The Holidays are almost be over as we come to a close of  2010...but we still have Two-Hour Free Holiday Parkingin Westfield, NJ! Parking will be free at all on-street meters from December 19, 2010 through January 2, 2011, compliments of The Town of Westfield.This gift of FREE two-hour parking is an effort to encourage shoppers and patrons of Westfield to enjoy holiday shopping and dining in downtown.  Happy Holidays! As I head in to my office tomorrow in the center of town, I may actually get some of this free parking! I am hoping the shoppers are not out in droves :)   12/27/2010

Westfield, New Jersey -  Town  - Census Bureau map of Westfield, New Jersey Coordinates: 40°39′06″N 74°20′38″W / 40.65167°N 74.34389°W / 40.65167; -74.34389Coordinates: 40°39′06″N 74°20′38″W / 40.65167°N 74.34389°W / 40.65167; -74.34389 Country United States State New Jersey County Union Formed January 27, 1794 Incorporated February 21, 1798 Here's a Cool Personal Fact. The County of Union was formed on my Birthday (just a few years earlier).  It makes me even a bit happier to serve this great county in Real Estate. 12/13/2010

So our little company is growing, we are expanding into Union County, NJ.  More business for us, I can't wait to attack that market, I know we will have great success down there.  When we have found a location I will let you all know.  Wish us luck! 11/29/2010

Westfield Market Conditions are very like 2009 now.  Creeping into buyer's market, with a 6.25 month supply.  This "absorption rate" is computed by dividing the number of houses on market by average monthly sales since the end of the tax credit sales surge.  The unit inventory is 147, lots better than the 212 we saw end of 2007, but surely weak compared to the 2010 kickoff with just 105 houses looking for the spring swell of buyers. In any month now, 24 houses are selling, leaving 123 on the shelf.  To be among the 24, you'll need to be the best presented, best priced house in your cohort the day the buyer steps into your home. You'll need sound professional advice to achieve that. 09/10/2010

08/25/2010

One of the things that attracts so many people to our community is the lovely older homes. Many were built around the turn of the century, and some even earlier. We decided to purchase our Westfield home (built in 1927) because we love its character and architectural style.  But trust me...when your home is this old, one thing is certain: repairs and renovations! EPA Issues New Lead Paint Renovation Compliance Rules If your home was built prior to 1978, chances are pretty good that they used lead paint somewhere. It was in this year that there was ban placed on using leaded paint, because of the damaging health effects on children. (In New Jersey, if you purchase a home built in or before this year, you'll need to sign a lead paint disclosure form acknowledging the risks.) Since the ban... 05/18/2010

Downtown Westfield Attracts Home Buyers Whenever I talk to home buyers looking to move to Westfield, the downtown business district always seems to come up. It is one of the many things that attracts home buyers to the area! Downtown Westfield has a wonderful mix of independent stores and boutiques as well as national chains. There are restuarants for your dining pleasure, coffee & pastry shops, and even and a neighborhood movie theatre to visit when you get tired of walking. Under the leadership of the Downtown Westfield Corporation (DWC), Westfield's downtown is a very special part of this community!   Driving Tour - Downtown Westfield If you haven't had the chance to see Westfield's downtown for yourself, come along with me for a short ride. I grabbed my Flip camers, and took a quick... 05/10/2010

The first quarter of 2010 in Westfield, NJ showed a boost in sales from Q1 2009, which is not surprising, given the fact that the 2009 1st quarter was what most economists said was the height of the recession. Closed sales were up over 40% year over year, and as the first time buyers energized the market, it helped homes in the upper price ranges to sell, as folks started to "move up" For a full report: Westfield NJ Real Estate Market To find out what homes are selling for in your part of Westfield: Westfield NJ Market Snapshot Thanks for reading! Sean Carroll RE/MAX Supreme 908-418-7152 www.TeamCarrollNJ.com   04/28/2010

Westfield NJ Home Sales - March 2010 (The following data is provided by the Garden State Multiple Listing Service, LLC. It is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed.) Average List Price For Active Listings     =     $893,360 Number of New Listings Entering Market     =     56 Number of Listings Placed Under Contract     =     26 Absorption Rate     =     5.35 Months Number of Sales Closed During Month     =     21 Average Original List Price     =     $801,498 Average Sale Price     =     $757,973 Average OLP/SP Ratio     =     94.56% Average Days on Market     =     68 The Following Is The List of Closed Home Sales Sorted by Closing Date If you have any question about this information, please feel free to contact me! Read my other Local Market Reports 04/06/2010

Since the beginning of the year, the total inventory is up from 105 to 130 houses not spoken for. In the last 60 days, 45 contracts signed including the four in attorney review.  that's 22.5 per month 130/22.5=5.3 month supply of houses to sell. For in depth Westfield NJ Real Estate, Arts, Shopping, Sports, Dining and Schools information, please visit www.WelcomeToWestfield.com! 03/24/2010

We've all read about the growing number of foreclosed properties out there. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), one in 10 borrowers is seriously delinquent on their mortgage, up from one in 16 borrowers a year ago, and one in 33 two years ago. Increasingly, I'm being asked whether or not all these distressed properties are having a negative impact upon existing home values here in Westfield and our surrounding Union County towns. The short answer is...maybe. It all depends on where you live. Union County Foreclosure Levels Among The Highest In The State. It's important to understand that while foreclosures are a big problem nationally, they are not as common here in New Jersey. Nationally, over 50 percent of all foreclosures are concentrated in only 4 states... Californ... 03/23/2010

Brisk sales have really thinned the available in Westfield NJ real estate. Total Westfield Active and Available 109       Total Westfield Contracted Since 1/1/10 59 includes Offered and Accepted                 Contract Sale Rate per month   25.3 units     Absorption Rate     4.3 months                                                     New Construction Sold Since 1/1/10 6 Excludes condos   New Construction Available   6 Excludes condos & unbuilt  for more information on Westfield NJ Real Estate, Schools, Sports, Community, Shopping and Dining, please visit www.luxuryhomesNJ.com 03/10/2010

Seller's Market Returns to Westfield NJ Real Estate Scene Buyers are encountering short market times, multiple offers and no overabundance of selection of homes in Westfield NJ's brisk house market. Buyers of new construction, resale homes, affordable homes, relocation homes, starter homes, luxury homes are all a little surprised to discover they are not alone when they settle on the most attractively presented, most sensibly priced homes in this desirable town. Since the first of the year, 59 contracts have been signed on an inventory of just 120 homes.  A sales pace of 30 per month means we have a 4 month supply (or absorption rate, in industry jargon. Housing economy experts agree that 6 month supply is a balanced market, so this is a hot seller's market by that metric. If you are ho... 03/01/2010

Our latest figures for the Westfield NJ Real Estate Market report are in. It looks like inventories went way up in the first part of 2009, but leveled out again towards the end of the year. Prices were down between 10 and 25 percent depending upon the neighborhood, but homes in the first time buyer range actually showed signs of going up in price towards the end of the year. For the complete article, CLICK HERE, and visit the full blog with detailed statistics on Westfield NJ Homes Sold, Listed, Days On Market, and expired listing totals. Thanks for reading!   12/17/2009

We have just completed the analysis of the Westfield NJ Real Estate market and compared it to a year ago, and also compared it to the peak of 2005-2006. There are some interesting statistics that can help you if you are a buyer or seller in today's real estate market in Westfield, or even if you are a homeowner who is just curious. To view the complete article, Click Here Thanks for reading, and check back for more updates about local real estate 09/25/2009

Team Carroll is very proud to share our new community pages specifically designed to help you learn more about the lovely communities we serve. Today, our spotlight is on Westfield. Click the link below to check out some great information about Westfield, NJ, and a bit about real estate in the area. Westfield NJ Information Thanks for reading!!   09/18/2009

When you are ready to begin your search we can refer you to several agents throughout many different brands around the Westfield area to guide you.  www.JustJerseyRealEstate.com provides you a transaction assistant to work with you as well as finds the right agent for your needs. Our referral network is made up of full-time residential experts in all brands that have been recommended by their broker and maintain top agent status.  Call, email, or fill out our "find an agent" form on our website when you are ready.  Best of luck to you. 07/27/2009

                       Before                                                        After     Staging your house to sell is more affordable than you think. Call on The Team of ReStyled to Sell at 732-995-3425 to schedule your initial in home consultation.    Phyllis Pafumi-ReStyled to Sell Staging Homes NJ 06/21/2009

I have spoken to several potential sellers in the past few weeks and all of them share one thing in common. They are not happy with the price they can get for their house compared to what they could get just 5 or 6 short months ago. Here in the Cranford, Westfield, Union County NJ area, we saw a 10-15% price drop in a VERY Short period of time from the 4th quarter last year through 1st quarter this year. For sellers who were counting on $500k for their listing before the holidays, when they find out they can get 450k now, it really throws a kink in their plans. There is GOOD NEWS!!! What I have tried to explain to all of them is that if they are also buying in the same area, the seller they are buying from is taking the same hit, or even more of a dollar amount hit if its a higher price... 04/07/2009

SEAN CARROLL, WESTFIELD NJ REALTOR EARNS PRESTIGIOUS DESIGNATION TO HELP HOMEOWNERS IN DANGER OF FORECLOSURE  SEAN CARROLL of TEAM CARROLL of RE/MAX CLASSIC GROUP has earned the prestigious Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, having completed extensive training in foreclosure avoidance and short sales. This is invaluable expertise to offer at a time when the area is ravaged by "distressed" homes in the foreclosure process.  Short sales allow the cash-strapped seller to repay the mortgage at the price that the home sells for, even though it is lower than what is owed on the property. With plummeting property values, this can save many people from foreclosure and even bankruptcy. More and more lenders are willing to consider short sales because they are much less cost... 04/02/2009