Mortgage Rate Forecast: August 2007

Marlton, NJ Real Estate

Below you will find Marlton, NJ real estate statistics for the previous 4 weeks.

Knowing the value of your home is the foundation of the selling or refinancing process.

Mt. Laurel, NJ Real Estate

Below you will find Mt. Laurel, NJ real estate statistics for the previous 4 weeks.

Knowing the value of your home is the foundation of the selling or refinancing process.

Medford and Medford Lakes, NJ Real Estate

Below you will find Medford and Medford Lakes, NJ real estate statistics for the previous 4 weeks.

Knowing the value of your home is the foundation of the selling or refinancing process.

Cherry Hill, NJ Real Estate

Below you will find Cherry Hill, NJ real estate statistics for the previous 4 weeks.

Knowing the value of your home is the foundation of the selling or refinancing process.

Voorhees, NJ Real Estate

Below you will find Voorhees, NJ real estate statistics for the previous 4 weeks.

Knowing the value of your home is the foundation of the selling or refinancing process.

Summer is an excellent time for homeowners to paint their homes. The hot weather ensures faster drying times, and minimizes weather-related complications and delays. Here are some good tips on painting the exterior of your home:

• Inspect the exterior. Before painting, check for bad patches, stains or rot. Damaged wood siding or trim could indicate water damage. Repair the damage and find the problem's source. It could be a small roof leak, or poorly sealed surface or joint somewhere in the structure. You can't fix problems by painting them.
• Pick the right color. A home's color can influence its property value, as well as the neighbors'. Go with shades of white, gray, beige or tan, and limit any stronger colors to shutters, trim and other features. (Keep them complementary.) Moreover, the home's style, local code and association covenants, conditions and restrictions can dictate the color palette.
• Test some samples. Before diving in, apply some test patches of various shades to less conspicuous parts of the home. See how they look after they dry. See which colors best complement one another, and how they look against the other colors in the yard and in the neighborhood.
• Interview contractors. Ask neighbors with recently painted homes for referrals. Get quotes from multiple contractors and ask them for referral customers, as well. Ensure contractors are properly insured and licensed.
• Get a group discount. Canvas the neighborhood for other homeowners who want to repaint their homes. Pooling together creates bargaining power that will attract painters and force them to offer group discounts. Besides, clients can share ideas and make new friends.

The filing deadline for Homestead Rebate and Senior Freeze applications with the New Jersey Division of Taxation has been extended to October 31, 2007. Homeowners who paid property taxes on a New Jersey residence in 2006 who already filed for the rebate should receive checks this week. For those who have not yet filed, access the online application at https://www1.state.nj.us/TYTR_Saver/jsp/c%20ommon/Login.jsp.

The New Jersey Association of Realtors (NJAR^®) has launched an awareness campaign concerning the potential local real estate transfer tax.  The Stop the NJ Home Tax campaign is designed to raise the public's understanding of real estate transfer fees, and how a legislative proposal to allow for local transfer fees will raise the cost of selling a home. There is great concern that plans for a local transfer fee will move forward when the Legislature enters the lame-duck session after the November 2007 elections.

To learn more about the Home Sales Tax and what it means to you, visit http://www.njhometax.com/. You can calculate how much more you will pay if the Legislature allows municipalities to add a local transfer tax on top of the current state transfer fee.

In the next few months, the message will be rolled out to the public through radio spots, newspaper advertising and the website. Consumers interested in staying on top of the issue can register through http://www.njhometax.com/ to receive e-mail updates.

In a recent NJ Supreme Court ruling, justices ruled that homeowner associations can impose restrictions on the free speech rights of their residents.  In the case Committee for a Better Twin Rivers v. Twins Rivers Homeowners' Association, Justice John E. Wallace Jr., writing for a unanimous court, distinguished between such residential developments and private universities and regional shopping malls when it comes to freedom of speech. The case involved the 10,000-unit Twin Rivers development in East Windsor. The court said it was reasonable to restrict political signs to windows and flower beds adjacent to homes and not allow them on common property.