Open Houses In Baristaville: Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010

Calling all Do-It-Yourselfers - here's an opportunity to get in the Montclair home market for $200K. 312 Linden in Montclair is "This Old House" meets "Extreme Makeover." Which means keep your expectations low and your inspiration high. Sure, it's in really bad shape, and will take a visionary to rebuild from the studs, but I did see many pluses to this property.

The nicely wooded lot is a level .3 acre (63x210) - I counted at least a dozen trees, including a handful that were giants. Backing up to Canterbury Park, the natural forested horizon creates a vanishing property line and a sense of privacy. Linden is a quiet leafy street, and the home, which sits at the dead end of Alden Road between Willowdale Ave and Spencer Road, is exactly two homes from the Glen Ridge gas lamps. Three blocks away, you can walk to the South End shops. The home next door sold in October 2008 for $445,000.

Continue reading "Dream Big: Montclair Fixer-Upper For $200K" »

Your Sunday sampler:

Cool Contemporary

131 Heller Way, Montclair
List Price: $899,000
Tax Amount: $ 28,567
Listing Agent: Elsie Barrick @ Rhodes, Van Note & Co. 973-744-6033
Open Sunday, Jan. 31, 2-4 pm
Frank Lloyd Wright meets Joseph Eichler in this contemporary custom home.
Realtor Comments: A modernist ranch with an airy, open floor plan, lots of windows, Oriental garden. Features include sunken living room, kitchen with unpolished granite, indoor swimming pool. Backs up to Tuers Park, in Yantacaw Brook Park area. Acreage: 0.69 Click here for a virtual tour.

Charming Victorian

92 Essex Avenue, Glen Ridge
List Price: $549,000
Tax: $ 13,966
Listing Agent: Andrea Webb, 862-202-6334 @ Keller Williams Towne Square
email: andrea@andreawebb.com
Open Sunday Jan. 31, 2-4 pm.

Realtor comments: The 5-bedroom Victorian house is renovated but still has a lot if its original charm-great for first time home buyers/busy professionals who don't want the hassle of dealing with renos. The yard is on the small side, but still has enough room for a swingset. It's lovely and private with lush perennial gardens and in ground sprinklers-lots of color and privacy and low maintenance. Gorgeous front porch - lots of room for hanging out on lazy summer days with a pitcher of lemonade and a good book. To take a virtual tour, click here.

Cozy Cape

16 Cambridge Road, Bloomfield
List Price: $489,900
Tax: $12,628
Listing Agent: Kathy Kulik @ Rhodes, Van Note & Co. 973-744-6033
Open Sunday, Jan. 31, 2-4 pm.

4 BR Cape on tree-lined street in Brookdale neighborhood.
Realtor Comments: Spacious, well-maintained cape with SO many updates, incl, new granite kitchen, new tumbled marble bath, new finished basement & powder room, new furnace, new C/A, new steps, fence, wall around driveway. Recently refinished hardwood floors... and more! First floor master suite (could be great au pair suite or in-law suite; currently, large second floor bedroom being used as master). Fabulous closet space! Great neighborhood on Glen Ridge border; Brookdale School district; Two blocks to NYC bus and to jitney to midtown direct. More details, here.

And while you're out...don't forget to indulge in this eye candy.

If you're a seasoned house hunter in Montclair, you know once you cross the threshold of a home in Montclair, you can be in for a big surprise. Such is the case at 87 North Mountain, a single family Victorian home - fully loaded - architecturally speaking.

This well-maintained seven-bedroom, four level home has plenty of curb appeal, but the eye candy is all in the details inside. Built in 1900, Montclair Mayor Ernest C. Hinck and his wife Helena were the first of five owners.

Current owners, Jon and Marion Randel, restored this home with meticulous detail to Victorian authenticity and the Art and Crafts details present from subsequent additions. Their passion garnered a Victorian Society Preservation Award for outstanding renovations. The home is listed with Adriana O'Toole, Montclair Realty for $1,132,600. Taxes are $29,957. The property includes a two-car garage, and a well lit basement walkout with a home office and a "mother-in-law suite" with bedroom, full bath, and private entrance. Bonus for gardening addicts: there's an attached potting shed, lovely mature plantings and a "secret garden" on the flag-shaped lot which is nearly half an acre.

Bright and roomy, the home is resplendent with carved antique woodwork, original light fixtures, stained glass, parquet floors, multiple fireplaces and leaded glass cabinets lending a museum quality to the house, plus the coziness of a bed and breakfast. A word of caution: don't be afraid of wallpaper. Keeping with the period, owners have invested a fortune in historically accurate wallpaper, often applied in layers, from Bradbury and Bradbury. The dining room has interesting patterns on walls and ceiling, in subdued jewel tones.

Don't miss the open house at 87 North Mountain, Montclair, this Sunday, January 31, 2-4 pm. For listing info, and a virtual tour of this home, click here.

More photos and highlights, after the jump:

Continue reading "For Sale: Montclair Victorian Gem Of A Home" »

Oh the angst! You have a gazillion things on your list, but not a gazillion dollars? Join a workshop, sponsored by Montclair Historical Society and Van Vleck House and Gardens...These guys have all the answers. Sign up now, the seminar starts tomorrow:

Your Old House: Preserving, Restoring, or Sensitively Remodeling Your Home

Workshop dates:
Jan 23 - The Basics
Feb. 22 - Interior
March 20 - Landscape & Grounds
May 15 - Exterior
Go to one or go to all.

Workshops kick off with "The Basics" - tomorrow, Saturday, January 23, 10:00 am to noon.

Where: The historic Charles Shultz House, 30 North Mountain Avenue, Montclair.

To register/more info: 973-744-1796 or mail@montclairhistorical.org

It's a common story in Baristaville: you've bought this great old house loaded with character, but honestly, you miss those modern conveniences -- like a user-friendly kitchen, closet space, a powder room on the first floor, maybe even an intact ceiling. How do you make sure you're respecting the integrity of the house you love? This 4-part workshop will address these concerns as you learn how to plan and execute a restoration or remodeling of your older home.

The first workshop, titled "The Basics," gives you the information you need to get started: how to identify the style of your house; deciding whether to preserve, restore, or sensitively remodel (and what's the difference); resources to help you research your home's history; briefly discuss the approval process; and help you take your first steps towards your project.

Cost: $10 per person per workshop.
If you register for all four workshops, the cost is $35, and includes an annual membership to the Montclair Historical Society. MHS members and Van Vleck House and Gardens members are always free.

Share your remodeling stories with us in comments...

-- photo, Martha Kolko (left to right) Roberta Baldwin, Julie Corbo, Joyce Slous, and Erin Crawford

Their faces are familiar, but they've got a new brand: Keller Williams Realty is the latest addition to Baristavile's real estate landscape, Roberta Baldwin, formerly of Re/Max Town Square, announced this week.

Joyce Slous (Coldwell Banker), Erin Crawford (Stanton Company), and Julie Corbo (RE/MAX) join Baldwin as principals in the newest local Keller Willams agency, in Montclair. Baldwin is bringing along her "dream team", Pamima Friedman, Nancy Chu, Sidney Simon, and Nick Baldwin to the new agency.

"I have nothing bad to say about my former company, or any of the companies in Montclair," says Baldwin. "This is about our entrepreneurial spirit - we thought we could all take a risk and do something new."

After 14 years in the business, Baldwin says she was looking for new options, and the Keller Williams business model spoke to her. " I personally like the team approach, mentoring, building to go to the next level." Baldwin says the Keller Williams model is agent-centered. She explained: agents receive training, health insurance, and are involved in decision-making and profit-sharing. "In recent years, there have been hundreds of people coming to real estate as a second or third career - many of them from high-level positions. There's never been a better time for a company to offer more."

Baldwin says the news has generated a lot of calls from other agents. Their two newest recruits as of yesterday, Jan. 19, are Andrea Webb (Re/Max) and Brad Winchell, a 5-year veteran of local real estate (Schweppe Burgdorff, Caldwell Banker).

If you're asking "Keller who?," this real estate company, currently ranked third in North America, started in Austin, Texas 20 years ago. They now have 75,000 + agents and are still growing. In New Jersey, KW has franchises in Summit, Bernardsville, Livingston and Maplewood, with Morristown and Westfield under construction. Over the next few months they'll be scouting Baristaville for the right office location as well as adding to the core group of agents.

You can reach Montclair's Keller Williams team at 973-420-9043 (cell) or 973-783-7400 (office).

In the mix this weekend: a 16-room Montclair colonial with grandiose views of Manhattan, a Bloomfield home with 5-room cottage for friends, relatives, or renters, and a new 7-room apartment in Montclair.

154 Upper Mountain, Montclair: $1,795,000, Tax $ 47,740
Listing Agent: Linda Grotenstein, COLDWELL BANKER REALTORS (973) 233-2300
Open Sunday 1/17, 2-4 pm.

Realtor Comments:

Beautiful, grand Colonial 16-room home built in 1900, with wonderful architectural details, leaded and stained glass windows and large-scale rooms. Large cook's kitchen with adjoining family room, magnificent solarium w/Manhattan views. In-ground pool, carriage house, corner of Berkeley Place, west side.
Bedrooms: 6, Full Baths: 3, Half Baths: 2
Acreage: 1.46

A unique house for Bloomfield, on a large lot with a 5 room cottage at the rear of the property.

85 Mill Street, Bloomfield
$410,500 Taxes $10,742
Listing Agent: Rosemary Tuohy, Weichert, Realtors 201-424-2329
Open Sunday, January 17, 12-4 pm

Realtor Comments:

The main house offers 3 floors of living, 4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, plus walk-out basement with separate entrance. Over-sized detached 2 car garage with attached work-shed, large flag shape property. Live in main house and collect rent from the cottage.

The cottage has 2 bedrooms, EIK, living room and 4 season sun room. It is great for a buyer who has parents, in-laws, extended family living with them. Plus, for a first time home buyer who wants a single family home but may need a 2 family to help generate income to supplement the mortgage payments. The cottage will generate $1200-$1300 per month. It is also set on one of the largest lots in Bloomfield.

Apartment on Elm Street

24 ELM ST UNIT 4A, Montclair
$489,000, Taxes, n/a
Listing Agent: Wilfredo Alfaro, COLDWELL BANKER REALTORS 973-778-4500
Open Sunday, 1/17, 1-4 pm.

Realtor Comment:

Lifestyle for sale! Brand new construction 3 bedrooms 2 full bath condominiums. Hardwood floors, gas fireplace, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Walk to NYC Train and Bus.

Katie Severance and Nancy Gentile are veterans of the tumultuous real estate market, currently realtors at Re/MAX Village Square in Montclair. Sharing a similar mindset, they joined forces to write a book divulging tricks of the trade, personal insights and tips from their cumulative 20 years of experience. The result is recently published The Complete Idiot's Guide to Selling Your Home.

Even if you don't have a home on the market, this home-selling bible of facts, advice, and psychology is a fun read. Yes, the psychology of selling your home and attracting the right buyer is the essence of this book. The authors get inside the psyche of the buyer and the seller and what will motivate them.

Continue reading "Selling Your Home? Two Realtors' Recipe For Success" »

There's a new real estate office in town. Prominent Properties Sotheby's International Realty opened its new Montclair office just a little over a week ago, settling into a charmingly restored Victorian on Park Street.

Owned by Randy Ketive and Charles Opple, Prominent Properties Sotheby's, described as "Northern New Jersey's premier luxury broker," has roots in Bergen County with offices in Alpine and Tenafly among other New Jersey locations.

And while the name Sotheby's has a certain cachet, don't let it scare you away, says Denise Riordan, director of sales. "We're a full service broker and our office will handle everything from a small condo to a mansion." Riordan, formerly vice-president of Schweppe Realtors, says that diversity of listings will become apparent as people notice signs all over town on a variety of properties for sale.

Can Montclair sustain another real estate office in a town already crowded with agents? "There's always going to be competition," says Riordan. "The bottom line is netting sellers the highest dollar in any market place. Sellers are paying a lot of money to hire a broker, they expect to get what they are paying for."

Sotheby's Prominent Properties has name recognition, and so do some of the agents who have jumped ship from other offices to come on board. Joining the team are Barbara Lewis and Kathleen "Kate" McDonough, two of the area's consistently ranked top producing agents. When Schweppe Burgdorff became part of Coldwell Banker back in June, Lewis was very vocal about Schweppe's history as market leader.

Kate McDonough says of joining Sotheby's, "We are so excited to kind of go back to the Schweppe culture and we are hoping to build a group of 30-35 of the best agents in area who share the same culture and principles of the way to do business. We are a service-oriented group striving to give top notch service from least expensive condo to the most expensive property."

Riordan, who has had a long time association with both Lewis and McDonough, says she is proud to have them on her team, adding "We have had several other incredible agents join us as well and we're gearing up for after the holidays and the start of 2010."

Written by Kristen Kemp's husband Johan Svenson. He admits he's not a writer, but he works in finance:

In the Fall of 2008, we tried to sell our large, lovely house at left. We wanted to move from busy Bloomfield Avenue to a quiet and kid-friendly neighborhood. We had no idea what we were doing, and we made big mistakes. We listed the house crazy high--$675,000--at the suggestion of our then broker. We also waited too long to put it on the market thinking the summer would be slow. We did it in early fall.

Mind you, this was 2008. The first bit of advice I want to give is this: Contrary to popular belief, there is no ideal season to sell a house. Data shows that a consistent number of houses are sold each month in Montclair. Our house could have gone up for sale in July, instead we waited until after Labor Day.

We had no bites because--duh--the price was too high.

Continue reading "Selling Sucked But Renting's Grand" »

Recently, we bought our first home. We have rented in Montclair for the past seven years, with the plans to buy in town when we could afford it. A few years ago with the market at an all-time high, the option in our budget was a shack. Luckily, low-interest rates and the state of the housing market this year made it a perfect time to start looking. The biggest incentive? The $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers.

With the help of our realtor, Roberta Baldwin, we started our search in September with a handful of houses in our price range. We only looked at three houses when we found our home. Although heated bidding wars have waned, foreclosure activity hitting the highest last year since the Great Depression have made it a lot harder to get a loan.

Continue reading "A First-Time Homebuyer's Tale" »

Have you been under the impression that your retirement account can only be used for investment in stocks, CDs and mutual funds? Apparently there's a lot more you can do to help that passive income grow.

Glen Ridge's Steve Moran, business development consultant for Entrust Northeast, an administrator for self-directed retirement accounts, says it isn't widely known that the public has had much wider options since Individual Retirement Accounts (or IRAs, which are tax-deferred) came into being in the mid-'70s.

Indeed, since the stock market crash of a year ago, it's never been more relevant to have a variety of investments, and not leave all one's financial eggs in the same basket. The crisis that has endured since then and the devaluation of savings in general has forced many to consider delaying retirement for as long as they can.

Continue reading "Retirement Savings and Real Estate: A Possible Duo (Legal, Too)" »

After sloshing around with the children on Halloween night, it was a mild and sunny day for the Condo Crawl on Sunday, and from the looks of the handful of apartments I dropped by (family in tow en route to other activities), it appeared a brisk event, with visitors arriving and leaving at a steady pace. An encouraging sight, surely, for the agents from Coldwell-Banker, Weichert, RE/MAX, Prudential, Stanton, Rhodes, Van Note & Co and Zingali Realty, who are showing the 35 units on the market.

The Crawl, from 1 to 4 pm, was sponsored by Baristanet , and organized by Roberta Baldwin, a Realtor® at RE/MAX Village Square in Upper Montclair.

First stop was 119 Walnut St (see picture at top) - a three-bedroom apartment with lofty ceilings, freshly renovated, with lots of natural light playing through the large floor-to-ceiling windows.

Continue reading "Condo Crawl Lures Interest From Near and Far " »

Whether you're looking to buy instead of rent, or wanting to scale down to something smaller (and lower in taxes!), Baristaville offers a host of condo options to suit different taste and price points. In fact, there are so many options, some area realtors came up with an inspired idea -- the first-ever local "Condo Crawl," from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1.

Go out, rain or shine, and see any of the 30 units on the market; agents from Coldwell-Banker, Weichert, RE/MAX, Prudential, Stanton, and Zingali Realtors will show their listings in Montclair, Glen Ridge and Bloomfield. Roberta Baldwin, a Realtor® at RE/MAX Village Square in Upper Montclair, organized the event (Baristanet like the idea so much, we came on as the event's media sponsor). "Open houses are generally too scattered to make an impression on buyers who want to use their time wisely and see the most and best available. But on Nov. 1, in just 3 hours, someone who wants to purchase in our area right now can get a really good idea of what's out there," says Baldwin.

Download listings here and choose the condos you want to visit; then look for "Condo Crawl" signs to identify units available to be seen. The Condo Crawl include loft-style living in Montclair (above, at 119 Walnut), to the new units at The Commons at Bay St. Station and single carriage house condo conversion in Glen Ridge. There's also units at Whitehouse Gardens in Bloomfield and posh Montclair living with Verona taxes at Kips Ridge (shown right). Condos range in price for $159,900 (a one bedroom in Glen Ridge) to $997,500 for the 4-bedroom at Kips Ridge.

If you're looking for a manageable mortgage, have your heart set on something a little different, and aren't keen on an apartment, you might want to check out carriage houses that come onto the market from time to time.

This one right on Belleville Ave in Glen Ridge, for example, is replete with three bedrooms and an open-plan dining-living area and could be ideal for a small family or anyone looking to downsize from a larger residence.

Continue reading "Need a Home but on a Trim Mortgage? Try a Carriage House" »

Are we finally over the home real estate slump? Reports indicate the market is making a steady, if slow comeback, and some realtors are feeling "cautious optimism." July pending home sales across the country reached a two-year high. New Jersey's housing prices inched up 0.6%. How's real estate moving in Baristaville?

Local realtor Roberta Baldwin at REMax Village Square tells Baristanet "buyer interest is certainly up in the past several weeks. For first time buyers who qualify, the $8000 federal tax credit is an impetus, and across the board, we're finally hearing cautious buyers tell us they feel the market has finally bottomed out and they want to get in on the action. But sellers are having a lot of trouble acknowledging that the climb out of the bargain basement will take time -- and to expect modest opening offers. When they read that sales are up, many seller convince themselves that it means more than it really does. Managing those expectations is our biggest job right now. But we're all thrilled that business has picked up!"

Barbara Rudy and Adriana O'Toole at Montclair Realty concur, "considering that August is a slow month (at least in Baristaville), we have seen improvements," says Rudy.

"For example, in May of 2009, 7 listings in Montclair went 'Under Contract' In June, 16 listings in Montclair went 'Under Contract" In July, 31 listings in Montclair went 'Under Contract." In August, 14 listings in Montclair have gone 'Under Contract.'"

The number of homes that went under contract in Bloomfield also showed a steady increase: four in June, 19 in July, and 27 in August, Rudy reported. Glen Ridge had 10 homes under contract over the summer months - one in June, five in July, and four in August. Rudy provided a report of home sales in Baristaville from July 15 - August 15 which you can download here.

And the houses that are moving - what price range are they in? Rudy says "the bulk of the houses are less than $750,000. There's very little activity over a million. The final sales price compared to the final list price is very close. Some sellers want too much, but once the asking price of the house gets into the right price range, it will sell."

O'Toole also sees low interest rates and the $8000 tax credit helping stir up the marketplace. To get that tax credit, you'd better act now, she says. "The tax credit is available to first time buyers or people who have not owned a home for 3 years. Some income eligibility measures apply, and buyers must close by November 30."

I remember the thrill of my first time; walking, that is, somewhere all on my own, as a kid growing up in Queens. It wasn't a huge adventure -- maybe just down to a place called Park Lunch, near Cunningham Park, where you could buy candy -- but it felt like one. My brother and I would routinely pocket our bus fare and instead walk the 20 or so blocks home from the library in Fresh Meadows so we could make a pit stop at a Carvel along the way. Then for 13 years, I lived in Forest Hills, where you could walk to movie theaters, bookstores and scores of restaurants and retail shops. Moving to Montclair, I gave the realtor one major must-have: Show me a house where you can walk to stuff. I found that house and my kids have learned to love the pleasures of seeing where a walk can take you, even when it's just a trip to CVS (it's the journey, not the destination...).

Baristaville realtor Lina Panza shares that love of walking. Her blog Walkable Suburb sings the praises of walking where you live and living in a place where you can actually walk. Here are her top 10 favorite most walked-to places in Montclair. Tell us where you love to walk, or the trips you make by foot instead of by car in comments.

1. The train station (any one of the six)

2. Watchung Plaza for a dozen bagels on Sunday morning

3. The farmer's market on a Saturday in June for local rhubarb and asparagus

4. Tierney's Tavern on the way home from work for a retro burger and beer (no phone, no credit cards!)

5. The Wellmont Theater on a Saturday night to see David Byrne, Kathy Griffith or Rosie O'Donnell

6. Tinga Tacqueria on Monday and Tuesday nights when kids eat for $2

7. The "all children" playground in Edgemont Park on a weekday afternoon in spring

8. Anderson Park (pictured) on the way to work for early morning Tai Chi

9. American Royal Hardware (aka Mr. Charlie's) for that whatchamadoohickey that you'll never find at Home Depot

10. Van Vleck House and Garden for a leafy respite

I recently moved, as I wrote about on Barista Kids. The ordeal went as well as such an ordeal can go. Uprooting oneself is much like getting a root canal. You need to do it; you're thankful you can afford it; and after the procedure is over, it hurts badly then gets much better.

If only laughing gas came with moving. You especially need it when they give you the final bill. A bill that rarely matches the estimate (see what mine was on the next page).

In case you're researching moving companies, here are the estimates I got from the following companies that friends had recommended. My move was from a 5-bedroom house to a larger house less than a mile away in Montclair. Estimates included my antique grand piano.

1. Pony Express from Little Falls
estimated 7 hours, $1612

2. Casella & Sons from Verona
estimated 8 1/2 hours, $1700

3. Reilly movers from Montclair
estimated 14 hours, $1900

4. Chatham movers from Chatham (came highly recommended)
estimated 12 hours, $4200 (yikes!)

See who I chose and what the final bill was at the jump...

Continue reading "Moving Companies: Estimates vs. Final Bill" »

While hunting for a home in Montclair recently, I was trying to get a sense of where valuations are now compared with a year ago as I watched several potential purchases (none I had bid on) fall through while other homes were taken off the market. Calling up Zillow's home valuations index, it appears valuations in Essex County, many areas of which had skyrocketed over the past several years, took a beating over the past year and dropped about 20 percent as the recession hurt employment, salaries and spending power.

The index created by Zillow, an online real estate information site, takes the midpoint of all Zestimate valuations by city or county.

In Montclair, home values and prices have dropped about 16 percent, faring a tad better than Bloomfield, which saw a plunge of 22 percent. In Verona, values fell 19 percent and in Cedar Grove, 18 percent. See here for the details.

Continue reading "Montclair, Bloomfield Housing Valuations Plummet Over Year" »

We have been looking for a modest house in Montclair these past few months and viewed many in a variety of styles and state of upkeep (or not, as the case may be). Our budget is a tad lower than we'd like, having moved last autumn from Toronto, where our attempt to sell our home there ran headlong into the global recession. That house has since been leased (to be sold at a more fortuitous economic time) and we are renting in Montclair, hoping to find out more about this city and our neighborhood doing so. By Gad, do we love them!

Back to the home purchasing plan, several in our sought-after $500,000 to $680,000 range caught our fancy, so we placed bids on them, at the asking price, and lost. We expected to get each of these houses, given the gloomy housing market, but in each case, somebody else marginally outbid us.

Continue reading "Are Two Bathrooms Too Much to Ask For?" »