Most people I talk to have some kind of relationship with Facebook – they love it, or hate it, or…it’s complicated. I’m a Facebook enthusiast. My business page is a great, easy way to disseminate information about real estate issues; community pages provide quick access to all the local goings on; and local “swap” pages allow my clients to get rid of some of their excess stuff before putting their homes on the market. 

But nothing quite compares to the Facebook moments where I’ve found myself “tagged” in someone’s post and then gone on to read a comment like this one:

“If you want someone super smart, who doesn’t just know the market but has fully analyzed it (she has an MBA) AND who knows everything about things like the value of your particular boiler, then please choose Paulina “Lina” Panza – Walkable Suburb. I’ve sold a home and bought a home with her, my mother just bought a home with Lina, and one of my closest friends bought and sold with her. She is amazing.” 

Reading that felt great. 

If you know me at all, you know that it’s not really my style to point out a comment like this, but I’m biting the bullet today because I think it’s important for every buyer and seller to know that picking an agent to work with can be complicated – and checking out an agent’s areas of expertise can provide you with a partner that goes beyond merely showing homes and negotiating contracts. 

First, I just want to go on record as saying I do not know the exact value of every particular boiler off the top of my head. But I usually get pretty close. I do not consider this a superpower as much as the result of my innate interest in houses and homes. My father, Paul Weidlinger, was a noteworthy architect and engineer – designing and teaching design at some of the world’s most respected universities. So, maybe it’s in my DNA. But the fact is, I was brought up by a man that saw the world through the eyes of a structural problem-solver. I think this is what led me to study architecture as an undergrad, and also what fostered my lifelong passion for understanding the structural aspects of renovation.

Meaning: when I walk through homes with my clients, we can really get into what kind of changes can be made and how. 

Helping people find their right home – and helping them make their home right for them – are two things I love spending my time doing. If you or someone you know could benefit from my expertise and passion, give me a call. I can help you find (or create!) the house of your dreams!

As Thanksgiving approaches, I (like most) spend a lot of time thinking about food, but even more time thinking about all I’m grateful for. Work-wise, I immediately think of the people who have entrusted me to help them buy or sell their homes. (Thank you!) And my colleagues, who offer advice and guidance when I’m faced with a challenging [...]

A few weeks ago, I was headed to Brooklyn for my brother’s 50^th birthday, and on my way, I stopped at Little Daisy’s Bake Shop to pick up a birthday cake and some cookies for the occasion. Before I got on the highway, I decided to swing by the Montclair Farmer’s Market -- a regular Saturday destination, although usually one that I hit on my way home, not on my way out of [...]

We moved to this house about 10 months ago from Queens. I grew up in New Jersey but my husband was born and raised in Queens so this move was a big leap of faith for him. We had been renting, started looking to buy, and quickly discovered that the $450,000 we were considering spending on a 1-bedroom in Queens could get us a house in New Jersey.

We started looking in Maplewood and South Orange because they were on a train line, but Lina showed us some homes in West Orange in the same price range that were bigger and had more updates. Our house is 2 minutes from the New York bus – it’s super easy and in some ways more reliable than the train!

I love being in West Orange. Getting around is simple. The schools are great. There are plenty of parks and activities – including the zoo! – and we are constantly taking our two young children with us on hikes in South Mountain or Eagle Rock Reservations, or out to visit farms in New Jersey.

I love the proximity to Livingston and Montclair – two places we often go out to dinner or to shop. I love our neighborhood, which happens to be full of people like us – young families who moved from the city for more space. But mostly, I love walking into a house with a new kitchen and a finished basement. I’m excited to come home every day.

My friends come to visit from the city and they are shocked at the amount of space we have. I tell them, “You can have this too!”

 - Mary Kate, West Orange

Have you heard of the "Historic District," in Bloomfield?!  It's tucked away yet close to everything.  Classic colonials and Victorians, wide lots with mature trees and gardens abound on streets with names like Beach, Elm, Oak and Spruce.  This part of town feels more like Glen Ridge or Montclair than the rest of [...]

“Look at that porch!” says practically every client on our first tour of the town. “Oh, look at that one!”

Montclair and Glenridge are full of porches, and it stands to reason that my clients moving from the city would be drawn to them. A porch is the suburban version of a front stoop – it’s a way to be at home and be out in the world at the same time.

But it’s not just city dwellers who are drawn to porches. The National Association of Home Builders said earlier this month that of the 780,000 single family home constructions started last year, over 65% of them included porches – 10% more than a decade ago.

To me, there’s nothing better than a porch with a roof. I can’t think of many things as relaxing as an early autumn Sunday morning – watching the leaves dance around the yard or even listening to the rain – while sipping coffee in a big-cushioned chair on a cool, dry porch. I’ve seen many homeowners add a front porch and it completely transforms the feeling of the house. It just seems more welcoming.

A gracious front porch can be set up like a second living room, with rugs, table lamps, and ceiling fans. I have a friend who keeps a tea cart on her porch; it’s always stocked with glasses and an ice bucket for an impromptu evening gathering. Someone shows up with a bottle of wine and suddenly it’s a get-together. She says it’s been a great way to get to know her neighbors.

As you can tell, I’m pro-porch, even though I don’t have one of my own. But in this walkable suburb, I feel as though I benefit from the porches of others – for an evening chat or just a walk-by wave. It one of the many things that make a bustling town like Montclair truly feel like a tight community.

I'm proud to present to the market this perennially popular "Buckingham" style townhouse in the desirable Cambridge Heights community in Nutley.  127 Stratford Drive has it all.

Walk right up to the front door (no steps) and into the main level of this stylishly updated move in ready home.  The first floor has a welcoming living area and [...]

Last night at Back to School Night, I sat in on my daughter’s 8th period class and turned to a mom sitting nearby, “This class seems so empty.”

“It’s because of Hillary,” she said.

I was not one of the lucky 1,000 people to score a ticket for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s book signing here at our own Watchung booksellers. Apparently, they sold out in an [...]

One of the truly interesting aspects to Montclair is that there are no “neighborhood schools.” I mean, there are schools in various neighborhoods, but the student body of a school does not necessarily hail from the surrounding [...]

Everything about 4 Old Salem Road is so inviting. From the pristine wood floors and elegant palette to the renovated kitchen with all new appliances. What I love about this home is how it feels built to welcome guests. Cozy fireplace. Light streaming through French doors. Wet bar in the finished basement – the type of family room that can [...]