You've decided to take the plunge and buy a home in New Jersey for your family.  You may still be looking for ways to need a more sizeable down payment.  So, how do you get the down payment for the Iselin real estate you've always dreamed of?  Get Scrounging Scour your attic, basement and storage units. Look in every nook and cranny to find items that are in decent shape, but no longer used, and have a garage sale.  Sure it's usually pennies on the dollar of what your stuff is worth.  But if you're not using it, someone else can, and you get the cash in hand. If you find items that are more valuable, sell them on eBay.  Every little bit helps. Rich Relatives? Hey, if you have'em use'em. This is no time to feel shy about asking for a gift. Purchasing Iselin real estate in New Jersey is a... 05/02/2009

Iselin real estate in foreclosure is sometimes found stripped of all appliances and fixtures after the trustee's sale.  Some New Jersey property owners believe they have the right to remove everything but the walls of the house when they leave.  The law states that anything that is not personal property, that is in fact an asset of the property, may not be removed.  Homeowners in foreclosure may be prosecuted for removing the following items: · Most appliances that are on the property.  This includes the stove, dishwasher and garbage disposal.  · The air conditioning unit and the furnace must stay on the property.  · Ceiling fans, light fixtures, and any electrical wiring.  · The plumbing and all the fixtures must stay in place.  The sink, shower, toilets, and the cabinets may not be re... 04/21/2009

Your Iselin real estate agent may say that you must provide earnest money when making an offer for a home.  It's usually in the form of a check, and the funds will be verified by your mortgage company prior to final approval of the loan.This earnest money reassures the Iselin home seller you're indeed serious about the offer you're making.  Once the terms of the deal are worked out between you and the seller, the earnest money is placed in an account held in trust until your loan closes.  Then the money will be used for your down payment and closing costs.  What if the Deal Falls Through?If the deal falls through at any time, any cancellation fees are paid out of the earnest money.  The remainder of the money continues to be held in trust until you and the seller agree on the disburseme... 04/14/2009

The graph above visually sum-ups our first post on this matter. Mainly that the Sold Price average for both January and February 2009 was higher than December and November 2008 (post #1). We also mentioned why this was worth noting and analyzing (post #2). The next question logical question are "what's next?" or "where do we go from here?" From a technical analysis perspective, this formation is staging any of the following potential outcomes: Trend reversalMeaning last November and especially December 08 were the bottoms and January and February marked the beginning of an up-trend. Bottom formationMeaning the last 4 months were the start of a bottom formation with prices staying in a tight range. Interim support  Meaning the last 4 months represent some type of temporary support with p... 03/21/2009

 Choice Realty Co. Celebrates 35th Anniversary  March, 2009David Fialk, Broker Owner, is pleased to announce that Choice Realty Co. is celebrating its 35 Year Anniversary as a full service, independent, privately owned Real Estate Company. We would like to thank all of our clients for making the past 35 years as rewarding as they have been! Established in 1974, Choice Realty Co. has been providing professional real estate services to home buyers and home sellers, with a commitment to service excellence since its inception. Located at 1144 Green Street in Iselin, New Jersey, Choice Realty takes great pride in the ownership of real estate as evidenced by the “Beautification Award” given us by the Woodbridge Chamber of Commerce in 1998. Choice Realty’s primary market area includes the town... 03/19/2009

Great News For Home Buyers and Home Sellers! Mortgage Interest Rates Are Below 5 %. Consider the benefits. A lower interest rate will reduce the monthly payment for a mortgage loan or provide the ability to finance more in a home purchase and have the same monthly mortgage payment. An example: using a $300,000 mortgage (calculations are estimates only)   * 5% interest rate equals a mortgage payment (principal and interest) of $1,610   * 4.75% interest rate equals a mortgage payment (principal and interest) of $1,564This is a is monthly savings of $46.00. A home buyer now has the benefit of $46.00 monthly savings in the mortgage payment with the lower interest rate. However, if the $1,610 mortgage payment was acceptable, a home buyer could now increase their price range and borrow an an ... 03/14/2009

There are great incentives for first-time Iselin real estate buyers. Big tax incentives and money put into the banking and financing industries to give buyers more availability to loans makes now the best time to move when looking for a Jersey home. This environment won't last-exactly. Some of the elements put in place are geared toward a strong future for the housing market, but many of the advantages are only good for now.Tax ReliefFirst-time Iselin real estate buyers, meaning those who have not owned a home in the past three years, are eligible for a big tax break on income taxes. Next year at tax time all buyers have to do is report the new home purchase to get $8,000 dollars back. That's a big incentive. The drawback is it's only good for this year. It is retroactive to the beginni... 03/03/2009

Middlesex County Closed Real Estate Sales Data Obtaining reliable current information is a very important aspect of searching for, or selling a home, in Iselin, New Jersey or any part of the County or State. I am providing Sales Data from the Middlesex County Multiple Listing System for one family homes and condos/townhouses comparing closed sales in 2008 to 2007.This type of information can help you see the factual average trends of real estate sales and sale prices in particular Towns of interest as compared to reading about regional or national statistics. Real estate is local. If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Colonia, the real estate market there may not be same as in Edison or Woodbridge. Real estate values vary from Town to Town, and from one neighborhood or sect... 03/03/2009

                                                                IRS $8,000 First Time Buyer Tax Credit The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorizes a tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.               Unlike the First Time Buyer Tax Credit passed in 2008, this First Time Buyer Tax Credit does not have to be repaid. A tax credit is not an income tax deduction. It is a reduction in income taxes owed. $8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit at a Glance •  The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only. •  The tax credit does not have to be repaid. •  The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home's purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000. •  The credit is availa... 02/23/2009

There are many reasons why a mortgage loan for your Iselin real estate could be declined.  It doesn't have to be the end of your real estate dreams.  Here are a few things to consider if you've been turned down for a mortgage: Loan-To-Value RatioThe loan-to-value ratio (LTV) is the percentage of the appraised value of the Iselin real estate that you are trying to finance.  For example, if you are trying to finance a home that costs $100,000, and want to borrow $75,000, your LTV is seventy-five percent. Lenders don't like a high LTV.  The higher the ratio, the harder it is to qualify for a mortgage.  To reduce the percentage, you can save up a bigger down payment.  Some lenders may approve the loan if you buy mortgage insurance, which protects the lender in the case of default, but makes... 02/15/2009

A home on the market for sale needs to be available for showings in order to get sold. Without a showing, there will be no offers.On Wednesday, at 9:00 AM, I received an unexpected call from a client who had the day off due to the snow storm we had in New Jersey, and wanted to look at homes. There was 2 inches of snow on the roads, and the snow was now starting to turn to rain. It was truly nasty out at that time of the day, and the local roads were a mess. An appointment was set for 11:00 AM with the buyer. After confirming the appointment with the buyer, I then went about searching the MLS. There were 5 properties I needed appointments for, all within the same neighborhood location,.I started calling the listing offices to set the appointments. Three were relatively easy to set. Two w... 01/28/2009