Music helps put just about everyone in a festive mood. With only 10 more shopping days until Christmas, you'll probably be spending the next couple of weekends shopping to complete your gift list. If that shopping takes you downtown, you'll also be treated to several live Westfield Christmas music performances courtesy of several talented musicians and singers as they stroll the downtown streets.Live Westfield Christmas Music Performances for 2018Harmonics QuartetEvery Thursday since Thanksgiving, the Harmonics Quartet has sung classic Christmas tunes as well as some contemporary holiday favorites in downtown Westfield. Next Thursday, December 20th, marks their final performance of Westfield Christmas Music for the year. You can see them perform while you shop between 6:30 pm and 8:30 p... 12/21/2018

In addition to twinkling lights and sparkling displays, music becomes an integral part of many holiday celebrations. What better way to get you in the mood for Christmas than with the Westfield Return of the Holiday Tenors. For one night only, they perform at the Presbyterian Church of Westfield. You've never heard Christmas songs sung like this before.What: Westfield Return of the Holiday Tenors Where: Presbyterian Church of Westfield (130 Mountain Ave) When: Saturday, Dec 15th, 7 pm Cost: $15-$76 per seat Contact: New Jersey Festival Orchestra (908) 232-9400 or via emailWestfield Return of the Holiday Tenors David Wroe conducts the New Jersey Festival Orchestra as they provide the musical accompaniment for the Westfield Return of the Holiday Tenors. John Easterlin from the Metropolita... 12/14/2018

Tomorrow, we enter the final month of the year. And the City of Cranford wants to make sure to end 2018 with a bang. They've scheduled tons of great holiday events over the next few weeks. Since I'm sure you won't want to miss anything, I've put together this list of upcoming 2018 holiday fun in Cranford. Which ones will you be participating in?2018 Holiday Fun in CranfordHomes for the Holidays House Tour Visit four beautiful Cranford homes decked out in all of their holiday finery this Sunday, December 2nd on the Holidays House Tour. For just $25 per person, take a self-guided tour of these properties. Inside each home, volunteers share details about the property's history while guests dine on light refreshments. As a courtesy to the homeowners and for your comfort, please wear low-hee... 12/07/2018

Skating outdoors during the winter is exhilarating. Whether playing hockey or figure skating, an outdoor rink offers another layer of enjoyment that an indoor rink can't provide. Earlier this month, a temporary Westfield ice rink officially opened up at Gumbert Park. On March 1st, 2019, it will be torn down and restored back to its original usage. Until then, it's open to the public.What: Temporary Westfield Ice Rink Where: Gumbert Park (5 Chestnut St) When: Now through March 1, 2019 Hours of Operation: 3 pm to 9:10 pm M-F, 8 am to 9:10 pm Sat, 8 am to 8 pm SunTemporary Westfield Ice Rink Why make Gumbert Park the location of a temporary Westfield ice rink? The park provided a large, level surface on which to create the ice rink. That helped minimize the cost of construction. Its placem... 11/30/2018

Thanksgiving is less than a week away. Christmas Day follows just over a month later. Lord & Taylor celebrates the holidays in Westfield with a little charity and a photo-op with the jolly old elf himself.Lord & Taylor Charity DayTomorrow, November 17th, Lord & Taylor in Westfield hosts their annual Charity Day. Local charities all over the Westfield area have been selling $5 tickets specifically for Charity Day. With this ticket, you receive a special 25% discount on almost everything in the store when you shop at Lord & Taylor between 10 am and 9 pm on Charity Day. They also offer a 15% discount on most of their beauty products during the event. If you haven't picked up a ticket at your favorite charity lately, you can purchase one at Lord & Taylor's in Westfield tomorrow.Holidays in ... 11/23/2018

For many years now, I've had the privilege of being a part of the Westfield Area Y Men's Club. Since the club first began, we've managed to raise over $3 million that we use for grants to local community charitable organizations. Our primary fundraiser each year is our Christmas tree lot. This year, the Westfield Area Y Men's Club Christmas Tree Lot starts operation on Saturday, November 24th. So, enjoy turkey with your family on Thanksgiving. Good luck fighting off the crowds for those Black Friday deals. Then, bring the family to our Christmas tree lot to pick up your tree for the holiday.What: Westfield Area Y Men's Club Christmas Tree Lot 2018 Where: Elm St Athletic Club (across from Stop & Shop) When: November 24th to December 23rd (or until stock runs out), 9 am to 6 pm Sat & Sun,... 11/16/2018

The end of the year is quickly approaching. You want to put your Westfield home on the market. But, you're unsure if now's a good time. Should you wait until spring, when more buyers will be searching for properties? Don't wait. There's still time for you to sell your Westfield home before the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve. But you'll need to act fast and follow my advice below.How to Sell Your Westfield Home Before the End of the YearCreate a Standout Online Listing According to Real Estate Agent University, 90% of home buyers begin their search online. If your online listing doesn't catch their interest, they'll move on to another property. Therefore, in order to sell your Westfield home before the end of this year, you're going to need to make your listing stand out. Use a... 11/09/2018

"They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky. They're all together ooky. The Addams Family." The Addams Family creator, Charles Addams, was born in Westfield, NJ in 1912. As a kid, he broke into some of Westfield's stately mansions because he believed them to be haunted. They served as inspiration for the backdrop of his Addams Family cartoon series in later years. Westfield celebrates its native son with AddamsFest 2018 this weekend.Westfield Celebrates AddamsFest 2018Several events have been set up all over the Westfield area to celebrate AddamsFest 2018 throughout the weekend. Here's a guide to a few of the more popular events taking place:Haunt Your House The owners of 22 Westfield homes participated in AddamsFest 2018's Haunt Your House event. But organizers need your h... 11/02/2018

Your home is a major investment of your time and money. Most likely, you're going to want to make a few changes while you own it. Some projects you'll do because they improve your lifestyle. Other projects you do because they improve your home's value. Here are some of the best home improvement projects for the money.Best Home Improvement Projects for the MoneyReplace the Roof Does your roof look a little worse for wear? Replacing it costs about $7500 on average. But your ROI runs around 109%, making it the best home improvement project you can do. As time goes on, however, that ROI lessens (due to wear and tear on the roof itself). Whether you plan on selling your Westfield home soon or want to live there indefinitely, you need a good roof over your head to protect you from the element... 10/26/2018

Thinking about selling your home in the fall? Even though we may have just passed the busiest time for Westfield real estate, the fall season presents a great time to entice buyers, too. The buyers currently looking for homes want to complete a sale before the holidays. So, the people coming to look at your home are very motivated. That's great for a seller. The Westfield Area Market Report for September 2018 reports very favorable activity in our area, especially for newly constructed luxury homes.Westfield Area Market Report - September 2018Active Westfield Luxury Homes for Sale - September 2018The Garden State MLS reported a total of 30 active listings in September 2018. Fourteen of those were newly constructed homes. Ten of these came onto the market within the last 30 days. This in... 10/19/2018

The "busy season" for Westfield real estate may have already passed us by. According to national real estate stats, home sales hit their peak in most markets during August. However, buyers remain on the hunt for a Westfield home all year round. When selling your Westfield home in the fall, entice them to view your home with a few seasonal staging ideas.Selling Your Westfield Home in the FallThink "Season", Not "Holiday" With the Autumn season, too many people fall into the Halloween motif. But not everyone celebrates or even likes Halloween. And kids might come with their parents to view your Westfield home. When selling your Westfield home in the fall, stick to seasonal decor. It's fine to add some holiday touches close to the actual holidays (Halloween and Thanksgiving, in particular)... 10/05/2018

When we stop moving, we stop living. As a supporter of an active lifestyle, I love cycling. Riding around my Westfield neighborhood helps me truly appreciate our lifestyle here. Unfortunately, we also know that some people aren't physically able to ride. My sister-in-law, Diane, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis several years ago. So, we've seen the ravages this places on a person's body and mind first hand. That's why Team Guys & Dolls signed up for Bike MS NYC 2018.Bike MS NYC 2018 - Team Guys & Dolls The National Multiple Sclerosis Society provides support and education for individuals afflicted with MS as well as their families. They are also the leading fundraiser for MS research in the country. Riding for them again is an honor and a privilege. Besides, who can pass up an oppo... 09/21/2018

New home construction in the Westfield luxury real estate market is a hot commodity. Many buyers want to completely customize their home without the hassle of a messy remodel. A new home build allows them to do that. To avoid problems and reduce your stress, follow these tips for managing your new home construction in Westfield.Managing Your New Home Construction in WestfieldOnly the Best Will Do When building a luxury new home, don't skimp on the construction firm you hire. Just because they cost the most doesn't necessarily mean they're the best, though. Check their credentials. Ask to see photographs of their most recent projects. Talk to several firms before you decide which one to hire for your new home construction in Westfield.Create Your Wish ListSetting your ideas down on paper... 09/21/2018

Are you considering putting your home up for sale? As we head into fall, the ways to market it may change slightly from how you would have marketed your Westfield home in the summer. We all understand how important curb appeal can be to lure in potential buyers. Proper home staging is also crucial to a successful sale. And, of course, you want to hire the best Westfield REALTOR® to take care of all of your needs. But there are a few lesser known yet extremely important home selling tips you should also focus on.Home Selling Tips: Tasks You Need to Do Right NowMarket to Millennials The first of my home selling tips is to pay attention to millennials. Buyers ages 20 to 37 made up more than one-third of the real estate market across the country last year. So, don't overlook the importance ... 09/14/2018

Advances in technology have helped make our lives much easier. Computers used to take up entire rooms. Today, we hold a world of information in the palm of our hand. Westfield buyers of all ages look for properties that include smart-home features. If these features already come installed in the home, they won't have to install them later. But which smart-home features do buyers look for the most?Smart-Home Features Westfield Buyers WantHeating and Air Smart thermostats rank high on the list smart-home features today's Westfield buyer looks for when searching for their next house. While just about everyone wants to lower their electrical usage, this proves especially popular among younger homeowners. Turn the temperature up when the last person leaves your house during the summer. Then,... 09/07/2018

Now is a great time to put your home on the market. But before you do, survey your home for areas that need improvement first. Here are a few Westfield home repairs you should focus on before you list.Westfield Home Repairs: What to Fix Before You ListFlooring One of the first things a buyer sees when they walk through your door is the floors. Concentrate your Westfield home repair efforts on ensuring they look good. Conduct a good steam cleaning of all carpeting throughout your Westfield home. If your carpet still appears shabby, you might want to consider replacing it. Buyers love wood flooring. However, they don't love scuff marks, dings, or scratches. A good scrubbing and waxing should be enough. You might want to refinish or replace your floors if the stains and dings are significa... 08/31/2018

Now is a busy time in the Westfield luxury real estate market. Sometimes, sellers receive several offers at one time. This is definitely a nice problem to have. When evaluating an offer, other options besides money factor into accepting or rejecting it.Evaluating an Offer: It Isn't Always About the MoneyContingencies Most real estate transactions include contingencies of one sort or another. Typical contingencies include a home inspection, clearing the title, appraisal, financing, and sale of the buyer's current home. When evaluating an offer, one with fewer contingencies attached looks more attractive, even if the offer comes in lower. Unless they offer substantially more than the list price, a buyer with a laundry list of requests might not be worth the hassle.All-Cash OffersWith all-... 08/24/2018

Summertime proves to be a busy time in the real estate market. The Westfield Area Market Report for July 2018 showed that to be true. Buyers love newly constructed homes, with several properties spending less than 30 days on the market before going under contract. Inventory's up 39%. But that hasn't quelled buyer demand.Westfield Area Market Report - July 2018Active Westfield Luxury Homes for Sale According to the Garden State MLS, 31 Westfield area luxury homes are currently for sale. Newly constructed homes make up 14 of the total active listings. These include two colonials currently being built by FBE Construction. NCN Properties also has two colonials under construction. There's a new north side colonial available as well. And Elsheikh Custom is building another colonial. Four prop... 08/17/2018

Thinking about selling your Westfield home? If so, you might want to do it sooner rather than later. Currently, we're enjoying a seller's market. Buyers want luxury Westfield homes. Demand runs high, especially during the summer. Therefore, now is a great time to put your home on the market.Westfield Home Seller Tip: Best Time to Sell According to national statistics, August is the best month to list your home. While some luxury Westfield homes sell within 30 days, others may take longer. If you list now, you are more likely than not going to be celebrating the holidays at a new address. In fact, you may even be able to move on to a new home before school starts in the fall. But you'll need to list it soon to take advantage of the throng of buyers on the market. Also, statistics show th... 08/03/2018

First impressions matter, especially when trying to sell your Westfield home. Attention needs to be focused on your home's exterior as well as its interior. A few changes make a huge difference and won't cost you an arm and a leg. These simple projects increase curb appeal as well as your home's value. And any of them can be finished over the course of a weekend.Simple Projects to Increase Curb Appeal and Home ValueGive Your Exterior a Face Lift Is your Westfield home's exterior looking a little tired? Increase your curb appeal by refreshing a few basics. Replace the concrete walkway with a beautiful curving stone path. Add a couple flowering bushes and plant beautiful blooming flowers. Use mulch to cover your flower bed instead of ugly dirt. Install flower boxes on windows or porch rai... 07/27/2018