This weekend, the Cranford, NJ based Celebration Singers will be performing their annual Winter Concert at the Harvest Training Center on Myrtle Avenue in Cranford, NJ. The concert begins at 8:15 P.M. and tickets are $15 for adults, and $10 for seniors and children. The program features the adult choir and children's choir, as well as a combined number at the end of the program. Come get into the holiday spirit and see your favorite Realtor (me) on stage performing with the group. For more information, contact me, or logon to the website below. www.Celebration-Singers.org Thanks for reading. Sean Carroll RE/MAX Classic Group www.TeamCarrollNJ.com 12/02/2008

Here are the raw numbers for Cranford, NJ Real Estate for the Month Ending October 31, 2008. Average Sales Price: $468,384 Average Days on Market: 76 Average List to Sale Price Ratio: 97% Closed Transactions: 19 The sales activity declined from prior months, as the financial news in September caused buyer activity to decline sharply due to uncertainty. There were still a good number of closings for the fall, but I anticipate this 4th quarter total to be much less than a year ago. Check back for year over year comparisons, as well as quarterly comparisons, so we can see where we are in the market trends. Buyers: Opportunities to buy into this great town of Cranford are many. But you have to act quickly on the well priced homes, as motivated sellers are already building in the market corr... 11/17/2008

We are pleased to announce that in response to consumer feedback, we have re-tooled our website to allow you to search all the listings available in the Multiple Listing service with just a few short clicks To search ALL listings at your leisure, CLICK HERE and you will be on your way in less than a few minutes. You will simply need to provide a login name (email address) and you will be sent a password for you to log back in. We look forward to continuing to serve your real estate needs!   10/29/2008

While I will be publishing the actual numbers in about 2 weeks for Sept. and October, I wanted to give all of you readers a "heads up" on what's happening out there in the Cranford area. For 2 years I've been telling you that our market has been holding fairly steady in terms of buyer activity, especially compared to such markets as South Florida and California. Well lately for the first time in a while we have seen a dropoff of homes going under contract. I attribute this primarily to the tightening credit standards, and few folks being able to qualify. So...is this bad news??? Depends on how you view it, and what your situation is. Here is how it affects you: Buyers: if you have an excellent credit rating and a healthy down payment THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BUY because you will c... 10/22/2008

Disney Dave let me know yesterday of an exciting new cruise program offered by Disney. For those of you who are disney fanatics, or want to explore another aspect of Disney besides the parks, here is what Dave Weichert from Magical Travel has to say this month: Introducing Northern European Capitals and Mediterranean Cruises.Start planning now...bookings begin October 14. Please contact me at disneydavew@verizon.net�or call 908-709-4199. There is nothing like these cruises. You get the Disney Cruise Line experience with fantastic new ports of call. DISNEY EUROPEAN CRUISES Disney Cruise Line offers a family vacation thousands of years in the making. Experience the timeless allure of historic Europe, with Disney as your guide. Explore quaint seaside villages and tour cosmopolitan cities, ... 10/07/2008

As I blogged about yesterday. I am proud to have completed the CDPE training. I am more passionate than ever about helping homeowners avoid foreclosure, and share with them other options that are far less devastating both financially and emotionally. To tell you a little more about what a CDPE designation means for you the consumer, here is what the developers of the program have to say. This is not just a 2 hour seminar, this is not a gimmick, this is an intensive training program, and an incredible network of agents equally passionate about helping each other help homeowners, AND helping their own clients. What Is a CDPE? The Developers of the Certified Distressed Property Expert Designation (CDPE) believe that in almost all cases the best person for a homeowner in distress to speak w... 10/04/2008

Cranford is a suburban NYC community with a population of about 23,000 people. The town has an excellent school system, and a quaint downtown area, which is in the process of revitalization - including new condominiums and retail establishments. The Rahway River runs through Cranford, which provides beautiful park-like settings throughout the town, as well as fresh water fishing, and canoeing opportunities for both residents and visitors. The town sits on the Raritan Valley Train Line of NJ Transit, and commuters can access New York City via a transfer to the PATH train or Northeast Corridor at Newark Penn Station. For more information: www.Cranford.com www.TeamCarrollNJ.com   10/04/2008

Known at the turn of the century as the Venice of New Jersey, the Union County Township of Cranford grew up around the meandering Rahway River. Cranford is home to Union County College and is about a half hour commute to the city by car, bus or from the Cranford train station.             CRANFORDKnown at the turn of the century as the Venice of New Jersey, the Union County Township of Cranford grew up around the meandering Rahway River. In 1720, John Crane of nearby Elizabeth Towne (now Elizabeth) built a grist mill on the north side of a ford in the river and a sawmill on the south side. That mill at Crane's Ford provided grain for Washington's troops during the Revolution. Cranford remained a small village until 1838, when the Elizabethtown & Somerville Railroad made it accessible to... 09/21/2008

As the financial markets continue their roller coaster today, I thought it would be appropriate to let all of you know that we at Team Carroll are more committed than ever to help you and those you know with their real estate needs. While we of course work with traditional purchase and listing transactions, we are focusing on helping "distressed" property owners now, and are in the process of getting even more specialized training in this area. What does this mean? It means that while many Realtors are running from listing homes that are in pre-foreclosure, or require a negotiation with their lender to allow a "short sale", we are actively seeking these homeowners. Why? Because foreclosure is bad for everyone involved, and we want homeowners to know that they have other options. So, if ... 09/19/2008

Hello again. With all of the messy news out of Wall Street the past few days, and seemingly centered around fancy terms such as "credit default swaps" and "mortgage backed securities" - what does it mean for you? I decided it was time for me to look at the numbers mid month, as I believe that the market now is far too volatile to check just once per month. What I saw is this: Inventory in Cranford has risen from 83 homes for sale a month ago, to 91 homes for sale today Sold listings between August 1 and August 18 numbered 13, while there have only been 4 closing since September 1st. Not many homes have gone into attorney review in Cranford this month, which tells me there have been fewer accepted offers than is typically the case. So..what do I think??? Well, I am not a psychic, nor am ... 09/17/2008

Here are the raw numbers for Cranford, NJ Real Estate for the Month Ending August 31, 2008. Average Sales Price: $470,950 Average Days on Market: 63 Average List to Sale Price Ratio: 96.1% Closed Transactions: 24 The sales activity remained consistent with July's numbers, as this has been overall a very healthy summer for Cranford, NJ real estate sales in terms of closed transactions. Check back for year over year comparisons, as well as quarterly comparisons, so we can see where we are in the market trends. Buyers: Opportunities to buy into this great town of Cranford are many. But you have to act quickly on the well priced homes, as motivated sellers are already building in the market correction to their list prices!!! Sellers: Get good, honest pricing advice from your Realtor, and le... 09/12/2008

Today, after a lot of work for everyone involved, buyers, sellers, agents, attorneys, lenders, and banks, Team Carroll helped another family avoid a foreclosure by succesfully closing a short sale in Cranford, NJ. Thanks to my active rain blog, these clients found me after listing with 2 other Realtors, and hired me to help them with their short sale. We got the property under contract in less than a month, and through some lending challenges, the buyers agent and I along with both attorneys, kept things moving ahead. If you are facing foreclosure, or need to sell your house but owe more than its worth, don't give up. CALL US!! We want to help. Nothing gives me a better feeling than helping people, and preventing a foreclosure is good for everyone. Thanks for reading. Happy Labor Day! S... 08/29/2008

If you are behind on your house payments, and/or you need to sell your house, but like many people owe more on the home than its worth, don't panic, and don't walk away! Let Team Carroll help you. We are specializing in helping homeowners like you sell their homes and complete a "Short Sale" with your lender. We will negotiate with the bank for you, walk you through the entire process, and make our best effort to get the bank to accept a fair offer for your home, and avoid foreclosure. There are options, give us a try! For more information, contact us today! Sean Carroll - Realtor. Team Leader "Team Carroll" www.TeamCarrollNJ.com   08/28/2008

If you will be around Union County on September 5 and 6, you MUST check out the Union County Music Fest. It will feature a list of great bands, with the 2 headliners of Everclear, and B 52s. What a great event, held right in our backyard of beautiful Cranford, NJ. Here is what the music fest website has to say about the event. To see the full info, logon to www.UCMUSICFEST.com OVERVIEW:Across two glorious late-summer days, MusicFest will bring together the Union County community for a free event consisting of non-stop musical entertainment and fun for the entire family. Located in beautiful Nomahegan Park in Cranford -- one of the region's most scenic destinations -- three stages will host an exciting line-up of popular national and local musical acts. (MusicFest '07 performers included... 08/26/2008

Many of our clients ask us every day "Just how much is the market down in Cranford" We read newspaper reports every day, and hear TV reporters tell us that the sky is falling with real estate everywhere, and that just isn't true. So, what's happening in Cranford??? Here are the facts. These are not opinions, these are not guesstimates, these are facts. The average sales price in Cranford NJ for the year to date ending July 2008 is $435,665 The average sales price in Cranford NJ for the year to date ending July 2006 is $464,578 That equates to about a 6.3% decline in average sales price. Keep in mind the average is not the whole story. This does not take into account particular price ranges having a larger decline than others. What we are finding is that the starter homes under $500,000 ... 08/22/2008

Here are the raw numbers for Cranford, NJ Real Estate for the Month Ending July 31, 2008. Average Sales Price: $422,940 Average Days on Market: 78 Average List to Sale Price Ratio: 96.9% Closed Transactions: 25 The sales activity remained consistent with June's numbers, as this has been overall a very healthy summer for Cranford, NJ real estate sales. Check back for year over year comparisons, as well as quarterly comparisons, so we can see where we are in the market trends. Buyers: Opportunities to buy into this great town of Cranford are many. But you have to act quickly on the well priced homes, as motivated sellers are already building in the market correction to their list prices!!! Sellers: Get good, honest pricing advice from your Realtor, and let us guide you to position your ho... 08/22/2008

For a complete list (INCLUDING ADDRESSES) of homes in Cranford, NJ under $400,000, logon to: http://www.NJAreaRealEstate.com No calls...no hassles...just the information you want. Property lists and updates emailed to you daily, with no calls from any agents until you ask us...REALLY!! Now is a great time to buy in Cranford.   A Free service provided by Team Carroll of RE/MAX Classic Group 08/04/2008

Team Carroll is renewing its commitment to helping homeowners in the Cranford area who may be facing foreclosure, pre-foreclosure, or simply are just behind on payments and don't see a way out. If you are struggling in your home, and want help, please give us a chance to help you. 7 out of 10 foreclosed properties don't show any evidence of visible intervention. Don't be one of those 7. We can show you some possible solutions to help avoid foreclosure, and help you do what's best for your family. Don't be embarassed, don't be ashamed. There are lots of good people who are in tough situations right now. Let Team Carroll help! We are passionate about real estate, and passionate about helping others. Sean Carroll - Realtor, Team Leader "Team Carroll" - Real Estate Professionals www.TeamCar... 07/31/2008

Cranford NJ Market Report As promised, here is a comparison of the Cranford NJ Real Estate Market for the 12 month periods ending June 2008 compared to June 2007. As you will see below, and as I have discussed in several blog articles the past few months, and shared on consultations with both buyers and sellers, the prices, inventory levels, and sales activity has remained constant (or flat) in the past year. You will notice an increase in the total number of listings (1464, up from 1343), but there was also an uptick in the number of sales (211 up from 205) and a decrease in the number of new listings (197 down from 216). The average price dropped only $15,000 which amounts to a little over 3%, and probably within the margin of error for any statistical study, thus I called it "flat". ... 07/14/2008

The Cranford Chamber is hosting its 6th networking event of the year this Wednesday July 16th at 12:00 noon, at "A Toute Heure" on Centennial Ave. Of course Sean will be there to represent Team Carroll as we grow our referral relationships, and help local Cranford business grow theirs. For more information, check out our website: www.TeamCarrollNJ.com Thanks for reading, and happy networking! Sean Carroll - Realtor, Team Leader "Team Carroll" of RE/MAX Classic Group   07/12/2008