Finding someone to fix that leak or paint the house they bought ( or sold), to finding a cleaning lady to a mover to a doctor to a hairstylist.

Being a Local Realtor in the Princeton Nj area and  selling homes in Central Nj, I have been able to extend my serices in connecting clients with local businesses, who have provided excellent quality of service.

I will be frequently posting on this blog, positive experiences & recommendations for such local Princeton, West Windsor, Plainsboro local businesses & local businesses.

Today, the recommendation may help those of us, who may have moved, but continue driving back to our last known & trusted hair salon.

To those & others , I recommend Julianna of Cosmo Bleau, Princeton NJ ( phone -609 497-2538 ). A most creative hair stylist, Julianna patiently & instinctively visualizes great individual hairstyles & haircuts for her clients.

And, as Cosmo Bleau’s New Talent program, any new client receives a 25% off any hair services.

The catch :- You must offer a promotion code ” SHALU “

Remember, I sad it was about connections

Over Christmas & New YEars, I must have received 5-6 inquiries regarding homes in our area.

Interesting to note, the price range & type of homes being searched for are varied.

We seem to have moved out of the ground level of “Being safe” at the $300′s-$400′s ( Yes, there WERE actually some good deals to be had in this price bracket….townhomes of course.

Now, the “Enlightened” buyer is catching up to the fast tracking market & financing changes.

So are we transitioning to a Seller’s market ?

Aah, what a whimsical supposition.

As a Realtor I say with no condescension whatsoever,……..”Dream On” . To clarify, I am a homeowner myself, so believing & conveying “Realism” is vital.

Having said that, please be aware that for almost 3-4 months, our area has had very little in terms of  inventory….and anything attractive that has come on the market HAS been snapped up…..with 8-12 offers  on most & above asking for some.

So what ‘s new for 2010 ?

Changing lending standards for sure.

Interest rates are on the rise …fast heading to 6%.

FHA AND conventional credit/loan ratios are requiring more notches to be tacked on to the borrowing ability of many a qualified buyer.

New standards & tests to weed out unqualified/uneducated mortgage officers are already underway.

In a neighborhood watch website, one can see the default ratios for many local lenders…It is quite amazing that loan officers continue to preapprove borrowers for hefty loans, that would hurt their very own “clients” in the short AND long run.

And, I do have personal, recent experiences to back that up.

So, what’s the plan…….Wait …..Buy……..Buy Now?…….

That makes for another post………soon to come.

BTW, for those curious…….a technical glitch seems to have wiped out all my posts in between Aug 2009 & now…………I hope to compensate with more interesting & updated reading to follow.

My response ” We’ll know when we’ve actually started curving up”.

In th middle of putting in offers , contracts & attending closings, I’ve realized the bottom passed us by somewhere between April & the 1st half of July.

The most active market ……the $300000-$500000 price range in West Windsor ,Plainsboro, Montgomery & South Brunswick.

Multiple bids are becoming known for properties in move in condition & well packaged with price & location to match.

Low inventory** & the $8000 tax credit is bringing more buyers to the market.

** http://www.soldbyshalu.com/Nav.aspx/Page=http://www.mlsfinder.com/nj_trend/shaluthaman

Combine improved consumer confidence, good interest rates for qualified buyer & Back to School rolling around,……and one finds that properties are literally going under contract in days or weeks.

The ones that are sitting on the market longer have mostly 1 thing in common…………..List price higher than the comparision.

For these I believe, the learning curve for sellers is a protracted one……..one that a buyer should bypass with no remorse.

These sellers remain tied to how much they paid for their house or how much the fancy rain shower in the expensive designer bathroom cost.

As a buyer’s agent………..I say………NEXT ……….

While multiple bids are not uncommon now, a good measure of checks & balances is keeping everyone sensible……….Who, you say ?

Why, the appraiser of course.

The appraisal & the lender is King today & this may actually be the ‘bottleneck’ keeping the bubbly from flowing out uncontrallably.

We may not be back to the boom times but we are certainly confirming an upward curve both in the number of homes going under contract, those actually selling & the price points.

What’s the difference, you say? “I can afford to wait.I’m not in a rush”

The palpable difference …………….Being priced out within a few months.

The way to come out a real winner now ?

1. Get Preapproved

2. Be comitted to a time frame.

3. Find a good Local Buyers agent & commit to him/her.

4. Shortlist homes, preview them & be prepared to be decisive.

For current homes for sale, please visit www.SoldbyShalu.com & click on Search for homes to register for an automated search for listings delivered by email to your inbox.

Next up……………..When Is My $8000 Tax Credit Deadline ?

Lawrenceville Squaer Village Townhome For Sale

Light Bright & airy.

This spacious townhome is located in a serene & Cul-de-sac location for quiet enjoyment.

The entryway is flanked by an eat-in-kitchen with oversized window.

Hallway leads to the large dining & family room. The brick-hearthed fireplace brings one home, the windowed rear of the home brings nature indoors.

Lots of storage space, Extended patio & an Open flow – the layout of the home lends itself to entertining & relaxation with well-utilized spaces.

Warm, neutral & freshly painted; other updates include all new appliances & newer windows.

Association fee includes exterior maintainence. Well connected to Princeton Junction & Hamilton train station & Rt 1, Rt 95, shopping & amenities; this move-in ready townhome in LAwrence Square Village offers value that suits any savvy buyer looking for Value in a home purchase in Central new jersey.

Estates at Princeton Junction Nj townhome For sale

Rarely available desirable End Unit Eastport Model on Premium lot AND on Cul-De-Sac.Facing North-East. This is the ONLY Eastport model in this entire townhome community on a Cul-de-Sac…….an enviable private & serene location.This spectacular end unit features a magnificent kitchen and family room with gas fireplace, spacious living & dining rooms, 2-Car garage, full basement & convenient 2nd floor laundry.Lots of natural light throughout.Exquisite master suite includes an expansive sitting area, large walk-in closet, and sumptuous private bath.9 ft ceilings & hardwood flooring on 1st floor, Lifetime warranteed Anderson Windows, Corian Counters in kitchen & a layout that is Open & spacious. In-ceiling speakers, marble fireplace, crown molding, home security system, backyard paver… patio. ALL bedrooms have vaulted ceilings. Toll Bros Builders Warranty transfers to the purchaser , offering a well-packaged value to a discerning buyer. Assoc fee incl snow removal, lawn maint. 5 min to train.WWP schools. A must-see!

Preview more details on :- www.SoldByShalu.com

OR  http://www.trulia.com/property/1074048874-14-Wedgewood-Ct-Princeton-NJ-08540

The measure would give buyers a tax credit of 10 percent of the price of a primary residence purchased within the year, up to $15,000, and is designed to stabilize plummeting home prices that caused a wave of foreclosures and led to the near collapse of the financial system as Wall Street firms wrote down billions in losses on mortgage-backed assets.

Yes, comments are invited…….Let’s hear what you think.

(Areas where one-unit loan limit exceeds $417,000 in continental U.S. or is above $625,500 for locations in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands)

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac conforming loan limits for the high cost areas below may not exceed the corresponding levels listed. These loan limits apply to loans purchased between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009. For a one-unit property, the maximum loan limit is calculated as 1.15 times the median house price for the highest priced county in the property’s metropolitan or micropolitan area or the median house price for the property’s county if it is in a rural county. Regardless of the area median home price, the loan limit cannot, in general, exceed $625,500 (1.50 times the 2009 conforming loan limit). The exceptions are properties in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Virgin Islands, where that range is 50 percent higher ($625,500 to $938,250). The 2009 conforming loan limit of $417,000 is in place everywhere else. Loan limits for 2-4 unit properties are proportional to the 1-unit limits.

NJ New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA (Metropolitan Area)

Component Counties (NJ):

 Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union

$625,500 *

*Limit  1- Unit property

Source ;-http://www.ofheo.gov/media/cll/HighCostLoanLimits2009.pdf

Let me explain.

You go to google. Type in west Windsor Plainsboro homes for sale or West Windsor Plainsboro real estate.

Something like that.

You’re presented with many site links….some are highlighted  , others are not.

The ones that are highlighted are sponsored links ie. the owner of the site is paying for placement.

These are not the most revlvant results for your search…….the ones which come up as a list provide more relevant information to your query…..mostly.

Sifting through these can also be a maze…..many don’t have updaed information, listings that are expired or unavailable.

While this is a challenging task; as listings that may be under contract can remain’active’; I have tried to address this by having a ‘Search for Homes’ option on my website www.SoldByShalu.com tht allows REGISTERED USERS to set up a customized real estate search via a live MLS search.

Thus buyers & sellers can search the multiple listing system for homes in Mercer county NJ, Middlesex county NJ, Monmouth county or Somerset county.

Or narrow it down further to townships in the Central NJ areas of West Windsor, Plainsboro, South Brunswick, Princeton etc.

There is also a ‘Featured Homes’ search option that allows viewing details of listed properties for sale & rent with many  photos.

This does require signing a guest book & entering your name, phone # email etc.; but this input is not used for any other purpose except to sign you into the MLS system, in order to receive listings that are most updated.

For questions regarding a specific property or questions regarding communities in the Central NJ area, please contact this Local Plainsboro, Windsor, Princeton, Montgomery, South Brunswick area Realtor.

3 bedroom townhomes in West Windsor $400000-$500000

Available:- Windsor Ponds (2)  , Canal Pointe, Windsor Haven ( 2) , Princeton Greens( 2) , Estates at Princeton Junction (1)

Avg days on market :- less than 30 days for Windsor Ponds & Princeton Greens . 70+ days for the others.

Recently Sold ( within last 3 months) :-

 Windsor Ponds – 3 properties settled with average days on market under 30 days.

Princeton Greens- 1 property settled at 41 days

Estates at Princeton Junction-

17 Wedgewood ( very close to train tracks) – settled at $490000 after 130 days. ListPrice- $499,900

While specifics are important …..and relevant…..for buyers currently in the market…..the purpose is to bring to attention the following:-

That the market is active because of current affordability.

This price range is providing an opportunity to get a loan approval from a lender without going into a nonconforming loan scenario ( provided a buyer can make a minimum required down payment)

That contrary to the media reports of this “Nation hurtling into the worst economic recession of historical proportions” ( To quote, unquote) …….that the world is NOT coming to an end.

Most are going about their daily business….albiet being conservative ….and rightly so…………….selectively purchasing a home vs continuing to rent one…….taking advantage of low interest rates & any buyer incentives that are available for the time being……..replacing fear with the measured ability to recognize a financial & Lifestyle amending opportunity when they see one.

I will continue to post for other areas / communities.