Joseph Giancarli

As reported by NJ.com, "The number of residential foreclosure filings in Mercer County was up 39.1 percent in August over the same period last year, keeping pace with a statewide increase of 40 percent, according to the latest figures available from the state judiciary...The August foreclosure figure was 249, up from 179 a year earlier. The August 2009 figure also is up sharply from July of this year, when the county notched 198 foreclosure filings, a 25 percent increase.

"Burlington County foreclosure filings jumped to 289 in August of this year from 206 a year ago. In Monmouth County a striking increase also was seen, to 375 from 268. In Hunterdon County, filings in August climbed to 49 from 42 a year earlier. The statewide numbers are dropping from their high in June when 6,138 foreclosures were filed and July when 5,820 were tallied in July." Mercer and Salem Counties increased in August by the highest percent, and Hunterdon and Passaic decreased by the lowest margins.

Nationwide, the foreclosure crisis affected nearly 938,000 properties in the July-September quarter, compared with about 890,000 in the prior three months, according to a report released by RealtyTrac. That puts foreclosure-related filings on a pace to hit about

Numbers are still high in New Jersey because unemployment figures are still high in the state. Statewide, the numbers are expected to fall below 5,000 in September. While the economy is likely out of recession, the unemployment rate is now at a 26-year high of 9.8 percent, a rate that isn't expected to peak until the middle of next year.

Realize a foreclosure filing doesn't mean the homeowner actually loses the home. State and federal programs are helping thousands renegotiate their loans through mediation offered by the lenders. The article continues, "More than 2,600 New Jerseyans have received counseling through the state's Foreclosure Mediation Program, Gov. Jon Corzine said earlier this month. About 1,450 cases have been completed, and roughly half of the homeowners were able to stay in their homes. The Obama administration also said roughly 500,000 homeowners nationwide have had their loans modified under the federal "Making Home Affordable" program."

As a part of the program, the administration announced an initiative to provide support to state and local housing agencies, said Lisa Ryan, a state government spokeswoman. The new program is aimed at expanding resources for low and middle income borrowers who want to buy or rent a home and provide low mortgage rates.

If you are having trouble making your mortgage payments, realize you do have options to foreclosure. I recently listed a home in Ewing which was a short sale and - because it was priced right - it has gone into escrow in a month. These homeowners will avoid foreclosure because they understood they had to price the home aggressively - there is a lot of competition in Mercer County - and took action early in their financial crisis. Contact me for a free market analysis of your property - let's talk about your alternatives and how you can avoid foreclosure.

Here are the real estate sales in September for the various townships and boroughs in Mercer County, for single family homes. There are a lot of areas in Mercer County, so the easiest way to represent all the homes sold is by place. I can run a similar report for you of condo sales - just let me know if that is your interest. Contact me for details of any Mercer County or Hamilton, New Jersey neighborhood real estate activity.

Real Estate Sales for Mercer County, September, 2009: Single Family Homes

Hamilton Township

83 homes sold in September, with a low of $18,006 and a high of $485,000. 64 homes sold in July, and 69 in August, 2009. This compares to 84 sales in September last year, ranging from $110,000 to $690,000.

East Windsor Township

24 homes sold in September, with a low of $65,000 and a high of $465,000. 15 homes sold in July, and 16 in August, 2009. This compares to 20 sales in September last year, with a range of $78,000 to $580,000.

Robbinsville Township

20 homes sold in September, from $200,000 to $690,900. 9 homes sold in July, and 8 in August, 2009. This compares to 20 sales in September last year, ranging from $202,000 to $984,450.

West Windsor Township

21 homes sold in September, from $242,500 to $812.500. 28 sales closed in July, and 33 in August, 2009. This compares to 20 sales in September last year, ranging from $223,500 to $1,250,000.

Hopewell Borough & Township

14 homes sold in September, from $366,000 to $785,000. 19 sales closed in July, and 13 in August, 2009. This compares to 21 in September last year, from $310,000 to $990,000.

Princeton Borough & Township

29 homes sold in September, from $260,000 to $2,462,500. 28 homes sold in July, and 23 in August, 2009. This compares to 23 in September last year, from $220,000 to $1,675,000.

Ewing Township

23 homes sold in September, from $73,000 to $325,000. 16 homes sold in July, and 17 in August, 2009. This compares to 23 in September last year, from $125,000 to $362,000.

Hightstown Borough

4 homes sold in September, from $236,000 to $305,000. 4 homes sold in July, and 3 in August, 2009. This compares to 4 in September last year, from $166,000 to $403,200.

Lawrence Township

22 homes sold in September, from $115,000 to $1,400,000. 19 homes sold in July, and 25 in August, 2009. This compares to 23 in September last year, from $140,000 to $535,000.

Pennington Borough

2 homes sold in September, $193,500 and $722,500. 5 homes sold in July, and 1 home in August, 2009. This compares to 3 sales in September last year, from $210,000 and $890,000.

Trenton City

39 homes sold in September, from $5,000 to $300,000. 7 homes sold in July, and 8 homes in August, 2009. This compares to 48 sales in September last year, from $16,000 to $333,900.

Mercer County

281 homes sold in September, compared to 214 in July and 216 in August, versus 289 last year in September.

Summary: Hamilton, East Windsor, Robbinsville, Ewing, Lawrence, and Trenton enjoyed increased sales in September. Princeton and Hightstown sales were flat. West Windsor, Hopewell, and Pennington sales decreased. County-wide, the different areas balance out each other this September over a year ago. It is still a strong Buyer's Market.

Registration has now begun for the second annual Central New Jersey Council, BSA Stride for Scouting, a 5K Run/Walk and 1-Mile Run/Walk. All net proceeds from the event, which will take place on Sunday, October 25, 2009 at Thompson Park in Monroe Township, will go the improving programs for the over 18,100 Scouts in the Central New Jersey Council.

The 5K race and fun walk will begin with registration at 11:30 AM in the 675-acre Thompson Park, located in Monroe Township, Middlesex Coungty, NJ. In addition to trails, Thompson Park offers lighted tennis courts, basketball courts, 3 baseball fields, a softball field, a soccer field, picnic groves, a lake and fishing, and performance gazebo.  The Park centers around 30-acre Manalapan Lake. The 5K Stride for Scouting course will take runners through the park, while the fun walk is approximately a 1-mile loop near the lakefront area. An awards ceremony for top finishers in the 5K race will take place immediately following the conclusion of the race.

The Central New Jersey Council of the Boy Scouts of America stretches across New Jersey, from the Delaware River to the Atlantic Ocean. Scouts can experience farms and open spaces of Warren and Hunterdon counties, the suburbs of Mercer County, and the busy activity of the capital city of Trenton, the urban areas and the Atlantic Shore in Middlesex county.  The Council owns two camping reservations: Yards Creek Scout Reservation (YCSR) and Kittatinny Mountain Scout Reservation (KMSR).  KMSR offers summer camp and facilities for four-season camping.  YCSR offers limited short-term camping, and it is good base camp for units hiking the Appalchian Trail or canoeing the Delaware River.

Monroe Township and Middlesex County offer a vibrant lifestyle for all ages.  Visit my blog post on a listing I have in the Clearbrook 55+ Community (reduced to only $119,900), and use the widget below to search other homes for sale in Monroe Township.  Give me a call or email when you want more information about relocation to central New Jersey, or investing in our New Jersey lifestyle.

The Lawrence-Hopewell Trail project got a boost with the recent announcement of a $275,000 grant awarded by the state Department of Transportation. Once completed, the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail would provide more than 20 miles of multipurpose trails in a loop connecting Hopewell and Lawrence townships. To date, more than 50 percent of the trail has been finished, and a final completion is scheduled for 2012.

While the trail makes a number of road crossings as its winds through Mercer County, this particular crossing presents a unique situation. "In some cases, the trail crosses sleepy little farm roads. In other cases, since we're talking about highly developed Mercer County, they cross busy roadways," said Bob Friant, acting project manager for the Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corp. "The crossing at Pennington-Rocky Hill Road is one of the most difficult we have in terms of safety." This money will be used to construct safe crossings at this trail junction.

Friant said it was important for people to see the DOT supporting alternative modes of transportation. "The New Jersey DOT does distribute dollars for bike pedestrian trails," Friant said. "Bicycle and pedestrian trails are not just recreational amenities, they are also transportation networks. More and more people are using bicycle trails to commute to work, particularly as gas prices go up. They're taking down their bicycles that have been hanging in the garage and they're using them."

Our Mercer County Trail system is just one example of Mercer County, New Jersey's commitment to offering residents choices, in recreation, in energy alternatives, in lifestyle. Mercer County Park alone offers 2500 acres of bike-accessible public land. Consider joining SMART , Save Mercer & Ride the Trails, a local volunteer trail-maintenance group. Here'a another great group to visit - NJ Hiking.

From the open fields of Mercer County Park Northwest to the lush wooded grounds of Herrontown Woods, Mercer County Park Commission boasts miles and miles of trails nearly 10,000 acres of open space. Ask for my free Relocation Package and consider coming Home to New Jersey.

RE/MAX International, Inc. recently announced a partnership with California-based iQual Corporation. The company's product, the ApprovalGUARD^TM Service, is designed to help consumers understand and manage their credit profile. The terms of the partnership will allow RE/MAX to provide consumer credit information and articles written by professional credit experts on real estate website remax.com.

"Consumers have always found it difficult to understand their own credit, but in today's market many are also finding it harder to qualify for credit, and are looking for resources to help them proactively manage their personal credit profile," said Marnie Blanco, Vice President of eBusiness at RE/MAX International.

"Remax.com is a one-stop hub of consumer resources and information on everything from preventing foreclosure and choosing a contractor, to finding an experienced agent in your neighborhood. Now, our partnership with iQual will allow us to provide consumers with a host of easy-to-read articles to help consumers become experts on their own credit health," explained Ms. Blanco.

Visit ApprovalGuard.com for more information. The ApprovalGUARD Service is the first and only service of its kind. Each ApprovalGUARD customer is assigned a personal credit coach to help them understand, evaluate and optimize their credit and debt profiles. The service additionally provides each Full Service customer with credit reports, credit scores, continual informative credit tips and education, and tools to more effectively manage and analyze their credit and debt profiles.

This new service is one more innovative, cutting-edge tool RE/MAX offers to keep you, the customer, up-to-date in the real estate process. Contact me for information about obtaining a mortgage in Mercer County, or to speak with a lending professional. If you are concerned that you might fall behind in your home payments and damage your credit, don't wait to contact a Realtor. You have options to foreclosure.

As a RE/MAX sales associate, I will help you through every part of the buying or selling process in Hamilton NJ or Mercer County, and the surrounding areas. As technology changes, you need the support of a professional who can help you use these tools to your best advantage.