-Middlesex County Statistics and Commentary (Residential one family only; does not include Townhouses/Condos/Multi-family)*-   Middlesex County Trends April 2009* Previous Month** April 2008 Active Inventory 2874 2747 (+4.62%) N/A New Homes Listed 785 765 (+2.61%) 913 (-14.01%) Sold Homes 213 200 (+6.5%) 308 (-30.84%) Median Sold Price $310,000 $299,950 (+3.35%) $372,500 (-16.78%) Average Sold Price $321,665 $316,381 (+1.67%) $412,765 (-22.07%) Sold Price/Asking Price Ratio 94.00% 94.00% 95% (-1.05%) Days on Market 89 97 (-8.24%) 77 (+15.58%) Days of Inventory 405 426 (-4.92%) N/A *Calculated on 05/07/09 **Calculated on 04/07/09 PART #2: Both median and average sold prices are higher than the previous month (+3.35% @ $310,000 and +1.67% @ $321,665 respectively).Median home price is back... 05/18/2009

If you're thinking of listing your Edison  home for sale in New Jersey and know it needs a little sprucing up, here are a few tips on the smartest home improvements you can make to help sell your home faster and for more money. • Kitchen remodeling stands at the top of any list of most attractive projects for re-sale value. Crisp clean new cabinets, fresh tile and countertops all make for buyer approval and is money well spent. • Bathroom remodeling is a good bet but not nearly as good as adding additional bathrooms, unless your home already has a lot of them. • Adding central heat and air to replace floorboard or radiator heat is a huge selling point for any Edison home for sale. • Installing a deck or patio. This one hovers close to the middle of the do/don't numbers but it is still a... 05/10/2009

Waiting to hear back from a seller on an offer you made on an Edison home for sale can be nerve wracking.  Since sellers aren't obligated to respond immediately, you may spend time waiting anxiously by the phone.  When your agent finally calls you, it's with the news that the seller has a "counter" out on the property already.  What does that mean?  Is your offer out the window? Not exactly.  In New Jersey, a seller is allowed to counter or respond to as many offers to buy their home as they want.  If the seller has responded to a buyer's offer with a counter-offer and then receives an offer from a second buyer that is better, the seller does not have to accept the first buyer's offer.  The seller simply takes back the counter-offer and accepts the second buyer's bid. Make Your Best Off... 05/06/2009

Many people go through life one paycheck to the next and never bother to figure out where their money is going. It's important to know where your money is going and what you can afford if you are thinking about buying a new Edison home. Here's how to start up a monthly budget that will keep you in the know about where your money is running off to each month. • Find a program you're comfortable using.  Your computer probably came with a spreadsheet program. If you are not used to using one open it up and become familiar with the program.  It's a great tool to use to create a budget.  If by chance your computer doesn't have a spreadsheet program, you can use an online program like Budget Pulse, or other useful online budget systems such as Mvelopes. • Enter your absolute monthly expenses ... 04/27/2009

In today's real estate market, it's fairly easy to find Edison foreclosures, but what about finding good New Jersey foreclosures in a steady market?  Whether the New Jersey market is strong or soft, here are a few tips on finding foreclosed houses: 1.  Real Estate Signs First and foremost, drive through your neighborhood and surrounding areas.  Signs that say "Foreclosure," "Bank-Owned" or "Bank Repo" let you know they're Edison foreclosures.  But your best bet, if you want to get a jump on other buyers and get the best price and terms, is to work with a professional real estate agent. 2.  Government Agencies Depending on the agency, you may have to have the services of a real estate agent to make a purchase offer.  The requirements are posted at each site, along with more information. ... 04/15/2009

Middlesex County RE Market Barometer Strong Buyer's Market Buyer's Market Neutral Market Seller's Market Strong Seller's Market             Middlesex County Trends March 2009* Previous Month** March 2008 Active Inventory 2747 2703 ( +1.62% ) N/A New Homes Listed 765 658 ( +16.26% ) 891 ( -14.14% ) Sold Homes 200 158 ( +26.58% ) 245 ( -18.36% ) Median Sold Price $299,950 $320,000 ( -6.2% ) 355000 ( -15.50% ) Average Sold Price $316,381 $348,449 ( -9.2% ) 386940 ( -18.23% ) Sold Price/Asking Price Ratio 94.00% 93% ( +1.07% ) 94.00% Days on Market 97 85 ( +14.11% ) 78 ( +24.35% ) Days of Inventory 426 480 ( -11.25% ) N/A  *Calculated on 04/07/09  **Calculated on 03/07/09 The number of new homes listed in March has increased 16% versus February. 765 homes listed is the highest number since... 04/11/2009

Kermit the Frog may beg to differ, but it really is easy being green. There are several simple green steps you can take to keep your family clean and healthy in your Edison home in New Jersey. Surprisingly, one of the most common places chemicals that are hazardous to the environment and your body are found is your bathroom cabinet-and I'm not talking about house cleaning supplies. Do you know how 'natural' that stuff you put on your face really is? Keep yourself and your family clean and healthy by choosing truly natural skin care products or with easy to create homemade cleaning solutions.Oatmeal isn't just for breakfast anymore: You can buy oatmeal scrubs in the stores but they are often full of extra additives. Read the label, and if you are not completely satisfied that a scrub is ... 04/11/2009

If you're looking to buy new Edison home construction in New Jersey, there are a few things you need to know to get the best deal.  Most builders will have their own agents and lenders on-site.  You may be tempted to use their resources because of the convenience, and the builder may promise easier financing if you finance with them.  But going that route may well cost you thousands of dollars.  Instead...  · Hire your own buyer's agent.  Do this first, even before going to look at new construction.  The builder's agent is going to be looking out for the builder's best interests, not yours.  Your own real estate agent will tell you about the positive and negative aspects of the new construction, and may know about other new construction in the area that will better suit your needs or th... 03/30/2009

The stimulus, the stimulus-it is hard to go to a news site or blog now without seeing something about the stimulus plan, good or bad. The one thing that seems to be a common thought is everybody hopes it works whether they like the plan or not. There are many ways the stimulus plan might affect Edison condo buyers and sellers.Buyer IncentiveThe biggest benefit to both buyers and sellers is the proposed tax break for any first-time buyer purchasing a home (including condos) in 2009. That last part is the one down point in the plan. Homes must be purchased in the current year, retroactive to the beginning of 2009, and ending December 31st. That should, however provide a decent impetus to get things moving again. While it is short lived, it could boost the New Jersey market long enough so ... 03/23/2009

Edison, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Single family homes only (does not include Townhouse and Condominium). Edison - New Jersey Feb-09 Comments Active Inventory 318 Number of homes for sale in Edison at the very end  of February. Does not include homes under "Attorney Review". New Homes 85 Number of new homes in Edison listed for sale in February. Sold Homes 19 Number of homes sold in February in Edison. Average Asking Price (AP) $388,478 This is the average asking price for the homes that sold in February. Average Sold Price (SP) $361,568 This is the average selling price for the homes that sold in February. Sold Price Vs Asking Price 94% This is the average of all ratios SP/AP for the homes that sold in February. Average Days on Market (DOM) 54 Average number of days on the market fo... 03/17/2009

You may have heard the term Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) when looking to finance your Edison, New Jersey real estate.  What is PMI, and how do you know when you need to purchase it?  The answer can be hard to find among all the real estate jargon you're hearing lately.  Here is the short version of what you need to know about it: What Is Private Mortgage Insurance?PMI is an extra insurance required by some lenders to offset their risk of you defaulting on your home loan.  When you put down less than 20 percent of the real estate's value, your lender may tell you that you have to buy PMI.  It is usually added into your monthly mortgage payment until the equity in your Edison real estate reaches 20 percent. Under the current law, the PMI will be canceled automatically at 22 percent eq... 03/04/2009

Most of us want to do everything we can at our Edison condo and Home to be ready for an emergency.  There are a few things that most experts agree should be in every emergency kit.  Here is a quick list: · Durable container: You'll need to buy a plastic container that will securely latch and will be waterproof to keep food and clothing dry.  · Radio: A small radio is all you'll need to keep in tune with the latest in weather news and emergency broadcasts.  It would be a good idea to pack extra batteries, or invest in a hand-crank radio to be sure you always have access to the news. · Light Source: Pack a few flashlights and several sets of batteries in case of a power outage.  For added back-up, put in some candles and matches. · Water: Pack bottled water and store larger bottles of wat... 02/24/2009

Moving to a new Edison townhouse can be very stressful, and unexpected moving costs can make it worse.  It's hard to budget for the unknown.  But, with a little planning, you can have the extra cash on hand for those surprise expenses. Start finding moving supplies well in advance of your moving date.  Waiting until the last minute may find you frantically searching and ultimately paying more than you needed to. Save Money On BoxesMoving boxes from a retail store or moving company can cost a few dollars per box.  By the time you have packed, you could be out hundreds of dollars.  Instead, try these money saving ideas:  1. Look on your local craigslist for low-cost or free moving boxes.  Most people will let you have them for free just for getting them out of their way.  2. E-bay is anot... 02/22/2009

Before rushing out to buy a bunch of new appliances for you Edison home in an attempt to go green, you might want to learn what "going green" really means.  It's not only about getting the "right" appliances or the right light bulbs. Going green is a state of mind...Homeowners generally decide to go green for three reasons: tax credits, saving money and environmental concerns.  Many buy green appliances and call it well enough done - even if their old appliances still work. This is not a "green" state of mind, especially when it all comes down to saving the environment.  By getting a green appliance to replace one that you've only had for a few years (meaning, it's still in good working order), you're adding to the surplus of perfectly fine machines cluttering up the world. Going green ... 02/21/2009

You've finally decided you want to buy a piece of Edison real estate.  What do you do now?  Here are a few tips for getting the best deal for your money: Check Out Your CreditThe first thing you'll want to do is order a copy of your credit report from the three major credit bureaus:  Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.  Look for inaccuracies in:  Name Address Creditors Late payments Delinquencies After you've reviewed your credit report and know your credit score, you're ready to make improvements to your report.  You can send a written "Notice of Correction" to the credit bureaus.  It can be up to 200 words.  If needed, you can explain why you fell behind on a particular debt, and every time a lender accesses the report, they'll see your explanation. It can take several months for your ... 02/20/2009

If you're looking at hard times, and have fallen behind on your Edison townhouse mortgage payments, you may already think it's too late to save your home from foreclosure.  But rest assured, you can take steps to keep your home and stop the process.  One of the most important things to do is keep the lines of communication open with your lender.  Most lenders would much rather avoid foreclosing on your Edison townhouse.  If you call your lender as soon as you miss a payment, you may be able to qualify for a forbearance, which could cancel the payment that you are unable to make.  You are unlikely to receive forbearance more than once, so make sure that you will be able to start making payments at the time the forbearance runs out.   Of course, the simplest way to avoid foreclosure is to... 02/19/2009