I'm a big fan of the rating website, www.walkscore.com, but its algorithm relies mostly on the proximity of a house to stores and community resources. But to find walkability rating, it's not just about distance -- it's also about the quality and ease of the [...]
We have a saying among real estate agents that "Kitchens sell houses." At the mere mention of the words "granite" or "stainless steel," buyers flock to a new listing, imagining themselves preparing home-cooked meals for the family or having friends gather around the "island" while the host prepares a gourmet meal and offers a little kitchen [...]
Anthropologie--the big retailer with modern urban style clothing and home goods--has opened its doors in Montclair in time for the holiday shopping season. I'm sure there is some grumbling as people roll their eyes at $200 corduroy pants and worry that chain stores will threaten the character of our very indie town. Me, I welcome [...]
Well, it's Black Friday and many brave souls are trying to get a jump on their Christmas shopping, but I'd guess that today quite a few folks are shopping not for a new Blu-ray but for a new house. November and December are typically the quietest months in real estate because housing inventory drops and people put their home-buying efforts [...]
Both the House and the Senate have passed an unemployment insurance bill, which includes an amendment that expands and extends the tax credit. That bill will be sent to President Obama for his signature in the next day or so. This is a major victory for consumers and the housing [...]
I'm not a big mall person. The whole ordeal of driving 20 minutes only to look for parking for another 20 minutes has turned me off. These days I'm shopping locally in Montclair, and starting today, Oct 15th, 50 plus stores will keep their doors open until at least 8 pm. Some of my personal favorites are: [...]
I'm a fan of mixed use. Mixed use is the practice of allowing different types of buildings to coexist in a single neighborhood - for example, residential space next to/on top of restaurants and businesses. By adding vitality and activity to a neighborhood, mixed use benefits a community because residents are able to walk to things that [...]
Many real estate agents hate Zillow. But not for the reason you think. When Zillow was launched a couple of years ago the word on the street was that agents would lose their usefulness in helping sellers determine their home's value. That turns out to be far from the truth--which is that agents have to spend an awful lot of time [...]
When I walk to Watchung Plaza from my Montclair home, I take a short route through an interconnected grid of streets and through a small park. I wave to my neighbor on the way. I stop for a brief minute in the park to chat with a friend who's on her way home from work (she's just gotten off the 5:31 [...]
As you may or may not know, rental transactions are a marginal business for real estate agents. They require many hours, uncertain payoff and a very small commission. However, many agents handle rentals with the knowledge that renters often become buyers at a later date and therefore view it as an investment in a relationship rather than a [...]
