Posts Tagged ‘Bob Sittmann,’

It is often a rule not to mix religion and politics into Real Estate.  I know I am going to regret this but here goes

Recently a lot has been said about the Mosque being built at Ground Zero.  First of all the Mosque in question is not anywhere near ground Zero.  So that is why I refer to it as the Not so close to Ground Zero Mosque.

I am disappointed in the many Americans that apposed the building of this Mosque.  In the United States we have something very few countries have, it makes us the riches,t smartest, strongest, happiest country on the planet.  The Constitution of the United States guarantees the basic rights of all the citizens.  This means that no one has the right to impose their will over another.  For 230 years this concept has often been tested but has never failed. If a government cannot guarantee the rights of one of its citizens it cannot guarantee the rights of any of its Citizens.

Ron Paul a Congressman from Texas could not have said it better we he wrote

“The debate should have provided the conservative defenders of property rights with a perfect example of how the right to own property also protects the 1st Amendment rights of assembly and religion by supporting the building of the mosque.  Instead, we hear lip service given to the property rights position while demanding that the need to be “sensitive” requires an all-out assault on the building of a mosque, several blocks from “ground zero.”…

The outcry over the building of the mosque, near ground zero, implies that Islam alone was responsible for the 9/11 attacks. According to those who are condemning the building of the mosque, the nineteen suicide terrorists on 9/11 spoke for all Muslims. This is like blaming all Christians for the wars of aggression and occupation because some Christians supported the neo-conservative’s aggressive wars…

This is all about hate and Islam phobia.  We now have an epidemic of “sunshine patriots” on both the right and the left who are all for freedom, as long as there’s no controversy and nobody is offended.

Political demagoguery rules when truth and liberty are ignored.”

Thanks for Reading my Blog Morris Plains Homes NJ and Now the Quote “You can’t talk your way out of a situation you behave yourself into.” Steven Covey

There is trouble brewing for the housing market in Morris Plains.  It is a well-known fact in the real estate world that when a home hits the market it gets the most traffic in the first 30 days.  If it is correctly priced, it will sell within that time period.  If within that 30 days there is plenty of traffic but no offers the home price should be lowered 5 percent.  If a home has had little or no traffic the price should be lowered 10 percent.

In Morris Plains there are 31 homes for sale in Morris Plains that have been on the market for an average of 100 days.  They range on the market from 32 all the way up to 271 days.  10 homes have been on the market for 4 months or more.  Now before you say “well that is because of the economy or the market”.  The truth is there are currently 10 homes under contract that where on the market for an average of less then 30 days.

Why did these homes sell in such short time?  They were all correctly priced to the market when they were listed.  These 10 homes where not all inexpensive properties, six where priced over 549,000 dollars.  The highest priced one was priced at 699,000.  Four of these  homes sold in under two weeks. 

It is not rocket science, there is a lot of competition in the market.  If a buyer cannot find the home he wants at the price he wants in Morris Plains he will go to Denville or Morris Township or Hanover to find his home.  Remember the market dictates what your home is worth.  The current average absorption rate for Morris Plains is up around 6 months.  In the long run incorrectly pricing your home will cost you tens of thousands of dollars.  Hoping to get your asking price is not a strategy it is a mistake.

Thanks for reading my Morris Plains Real Estate Blog:  Here is the quote: “This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in”.  Theodore Roosevelt

Mortgage rates hit new lows for the year.  Rates on a 30 year fixed rate mortgage have fallen to the lowest level of the year and are barely shy of an all time low.  30 year fixed rate mortgages have fallen to 4.72 percent.  The average for a 15 year is 4.17.  This is the lowest rate for a15 year mortgage since August 1991.  Rates on a 5 year adjustable mortgage are at 3.92.

Investors weary of the European dept crisis and the turbulent stock market have shifted money into the safety of US Treasury Bills.  Fixed rate mortgages tend to track that yield.  The unemployment picture shows that few private sector jobs have been created.  This has made the investors nervous of the stock market and pushed bond rates higher and interest rates lower.  When bond yields fell interest rates followed. 

It was expected that when the tax credit for home buyers program had ended that rates would move higher.  Fortunately for the home buyer just the opposite has happened.

Another good omen showing that the economy is improving.  Is that it appears that corporations do not appear to fear future restrictions on credit.  Many corporations have begun stock by back programs.  Instead of hoarding cash to use in the event of tighting credit, corporations are out buying their own stock back.  Over 122 billion has been spent buying stock back.  This is a boom to share holders.

Consider the performance of the Buyback Letter, edited by David Fried, an advisory service that recommends stocks based on buyback activity. Since the beginning of 1997, which is when the Hulbert Financial Digest began tracking this service, it has produced a 10.7% annualized gain, compared to 5.1% for the overall stock market (as measured by the Wilshire 5000 index). Among all the services the Hulbert Financial Digest has tracked since 1997, the Buyback Letter is in third place (second when ranked on a risk-adjusted basis).

Private equity is getting into the investment picture as well.  Just look what happened in Delaware last week.  A refinery that Valero Refining Company had shut down in November and affected the income of over 4,900 families was bought by a private investment company.  The new Delaware Refining Company has already called people back to work to begin startup procedures.

If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Morris Plains NJ give me a call.  I can help you through the process.

Thanks for reading my Blog Morris Plains Homes NJ.  Here is the Quote: There are so many men who can figure costs, and so few who can measure values.  ~Author Unknown

We have some good news in Morris Plains.  Six homes closed in May.  The average days on market before a contract was signed were 88 days. The average sales price was 394.  This works out to about 94 percent of asking price.  That is about a percentage point lower then in April but still not bad.  What is really good news on the home front is that the in May, 6 homes went under contract and the average list price was 599,000.  The average days on market for these homes, was only 35 days. 

The absorption rate for homes priced over 500,000 dollars is only 3 months. While the average for all homes in Morris Plains is 5 months.  Only one home under 500,000 has gone under contract in May.  What does that mean?  Well all the home owners that sold their smaller home have now out buying their next larger and higher priced homes.   This bodes well for those homes priced higher then 500,000.

On the Macro side of things, US economic drivers continue to improve.  On June 2^nd we saw strong housing data as well as double digit auto sales growth.  This morning the ADP jobless claims number showed a decline of 55,000 and weekly claims were off by 10,000.  This was about what was expected.  However the main driver to watch is will be the May Non-Farm Payroll numbers that are expected to be out later this week.  The consensus is for a gain of 430,000 jobs.  That is HUGE.

Thanks for readding my blog Morris Plains Homes NJ.  Here is the Quote: The results of quality work last longer than the shock of high prices.  ~Author Unknown

Good News, More Good News and Some Bad News for the Housing Market in Morris Plains

There was a great article in the Wall Street Journal this morning.  It appears that the devaluation of the Euro has had a positive effect for The U. S. housing market.   An influx of of international money looking for a safe haven is pushing domestic mortgage rates to their lowest levels in 50 years. 

Most industry insiders were bracing for a rise in rates when the FED was going to stop propping up the market.  Instead 30 year mortgage rates have fallen once again below 5 percent.  Instead because of all this cash could push 30 year mortgage rates as low as 4.5 to 4.25 percent.

For every one percentage point decline in mortgage rates equvalent to roughly a 10 percent reduction in the home price.  If the rates hold economists predict that this will allow current home owners to sell existing homes with out actually dropping the price of their homes.  A home priced at 300,000 dollars to a buyer a month ago has just become more affordable to a larger pool of buyers.  This higher number of buyers will be competing for the same home.

More Good News is that The National Association for Business Economics report that they expect the country’s Gross National Product will expand by 3.2 percent in 2010 and 2011.  Growth prospects are stronger, unemployment and inflation are lower.  The economy in April added jobs at the fastest pace in four years.  Unemployment is expected to drop from 9.9 percent to 9.4 percent by the end of the year. By the end of 2011 it will drop to 8.5%

Now for the bad news for Morris Plains Home Owners.  The number of homes for sale in town has jumped up to 34.  What’s worse is our absorption rate is now 8 months.  At this level our market for homes are squarely in the buyers range.   How did this happen you ask? 

Well first we saw the first hints of it over the last 2 weeks when I reported that over a quarter of the homes in Morris Plains have been on the market for 6 months to a year or more.  Many have been listed many times over.  Some have been listed over a period of years.  The reason they never sold is very simple weak marketing and they are all over priced.  

Now the problem is that too many people waited to long to put their homes up for sale.  The time to strike was  2 to 3 months ago when there was no competition, when we only had 20 homes on the market.  Now everyone is jumping into the market and the number of homes for sale has increased by 35 percennt.  Compounding the problem is that every home for sale in Morris Plains is over priced by 5 to 10 percent.  Get ready for a slow sales season this summer.  There will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the community of caring. 

If you are serious about selling your home give me a call.  We will work together, construct a realestic marketing plan, price your house to the market and sell it.  Remember Real Estate is not magic we do not wish or hope someone buys your home.   I will work to sell it.  

Thanks for Reading My Morris Plains Blog.  The Quote for today is:  “The young rebel the old conserve, together we move forward.”  Robert Leckie

The Fed Promise’s to Keep Interest Rates at Current Levels. 

 We dodged the interest rate bullet again.  The Fed promise not raises rates for the near term.  Most people believe that rates will hold at these levels for the balance of the year.  Unemployment numbers need to be lower before they will act. 

 However the economy has shown some serious signs that it is improving.  The stock market has pushed through the 11,000 mark and seems to be comfortable there. Consumer confidence numbers have been showing strength, manufacturing has seen some gains.  But most important of all is that home prices have stabilized and have begun to rise.  Not just in Morris County and Morris Plains but in some of the sections of the country that have been hit the hardest.  California Nevada and Arizona where home values have fallen the farthest have seen a lot of the inventory getting absorbed.  What will be most telling in this market is the home buyers credit will be going away and the chances of it getting extended is slim.

 What does that mean to us in Morris Plains?  There are 27 homes for sale in town, thirteen homes are under contract and are waiting to close and 5 homes have closed for the month of April.  The absorption rate for homes priced under 500,000 is 2 months and homes over a half million is slightly over 4.

 Some change in the market as far as home buyers are concerned is that buyer will expect the seller to give concessions at close.  These concessions could consist of the seller offering to  paying closing costs and points.  Sellers can expect buyers to be a bit more demanding in their negotiations in buying their home. 

Buyers on the other hand have to understand that the inventory of well priced and desirable home is slowly getting bought up, Some of these buyers need to know that they can over shop for a house.  Some buyers will keep looking for their perfect house, what I call the A+ property meanwhile all the B+,A- and A properties are all getting picked up.  

 The next couple of weeks will tell.  The spring home buying season is for all intents is over. In less then a month the kids will be out of school, vacations will be taken, people will not be in such a hurry to be out to look for a home.  All the Sellers out there whose homes have been on the market for over 30 days should seriously look at dropping their price.  And buyers should step up their efforts to purchase a home.  Homes are still affordable and rates are low now.

 The economy is improving and this situation will not last for to much longer. 

 Thanks for reading my Blog Morris Plains Homes and the quote for the day is “When opportunity Is knocking at your front door don’t be out back looking for 4 leaf clovers” Unknown

Isn’t this summer like weather great?  I think that after the winter we had we deserve a few warm days. 

My listing at 9 Cleveland has closed.  The historical event took place on March 29th.  The new residents have already placed a play set in the back yard and have begun to make the home theirs.

What is new in Morris Plains Market?  There are 26 homes that are actively for sale in Morris Plains.  Of those there are 5 under attorney review.  There are 11 homes that are under contract.  In January and February we only had 2 homes close, but in March we saw that trend turnaround with 10 homes change hands.  The average days on market was about 4 months and the list to sale ratio was a very firm 95 to 96 percent. 

If you should have any questions concerning how long a house has been on the market give me a call or e mail me and I will be happy to give you the straight skinny.

On a macro note the government stopped buying mortgages but that has not seemed to have pushed rates up too much. The home buyer credit is coming to a close at the end of this month; A 30 year fixed mortgage is still around 5.25 to 5.30 percent.  The employment picture seems to have begun to stabilize.  Inflation is still very low so the government has no reason to raise rates any time soon.  Home prices nationally have also started to rise.  While in Morris County and Morris Plains in particular the bottom has slipped away and prices are higher.  The stock market is knocking on that 11,000 point mark.  I believe the light is at the end of the tunnel.

Governor Christi is doing what he promised by cutting spending and refusing to raise taxes.  He has taken some unpopular stands with the teachers and government employees unions but these things need to be done.  Hey we are all hurting here and we have all had to make sacrifices but I think if we all work together and stop demonizing those that have to make some hard and unpopular decisions and we work together  we will get through this.  We all shared in the good times now lets share in the bad.   Local governments also need to take a page out of the governor’s book and control spending.  None of us can afford our property taxes  going higher. 

Thanks for reading Morris Plains Homes and here is the quote; “I don’t believe in the no-win scenario” James T Kirk Captain of the Starship Enterprise

Hey all you Manhattanites that are thinking of moving New Jersey think on this:  Morris Plains and Chatham NJ both have a lot in common.  They both are located in desirable Morris County New Jersey.  They both are about the same size ,2.5 square miles, they are both pedestrian friendly and they are both on the Morristown Line of New Jersey Transit with direct service to NY Penn Station and Hoboken. 

But there the similarities end. Chatham’s population density is almost 40 percent higher then Morris Plains.  Also the Average active listing for a home in Chatham currently is 35% percent higher then a home in Morris Plains.  In the last year on average buyers have paid 800,000 dollars for their home in Chatham where in Morris Plains homes on average have sold for 520,000 dollars.  That is almost a 300,000 dollar difference.

Lets break this down further.  In Morris Plains a 7 room 3 bedroom with 1.5 to 2 baths is currently selling on average for 460,000 dollars, while the same size home in Chatham is on the market for 550,000.  In the last year this same size home in Morris Plains sold for 425,000 dollars while in Chatham it sold for 565,000.  I don’t know too many people that have an extra  135 “G’s” to toss around do you?

In Morris Plains an 8 room 4 bedroom 2.5 bath home on average is selling for 550,000 while the same size home in Chatham on average is selling for 740,000.  Last year buyers in Chatham paid on average 290,000 dollars more for their 8 room 4 bedroom 2.5 bath home then the buyers in Morris Plains did for theirs.

What is really interesting for the price of a 7 room 3 bedroom 1.5 to 2 bath home in Chatham you could have an 8 room 4 bedroom 2.5 bath home in Morris Plains with a nice size lot and have money left over for food.

So let’s review.  Morris  Plains has less people, an easy rail commute to NYC, a friendly downtown with shops and restaurants  plenty of parks and recreation oh yea and home values that don’t take a chunk out of your ass. 

Here is an idea I will sell your home in Chatham I will find you a home in Morris Plains.  You take the 200,000 grand that is left over and  buy something really nice for your wife, maybe something shiney and sparkly with facets or buy your self that Red Corvette. Or you could do something mature and grown up and  invest it in the stock market where it may actually appreciate (because it isn’t happening in the real estate market in Chatham)   Give me a call at 862 222 4737 I can hook you up.

Thanks for Reading Morris Plains Homes, and here is the quote “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people”. Eleanor Roosevelt

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day