Which Hotel Shopper Are You?

So I am planning the family trip this summer down to North Carolina. And whenever I go anywhere, I always plan to stop along the way and smell the roses. (except off of the NJ Turnpike) These olfactory pit stops usually include a stay at a hotel or two along the way to our ultimate destination.

Now searching the travel site, there's a lot to choose from in today's economy. The cheapskate in me always looks to the bargains. $60...$50...$40 per night, Wow. I'm only going to be there to sleep. Sounds great....until I read the reviews. One reviews said there were crickets in the room. Now the kids might think, that's cool...... until they see one.

So I start digging around. I am on vacation after all. Turns out that we have a trip planned to an amusement park along the way. And there's a super plush hotel nearby having a special that includes the admission passes. So when I back out the cost I was going to pay for the passes, I get this palace sans crickets for $85 a night. One good night's sleep. One I know they won't lose my reservation. One I know someone will be working when I pull in at 2am. And one I know I won't be taking any extra critters home. All for the a tenth of one percent of the overall cost of my vacation.

So what kind of home buyer are you? Do you want to live in the No-Tel Mo-Tel, or can you realize that a little more and some creative vision puts you in Plushville?


Hoboken Real Estate
Condos
Last 4 weeks
New to market 238
Price changes 216
Sold 48
Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed

Top 5 Way To Get Your Bid Accepted

Believe it or not, I've had several clients who have lost out in a multiple bid situation. Bidding War would be too strong of a term since it connotes, the go go days of several years ago where above ask was the norm and fiscal restraint was as popular as the swine flu.

In today's multiple bid scenarios, seller's want more assurances. Here's my top five recommendations to increasing the strength of your bid without increasing the price.

5) Include a personal letter. No not about the kids and the dog, but about facts that don't show through on the offer which will put the seller at ease. For example, if your spouse has a different legal name. yes you're married and not two single people. or you just got a promotion at work.

4) Fast Attorney Review: Have your attorney on alert and offer to have the attorney review concluded same day.

3) Pre-Schedule The Home Inspection: Have your home inspection scheduled when you present the offer. Another sign you are serious.

2) Provide Proof Of Funds: Any deposit should be backed up by bank statements.

1) Waive The Mortgage Contingency: This sounds risky, but and here's the rub, if you work with a reputable mortgage company and get all of your paperwork in up front, you'll have a high level of confidence that the mortgage will be done.

Parking Meter Problems

Write this number down. Get a pen....Ready. 201-653-1919. It's the Hoboken Parking Authority. A meter maid gave it to me. I'll call her Rita. I was parking today and like almost always the meter ate some of my quarters. how frustrating. You have only 8 quarters. You put them in and only 5 register. You're stuck! Well Rita was passing by at the time and I explained my predicament. Rita gave me the number, the parking meter number and the address. I called it in and...

The HPA attendant on the other end was indignant that I had the number, that Rita gave it to me, that Rita didn't fill out a report and...then she told me to move the car or I might get a ticket anyway. Are you kidding me? So put the number in your cell and dial away when this happens to you.

Oh, lovely Rita meter maid, Where would I be without you?Give us a wink and make me think of you.

Hoboken Real Estate

2 Bedroom Condos
Available 312
Under contract last 6 weeks 43
Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed

It's All Your Fault

I've had several realtors tell me that tell are getting dirty looks from the neighbors of their listings. People hurling insults at them and say. "You're pricing it too low. You are hurting my property value." I have suggested several witty retorts that don't begin with F and end with U.

1) You're right. Would you like to buy it at a higher price?
2) You're right. The seller will be happy to list it higher if you will buy them a home to live in when they have to move and its not sold.
3)You're right. The seller has always hated you and is selling below market just to stick it to you. I think a band of Gypsies is putting in an offer right now. HaHAHA.

Nosy neighbors don't have to see the truth. They don't have to sell. In fact those neighbors don't get that in this market the competition isn't just the guy next door but the 100 other condos just like it within three blocks.

May be we should just stick with the retort French Menu.



Hoboken Real Estate
12 Days in May
New 138
Price Change 114
Under contract 17
Sold 6
Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed

Yeah! CNBC.

More good news for buyers.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/30455148

Who knew cnbc would be useful one day...

Tax Credit...If You Can Get It.

Everyone wants to know about the Homebuyer tax credit. Thanks, but how about raising those income limits. If you fit under those limits, what can you get in Hoboken?.....God luck with that. But for those of you who need to know.....

Webinar Replay Answers Common Tax Credit Questions
Home buyers: Do you have questions about the federal $8,000 first-time buyer tax credit?

View the recorded version of the Get the Real Story® on the First-time Home Buyer Tax Credit webinar,

The webinar features NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR) tax counsel Linda Goold offering an in-depth explanation about who is eligible for the $8,000 federal first-time home buyer tax credit and how the credit can be claimed.

Don't spend it. Obama might want it back to give to B of A or AIG or GM... I wish my name was just a bunch of letters.

Hoboken Real Estate

Rental On The Move
High End Condo rental
$11,900 on Feb 18
$10,900 on Apr 12
$9,900 on May 5

Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed

Single Family Home Ostrich

If condo sellers are complaining, they should look at their green grass and laugh at the dirt patch of single family sellers. I guess these SF sellers don't have to move or don't want to move. Look at the numbers. Twenty four single family homes for sale ranging from a 2 bed/1 bath on Willow Terrace for $450k to a couple of 4 bedroom brownstones on Garden for $2,350,000..... A wide variety. A lucky three others have contracts on them. That's three in 2009!!! That's less than one a month. Even better. ZERO SOLD. A quick calculation....36 months worth of SF inventory. Is this Florida? Las Vegas? Michigan? For all purposes....YES (without the Beaches, Casinos, and winningest college football team of all time respectively).

Buyers set the market. Who sets the market? BUYERS.....If you said sellers, get your head out of the sand.

Hoboken Real Estate
One Family Homes
Total Available: 24
Under Contract: 3
Sold in 2009: Zero

Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed

Brand Loyalty

Renters are not loyal. I had one renter last week that went behind my back to rent a place. Brooke, driving her grandma's cream colored Cadillac, will now be ashamed everytime she walks past the office.... But on to the good news. When you can help renters, it's great. I had these guys in today that really needed a nice place on a shoestring budget. They left happy and with four cases of beer that someone gave them while looking for a place to live.

They are now going back to tell all their friends, who the best realtor is.

Rentals are doubly tough because half the information is wrong. Today I went to show a two bedroom apartment on the second floor. Well the two bedroom is on the third floor...Yet the key worked on both units and there are people living in both. A surprised tenant was startled when we entered his apartment which was reminiscent of Spicoli's van.

Hoboken Real Estate Condos

Total Available 555

Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed

May Day

The preliminary April numbers are in. As expected... sales were still stalled. More on this next week. The arts festival is this Sunday. I've hired a face painter for the RE/MAX booth in front of 56 Newark St....bring the kids!!

On to something submitted by a reader.... I love submissions. More evidence for a reval on those taxes? There are two units at 10th and Hudson St. same square footage. One unit is paying $10,303 in 2008 taxes. The other unit is paying $1,931 in 2008 taxes....wait for it...Brian where's the other zero? I don't know the individual circumstances of each unit, except they are in the same building and are the same size. Is one person paying too little? Is one person paying too much? Is one person politically connected? Can't be that. This is Hoboken. Vote May 12th. See if the candidates care. They don't.

Until then. get out your check book.



Hoboken Real Estate Condos
April Sales
Total 36
Average Ask Price $446k
Average Sale Price $427k
Average DOM 91
1 Br 15
2 Br 19
3+ Br 2

Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed