Pascack Valley NJ Real Estate : February 2007

Spring is coming and due to arrive on March 21st this year.  That's just about three weeks away!  To add to the excitement of the long awaited change of Season, President Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005, changing the date for Daylight Saving Time to March 11th this year.   

The Real Estate market in the Pascack Valley area of Bergen County, New Jersey has already begun to heat up with Buyers taking advantage of the Low Interest Rates and good supply of quality Homes for Sale.  We have been busy showing homes right through the cold and snow but as the Spring begins to show it's promise, the phone has begun to ring and our websites have started to buzz!

The news reports have been making claims that the Real Estate market is slowing down but we can't say that we agree.  The Pascack Valley and surrounding towns are active with move-up Buyers looking for their Dream Home as well as First Time Homebuyers anxiously looking for the fulfillment of their Dreams of Home Ownership.

Many homeowners have begun to consider Listing for the Spring market so the Inventory should grow at a steadier pace in the weeks ahead.  Excitement is building as the weather gives us glimpses of what's to come.  We know that the market will become even busier as the outside temperature climbs.  So if you're thinking of Buying or Selling a Home in the Pascack Valley area of Bergen County, New Jersey, call Your Real Estate Resource, Bob & Lisa at (201)218-6802.   Or visit us online at www.HammersTeam.com.

If you were to look up the definition of a Realtor® you may find a definition lacking greatly in all the ways that we define the Many Hats That We Wear.  The decision to become a Realtor®, like any other profession, is a very individual one indeed.  Sure there are those who go into the Profession because they have heard that money can be made.  And there are those who go into it because of the flexibility of work hours.

• Works diligently to represent client to market a property in an effort to sell for the best price possible.
• Assist a Buyer in the purchase of a Property while guiding them through the process.
• Stay abreast of modern Technologies affecting the marketing or communications process with customers.
• Be proficient in Photography necessary for the marketing of properties.
• Sustain a grasp on the analysis of the Real Estate market to aide in the pricing of Homes for Sale.
• Must be familiar with neighborhood information in the areas of specialization.
• Must be knowledgeable in Contracts and how the paperwork involved directly affects clients and customers.
• Should have keen follow up skills to guide customers in the process.
• Top Notch Negotiation Skills are a Must.
• Staging Skills or the ability to advise Sellers when staging is necessary in order to best market a home.

But Buying and Selling Homes is a "Business of People".   We can't help but be connected with the lives of those we spend numerous hours with in search of "HOMES". 

We're involved daily with people's life dreams of Homeownership.  There are times when that involves happy events like Marriages.  But then there are life events such as Divorces that may cause the Sale of a Home.  Or tragically, the death of a Loved One can cause the sale of a home.  We've sat with clients that were so upset over a loss that they could hardly hold back the tears.  We've cried along with more than one client who was either distraught over a life altering event or elated with tears of joy over some happy event.

There are often Chldren to consider in the search of a Family Home.  Schools and Daycare Centers must be explored.  Typically young couples bring the children along when searching for a home.  We've gotten to know many couples who later sent us the baby pictures of a new Family member after they settled into their new Homes!

We've had more than one Listing with a Seller who needed us to mind the Family Pet in order for the home to be shown.

So in closing, consider this, The Benefits of Using A Realtor® are many.  We assist the public in so many of the details that might otherwise be stressful and lonely.   The Benefits of Using A Realtor® go beyond the mundane tasks of the business.  We're here to share the most precious times of the lives of those we serve.  It's with gratitude that we say it's these moments that make it all worthwhile for us!

Here in the Garden State, the weather outside is Frightful!  But if you're a true Gardener and love to Garden as much as I do, For The Love Of Gardening - In The Snow, this is how I do it!  Take it indoors and work on keeping your Indoor plants happy for now.  Not a day goes by that I don't go to the mailbox and find at least one Gardening Catologue tempting me to buy something to make it's way to my Bergen County Garden.  Then there's the Gardening Magazines with all the tips and stories, not to mention the beautiful glossy photos of what's to come in the Spring!  Just as soon as it arrives, that is!  I think Punxsutawney Phil may have been mistaken when he came to visit on Groundhog's Day.

So despite Old Man Winter and our misinformed friend the Groundhog, there is always something to do when you're a Gardener.  Indoor plants help to keep moisture in the air of your home when the thermostat is working hard to keep the indoors warm.   So if you live in the Garden State of New Jersey or any part of the Country that's been experiencing inclement weather, check out your local Nurseries if they're open.

It's about 20 degrees here in the Pascack Valley area of Bergen County, New Jersey with a wind chill factor causing the temperatures to dip ever lower.  The way I combat the cold is by visiting my local grocery stores when our Local Nurseries are closed.  The Shop Rite in Hillsdale or Emerson in the Pascack Valley both offer a Gardening section with items such as African Violets or whatever surprises you can find. 

If you're thinking of Buying or Selling a Home in the Pascack Valley section of Bergen County, New Jersey, call us at (201)218-6802.  There are many quality homes available and we can help you Find a happy Home for your Family and your Indoor Plants!

One of the most beautiful features of the Pascack Valley area of Bergen County, New Jersey is the presence of Natural Wildlife.  "The Bergen Record" reported today that two adult Bald Eagles have been seen on the Woodcliff Lake Resevoir.  Who knows maybe "Love Is In The Air For Valentine's Day" right here in the Pascack Valley.  Since our American National Symbol, the Bald Eagle was placed on the endangered species list some 40 years ago, they have been slowly making a comeback. 

In the next Pascack Valley town over of Park Ridge, this unidentified beauty can be seen on the Old Mill Lake.  Is it a Loon, is it an Egret????  The Birds of Pascack Valley are always a treat to behold!

Head on over to the Pascack Valley town of River Vale and the natural beauty of the Pascack Valley was spotted near the corner of Piermont and River Vale Road.   This beautiful Deer seemed as if he stopped to pose for us to snap his picture!

For more Local News & Information about the Pascack Valley area of Bergen County, New Jersey, call Bob & Lisa at (201)218-6802 or visit us online at www.HammersTeam.com. 

The Pascack Valley Libraries in the Bergen County area of New Jersey are happening places with a multitude of activities to appeal to all members of the family.  Call your local library to find out what's happening at the Library.  The following is a list of contact information for all of the Pascack Valley town Libraries.

Emerson Library 20 Palisade Ave., Emerson (201)261-5604 or www.bccls.org/emerson

Hillsdale Library -509 Hillsdale Ave., Hillsdale (201)358-5072 or www.bccls.org/hillsdale

Montvale Library - 12 Mercedes Drive, Montvale (201)391-5090 or www.bccls.org/montvale

 Park Ridge Library - 50 Park Ave. Park Ridge (201)391-5151 or www.bccls.org/parkridge

River Vale Library - 412 River Vale Road River Vale (201)391-2323 or www.bccls.org/rivervale

Township of Washington Library - 144Woodfield Rd., Wash. Twp (201)664-4586 www.washingtontw.bccls.org

Westwood Library - 49 Park Ave., Park Ridge (201)664-0583 www.bccls.org/westwood

For more local info about the Pascack Valley area of Bergen County, New Jersey call Bob & Lisa, your Full Time, Full Service Pascack Valley Realtor Team at (201)218-6802 or visit us online at www.HammersTeam.com.

The town of Hillsdale in the Pascack Valley area of Bergen County, New Jersey has had some recent happenings around town. 

The Stonybrook Swim Club - According to the Feb. 7th publication of the Pascack Valley Community Life, renovations for the Swim Club are ahead of schedule due to the unseasonably warm Winter.  The project includes the construction of a new 6 lane multipurpose Pool.  The pool will be 7 feet deep at one end and 3 1/2 feet deep at the other end.  The Shell of the new pool is complete and the work is anticipated to be finished right on schedule for the May 26th Pool opening date.    

In other Hillsdale town news, a builder is preparing to file for Planning Board approval to build 40 age-restricted homes in the Ell Woods.  This according to today's "Bergen Record", is following the council's recent vote to permit the project.  The project for residents 55 years of age and older is proposed for the 12 acre wooded tract of land that runs from Ell Road in Hillsdale to North Gate Community in Washington Township.  The need for Senior Housing in the Pascack Valley area has grown and this could help to bring in much-needed revenue.  The single family two bedroom detached homes are likely to sell in the $700-$800,000 range and will be small and upscale with a Master bedroom on the first floor.  Stay tuned for more developments regarding this project.

For more local Pascack Valley news or listings, call Bob & Lisa, your Pascack Valley Realtors, at (201)218-6802 or visit us online at www.HammersTeam.com.

The following article was previously published in "Historic Happenings", the newsletter of the Pascack Valley History Project.   Titled "Fond Memories Of Hillsdale - Get them Before They Fade!,  the article is self-explanatory. 

For those who would like more information, please feel free to contact Bob & Lisa at (201)218-6802 or to subscribe to the Newsletter, visit http://www.pvhistory.org/.

GuestWritten by Lisa Hammerstein as told by Bob Hammerstein.

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Ned Barber, the founder of The Pascack Valley History Project, and he asked me if I had any Pascack Valley memories or old photos that I would be willing to share. Here is just one of the many fond memories I have.

Born and raised in Hillsdale, I had the opportunity to attend all three of the Hillsdale Grammar Schools. Growing up on the East side of town on David Place, near Beechwood Park in the early 60's while the Meadowbrook School was being built, I attended Ann Blanche Smith School for the first part of my 3rd Grade (1963-1964). At that time, the town shuttled children by bus from Beechwood Park to Ann Blanche Smith School. The photo above, showing the old borough hall and firehouse, is the view I saw out the window of my school bus each day on the way to school. It was given to me many years later by my father, the late Hillsdale Councilman John S. Hammerstein.

After the completion of Meadowbrook School, I remember that the children were given the opportunity to cast their vote for the school's new name. Our choices included Kennedy, in memory of the former president, and Stephen Foster, the1800's composer who wrote Camptown Races, Oh! Susanna and Swanee River. The winner, however, was Meadowbrook. The name Meadowbrook stems from the fact that the School was built on a "meadow" with a "brook" that ran behind it! My brother, John, remembers that the town had an outside consulting firm determine that the new school would meet the needs for the Hillsdale town children for another 20 years. Today 40 years later the school is, of course, much larger than originally built.

During the construction of Meadowbrook School, the town provided the children with a gravel-covered footpath that ran from Liberty Avenue to Piermont Avenue between the homes on Everdell Avenue and Stonybrook Country Club. The land is now the home to the Stonybrook Townhome Complex and part of the Stonybrook Swim Club. Back in those days, however, the land was partially owned by the town and partially owned by the Country Club, as my mother recalls. I believe that the Country Club Club House was once used as a training facility for a professional boxer. Perhaps a reader will remember the name and more details.

Walking down the footpath on route to and from school at lunch break, while listening to "WABC" on my A.M. Transistor Radio as the Beatles arrived at Idlewild Airport (now known as JFK Airport), is my all-time favorite memory. Sadly, I can also remember being released from school early on the day that John. F. Kennedy was assassinated. It was a simpler time in Hillsdale but one filled with many memories that this former resident will always treasure!

Note: Bob and Lisa Hammerstein are Realtors who grew up in Hillsdale and River Vale .

Visit Bob's & Lisa's Website - www.hammersteam.com __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lisa & Robert Hammerstein • Sales Associates • Coldwell Banker • (201)218-6802

• Address • 50 Broadway • Hillsdale, NJ 07642 •

A loud sigh of Relief was heard from New Jersey Homeowners when the State Senate passed legislation yesterday to provide tax credits between 10-20% for Homeowners earning up to $200,000 per year.  Although the bill had stalled in the Senate on Monday, it was passed yesterday.  Some skeptics are concerned that this may be an election year gimmick but for now, there is hope on the horizon.

The bill has not yet been signed into law but if it is, homeowners would receive "up to" a credit of $2,000.  Credit should be applied to property tax bills of up to $10,000 per year, with $2,000 as the credit maximum as follows:

 Homeowners earning up to $100,000 would receive a 20% credit, earners from $100,000 to $150,000 would receive 15% credit and $150,000 to $200,000 in earnings would receive 10% credit. 

Homeowners would have to apply for the credit by submitting a form along with their income tax returns.  For Homeowners who pay their property taxes through their monthly mortgage, their banks would either send them a check or roll the credit into their escrow account.  No Senior would receive less than the $1,200 that they now receive for their Homestead Rebate.

Govenor Corzine expressed his support for the bill but has not yet signed.

As life long Bergen County residents and Homeowners, we are anxious to see if this will bring us some relief from the escalating Taxes.   My Mother is like many Seniors who are being squeezed to cut back and watch their pennies so this will be welcome news for her as well as all Senior Homeowners in the Garden State.                                                   

 For all your Real Estate needs, call Bob & Lisa at (201)218-6802 or visit us online at www.HammersTeam.com, your Full Service Realtor Team.

Speaking as New Jersey Real Estate Agents working with Buyers and Sellers in the Pascack Valley area of Bergen County, New Jersey, we'd like to share our list of the features that illustrate The  Role of The Real Estate Attorney.  We are happy to offer names of qualified Attorneys to our customers and clients.  However, there are occasions when a Buyer or Seller has an Attorney that they pre-selected.   Although most of the time things work out, we have seen those unfortunate situations where the Buyer or Seller feel that they have been left in the dark.  Your Agent will keep track of the following terms.  However, your Attorney will be the person who will monitor the Contingencies of the Contract on your behalf.  The following list is what you can usually expect your Attorney to handle during the course of your transaction:

1. Attorney Review - In the State of New Jersey, once a Seller and Buyer come to a "Meeting of the Minds", the Offer is signed by the Seller. Next, both the Seller and Buyer's Attorneys receive a copy of the contract to review.  During this period, the Attorneys may exchange Riders which could alter portions of the Original Offer.  The time frame for the Attorney Review Period could be important if you are a Buyer.  It should be noted that during an Attorney Review Period in the state of New Jersey, the Buyer or the Seller can "Back Out", without explanation. 

2. Home Inspection Issues - Within approximately ten days after the conclusion of the Attorney Review period, the results and requests for any Home Inspection issues are due.  Once the Inspection has been concluded and the Inspection Report has been issued, the Attorney for the Buyer reviews the points with the Buyer.   You should expect your Attorney to review these points with you in a timely manner (per the contract and/or Riders).   

3. The Deposit Monies  - Once the Attorney Review has been completed, the Buyer must meet the deadline set forth in the Contract to bring their Deposit monies to their Attorney.  The Attorney will then forward the Deposit monies to the appropriate party in good-faith preparation for the closing.

4. Mortgage Commitment Contingency - The Buyer must take the necessary measures to apply for a Mortgage in a Timely manner.  Your Attorney will coordinate the Closing of Title with the Lender to insure the Funds are available on the day and time of the scheduled Closing.

5. Title Review & Survey as well as Title Insurance - Your Attorney will order a Title Search to insure that the property is free and clear of any liens or judgments.  Once your Attorney has cleared any judgments and confirmed that any open mortgages will be paid in full at closing, the Title Company will issue a "Clear to Close" and the Attorney will then proceed to closing accordingly.  After the closing has taken place, the Title Company will issue a "Title Insurance Policy", insuring the property against any future claims that turn up reverting back to prior to closing.  The Attorney will also order a Survey to be done on the property in question.  This is important as a Survey will reveal any abnormalities of property lines, and if the Buyer intends on building/improving upon the property in the future, the Surveyor can set property corner markers, or "stakes", which mark the property lines.  Your Attorney will forward a copy of the Survey to you prior to closing for you to review and familiarize yourself with your property lines.

6. Ordering of Homeowner's Insurance - The Buyer's Attorney will instruct the Buyer to make application for Homeowner's Insurance.  The Buyer's Mortgage Lender will quite often remind the Buyer of this, as well, but it is necessary that the insurance is ordered in a timely manner.  The Insurance Certificate must be available on the day of Closing of Title.

7. Closing Of Title - The respective Attorneys will confirm that Funds are available and coordinate with all parties to set the Closing of Title at which time, keys will be exchanged!

As a Buyer or Seller in New Jersey, it's important to note that The Role Of The Real Estate Attorney is to represent you in the legal matters concerning the Transaction. 

For more information regarding the Real Estate process, call Bob & Lisa at (201)218-6802 or visit us online at www.HammersTeam.com - Your Real Estate Resource!

The following chart shows the Sales Activity of Single Family Homes for the month of January 2007, in the Town of Park Ridge, New Jersey in the Pascack Valley area.

There are currently 51 Actively Listed Single Family Homes in the town of Park Ridge, New Jersey with an average List Price of $680,730.  With interest rates remaining low, now is a great time to Buy in the Pascack Valley.

For more information on Listings in the Pascack Valley area of Bergen County, New Jersey, call Bob & Lisa at (201)218-6802, or visit us online at http://www.hammersteam.com// your Pascack Valley Real Estate Resource!  It's a great time to "Buy A Home" in the Pascack Valley.  We're keeping an eye on the market for you....

Click on the link below to view some scenes of the Town of Park Ridge!

PARK RIDGE