Princeton Real Estate Blog

5 Easy steps to convert a "lead" to a satisfied client

2008-08-29T23:32:41Z

"How to go from "I found you on the Internet" to "Let's get married"

This article is not a prescription for getting the largest possible number of clients in the shortest time. It is about building long lasting relationships with clients.

For starters, let's get rid of the salespeople favorite word "leads". Why do we insist on calling people "leads" instead of "prospective clients"? Some may think it's a minor point. For me, it somehow devalues and de-personalizes the relationship before it even started. People looking for a romantic match on the Internet don't say "I got a call from a very handsome lead". More likely it's: "I got a call from a great guy I would like to meet". No different with real estate clients -we are looking for a relationship.

Having changed my marketing focus to blogging from the conventional methods, I learned interesting lessons.

1. Write content for the type of clients you want to attract.
The people who contact me from the blog are more often then not similar to me. They are detail oriented, focus on and appreciate research, value education as part of the selling process, are looking for a lot of useful information, could recognize intelligence and knowledge when they see it, do not believe they know -it -all, have an open mind, are suspicious of hard core sales people .

This made my year a lot more enjoyable. In contrast, pursuing FSBO last year, as the conventional wisdom for the relatively new real estate agents, produced, putting it mildly, a lot of stress. These are often people convinced they know it all, suspicious of advice, apprehensive of the value of your work, etc.

This as not what my heart desired.

2. Be there to answer the call.
I rarely have to call back -I am there when the phone rings, sometimes startling the person on the other line. One client said, of the several calls he placed, I was the only one who answered the phone...Clients said they were not sure why real estate agents advertise their phone numbers if they are not there to answer them.

E-mail immediately, if you don't have the phone number to call. Be sensitive to the style of inquiry. Do not push to get the person's phone number. Realize it could be a slow dance of getting to know each other through e-mails. The goal here is in each e-mail to provide value while finding out a bit more about the client's needs.

3. Judge the tempo
It could be a slow dance or it could be a cha-cha. It is often slower with buyer clients, then seller clients, since sellers are often under more time pressure. I had clients contact me after several failed relationships with other agents. What ever dissatisfaction was generated with the previous agent, the client may need time to see if and how you are different.

4. No hard sell
One thing I never do is push. Some times clients get stuck in the analysis paralysis and/or unable to make decisions. There are agents who believe such clients need to be pushed towards making a decision. I found two things could happen. The client gets stressed. If they make the decision, they are never certain later if it was the right decision and could come to resent you as an agent. If the stress gets to be too much, they would go somewhere else.

Buying and selling is stressful enough for clients. My job is to minimize the stress, not add to it.

5. Educate as you go
Let's suppose the client didn't take your advice and, for example, didn't offer what you recommended. Let's suppose it caused them to "lose" a bid. This is not the end of the world. In fact, better then anything you could say or do, it showed the client the value and validity of your advice.

This is one way my clients come to trust me - they see my words come true. It's not about the promises of a great job, or the ads with my smiling face, or the hype of being #1 producer. It's simply advising and guiding, so your words become verifiable facts. Does it take extra time? Yes. Does it stretch the process? May be. Does it built stronger relationships ? Most certainly.

One thing I found not to be the case. Prospective clients calling to hire you from a blog.

This is what I read a lot on Active Rain. Some may say my blogging has not risen to the heights needed for this to be the case. Fair enough. I am not sure I could fault prospective sellers for not hiring me right off the bat based on my blog. Again, my clients tend to be similar to me in many ways. I would not hire someone to do something very important, let's say surgery, just because I liked their blog, or even got a recommendation. I would want to meet them in person, meet other doctors, and decide then. Having a blog should make the client's task easier -more of a confirmation rather then investigation from scratch.

I found this to be the case with the sellers. When prospective clients ask me if they should talk to other agents, I say -"Sure". Why? Because:

1. It's part of due diligence.
2. Blog is a resume and a bit of an interview. It's not the interview.
3. Through my blog they could peak "into my head" over a long time, most other agents don't offer it to their clients.
4. I am confident in my abilities.
5. If they select someone else, it would have not been a good match anyway. This saves me time, expense and aggravation.
6. This is not the last chance we have to work together.
7. When the prospective client's choice turns out wrong they come back appreciating even more what I have to offer.

Be smart, be focused, be responsive, be respectful, be an advisor, know your stuff, get the job done. Hey, it's easy to get clients for life.

Why you should pay more to real estate agent

Luxury Princeton Homes For Sale Over $3 million

2008-08-27T14:40:06Z

The higher end of the luxury Princeton homes for sale offers a wide array of choices. The web/blog site combines the opportunity examine the choices in this price range, to understand the state of the real estate market, and perhaps to learn a bit more about Princeton, if you are relocating from out of state. This is a selection of homes available now in the price range of $3,000,000 - $5,000,000.

Princeton Luxury Homes For Sale

Princeton Homes For Sale - Preparing Your Home To Sell

2008-08-25T13:40:34Z

Princeton Real Estate - Preparing Your Home For Sale

Be careful when preparing your Princeton home for sale, especially if you consider working with contractors on home improvement projects. Princeton Real Estate blog provides tips, news and information on local real estate in Princeton, West Windsor, Montgomery, Lawrenceville (and other surrounding towns). Many Princeton home sellers ask me about whether and what kind of home improvements they should undertake before putting the house for sale.

Read: Why some Princeton homes sell fast
One sure way kill your Princeton home sale

As a publisher and author of this blog I talk to colleagues across the country to bring the best available information to my readers. Today's article comes to us from Irena Netchaev, real estate agent in Pasadena, Ca. Being a Realtor Irena knew what needs to be done prior to putting her house for sale. These are the same things you could consider when preparing your Princeton area home for sale.

She was planning to "get it painted inside and out, change out some bathroom fixtures, update handles on kitchen drawers and cabinets, change out some light fixtures and do little things here and there to make the house perfect for the new buyers. "

Unfortunately, things did not go according to plan. The contractor was unprofessional, or more crudely put, a crook. Not only did he not do a good job, he did not pay his subcontractors. This action in many states including New Jersey makes homeowner vulnerable to a New Jersey Construction Lien, which in New Jersey replaced the old Mechanic's Lien.

Construction Lien is a lien a contractors could file against Princeton real estate (or any other New Jersey homes) if their bill was not payed. The subcontractors could also file such a lien, if they were not payed by the homeowner or the general contractor.

When you are preparing to sell your Princeton area home, or for that matter at any other time, you do not want any such liens against your home. New Jersey does not have a General Contractor licensing board, so you need to be extra careful when hiring a contractor.

Here are some of the ideas to help you:

Get a minimum of three references. Go out and take a look physically at thier past work.
Get at least three bids.
Get a written contract and don't sign anything until you completely understand the terms.
Never pay more than 10% down or $1,000 whichever is less.
Don't let your payments get ahead of their work. Keep records of payments.
Don't make a final payment until you're satisfied with the job.
Don't pay cash.
Keep a job file of all papers relating to your project.

California State License board recommends the following to avoid Construction Lien being filed against your property. NJ does not have such a board for general contractors, but recommendations seem applicable:

Make sure your contractor hires only licensed subcontractors, and check their licenses, too
Check up on your prime contractors reputation for payment and lawsuits at the local courthouse, suppliers, and subcontractors;
Get a list of all subcontractors, laborers, and materials suppliers to be used by your prime contractor.
The simplest way to prevent liens is to pay with joint checks.
Compare the contractor's bill for materials or labor, compare it to the schedule of payments in your contract and the Preliminary 20-Day Notices
Make sure that work was done as described
Make out the check to both the contractor and the supplier, or subcontractor.
Both parties will have to endorse the check, which will ensure that the subcontractors and suppliers get paid.

The final recommendation is to get a signed conditional release from all possible lien claimants, before making final payments. For each portion of the work you could request your contractor to provide unconditional release signed by all claimants.

Contractors in NJ are required to file all the appropriate documentation within 90 days from the last date of work, services, material or equipment was provided.

If you have problems that may result in Construction Liens consult an attorney about your legal rights.

Get input from a Princeton real estate agent, if you would like to know what specific home improvement projects would make sense for your home.

If you want to find out more about selling your Princeton home read:

Princeton Homes For Sale -Real Estate Housing Report -Second Quarter 2008

Princeton NJ Homes For Sale - How To Find Information Real Estate Information You Can trust

Secrets to Selling Your Princeton Homes For Sale Like An Agent

Faina Sechzer does not guarantee or is in any way responsible for accuracy of the information on this site, and provides said information without warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied. Every consumer is urged to perform their own research and analysis.

Copyright ©2008 Faina Sechzer All rights reserved. This information cannot be copied, reproduced, transmitted, distributed, displayed or published.

One year and 200 posts later - the most important lessons learned

2008-08-22T06:19:38Z

200 posts is not a big number for some on Active Rain, but I was almost startled by this number, which coincided almost with my 1st year AR anniversary. In the true Russian tradition of self-examination this post is a reflection on the lessons learned.

1. Internet is peoples business after all.

I wondered about Internet relationships, when friends told me about meeting someone on the Internet. Without the struggle the experience of finding romantic matches on the Internet, Active Rain was my first forray into Intenet relationships both with colleagues and clients who found me through my blog.

2. All reationships require work.

I found AR as well as other social professional networks to be very effective ways to meet people and establish real relationships. Like any relationship they require work. You could be the smartest person and write brilliant posts, but if your goal is to develop Lasting relationships you have to show your interest in people in more ways then just on their blogs.

3. There is no substitute for a human connection.

I found Active Rain relationships extended beyond the blog and into the real life to be the most satisfying and lasting. This meant finding a human element interest and getting in touch with people on a deeper human level that went well beyond blogs. It was true for both peer relationships and with clients. Of all my brilliant writing, one client said, she remembered most my post about leaving Russia. She never escaped her country in the middle of the night, but she related to me as a person who overcame adversity, not just an agent in search of the next client.

4.Trust is earned off the blog.

Active Rain and other blogs are an excellent way to demonstrate your expertise and personality. Yet it is not enough, IMO, to build trust. Internet still leaves room for boasting, exaggerating, misleading, or simply misunderstanding another person's personality and work they would do. I found both positive and disappointing connections on AR. Interacting with clients is easier, if they found you through your blog. More likely then not, there would be compatibility, since they selected you for a reason. To build trust more is needed. Delivering the service as promised and demonstrating your commitment to the client in action is how true trust is built.

The same is true for AR colleagues. No matter how many wonderful comments you get on your posts, the test of true relationships is off the blog. I have seen bloggers "disappear", so to speak, from everyones' radars. Such disappearance would be noticed by people you engage with off the blog. The idea is the same - it's the real human connections that make the difference.

5. Learning about blogging is endless.

One of the biggest challenges for bloggers is finding their Google love. This one seems to be fickle and ever changing. You may also discover things you totally didn't expect. For example, for close to a year I struggled enjoyed writing a post every day. That's what I thought Google wants me to do. Forget vacations, if I miss a day, Google would stop coming to my blog every day. The last part, is perhaps still true. But the total premise could be wrong. I discovered each post I produced was in fact competition for the previous one. Not enough authority was allowed to built for each. Taking my first vacation from blogging (OK, it was almost vacation, since I pre-posted one before I left and wrote another one while there:) I found no adverse impact. In fact, more searches were done on the posts that were allowed to mature.

Going forward Google, IMHO, would be changing their algorithm all the time to find the perfect authority blogs in different fields. We would have to be learning and experimenting to keep the elusive Google love.

6. Just when you thought you got it...

A year of blogging for me was the most satisfying part of real estate marketing. I am not effective at it yet and spend way too much time from the purely ROI perspective. When I thought I got it and should write "short and sweet" posts, I stopped looking at ROI. I continue spending the time (surely not a Rx for everyone). I know for me it beats knocking on doors which, BTW, in Princeton would probably result in a call to the police:)

I know you don't need to be Hemingway to generate business from blogging. Yet I continue to strive for creative writing.

Lastly, when you thought you figured Active Rain and how to be successful here, they introduce new Localism:) I am sure there would be other changes in real estate practice, technology, Active Rain company, Google, customers' expectations and us as we grow and learn with every new post.

Closing in the same Russian tradition, here is to another 200 posts! What are the most important lessons you learned?

Princeton Luxury Real Estate - Discover Ettl Farm Neighborhood

2008-08-21T09:24:36Z

Ettl Farm Luxury Homes -Princeton Real Estate

Ettl Farm Neighborhood

Ettl Farm is one of the most popular Princeton neighborhoods. It was built in 1995 by Toll Brothers and is reflective of the style of large stately houses built by this builder. There are approximately 117 Princeton homes in this development located off Rosedale road. This community is popular with corporate relocation home buyers and others relocating to Princeton New Jersey. I see continual demand for the homes in Ettl Farm for Princeton homes for sale. At the time of this article there are no houses on the market in Ettl Farm Princeton neigborhood.

The major streets in the development are Christopher Drive, Walker Rd and Stone Cliff. The houses backing to the woods are usually considered premium locations compared to the houses backing to the open space. Many Ettl Farm houses on the Stone Cliff Road are considered premium because they back to the woods (houses with even numbers) and have walk out basements, because of the topography of the street.

In many of such houses you could find finished basements with such amenities as spas, saunas, game rooms, gyms, and even second kitchens. Often there is a separate entry to the basement.

This layout makes these homes convenient for buyers of Princeton real estate who may have children, need space for visitors, enjoy the additional entertaining spaces.

Ettl Farm homes for sale range in price from $1,250,000 to $1,570,00 in 2008, when 5 houses were sold. While there are Princeton homes for sale languishing on the market, houses in Ettl Farms have all sold, when priced correctly. The time to sell these Princeton properties ranged for 28 days to 170 days.

Children who live in Ettl Farm attend Johnson Park elementary school, John Witherspoon elementary and Princeton High schools.

Princeton school system provides bus transportation for Johnson Park elementary and John Witherspoon middle school students who live more than two miles form school, and High School students who live more than two and one-half miles from school. Bus passes are mailed out the third week of August. If you are new to the district, please contact the Transportation Coordinator at 806-4209.

Click here to search for Princeton homes for sale to discover your dream luxury Princeton home.

West Windsor Real Estate Market Report- June 2008, Second Quarter 2008

2008-08-07T11:25:10Z

West Windsor NJ Real Estate Market Report - June 2008 and First 180 Days 2008

I.West Windsor Real Estate Statistics June 2008 and First Half 2008 Summary

The West Windsor NJ real estate market report for June 2008 is important in the sense it completes the picture for the first 180 days of 2008 and also covers the usually busiest real estate market in the summer. The West Windsor real estate statistics show significant 26% decline in the number of houses listed for June 2008 and 12% decline for the first six months 2008, compared to the same periods in 2007. Sellers of West Windsor homes have been reluctant to put their houses on the market in the wave of the national reports of depressed home prices, credit problems and other economic troubles. This is similar to the real estate market in Princeton and Montgomery Township. West Windsor Home Sellers' choosing to wait for a better market could also suggest the relative economic stability of the greater Princeton, with much less impact of the foreclosures. In many parts of the country waiting is not an option for many homeowners.

With fewer houses on the market, there were declines in the number of West Windsor homes sold in June 2008 and in the first half of 2008, compared to the same periods in 2007. These declines are 13% and 16% respectively. The average price decline of 2% for homes sold in West Windsor could be considered moderate for the first 180 days in 2008, compared to 2007, reflective of the relative limited inventory.

Read: Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Housing Report -Second Quarter 2008

II. West Windsor Real Estate Market June 2008

West Windsor Houses Sold 2008
Total number            29
Median Price            $570,000
Average Price            $591,990
Avg. Sold Price/original Price    94%

West Windsor Condos Sold 2008
Total number            5
Median Price            $273,500
Average Price            $278,500
Avg. sold price/Original Price    94%

West Windsor Houses Pending 2008
Total number            30
Median Price            $659,000
Average Price            $673,780

West Windsor Condos Pending 2008
Total number            9
Median Price            $389,000
Average Price            $371,000

West Windsor Houses Active 2008
Total number            158
Median Price            $628,980
Average Price            $677,670

West Windsor Condos Active 2008
Total number            32
Median Price            $336,900
Average Price           $351,770

West Windsor Real Estate Statistics - Houses & Condos June 2008
Units Listed                42
Listed Average Price     $550,446
Pended                    36
Units Sold                  34
Sold Average            $545,887
Average DOM             57

West Windsor Real Estate Statistics - Houses & Condos June 2007
Units Listed                57
Listed Average Price     $572,723
Pended                     40
Units Sold                 39
Sold Average Price    $560,153
Average DOM            80

III. West Windsor Real Estate Market - First Half 2008

West Windsor Houses Sold
Total number            110
Median Price            $513,000
Average Price            $565,750
Avg. Sold Price/ Original Price    92%

West Windsor Condos Sold
Total number            27
Median Price            $336,900
Average Price            $351,770
Avg. Sold Price/ Original Price    94%

West Windsor Real Estate - Houses & Condos - First Half 2008
Units Listed                302
Listed Average Price     $595,413
Pended                      186
Units Sold                  136
Sold Average Price       $516,427
Average DOM            74

West Windsor Real Estate - Houses & Condos First Half 2007
Units Listed                342
Listed Average Price     $599,694
Pended                      211
Units Sold                  162
Sold Average Price       $528,999
Average DOM             84

Data based on Trend MLS 07/22/2008 and is not guaranteed.

Use our free West Windsor Homes Search if you are considering relocating to West Windsor NJ and search for West Windsor homes for sale 24/7.

Please call 609-553-4175 for services in Princeton, Montgomery Township, West Windsor, Plainsboro, Princeton Junction, Hopewell, Pennington, and Lawrenceville New Jersey.New Jersey Real estate, New Jersey homes for sale and/or listing New Jersey homes to sell, relocation services and assistance. Referrals are accepted. Countrywide and international relocation program is available.

Faina Sechzer does not guarantee or is in any way responsible for accuracy of the information on this site, and provides said information without warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied. Every consumer is urged to perform their own research and analysis.

West Windsor Real Estate - Bridge Closing

2008-08-07T11:16:37Z

West Windsor Mercer County Alexander Road Bridge is now closed for construction.

Princeton Junction train station is what many people in Princeton, Montgomery, West Windsor and other surrounding towns use to commute to work. Proximity to the train station is often one of the key requirements for many Princeton area home buyers.

There are several ways to get to the Princeton Junction train station and one of them is from Alexander street. If you are looking for a Princeton area home for sale, you could locate homes on the map to see where they are in relationship to the bridge. Click on this link to Search Princeton Homes For Sale.

Starting July 11, the project to replace the bridge entered it's second phase, and the Alexander Road Bridge has been closed. For many years when I lived in West Windsor, there was an understanding of the need and plans for the redesign of the Alexander Road Bridge. These plans are now being implemented, with the project scheduled to be completed by November.

The new bridge will have wider traveling lanes, 4-foot shoulders and 6-foot sidewalks to accommodate motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.

There are several detours re-routing the traffic around the train station, but the delays could be expected.

For more information on new traffic patterns check the West Windsor Township web-site. You can also check live traffic conditions here .

If you are relocating to the greater Princeton area read:

Relocating to Princeton - How To Decide Where To Live

This article was first published in the guide to Princeton Real Estate.

What sells Princeton Homes In #30 Days Or Less

2008-08-05T07:19:33Z

Why Some Princeton Houses Sell Quickly

There are some homes in Princeton that continue to sell well in any market. This article looks at what makes these Princeton homes special.

For some Princeton real estate sellers it has been a challenging market. In the Princeton township there were 190 houses listed in the first six months of 2008, and only 84 sold during the same period. In 2007, this ratio was 239 houses listed to 101 houses sold. In 2005 it was 247 listed and 123 sold. What is interesting is there are houses that continue to sell quickly in any market and some are selling over asking price.

"Could my house sell quickly in this market?" is a question many sellers in Princeton ask me in trying to understand what makes a difference between a house that sells and the one languishing on the market.

In this article I would like to look at a specific Princeton home as an example, because it has sold several times in the last several years and illustrates some of the important issues.

This home is located on Moore street in the Princeton Township. It was listed in 06/05 for $849,900 and sold for $900,000. It went under contract in only 15 days. Fast forward to the a different market of 2008. The same Princeton homes was listed in 4/08 for $998,000 and goes under contract in 8 days. The house sold again for over asking price -$1,015,000.

Although one house does not explain what goes on in the Princeton real estate market it illustrates several important points about what home buyers are looking for. So, what was special about this Moore street house have that allowed it to sell well in all markets?

1. Desirable Location
Moore street is a pretty street within walking distance to Princeton High School and downtown Princeton. There are many buyers who place value on this location.

2. Outside Appearance
There are houses that are somehow appealing to many people, because they evoke a positive emotional response. This home, although without a big footprint from the front, looks like a fairly tale cottage. The grounds are beautiful in the front yard, before you even get into the house. It makes it easy for the buyers to envision themselves living in this charming place and already makes them positively predisposed to what's inside.

3. Modern Amenities
Many Moore street houses are older, with smaller rooms and other attributes of older homes. Buyers today place premium on houses that could accommodate family activities, such as large family rooms. This house was remodeled to include a big family room addition and kitchen with all the bells and whistles. All the bathrooms were also remodeled. Because few other Moore street houses have these amenities, this one commanded a premium.

4. Condition
The house was in spotless condition, with nothing for the buyers needed to do. Because the house is a cape, the bedrooms on the second floor were smaller with slanting ceilings. The presentation was such that it underscored the charm, rather then limited space. Buyers were willing to overlook the size issue, because the home looked so appealing.

If you are considering selling your Princeton home now, it does not necessarily mean you should embark on expansive renovations or additions. To sell now requires understanding the needs and wants of home buyers looking for Princeton homes for sale and translating it into marketing plan for your home.

Princeton Homes For Sale.

Resources for finding best Princeton real estate:

One Sure Way To Kill A Princeton House Sale

How To Buy And Sell Your Princeton Home Like A Pro

Monthly and quarterly Princeton real estate market housing reports:

Princeton New Jersey Real Estate Market Report - Six Months 2008

Princeton area Housing Prices, Market Reports, Statistics

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Housing Report -First Quarter 2008

Montgomery Township Real Estate Market Report - June 2008, First Half 2008

2008-07-30T22:05:44Z

Montgomery NJ Real Estate Market Report - June & First Six Months 2008

This report provides insight into the state of the Montgomery Township real estate and could be useful for home buyers relocating to Montgomery Township, looking for Princeton New Jersey homes for sale and wanting to understand the differences between various surrounding towns,and for people considering selling your Montgomery home.

Read:Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Housing Report -Second Quarter 2008

I. Montgomery Real Estate Summary

The slowing down of the real estate market in Montgomery Township is similar to Princeton real estate in that there were fewer house listed, going under contract, and sold compared to the similar period of 2007. There were 39% less houses listed in June 2008 and 22% less in the first half year of 2008, compared to 2007. Many Montgomery home sellers (similar to Princeton home sellers) are reluctant to put their houses on the market and deciding to wait for the market to turn around or stabilize. Most of the market activity now is attributed to the home buyers and sellers relocating to the area, because of job transfers or other family personal situations, requiring their move. There is also a category of Montgomery real estate buyers and sellers who are using this weakened market to upscale. The number of Montgomery homes sold declined 22% in June and 33% in the 1st six months compared to 2007. Factors contributing to these declines are the uncertainty of the home buyers, tightening credit market, increasing interest rates and other troubles with the economy.

II. Montgomery Township Real Estate - June 2008

Montgomery Houses - Active June 2008
Number - 159
Median Price - $640,000
Average Price -$ 741,170

Montgomery Condos -Active June 2008
Number - 13
Median Price - $399,900
Average Price - $377,290

Montgomery Houses - Sold June 2008
Number of Houses Sold - 24
Value sold - $14,967,800
Median House Price - $614,000
Average House Price - $623,660
Average House Sold/ Original Price - 95%

Montgomery Condos - Sold June 2008

Number Condos Sold -    5
Value sold -               $1,236,500
Median Condo Price -   $334,000
Average Condo Price - $327,000
Average Condo Sold Price/Original Price - 95%

Montgomery Houses & Condos June 2008 vs. June 2007

Category                     June 2008        June 2007
Number Listed                  22                   36
Number Pended                 33                   42
Number Sold                 29                    37
Average Price Sold         $572,562           $772,921
Average DOM                   57                   66

Montgomery Houses Under Contract (Pending) June 2008
Number of Houses pending -33
Volume Houses Sold -       $23,527,880
Median House Price -      $685,000
Average House Price-       $712,970

Montgomery Condos Under Contract (Pending) -June 2008

Number Condos Sold - 6
Value Condos sold -    $2,232,700
Median Condo Price     $349,900
Average Condo Price    $372,120

III. Montgomery Township Real Estate First Half 2008

Montgomery Houses Sold 01/2008-06/2008
Number Houses sold - 70
Median House Price - $585,000
Average House Price - $661,980
Average Sold Price /Original Price - 93%

Montgomery Condos Sold 01/2008-06/2008
Number Condos Sold - 17
Median Condo Price Sold - $350,000
Average Condo Price Sold -$356,410
Average Sold Price /Original Price - 93%

Montgomery Township Houses & Condos 01/2008-06/2008 vs. 01/2007- 06/2007

Category                     Six Months 2008                    Six Months 2007
Number Listed                 229                                     290
Number Pended                126                                    165
Number Sold                    87                                     118
Average Price Sold           $602,267                        $665,803
Average DOM                  81                                      73

Statistics based on Trend MLS 07/18/2008 and not guaranteed.

Resources for selling and buying Princeton real estate:

How To Buy And Sell Your Princeton Home Like A Pro

Why Some Princeton Houses Sell Quickly

How To Find A Real Estate Bargain|Princeton Real Estate

Do You Want To Be A Successful Princeton Home Seller?

Princeton Real Estate - Buyers Market and Multiple Offers

Can Your Blog Go AWOL And Survive?or How To Improve Blog Longevity

2008-07-26T10:36:56Z

Suppose you are an active participant on AR. Then for one reason or another you decide to take a break. OK, not going AWOL, just doing other things temporarily. Would it be the same for you when you come back? How could you improve blog longevity?

Today I read Loreena Yeo post about her decision to take a short break from AR and understood her need completely. I have done it myself, although I never stopped completely, just slowed down. Here are a few things I learned about blog longevity from a human and technical perspectives.

A bit of Background.

I started on AR almost a year ago and was hooked. I confess to staying up way past my bedtime to learn about people, blogging (yes, didn't know what that was) and to contribute a few of my thoughts. I met many wonderful people and felt more connected then ever before in my real estate career.

Then came some family issues needing much more of my time and attention. My AR participation slowed down. A while later I started another Princeton Real Estate blog, which took much more effort then I originally anticipated. Again, I slowed down on AR. I continued to read my favorite bloggers and to post, occasionally even getting the gold star. Somehow, it seemed the momentum was not there anymore.

The question for active AR participants is whether after your absence you could come back and start where you left off. My answer, as it often seems to be these days: "It depends". Several factors are important for the longevity of your blog. It also depends on the type of your absence: do you continue posting or not, do you continue commenting or not, do you stop altogether?

1. Content and Personalities.

This is the most important point and it's hard to separate the content from the personalities. If you have been around AR for any length of time you probably met the big blogging personalities here: Broker Briant, His Lovely Wife, Lenn Harley and many others. The reason people are drawn to their blogs - they provide content members want to read. The second reason is their personalities. My guess is that if they took a break from AR for a year and came back they would be just as popular.

There are bloggers, like Andrew Lenza, and others who no longer write on AR, but are remembered by many. These people have either special personalities, talents, and/or knowledge, like Karen George. These bloggers offered content that had the staying power long after they stopped writing on AR.

Not everyone has such gifts and talents. If your popularity here did not reach the highest levels you may want to think about the next point.

2. Human Contact
There is nothing that is stronger then personal bonds and ties. If you want to be remembered, you may think of strengthening those ties. E-mail, call, Twitter, Skype -what ever the method, think about staying in touch.

The interesting point for me is that my connection with many AR friends got stronger while I was "away". Irena Netchaev is my pal who offers her shoulder any time I click the Skype button. Kim Wood, Diane Aurit, Missy Caulk, Cyndee Hayden, Sarah Cooper, Ruthmarie Hicks, Mark Grossman, Kathy McGraw, Katerina Gasset and many others have continued to be present in my life on and outside this blog. Rich Jacobson was always only a phone call away.

3. Internet Connection

Internet turns out to be a small place. Yesterday I got a call from a President of the company I wrote about in this post. He thanked me for my article. We could all do that for each other. If you see an article you like mention the author in your post. We are not inventing a wheel in our writing. Most of what we write has most likely been written before. Use this opportunity to feature another blogger. It would not take away anything from your credibility. In fact it could help you with Google's credibility. We all have Google alerts, don't we? When someone mentions you call them and thank them. These are the things that keep people remembering you.

4. Emotional Engagement
What happens when you leave AR and even when you are still here depends on how much you got your readers emotionally involved. My "brilliant" market reports made my phone ring by prospective clients. Are these the kind of posts that leave a memorable impression and allow people remember me during or after my absence? I don't think so. When I shared on AR deeply personal stories about my family and kids is when I think I connected with people on a deeper level.

5.Google longevity.

Blog longevity comes in many colors and here I talk about the technical aspects. By this I mean would your blog come up in Google as high as it did before your AR "vacation".
I haven't tested what happens if you stop posting completely, since I continued to post, just less frequently. Although my page rank increased since I started on AR, my ranking for the key terms definitely slipped as my participation decreased.

Traffic to the blog decreased. Dugh:) Although people continued to find me through Google searches, the traffic went way down. I just checked the numbers and the decline was substantial in page views, unique visitors and repeat visitors.

6. People's memory.
Big part of the traffic to my AR blog was not surprisingly from AR members. Guess what happened when I was away? My readers moved on. Gone were the comments and participation, even when I came back. Granted, you may not be writing with the purpose of getting comments from AR members, but it may be one of the things to consider.

Back to content. My content shifted primarily to local real estate issues. Nothing personal, and occasional advice on blogging, marketing, or practice of real estate. I focused on the consumers. Was this the most engaging reading for AR members? I don't think so. Keep this in mind, when you think about your content vis-a-vis your goals.

Let me not to forget the commenting thing. If you stop commenting on other people's blogs, don't count on them commenting on yours, unless you are one of the "big"/popular bloggers. Again, if comments are not your thing, your blog longevity may not be effected in this way.

If you want to be remembered after you come back to AR, think about what you are doing while you are here and to continue to be engaged in some way while away. Google's memory seems to be tied to people's.

P.S. Shh...This is a test of the blog longevity:)

Selling Princeton Homes Out-Of-The-Box

2008-07-24T08:51:53Z

New Approaches To Selling Princeton Homes?

Are you selling your Princeton area home and feel you may need some extra help? Does a plastic burial bag seem like something you may need? Having completed Princeton real estate market report for June 2008 and the first half of 2008 (as well as Montgomery Real Estate report for the same period), I wondered if many home sellers may be looking for out of the box ideas. Looking for a unorthodox approach to selling Princeton homes I poked a bit on the Internet.

I found a plastic burial bag, muslin tote bag and a color booklet may just be the items you need. What do these items have to do with selling a home in the Princeton area? They are part of the package that comes together with a four-inch high statue of St. Joseph from a Modesto, California company St.JosephStatue.com. Believers in the power of saints bury the statue in their back yard to help them sell their homes.

I heard such stories before, but what really surprised me was the fact reported in WSJ Blog. St.JosephStatue.com company has released an index of the company sales comparing it to the Case- Shiller Home Price Index.

Read: Who Else Wants Clarity About Prices for Princeton NJ Real Estate Mercer County Homes

St.JosphStatue.com index shows the sale of statues on the rise in 17 out of 20 markets tracked by the Case-Shiller. Best sale of statues was in the areas with the home prices were at their worst. If these numbers are accurate, it would suggest home sellers across the country are looking for help from the "higher authority".

Some blog commentators reported this method having worked for them, while others suggested WSJ is "having a hard time finding feel good real estate stories".

For more about information on what is happening in Princeton real estate market read:

Princeton Real Estate Market Report -Second Quarter 2008 |Mercer County NJ

Why Some Princeton Houses Sell Quickly

3 Things That Sell Houses Now- Princeton Mercer County NJ Real Estate

5 Deadly Mistakes When Selling Your House -Princeton Mercer County NJ Real Estate

You do not need to seek help from a "higher authority" by searching the homes available for sale now. Compare homes on the market to yours 24/7.

Princeton New Jersey Homes For Sale

2008-07-21T21:52:04Z

Princeton New Jersey Homes For Sale - Search in Princeton, Montgomery, Hopewell, Pennington, West Windsor, Lawrenceville, Cranbury, Plainsboro and other NJ Towns

Search Princeton and New Jesey Homes For Sale

State of the art Princeton Real estate Homes Search is now available for New Jersey homes for sale in Princeton, Montgomery, Hopewell, Pennington, West Windsor, Lawrenceville, Cranbury, Plainsboro and other towns in New Jersey. In fact the search extends well beyond New Jersey homes.
Search Princeton and New Jesey Homes For Sale

I am very excited the new capability on the Princeton Real Estate blog web-site. Visitors can gain insider knowledge about Princeton area real estate, understand the latest real estate market reports as well as search for any greater Princeton homes for sale based on your criteria. The cool part of this system is that you could search either based on criteria or based on the map. You don't have to sign-up or register, unless you want to save your searches and come back to them later.

You could save your favorite homes for sale, print them out, ask questions about specific homes, or request an appointment.

If you know of someone who is relocating and moving to the greater Princeton area, you could be a good friend and e-mail them the house you think they may like. You could also suggest they visit this site to learn more about relocating and living in Princeton.
Read: Relocating and living in Princeton
Relocating to Princeton - How To Decide Where To Live

Let me know how this search is working for you, so I could continue making your experience on the site more productive and enjoyable. Click on the button below and get a step closer to your new home.

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Princeton New Jersey Home Sellers - What Should You Do During The Summer?

2008-07-17T15:47:47Z

Do You Want To Be A Successful Princeton Home Seller?

How do you get to the finish line if you are selling your Princeton home now? What should you do if you are considering selling now, but didn't start the process yet? While Princeton real estate does not take breaks for vacation, the sales activity slows down in the summer, and even more so now with the credit and banking problems and other economic uncertainties. In this generally slow New Jersey real estate period there are home sellers in Princeton who are already in the market selling their home, or are considering if they should do it now. After the July 4Th holidays home sellers in the Princeton area find themselves in 3 categories each with different goals and objectives, but all wanting the best outcome. I review the strategies for these sellers in this article.

1. Your Princeton home is under contract.

Yours is now a waiting and preparing game, getting ready for closing and preparing to move.

If you are in this group you are obviously in the best position and ahead of many homes that didn't sell. Nevertheless, this time is still not without the emotional ups and downs that many real estate transactions have even after the house is under contract.

If you are in this group your main objective is to smoothly get to the closing, by making sure all the contractual obligations are met by all the parties.
If there are repairs that had to be done, as part of the negotiated contact, make sure all the parties are on board.
Review with your agent and attorney the checklist for closing and make sure all the items are being addressed.

2. Your Princeton House did not sell.

You home is still on the market, perhaps after several price reductions and you are asking yourself: " Why did my house not sell, and what could be done now, if anything to get it accomplished?".

Although there is a lot generic advice on what makes the houses sell, this is the time when you need a real specific re-assessment. I am often asked by Princeton home sellers: "Why did my neighbor's house sell, and my didn't"? Now, is the time to confront these issues, that could range from the pricing, to timing, to appearance and even furniture. Yes, buyers should know, they are buying the house, not the furniture, but often they can't get beyond what they see.

Whatever the issue, why your house didn't sell, now you need to put aside the emotional attachment we all have to our homes, get expert advice and incorporate it in your plan of action going forward.

Although there are still buyers, who did not buy the home this season, and are looking still looking, most likely, not much selling activity would happen until after the Labor day. Be prepared for the new plan of attack for the fall market.

3.Your are considering selling your Princeton home.

You may not be sure is it's possible to sell your Princeton real estate home now. You may have circumstances that are either requiring you to move from Princeton to another area or there may be another reason why you would want to sell. The questions such potential sellers have, given the state of the Princeton real estate, is whether it's realistic to be able to sell now. Many sellers are thinking whether they should rent the house and wait for the better market.

You need to access the real need and motivation for selling your Princeton area home now and reconcile it with the economics of each alternative. Do you need to take the equity in the house for another purpose, or not? If you decide not to sell, would you be able to rent it out for sufficient amount to cover your costs? Do you understand all the issues involved in becoming a landlord? Do you believe that Princeton real estate market will be better next year? Do you believe Princeton real estate would be worse next year? How would each scenario effect your plans? If the interest rates continue to climb, home buyers would be able to afford less. Would that impact your decisions?

Analyze all the alternatives based on facts, rather then predictions of future available only to those with a cystal ball. If you decide that selling your home is the best approach now, make sure you have the plan to make it happen even in this week market. Realise that taugh times for sellers call for tough marketing. In the next few weeks I will publish more tips on selling in this market.

Resources for finding best Princeton real estate:

How To Buy And Sell Your Princeton Home Like A Pro

Monthly and quarterly Princeton real estate market housing reports:

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Housing Report -Second Quarter 2008

Princeton area Housing Prices, Market Reports, Statistics

Princeton NJ Mercer County Real Estate Market Housing Report -First Quarter 2008

Good Places To Eat In Princeton - Cammillo's Cafe

2008-07-08T22:42:14Z

Camillo's Caffe -Good Places to Eat In Princeton|Princeton Relocation | Things To Do

Home buyers relocating to Princeton often ask me about things to do and good places to eat in Princeton area. Today I would like to suggest Cammillo's Cafe in Princeton. I am not a food critic (I am a NJ real estate agent), although traveling, eating and getting paid for it seem like a dream job:) This review brings a bit lighter subject then usual on this Princeton real estate site, which usually is focused on helping Princeton home buyers and sellers become better real estate consumers.

Lately Princeton real estate has been a heavy duty topic and may not bring much enjoyment to some of the Princeton home sellers. With that in mind, let's talk about some thing more enjoyable , especially if you are considering relocating to Princeton and are wondering about good places to eat in Princeton.

When I lived in Italy I was too poor to eat out and my cooking then was mostly Russian. I have to confess I love good food and later in life got to eat in some of the best restaurants in New York and Europe, so I am a bit spoiled when it comes to good food.

At Camillo's Cafe in Princeton the food is very good. The restaurant has already been reviewed or written up by professional writers in Princeton Business Journal, Princeton Packet, Town Topics and even New York Times, and this post is not to compete with real food critics. I am describing my own experience at Camillo's Cafe as a customer. Quality of food and service, which are two most important criteria for me, was excellent the several times we ate there.

The chef/owner Camillo Tortola describes his food as authentic Italian.
He came to this country several years ago having run Italian restaurants in Scotland. He opened this small restaurant in the Princeton shopping center.

The service is more like when visiting a friend, then a restaurant. The last time we were at Camillo's it was a very hot day and I was in a mood for their cold sea-food salad which was not on the menu. We asked Camillo and he said he would come up with something based on what he had in the kitchen, and he did. He made a different sea-food salad, but it was very good. It's hard or may be impossible to get this level of personal service in most Princeton restaurants.

Something similar happened on another occasion, when the chef offered something not on the menu to satisfy his customers.

The dinning room is not large, but pleasant with many windows open when the weather is good. There are wall pleasant painted murals on the walls, that don't look cheese like in some Italian restaurants. There is also an outdoor patio for good weather. The kitchen is open, so you could see the cooking as it's being prepared. The menu is not very extensive, and I don't think it has changed since the first time we visited. It still has many choices and a few special of the day.

The wines offered are from Hopewell Valley Vineyards. Not being a wine conosseuir, I support using local products. The seafood also comes from a local distributor and the vegetables from local organic farms.

Camiilo's Cafe is located in the Princeton Shopping Center at 301 N. Harrison St, Princeton, NJ 08540. Tel 609-252-0608.

They are opened foe lunch Mon-Sat 11:30am -2:30pm, and dinner Mon-Sat: 5pm -10pm; Sunday -5pm- 9pm.

If you are considering moving/relocating to Princeton, read more about Princeton homes and Princeton real estate:

About Princeton - Relocating And Living |Princeton NJ homes|New Jersey real estate

How To Buy A Home At The Lowest Price? | Princeton NJ homes|Mercer County NJ Homes

Princeton Real Estate Housing Report May 2008 | New Jersey Real Estate

Luxury Princeton Homes For Less Than $2 million | New Jersey Real Estate

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4th of July Celbrations In The Princeton Area

2008-07-05T08:49:04Z

Freedom Festval In West Windsor

There are many local events planned for the Independence Day holiday weekend in and around Princeton. One such activity, offering free family fun, is Freedom Festival hosted by Mercer County on Saturday, July 5.

The festival will take place in Mercer County Park, West Windsor at 3pm-5pm.
Mercer county announcement indicates a great concert lineup including Verdict, starting at 3 p.m., Nerds at 5 p.m., The Sensational Soul Cruises at 7p.m., and others.

The festival will have activities for kids and adults including food, local wineries, craft vendors. Entertainment for the kids will include inflatable rides, hot air balloons, and animal exhibits.

The festival will also have beautiful firework displays, starting at approximately 9:15 p.m.

Seems like a good opportunity for free family fun to include this festival in your Independence day holiday weekend celebrations.

P.S. when my kids asked me what should we do this weekend, I answered: "ckeck out my blog":)