Published Feb 28, 2008 by Judy Marciano.
Driving
while
talking....
not allowed and as of Saturday, March 1st, a new law goes into effect which now makes talking on a cell phone while driving without a hands-free devise, a primary offense and a $100 ticket It used to be a secondary offense since 2004. The police were able to cite a driver for the violation but had to pull over the driver for another reason.
So consider yourself warned and lets not forget the real reason for not talking and driving, be safe!
Published Feb 26, 2008 by Judy Marciano.
I am currently working with a buyer who is looking for a 2 bedroom in Hoboken for under $500,000. The buyer would prefer to spend $425,000 - $450,000, but to give them a wider variety to select from, I ran a search using a price range of $350,000 to $499,000. Within this price range, there are 35 units available on the Hudson County MLS as of today. Out of the 35 units, only 6 included parking (these were the ones in the $495,000 to $499,000 price range w/the exception of one on Jackson Street which is listed for $439,000). 15 of the 35 units had central air. Only 5 were under $400,000. 22 were $450,000 and above. The average size of these 35 units was apporx 853 sq ft. So, yes it does exist but in a limited supply. I've actually seen about 16 of these 35 units and while some were smaller in size, there were some great possibilities. It's a good time to be a buyer!
Hoboken 2 bedroom condo inventory = 225 units
average price = $620,232
median price = $599,000
low = $274,500
high = $1,790,000
information compiled on 02.26.08 from the Hudson County MLS, information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Published Feb 24, 2008 by Judy Marciano.
When you purchase a condo, you become part of your buildings home owners association (HOA) or condo association. Along with that membership, comes a monthly fee which you are required to pay in the same proportion as your ownership in the common elements. This money is necessary in order to pay for the operating expenses of your building, including such essential day to day items such as water, hallway lights, building insurance, etc.. not to mention the amount of money which should be set aside for a reserve. However with smaller condominium projects if one or two people fail to pay their maintenance fee, the impact on the other residences is dramatic. For example, in a 5 unit building, if 2 people don't pay their monthly fee, the remaining people are paying 33% of all expenses as opposed to 20%. The laws protecting condo associations are weak at best. And if an owner simply refuses to pay, there is not much more that can be done except for putting a lien on their property, but a lien doesn't pay the bills. The whole problem is becoming more of an issue lately and recently my husband was quoted in the New Jersey Cooperator Monthly as saying "one of the most important safeguards is to be sure to have annual meetings and good communication among all the owners. So if a problem starts, it can be quickly addressed". As he is quoted in the paper, "The most tangible benefit" says Marciano, "is the ounce of prevention for a pound of cure theory. If you take the management of the building seriously, it will result in a better upkeep and a higher price on resale."
Published by Judy Marciano.
Happy Birthday to the Path Train - in honor of this 100th birthday, Path Train is free tomorrow between NY and NJ from 6am to 11pm.
Published Feb 21, 2008 by Judy Marciano.
There are currently 392 active condo listings in Hoboken on the Hudson County MLS. Out of the 392 listings, only 5 are under $300,000. There are 22 listings for over $1,000,000. The majority of the active listings seem to be in the $500,000 to $600,000 price range. In this range, there are 114 active listings.
Active Listings = 392studio's = 10 unitsone bedroom = 117 unitstwo bedroom = 225 unitsthree bedroom = 38 unitsfour bedroom = 2 unitsUnder Contract = 168studio's = 4one bedroom = 53two bedroom = 100three bedroom = 9four bedroom = 2Closed (as of Jan. 1st) = 88studio = 7one bedroom = 29two bedroom = 45three bedroom = 7information compiled on 02.21.08 from Hudson County MLS, information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Published Feb 18, 2008 by Judy Marciano.
The Kennel Club of Northern New Jersey is presenting an "AKC Meet the Breeds" exhibit which will offer an opportunity for the public to meet experienced breed owners who can share their expertise pertaining to specific dog breeds and characteristics. It's a great place to start your search whether it's your first dog or if you are trying to decide between different breeds. This is how we ended up with a Chinese Crested Powderpuff. After months of research (since we knew this was going to be a huge commitment and responsibility) we ended up attending this type of event at the Meadowlands Exposition Center. It was great being able to speak to the different breeders to get first hand information about the breeds we were considering. Initially, we never considered a Chinese Crested dog because we thought it was a hairless breed, a lot of the books never mentioned the Chinese Crested Powderpuff which does have hair. Anyway, it was a big decision but a good one and as a result of this event we ended up with an amazing dog, Roxy, who was everything we hoped for. So if you are thinking about getting a dog and can't make up your mind or if you simply want to spend a fun day in Hudson County doing something different, you can attend this event on Sunday, March 2nd at the Meadowlands Exposition Center inside the Mill Creek Mall on Route 3 Westbound, 355 Plaza Drive, Secaucus. Admission: Adults $10 & Children $5.
Published Feb 14, 2008 by Judy Marciano.
"If music be the food of love, play on".- Shakespeare
Published Feb 11, 2008 by Judy Marciano.
Still working on the bathrooms, one is almost done and they started on the 2nd one today. While shopping for supplies this afternoon, I noticed a flyer at Lowe's offering incentive for kitchen and bath purchases through 4/27/08. For every $1,000 you spend at Lowe's on your kitchen or bath project, you'll earn a $100 Lowe's gift card. All you have to do it register at www.LowesKitchenandBath.com and they will track your purchases between now and 4/27/08. So if anyone else is planning a bathroom or kitchen renovation, keep in mind that it is very easy to spend $1000 on basic supplies. It's nice to know you can get $100 back from this store. And if you don't want to go to their North Bergen store, there is also a new Lowe's which opened recently on Route 17 (near Rutherford) which has a wide selection of items as well as a very helpful & informative sales staff. I have become somewhat of a regular these days at both Home Depot and Lowe's, and one of the most important lessons I've learned during this ongoing renovation is that finding a smart salesperson will save you a tremendous amount of time and effort through out the process (this theory applies to realtors too). And as a realtor, I've picked up a lot of useful information as well as new resources that I will be able to share with my clients.
Published Feb 8, 2008 by Judy Marciano.
Stop by our open house tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 9th from 1-3. We will be featuring three units at 2 Constitution Court in Hoboken:
unit #808 - one bedroom/one bath, approx 726 sq ft w/NYC views, listed for $499,000unit #806 - two bedroom/two bath, approx 1150 sq ft w/NYC views, listed for $729,000unit #101 - three bedroom/2.5 bath approx 2180 sq ft, listed for $1,299,000For more details on the above properties, you can visit
http://www.hobokenwaterfrontproperty.com/
Published Feb 7, 2008 by Judy Marciano.
Today is the first day of Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year starts on the first day of the new year containing a new moon and ends 14 days later. Current year is Year 4705 by the Chinese calendar. Each year is designated by one of 12 animals. This year is the year of the "Rat". In ancient times the rat was welcomed as "protector and bringer of material prosperity".
So have a happy, healthy and prosperous year. Enjoy.