How to Choose a Realtor to Sell your Home

Most home sellers choose a real estate agent based on personal recommendations, which works fine for some people. But to maximize your selling price, within a time-frame that suits your needs, we strongly recommend a more rigorous and even analytical approach.

The chart below simplifies three important attributes your Realtor should have; a convincing marketing plan, a proven track record and, ideally, be great to work with.

Selling a home can be one of the most stressful events in a person’s life. While it’s probably enough for most sellers to identify a Realtor that has a great marketing plan and track record, we think you’ll find the whole process far less stressful if you hire a Realtor that’s also great to deal with.

Realtors with a convincing real estate marketing plan:

• create accurate pricing strategies after a careful analysis of your market
• provide immediate submission to relevant MLS listings
• have current listings and useful content on their website
• offer maximum visibility – An online realtor who will take advantage of real estate listing websites to market your home online, such as Trulia, Yahoo Real Estate, Realtor.com and more.
• create clear visible signage

Realtors with a proven track record:

• have “closed” on homes for sale within the last three months
• rank as a top Realtor within their company
• receive top real estate awards
• can provide several testimonials from previous clientele
• are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR)
• have easy availability and flexibility in showing your property

Realtors that are great to work with are:

• available when you need them
• accessible
• more interested in your needs than in their own
• provide a clear plan of action and follow through
• known within their area
• praised by previous clientele

Selecting the best Realtor to help sell your home really depends on your personal preferences. A good starting point would be to use the chart to identify what is important to you. Hopefully, you will find the chart useful. If you think we can improve it, then please let us know in the comments below.

At Weichert Realtors and The Shallis Group, we strive to return to our customers the valuable commodities of time and flexibility that their lifestyles demand. Because we actually get to know our clients and their needs, that makes all the difference in the world. If you are interested in buying or selling a property, contact us today at 800 295-5995 ext. 911 or by email. No-obligation chat. No pressure. Just plain good advice that works!

Sean T Shallis Featured on WPIX TV

Sean Shallis will appear on WPIX TV at 8:30am Eastern time on Friday to discuss School Scores and Real Estate choices in New Jersey.

• Union County Real Estate Tax vs School Performance Mashup
• Hudson County Real Estate Tax vs School Performance Mashup
• Morris County Real Estate Tax vs School Performance Mashup
• Essex County Real Estate Tax vs School Performance Mashup

Whether you’re considering buying or selling, we can help. Send me an email or call me immediately at 201-988-1393 for a personal and confidential conversation.

10 Cleaning Tips to Sell Your Property

Getting a house to sell these days can be a daunting task. With the flood of homes on the market due to the economy and the constant wave of foreclosures, competition is tough. Add to the mix the competition from the inventory of new homes and condos with upgrades and incentives that buyers never thought possible a few years ago.

So how does the average home seller compete? The key is to create a clean clutter free environment that creates an inviting lifestyle. Whether or not you home has been remodeled, the first priority in selling a home is that it’s clean and streamlined. Potential buyers need help envisioning your home with their lifestyle. Having clutter, knick knacks and overly decorated rooms are an instant turn off that interfere with the basic layout of the home. Here are some helpful tips that can make a big difference without breaking the bank.

Real Estate Cleaning Tips:

• Clean the Clutter. Prospective home buyers don’t want to see your bills, post-it notes or your child’s latest masterpiece on the refrigerator. They want to see clean open space. Laundry, unfinished projects and toys must be contained in an out-of-site storage place.

• Hire Professional Cleaners. Yes, we’re a bit bias on this one but it really does pay off. Real estate cleaners can take care of important cleaning tasks that don’t normally get done such as cleaning outside windows, pressure washing the exterior, grout cleaning, mold removal, wall washing, upholstery cleaning, deep carpet cleaning and stain removal. Professional cleaners get the house in shape with an initial cleaning that will allow you to simply maintain the day to day chores.

• Paint. Painting creates a clean look and is a relatively inexpensive way to update your home. Neutral tones are always the safest option to help a buyer feel comfortable.

• Pack Up. Since moving is your ultimate goal, start packing knick knacks, CD’s, books and memorabilia early. This allows more space to be seen and shows a more generic home that could be lived in by anyone. Store the boxes in a garage or storage facility so they don’t add clutter.

• Set the Mood. When possible before a potential buyer comes to look at your home, create an inviting atmosphere. Open some windows to let in some fresh air and light. Turn off the TVs and turn on some quiet music. Place fresh flowers in the kitchen or on the dining room table.

• Counter Space. Try to create as much open space on the counters as possible. There should be no visible storage containers or unnecessary appliances such as coffee grinders, grills, griddles, bowls, rotisseries, etc. Give the counters a good wipe down and remove any stains.

• Closets, Cupboards and Cabinets. Potential home buyers want to see exactly what they might be getting. This includes the inside of closets, cabinets and cupboards to see how much space lies behind the doors. These spaces need to be cleaned up and scaled down with the amount of stuff hidden in them. The more space that is showing, the larger it will look. Pack any non-essentials away and store them in the garage or storage facility.

• First Impressions. When selling a home it’s important to remember the outside of the home is its first impression. Replace any dead plants and landscaping. Clear all weeds and fix any brickwork or drywall issues. Make sure the outside paint is current and maintained.

• Appliances. If your house or condo is on the market and the appliances are included, it’s important to clean and maintain the inside as well as the outside. Clients will be looking to see exactly what they are getting, how well the appliances are maintained and how much space is inside.

• The Garage. It’s easy to move your clutter from the inside of the house to the garage. However, this space needs to be seen in the best light possible too. A garage packed with boxes, bicycles, furniture, toys and memorabilia will make the space look much smaller and give the buyer the impression that there is not enough room. Consider renting a storage room for a few months while your home is on the market.

Once your house is clean and streamlined, it will allow you to see what further improvements you would like to make. Experienced professional real estate cleaners can help get your home into model condition. ABM Cleaning is a trusted and experienced real estate cleaning service in the tri-state area as well as up and down the East Coast. We are bonded, insured and our employees are trained and certified to follow OSHA and EPA guidelines. Please contact us directly for a free estimate at toll free 1-877-667-4725.

In this real estate market finding experienced real estate help is essential. Please contact Sean T Shallis at The Shallis Group for a personal consultation on your buying or selling needs at 201-427-1032.

The Hudson County Real Estate Tax vs School Performance Mashup

If you’re moving to Hudson County for the first time and wondering which town is right for you, there is more to consider besides home values especially if you have a family. After you explore the local resources, culture and transportation options available in the different areas of Hudson County, knowing each city’s property tax rate versus local school performance can be the deciding factor in which neighborhood you choose. It may come as a surprise to know that the city with the highest property tax does not always have the high school with the highest SAT score.

Above Average

(see the formula below we used to calculate the tax amount)

• Jersey City – Tax: $4,013 SAT: 1692
• Secaucus – Tax: $4,234 SAT: 1445
• Kearny – Tax: $6,169 SAT: 1382
• Hoboken – Tax: $3,048 SAT: 1160

(click on image to see a larger version)

What Our Research Shows

For Hudson County, Jersey City is the best choice for lower estimated property taxes and a relatively high SAT score at Dr Ronald Mc Nair Academy HS (1692) compared to the rest of the schools in the county. West New York, Bayonne and Kearny come out with the highest property taxes in the county coupled with moderate SAT scores compared to North Bergen, Secaucus and Jersey City.

2010 Hudson County Education Budget Cuts

How is your town going to be affected by the cuts to Education? Take a look below at each town in alphabetical order:

District Change in Aid

• Bayonne City -10.3%
• East Newark Boro -6.9%
• Guttenberg Town -14.1%
• Harrison Town -7.2%
• Hoboken City -12%
• Hudson County Voc -10.8%
• Jersey City -4.9%
• Kearny Town -12.9%
• North Bergen TWP -7.5%
• Secaucus Town -100%
• Union City -4.7%
• Weehawnen TWP -26.9%
• West New York Town -4.1%

(more news on the NJ Education Budget Cuts)

What do you take away from this information?
Obviously there has been a tremendous amount of media coverage, interest, comments as well as concern on this subject… What is your opinion? We’d like to know. Please share your thoughts and comments below. This is your opportunity to be your town’s local spokesperson!

To see available properties in Hoboken, Jersey City, Bayonne, West New York, Port Liberte and Kearny, please click the links to visit our property search pages.

Send me an email or call me immediately at 201-988-1393 for a personal and confidential conversation. Whether you’re considering buying or selling, we can help.

Footnotes
1. SAT scores are not the only student performance indicator. For more information, including state test scores (High School Proficiency Assessment results) for each high school, please visit NJ Department of Education.

2. *Calculation used to determine an average tax amount: average assessed home value of $250,000 x general tax rate x ratio. Data from State of NJ Treasury.

3. SAT scores are based on a total score of 600-2400. The SAT test consists of three categories: math, verbal and essay with a possible score of 600 points for each category to give a possible total score of 2400.

4. The high school with the highest total SAT score for each town was used in the graph. In some cases, the highest score is a vocational school.

New Jersey Education Budget Slashed

Many New Jersey school districts are looking at deep budget cuts anywhere from 40 to 100 percent. Governor Chris Christie’s proposed state budget has reduced aid to all of the nearly 600 school districts within New Jersey. Some districts were affected significantly more than others. Check out the list of towns that fared the best and those that took the biggest hit:

Hudson County
Least Affected:
• West New York Town reduced by 4.1%
• Union City reduced by 4.7%
• Jersey City reduced by 4.9%
• East Newark Boro reduced by 6.9%
• Harrison Town reduced by 7.2%

Taking the Biggest Hit:
• Secaucus Town cut 100%
• Weehawnen TWP cut 26.9%
• Guttenberg Town cut 14.1%
• Hoboken City cut 14.0%
• Kearny Town cut 12.9%

Essex County

Least Affected:
• City of Orange TWP reduced by 5.1%
• East Orange reduced by 5.1%
• Newark City reduced by 5.4%
• Irvington TWP reduced by 5.8%
• Essex Co Voc-Tech reduced by 9.5%

Taking the Biggest Hit:

• Caldwell-West Caldwell cut 100%
• Essex Fells Boro cut 100%
• Glen Ridge Boro cut 100%
• Livingston TWP cut 100%
• Milburn TWP cut 100%
• North Caldwell Boro cut 100%
  

Union County

Least Affected:
• Elizabeth City reduced by 4.2%
• Plainfield City reduced by 4.6%
• Winfield TWP reduced by 9.4%
• Hillside TWP reduced by 10.8%
• Roselle Boro reduced by 10.4%

Taking the Biggest Hit

• Berkeley Heights TWP cut 100%
• Clark TWP cut 100%
• New Providence Boro cut 100%
• Springfield TWP cut 100%
• Summit City cut 100%

Morris County

Least Affected:
• Dover Town reduced by 8.6%
• Wharton Boro reduced by 9.0%
• Jefferson TWP reduced by 15.9%
• Mine Hill TWP reduced by 16.5%
• Netcong Boro reduced by 18.0%

Taking the Biggest Hit:

• Hanover Park Regional cut 100%
• Harding TWP cut 100%
• Madison Boro cut 100%
• Mendham Boro cut 100%
• Mountain Lakes Boro cut 100%

The recent New Jersey budget cuts has generated a tremendous amount of media coverage, interest, comments as well as concern… Education funding is something that affects everyone in the community and can be a deciding factor in where people choose to live. What is your opinion? We’d like to know. Please share your thoughts and comments below.

Send me an email or call me immediately at 201-988-1393 for a personal and confidential conversation. Whether your considering buying or selling, we can help.

To see the full school list by county, please visit NJ.com.

The Union County Real Estate Tax vs School Performance Mashup

If you’re moving to Union County for the first time and wondering which city is right for you, there is more to consider besides home values especially if you have a family and need to choose a school. After you explore the local resources, culture and transportation options available in the different areas of Union County, knowing each city’s property tax rate versus local school performance can be the deciding factor in your decision. It may come as a surprise to know that the city with the highest property tax does not always have the high school with the highest SAT score.

Above Average

(see below for the formula we used to calculate the tax amount)

• Summit – Tax: $3699 SAT: 1735
• Berkeley Heights – Tax: $4247 SAT: 1717
• Westfield – Tax: $4302 SAT: 1740
• New Providence – Tax: $4866 SAT: 1757
• Cranford – Tax: $4730 SAT: 1599

What Our Research Shows

As you can see from the graph above, the results are quite surprising. The towns with the lowest property tax have public high schools with the highest SAT scores such as Summit, Berkeley Heights and Westfield. On the other side of the spectrum, Roselle Boro has the highest property tax estimated at $7,722 with the local high school, Abraham Clark High, having one of the lowest SAT scores at 1172. Hillside also came in upside down with an approximate property tax of $6890 and a SAT score from Hillside High of 1202.

2010 Union County Education Budget Cuts

How is your town going to be affected by the cuts to Education? Take a look below at each town in alphabetical order:

District Change in Aid
• Berkeley Heights TWP -100.0%
• Clark TWP  -100.0%
• Cranford TWP  -77.5%
• Elizabeth City  -04.2%
• Garwood Boro  -64.1%
• Hillside TWP  -10.8%
• Kenilworth Boro  -26.3%
• Linden City  -17.6%
• Mountainside Boro  -92.6%
• New Providence Boro  -100.0%
• Plainfield City  -04.6%
• Rayway City  -12.3%
• Roselle Boro  -10.4%
• Roselle Park Boro  -13.2%
• Scotch Plains-Fanwood Reg  -84.4%
• Springfield TWP  -100.0%
• Summit City  -100.0%
• Union County Voc  -16.6%
• Union TWP  -18.7%
• Westfield Town  -90.4%
• Winfield TWP  -09.4%

(more news on the NJ Education Budget Cuts)

What do you take away from this information?
Obviously there has been a tremendous amount of media coverage, interest, comments as well as concern on this subject… What is your opinion? We’d like to know. Please share your thoughts and comments below. This is your opportunity to be your town’s local spokesperson!

To search for available properties in these cities, please visit our Union County Property Search page.

Send me an email or call me immediately at 201-988-1393 for a personal and confidential conversation. Whether you’re considering buying or selling, we can help.

Footnotes
1. SAT scores are not the only student performance indicator. For more information, including state test scores (High School Proficiency Assessment results) for each high school, please visit NJ Department of Education.

2. *Calculation used to determine an average tax amount: average assessed home value of $250,000 x general tax rate x ratio. Data from State of NJ Treasury.

3. SAT scores are based on a total score of 600-2400. The SAT test consists of three categories: math, verbal and essay with a possible score of 600 points for each category to give a possible total score of 2400.

4. The high school with the highest total SAT score for each town was used in the graph. In some cases, the highest score is a vocational school.

The Morris County Real Estate Tax vs School Performance Mashup

What do you take away from this information?

Obviously there has been a tremendous amount of media coverage, interest, comments as well as concern on this subject… What is your opinion? We’d like to know. Please share your thoughts and comments below. This is your opportunity to be your town’s local spokesperson!

To search for available properties in these cities, please visit our Morris County Property Search page.

Send me an email or call me immediately at 201-988-1393 for a personal and confidential conversation. Whether you’re considering buying or selling, we can help.

Footnotes
1. SAT scores are not the only student performance indicator. For more information, including state test scores (High School Proficiency Assessment results) for each high school, please visit NJ Department of Education.

2. *Calculation used to determine an average tax amount: average assessed home value of $250,000 x general tax rate x ratio. Data from State of NJ Treasury.

3. SAT scores are based on a total score of 600-2400. The SAT test consists of three categories: math, verbal and essay with a possible score of 600 points for each category to give a possible total score of 2400.

4. The high school with the highest total SAT score for each town was used in the graph. In some cases, the highest score is a vocational school.



Hoboken’s Questionable Rent Control Ordinance

Investigation into Hoboken Rent Control and Property Values

The Liberty Board of Realtors has recently been investigating Hoboken’s rent control laws and their enforcement. This comes in part due to a recent court decision that has ruled this ordinance and its enforcement ‘unreasonable’ in this particular case. Although this case has been brought to the spotlight, it is evident that this might not be an isolated incident and problems may be more wide spread. The Liberty Board of Realtors believes that the Hoboken rent control ordinance as it is currently written could have a negative effect on property values and tenant rights.

Due to these concerns, Liberty Board of Realtors states, “the Board will be filing applications for grant monies from both NAR and NJAR to undertake an educational campaign for the citizens of Hoboken alerting them to our concerns. If granted, the Board will be able to undertake a multi-media educational campaign for at least 18 months.”

The Liberty Board of Realtors has offered their assistance to the Hoboken City Council in an effort to ensure that a revised Rent Control Ordinance will be fair for all property owners and their tenants. To read the Liberty Board of Realtors letter to the Hoboken City Council, please visit libertybrd.org.

To view the court’s decision and see full details of the case, please visit libertybrd.org.

Sean Shallis is #1 of 19,000 Weichert Realtors sales associates nationwide and is the leading expert in Hudson, Morris, Essex and Union Counties. Please call Sean Shallis directly at 201-427-1032 for a personal consultation.

Sean Shallis and The Shallis Group #1 of 19,000 Weichert sales associates in the Nation!

Short Sale vs Foreclosure: Which one is best?

With the unemployment rate at 9.5% as of October and headed to 10.5% by the end of the year, foreclosures and short sales are occurring in epidemic proportions. When someone is facing the devastating fact that they can no longer maintain their mortgage payment, it is important for financially devastated home owners to protect themselves as best they can. So where do you turn once you realize you cannot hold onto your home?

Once a home owner gets to this point there are two possible choices they can make. Walk away through foreclosure and live with the devastating effects on your credit for years to come or find an alternate solution. At first, home owners who are already mentally exhausted after months of falling behind on payments with no relief in sight might be tempted to just throw in the towel and walk away. However, foreclosure is the worst option you can choose. So what are the alternatives and why is foreclosure the worst option?

The Foreclosure Option
In the foreclosure process the lender assumes ownership of the house. Not only do you lose your house, you lose your equity (if there is any) and down payment as well. Also, a lender can get a judgement against you for any late fees and the cost of the foreclosure action. That’s just the beginning. Your credit will be in complete shambles for years to come making any sort of credit purchase almost impossible. This option should be the absolute last resort.

The Short Sale Option
The short sale of a home is possible when the property is worth less than the amount owed on the loan, commonly referred to as being “upside down” on a mortgage. However, in order to make a short sale possible, the mortgage lender must agree to discount the balance of the home loan due to the financial hardship of the borrower. The negotiation of the new loan balance usually takes place between the borrower and the loan modification or workout department of the bank or lender.

Although your credit will be affected negatively, this can be salvaged much sooner than redeeming your credit from a foreclosure. Another advantage to a short sale is once a buyer has been found, most home owners can avoid paying the mortgage payment while negotiations are taking place. Your home will also be put up for sale as is, which means you won’t be stuck with repairs in order for the house to close escrow.

Getting a Short Sale Done in Time
Getting a short sale done before a foreclosure takes place is of the utmost importance. To do that, you must have a Realtor in place that is experienced with the short sale process in order for it to not fall through. “Well…aren’t all Realtors knowledgeable in short sales”, you ask? Absolutely not. Short sales must go through a bank or lending institution as opposed to a seller and a specific ‘short sale’ process must be followed. Experience can make or break the short sale purchase.

Time is of the essence and your credit is at stake. This is not the time to place your future in the hands of a Realtor that is not completely experienced in the short sale process and might not get the job done in time.

Sean T Shallis and The Shallis Group are considered one of the Nations leading Short Sales experts. Call Sean immediately for a personal and confidential conversation about your personal situation. My direct line is 201-427-1032.

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