Christine O'Shea-Realtor Assoc.~ Princeton NJ and Naples Florida

When I think of Witherspoon Street in Princeton Borough, I immediately think of Princeton Medical Center.

I did not realize that there was a real life John Witherspoon until I took a tour of the Princeton University Campus.

John Witherspoon was one of the signers of the Declaration of Indenpendence along with a being the sixth President of Princeton and from 1786 to 1782 a leading member of the Continental Congress.

Originally from Scotland where he was an ordained minister he came to Philadelphia in August of 1776 and then moved to Princeton.

Central New Jersey, Mercer County is rich in history and our founding fathers contributed to making this country what it is today.

A trip down Witherspoon Street, its shoppes, offices and restaurants will now remind me of the founding fathers of this great country.

This is a shop on the corner of Witherspoon Street and Nassau in downtown Princeton Borough. Once a dorm it is now the home of Hamilton Jewlers.

NATIONS Realtors is now offering on their web site, nationsrealtors.com a no cost, no obligation Homebuyer Education Class. Upon completion of this on line course the participant will receive a Homebuyers Certificate of Achievement.

Now is a great time to purchase a home for a First Time Homebuyer. On July 30th, 2008, President Bush signed a major housing bill creating a new, temporary tax credit to provide an incentive for first-time homebuyers. The $7500 credit will be available for the purchase of a principal residence on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009.

Also available are FHA loans and New Jersey First Time Buyer Programs.

The FHA loan limits vary from county to county in New Jersey.

Invest in yourself, stop paying rent and help keep alive and achieve the "American Dream" of homeownership.

Whether it is new construction or residential re-sales, there is a property out there to fulfill your "real estate dreams", within your budget.

You owe it to yourself.

Today is the dead line in New Jersey to register to vote.

If you are uncertain of your state or location visit justvote.org

The phone number of the Board of Elections for Hunterdon County, NJ is 908-788-1190

The phone number of the Mercer County is 609-989-6494

I am registered to vote, but have moved the past year and am going to personally go to the Board of Elections in the township I reside to register.

• There is something about pulling the lever and stating my choice.
• Also, there are other issues to vote on besides the Presidential vote that are important issues where we have a VOICE.
• Voting is our right as a citizen of the United States of America.
• We can make a difference - REGISTER TO VOTE TODAY

Market Report As of September 30, 2008 Hopewell Borough, NJ

Real Estate Activity for Hopewell Borough, Mercer County, NJ, Residential Real Estate, for the month of September 2008 is as follows:

• 4 properties were listed with an average List price of $415,725.
• 2 properties were sold with an average Sale price of $392,500 and 34 average days on market.
• Inventory Accumulations for the past 12 months; 20 properties with an average list price of $429,374 and an average of 2 months to sell, which leaves 10 properties in inventory.

Interested in seeing current inventory on the market, email me: coshea@nationsrealtors.com for a complete and current list of properties.

Sayen Gardens is located in Hamilton Twp., NJ., in the "Heart" of Hamilton Square. It consists of 27 acres of botantical gardens, paths, a lake, creek and Sayen House.

Located on the corner of Mercer Street and Hughs Drive, this part of the garden is a recent addition within the past 6-7 years. Weddings are performed at this Gazebo and it provides a shady spot for resting during a long walk.

The paths lead from the Gazebo to the Bridge and a creek that runs thru the property.

There are plenty of places to stop and enjoy the scenery or have a picnic, read a book, meditate, and take photos.

The water fountain is a nice addition to the park on those warm days, the double one is great for adults and the little ones.

The Park Entrance leads to the older part of Sayen Gardens. It is open dusk to dawn, pets are not allowed and if you are going to take photos for a wedding, you need to obtain a permit from Hamilton Twp.

This is the brick walkway leading to the rest of the gardens, depending on the season, it is flanked by perenials.

Frederick Sayen Built his home in 1912 with his wife, Anne Mellon Sayen of the Philadelphia Mellon Family. The home is open to the public on Mothers Day and also available for rental for receptions and other events.

The Sayen House is built in a "Bungalow" Style in reflection of the Arts and Crafts Movement that swept the country in the early 1900'a.

This is one of the Gardens to the rear of the house.

Here is the interior Gazebo, another site for weddings and wedding photographs, a quiet place to visit and enjoy the quiet views and flowers.

Fountain inside of the Court Yard by the Gazebo.

There is a large pond in the middle of the garden with a fountain and water flowers on it.

I hope you enjoyed your visit to Sayen Gardens, for more information and photos, visit it on line. It is such a beautiful place, every photo taken of Sayen Gardens will show a different perspective or season of the year. To truly appreciate the gardens, if you are in the area, stop and smell the flowers.

Photos taken by Christine O'Shea

Copywrite Christine O'Shea all rights reserved