NJ Estates Real Estate GrouponNJ Estates Real Estate Group has several Facebook accountsto keep you updated on the most current Real Estate Information. Join Us.Click on the links below. Please note: All links open up in a separate window   NJ Estates Real Estate Group Central NJ New Homes/Land New Jersey New Homes New Jersey New Homes Group Paul Stillwaggon       COMPLETE INFO UPDATED DAILYCurrent Listings Info Luxury New Homes Custom Build A New Home Land & Building LotsNew Jersey EstatesOur Luxury Pre-Owned HomesNewsletters/BlogsGarden State MLSOpen Houses & DirectionsOur Testimonial LettersGoing Green/ Complete InfoFollow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Somerset County NJ Real Estate Union County NJ Real Estate Morris County NJ Real Estate NJ Estates Real Estate Group / Weichert... 10/26/2011

SOMERSET COUNTY NJ REAL ESTATE INFORMATION CLICK ON LOGO & PICTURE FOR MORE INFO COMPLETE INFO UPDATED DAILYCurrent Listings Info Luxury New Homes Custom Build A New Home Land & Building LotsNew Jersey EstatesOur Luxury Pre-Owned HomesNewsletters/BlogsGarden State MLSOpen Houses & DirectionsOur Testimonial LettersGoing Green/ Complete InfoFollow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Somerset County NJ Real Estate Union County NJ Real Estate Morris County NJ Real Estate NJ Estates Real Estate Group / Weichert RealtorsWatchung Office 908-561-5492 10/23/2011

By SUSAN STELLIN   Published: September 15, 2011    I took this article from the NY Times because it's true. Everyone needs their own byer representation and the listing agent is not always the right person for the job. Read below and hoepfully you can decide what is the best choice for you but at least you have options. Then visit my website and check out my "BUYER'S" page to see what I do as a buyers representative. I have been trained and certified as an "Acredited Buyer's Representative". Not every buyer's agent has. www.AdrienneFrancis.com or text me at 201 259-4449. Also visit my blog www.BaskingReige-NJ-HomesforSale.com .   IN this do-it-yourself era of online real estate listings, it is easy to find out what is on the market, visit open houses and even research sales data to com... 09/25/2011

Source  I thought this was a great article about the problems with re-financing toay and purchasing in genereal. A large part due to appraisals and what the banks are requirirng today. Hope you enjoy it. If I can help with your home buying or selling needs, please visit my website www.AdrienneFrancis.com or call me at 201 259-4449.   By PAUL SULLIVAN Published: September 16, 2011   I RECENTLY decided to refinance a condominium my wife and I owned in Florida and quickly got caught up in the frustrating and often baffling world of real estate appraisals. The appraisal for the condo initially came in at exactly the dollar amount we needed to refinance it without putting up any more money — something I found fishy but did not question since it worked to our advantage. But a week later, the ... 09/25/2011

This makes all of use very angry so I just had to post the article. It's bad enough that so many people have no choice but to loose their homes but this should be outlawed. Gene Kessler, 67, may be the new face of mortgage default. The tech industry retiree is in the process of walking away from the home he purchased for $166,000 in 2004 in a small town 75 miles southwest of Minneapolis. Its value has plummeted to $111,000, wiping out Kessler's $45,000 down payment and leaving him with a mortgage that's more than the home is worth. He stopped paying the loan six months ago, and estimates he'll have to vacate by March 2012. But Kessler isn't in financial trouble, and he could afford the monthly payments. He has no other debts and two pensions from former employers, as well as Social Sec... 09/25/2011

Source Top Towns to Live in New Jersey According to NJ Monthly Magazine. 09/06/2011

Source MANY whose homes have fallen in value feel stranded with underwater mortgages. ***** “A lot of people have been sitting and not doing anything,” said Cari Sweet-Kostoplis, a senior mortgage banker at Atlantic Home Loans in Lincoln Park, N.J. But they may qualify to refinance their loans through a variety of programs aimed at avoiding late or partial payments or foreclosure. “I don’t think a lot of people are aware that they have this option,” said Jef Kinney, the vice president for innovation and development of Fannie Mae, who oversees refinancing activity. Because interest rates remain low, he said, refinancing may bring their payment “to a level that is sustainable to them and put money in their pockets.” In the New York region, according to Zillow.com, some 17.1 percent of sin... 09/06/2011

Source I thought this was a great article as I see lots of rooms like this and they can be very frustrating trying to visualize what to do with them. So here are some great ideas. Have you been wanting to experiment with a new color or even repaint for freshness but that tall vaulted ceiling is getting in your way? Painting this type of ceiling can seem like a monumental size project but with a little guidance, you can get it done! Prepare the Room Keep in mind that as neat as you may be at painting walls, vaulted ceilings are an entirely different story. There is a lot of potential for long drips that pick up speed on the way down and splatter hard on impact! Move what you can out of the room, take everything off of your walls and cover everything that is left (including the floor) wit... 09/06/2011

Source   The secret to filing a successful disaster insurance claim is getting prepared long before catastrophe actually strikes your home. I hope this information is not too late. But this is problably not the last storm we will see on the East Coast. No, it's never too late! Good luck and best wishes to everyone that has been through this nightmare.   “Be prepared” is a motto that rings true for homeowners as much as Boy Scouts, especially when it comes to disaster insurance claims. Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes strike with little warning. The aftermath can be devastating. The time to get your insurance in order is before one of these calamities ravages your house and ruins your possessions. By doing so you can have everything you need in a safe place and know exactly... 09/01/2011

The current loan limits for conventional and FHA loans is being reduced effective October 1st, 2011.   The new loan limit will be $625,500. Loans closing after September 30th must be at or below the new loan limit and there will be no exceptions per the federal government regulations. It then will become a jumbo loan.   The last day to submit a loan over $625,500 and under $729,750 will be September 1, 2011. And of course the mortgage companies are in general making it more and more difficult for all consumers. If you are considering buying or selling a home and want some great information, please visit my website www.AdrienneFrancis.com or call me at 201 259-4449. You can also visit my other blog at www.BaskingRidge-NJ-HomesforSale.com and my Facebook page AdrienneFrancis.com 07/26/2011

Many people think that next to the winter holidays, the summer is the worst time to sell a home. I have to disagree!  Just this weekend - a holiday weekend - I negotiated a contract on a Society Hill townhouse, fielded a call from another agent looking for comp information as she was negotiating a contract, and my partner Gerry and I both showed homes.  There is a definite market out there.  In fact since June 20th, there have been 14 contract sales in Basking Ridge. A few years ago, I wrote about selling your home in the summer months - now I have some additional tips for you: Summertime means barbecues, outdoor fun and lots of sunshine, flowers and greenery. The commonality among all of those rites of summer is that they draw attention to a home's landscaping and outdoor spaces. Homeo... 07/04/2011

There are several things going on in my Basking Ridge Real Estate world that I thought I would share.  Moving sale at 11 Archgate Road in Basking Ridge Friday, 6/24 from 9am - 2pm and Saturday, 6/25 from 9am - 12pm. Priced to Sell. Loads of kids toys, clothes, games and books. Household items, furniture, storage, etc. Too much to list. Take Lyons Road to 11 Archgate Road. Featured Open Houses 22 Lyons Place from 1:00-5:00 on Sunday, 6/26.  The list price on this home was just reduced from $519,000 - a great opportunity for a first time home buyer or someone looking to renovate, remodel or build on what is almost an exact acre in the heart of Basking Ridge. 258 Alexandria Way from 1:00-4:00 on Suday, 6/26.  This open house is still tentative - watch the internet for confirmation.  A Gree... 06/22/2011

Large Updated Town-House for Rent in Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 - $2,500Bedrooms: 2Bathrooms: 3.1Year Built: 1994Subdivision: The CedarsLot Size: commonGarage Size: 1 Car GarageSchool District: Basking RidgeAgent Name: Maria Lourdes CoutoBroker: RE/MAX PremierMLS #: 2866012Rent: $2,500Available Date: Mon Aug 01, 2011Deposit: 1 1/2 month SecurityMinimum Lease: 1 yearIncluded Utilities: Sewer195 Locust LaneBasking Ridge, NJ 07920View MapView More PhotosMy SiteRange/OvenFull RefrigeratorWasher/DryerDishwasherFireplaceVaulted CeilingsBasementFinished BasementWood FlooringSky-litesFinished LoftOffice/Guest RoomFamily RoomEat-In-KitchenStorage RoomSwimming PoolGrass LawnPrivate DeckTennis CourtsWalking PathsEnd Unit Town-Housefinished basementMaria Lourdes Couto, ABR,CRS,SRES908-400-1801Contact ... 06/15/2011

Only three properties closed here in town in the last week: 31 Countryside Drive - a one bedroom condo - listed for $197,000 closed for $1888,000 266 Potomac Drive - a two bedroom condo in Spring Ridge - listed for $248,500 sold for $232,500 3 Witherspoon Lane - a three bedroom town house in Amherst Mews listed for $849,000 closed for $825,000. Several mortgage reps that I work with have published weekend specials - including a 30 Year fixed FHA at 5% (must have credit scores of at least 660).  If you are considering a move into or out of Basking Ridge, please contact me and so I can help get you started. Or click here to search homes for sale in Basking Ridge. Is it summer yet? The sun is out today - it might be cold, but let's think ahead a few weeks...there is no better time than no... 03/26/2011

27 contract sales since March 1st - TWENTY-SEVEN - who says the buyers aren't out there?  Four of these sales were under $200,000 (who would have thought we'd have inventory that low in Basking Ridge?  See, you can get a one bedroom condo here in town!).  Six of these sales were between $200,000 and $400,000; seven between $400,000 and $500,000.  There were eight sales between $600,000 and $1m and two over $1m.  Maybe you are ready to buy the next Basking Ridge home?  Search homes for sale in Basking Ridge.  This same time period last year saw 24 contract sales - not much different... There have been thirteen closed sales in town since March 1st; including my listing at 36 Kensington Road which closed for $820,000 last Friday. There have been SIXTY-FOUR new listings in Basking Ridge sin... 03/21/2011

According to Fannie Mae's latest national housing survey, Americans are more confident about the stability of home prices than they were at the beginning of 2010. Of the homeowners and renters who responded to the survey, almost 80 percent said they thought housing prices would hold steady or increase over the next 12 months, up from 73 percent in January 2010. The survey also found that the groups with the most positive views on homeownership were young Americans, Hispanics and African Americans. In fact, nearly 60 percent of respondents between 18 and 34 years old say that buying a home offers a lot of potential as an investment. In addition, more than one-third of Hispanics and African Americans say they plan to buy a home within the next three years, compared to one in four of the ... 03/16/2011

I can honestly say - finally - that I have been busier in the last two weeks than I have since before the December holidays!  It must be the break in the weather.  I know I feel better when the sun is out - and I feel better when I'm busy!  Here are some notable happenings in Basking Ridge Real Estate and in Basking Ridge in general: 11 properties have gone under contract since March 1st; at all price points including two one bedroom condos that were listed under $200,000, two duplexes in the Cedars, several townhouses and a single family home in the Hills. 331 English Place and 381 Lyons Road closed this month.  On my webiste, I have an analysis of what sold in Basking Ridge last month. 353 Penns Way - the largest model in Society Hill will be held open on Sunday, 3/13, from 1:00-4:00.... 03/11/2011

Four closed sales in Basking Ridge this week 287  English Place, Society Hill condo, list price: $249,900, sale price:  $236,500 79  Spencer Road, Single family home, list price: $549,000, sale price:  $505,000 25  Marilyn Street, Single family home, list price $629,900, sale price: $577,000 189  W Oak Street, Single family home, list price $749,000, sale price: $715,000 Current inventory is 138 properties, absorption rate is 5.75 months. Township residents received their notices of property tax assessment for 2011 at the end of January.  Neither the multiple listing system or the Vital Services website have been updated yet so I am reaching out to some past customers for their numbers. Stay tuned for a blog post featuring some examples. Of the handful of people I have already spoken to... 02/19/2011

25 Marilyn Street, Basking Ridge Another one SOLD here in town!  This four bedroom bi-level home set on almost an acre closed today for $577,000. You too can be a happy homeowner!  Search for what's available in Basking Ridge or see what your home's value is in today's market. A shout out to my partner, Gerry Light for helping to make it happen! 02/17/2011

Home Page Our Listings Featured Listings Luxury New Homes New Jersey Estates * Search GSMLS * Open Houses Search for Homes Pre Owned Homes Testimonial Letters Selling Your Home Free Reports Our Towns & Cities Real Estate Blogs Localism Posts Places of Worship Daily News And Advice School Reports Real Estate & Mortgage Land, Lots, Custom Build Morris Co. Real Estate Somerset Co. Real Estate Union Co. Real Estate Facebook Accounts Real Estate Update Contact Us Custom Built New Homes Green Realtors Free CMA Request Facebook Central NJ New Homes & Land Facebook New Homes Contact Information Paul F Stillwaggon Contact Me Phone (908) 561-5492Fax (908) 561-7220Mobile (908) 310-1358 Weichert Realtors - Watchung55 Stirling RoadWatchung, NJ 07060 Linking The Latest Technology To Old Fashioned Se... 02/14/2011