Archive for the ‘First Time Home Buyer’ Category

Yeah, I used a line from a song that won’t leave your head now. What I’m trying to convince you all on is that mortgage interest rates are so low that it makes up for any tax credit you missed. Think about the savings you’ll see for the next 30 years if you act now and purchase a place.  Talk to your mortgage broker and get all the details on what I’m talking about. Don’t sit home and talk about how you missed your opportunity to purchase the condo of your dreams. If you have any questions please reach out to me, I’d more than happy to answer anything you come up with. Check all available condos / townhouses on my main page to see what you can get for your money.

Buying a home is a tough decision no doubt about it. You set your budget you go out and see what you feel you can afford but in the back of your mind one question remains. What would I get if I look at places 20-30K more than what I’m willing to spend.

The answer is different for everyone. In any property decision you need to decide on your wants and needs. You may love a garage but do you need a garage. You may like 3 bedrooms but do you need them? See where I’m going with this?

With that being said in Bridgewater NJ you have plently of options within the condo market. If you move up or down 20-30K your options increase which include a possible deck, bigger bathroom, garage, and various other things.

Whats the moral of the story? Talk to your mortgage professional and see what moving up in price would do to your monthly payments. If the numbers add up and see what these properties look like.

I made the decision when I bought my condo that since it was my first place I went for the lower price point. The price was something I needed. I made my decision based on this converation with myself. Have tha conversation with yourself and give me a call and we’ll get you moving towards your goal.

The question may sound stupid but it’s one of the major things I’m asked from buyers. If you live in a townhouse unit chances are you have a garage and you can park in there and in the driveway. If you choose a condo style unit (similar to one I live in) you usually receive an assigned space with a letter printed on the concrete. The rest of the parking with out markings is open to your guests and your other car you may have. It works out to be a great system because the condo communities in Bridgewater, NJ have large lots with a ton of ample parking. During the two years I’ve lived here I haven’t run into a parking situation at all and I’m extremely happy with the system.

I hope that clears up the questions and I know it’s something I asked about when I was buying my place. Give me a call or email me with any other questions and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

As a resident of Bridgewater whenever I mention to someone I live here they say, “Oh I know where that is, it’s by the mall right?” If you’ve been to Bridgewater Commons then you understand why people from all around the state know of it. It’s a huge mall with every store you can imagine. I personally LOVE the Chipotle and you can find me there on many nights.

Wikipedia has to say about the store selection:

“The mall has a variety of stores covering three floors. In the early years of the mall, they marketed on the fact that they have three floors and leased space in the mall by theming the floors. The bottom floor was known as the “Commons Collection” and had the more exclusive/upscale stores. The middle floor was known as the “Promenade” and was themed to have stores that sold family related items and gifts. The top floor was known as “The Campus Level” and contained shops that were marketed toward the younger, 15-21 set. The food court called “Picnic on the Green” was also located on this floor. Neon signs displayed the floor names on the Campus level and have since been removed during the construction. Signs and lighting displaying the names “Promenade” and “Commons Collection” still exist but are not as prominent as they once were. In recent years, there has been a noticeable upscale trend as shown by the opening of new stores such as Pottery Barn, J.Crew and Apple.”

What does this mean to you and your property search? It’s just another perk on the list of perks you receive when you move to wonderful Bridgewater NJ.  It’s always great to get excited about where you live and having the Commons mall so close gets a ton of people excited. If you’re selling your condo then this is a major point to make to your potential buyers because it will set your house apart.

For more information on the mall visit:

http://www.bridgewatercommons.com/

Have a great day and happy shopping!

Happy New Year! Today’s spotlight is on Chelsea Village. The condo community is located right off of route 22 east and provides easy access to all the major highways in the area. Residents also enjoy convenient proximity to downtown Somerville and all it has to offer. When you see the community from the street it doesn’t give you an idea of how large it actually is. Take a drive in and you’ll see how this wonderful this Bridgewater Condo community truly is. With that, lets get right to the pictures!

During Thanksgiving I reflected on how I was thankful for many things including my living situation. This post is about how I took the plunge when the time was right and now I’m into my 2nd year as a homeowner. When I bought two years ago the market conditions were good for buyers: rates were low, prices came down a little, and loans were available. Today’s enviroment is even better for those of you able to buy. I didn’t have the option of the $8000 tax credit or the some of the lowest mortgage rates one can ask for.

The point of this is to say, the longer you wait the more time passes and you’re not in you new place. I feel like the past two years have flown by and now I have a couple years of paid mortgage, built equity, and the happiness of not paying someone else’s rent. You never know what you can afford unless you take a serious look at the market. That’s why you need to consult your real estate team. I have a previous blog post all about this to provide guidance. Do yourself a favor and look into homeownership today. You have so much working for you in this market get out there and take advantage. Give me a call we’ll get started together.

I’m sitting the open house at the aformentioned address even with the ice storm thats going on outside. There have been a couple people very interested in the property and it’s easy to see why. The condo looks great and people love the open feel you get from a loft. The particular unit uses the space as a living room and office space.

You need to see a loft style condo unit to really get a feel for the property. Having extra living space is always a plus and it’s a cool feature. With the skylights the property has you get a ton of natural light which I personally love.

Give me a call so we can see the unit first hand and you can see the loft for yourself!

Well the answer is simple… it’s in Raritan township! It’s a little known fact that the Hidden Pond Townhouse community is in fact NOT in Bridgewater. If your up and down Vanderveer Road you will see a large sign for the community on your left. If you take a drive in you’ll see a bunch of beautiful townhouses that are tucked away on their own private street. The one thing that people sometimes confused by the Raritan mailing address. I still feel these townhomes are wonderful and are worth checking out if you have the chance. You’re on a private street in a community much smaller than those in the general area. Each townhouse backs up to the “hidden pond” for a great neighborhood feel.

Check my previous post about taxes in Bridgewater to understand the differences the mailing address can have on your tax bill. The great thing is all Raritan students attend Bridgewater-Raritan High school, one of the best in the state. I figured I would address this interesting situation and give you all the information I have so you can make the best decision possible.

I will be conducting an open house in Hidden Pond this Sunday from 12-4 so stop on by and see for yourself.

As a general rule I don’t like to comment on the financial end of the real estate transaction. There are a ton of people who’s only job is to know the in’s and outs of the mortgage process. As a Realtor that’s not the service I provide to myclients. What I can do is speak in the most general of terms when it comes to the title of this blog post. If you see a mortgage rate at 4.78% and you were thinking about getting into the market and your next call isn’t to me then we have bigger issues to deal with. I can’t express in words how low this rate is and how HUGE an opportunity this is. Mortgage rates a year ago were just around 6% and with home prices lower than last year you’re looking at a perfect storm for buyers.

If you had your mortgage professional crunch the numbers a couple months back, call them back and have them crunch them again with these new figures. You will see a major difference if what you pay every month with a rate this low. Home ownership does not have to be an abstract idea. You just need to take a serious look and make a few phone calls and understand exactly what this low rate means for you. I bought my condo at around 5.8% roughly two years ago and I thought that was an excellent deal. I thought home ownership was out of reach until I made the phone calls I talked about.

Do yourself a favor and get moving on this because with the following three factors: 1) Mortgage Rates are historic lows 2) Home prices are down from historic highs and 3) The $8000 tax break there has never been a better time to buy.

It’s time again for, what I feel, is one of the best condo communities in Bridgewater NJ: Glenbrooke. This is the one of the two communities located on Milltown Road and is about 2 min from Route 22. I think the pictures speak for themselves but if you’re in the market for a traditional townhouse unit in Bridgewater you should see something you like. You have the options of Townhouses with garages, without garages, with a deck, and with a walk-out basement. Without further delay check out some of the pictures I took and tell me what you think. Give me a call and I’ll take you out to see some of these properties in person.