My New Blog

Have you ever heard someone say that they “finally got their house just the way the like it just to sell it!” As a realtor this is something that I hear all the time. That and, “Why didn’t it ever look this way when I lived here?!” 

Over the years we have seen home after home transformed, and in a relatively short amount of time!  If you are looking to make some design changes in your home use the tips below and you just might fall in love with your house all over again.

1. Get rid of clutter. Clutter comes in many forms. Such as toys, junk mail and furniture. Professional Stagers remove a lot of furniture from the homes that they stage. It opens up the space, creates a better flow, and makes each room bigger. What one piece of furniture could you get rid of in every room? How could you contain smaller items?
2. Think Balance and Flow. Most Decorators will pick a color scheme of four colors and use only those four colors throughout the entire home (kids rooms are the only exception). Choose a palette and stick with it. Edit your rooms as they are, move around what you have and take stock of what items you may need.
3. Go Green. Many Buyers today are willing to pay more for a home that is considered eco-friendly. Keep this in mind when doing your improvements. For example: Cork floors are half the cost of hardwood and are very durable.
4. Peaceful Bedrooms.  Beautiful yet neutral bedding with a few bonus pillows seems luxurious and serene. Add a touch of green with a plant and lighting options, such as coordinated beside lamps, and an aromatic candle or two.
5. Awkard or an Opportunity? Odd spaces under alcoves on finished third floors can be seen as bonus space. Shorter height clearance? Turn an awkward space into a reading nook for children. Taller but uneven height clearance might be the perfect spot to tuck in a desk as a bonus home office.
6. Stainless Steel Appeal. Studies show the sellers tend to recoup every penny spent on new appliances when it comes to resale. Investing in a stainless steel refrigerator, cooktop, and dishwasher will go a long way to modernizing an outdated kitchen.
7. Kitchen Confidence.  If changing out cabinetry or cabinetry doors isn’t in the budget why not consider painting or staining the cabinets? A uniform color can give the kitchen a whole new fresh look.  Replacing the hardware on cabinetry and drawer pulls is also a very easy and affordable way to give the kitchen a face-lift. Clear off the counter clutter. Consider displaying: a bowl of fruit, fresh flowers, and perhaps even some mini-potted herbs on the windowsill.
8. Storage Sells Houses. Be smart and strategic about how you are storing your items and where there is room for improvement. Remaking closets in bedrooms can add additional space and adding shelving to bathrooms can be the difference between cluttered and contained.
9. Like with Like. Arrange neutral or similar toned items together in displays. A row of antique teapots all in shades of yellow becomes arty and sculptural when grouped together. In your groupings no item should stand out too much and group in odd numbers, it’s more pleasing to the eye.
10. Add a touch of the outdoors. Fresh flowers in a vase, tall grass in a terracotta pot, branches, pebbles, bowls of lemons, etc. The options are limitless. The idea is to add vitality by adding elements found in nature throughout your home. An aloe vera burn plant doesn’t just look great and help clean the air, it also comes in handy if you burn yourself when you're cooking!

Now, if after implementing all of these tips and tricks you are still not amazed and enamored by your home well, give us a call and The Northfield Team will sell your current house and find you your dream home!

Jill Sockwell can be reached at 917-657-8800 or jill.sockwell@cbmoves.com

Maplewood same-sex couple has hope for legal rights

MAPLEWOOD - Stakes are extremely high for same-sex couples with children.

Kari Steinert and Renee Cologne of Maplewood have been together for 10 years, and know a sweeping decision from the Supreme Court could have a huge impact on their little family.

Steinert and Cologne had a commitment ceremony and registered as domestic partners, but they haven't had a civil union nor gone to another state where it's legal for them to marry. The couple says they want to wait to be married until it is legalized in New Jersey.

The couple says they chose Maplewood because they felt welcome there. Steiner and Cologne also felt nothing but acceptance when they adopted their sons Tristan and Zander.

Their positive experience is what gives the couple reason to believe the law will eventually catch up. See Channel 12 news clip at

http://newjersey.news12.com/news/maplewood-same-sex-couple-has-hope-for-legal-rights-1.4925481?firstfree=yes

With interest rates at an all-time low, housing prices bottomed out and an extremely low inventory, many sellers are receiving multiple offers (many above asking).

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke made recent comments regarding both low interest rates as well as the housing market: “The evidence thus far is that the housing market has hit the bottom… it’s recovering. Keeping longer-term interest rates low has helped spark recovery in the housing market…” Money Magazine’s April cover announced "Housing is Back!"

Jeff Otteau, president of the Otteau Valuation Group, who is frequently quoted in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal regarding market trends, recently told a crowd of realtors and investors at one of his quarterly seminars that this was going to be one of his most optimistic forecasts in years. He went to say that “the sense of urgency is back for buyers and prices are rising.” He projects a 3.5% rise in prices this year and hopes that is where it caps for the health of the market. He stated this is a perfect storm for the housing market to improve with historically low rates, home prices stabilizing, consumer confidence rising, purchase demand rising, and unemployment decreasing.

It is finally starting to sink in and people are listening and realizing the time to buy is now - and often coming to the table, cash in hand. Buyers are trekking to the burbs by the dozens, vying for an ever decreasing supply of beautifully updated charming period homes that the vibrant communities of South Orange, Maplewood and Millburn / Short Hills and surroundings are known for.

Towns along the NYC Midtown Direct train corridor are a coveted destination for urban dwellers from New York and areas east looking to stretch out and breathe amongst a friendly and diverse community-minded population. Our towns are being called “The leading global suburbs of New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area” by GlobalSOMA, a recently founded group of visionary community members.

But finding that home has turned out to be a competitive business. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), total housing inventory dropped by 4.9% by the end of January. Inventory is at the lowest it’s been since April of 2005. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun recently stated “Buyer traffic is 40 percent above a year ago, so there is plenty of demand but insufficient inventory to improve sales more strongly.”

And to the homeowners who have been nervously wondering if the time was right, perhaps waiting for the sign to go ahead… list it already… ding, ding, ding!!! Motivated buyers here… your much-loved home could be another family’s dream house. Local realtors are now talking about revolving door showings… where homeowners don’t just need to step out to accommodate the occasional showing, they now have to be out all day for back to back showings. Sellers are receiving multiple bids – but not all. Buyers don’t act on something that is grossly overpriced – even with the low inventory.

So recognize the competition and invest in that paint job or update that is long overdue… buyers are looking (read expecting) it and are willing to pay for a beautifully renovated home. If you are a seller, don’t miss your chance to join in on this housing phenomenon. For ways to improve potential market value of your property visit my website at www.MaplewoodHouses.com

Looking to buy and/or sell? call me today at 973-544-8001