New Home Construction in the Short Hills Area

New Home Construction in the Short Hills Area

I wanted to focus on some of the high-end homes on the market, specifically in Millburn and Short Hills. Many of our clients are interested in new construction and there are many misconceptions about what it takes to get into new construction and what you get for the money. First, there is very little new construction under $2 million. Actively on the market, there are two homes that are under $2 million and they are both on White Oak Road.

Of the 37 homes that are on the market above $1.7 million, one-third is new construction. Comparatively, 1/3 of the houses that have sold in that $1.7 million range were new construction as well. In the past 12 months, 81 homes have sold in that price point and 25 of those were new construction.

In regards to the $2-2.5 million price point, you typically get between 0.3-0.4 acre lot, 6-7 bedrooms and 6-7 bathrooms. When you breach the $2.5 million price point, you can expect to get between about a ½-3/4 of an acre lot. The average days on market for these homes is 75 days, but this can be larger due to the fact that some homes are re-listed and the selling price is about 95% of the list price. Since the homes are built on spec by the builders, it takes time for the price to come down to market value; this is where the buyers usually come in. The most raved about features for new homes is the high ceilings, low maintenance and ten year warranty.

If you have any questions or interests in these homes, please call me (973) 214-0691. Thanks and have a great day!

Where are the best places to trick-or-treat in Summit, NJ?

I’m here in Summit with Julie Sondhi, the lead buyer agent on my team. This time of year always has people looking to move to Summit. Julie is here to give us a taste of the town and what to do in this Fall/Halloween season. “There are loads of things to do here in summit,” Julie said. “The YMCA is just across the street from us and they have a haunted house, which is amazing,” she continued, “It’s really scary.” Julie also explained that the fall atmosphere of Summit is truly special, “The kids come out Halloween night to trick or treat around here which is fantastic, because there are some streets particularly around the Brayton School and everyone wants to go to because they have the best treats around.”

Speaking of that area, there are some houses that are coming up so don’t hesitate to call Julie at 908-418-3390 for a showing! It still remains a great time to buy as interest rates have stayed low and for people that are thinking of selling in Summit, the demand is very high due to the extremely low inventory. If you are thinking about buyer or selling, please give us a call! Thanks and have a great day.

In Millburn Short Hills The Real Estate News Is Good for Sellers

With October upon us, the market is in extreme favor of the sellers. In Millburn, the total tax assessment versus the price that homes are sold for at the end of 2012 was 108%. Fast forward to August 2013, that number rose to 126%. The homes that are clean and ready to move in are hitting the top of this range while homes that need a lot of work are falling far below that.

Homes are not just selling, but selling quickly. For homes that closed in August, the average time spent on the market was 25 days (for all of 2012, the number was 56 days). The average home that has sold in Millburn year to date is $1.3 million, which last year was just under $1.2 million. Although the market is extremely positive for sellers, buyers are becoming extremely frustrated due to the minimal selection. The buyers have every right to be upset as there are 20% less homes on the market than this time last year.

With a shortage of homes, historically low rates and buyer’s moods more than willing to pull the trigger and write a contract, great things are happening for sellers. So if you are thinking about selling, this is the best time to do so. If you have any questions or would like to know the value of your home, call me at (973) 214-0691.