Sayreville & Piscataway NJ Real Estate Blog

Lots of people think about ways to save the environment in a physical manner such as changing light bulbs from incandescent to florescent and recycling, but many drop the ball when it comes to cleaning their Piscataway & Sayreville New Jersey home. Keeping your home clean in a way that is healthy to you, your family, and the environment just takes a little extra thought and soon becomes second nature.Danger, DangerGet rid of any products under your sink, in your bathroom, or your cleaning closet that have danger cautions.  If they are bad for you, they are probably bad for the environment too, and why have such hazardous materials in your Piscataway & Sayreville New Jersey home? Labels that have cautions such as poison, hazard, and danger on them are not only bad to have around small children, the toxins leak into the air when you use them causing health problems for your family. They also leech into the environment when you use them and are hazardous for the environment.Re-usable and NaturalBuy mop heads and sponges made from natural materials that are bio-degradable and replenishable. Check for recycled materials labels on paper towels, toilet paper, and other disposable objects so that you know those products are making the best use of production materials.ConserveUse as little water as possible when doing dishes by turning off the faucet while you are washing and only using running water when you are ready to rinse. Don’t just think about conservation when cleaning your home. Turn off the faucet while you are brushing your teeth as well for extra savings. Remove your shoes or put a rug by the entry doors of your home to help cut down the need to wash floors.Bring in the GreenBring nature into your Piscataway & Sayreville New Jersey home in the form of hanging and potted plants. Plants clean the air around you and take in harmful carbon dioxide in the air.Want top buy a clean, green home?  Let me help.  Contact me today at 732-247-1935 ext 182 or email me at freddie@freddiemoorer.com. LINKS:Keeping your home clean: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/278826/how_to_keep_your_house_clean_in_20.html?cat=7 Cleaning your home: http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/homestyle/07/27/wlb.rs.clean.plan/index.htmlHanging and potted plants: http://www.ehow.com/how_16881_grow-hanging-plants.html

Yes, it’s time for the Holidays again, which means it’s time to decorate your Sayreville & Piscataway New Jersey home. If you’re big on recycling, use eco-friendly products and try to keep your carbon footprint on a low scale, you may be trying to figure out how you can make your Holidays a blast without stepping away from your ideals.

Here are a few tips to help you get your Sayreville & Piscataway New Jersey home decorated in eco-friendly style!

Tips for an Eco-Friendly

1. Instead of buying wrapping paper, buy decorative wooden boxes, tin boxes, cloth bags or other eco-friendly packaging to hold your presents. You can get any of these with Holiday themes, most won’t get thrown away for years and, when they finally do fall apart, they’re biodegradable.

2. If you do use wrapping paper, save the paper and reuse it next year: recycling at its best!

3. Buy a real tree instead of a fake one and find an organization to plant one in its place. Once Christmas is over, you can have the Christmas tree recycled into wood chips, mulch and other wood products.

4. Try buying your gifts from an eco-friendly store. Online or offline, these businesses offer gifts made from recycled, reused or all natural materials.

5. Create fantastic holiday decorations with reusable materials from around the house. There are tons of decoration ideas around the Net, so you’ll be able to find some ideas that use things you already have lying around.

6. Send an e-card instead of a regular Holiday card, or buy
   Holiday cards made from recycled materials.

7. If you want lights, use LEDs (low-energy lights). Not only do they use less power, but also if one light goes out, the rest stay lit.

With a little bit of thought and ingenuity, your Sayreville & Piscataway New Jersey home can be as bright and cheerful as you’ve always wanted without worrying about the impact on the environment. Have a Happy (and eco-friendly)

If you’re looking for a green home to hang your eco-friendly wreaths in, I can help. Call me at 732-247-1935 ext 182 or email me at freddie@freddiemoorer.com for more information.

Links:

Eco-friendly packaging

http://www.nashvillewraps.com/eco-friendly-packaging/mc-051.html

Christmas tree Recycled

http://www.christmastree.org/recycle.cfm

Holiday decorations

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/holiday-ideas/christmas-wreath-projects

Have you heard of the first-time homebuyer’s tax credit extension? Last month, President Obama signed the extension to help first-time homebuyers (who didn’t get their sales in by November 30th) buy a house that meets their needs. What about those who already own Mercer & Middlesex County NJ homes, are doing well and want a larger home?

To those who already own a home, Merry Christmas! The Workers, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009 didn’t just come with an extension; it came with improvements. Those in governmental positions of authority reasoned that if someone wanted to get a bigger home, they should get some kind of help too, thus further helping the overall real estate market.

If you own a home, you can now receive up to $6,500 in tax credits for buying one of the Mercer & Middlesex County NJ homes for sale. The actual wording is “$6,500 or 10%.” Here are a few of the important points you need to know:

• Income Qualifications – Your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) as a single taxpayer must be less than $125,000 ($225,000 if you file jointly). Partial credit may be received by those with a MAGI of less than $145,000 (single) and $245,000 (jointly).

• Home Ownership Qualifications – You must have lived in the home you own for five consecutive years out of the past eight to qualify. You do not, however, have to currently own the home you’re using to qualify. The key terms are “five consecutive years” and “in the past eight years.” If you lived in your home for five years straight, but sold it two years ago, you are still eligible for the tax credit. If you’re filing jointly with a spouse, both you and the spouse have to qualify.

• Cost Qualifications – The cost of the home doesn’t have to be more than the home you already own, but it does have to cost less than $800,000. As a side note, the government has put a definitive cap on the housing costs. If the home you’re looking at is a solid, non-negotiable $801,000, it isn’t eligible for the credit.

• Purchase Date – The final date for the purchases to be secured is April 30, 2010. The actual closing date must be finalized before June 30, 2010.

Most couples move into a home thinking they will “eventually” get a bigger home once they have a family. Then the family comes along, the house is full and they can’t buy a larger home due to financial issues. The tax credit is a perfect opportunity for families to find Mercer & Middlesex County NJ homes that fit their expansion needs. Take a chance and look around; your dream home may be only a city block and $6,500 away!

If you’re looking to expand and take advantage of the tax credit, I can help. Call me at 732-247-1935 ext 182 or email me at freddie@freddiemoorer.com for more information.

Links:

First time homebuyers

http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/

Modified adjusted gross income

http://www.moneybluebook.com/adjusted-gross-income-and-modified-adjusted-gross-income/

Tax credit

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204671,00.html

Most articles across the Net that focus on finding a real estate agent tell you what to look for to find a good one. What if you already have one, though? How can you tell if your Mercer & Middlesex County NJ real estate agent is the one that caused previous clients X, Y and Z to have never-ending nightmares? What if they’re related to the Wicked Witch of the West and, horror of horrors, you don’t know?

It’s enough to give a person the terrors, even though Halloween is already past. In the interest of helping you have a good experience (thus raising the reputation of agents everywhere), here are three things you can do if your Mercer & Middlesex County NJ real estate agent starts giving you the heebie jeebies:

1. Find out if they’ve had any training since real estate school. Although it depends on the state, most agents have to complete a three- to six-week period of schooling. If they pass the real estate licensing exam they find a broker, sign a form, sign up with some real estate associations and are immediately moved into the echelons of “real estate professional.” That’s it.

If your agent hasn’t had any more training than that, there’s a high probability they don’t know everything they need to know to give you the professional help you need. Real estate school can only teach so much, especially in three to six weeks.

2. Try to reach your agent by phone and email. If you get a voice mail, leave a message and see how fast they return the call. See how fast they return the email. Many agents leave comments on the listings such as “for questions, comments or to show, contact listing agent,” which means the only way potential buyers can get any extra information or see your home is by contacting your agent. If your agent never returns emails or phone calls, you may be missing out on potential buyers.

3. Consider if they’re willing to show you houses you want to look at, or if they’re too busy. Some agents have a strange rule that they’ll only show a certain number of houses. Other agents seem to be too busy to show you a few extra homes you’re interested in. If either of these are the case, don’t call another agent – get rid of the one you have, first.

If you find that your Mercer & Middlesex County NJ real estate agent is a genuine nightmare, take a step back and reassess whether you want to use them or not. If you decide you want to hire another one, first let your original agent know and officially cancel the contract.

If you’re looking for an experienced, well-educated real estate agent, I can help. Call me at 732-247-1935 ext 182 or email me at freddie@freddiemoorer.com for more information.

Links:

Find a good one

http://homebuying.about.com/od/realestateagents/How_to_Find_Interview_and_Hire_a_Real_Estate_Agent.htm

Real estate school

http://www.kaplanreschools.com/

Listing agent

http://homebuying.about.com/od/realestateagents/qt/0407ListingAgt.htm

Working to have a safe Mercer & Middlesex County NJ home environment is important to everyone.  We want our children to have safe water, clean air, fresh food and a healthy earth for their future.

One area where you might consider decreasing your impact on the environment is in your own home construction.  There are several ways you can have a safe and clean green home construction.

• Find a “green” builder to help with your Mercer & Middlesex County NJ home.  Search the Internet for professional green builders.  It takes a special contractor to coordinate the elements of home building to ensure maximum energy savings.  Buying green materials is just one step toward having a green home.  To achieve ultimate efficiency, the different structural parts of plumbing, electricity, gas lines, and framework need to be coordinated.
• Buy green materials from different vendors.  Shop around to ensure you are getting the best deal.  One vendor may sell stone at an exceptional price, but his timber may be overpriced.  Natural supplies can be in short availability in some areas.  Natural builders and vendors are working together to build a greener home construction industry, but it is still a business.  It is your responsibility as the homeowner to make sure that you are getting the best deal.
• Continue the “green” theme with your home decorations and furnishings.  The construction of your green home saves resources and energy.  You can reduce your impact on the environment even further by using energy saving appliances, eco-friendly interior paint, and sustainable wood flooring in your home.

Building your Mercer & Middlesex County NJ home using green construction is a great start to a cleaner, brighter future. 

I can help you learn more about green home construction options.  Call me at 732-247-1935 ext182 or email me at freddie@freddiemoorer.com for more information.

Links:

Professional green builders - http://www.builditgreen.org/

Green materials - http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/greenbuilding/Materials/

Furnishings - http://www.greenhome.com/

If you’re looking at homes for sale Mercer & Middlesex County NJ, want to buy a home and are waiting around for better prices, you might want to rethink your strategy.

If you’re a market watcher, soaking up the information overload across news media and Internet websites, you’re probably overwhelmed with confusion by now. Is the housing market getting better? Is it getting worse? Was there really, when it gets down to it, a housing bubble collapse? And, if so, who popped it?

First, the quick answers. Yes, the housing bubble collapsed, and everybody had a hand in popping it: the government, the lenders, the investors and the general public. Now the hard answers: it’s getting better – and worse.

The truth is that market predictors are all on the fence. With the ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) giving first time homeowners some incentive to buy homes for sale Mercer & Middlesex County NJ and elsewhere, there has been a steady increase of sales. However, once the tax credit deadline hits at the end of this month, the numbers are once again expected to drop.

Again, though, it’s better and worse. While the housing market is still dropping in some areas, such as the southeast in

For instance,

Just because this is a buyer’s market, doesn’t mean you’ll get the exact price you’re looking for. If you want to buy a home and you’re waiting around for the prices of homes to plummet into a “sweet deal,” make sure you don’t wait yourself into an expensive mistake.

Instead of checking market forecasts, potential homebuyers need to look at things the way we always should have. Do I want to buy a house? Can I afford one of the homes for sale Mercer & Middlesex County NJ the way things are now? By researching, crunching numbers and answering the important questions, you’ll find the sweetest deal you could ever have: a wonderful house you can afford.

If you’re looking for a place to call your own, I can help. Call me at 732-247-1935 ext182 or email me at freddie@freddiemoorer.com for more information.

Links:

ARRA

http://www.recovery.gov/Pages/home.aspx

Strong markets

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/08/0811_strongest_housing_markets/1.htm

Can I afford one of the homes

http://www.hsh.com/calc-howmuch.html