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If you've been following the housing market, you've probably heard plenty about mortgage rates. For many buyers, today's rates have made affordability one of the biggest challenges to purchasing a home. But there's one financing option that doesn't get nearly enough attention: FHA assumable mortgages . Here's how they work : When a homeowner purchases a property using an FHA loan, that mortgage is often assumable, meaning a qualified buyer can take over the seller's existing

Did anyone else know this was actually a thing? I did not... lol Whether you've spotted inflatable snowmen on front lawns, taken advantage of Christmas in July sales, or just enjoyed an excuse to embrace a little holiday cheer, Merry Christmas in July! Believe it or not, this fun tradition has found its way into New Jersey communities with themed events, local shopping promotions, and even homeowners adding a festive touch to their summer curb appeal. It's a reminder that h

I’m writing this from the back patio of our rental in Lavallette, got my coffee, the sun and my journal with me.  We’ve rented here for years now, and every summer I tell myself the same thing, that one day we’ll own down here, even if I can’t say exactly when. This week I’ve been doing what I always do at the shore, which is walk around and look at every house like it’s a listing. Every summer, it seems like more new constructions take the place of where old little shore

Tomorrow my grandma turns 92, and like clockwork every summer, we’re spending this week down the shore in Lavallette/ Ortley beach, just like we have for the past 10+ years. This week is always more than a vacation for me. It’s become my time to reflect, to journal, and to think about what’s ahead for the second half of the year. I look forward to it every single summer. This year that reflection hits differently. Earlier this year, she had a health scare. It was scary

As our country celebrates America's 250th birthday this year, I've found myself thinking about another milestone that's a little closer to home. This year, our house celebrates its 100th birthday! haha. Built in 1926, this place has quietly stood through a century of changing seasons, growing families, economic highs and lows, world wars, and countless moments of everyday life. It's humbling to think that while we're only temporary caretakers, this home has already welcomed

Ok so you know how every Thursday night and Friday in summer the Parkway turns into a parking lot? Everyone white knuckling it south, hoping to beat traffic that never actually gets beaten... Well there's a new move (for some)... A ferry to the Jersey Shore!! This direct ferry is now running from NYC straight to the Jersey Shore. Where do I get it & Where does it go? The ferry boards at the Battery Martime Building (Slip 5) in Lower Manhattan and lands you right at Captain Bi

Are we really not so far off from this popular MEME becoming our reality in NJ with this latest Bogota listing?! A recent listing in Bergen County has been generating plenty of conversation among local residents, homebuyers, and real estate professionals alike. The property, a newly built one-bedroom, one-bathroom home in Bogota, was listed for $499,000, 16 W. Grove St., Bogota, NJ At first glance, many people were shocked by the asking price. After all, the home is notably s

The Map of Northern NJ Is Quietly Getting Redrawn Most people think about real estate town by town. But what's happening right now in Northern NJ is bigger than any single market and if you own a home here, or you're trying to buy one, it matters. NJ Transit is actively advancing the Environmental Impact Statement for the Northern Branch Light Rail extension, a proposed line that would bring new station stops to North Bergen, Ridgefield, Palisades Park, Leonia, and Englewood,

After years of anticipation, the FIFA World Cup is finally here, and New Jersey is officially at the center of the soccer universe. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford will host eight matches, including the World Cup Final, bringing hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe to North Jersey over the next month. Whether you're a die-hard soccer fan or simply live anywhere near Route 3, Route 17, the Turnpike, or the Meadowlands, the tournament is about to impact yo

You might have seen this one floating around... The New York Post ran a piece a couple months ago with a headline that stopped a lot of people mid-scroll: New Jersey just topped the nation in home price growth and it's not even close. They weren't exaggerating. According to Cotality, a property data firm, home prices across New Jersey climbed nearly 6% in February compared to a year earlier, the sharpest gain of any state in the country. The national average over that same

If you’ve lived in New Jersey long enough, you know one thing for sure: money feels different here.  The conversations around budgeting, saving, and homeownership often sound completely disconnected from the reality of living in a high-cost area like ours. We constantly hear advice about skipping coffee or cutting out takeout as if that alone is going to offset some of the highest property taxes in the country, rising housing prices, commuting costs, and everyday expenses th

Memorial Day weekend is supposed to be one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year. Across America, people spend the holiday racing to mattress sales, loading patio furniture into SUVs, and convincing themselves they absolutely need a new grill because it’s “40% off for this weekend only.” Which is what makes Bergen County completely absurd. Only here can one of the country’s biggest retail weekends arrive while half the stores are closed on MDW Sunday. Every Memorial Da

Long Beach Island may never qualify as a hidden gem to New Jersey locals, but some of its best beaches still fly under the radar. While tourists flock to the more crowded stretches of the Jersey Shore every summer, LBI continues to stand out for offering something different. This is especially true on the northern end of the island, where the pace feels slower, the beaches wider, and the crowds thin out just enough to remind visitors why people fall in love with the Shore. An

If you grew up in Essex County, Morris County, or really anywhere in North Jersey, there is a good chance Livingston Mall holds some kind of memory for you. Maybe it was walking around, going to Lord & Taylor with your mom after dinner just to get out of the house. Maybe it was hanging around with friends on a Friday night with nowhere specific to be, going into Spencer’s, Limited Too, PacSun (major throwbacks, I know). Maybe it was your first job, or getting your photo taken

Newly listed 2-bedroom, 2-bath end-unit condo in Clifton, NJ, offered at $399,900. If you're thinking about selling your home in Northern New Jersey this spring, you're entering one of the most competitive and unforgiving markets in recent memory. Buyers are active, inventory is still tight, and the homes that are priced and launched correctly are moving fast. But here's the thing: a strong market doesn't protect you from a bad strategy. The sellers who leave money on the tab

So I turned 33 last week… and I’ve decided to make something up. You know how your “golden year” is supposed to be when your age matches the day you were born? Cute concept. Love it. But I think we’ve been limiting ourselves. I’m officially expanding the definition. 33 is now my second golden year! (lol) Why? Because the house I grew up in was number 33 and that house and number has always been special to me. It was where I grew up, where all the memories and everyday momen

If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, you’ve probably seen the same message over and over again: buy a rental property, collect passive income, and get rich. It sounds simple, and honestly, it’s appealing, but it’s also one of the biggest misconceptions I see when talking to buyers right now. So let’s take a quick “Mythbusters” approach to it. The idea that rental properties are easy, passive income is probably the biggest myth. While they can become more passive

In this week’s edition of “New Jersey’s Real Estate Market is Insane”… A 5-bedroom, 1-bath home at 5 Inness Place in Glen Ridge was listed for $869,000 and just closed for $1,355,825. Yes, you read that right. One bathroom. That’s nearly $500,000 over asking for a home that, in another market, might have been considered a project or a compromise. So naturally, the question becomes, what is actually driving results like this? It comes down to a few key factors, and none of the

Airbnb is Offering a $750 Incentive if Eligible & Allowed to Host! If you caught our piece on the FIFA World Cup's impact on local housing, here's an update worth paying attention to. Airbnb has just launched what it's calling its biggest new host incentive ever and it's aimed squarely at homeowners in our area. New entire-home hosts in any of the 16 World Cup host cities who welcome their first guests between now and July 31, 2026, are eligible to receive $750. With MetLife

If you’re thinking about selling your home and moving out of New Jersey, there’s one thing that often catches people off guard. The “NJ Exit Tax.” Let’s clear this up right away, because the name is very misleading. There is no actual exit tax for leaving New Jersey. What people are referring to is a required tax withholding at closing that applies to non-residents selling property in New Jersey. It’s designed to make sure the state collects taxes on any profit from the sale.