Interest Rates - What kind of rate do you have for me?     Mortgage interest rates can be very complex.  It's a question that is harder to answer today more than ever before. There are just to many variables that can go into a specific interest rate. Yes, you will still see many advertisements on the tv, on the internet, on Facebook, or hear them on the radio that give out low interest rates. How many times do you see the fine print appear and last for only seconds. This is where some of your detailed information is located for that specific mortgage rate being mentioned. Why do you see low interest rates that usually seem to good to be true?  Within that fine print, you will usually see such terms as : 80% LTV, credit score 720+, and a specific loan amount. This is not the norm and m... 06/21/2010

Cherry Hill NJ Home Sales May & June 2010 By Leander McClain, Realtor Atlantic & Pacific Real Estate Homes are selling well in Cherry Hill, NJ.  With much of the recent focus on the oil spill in the Gulf, now much news has been reported on home sales.  As you can see from the chart below, homes are selling in Cherry Hill and they are selling well. You may be asking....aren't homes in Cherry Hill expensive.  I will have to tell you that there are a number of bargains available for home buyers.  There are a number of 3 and 4 bedroom homes that have sold in the range of $200,00 and under.  In fact, the least expensive home on the list below sold for $105,000. I know what you are thinking.....no these are not condo's.  They are all single family detached homes.  The most expensive home sol... 06/17/2010

                                                             Tax Credit has been Extended - NOT     I just wrote this post below this morning. As of now, this information is incorrect.  Here is the update by Dana Allen :   Homebuyer Tax Credit Deadline NOT Extended. House to approve Reid Extension Ammendment     The tax credit has been approved in congress for an extension from June 30th, 2010 to September 30th, 2010. The amended Bill was approved in a 60-37 vote yesterday. "Extending the deadline for closing from June 30 to Sept. 30 would allow lenders more time to clear a backlog of 180,000 homebuyers nationwide", said amendment sponsor Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.  Harry Reid talks more about passing the extension here : Extending the tax credit for home buyers - There were several reason... 06/17/2010

  As some of you know, I only have a few major pet peeves, but one of them is false or misleading disclosures, or not disclosing at all. Especially when it comes to FHA loans in New Jersey and FHA loans in Florida, because of the FHA monthly mortgage insurance premium changes that have occurred. Over the years, I always hear different stories on how payments were never disclosed, or had changed, how some documents weren't presented until later on, etc, etc. Even with the new good faith estimate laws that have gone into affect January 1st, 2010 and because of the Mortgage Disclosure Improvement Act (MDIA) act that took place last summer, there are still many issues out there. Brian Block even wrote this excellent post the other day about what realtors should be disclosing. Please read : ... 06/16/2010

Atlantic & Pacific Real Estate Closes It's First Deal in New Jersey     June 10, 2010 was a historic day in the lives of Judith A. Moriarty (also known as @realestatechick) and Leander McClain (that's me @leemack912 :).  On this day, Atlantic & Pacific Real Estate   completed the sale of 701 Rugby Street in Browns Mills, NJ. This was the FIRST sale for Atlantic & Pacific Real Estate in the state of New Jersey This was the FIRST sale for Leander McClain with Atlantic & Pacific Real Estate Congratulations to the best broker a person could ever have Judith M. Moriarty.  During this whole frustrating process she has been a coach, mentor, cheerleader, teacher, leader and best of all a friend.  None of this could not have happened without her countless hours of hard work, time away from her ... 06/11/2010

Warning To New Realtors - Don’t Buy What Everyone Is Trying to Sell You. Congratulations. You have passed your exam and have your newly minted real estate license in hand. You show up at your broker’s office and you have no clue what you should do next. Most agencies large and small have some sort of training or mentoring program. Relax…….you will be in good hands. The one thing that you will find is that YOUR name has ended up on the calling lists of many sales people. You will get calls, mail and even visits to the brokerage. The purpose? To sell you the latest and greatest products and sales techniques, I have one piece of advice…….Keep your wallet or purse closed! Take your time and make wise decision. What is old is new again. The newest sales closing techniques and scripts are all... 06/02/2010

LinksHUD HomesThe HUD ExpertSearch HomesProp Condition ReprtPhoto GalleryDescription3 Bedroom, 1 Bath HUD owned Cape Cod Style home has 2 bedrooms on the main level with 1 bedroom on the upper level. This home has a full basement that can be finished, a kitchen with stainless steel appliances, large eating area with a sliding glass door leading to deck, nice sized living room, and an above ground pool. Call The HUD Expert for details or to schedule an appointment to view this property.FeaturesBedrooms: 3Bathrooms: 1Year Built: 1940Subdivision: BarlowLot Size: 9568Garage Size: 0School District: Cherry HillSquare Footage: 1141Agent Name: Terry IwaniwBroker: ReSales & Investment Realty, LLCMLS #: IE492753HUD will allow escrow for repairs: YesWill qualify for FHA loan w/o repairs: NoDeposit... 05/23/2010

Blogger Is Posting.......But Not Saying Anything First of all, let me apologize for the look of this post.  My readers know that I always have some cool picture to go along with my post.  Proxy errors are preventing me from uploading pictures at this time.  Have you ever noticed that there are some bloggers who appear to be blogging for points only?  They blaze onto the scene.  Comment on 10 blog posts a day with comments that don't make sense.....ie "that great"  "good work"  or some nonsense that takes them 2 seconds to write. The same people are very good at reblogging. Ooooooh  just in case you didn't know, I don't think there is a limit on the number of articles you can reblog. So they reblog everything.  Oh yeah......and they do write 10 blog posts a week, but there is no thought ... 05/14/2010

Bank Owned Foreclosures:  Major Price Reductions. Get Em While The Gettin Is Good Everyone loves a sale.  Who doesn't like saving money on something that you were going to purchase anyway?   Are  you in the market for a bank owned foreclosure?  Does a home that needs some work not frighten you?  Do you like a bargain?   Well then I amy have a deal for you.  The following homes have are bank owned as a result of foreclosure.  Some have been vacant a short time, others have been vacant for a few years.  Some just need new carpet and paint, others need more in the way of rehabilitation.  Atlantic & Pacific Real Estate has an inventory of bank owned foreclosures throughout the state of new jersey. If you don't see what you are looking for on this list or if  you are looknig outside of Camde... 05/14/2010

Dear Cherry Hill, NJ residents: NO MORE PLASTIC BAGS! You have been warned :d Effective June 14, 2010, Cherry Hill residents will no longer be able to use plastic bags for lawn clippings, leaves or other vegetative waste.  That's right I said it VEGETATIVE WASTE!!! But seriously, this is a move that will save money (approximately $100,000 annually) and protect the environment.  Residents will be able to use biodegradable paper bags as well as the recycling bucket provided by the township.  The township will continue to pick up leaves from the curb in the fall.  Residents who continue to use plastic bags after June 14th will have their bags left at the curb.  In these days of tight budgets and environmental disasters, its good to see the Cherry Hill council making such positive steps.  M... 05/12/2010

Cherry Hill NJ Home Sales for April 2010 by Leander McClain, Realtor Home sales in Cherry Hill continue to be brisk during the month of April 2010.  Many have speculated that the end of the $8,000 tax credit have prompted many to buy a home.  Personally I don't think this is the case, but next months home sales report will tell the story. Many first time home buyers have decided that now is a great time to purchase a home.  But if you study the report closely, you will see that many of the homes in cherry hill were not purchased by first time home buyers. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via phone, email or twitter. In addition, I have access to all homes that are currently listed for sale. If you are ready to begin your home search, contact me today via email, phone o... 05/03/2010

Thank You We must take time out to thank those who helped us along the way. Today I want to thank all of those who have helped my with my real estate career. I know for sure that I will forget someone. However, remember the 2nd agreement “Don’t Take Anything Personally”. First ~ I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my real estate instructor. Mr. Donald R. Haven of The Real Estate School in Cherry Hill, NJ. Mr. Haven was the owner and chief instructor of the school when I attended. I spent many nights learning from a master real estate. Anyone who learned from Don also listened to many stories about animal husbandry and dairy farming. Don was also once a dairy farmer and remembers the time when farms lined route 70 in Cherry Hill. I learned the basics from Don. Many things that he taught m... 04/26/2010

Cigar Humidors, Selling Homes & Realtors ~ A Lesson in Customer Service (Part II) Click to Read Cigar Humidors, Selling Homes & Realtors ~ A Lesson in Customer Service (Part I) Since I wanted a decent humidor, but didn’t want to spend a lot of money, I looked at the “Imperfect” section. Again, CheapHumidors did a great job. They explained that “each humidor unit is carefully inspected to ensure the highest quality and then repackaged. You get a great deal, and I get to clean out the warehouse. We are unable to tell you the imperfection in the humidorslisted. Only that they are minor, are guaranteed to work, and come with a lifetime warranty.” Wow….a lifetime warranty Realtor Lesson #3 – Offer your clients a lifetime warranty I can anticipate your next question. Leander, I am a Realtor a... 04/19/2010

Cigar Humidors, Selling Homes & Realtors ~ A Lesson In Customer Service by Leander McClain, Realtor ~ www.NJSouthRealEstate.com I started out smoking cigars with the guys just to look cool and fit in. My humidor contained a selection of cigars…..but I didn’t really know much about cigars. Recently, I have gotten serious about my cigar smoking. I began researching cigars and taking notes after I experience each cigar. As a result, my collection has grown and I needed to purchase a second larger humidor. At this point, most of the Realtors are asking…..Leander, what does this have to do with selling homes? I am glad you asked. First of all, I needed a decent humidor. Since cigar smoking is a hobby for me, I really didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a new humidor. So I did what we Real... 04/19/2010

Barclay Farms Cherry Hill NJ – A Great Place to Buy a Home Presented by Leander McClain, Realtor NJSouthRealEstate.com After World War II, many returning GI’s were looking to buy a home. As a result, Cherry Hill New Jersey experienced both population and economic growth. One result of that growth was the Barclay Farms neighborhood just off Route 70. A local builder by the name of Bob Scarborough began developing a new neighborhood for buyers looking to buy a home. Barclay Farms was built on the site of the historic Barclay Farmstead. The farmstead was built in 1816 by a Quaker farmer Joseph Thorn. Besides the mature trees, one of the wonderful things about the neighborhood is that one of New Jersey’s historic places exists here. Listed on the National & New Jersey Registers of Historic ... 04/15/2010

Cherry Hill Home Sales March 2010.  The news says that the real estate market is in the toilet.  And to make things worse, "they say", the toilet is getting ready to be flushed.  Did anyone tell the home buyers in Cherry Hill, NJ?  Apple Hill, Barclay, Barclay Towers, Belair Estates, Centura, Chanticleer, Charleston Riding, Charleston Woods, Cherry Hill Estates, Cherrybrook, Colwick, Country Walk , Downs Farm, Erlton, Green Haven, Kings Croft, Kingston, Knollwood, Locustwood, Old Orchard, Point of Woods, Siena, Society Hill, Surrey Place, Tavistock, The Woods, Versailles, Windsor Mews, Windsor Park and Wood Crest are all neighborhoods that have seen homes sold within the last 40 days.  If you are looking to purchase your first home, your dream home is is waiting for you.   Home sellers,... 04/06/2010

Point of Woods: A Hidden Gem in Cherry Hill NJ Cherry Hill NJ has a neighborhood that few people know about; Point of Woods. Point of Woods is bordered by Springdale and Greentree Roads. The neighborhood is directly across from the Cherry Hill Business Park on Springdale Road. If you have only driven past the signs which announce the neighborhood, then you have no idea what exists beyond the entrance. The initial portions of Point of Woods were built in 1968. The neighborhood features several styles of homes. The smallest homes features 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ baths to the largest model which features 5 bedrooms and 3 bedrooms. The unique feature about Point of Woods is its mature trees. When this development was created, all of the existing trees were not removed before the homes were built... 04/02/2010

There’s Cold Gold in Dem Der Hills ~ Flying Fish Brewing Company, Cherry Hill, NJ ~ Leander McClain Realtor Some months ago, I did a map search for the Point of Woods development in Cherry Hill, NJ. When I looked at the map, I saw a box marking the Flying Fish Brewing Company. Boy did my eyes get wide. I have been drinking Flying Fish brews for a number of years. So I set out to find this brewery. I didn’t have the address, but how hard could it be to find a brewery? Little did I know. I drove up and down the streets every couple of months.  No brewery. View Larger Map  I went back to the map…… Brewery. What the heck is going on here? Last week, as I was leaving JDR Shoe Warehouse (another of Cherry Hills best kept secrets), I looked up and what was across the street? You guessed it. Th... 03/31/2010

Short Hills, Cherry Hill, NJ. A Modern and Convenient Luxury Subdivision If you are looking for a luxurious home in a modern subdivision in Cherry Hill NJ ~ Try Short Hills. Short Hills is located near the intersection off Evesham Road near the Voorhees border. View Larger Map Get Directions View Bird's Eye The typical home in Short Hills is upscale and includes some of the following features. 2 Story foyer, hardwood floors, built-in cherry bookcases, crown molding, bay windows, oversized family rooms with 2 story windows, wood burning fireplace with marble base and mantel, cathedral ceiling, built in surround sound system, and gourmet kitchens with top of the line stainless steel appliances. The homes feature fabulous master suites with whirlpool tub, tiled showers with seamless glass ... 03/30/2010

If you are looking for luxury living in Cherry Hill, NJ Wilderness run is one of several locations you will want to explore. From Route 295 travel east on route 70 and make a right on Springdale road. Continue on Springdale for exactly 1.7 miles. Look to your left and you will see a small sign for Wilderness Run. The simplicity of the sign and landscaping provides the casual viewer with no clue of the luxurious living that exists past the wooded entrance. View Larger Map Get Directions View Bird's Eye Once you travel down the entrance and into the development, you experience private Cherry Hill luxury living at its best. Wilderness run consists of only two streets, Southwood Drive, Doris Drive. The custom built homes in Wilderness Run feature professionally landscaped grounds, finished ... 03/29/2010