Do you always find yourself scrambling at the last minute to file your taxes? You only have 17 days until this year's April 18th filing deadline. But do not worry. This year, you might feel fortunate to have procrastinated. Why? Well, if you sold a Westfield area home last year, you still have time to claim these home seller tax deductions.Home Seller Tax DeductionsCosts Associated With the Actual Home SaleStaging fees, escrow fees, agent commissions, etc. You paid somebody to spruce up your curb appeal. Maybe you performed a home inspection before you listed to avoid any unpleasant surprises during escrow. Any money you spent on these and anything else associated with the actual sale of your Westfield area home may be tax-deductible.Improvements/RepairsPerhaps your property needed some... 04/08/2022

Staging your Westfield area home is all about putting the best foot forward for potential buyers. By highlighting its most desirable features, you can draw more interest to your home and leave a lasting impression that is sure to help you sell it more quickly. Here’s what you should keep in mind as you prepare for your next open house or viewing!Staging Strategies for Your Westfield Area HomeHelp Them Visualize Your Home as Their OwnMake it easier for buyers to imagine themselves making your Westfield area house their home by removing personal memorabilia, knick-knacks, and photos. Instead, replace them with simple décor, such as paintings, nature images, and plants.Think Sleek Instead of ComfyModern-day buyers are leaning toward modern, crisp, clean interiors over comfy, homey looks. W... 04/01/2022

What do Short Hills, Westfield, Summit, and Chatham Township all have in common? Great schools. Great homes. Awesome people. Oh, and they all made Niche.com's 2022 Top 20 Best Places to Live in New Jersey List. How did Niche.com determine their rankings and what made these Westfield area cities so special? I'm glad you asked.Westfield Area Cities Named Among Top 20 Best Places to Live in NJHow Niche.com Determined RankingsNiche.com gathers data from various sources, such as the US Census, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the Tax Foundation, the FBI Uniform Crime Report, local surveys, and more. Then, they sort this information into 15 separate categories. Cost of living and higher education rate receive the most weight (12.5% each) while the shortest commute makes up 2% of each city'... 03/25/2022

COVID-19. An aging population. Fewer donors. Fewer donation sites. All of these things contributed to our current nationwide blood shortage. But you can help change things. Over the next couple of weeks, make an appointment to donate blood at one of two Westfield area blood drives.Westfield Area Blood Drives - March 2022Westfield Blood DriveThe Westfield blood drive takes place from 2 pm to 8 pm on Wednesday, March 16th at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church on Gallows Hill Rd. You may schedule a donation time by visiting the New York Blood Center's website here. As of the writing of this post, several appointment times remain available.Cranford Blood DriveThe Cranford Blood Drive takes place from 1 pm to 7 pm on Sunday, March 20th at the Cranford VFW on South Ave East. While walk-ins ar... 03/18/2022

We live in a seller's market here in the Westfield area. Even so, you still need to prep your home to show off its best features. Most buyers look for a "move-in ready" home rather than a fixer-upper. In fact, sellers benefit from a pre-list inspection. So, you might want to consider hiring an inspector to come to your home before you put it on the market. But even if you decide not to do that, keep these home sale "don'ts" in mind to capture the attention of as many potential buyers as possible. Plus, you'll get your home sold in a shorter time frame for more money.How to Hurt Your Home SaleTake Your Own PhotosNo matter how great of a camera your cell phone provides, leave the photo-taking to the professionals. Most real estate agents work with a professional photographer. They may eve... 03/11/2022

Valentine's Day is just a couple of weeks away. Downtown Westfield wants to share the love with you and your sweetie. There are two separate Valentine's Day contests waiting for your entry. One provides gift cards to local restaurants and shops. The other helps you tackle your New Year's resolution of better health with a new Peloton bike. Both sound like great prizes to me.Valentine's Day Contests in WestfieldDowntown Westfield Gift CardsThis contest is so easy to enter. Simply visit Downtown Westfield's Facebook post about the contest here. Then, "like" the post. Finally, leave a comment where you tag your Valentine and tag the downtown Westfield restaurant or boutique you would like to take them to on Valentine's Day. Organizers plan on choosing two winners at random from all of the ... 02/04/2022

You’ve most likely heard the rule "save for a 20% down payment before you buy a home". The logic behind saving 20% is solid, as it shows that you have the financial discipline and stability to save for a long-term goal. It also helps you get favorable rates from lenders. But there can actually be financial benefits to putting down a small down payment—as low as 3%—rather than parting with so much cash upfront, even if you have the money available.Pros and Cons of a Small Down PaymentThe DownsideThe downsides of a small down payment are pretty well known. You’ll have to pay Private Mortgage Insurance for years, and the lower your down payment, the more you’ll pay. You’ll also be offered a lesser loan amount than borrowers who have a 20% down payment, which will eliminate some homes from ... 01/28/2022

This weekend's storm is just the latest of many that the Westfield area experiences this time of year. Most likely, it will not be the last. So, when the weather eases up, you might want to follow these winter storm safety tips for your home to survive during the next big weather event we see.Winter Storm Safety Tips for Your HomeCarbon Monoxide - The Silent KillerSome Union County homeowners keep a generator on hand for rough winter weather. That is smart. However, do not run these generators in your home. These generators emit carbon monoxide gases. Since they are both odorless and nearly invisible, they may easily fill up a room before anyone notices. Even generators placed directly outside of the home may allow dangerous gases to invade inside. Follow the directions from the manufac... 01/21/2022

New year. New home? If you plan on selling your Westfield area home in 2022, you should start focusing on the tasks required to make it happen. The sooner you create a plan of attack, the easier selling your home becomes in the new year.Selling Your Home in 2022Set a Target DateMarch through May tend to be the best times to list your home on the Westfield market. That is when more buyers go out looking for a new home. Why? Nice weather makes it easier to navigate their way to a showing. Plus, this allows families time to close and move during the summer, when school closes. Once you set your target listing date, create your list of tasks that must be completed beforehand. Then, set deadlines for which each task must be finished.Interview REALTORS®Next, you need to find a REALTOR®. You n... 01/07/2022

Most people busy themselves with last-minute Christmas shopping and getting ready for New Year's Eve parties right now. However, some are thinking about buying a new Westfield area home. These homebuyers include Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964). Buying a home in your 60s or 70s may seem even more overwhelming than usual with retirement knocking on your door. If you are a senior home buyer, let me offer you a few tips to help make this transition a little easier.Tips for the Senior Home BuyerPut Future Needs at Top of ListRight now, navigating stairs and cleaning up a large home may still seem manageable. But down the road, you might find it much less so. The National Association of REALTORS® 2021 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report found that Boomer buyers planne... 12/31/2021

Christmas Eve takes place exactly one week from tonight. Meanwhile, the holiday spirit fills the air. For instance, Scotch Plains put their tree on display in Alan Augustine Village Green. Westfield and Fanwood's official trees are set up at their respective North Ave train stations. And you absolutely must see the Fanwood Christmas House. But after the celebration dies down and your guests go home, you are left with the clean-up. That includes your Christmas tree. Unfortunately, these trees cannot be disposed of with your weekly trash collection. What do you do? Contact our local high school band and schedule a Westfield Christmas tree pick-up after the holidays.What: Christmas Tree Pick-up in WestfieldWhere: Curbside Outside Your HomeWhen: Saturday, January 9thCost: $20 per treeDeadli... 12/24/2021

The Christmas holiday season is in full swing in the Westfield area. For most of us, this means spending time with family and exchanging gifts with those we love. Unfortunately, some people dread the holidays. Either they spend it alone or they struggle to pay their bills and put food on the table already. This time of year puts extra pressure on them to make it special for their children. You can help by donating to the Westfield Toy Drive.Westfield Toy Drive 2021Two Downtown Westfield companies (Allstate Insurance at 502 E. Broad St. and Kinderprep at 80 South Ave. W) partnered up with Springfield charity Furniture Assist to host a Westfield Toy Drive this year. Furniture Assist provides everything from clothing to household goods to people in need. Right now, both businesses accept d... 12/17/2021

The calendar says "October". In Westfield, that means just one thing: AddamsFest! COVID tempered last year's AddamsFest event. But this year's event promises to be as big and bold as ever. Earlier this month, the Mask-erade Ball kicked off the 2021 AddamsFest festivities. This weekend belongs to Addams Family Fun Day 2021.What: Addams Family Fun Day 2021Where: Quimby St, Downtown WestfieldWhen: Sunday, October 17th, 10 am to 5 pmAddams Family Fun Day 2021Organizers outdid themselves this year. First, do some pumpkin decorating with the docs at Atlantic Medical on Central from 10 am to 12 pm. Then, once an hour (starting at 10:30 am), local author Peter Lyons provides a live reading of his illustrated children's book "Tonight, Tonight is Halloween" on Quimby St. The Maniacs Pumpkin Carve... 10/22/2021

We are back. Team Guys and Dolls has been participating in Bike MS NYC for two decades now. In the past, we did so in support of my sister-in-law, Diane, who valiantly fought Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for years. Unfortunately, she also fought a battle against COVID last year and lost. So, now we ride to honor her memory. But the good news is that events like this raise much-needed funds to find medication to help treat this debilitating disease. In fact, the medications have been successful enough to warrant advertising on TV. But we need your help to reach our Bike MS NYC 2021 fundraising goal.Bike MS NYC 2021The RideThis ride provides one of the most incredible routes any cyclist could ever experience. For one day a year, some of the streets around Manhattan completely shut down to moto... 10/06/2021

The global pandemic left so much of our lives up in the air last year. We had to adapt to a new "normal". Fortunately, some things returned for 2021. Outdoor events like Sweet Sounds Downtown and Cranford's own Summer Sounds series made summer that much better here in Union County. Alas, summer is over. Fall is in the air. Now, it is time to bring back Downtown Westfield Girls Night Out.What: Downtown Westfield Girls Night Out 2021Where: Downtown Westfield Shops and RestaurantsWhen: Thursday, September 23rd, 10 am to 2 pm & 5 pm to 9 pmContact: Downtown Westfield Corp (908) 789-9444Downtown Westfield Girls Night Out 2021It's true. Girls Night Out is back in Downtown Westfield. That means more boutique specials, more refreshments, and more relaxation just for you. Dozens of the shops and... 09/24/2021

Back in 2012, Superstorm Sandy hit our neighborhood. Just last week, Hurricane Ida struck. (Reminder: Regular curbside pickup will not allow for bulky storm waste and debris. You must dispose of it at the Conservation Center.) When a natural disaster strikes, many homeowners rely on their insurance to take care of damages to their property. But when was the last time you checked on your homeowners insurance? You need to do that sooner rather than later.Homeowners Insurance Check-UpTornados. Floods. Hurricanes. Severe cold weather. They may all affect our lives here in the Westfield area at one point or another. If that happens, you want to be prepared.FloodsYes, homeowners insurance typically covers damage from a plumbing issue on your property. However, most of these policies do not co... 09/17/2021

After canceling last year due to COVID concerns, the Westfield Area Night of Lights 5K is back for 2021. This fundraiser helps aid local families struck by tragedy. Whether you run, walk, skip, or saunter your way through the 5K, it does not matter. Enjoying yourself along the journey is the goal.What: Westfield Area Night of Lights 5K 2021Start/Finish: Tamaques ParkWhen: Sunday, September 12th, 6:30 pmAdmission: $30 per person through Aug 31st, $35 Sept 1st to 13thContact: Sam Tooley, The Tooley Legacy Foundation, via emailWestfield Area Night of Lights 5K 2021When Sam Tooley's brother Jake died in a house fire back in 2017, his family was overwhelmed by the love and support they received from their community. To pay it forward (and to honor his brother's memory), Sam created the Toole... 08/28/2021

Now is a great time to sell your Westfield home. Prices continue to rise. Interest rates remain low. And Westfield made the Top 10 List of Best Suburbs to Live in New Jersey. We keep seeing more and more buyers looking to move here. But even in a seller's market, you need to make sure your property is in tip-top condition. That is why home sellers can benefit from a pre-list inspection.Home Sellers Advice: Pre-List Home InspectionNo SurprisesOne of the best reasons why home sellers should perform a pre-list inspection is because it eliminates the element of surprise. Your buyer will most likely have an inspection performed during the escrow period. If you get one done before you even list your Westfield home, you know the condition of your home as it stands today. Inspections uncover is... 08/13/2021

We love our first responders (police, firefighters, EMTs, etc.). They are the ones that run to help us when we need them. But they work better with the community's assistance to report and solve crimes. This keeps us safe. Therefore, it benefits us to get to know our first responders, including our police force. That is why they are hosting Westfield National Night Out 2021 on August 3rd at the North Side train lot.What: Westfield National Night Out 2021Where: North Side Train LotWhen: Tuesday, August 3rd, 6 pm to 9 pmAdmission: FREEContact: City of Westfield (908) 789-4040Westfield National Night Out 2021In the BeginningNational Night Out originated back in 1984 as a way to bring law enforcement, neighborhood watch programs, and the community at large together. When we know one another... 07/30/2021

Westfield is currently under a Heat Advisory from the National Weather Service. Make sure you stay hydrated, stay out of the sun, and stick to air-conditioned rooms to help keep you cool. Also, check on your elderly family, friends, and neighbors. But the temps outside are not the only thing that heats up during the summer. Our Westfield real estate market is on fire. Keep these tips in mind if you plan on buying a home during the summertime.Tips for Buying a Home in the SummertimeFewer Choices/More CompetitionIn the past, sellers occasionally found themselves in the enviable position of fielding multiple offers. But in today's market, we see this happening more and more. Less inventory means that home buyers may find themselves in a bidding war against other buyers for properties. It h... 07/23/2021