Admin

All About New Jersey Real Estate

By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
On October 8, 2026, eXp Realty and Newrez announced the creation of Revenos Mortgage, powered by Newrez, a mortgage joint venture scheduled to launch in early 2027.The announcement brings together eXp Realty's national real estate agent network and Newrez's mortgage origination, technology, and loan servicing capabilities.The companies describe their objective as creating a more seamless homebuying experience, connecting real estate services and mortgage financing within a coordinated business platform.From a corporate strategy perspective, the arrangement makes sense.But from a consumer perspective, a different question deserves attention.When your real estate brokerage has a financial interest in the mortgage company recommended to you, whose interests are being served, and how can yo...
Comments 0
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
Presidential, congressional and mayoral elections command attention. Yet some of the decisions that can affect daily life, public education and local finances are made much closer to home.Your local Board of Education matters.For homeowners, landlords, tenants, parents and other residents, understanding why New Jersey school board elections matter is an important part of understanding the community in which you live, own property or may someday purchase a home.This is not about telling anyone whom to support. It is about knowing what a school board actually does, examining public information and asking candidates meaningful, measurable questions before making your own decision.🏡 Why Property Owners Should Pay AttentionProperty owners naturally pay attention to property taxes, and school...
Comments 4
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
 Your Fall To-Do List Can Do More Than Prepare for WinterThe leaves are changing. Temperatures are dropping. And suddenly that familiar homeowner checklist starts getting longer.Clean the gutters. Check the heating system. Seal drafts. Rake the leaves. Put away the outdoor furniture.But if selling your home next spring is even a possibility, your fall maintenance list can accomplish something else at the same time.It can become the beginning of your home-selling plan.Rather than waiting until February or March and suddenly trying to repair, declutter, organize, paint, clean and prepare a property for photography, homeowners can use the quieter fall and winter months to prepare your home for a spring sale one manageable project at a time.The benefit is not simply getting things done earl...
Comments 2
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
You hire a real estate professional to market your property, analyze the market, negotiate on your behalf and help manage the transaction.So once the listing agreement is signed, is your job finished?Not quite.Selling a home works best as a partnership between the homeowner and the real estate professional. Your agent may develop the pricing and marketing strategy, promote the property, communicate with buyers' representatives and guide negotiations, but there are important things only you can do.Understanding the seller's role in selling a home can help create a smoother process and position the property to compete effectively from the moment it enters the market.1. Give Your Home a Strong First ImpressionToday's first showing often happens online.Before a buyer schedules an appointmen...
Comments 2
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
Could More Housing Change the New Jersey Real Estate Market?For years, New Jersey home buyers have faced a familiar problem: too many people competing for too few available homes.On September 29, 2026, Governor Mikie Sherrill announced a five-pillar housing strategy designed to accelerate housing production, streamline approvals, expand housing opportunities and address housing costs throughout New Jersey.For consumers and real estate professionals, the bigger question is not simply what Trenton announced.What could this mean for the places where New Jerseyans actually want to live, buy, sell, rent and invest?That is where the New Jersey housing affordability plan for buyers becomes particularly relevant to the real estate conversation.New Jersey Says It Needs 350,000 Additional HomesTh...
Comments 2
 Did you hear rates are up? There is lot of talk in the media that rates have not been this high in over 20yrs- for the 10yr treasury that is true, but for Mortgages we are still lower than the highs we saw in 2023. 2023 has a lot of similarities to this year where we saw interest rates hit a bottom in February and climb from there.  If you remember 2023, we had rates touching 8 for a bit in a few weeks of October and November only to settle back down.   While 2023 and 2026 are following an eerily similar pattern… (like a crazy similar pattern) the reasons are a bit different.  2023 was all about inflation and the Fed trying to get inflation under control after the excessive incentives we saw in the pandemic. Today there are inflation fears, but it is not the same broad-based inflation ...
Comments 0
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
Selling a home is more than putting a price on the property, placing it online and waiting for an offer.For most homeowners, a sale is connected to something bigger: a new home, retirement, relocation, right-sizing, a career change, investment goals or simply the desire for a different lifestyle.That is why the decisions made before your home reaches the market can be just as important as the negotiations that happen afterward.A successful sale is not simply about getting the highest imaginable price. It is about positioning the property to attract qualified buyers, protecting your negotiating position and creating a transaction that helps you move confidently toward whatever comes next.If you are preparing to sell, understanding these seller mistakes to avoid when listing your home can...
Comments 3
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
The best opportunity in real estate is not always the newest listing. Sometimes it is the home buyers have already scrolled past.In a market where affordability remains a major concern, homes for sale over 30 days with seller financing incentives can represent a category of “low-hanging fruit” that buyers should investigate before automatically assuming something must be wrong with the property.A listing that has accumulated 30, 45, 60 or more days on market may have something a brand-new listing does not: a seller increasingly motivated to make a deal.That motivation can potentially be converted into a lower price, closing-cost assistance, repairs, more favorable contract terms—or a seller contribution toward an interest-rate buydown.Why 30+ Days on Market Deserves a Second LookNew lis...
Comments 2
By Paul F. Stillwaggon Warren NJ, NJ Estates Real Estate Group, Weichert Realtors
(Weichert Realtors)
1000s of North/ Central NJ Town & County Real Estate Listing (Updated Daily)  https://bit.ly/4pGqBCp(23) NJ Estates Real Estate Groups. Join Us (187,400+ Members) (*Weichert Pre-approved To Post.) https://bit.ly/49NfxwXWeichert Realtors, Warren Twp, NJ 908-757-7780 https://bit.ly/2Z3wlfDAll Weichert Offices in NJ. https://bit.ly/3Lt42fCSomerset County, NJ Town Listings. https://bit.ly/4hBdSfG Somerset County, NJ Listings: https://bit.ly/3NypWyJ Union County, NJ Town Listings: https://bit.ly/3TZKRy5 Union County, NJ Listings: https://bit.ly/3tqm5fw Hunterdon County, NJ Town Listings. https://bit.ly/3V3BL3l Hunterdon County, NJ Listings. https://bit.ly/3OtFmFx Middlesex County, NJ Town Listings. https://bit.ly/3G1ORdu Middlesex County, NJ Listings https://bit.ly/3ODifrI Morris County, NJ ...
Comments 1
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
It has become one of the most irresistible habits of homeownership.You open Zillow, type in your address, find the Zestimate, and discover that the house you purchased years ago may now be worth considerably more.For a moment, that number can feel like money in the bank.But there is an important distinction every homeowner should understand:An online home value estimate is not a buyer's offer, a contract price, an appraisal, or the amount of money you will receive when you sell.If selling, relocating, right-sizing, retiring, investing, or using your equity is part of your future, you need more than an interesting number on a screen.You need to understand how to determine what your home is worth in today's market.Your Zestimate Is an Estimate, Not a PromiseZillow describes the Zestimate ...
Comments 8
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
Spring gets most of the attention in real estate. More buyers enter the market, lawns turn green, flowers bloom, and homes photograph beautifully.But if you are thinking about selling your home this fall, waiting until spring should not be an automatic decision.The fourth quarter can create a different kind of opportunity, particularly for homeowners whose next move is being driven by lifestyle, retirement, relocation, right-sizing, employment, family, or simply the desire to begin their next chapter.The better question is not:“Is spring the best season to sell?”It is:“Which selling strategy makes the most sense for my home, my market, and the life I want next?”For homeowners considering listing a home in the fourth quarter, that conversation deserves to happen now.The 2026 Market Makes...
Comments 4
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
  Is Staying in Your Home Costing More Than Moving? For years, homeowners have been told to calculate the cost of moving. What will the new mortgage payment be? What will it cost to sell? What about moving expenses, closing costs, interest rates, property taxes, and insurance? Those are important questions. But there is another question homeowners rarely ask: What is the cost of staying in your current home? Sometimes staying exactly where you are is the smartest financial and lifestyle decision. Other times, a house that once fit perfectly gradually becomes expensive, inconvenient, difficult to maintain, or poorly suited to the life you are living today. The answer is not automatically to sell. The goal is to understand the true cost of staying versus moving before making that decision...
Comments 6
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
Turning Housing Market Uncertainty Into a Plan Buying or selling a home has always been about more than square footage, bedrooms, interest rates, or asking prices. Real estate decisions are lifestyle decisions. Where will you wake up every morning? How long will your commute be? Is there room for children, grandchildren, entertaining, working from home, or simply enjoying the next chapter of life? If you are selling, what comes after the closing? In today's housing market, those lifestyle questions are being complicated by another question: “Should I make a move now, or should I wait?” That is where the role of the residential REALTOR® is changing. Consumers do not simply need someone to find a house or place a property in the MLS. They need a professional who can help turn market unce...
Comments 10
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
How a Resimercialist Helps Build Thriving Communities A thriving community is more than a collection of homes. It is an interconnected ecosystem where residential housing, local businesses, commercial development, employment, transportation, services, and investment work together. That connection is at the heart of what I do as a Resimercialist, a real estate professional who understands both residential and commercial real estate. Where Homes and Business Meet Residential neighborhoods create the foundation for economic activity. New homeowners need restaurants, retailers, medical services, professional offices, childcare, entertainment, and other neighborhood businesses. Those businesses need customers, employees, accessible locations, and communities with sustainable housing demand. ...
Comments 5
By inboundREM Market Updates
(InboundREM)
How Seaside NJ Boardwalk and Beach Access Shapes Coastal LivingSeaside NJ boardwalk and beach access is an important part of daily life for homeowners, seasonal residents, and buyers considering property near the Jersey Shore. In Seaside Heights, the oceanfront boardwalk runs beside a public beach and connects visitors with beach entrances, recreation, food, entertainment, and pedestrian routes.For home buyers, distance from the beach is only one part of the decision. The nearest legal beach entrance, parking availability, pedestrian routes, flood considerations, and property type can all affect how a home functions. Buyers should evaluate these details from the exact property rather than assume every address near the ocean offers the same access.Beach Access Along the Seaside Heights O...
Comments 0
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
Finding the right home is exciting. Finding the right home with a monthly payment that still lets you enjoy your life is even more important.Mortgage rates can change quickly. Property taxes vary from town to town. Insurance costs can rise. Condominium and homeowners association fees affect affordability. Utilities, commuting expenses, maintenance and everyday living costs continue after closing.That is why today's homebuyers should think beyond the question, "How much house can I qualify for?"A better question is:"How much home can I comfortably own while still living the lifestyle I want?"Learning how to rate-proof your housing budget can help you answer that question before you fall in love with a property.What Does It Mean to Rate-Proof Your Housing Budget?Rate-proofing means creati...
Comments 2
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
You may not be ready to buy a home today.Maybe you're renting and wondering whether buying is realistic. Perhaps you're working on your credit, building savings, paying down debt or trying to understand how much money you'll actually need for a down payment.That doesn't mean you're not a homebuyer.It may simply mean you're a future homeowner who needs a plan.For many first-time buyers, the best home search doesn't begin by scrolling through listings. It begins months earlier by understanding finances, learning how mortgages work, exploring available programs and developing realistic goals.That's the idea behind creating a 2027 homeownership plan for first-time buyers.Stop Asking, "Am I Ready to Buy Right Now?"A better question may be:"What would I need to do to become ready?"Buying a ho...
Comments 4
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
Most homeowners think about their home’s value when they consider selling. But some owners may be sitting on another potentially valuable asset that deserves attention: their existing mortgage.If you purchased or refinanced when mortgage rates were significantly lower, an eligible assumable loan could potentially give your property an additional marketing advantage. Instead of a qualified buyer obtaining an entirely new mortgage at prevailing rates, the buyer may be able to take over the remaining balance, interest rate and terms of your existing loan, subject to the applicable loan program and approval requirements.For homeowners considering a move, selling a home with an assumable mortgage could therefore become part of a broader strategy for positioning the property to today's afford...
Comments 3
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
Move Over Chick-fil-A: Raising Cane’s Is Coming to Watchung!Chicken lovers in Somerset and Union counties are about to have another reason to travel Route 22. Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is officially coming to Watchung, New Jersey, joining the rapidly changing lineup at Blue Star Shopping Center.And yes, Chick-fil-A fans, some friendly chicken competition is headed our way.Raising Cane’s Is Coming to Route 22 in WatchungRaising Cane’s is slated for Blue Star Shopping Center, 1701 Route 22 in Watchung, where construction is now underway. The restaurant is expected to occupy approximately 4,000 square feet and feature both a drive-thru and outdoor patio. Levin ManagementThe Watchung Planning Board process called for replacing the former Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet building with a ...
Comments 3
By William Collins, Property and Asset Management
(ERA Queen City Realty)
Reverse Purchase Mortgages: Buy Your Next Retirement HomeWhat if you could buy your next home in retirement without taking on a required monthly principal-and-interest mortgage payment?For homeowners age 62 and older, that possibility may be closer than you think.A reverse purchase mortgage, commonly called a HECM for Purchase, allows qualified buyers to purchase a new principal residence and finance a portion of the purchase with an FHA-insured reverse mortgage.Instead of choosing between paying all cash for your next home or taking on a traditional monthly mortgage payment, there may be a third option.If you want to buy a home with a reverse mortgage in retirement, understanding how this strategy works could change the way you approach your next move.A Different Way to Think About Bu...
Comments 6
New Jersey Real Estate Agents and Real Estate Professionals