Baristanet Real Estate

Love the House You're In

2008-11-18T20:17:17Z

True, we are officially in a recession. But that doesn't mean there aren't economic opportunities out there. Chris Stearns, a contractor who spent the recent boom times doing expensive kitchen renovations and other upscale work, has re-imagined suburban remodeling as a way for people, no longer able to move up or buy that expensive kitchen, to enjoy the homes they're stuck with. And he's taken a page from his own life to do it. The lovely open-shelved kitchen shown here is in his own very modest home.

I personally have lived with my family for the past fifteen years in a nine hundred square foot house in West Caldwell. We lived very well with one kitchen drawer, very limited counter space, very limited storage, all kinds of limitations when compared to other homes. Nine hundred square feet is smaller than just about all of the houses in Montclair and Glen Ridge. And, as I said, we have created, through really smart design and very affordable remodeling, a home that functions just fine and, most importantly I think, feels really good. Now, we have three kitchen drawers, open shelving in all kinds of different places, lots more windows and natural light to make the house feel bigger by letting the view of the larger world in, old fashioned pantry, etc. My fifteen year old son lives in a submarine room. But, he loves it because there is all of this cool built in storage.

]]> Lean Living LLC, might start with how to throw stuff out. It helps, in times like these, not to have been born with a silver spoon.

The last thing that I want to mention is that I was raised in New Hampshire by two school teachers with very little money. My parents bought our house when I was five years old for five thousand dollars. It was a small house that we made into a beautiful home. It was a home that worked just fine and one that felt great to live in. My parents were, and continue to be, very frank about what is really needed, to a fault at times. I have carried on some of that sensible attitude even while working during the boom years. I now intend to help people organize their wants, their needs, and their stuff, to assist them in drastically improving their living situations. I intend to do this with frank discussion combined with plenty of fun as we work with more space than they really even know that they have to begin with. I will show them all kinds of possibilities. It will be a combination of urban and old fashioned somehow.

Full disclosure: Stearns is advertising on Baristanet. We also found his story very compelling. He can be reached through the website link above.

205 Park Street, Before

2008-11-10T20:21:38Z

This circa 1910 house at 205 Park Street is no more; a new home has taken its place. The six bedroom home on .67 acre, was described as ["once a exquisite home w/dentist's office; needs to be restored to single family. Sold "as is."] Listed for $599,000, it sold for $703,000 back in June. Taxes were $22,026 back then. The new five-bedroom house, which is under construction and listed for $1,850,000, has taxes that are yet to be determined. Interested buyers can call listing agent Rhodes Van Note.

Siblings, Separated By Sales Price

2008-11-05T20:46:15Z

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR. The New York Times profiled the two houses above, built by Frank T. Clute in the early 1900s. Both are located on Glenwood Road and both are for sale. The first in the slide show, (the brown house) #7, is on the market for $689,000; the second, #15, is listed for $1,295,000. Both are on roughly the same amount of land, but the latter has been "done" to the nines by a developer who had bought it for $750,000 last spring. The untouched sibling sports much of the original detail intact. Taxes are $13,736 on #7; $17,685 on #15. So take the slide show tour and then tell us -- as buyers, past or future, do you seek out old details or new amenities?

Bleak In Baristaville

2008-10-10T15:10:04Z

Foreclosures in our backyard? You betcha. At Realtytrac.com you get a lay of the land. Type in a zip code and navigate the map to see properties that are in foreclosure, preforeclosure, or at auction. It's not a pretty picture.

Strahan's House On The Market

2008-09-03T19:26:34Z

Here's the listing description from the GSMLS (listing agent is Coldwell Banker) Coldwell Banker...

Introducing Daybreak, Montclair's most prestigious estate meticulously restored with museum quality details and fixtures. Never before has a home of this quality and scale been available in Montclair. Open house to be announced at later date. Must be prequalified. LA [listing agent] to accompany all showings.

Just so we don't confuse Strahan's house at 99 Lloyd Road with another Daybreak, we go to an explanation here from Baristaville historian Frank GG. Here are the numbers on the Strahan estate: $7,750,000 gets you 2.3 acres, 30 rooms (10 bedrooms), 5 fireplaces, 10 car garage, and annual taxes of $82,418. No photos with the listing yet, but here's a look at one of the bathrooms. Update: The Star-Ledger picks up the story.

Here's the Hottest Thing in Real Estate: Katie's Apartment

2008-08-19T16:19:22Z

Forget about buying, selling, inspections, mortgages. Here's what everybody wants these days: a sunny two-bedroom, apartment rental. When our very own Katie Mancine, who's leaving on her Wanderful trip cross-country in two weeks, put an ad in Craigslist, she got 94 responses and, after the first open house, 23 serious would-be renters. Note to beige addicts with houses on the market: the overwhelming response has a lot to do with Katie and Mark's daring color choices. Apparently, nobody can resist a bright-orange living room.

When we moved into our apartment, it was empty for three months beforehand, I don't think our landlord could find anyone who wanted the plain white walls, ugly brown carpet and dirty unmopped tile floor. But post THIS link to some Flickr photos from our lives in the apartment, and we had more responses than we ever imagined. Each person who came to view the apartment wanted to know, "How will you pick?" And then it dawned on me: I would just take all the names and hold a lottery drawing to find our replacement. I gave the three minute apartment tour, let the people walk around, ask questions, look through all our drawers, closets, and even test out how strong the flush is on our toilet. Then I'd tell them "If this apartment is in your top three, sign this email list. We'll email you on Sunday, and ask if it's your number one choice (thus giving them a week to find others to compare it to), if it is, you'll be entered to win A YEAR LEASE IN AN ORANGE, PINK AND GREEN-ROOMED APARTMENT!" Read the rest of the story, including a rundown of all the cute applicants, here.

From 1892 To 2007

2008-01-03T16:38:46Z

In July 2006, 79 Ridgewood Ave. in Glen Ridge sold for $1,215,000. Fully made over, the circa 1897 Victorian on almost an acre of land was renovated, gussied up (they don't tear down homes in Glen Ridge) and put back on the market in 2007 for $2,295,000. The house is described here...

"Wistful Vista" sits on a spectacular property with a broad sweep of lawn, trees, old fashioned flower beds, and a secret path to the Freeman Rose Garden & has been completely restored and renovated.

View all the pictures here.

Gargoyles And More

2007-11-26T19:38:21Z

The most expensive home on the market in Montclair gets a write up in The Record...

The black, white and gray walls and furniture, sheer curtains and white shades set off period details like curved cove ceilings and ornate wainscoting. "It dances to its own tune," said Linda Grotenstein, of Coldwell Banker, Upper Montclair, who is listing the property on 1.83 acres for $3.6 million. Another adjacent acre is for sale at $800,000. Outside, traditional elements abound, such as the porte-cochere -- stone arches that cover the driveway where horse-drawn carriages would stop to let off guests.

The Tudor estate home above is located at 159 Gates Ave; more photos here. Coming in as the second most expensive home on the market, at $3,465,000, is 115 Stonebridge Road., located just a stone's throw from West Orange.

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Formerly a ranch, the above rendering has morphed into this...

Open House!

2007-11-15T16:10:18Z

Driving down Ridgewood Ave, around 1:15, enjoying the fall scene, we heard a shrieking alarm that sounded like an ambulance or police car and promptly pulled over. Seeing nothing in the rearviews, we heard a voice repeatedly barking over a loud speaker: BURGLARY! BURGLARY! LEAVE THIS LOCATION RIGHT NOW! The house had a for sale sign (it's a Rhodes Van Note 6 BR just reduced to 899k). A minute later, one of Glen Ridge's finest pulled up and cautiously walked up to the front door. Didn't hang around for the outcome but the alarm could still be heard 10 minutes later and five blocks away in Bloomfield. We've heard that talking houses can be a good marketing tool but this takes it to a new level! From EcoRealty

What Color Is Your Parachute Neighborhood?

2007-09-27T18:06:17Z

Check out this cool new mapping tool that allows you to check the sales in your 'hood, even your street.

Pictured is Montclair's sales map.

Ultimate Parade View Included

2007-09-10T19:08:57Z

We've waved to the throngs of folks gathered at this house from the Baristanet float; now 241 Midland Ave. in Montclair is on the market. If you love a Fourth of July parade and a Victorian, this 5-bedroom home on almost a half acre is for sale for $1,250,000 (taxes are $20,142). Here's a look inside (get a load of the woodwork...)

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Townhouse Anyone?

2007-08-29T17:54:00Z

What new luxury digs are priced a lot cheaper than Crisco ever was? These homes.

Meanwhile, someone has taken on the moniker of Crisco to talk about Montclair here. Do you agree with the assessment?

More Luxury Condos Come To East Orange

2007-06-28T20:37:12Z

This week, 60 Parkway Drive, celebrated its official ribbon-cutting, with East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser heaping praise on GLC Group principals Mark Caller and Pinny Loketch. Irvington-based GLC Group has bought and rehabbed developments in Newark and East Flatbush, Brooklyn.

It's quite a transformation when you read about the building's past, here...

â€œWe understand the growth potential of East Orange and, therefore, feel that â€œ60â€ is part of an amazing future for this trendy new city,â€ says Caller. Intro pricing for units range from $99,000 to $399,000. You'll recall we told you about Empire View, another condo development in East Orange, here.

Spring Arrives In Montclair

2007-05-31T22:09:30Z

And with it comes a bunch of new homes on the market. Expect lots of excitement over these new listings, including this one at 21 Erwin Park Road, for $1,049,000, close enough to walk down the street and borrow ~~a cup of sugar~~ a pot of lip gloss from neighbor Bobbi Brown...

]]> y2 Park Terrace, $599,900

87 Bellevue, $895,000

214 Alexander Ave, $599,000

Auction At 72 South Mountain

2007-05-15T23:40:18Z

Lovingly and meticulously restored by its current owners, this superb 1860 residence is the only known extant house of a series built along the hillside by renowned architect Henry Nason. The exterior is characterized by symmetry, good proportions and a simplicity of design with peaked gables, bracketed eaves, the repeated use of narrow arched windows and a handsome slate roof that bestow a sense of dignity and purity to this fine home. Taxes: $37,402.08 Approx. 1.30 Acres

For more pictures and info on the auction, click here.