Saturday, February 10, 2007

New Jersey Association of Realtors Offers Scholarships

The application deadline for NJAR Educational Foundation (NJAREF) scholarships has been extended to Monday, April 9, 2007. High school seniors and students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate college programs are eligible to apply. Applicants must reside in New Jersey and be a member of NJAR or a relative of a NJAR member. There are now 32 scholarships available, ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 each. Applications must be received at the NJAR office at P.O. Box 2098, Edison, NJ 08818 by 5:00 P.M. by MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2007 in order to be considered. The application is available at www.njar.com/edfoundapp2007.pdf.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Selling Your New Jersey Home In Winter

The prime time to sell New Jersey real estate is in the spring. Flowers are in bloom. The grass is green and everything seems new and shiny. There are generally more buyers in the market. However, winter buyers are serious buyers and there are things sellers can do to to attract the attention of these buyers.

1. Keep walks and driveways free of snow and ice. If buyers have to take their life in their hands trying to navigate through ice and snow, they just might not bother.

2. Make your home warm and comfortable. This is not the time to conserve on energy. If your home is cold, buyers will think your heating system doesn't work properly.

3. Set the mood. Play soft music in the background and bake a batch of cookies. There is nothing like the smell of warm baked goods. And leave a plate of cookies for the buyers.

4. Ask buyers to remove their shoes while touring your home. This conveys a pride of ownership and will and helps keeping your home in 'showing condition' for the next buyers.