLD --- THE NEW RADON!
- 10/24/10 06:45 AM
Most homes have mold. You might not see it, or know it's there --- unless of course you have mold allergies, and then it could be a serious problem. One of those unfortunate people just contracted to purchase my listing, in Wyckoff. If you think you know all about mold, think again. For almost two weeks, I've spent hours each day doing research, calling experts, calling people who claim they're experts, and finally coming up with more information than I ever thought I needed to know. The frightening part about mold testing and mold remediation is it's pretty much an unregulated … (3 comments)
kate conover: Franklin Lakes and Wyckoff Tax Assessments
- 10/20/10 06:24 AM
After receiving a newsletter from the Mayor of Franklin Lakes outlining the necessity for a new tax revaluation, I got to thinking about why Franklin Lakes seems so different than Wyckoff when it comes to taxes. The Mayor's missive stated that many of the homes in Franklin Lakes are assessed between 10-15% over what they're selling for in this market. I think that's on the low side, but she's right about the inequity. These assessments happened when the real estate market had started to decline, but no one had any idea how steep that decline would be, nor how rapidly it … (2 comments)
For Immediate Release For further information contact Police Department 201-891-2121 FULL ROAD CLOSURE 24 HOUR FULL CLOSURE OF THE FRANKLIN AVENUE RAILROAD CROSSING FRANKLIN AVENUE RAILROAD CROSSING BETWEEN GODWIN & WYCKOFF AVENUES WILL BE CLOSED 24 HOURS A DAY STARTING MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010 THROUGH SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2010
The NewYork, Susquehanna & Western Railway Corp. is re-constructing the Franklin Avenue railroad gradecrossing for safety. This project has been long awaited due to the poor condition of the crossing. At the same time, Public Service Electric & Gas will replace a gas line … (1 comments)
kate conover: Housing Market in Northern NJ Surprisingly Better Than Its Neighbors
- 10/17/10 04:34 AM
REPRINTED FROM the NY TIMES, 10/17/10 It seems that the story of what is happening in the real estate market has very nearly become a tale of two states: northern New Jersey and southern New Jersey. Both are hurting, of course, but the southern half is a world of hurt apart, according to a new analysis of sales statistics proffered by the Otteau Valuation Group in New Brunswick.Looking at sample towns grouped geographically, the Otteau analysts concluded that Median sales prices fell 2.7 percent in the northern suburbs during the first nine months of this year, compared to last year; the … (2 comments)
kate conover: Is Your Health Care Provider Pulling a Fast One? Look Carefully at Your Bills!!
- 10/16/10 05:30 AM
A few months ago, I had a routine colonoscopy, at Valley Hospital. Since I've had them before, I knew my insurer, Oxford Health Plans, covers it and most other fees. So, it was quite a shock to get a bill from Valley stating I owed a balance of over $2,500. After a lot of digging (Valley resisted telling me the whole story), I learned that Oxford had a contract/deal with Valley to pay $4,900 for all ambulatory (same-day) surgeries, no matter the actual cost. This affords Valley the opportunity to bill the patient, not the actual amount of their procedure, but … (3 comments)
kate conover: SHORT SALES, REOs, FORECLOSURES --- OH, MY!!
- 10/15/10 07:20 AM
I often have people ask me about foreclosures. Most think banks foreclose when you stop paying your mortgage, and for many years they did. We've since entered the age of the "Short Sale," a phenomenon no one can adequately explain. I can tell you this much: if you buy one, be prepared to wait as long as a year to close. It could happen sooner, but it takes time to pay off all liens and deliver clear title at closing A short sale is declared when the homeowner contacts his bank and explains that he is "under water" (owes more than … (0 comments)
kate conover: NJ Community Food Bank Needs Your Help!!!!
- 10/14/10 03:56 AM
It always amazes me how few people even know the Food Bank exists, so I suppose it shouldn't surprise me to learn that their shelves are almost empty. How is that possible? Every day we're bombarded with news about job losses, economic conditions in the country worsening, children who go to sleep hungry, and people dying on the streets of the once richest nation in the world. I understand that it gets harder and harder to make a living in this economy, but in NW Bergen County, the real estate market in which I work, is one of the wealthiest areas, … (0 comments)
kate conover: Beautiful Franklin Lakes Highwoods Gate Home Coming Soon
- 10/12/10 09:05 AM
The setting is at the end of a quiet, rambling cul de sac in beautiful Highwoods Gate of Urban Farms, and the home is a stately 5800 square foot brick Center Hall Colonial on a lush acre. Spacious enough for extended family, yet warm and inviting for smaller gatherings, this lovely home offers the best of all worlds. Take the tour through the Formal Living Room w/fireplace/hardwood flr, Formal Dining Room w/hardwood flr, huge Kitchen w/breakfast area surrounded by glass, Great Room w/fireplace/hardwood floor, 1st flr Guest Bedroom and Bath, Laundry Room and lovely Powder Room. A 4-5 car garage is accessible … (4 comments)
kate conover: Wall Street and the Bergen County Luxury Market
- 10/06/10 08:03 AM
So, Wall Street had a big rally, yesterday, and everyone got something they haven't had in a long time --- a rush of hope. The Luxury Market --- Franklin Lakes, Saddle River, in particular --- has been waiting for that rush for more than a year, but who knows how long we can sustain it. The Bergen County housing market has taken a hit like counties all over the country, but the Luxury Market has been hardest hit, just as it was after the whirlwind uptick in house prices in the mid-to-late 80s, and the stock market hit an all-time low on … (0 comments)
kate conover: Social Networking and Selling Homes
- 10/06/10 04:38 AM
Kate Conover (that's me) has been listing and selling homes in NW Bergen County for 21 years, but only for the past two has been trying to master the field of Social Networking. I tried to ignore it, but when I realized how valuable it is to get my Sellers' homes sold, I threw myself into it head-first. My market --- mainly Franklin Lakes, Wyckoff, Ridgewood, Saddle River, Upper Saddle River, Midland Park, Mahwah, Ramsey, Waldwick, Glen Rock and Allendale --- hasn't gotten slammed as much of the towns outside Bergen County, but prices are still down from 10-25% from the … (2 comments)
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