It is so easy to  “fall in love” when a buyer finds the perfect Hobokenhome. But that feeling sometimes doesn’t mean the house is a perfect fit for their needs. Ask yourself the following three questions when you find that perfect Hoboken home: 1. Can you really afford it? Don’t take a huge mortgage even if your lender says it’s okay. Sit down and ask yourself if you are comfortable with the mortgage payment, insurance premium, property taxes and utility bills. Consider the age of the home since there may be repairs down the road. 2. Are there many repairs involved? A home that’s in poor condition could be any amazing fixer-upper or an aggravating money pit. 3. Is the home the right size for you? Are the rooms too small? Find out for yourself and use measuring tape to get an accurate p... 08/10/2010

  Below is the Hoboken real estate market update for condominium sales for July 2010. All information is gathered from the Hudson County Multiple Listing Service. Currently there are 508 Active condominiums for sale in Hoboken. 139 condos are currently under contract waiting to close. Between 7/1/10 - 7/31/10, 49 condominiums sold/closed in Hoboken. For a more detailed version of the market update, please visit my Hoboken real estate blog. 08/09/2010

According to a recent Bloomberg report, The second quarter of this year shows Manhattan apartment sales with an 80 percent increase in sales when compared to last year’s figures. This is the highest sales have been since 2008. Currently, the average price per square foot has held steady at $1,051 but the median apartment price jumped up 7.6 percent to $899,000. Experts feel the increase is due to better unemployment rates in New York, particularly in the finance industry, which added 6,800 jobs from the end of February through May. Low mortgage interest rates and relatively low Manhattan real estate prices have also been a factor in the increase in sales. For more great reasons to buy a Hoboken home in 2010, please click on The Best Time to Buy a Home is Now! If you have been patiently ... 08/03/2010

  The Pew Research Center recently published a report regarding, “How the Great Recession Has Changed Life in America.” Since the Great Depression of 1929-33, none of the recessions our country has gone through have had this great of a length or depth. The report details changes in American ideas and expectations emerging from what they call the Great Recession. “The Great Recession has led a new frugality in their spending and borrowing habits; and a concern that it could take several years, at a minimum, for their house values and family finances to recover. Although, on a positive note the report states that most Americans optimistically agree that a house is the best long-term investment an average person can make. For more information regarding the Pew report click here. So stop wa... 08/03/2010

  Hoboken-based architecture firm Dean Marchetto Architects PC, recently won a Smart Growth Award from New Jersey Future for its latest project, Maxwell Place on the Hudson at 11th Street on the waterfront. The site had been the former home of the old Maxwell Coffee House factory and Elysian Fields where the first modern baseball game was played. City officials have been said that the award was given for the firm's ability to open space and livability in the city of Hoboken. The luxury complex at 1025 and 1125 Maxwell Lane has the advantage of being near mass transportation and the waterfront walkway, as well as having commercial retail space on lower levels, along with residential units upstairs. Marchetto has said, "The fewer cars people use - the more we can move toward a pedestrian-... 08/03/2010

  Sellers, don't accept offers from a buyer with FHA financing. Wait, don't accept offers with VA financing. Wait, don't accept offers with conventional financing. Gee, you might as well wait around for a cash buyer. FHA loans are not a bad thing. It could just be that your listing agent isn't familiar with FHA mortgages, or maybe had a bad experience once before, or that they are afraid that the house might not pass a FHA appraisal. In my opinion, I just think the listing agent is flipping a coin on your property and it could cost you thousands of dollars. I have been hearing negative things about FHA loans since I first got into mortgages back in 1992. But what prompt me to write about this again was after reading a comment by Sally Cheesman in her post, Holding an offer hostage for a... 08/01/2010

Did you know you may be spending 20 percent of your utility budget on cooling costs? That’s what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated and is offering you tips on how to save money on this summer’s electric bill. Following are suggestions from the EPA on how to keep your house cool: • When no one is home, set the thermostat a few degrees higher so you are not wasting money cooling an empty house. • Ceiling fans are meant to cool people, not an entire room, so don’t forget to turn off the fan when you leave the room. • Don’t forget to close the curtains and shades before you go out since the sun could easily overheat the interior. • Block sun-exposed windows with container trees and plants to create more shade. • Use energy-efficient lighting to save money and produc... 07/27/2010

According to American Bankers Association, consumer loan delinquency rates have dropped for the third quarter in a row. According to ABA chief economist James Chessen, this is good news for the housing market. “This is the first inkling that stability is taking hold in the housing market but the pace of recovery will be long and drawn out.’’ Home equity loan delinquencies fell for the first time in two years, from 4.32 percent to 4.12 percent in the previous quarter, and home equity lines of credit delinquencies fell nearly a quarter of a percent. Property improvement loans fell to 1.40 percent, down from 1.63 percent. It is obvious that people are borrowing less, saving more and building wealth. Stop waiting, now is the time to purchase that new home. For more great reasons to buy a h... 07/27/2010

Preventing Foreclosure | Hoboken, NJ | Short Sales | Hudson County, New Jersey | Zip 07030 If you fall behind on making your monthly mortgage payments, you can lose your home.  There are ways to protect your home, but you must act immediately. * First, contact your lender. Chances are, your lender will want to work with you to help you find a way to save your home.  DO NOT avoid phone calls or disregard letters from your lender. * Seek counseling.  A debt counselor or even your lender, can help you make a budget to structure a repayment plan.  For unbiased answers go to the list of counselors approved by the US Government Dept of Housing: call toll free 800-569-4287 or go to www.hud.gov and select "avoid foreclosure" from the left hand bar. * Negotiate a payment plan.  A cure is a one t... 07/25/2010

Hoboken Open Houses Map Weekend of 7/24, 7/25The summer open house schedule is light, as expected. The weather has been nothing but beach weather. What a difference from last year. Here's the rundown for this weekend. These free maps are a service of Brian Murray. Open houses are a great way to get a high level view of the market when just starting your search but keep in mind the following important items: 1) Open houses only represent a small portion of what is available. On any given week end in Hoboken, there are between thirty and sixty open houses. This represents as little as 5% of the total inventory. A buyer who is just starting out should see open houses in different price ranges to understand what your money will buy in terms of square footage and location. Beyond and initial... 07/23/2010

The Pier Sessions in Hoboken is a series of FREE live music events happening on Thursdays throughout the summer on the Shipyard Marina Pier (located at 1301 Shipyard Lane). You will find a DJ each week, several live acts, arts & crafts, food vendors and bar service. The Pier Sessions is a great idea for a Summer Thursday night of fun located in the perfect spot in Hoboken to hold an outdoor concert. With Hoboken as the ideal host, Pier Sessions showcases the creative talents found in the local Hoboken community. With a lovely waterfront venue, who would want to spend their evening anywhere else. This week’s installment of the Hoboken Pier Sessions will take place at theShipyard Marina Pier at 13th and Sinatra. Following you will find the events that will be taking place:Musicians: Secr... 07/21/2010

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), the week ending July 2 brought out a new rush of homeowners to refinance their existing mortgages. With the highest level since May 15, 2009, the MBA’s Refinance Index was up 9.2 percent, along with more than 78 percent of the total loan applications submitted being for refinancing. The MBA has also stated that there was a decrease in the Purchase Index of 2 percent in the recent week. It has dropped in eight of the last nine weeks. To summarize everything, the volume of loan applications to purchase a home has dropped while homeowners have picked up speed with applications to refinance and take advantage of low interest rates. The average interest rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages in the week that ended July 2 was 4.68 percent wi... 07/19/2010

According to a study released by RealtyTrac on June 30, foreclosure home sales can come with an average of 27 percent off of regular home sale prices. RealtyTrac specializes in listing homes online that are in the foreclosure process, and has stated that nearly a third of all residential sales in the first quarter of 2010 were foreclosed homes. If you are looking to buy a Hoboken foreclosure, contact me today so we can begin the process. By purchasing a foreclosure you can certainly get a generous discount, but it is important to work with an experienced realtor like myself to assure you will get the most bang for your buck. For more great reasons to buy a home in 2010, please click on The Best Time to Buy a Home is Now! If you have been patiently waiting to buy a Hoboken home, now is ... 07/19/2010

Don’t miss this year’s spectacular St. Ann’s Festival. This time-honored tradition that was brought over from Italy by the founders of St. Ann’s Church, will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in Hoboken this year. The festival will be better that ever this year. Opening night will be on Wednesday evening, July 21st, at 6pm, and will be located in the streets surrounding St. Ann’s at Jefferson and Sixth St. The Fest will featureauthentic Italian dishes, including out of this world homemade zeppoles. The evening’s entertainment is scheduled to start at 8:15 pm. The Fest is scheduled to run through St. Ann’s day, Monday, July 26,with a lovely procession of the statue through the streets of Hoboken, starting around noon. Be sure to check out the St. Ann’s Festival – it will be a great t... 07/19/2010

Below is the Hoboken real estate market update for condominium sales for June 2010. All information is gathered from the Hudson County Multiple Listing Service. Currently there are 524 active condos for sale in Hoboken. 138 units are currently under contract waiting to close. Between 6/1/10 to 6/30/10 116 condo sold in Hoboken. For a more detailed version of this Hoboken real estate market update, please visit my Hoboken real estate blog. 07/17/2010

St. Ann's Italian Festival ~ Hoboken July 21-23  6pm - 11pm July 24-25  2pm- 11pm July 26  12pm - 11pm July 26 Feast Day, Mass 11amProcession immediately following Mass Savor International Food Favorites including The St. Ann's Famous Zeppole Rides * Games * Crafts * Raffles Nightly Entertainment at 8:15pm "The one and only" - The New York Times For festival info call 201-659-1114 or visit www.st-annchurch.com   07/16/2010

If you are looking for a great deal on Hoboken condos for sale in a completely remodeled building, then your search may end here. There are 5 units remaining for sale in this 7 unit building in Hoboken. 4 of the remaining units have 1 bedroom and the 5th unit has three bedrooms. Prices start as low as $245,000 !! Hoboken Condos For Sale !    Description: Hoboken Condos For Sale The tile floor in the vestibule, from Porcelanosa’s Iron Collection sets the tone for this modern loft-like condo building in downtown Hoboken. Satin nickel finishes throughout the building. Kitchens are fully equipped w/ Espresso finished slab front cabinetry w/ satin nickel bar pulls, Bain Brook Brown Granite countertops & Frigidaire gas ranges. Each unit has a bthrm outfitted w/ Dark Cherry finish Vanities, To... 07/15/2010

This Week In Hoboken Real Estate: July5-july 13 Shop Worn: Hoboken Real estate is like going to Macy's the first week in January. The holiday sales are over. The holiday gifts were bought. Items exchanges. Gift cards issued. You look around and it's just retreads until the spring collection comes out... Here we are. Not much exciting to hit the market. A few good properties come and go under contract qucikly and everything else just sits... 40 New Condos to The Hoboken Real Estate Market 28 Price Changes 9 Under Contract 25 Sold Hoboken Properties AN IMPORTANT NOTE: if you click on the links in the speadsheet, it opens a page with more info about the property. If you want to see additional pictures, you must register. I didn't make the system. Still want more? Get my Hoboken Real Estate... 07/13/2010

1. 1425 Garden St. Unit PH B – Garden Street Lofts. This 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2,354 sq.ft. duplex condo featured a 1,400 sq.ft. wrap-around terrace with NYC views and a hot tub which can fit 6 people. This condominium sold for $2,300,000 on June 29th.2. 206 Willow Ave. Unit #3 – This 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2,450 sq.ft. duplex condo featured a private elevator into the condo from the 2 car garage. The property also had 2 decks and roof rights. It sold for $1,075,000 on June 2nd.3. 822 Hudson St. Unit #1 – This 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1,980 sq.ft. renovated condo featured private access to the yard on a beautiful historic block. The property sold for $1,060,000 on June 11th.To read more Hoboken real estate news & information, please visit my Hoboken real estate blog. 07/12/2010

The northern end of Hoboken may be seeing a new 40-story tower commercial complex from the company that built Rockefeller Center. The complex has been two years in the making and would be located between Park Avenue and Clinton Street near the Weehawken Cove. The development would include a number of buildings, including a tower up to 40 stories tall, which would be the tallest building in Hoboken. The Rockefeller Group has been steadily buying property in the northern end of Hoboken for this project, including the factory that builds the floats for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Mayor Dawn Zimmer has been quoted that her administration hasn’t signed off on this deal and nothing will proceed until a study of the area is completed and residents and property owners have had their sa... 07/12/2010