When I stop to think about it, it’s slightly shocking that this June marks Montclair’s first Pride event.
Shocking, I guess, because I’ve raised my kids in this town for the past 25 years, and it has always been a given that some of their friends would have two moms or two dads. Diversity, acceptance, and inclusivity are some of the many [...]
For all the years I’ve lived here in Montclair, the month of May has been an event. With winter in the rear-view mirror and everything flowering, May in Montclair always felt like a season unto itself -- 31-day celebration of the arts and culture of this special town.
These last two years, May in Montclair took a hiatus, and I was excited to discover that this year, it has started to make its way back. [...]
It’s not news to anyone that the housing market continues to favor sellers. One of the questions I’ve been getting regularly from buyers is:
“Are houses selling for way over the list price everywhere in Northern New Jersey?”
In real estate parlance, this is what we call sale price to list price ratio and the short answer is: No.
These days, [...]
I recently read something in a real estate publication that both surprised me and didn’t surprise me: people were asked whether they would change their living situation for the benefit of their pet and 43 percent answered “yes.”
As a pet lover, I believe that most people moving from an apartment into a house are creating an improved set of circumstances for their dogs or cats. I bought a new house in Montclair about 6 years ago, and in hindsight, I think my move was partly motivated by my cat situation. (I have four!) Letting an animal out into a fenced-in yard is an obvious benefit for everyone.
After my move from a busy corner to a quieter location, I put in a 7-foot deer fence in my backyard to safeguard my plantings. It’s worked beautifully and has offered the added bonus of creating a safe haven for my cats. They have their own cat door and can come and go as they please, perching on a rock amidst the catnip or finding the perfect vantage point to keep an eye on the neighborhood.
If fencing is not possible, some folks build “catios” – specialty screened-in porches from which their cats can enjoy a hybrid outdoor experience!
For dog owners, the Montclair area is heavenly. In addition to the near-constant parade of dog-walking throughout the many local parks, there are countless reasons for people to set out on foot, no matter where in town they live. From hitting the farmer’s market on a Saturday morning to picking up a snack in the afternoon, there are little shops or distinct shopping areas all over town. I’m trying to think of a house that’s more than a mile from something delicious to snack on, and there aren’t many. And the few there are, have access to the other undeniable aspect of dog paradise: hiking trails. With two multi-mile hiking reservations and a nature preserve, there are plenty of choices for dogs of all sizes and stamina.
To me, that right there is the magic of Montclair. Wilderness and Starbucks, both at your fingertips.
If you’d like me to take you around this walkable suburb from a pet-lover’s perspective, reach out! Talk or Text: 973-809-5277
Photos: Two of my cats in my backyard. Top - Oscar enjoying Pride Rock; Bottom - The Bodhisattva and the The Catnip.
I admit, I don't think of myself as a “jazz person.” So, every time I tell my clients about this amazing festival taking place here each summer, I feel like I may be speaking a bit out of my element. This year, aside from the music, I realized that one of the most special things about the Montclair Jazz Festival is that it’s such a far-reaching community event. This year, the theme was “Bringing Us Back Together Again!”
Honestly, I don’t think anything is able to do that better than outdoor music!
The 2021 festival took place in a different (more central) part of town than in years past, and it was spread over several weekends, rather than just one – changes that I think made the event even better. I stopped by one day and listened to trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, a musician I was wholly unfamiliar with, and was blown away -- moved by the music, which was great, but also by all of us being together again. With hundreds of people relaxing on a beautiful August day, it almost felt like the pre-pandemic days.
There have been outdoor music events that I’ve come to rely on for igniting that feeling of community fun I always equate with living in Montclair. Weekend blues on the back patio of Ruthie’s BBQ on Chestnut Street. Live music on Saturdays at the Montclair Farmers Market. The mini outdoor concerts at Center Stage on Church Street (which don’t seem to be up and running again this year – but soon!).
Then there are all the surprising “concerts” that I seem to happen upon accidentally, either strolling through Edgemont Park or grabbing a coffee in Watchung Plaza. The other day I saw a flyer for an outdoor concert by the Chamber Music Society of North Jersey (Saturday, Aug 28 at 7pm in Anderson Park – bring lawn chairs/blankets!) which looks like it will be magical.
This is one of the things I absolutely love about Montclair: it is a community of people who love to use their talents to strengthen community.
In addition to the return of live music, another things that has been feeling like the “old days” is that the highly aggressive bidding on homes seems to be starting to wane. People don’t have that “at any price” attitude that has prevailed over the last year. The market will shift yet again, and I am always available to go through the implications of those shifts, for buyers or sellers, in practical, actionable terms.
Call or text anytime to talk about Montclair market conditions, musical events, or anything thing else I can help you with regarding my favorite Walkable Suburb! 973-809-5277
If there’s one thing the pandemic showed me about my community, it was that having a nice place to walk is priceless. My friend really illuminated the essence of what it’s like to live in this walkable suburb when she described her now-daily ritual of hitting the sidewalks. She agreed to let me share it here:
We’ve lived here for nine years and part of what drew us to Montclair was being able to walk places. So, my partner and I often took walks. But last year when the gyms and yoga studios closed, we decided to do a daily four-mile walk for exercise. We do the same route every day, but on Saturdays, we do it in reverse because I like to start at the Farmer’s Market, which is one of my favorite places to people watch.
From there, we head to Watchung Plaza, which is invariably lively and full of people. This is always the highlight for me. I like to see what’s going on there, what new stores are opening up. I stick my head into Local Coffee and wave to Robert, and I usually run into someone I know outside Bluestone Cafe.
Besides watching people, I like to look at people’s gardens and see how they progress over time. And I like looking at the houses. One thing I love about Montclair is that the houses are all different from one another. We usually walk on Midland Ave, which has a lot of nice houses and gardens.
Once we hit Walnut Street, we head back toward the market and invariably stop at Cucina for a chicken parm sandwich, or sometimes I go into Curated Home and Living, which is an amazing place to buy gifts. Walnut Street itself is usually hopping, so there’s more people watching to be done.
If it’s an especially nice day, we sometimes make a pit stop at home and then head out in the other direction for a second walk. This time we go up Glenridge Avenue toward Church Street because: People!
When we’re in that neighborhood, we usually check out the progress of the new arts center by The Wellmont theater. I’ve been watching that area come together from the beginning and I’m really excited about it.
Sometimes we walk up to the art museum and then swing by Whole Foods on the way back home. Other times, we loop around and visit the beautiful public garden behind the United Way building on South Fullerton. This is one of my other favorite places in town.
Each walk usually takes a little over an hour. We walk at a good pace, but it never feels like we’re doing “exercise” – it feels like we’ve having an outing.
If you have a favorite place to walk in Montclair, please share it in the comments! And if you want to take a walk around town with me to get a sense of this walkable suburb, call or text! I love showing off my town. 973-809-5277
1. Declutter
2. Declutter
3. Declutter
No one wants to hear this, because it’s not an easy thing to do. But if you’re thinking of moving – particularly if you’ve been in your home for a while – this is the absolute best place to put your resources.
Here’s my philosophy on this in a nutshell:
If you have the slightest notion that you may want to sell in the next five years, start the very liberating process of decluttering as soon as possible. If you end up putting your home on the market in a year, you’ll already be halfway to making your house ready to show. If you dont list your house for another five years, you can enjoy living in a calmer and more orderly environment.
We’ve all just spent so much more time in our homes this past year, doesn’t a more serene space seem so very appealing? It does to me!
Decluttering isn’t easy for many reasons, most of them having to do with memories. Besides the physical toll, it takes a lot of mental energy to make decisions about all our “stuff.” This is why, when I need to declutter my own space, I call in the big guns: my associates Jodi or Linda.
While my Scandinavian sensibility is very streamlined and spare, my actual living space veers from that ideal. Jodi or Linda can wrangle any kind of disorganization and clutter that may have crept into my space. They take what has become chaotic and make it make sense.
I’ve turned each of them loose on my garage, attic, and the closet into which I’ve been stuffing the loot from too much Costco shopping. For my clients, they have made molehills out of mountains in an impressively short time.
I know one obstacle to decluttering for many people is: How do I get rid of my stuff?
If you’re in Montclair or nearby, I just found out there’s a one-day Clothing Drive at Montclair High School (Chestnut St.) on April 3rd from 9AM-1PM. They’re taking clothing, shoes, accessories and household items like blankets and towels in good condition. (No furniture, only soft goods. Items must be in a plastic bag and you can drive through the circle and drop from the car.)
If you’d like me to send you a list of my regular top places to donate, drop me an email! Or reach out even if you just need a pep talk! lina@walkablesuburb.com
I talk a lot about the benefits of living in a walkable suburb – the ease of meeting neighbors and the way you can really engage with a community when you’re on foot.
Talking with clients this past year about what they’re looking for in a house – or a in a town – I’ve had more conversations about mental well-being than I think I’ve had in [...]
I just read a post on social media by a friend who was lamenting that her daughter’s college pushed back the start date for spring semester. The family lives in New York City and she wrote something like, “They’re sending the kids home before Thanksgiving and they’re not having them back on campus until February! What is she supposed to do [...]
Carol and John moved to Montclair in 1995. They have three grown children, two of whom are out on their own; the youngest is living at home. John works from home, a partner in a media marketing company. Carol commutes to New York City four days a week for her job at a non-profit. This past summer, after 24 years in their Montclair home, they sold and bought a home in Bloomfield.
Why Bloomfield?
We wanted to stay in the Montclair area – close to friends and all the places we like to go. Our original plan was to downsize, but the house we bought is not much smaller than what we had been in. However, it was less expensive, and it’s also a much better configuration for our current situation. We wanted to be close to the New York bus and able to walk to things, and we were lucky enough to get a house in the Brookdale section, right off the park.
What’s your favorite thing about living here?
We love the neighborhood. Not just the proximity to the park, but also the coziness of block. It’s a dead-end street, so the only people driving on the block, live here. The houses are closer together and closer to the street, so it feels more like a little community. Everyone is extremely friendly, so it just feels really good to be here.
Any challenges along the way?
We bought and sold with Lina, and for us, the buying was very easy. We went to an open house that checked off all our boxes; she came back with us the next week and everything fell into place quickly and smoothly, even in this neighborhood where houses go fast. The selling was more complicated for us, and there, Lina was amazing. We had her come over almost a year earlier and advise us what we should do to prepare the house. We discovered there was a lot that needed updating, projects we often did ourselves. (That was the hard part.) Our prep work included repainting every room, refinishing floors, finishing off the 3rd floor more completely, updating kitchen cabinets and counters, and installing some new light fixtures. Lina’s advice was spot on. She really understands the market and what it takes to make a house marketable. From the timing, to the paint colors, we just did everything she told us to do and it worked. Our Montclair house was our nest egg and she helped us maximize what we could get for it.
What’s turned out better than you expected?
Our other challenge was the endless decluttering. We had to get rid of so much! It was hard to let go of what we’d held onto for decades. For months, we spent most weekends giving things away and filling up a dumpster. But now, it feels so good to live a more streamlined life. It’s been great to learn that we can make do with a lot less “stuff.” The fact that we didn’t have to let go of our relationships in the area probably made the whole move a little easier.
Photos: Top - Carol and John in front of their new home; Bottom - their former Montclair home.
