Here’s a question for you:  What makes Rockaway, New Jersey a great place in which to live?

The answer:  Spider Man- Turn Off The Dark.  Yes, Spider Man- Turn Off The Dark.   

You see, over the past few years we’ve been increasingly taking advantage of Rockaway’s proximity to New York City.  We try to get to the city monthly to go to a museum, a show, dinner, or a concert.  This month’s adventure was a trip to see and enjoy a matinee performance of Spider Man. (We were able to get discount tickets.)

Okay, I know you’re thinking, “The critics were unkind, was the show any good?”  Yes, the show is an enjoyable extravaganza featuring great special effects, staging, dancing and sets.  The music is good but not memorable. We had a great “New York day.”   Let me explain.

We’ve learned that the trip from Rockaway to New York can be easy, and enjoyable while not breaking our budget.  Riding the Lakeland Bus from Rockaway is convenient and can be less expensive than driving and paying for gas, tolls, and parking.  (Oh, by the way the bus ride eliminates the stress of driving yourself.)  The bus terminal is located just a short walk from the Foxwoods and most other theaters.

Another thing we’ve learned is that while in Manhattan you have the option of eating in a variety of restaurants suitable for every taste and budget.   Since we were going to a matinee we didn’t want to eat a huge meal.  (Nor did we want to spend a fortune.)  We had enough time to walk around the area looking at the people and sights and still get a light lunch.   We found ourselves walking behind two young women who seemed as if they knew where they were heading.  We heard them say they were going to Café Duke’s for lunch.  We said, “Okay, let’s follow them.”  We went to 1450 Broadway (in between Fortieth and Forty First Street.)   Duke’s was a great luncheon find.  We actually shared one very good and very large sandwich.  Our bill was under ten dollars and we were totally satisfied. Click on the link to learn more about Duke’s.    http://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-duke-new-york  The walk from Duke’s to the theater was less than five minutes.  How convenient!

We enjoyed the show and yes, they did have to stop to correct a technical malfunction.  In my opinion the rigging is so extensive and complicated that there will most likely always be some malfunctions.  When the problem occurred the “voice from the sky” calmly said they had to stop for a moment to make a correction.  The green bad guy hung there hovering over the audience waving and smiling while the correction was made.  No big deal.  Actually we probably liked that better than had there been no problem.  It was a bit of extra excitement in an already great day.

Some of you may be wondering which great New York restaurant we visited for dinner.  Well, I hate to disappoint you but you know Rudy and I are Realtors.  We had to get back to New Jersey for an early evening business appointment.  So we walked back to the bus terminal and got there in time to catch the next Lakeland Bus for the trip home.  It was on time and we arrived back in Rockaway with time to spare. 

By the way, if we had stayed in New York for dinner we would have gone to The Hour Glass Tavern on Forty Sixth Street. Click on the link for reviews and information. 

http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/map/7186195/new_york_ny/hourglass_tavern.html#profileTab  The hour Glass is one of our favorites on Restaurant Row.

So, in just a few hours we were able to take a pleasant bus trip to New York City, enjoy a very good and inexpensive lunch, see Spider Man-Turn Off the Dark, and ride the bus back to Rockaway, New Jersey in time for an evening appointment.  We had a great time and we were able to attend to our clients.  It’s the old Real Estate axiom: Location, Location, and Location.

Please contact me via phone or e mail to hear more about some of the great things we’ve discovered about living in Rockaway.  I look forward to hearing from you.

This may sound like a foolish question.  Many readers will say something like, “To get it sold, dummy.”

Sure you want to get it sold but I suggest that you expand your answer to something like, “I want to sell my home in the best time for me, at the best price, with the best terms and conditions and with the least amount of hassle

To accomplish those things I think you need to be more specific.  You should break the ultimate goal of “Getting it sold” into shorter term ones like, “To reach my sales goal I will prepare my house so that it’s the:

• Most showable.
• Most appropriately priced.
• Easiest to buy.

Keep in mind that when you put your house on the market you are entering into a fierce competition.  You (your house) are competing for the best buyer in the market at the given moment; First Prize always goes to the “Best in show.” 

How can you assure that you win the prize?  It’s not easy. There is no shortage of material and opinion available.  The internet is filled with information, much of it confusing and aimed at selling a product or individual who claims to have the best answer.  A few sites for example  http://www.buy-and-sell-house-fast.com/sell-house/sell-house-fast.shtml have a wealth of helpful but perhaps overwhelming articles.  The best way to ensure your First Place position is to become an informed consumer and work with a well reputed Realtor.  While there are differing opinions about selecting a Realtor think about this.  Not all doctors, lawyers, barbers, beauticians, and dentists, are the best choice to serve the needs of every person.  We all respond differently to different personalities.  I suggest that you interview a few well respected Realtors to find the one with whom you are most comfortable.  Click on this link to read some time tested tips on interviewing Realtors.http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/291965/selecting_a_realtor_pg2.html?cat=3

As I write this article we are all cleaning up from the most recent storm. This evening I’m going to speak with a potential seller. While driving by the house today I noticed that it is covered with icicles, and ice dams. Although snow and ice look very pretty they can cause great damage. I’ll need to discuss this with the seller. If your house is prone to getting icicles and ice dams when you interview Realtors ask, “Do these conditions affect me when completing the Property Disclosure Statement?”  The wrong answer may keep you from winning “First Prize.”

If you’d like to hear my answer to this and many other questions please feel free to call, text message or e-mail me.  My contact information is in the Contact Me tab on the home page of this site. 

Thanks so much for reading this article.  I hope it’s helpful to you. I look forward to speaking with you.

Like many of you we are a two income family with long and unpredictable working hours.  To make the most of the little “downtime” time we have to spend together we eat out frequently.  We’ve found many reasonably priced excellent restaurants within a ten to fifteen mile radius of our home in Rockaway, NJ.  The first restaurant I’d like to feature is Verde located at 1012 Tabor Road in Morris Plains. 

Verde is owned and operated by the Kaba brothers, Mendim, Verde, and Veb, who have literally grown up in the restaurant business.  The Kabas have just completed three successful years at this location and they smile when they explain that they’ve seen their business grow from “That place in the going out of business location” to one of the busiest restaurants in Morris County.  As a frequent diner at Verde I can tell you that this hasn’t happened by accident.  Their success is a tribute to hard work, attention to food, service, atmosphere, and most importantly to assuring a positive dining experience for every customer.

Since I’m not a restaurant reviewer I won’t attempt to provide a critique of meals my family and I have eaten at Verde.  I will tell you that on a recent Friday night my entire family and a few friends dined there and everyone from my eight year old niece to my (age not disclosed) father enjoyed everything we were served.  Considering the diversity of the group and how busy the dining room was that evening this was quite an accomplishment for any restaurant. 

If you are interested in trying Verde for the first time you may be pleased to know that they don’t sell wine or liquor, so you are encouraged to bring your own.  Oh, one more thing, unlike many restaurants that feature nightly specials which are basically the same menu additions presented repeatedly, the chef at Verde prepares different and exciting specials every night.  These are a great addition to their ample menu offerings.  You can preview the menu and learn more about Verde by visiting their website at http://verderistorante.com/

Should you visit Verde and see me please stop to say hello.  My website photograph is current so you’ll recognize me.  I’d love to meet you.

Thanks for reading my blog and enjoy yourselves.

(This is part one of a series.)

Are you thinking about buying or selling a house?

If so you’re probably asking, “Is now a good time?” This is really a complicated question you see there are many components.

Everyone knows that during the past few tumultuous years parts of the country have experienced unprecedented declines in house values.  If one were to believe all that appears in the media one would get the impression that there has been a total collapse of the real estate economy.  That’s simply not the case.  There are areas where the decline has been extreme, others where it’s been less dramatic, areas where there has been almost no appreciable decline, and others where prices have remained stable.  It is important to understand that there is no national real estate market, only a bunch of local ones.  A little online research yields a number of interesting articles about the subject, one such is found at http://www.lvrj.com/real_estate/19246014.html  

While there are many sources of information a trusted local Realtor can be a good place to start. The Realtor can provide you with and interpret data about current and past conditions in your local market, and how they may impact your decision to buy, sell, or stay right where you are.  This can save you time and effort over doing the research and analysis by yourself. 

Whatever your situation, know the realities of your local market.  Don’t let the media, local rumors, and unchecked emotion become the basis for your decisions.

Thanks for visiting my site. Our next posting will discuss Buyer and seller goals and current realities