Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Data Says April Is The Best Month To List Your Home For Sale



The spring housing market is off to the races! The inventory of homes for sale is increasing, buyers are out in force, and interest rates have remained low, piquing the interest of buyers and sellers previously on the fence about making a move.

New research from realtor.com shows that the first week of April is actually the best time to list your house for sale! The report used “trends in median listing prices, views per property on realtor.com, home price drops, median days on market, and number of listings on the market over the last three years,” to determine a ranking for every week of the year.

Listing your home in the first week of April contributes 14x more property views, 5% less competition from other home sellers, and results in the home being sold 6 days faster!

Below is a graph indicating the average score for each month of the year.







It should come as no surprise that April and May dominate as the top months to sell. The second quarter of the year (April, May, June) is referred to as the Spring Buyers Season, when competition is fierce to find a dream home, often leading to bidding wars.

However, there is one caveat worth mentioning. When broken down by metro, realtor.com noticed that while warmer climates share an overall trend, they have different top sales months. The best month to get the most exposure in Miami, FL, for instance, is August, while in Phoenix, AZ, June leads the charge.

If you’re thinking of selling your home this year, the time to list is NOW! According to the National Association of Realtors, 41% of homes sold last month were on the market for less than 30 days! If you list now, you’ll have a really good chance to sell in April or May, setting yourself up for the most exposure!

Bottom Line

Contact a local real estate professional who can show you the market conditions in your area to get the most exposure to the buyers ready and willing to make a move!




With their Multi-Cultural Background, over 35 years of combined experience selling Real Estate and because they are Licensed in New Jersey, New York and California, Rahul, Smitha and their team can offer global reach. They have lots of experience representing a diverse group of clients, from Local New Jersey Buyers & Sellers to Relocation and International/Foreign Buyers, Sellers and Investors. Rahul and Smitha are exceptionally well-respected Realtors in the industry with high ethical standards and GLOWING REVIEWS. Their team offers a high level of expertise, innovative technology and cutting-edge real estate marketing and sales solutions.  They specialize in Morris, Somerset, Essex and Union counties.

www.SRRealEstateGroup.com | www.Morris-Homes.com | www.TheTownhouseExpert.com

Saturday, March 23, 2019

20 Tips for Preparing Your House for Sale This Spring

Some Highlights:

  • When listing your house for sale, your top goal will be to get the home sold for the best price possible!
  • There are many small projects that you can do to ensure this happens!
  • For specific suggestions custom to your home, contact us for a free consultation.  We'll use our knowledge about the latest home trends and local demands to help get your house ready for market.








With their Multi-Cultural Background, over 35 years of combined experience selling Real Estate and because they are Licensed in New Jersey, New York and California, Rahul, Smitha and their team can offer global reach. They have lots of experience representing a diverse group of clients, from Local New Jersey Buyers & Sellers to Relocation and International/Foreign Buyers, Sellers and Investors. Rahul and Smitha are exceptionally well-respected Realtors in the industry with high ethical standards and GLOWING REVIEWS. Their team offers a high level of expertise, innovative technology and cutting-edge real estate marketing and sales solutions.  They specialize in Morris, Somerset, Essex and Union counties.

www.SRRealEstateGroup.com | www.Morris-Homes.com | www.TheTownhouseExpert.com

Friday, March 8, 2019

New Exclusive: Outstanding Colonial in Whippany, New Jersey

New Exclusive in Whippany, New Jersey

5 BD, 3 BA, 2-Car Garage

Welcome to our sneak peek of this gorgeous 5 BD, 3 BA Colonial in Whippany (Hanover Twp.), New Jersey! With its handsome brick front and meticulously maintained landscaping (including a bloom of roses each year), this home boasts fantastic curb appeal! Plus its enviable location in Whippany means lower property taxes compared to other nearby towns, excellent schools, and easy access to many nearby freeways, shopping, and recreation.

This home delights in every room! First enter into a bright 2-story foyer. From here you can see the lovely hardwood and tile floors and crown moldings that enhance the 1st floor. Formal living & dining rooms flank the foyer and supply abundant space for entertaining. The living room features a bay window (as does the dining room) and double French doors to the family room and its marble-surround fireplace.

Next is the spacious eat-in kitchen that includes a sunny breakfast area, direct access to the deck, granite counter tops, center island with breakfast bar, and stainless steel appliances, and tile backsplash. A French door to the dining room makes serving a breeze. The 1st floor also offers a convenient bedroom with built-in storage and a full bath and stall shower. The laundry room completes the 1st floor.

The 2nd floor includes 4 generously-sized bedrooms and 2 full baths. The master suite is a delight with a massive walk-in closet, 2 additional closets, a luxurious marble bath, and frameless glass shower. The updated hall bath features dual sinks and a granite counter topped vanity.

Finally a huge basement provides plenty of space for storage and fun. It comes with recessed lighting and only needs to be finished to your tastes to create an excellent rec room, media room, extra sleeping space, office, and more!

Questions? Want to see the home? Contact us today. This property isn't in the MLS!







With their Multi-Cultural Background, over 35 years of combined experience selling Real Estate and because they are Licensed in New Jersey, New York and California, Rahul, Smitha and their team can offer global reach. They have lots of experience representing a diverse group of clients, from Local New Jersey Buyers & Sellers to Relocation and International/Foreign Buyers, Sellers and Investors. Rahul and Smitha are exceptionally well-respected Realtors in the industry with high ethical standards and GLOWING REVIEWS. Their team offers a high level of expertise, innovative technology and cutting-edge real estate marketing and sales solutions.  They specialize in Morris, Somerset, Essex and Union counties.

www.SRRealEstateGroup.com | www.Morris-Homes.com | www.TheTownhouseExpert.com

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Do the Super Wealthy Renovate or Rebuild?



The vast majority of 'extreme home makeovers' we see are those on HGTV and the like and mostly more affordable. But gut renovations happen at all price levels, including multi-million dollar homes.

Until recently, most people have been more prone to tearing down an old house and building a brand new one in its place, especially in areas where pricing has soared and doing so is fully justified. Often this is cheaper. But there are some older houses in prime areas that pose historic or architectural significance and doing a gut renovation is the only solution. All renovation is expensive, especially if it is done correctly and not merely a cosmetic re-do. Structural renovations, especially in tight spaces in urban areas can be extremely costly, and often the structural and mechanical aspects of the renovation are not clearly visible. They may often be the most important aspect of the renovation.


The first step any prospective high-end renovator should do is consult their real estate agent to determine the differential between what the property costs to buy and what it could be worth fully renovated. Some buyers of very expensive homes don't care if they lose money upon re-sale, but they are in the minority. A client of ours recently gut-renovated a massive property with no budget (the garden alone cost $10 million) and stated boldly: "I am rich, I am not going to live forever, I love this property, it's my home and I don't care if it sells for 50 cents on the dollar!"

The next step would be to hire a team: an architect, builder and engineer are a good start. A landscaper and interior designer are always meaningful. Getting a comprehensive understanding of current conditions and the environment/land that the property is built on is critical. Understanding costs is equally important, if cost matters. Most older homes require massive infrastructure changes to meet the demands of modern living. There are very few for which a cosmetic renovation alone works. Most renovators of expensive older homes have told me that skimping is usually inevitably more costly and its always wiser to do things 100% thoroughly from A-Z.

Everything you put into a high-priced renovation has varying degrees of cost: some windows for instance can cost triple the cost of others. A quality sink faucet can cost anywhere from $500 to well over $5,000. Choices matter. And often those choices have to refer back to end valuation to be justified. There is nothing worse than doing an expensive renovation that appears cheap or looks like parts were skimped, as tempting as that may be. When evaluating an older' properties re-design its always important to retain the aspects that make that property special while adapting the place to a contemporary lifestyle. Those who destroy (good) architectural history are better off building from scratch elsewhere.


A beautifully renovated house requires a beautifully landscaped environment: too often we see poorly executed landscaping because people forget just how much landscaping can cost and they have no budget left by the time they are finished with the house/apartment...and all the additional costs that are inevitable. Older homes are prone to delivering 'surprises.'

While we love new construction, we have to say that personally nothing compares to a magnificently renovated home that has it's architectural beauty preserved. It's also important to note that most very high end properties are viewed as dated and requiring of a cosmetic renovation after about 6-7 years. Don't forget: the rich are different!




With their Multi-Cultural Background, over 35 years of combined experience selling Real Estate and because they are Licensed in New Jersey, New York and California, Rahul, Smitha and their team can offer global reach. They have lots of experience representing a diverse group of clients, from Local New Jersey Buyers & Sellers to Relocation and International/Foreign Buyers, Sellers and Investors. 

Rahul and Smitha are exceptionally well-respected Realtors in the industry with high ethical standards and GLOWING REVIEWS. Their team offers a high level of expertise, innovative technology and cutting-edge real estate marketing and sales solutions.  They specialize in Morris, Somerset, Essex and Union counties.


www.SRRealEstateGroup.com | www.Morris-Homes.com | www.TheTownhouseExpert.com

Friday, March 1, 2019

Buyers: Why Multiple Bids Aren't as Bad as You Think

Buyers so often feel dejected when they find a property they love, only to discover multiple parties are interested and bidding. In some markets this is to be anticipated, and smart buyer agents educate their buyers to this possibility before they even start looking. While it usually feels unfair that others are bidding against you, here are some BUYER upsides (Don't worry about sellers.....they have lots to celebrate about!):

1. When others want a property you want, chances are it is very desirable. Usually when others want this property now, others will want it in the future when you sell.....but only if you are not in a super-tight inventory environment that can artificially drive demand.

2. Know that you are buying in a neighborhood/area that is in high demand.

3. Usually multiple bids emerge when demand outweighs supply. Sometimes, multiple bids emerge when something is priced below market, or the market is rising in value. Maybe the market is under-valued?

4. Bidding as much as you are (semi) comfortable doing is smartest. Some people do get completely carried away and pay vastly over the asking price. Granted they usually get the property, but irrational exuberance can have bad consequences.

5. Bargains - the homes no-one else wants - are very scarce in highly desirable neighborhoods. Beware of buying a bargain and then owning a bargain. The 'thrill' of a good deal may be outweighed by the quality of the product.

6. Multiple bids do not always lead to a sale price over the asking price. Sometimes the winning bid is below the asking price. Sometimes the terms matter more than the price. When multiple parties are bidding, most times this gives a very clear indication what the market is willing to bear at that moment, more so than simply an asking price.





With their Multi-Cultural Background, over 35 years of combined experience selling Real Estate and because they are Licensed in New Jersey, New York and California, Rahul, Smitha and their team can offer global reach. They have lots of experience representing a diverse group of clients, from Local New Jersey Buyers & Sellers to Relocation and International/Foreign Buyers, Sellers and Investors. Rahul and Smitha are exceptionally well-respected Realtors in the industry with high ethical standards and GLOWING REVIEWS. Their team offers a high level of expertise, innovative technology and cutting-edge real estate marketing and sales solutions.  They specialize in Morris, Somerset, Essex and Union counties.


www.SRRealEstateGroup.com | www.Morris-Homes.com | www.TheTownhouseExpert.com