Manalapan, NJ

The springtime is here and it is a fabulous time to buy real estate!!! Interest rates are really low, and so are the prices. If you are a FIRST TIME HOME BUYER, then you may qualify for an $8,000 tax credit if you purchase a house and close by 11/30/2009! What a deal! I wish I was a first time home buyer!

Now, if you are only concerned about buying at the very, very, very bottom, then you probably won't know what hit you when the prices start going up along with the interest rates. And, there is no guarantee that the $8,000 tax credit will be extended after 11/30/2009.

So, there is no time like the present!

Best wishes!

Phyllis Katz,
Weichert Realtors, 455 Route 9 South, Manalapan, NJ 07726 (732) 536-4400 x 142 (office) or (732) 804-3057 (cell) www.PhyllisKatzsellshomes.com

SHORT SALES 101: The Five "P's" Everyone Needs To Practice When Dealing With Short Sales

"RUMOR vs. REALITY CHECK"

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Real Solutions To Help NJ Homeowners Avoid Foreclosure

(May 2009 edition)

1. PREPARE: Make sure you mentally and emotionally PREPARE yourself for the level of transparency that will be required in order to complete a short sale. This means ultimately you'll be required to share details with your Realtor, your attorney, your CPA and the bank about why you are unable to pay your mortgage. Depending upon your specific circumstances this could include job loss, medical problems or any number of issues. You have NOTHING to be ashamed about!

2. PLAN OF ACTION: As a Realtor who is experienced with short sales in NJ, I can tell you that proper PLANNING is a huge part of successfully executing a short sale. The Realtor you choose to handle your short sale listing needs to have a real MARKETING PLAN to get your home exposed to buyers, as well as a real STRATEGIC PLAN to effectively deal with your mortgage lender/bank. If you are a seller who is experiencing financial trouble, and are considering listing your home with a Realtor as a short sale, please do yourself a favor..research the Realtor before you choose one.

3. PERFECT HONESTY: The only way your short sale Realtor can help you is if you are PERFECTLY HONEST with them about the obvious things about your financial status, as well as the not-so obvious. If you know of additional liens that are currently levied against your home, it's very important that tell your agent in the very beginning.

4. PATIENCE: Short sales typically take a bit longer than most traditional home sales. In order for the buyer, seller and the agents to get what they all ultimately desire (a closed transaction), everyone is going to have to commit upfront to remain PATIENT during the process.

5. POSITIVE ATTITUDE: In addition to being PATIENT, everyone involved in a short sale transaction needs to keep a POSITIVE ATTITUDE. This means the seller of the short sale home and their Realtor needs to support each other as they navigate through this tough process. The buyer's agent needs to regularly check-in on the short sale buyer to make sure they keep a POSITIVE ATTITUDE while everyone waits for the bank to render a decision about approving the short sale. Being pesimistic and negative will only get you frustrated. Keep a POSITIVE ATTITUDE throughout the short sale process, and you will likely wind up with a positive outcome!

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Looking to SELL or BUY a NJ home in Marlboro, Manalapan, Freehold or any of the surrounding areas?

• Find out what a home is REALLY worth first before you BUY or SELL!
• Call me directly at 917-723-5645 or email me here.
• For additional Marlboro, NJ short sale optionsand other real estate listings in Monmouth, Middlesex, Ocean counties & beyond, visit my site at www.AmberLovesRealEstate.com.

AMBER NOBLE-GARLAND

Strategic Marketing Expert & Short Sale Specialist
Weichert Realtors (Marlboro ~ Manalapan office)
455 Route 9 South
Manalapan, NJ 07726
917-723-5645 - cell
732-536-4400, ext 199 - office

"Your Reliable Resource For NJ Short Sales, Real Estate Listings, Local Info & More"

Congratulations to Manalapan Township for being named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation. This is the 18th year that Manalapan has received the national recognition.

See the link below to view the entire article published in the May 6, 2009 edition of The News Transcript

http://newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2009/0506/front_page/080.html

The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit, environmental and education organization of nearly one million members with a mission to inspire prople to plant, nurture and to celebrate trees.

Wanted - Clean, Gently Used Plastic Toys

May 9, 2009

Manalapan Township and Second Chance Toys, an organization that rescues and recyucles gently used plastic toys for needy children, have teamed up to collect your unwanted toys. The YMCA Freehold will distribute the toys to families in need in our county. Your plastic toy donations will be collected and tagged with messages from our children to those less fortunate.

When: May 9, 2009 from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Where: Municipal Court Parking Lot

What: PLASTIC TOYS, CLEAN, NO MISSING PARTS, BATTERIES MUST WORK

Kindly place loose pieces of a set in a plastic bag and tape it to the toy.

"Bridge of Books" Book Drive

May 9, 2009

"Bridge of Books" Book Drive

Saturday, May 9, 2009

9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Drop off location: Municipal Court Parking Lot

The "Bridge of Books Foundation" provides new and used books directly to children and children's organizations.

We accept the following:

New and gently used children books

If a book makes sounds, it must work

If a book has parts, it must be complete

Parenting books

We do not accept the following:

Adult books

Magazines

Textbooks

Encyclopedias

Used coloring books

Used workbooks