Jersey Shore - Short Sale - Bank Approved - Want Offer - Point Pleasant - Cooks Lane

Immaculate duplex only 5 blocks to Point Pleasant Beach and boardwalk. This well built house features Anderson windows, 1.5 baths, spacious bedrooms and a pristine kitchen with light cabinetry and easy-to-clean vinyl flooring. A custom deck in the rear offers a nice space to grill and entertain. This is the lowest price in Point Pleasant, and priced to sell. Conveniently located to the Point Pleasant Beach train station, this home is perfect for the owner who needs to commute to NYC or attract beach tenants. It’s only one block away from Antrim school.
Call Joe Giancarli, Sales Associate, RE/MAX Tri County, 609-658-2612, to see.

Creating an Earth-Friendly Yard in Hamilton, NJ

If you want to make an impact on the "greening" of Hamilton and Mercer County, NJ, start in your own front or back yard.  According to Owen Dell, author of Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies, the U.S. is home to 32 million acres of lawn, or enough to cover the 100 largest U.S. cities almost twice.  Lawns drink 270 billion gallons of water a week and 800 million gallons of (mower) gas a year is used for their care. Add the impacts of pesticides and chemical-based fertilizers and the impact on our planet is huge.  How can you stop the dependence on lawns and their care?  Here are some ideas.

• Don't overwater.  Get a free water audit.  Watch the grass.  If it doesn't spring back when you step on it in the middle of the afternoon, it's time to water.  Even watering four times a week is too much in most cases.
• Water deeply.  Most do well with 15-20 minutes at a time, once or twice a week.  It's best to water for 10 minutes, let the water seep in to the roots, wait 20 minutes, then water again.  You may have to reset your automatic timer.
• Check the sprinkler coverage.  The water auditor can help you check this.  Look for dry spots or water-logged spots, and then reposition or turn the sprinker heads.
• Visit the soil once or twice a year.  Aerate the lawn in the Spring and Fall to loosen the roots and make fertilizers more effective.
• Let the grass grow longer, up to 3 inches.  Then the blades will shade out emerging weeds.
• Be stingy with fertilizers.  One fertilization in early Fall with an organic product should be enough.
• Use natural as much as possible.  Look for insecticides with natural ingredients like vinegar and orange oil.  Pulling weeds is also an option to spray.
• Use the grass clippings from your mowing for compost or even keep them on the lawn instead of raking them up.  They are rich in nitrogen.
• Consider a remake of your outside area to reduce the size of the lawn. Try a border of plants mixed with rocks or walkway, or low maintenance ground cover.
• When you study your outdoor spaces, also consider low-maintenance grass for the areas you want to keep as lawn.  Options are fescues and buffalograss for instance.  You want varieties that thrive with minimal water and mowing.

Enjoy your lawn and yard, but think Green when you do.  If each of us in Hamilton NJ takes small steps in our own homes, we can make Mercer County a more livable and greener place.

Joe Giancarli, Sales Associate
609-658-2612
jgiancarli@remax.net
http://www.joegiancarli.com/
http://www.njhomesource.net/
http://www.njhomesource.com/
http://www.newjerseynewhomes.blogspot.com/


(resource:  RisMedia.com)

Quarterly Home Price Trends in Northeast

Clear Capital has released its latest Home Data Index Market Report, which shows U.S. quarter-over-quarter home price declines slowed in April, while year-over-year price gains remain steady at 5.1 percent.

Dr. Alex Villacorta, Senior Statistician, Clear Capital, explained, "An interesting dynamic we're observing is the clear distinction between markets that are resilient to increased levels of bank owned properties and those which continue to be highly sensitive.  For example, the highest performing metro areas have seen prices remain relatively flat over the last quarter despite REO [bank-owned properties] saturation rates averaging just above 33 percent. Contrast this with the lowest performing areas which have seen prices drop dramatically with average declines of more than 10 percent and average REO saturation rate less than those in the highest performing areas. This paradox suggests that price trends are not wholly dependent on distressed sale volume, and re-enforces the need to understand local market trends," added Villacorta.

Quarter-over-quarter home prices continue to slide across all four regions of the nation. Nationally, the 5.0 percent price decline represents a further 1.1 percentage point reduction from the quarterly decline reported last month. On a positive note, this is a marked slowdown in the rate of decline compared to the 3.9 percentage point drop seen between the reports released in early March and April of this year.   The Northeast (2.2%) added 0.1 percent over last month.

Nationally, the 5.1 percent year-over-year price change remained unchanged from last month's report. The increase in the Nation's REO saturation rate slowed this month, rising less than one percentage point to 29.6 percent.   Even if quarterly price gains are experienced during this spring and summer, pressure will remain on the year-over-year comparisons as prices are compared relative to the price correction of mid-2009.  Compared to the highest performing major markets which are largely made up of markets in the South and West regions, the lowest performing major markets are dominated by markets in the Midwest.

The key here, as Villacorta stated, is to understand your local market.  Hamilton New Jersey is going to have an entirely different set of real estate pressures than Des Moines or Houston.  I'm a native of central New Jersey, and can give you specific real estate information on any area here - from Hamilton to Bordentown to Robbinsville.  Just call or email for real estate market statistics.  For an update on April numbers, visit my Mercer County real estate blog on Active Rain.

Joe Giancarli, Sales Associate
609-658-2612
jgiancarli@remax.net
http://www.joegiancarli.com/
http://www.njhomesource.com/
http://www.newjerseynewhomes.blogspot.com/

(resource:  RealEstateChannel.com)

Active US Military have an Extra Year for the Buyer Tax Credits in Hamilton, NJ

Although the 1st Time Buyer Tax Credit expires today for most buyers, the law provides qualified service members who served on official extended duty outside of the United States for 90 days or more at any time between Jan. 1, 2009, to April 30, 2010, another year to buy a home and claim the credit. They have until April 30, 2011, to sign a sales contract, and until June 30, 2011, to settle and close on the home. Both the $8,000 first-time and $6,500 repeat home buyer tax credits are included in the rule.

Qualified service members are defined as a member of the uniformed services of the United States military, a member of the Foreign Service of the United States, or an employee of the intelligence community.

The rule that requires buyers to repay the credit if they move out of their home within three years has also been waived for qualified service members if they have to sell their home due to receiving government orders for extended duty service.

If you qualify, contact me today to start looking for a home under construction in Mercer County or a resale home for sale in any of our communities and townships, Hamilton or its neighbors.

Joe Giancarli, Sales Associate
609-658-2612
jgiancarli@remax.net
http://www.joegiancarli.com/
http://www.newjerseynewhomes.blogspot.com/

Make your Hamilton NJ Home Healthier

A lot of ideas are currently in vogue to make your home greener, but many of our older Hamilton homes could be updated to be healthier too.  For instance, the air inside could be several times more polluted than the outside air.  Because we live in a climate where the windows are closed much of the year, this can be more of a health issue than in warmer states.  As you alter your lifestyle choices to become more environmentally sensitive, make smarter choices about what is inside your home as well.

When shopping for furniture, find out how the pieces were made and whether they will emit toxins into your home.  Avoid pressed woods like particleboard, plywood, and medium density fiberboard.  These all contain urea-formaldehyde resin; the fiberboard has the highest amount.  Formaldehyde is a colorless gas that can cause skin rashes, chronic headaches, and is a suspected carcinogen.

Paint also can give off gases into the inside air.  Paints and finishes are the leading sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can cause breathing problems, and have been linked to asthma rates in children.  When you redecorate a room or refinish furniture, shop for low or no-VOC products.  Most paint companies now have these options, and paints without VOC are just as durable and cost-effective.

Buy only the amount of paint, thinner, or finish that you need for the project on your Hamilton home.  Any leftover products are considered household hazardous waste and need to be disposed of in a special manner.

Another area that can be toxic to your home health are the cleaners you use inside.  Household cleaners that are chemically based can also pollute - toxins evaporate into the air or are left behind on cleaned surfaces.  If the product has a warning or danger label, it most probably is not good for you, your family, or your environment.  Choose a plant-based cleaner, like vinegar or baking soda, that will help reduce the pollution inside your Hamilton home.

Do your part to make your home healthier and you and your family will breathe easier.

Joe Giancarli, Sales Associate
609-658-2612
jgiancarli@remax.net
http://www.joegiancarli.com/
http://www.njhomesource.com/
http://www.newjerseynewhomes.blogspot.com/

Investor Interest in Real Estate Triples - Consider the Great Deals in Hamilton Twp NJ

According to a new Move, Inc., survey, interest in real estate as an investment has more than tripled in the past year. In fact, 17.2% of potential home buyers today say they plan to purchase a home in the near future as an investment compared to just 5.6% in March 2009.

The survey also found that 12.3% of Americans planning to purchase investment property in the near future will pay for the property using 100% cash, and 12.8% will use cash for more than 50% of the purchase price. Almost half (49.2%) say they will buy the property with less than 50% cash down and finance the remainder. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that one in three U.S. homes are owned free and clear, without a mortgage.
46.5% of these potential real estate investors say they plan to own the property for six or more years, 16% expect to hold the property between two and five years, while 10.6%between six and 24 months.
 
Reports released this week show foreclosures across the country rose in March.  But, while interest by potential home buyers in purchasing a foreclosure to live in themselves has dropped in the past five months to 26.5%, this survey found interest in purchasing a foreclosure as an investment on the rise. In fact, interest in purchasing a foreclosure as an investment to fix it up and resell it rose from 11.3% in October 2009 to 16% in March 2010, a 42% increase.

Mercer County homeowners mirror the rest of the country in the finding that 49% of all homeowners would buy another home today if they could sell their current home for what they paid for it or more. This is especially true for homeowners ages 25 to 34 (68.2%).  The economy is a very large factor in Hamilton real estate, and Mercer County in general.  Move Chief Revenue Officer, Errol Samuelson, said, “Concerns around employment and their overall economic situation are causing many people to wait until the economy improves before they commit to one of the largest purchases they’ll most likely make in their lives. The findings of this newest survey make it clear the desire and motivation to be a homeowner remains strong, and as the economy continues to strengthen and improve, so will the housing market.”

To read more of the survey results, visit RISMedia.com and Move.com.  Certainly, there are bargains for the asking, not just in Hamilton but Ewing, West and East Windsor, Robbinsville - all the communities in Mercer County.  Contact me for some ideas on how you can turn your real estate purchase into an investment.

Joe Giancarli, Sales Associate
609-658-2612
jgiancarli@remax.net
http://www.joegiancarli.com/
http://www.njhomesource.com/
http://www.newjerseynewhomes.blogspot.com/

Hamilton NJ Homeowners May be Eligible for Flood Emergency Loans

As reported in NJ.com this week, "Mercer County residents and businesses whose property were damaged by flooding or storm activity around the March 12 nor'easter may apply for loans through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, county officials said.

"The Mercer County administration and the County Office of Emergency Management worked with all 13 municipalities to assess and compile storm damage countywide and submitted those findings to the state. In turn, President Barack Obama recently issued a Presidential Disaster Declaration for 12 New Jersey counties, including Mercer.

"Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

"Businesses and nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

"Affected residents and business owners can begin the disaster application process by registering online at www.disasterassistance.gov or registering by phone at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or 800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing- and speech-impaired."

Joe Giancarli, Sales Associate
609-658-2612
jgiancarli@remax.net
http://www.joegiancarli.com/
http://www.njhomesource.com/
http://www.newjerseynewhomes.blogspot.com/