When buying a Westfield area home, knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what you should do. For example, ignore home buying myths (like you cannot have any debt whatsoever and your credit must be excellent or forget about ever being approved for a loan). Fortunately, lenders offer several different loan options for buyers to choose from. And avoid these common mistakes home buyers make to help ensure a smooth transaction.Common Mistakes Home Buyers MakeWaiting to Hire an AgentHiring a qualified Westfield REALTOR® that you trust should be one of the very first steps you take when buying a home. Feel free to go online to see what is available in the area. But make sure an agent accompanies you to any viewings. Last year, many buyers and sellers opted for virtual viewings... 02/11/2021

You bought a Westfield home two or three years ago. Its value increased quite a bit since then. The difference between what you owe and your property's value is called "equity". You can use this equity in a myriad of ways: a vacation, a wedding, a new car. But to make the best use of your home equity, you should either use it to buy a new home or borrow against it to pay off debt or remodel/update to further increase the value of your property.Smart Ways to Use Your Home EquityNew Home PurchaseStarting a new family? Need a larger home? Downsizing after the kids flew the nest? Ready to retire and want to simplify your lifestyle? Are you simply ready for a change? Then it is time to buy a new Westfield home. When you sell your current home, roll over your home equity into the purchase of ... 01/29/2021

First of all, let me thank everyone who purchased their trees and garlands this year from the Westfield Area Y's Men's Christmas Tree Lot. The response we received was tremendous. We sold out of our entire stock well before Christmas Day. All money raised from the lot helps us with our community programs throughout the year. So, we greatly appreciate the public's patronage. Speaking of Christmas trees, the City recently released their Westfield Christmas tree disposal information to help residents know where to take their trees now that the holidays are over.Christmas Tree Disposal in WestfieldUnfortunately, curbside service does not include Christmas tree disposal. However, they do allow free drop off of all trees, Hanukkah bushes, leaves, and other recyclable materials at the Westfiel... 01/22/2021

You decided to make 2021 the year that you set aside any home-buying myths you previously believed in and purchased a new property in the Westfield area. Congratulations! Part of your house-buying process more likely than not includes a home appraisal. Alleviate some of the stress of buying a house by learning why this is needed and where it fits in with your journey to homeownership.What to Expect from a Home AppraisalWhat is It?Basically, an appraisal is the valuation of a property provided by an unbiased, third-party licensed appraiser. Unless you pay all cash for your new Westfield house, you need to secure financing for it. To do so, your lender will require a home appraisal. Your mortgage company wants to make sure that the property's value comes in at or above the amount of money... 01/15/2021

I hope everyone welcomed in the New Year in their own fun yet safe way. Westfield came in at #1 on Coldwell Banker's "Top Places to Live in New Jersey" last October. (It was #9 on Niche.com's 2020 list.) But that comes as no surprise to anyone who lives here. With buyer demand rising, homeowners might want to put their properties on the market soon. As the new year begins, consider these home seller resolutions to make your house ready for a buyer in 2021.Home Seller Resolutions for 2021Get Rid of the ClutterOne of the first (and possibly easiest) home seller resolutions to tackle is to declutter your Westfield home. Just because the holidays ended does not mean that charities do not need your help anymore. Go through your house room by room and start boxing/bagging up clothing, linens,... 01/08/2021

Are you considering purchasing a Westfield home in the new year? Do you think you need to put 20% down in order to qualify? That is absolutely not the case. Some programs allow you to purchase a property with as little as 3.5% down (or less). But that is just one of several home buying myths that stops people from buying a new home. What are the others?Home Buying Myths You Should Just IgnoreZero DebtStudent loan debt lands among the top reasons why undergrads delay purchasing a property. Even if you paid off your student loan, thousands of people believe they must pay off all of their debt before they could qualify for a home loan. Not true. While extensive debt might hurt your chances of loan approval, lenders like to see that you manage your debt properly. So, a debt load of 36% or l... 01/01/2021

Christmas Day is exactly one week from today. For all of you procrastinators out there, that means just six more shopping days. While you run around ticking off names on your Christmas list, please consider visiting the Stop & Shop to participate in their food drive. It takes place through December 24th. If you plan on shopping in the downtown area this Tuesday afternoon, include the kids on your trip and visit the Westfield Santa Claus Lane drive through.What: Westfield Santa Claus Lane Drive ThroughWhere: South Ave Train StationWhen: Tuesday, December 22nd, from 3 pm to 5 pmContact: Downtown Westfield Corp (908) 789-9444Westfield Santa Claus Lane Drive ThroughSanta is always busy this time of year. But he wanted to take a moment to visit with all the good little boys and girls in the ... 12/25/2020

Westfield hosts their annual Westfield Holiday Light Contest starting next weekend. Sign up today! Registration deadline is Dec. 9th.What: Westfield Holiday Light Contest 2020Where: All Westfield NeighborhoodsWhen: December 12th to 19th, after duskRegistration Deadline: December 9thContact: Town of Westfield (908) 789-4040Westfield Holiday Light Contest 2020Does your family go all out with their holiday decorations each year? Let's end 2020 on a high note by showing off your Westfield home's best Christmas look. The contest is open for free to all residents. Simply visit the Westfield Recreation Department website to register. Registration closes at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, December 9th. Once you finish decorating, email a photo of your home to Lauren with the Town of Westfield. Entries m... 12/11/2020

I hope everyone enjoyed a safe yet fun time at Thanksgiving this year. Even celebrating the holidays changed thanks to COVID-19 concerns. Hopefully, that changes soon with positive news of several vaccines on the horizon. However, we still need to keep health at the top of mind at this time of year. I certainly hope that your plans include the Westfield Y's Men's Christmas Tree Lot. It opens tomorrow, November 28th.What: Westfield Y's Men's Christmas Tree Lot 2020Where: 204 Elm St, Westfield, NJWhen: Sat., Nov. 28th to Wed., Dec. 23rd (or when inventory runs out, whichever comes first), 5 pm to 9 pm Mon. thru Fri., 9 am to 6 pm Sat. & Sun.Westfield Y's Men's Christmas Tree Lot 20202020 marks the 73rd year that the Westfield Y Men's Club Christmas Tree Lot has been in business. I may not... 12/04/2020

Two years ago, Westfield held its very first gingerbread house competition. In its third year, the 2020 Westfield Gingerbread House Contest promises bigger and better prizes for the winners. But organizers implore contestants to think outside the typical "gingerbread house" idea for entries.What: Westfield Gingerbread House Contest 2020Where: Savory & Spice (138 E Broad St)When: November 30th to December 3rdWestfield Gingerbread House Contest 2020When organizers say "house", they really mean "get creative". They want to see your interpretation of buildings or iconic locations in and around Westfield. This year, they included the Westfield 300 category as a nod to the city's 300th anniversary. You are not limited to gingerbread alone. You just need to make sure that you use only edible m... 11/27/2020

Westfield New Jersey Real Estate Listing (Updated Daily) (Union County)  https://bit.ly/3QOvlnXThe data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the IDX Program of Garden State Multiple Listing Service, L.L.C. and Weichert, Realtors® - Warren. Real estate listings held by other brokerage firms are marked as IDX listings. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Copyright © 2023 Garden State Multiple Listing Service, L.L.C. All rights reserved. This information is being provided for Consumer's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose Sellers' Advice https://bit.ly/3QFFpyZ  Buyers' Advice https://bit.ly/3n0Cmm3   No/Central NJ Town Listings https://bit.ly/32YoroI   Our New Homes & Commercial Listings  https://bit.ly/3lWVEbC  Our In... 11/22/2020

2020 changed the way we live our lives in many ways. Schools went virtual. Employers sent workers home. Even major events like AddamsFest went virtual. Many businesses are hurting. Some local residents found themselves unemployed and struggling. During the holidays, this stings even more. You can help our less fortunate neighbors by participating in the Westfield Firefighters Holiday Food Drive 2020.What: Holiday Food Drive 2020Where: Westfield Fire Headquarters (405 N Ave W) & Westfield Fire Station #2 (1029 Central Ave)When: Now Through December 1stContact: Westfield FMBA Local 30 via emailWestfield Firefighters Holiday Food Drive 2020Every year, the Westfield Firefighters conduct a holiday food drive for local families in need. This year, the firefighters have already received more r... 11/20/2020

By now, you already know that Westfield will be celebrating AddamsFest this year. But, as with everything else in 2020, it comes with a twist. Large crowds are so 2019. Instead, some of this year's celebrations go virtual. Social distancing, face masks, and hand sanitizing stations play a part in many of the in-person festivities planned. But you can stay safe while celebrating the season by voting for your favorites in the AddamsFest Haunt Your House Contest going on right now.AddamsFest Haunt Your House ContestDozens of people entered this year's Haunt Your House contest for AddamsFest. (51 to be exact). Download your AddamsFest Haunt Your House Driving Guide to find out where all of the Westfield homes entered in the contest are located. Drive by each location anytime between now and... 10/23/2020

For most people, October means Halloween and pumpkin spice lattes. On a local level, it also means Addamsfest. But those are not the only events taking place in our neck of the woods this month. This weekend, we celebrate Westfield Applefest 2020.What: Westfield Applefest 2020Where: The Reeve House (314 Mountain AveWhen: Saturday, October 17th, 12 pm to 4 pm (two 2-hour sessions)Admission: $5 per person, free for veterans and kids under 3Contact: Mary Konoslaki, Westfield Historical Society, (908) 654-1794 or via emailWestfield Applefest 2020A beloved annual fundraiser for the historical society, Westfield Applefest 2020 will be held on the lawn of the Reeve House. Tours of this piece of Westfield history will be off limits this year. As an outdoor-only event, weather plays a part. Curr... 10/16/2020

October brings all things spooky to light. But in Westfield, this month has special meaning. We celebrate cartoonist and former resident Charles Addams. With a global pandemic taking place right now, organizers needed to come up with a different way to honor him. So, they created an Alt-AddamsFest for 2020. Haunted trails, scary movies, painted windows in downtown shops. They all make appearances in the upcoming weeks. Just recently, organizers announced even more fun added to their schedule of events. But they need your help to make them happen.More Alt-AddamsFest 2020 FunPainted Pumpkin ContestPart of our Alt-AddamsFest festivities includes a walk along the Painted Pumpkin Path in Mindowaskin Park. If you fancy yourself a bit of an artist or simply want to be a part of the fun, submit... 10/09/2020

I have been a proud member of the Westfield Area Y Men's Club for a long time now. Perhaps you saw me at our Christmas Tree Lot last year (or any of the years before that). In fact, it's almost time for our lot to start up again. (Just over two months to go!). The Y hosted a clothing drive back in May of this year. It went so well, that they decided to host another Westfield Area Y clothing drive in October.What: Westfield Area Y Clothing DriveWhere: Westfield Area Y (422 E Broad St)When: Thursday, October 8th, 2020, 7:30 am to 2:30 pmContact: Westfield Area Y (908) 301-9622 x240 or via emailThe Y is Back in BusinessThe Y offers dozens of programs for children and adults that encourage them to work on their physical fitness. After months of shutdown due to COVID-19 concerns, they recent... 10/02/2020

If you love to eat but have trouble picking one restaurant to visit, then the Westfield Fall Foodie Stroll 2020 is for you. Almost two dozen local eateries promise to provide scrumptious samplings of their menu items for guests to taste. But you'd better hurry. Local foodies already snatched up almost half of the tickets available. What: Westfield Fall Foodie Stroll 2020Where: Various Downtown Westfield RestaurantsWhen: Sunday, October 4th, 12 pm to 4 pmAdmission: $5 per wristbandContact: Nicki McAuliffe, Downtown Westfield Corp, (908) 247-6407 or via emailWestfield Fall Foodie Stroll 2020Some of the best restaurants and cafes signed up to participate in this year's Foodie Stroll. Each restaurant plans on preparing a few select items from their various menus to sell at discounted prices... 09/25/2020

Even with New Jersey in lockdown for several weeks due to COVID-19, this year seems to have flown by. In just under three weeks, we enter October. That means pumpkin spice lattes, cooler temperatures, leaves falling from the trees, and AddamsFest. Yes, the annual tribute to Westfield's favorite son returns next month with a pandemic twist.AddamsFest 2020 (aka "Alt AddamsFest")It seems rather appropriate that we honor a man whose work embraced the macabre during this, a macabre year. In keeping with COVID-19 safety recommendations, organizers needed to tweak some fan-favorites from past celebrations. Instead of large gatherings like the parade, Family Fun Zone, and Pugsley's Trunk or Treat like last year, this year's Alt AddamsFest chose events that allow everyone to enjoy themselves whi... 09/18/2020

One of the best things about living in Westfield is that we take care of each other and our town. That's an important contributing factor to why we continue to make the list of Top Best Places to Live in NJ each year. City officials created the Westfield Adopt-a-Drain program to encourage residents to assist them in keeping our storm drains clear. This also provides a wonderful opportunity to teach your children a pride in their community.Westfield Adopt-a-Drain ProgramWhen it rains (like this weekend), everything ends up in the storm drains. Grass, leaves, trash, animal waste, and anything else on our sidewalks and streets all make their way down the streets and into these drains. The build-up of materials creates a blockage, backing up water and causing flooding to occur. If left to p... 09/04/2020

One hundred years ago was the beginning of what would eventually be known as "The Roaring Twenties". Women were officially allowed to vote. F Scott Fitzgerald's first novel, This Side of Paradise, was released. A world pandemic, the Spanish Flu, wound down. And presidential election results were broadcast over the radio for the very first time. To celebrate our city's 300th birthday, officials need your help with one of the objects going into the Westfield 300 Time Capsule.Westfield 300 Time CapsuleOfficials already decided to include the regular stuff you expect to see in a time capsule: newspapers, maps, menus, a jersey from Westfield High School, etc. Current electronics that are sure to be obsolete when the capsule is opened in 100 years also go into the time capsule. Of course, the... 08/28/2020