Diane B. Kaplan

Cruise your way to Lower and Midtown Manhattan on board one of SeaStreak’s luxurious catamarans.

SeaStreak provides daily year-round ferry services from Atlantic Highlands and Conners, Highlands to Pier 11 Wall Street and East 35th Street.

Offering indoor and outdoor seating, full service bar, rest rooms and complimentary parking, SeaStreak fast passenger catamarans provide the most civilized commute to New York City!

Highlands NJ is the perfect place to live and commute to NYC by ferry. You can buy a home in Highlands and walk to the ferry. Living at the shore and working in the city is a dream for some people but it can be a reality. Home prices are affordable these days and single family homes and condos are available.

Map Location

Please contact me for a special tour of Highlands and visit some interesting properties for sale.

Schedules and Fares

Weekday to Manhattan

Weekday

Fares

Although we hear over and over the bad news about the economy, there is actually good news for qualified home buyers. If you are entertaining buying a new home, or perhaps thinking about refinancing your current mortgage, you can now lock in some unbelievable interest rates. But, this time around, lenders are being more specific and detail oriented in checking credit scores, income and your home's value. The best deals out there are for those lucky enough to have credit scores above 740 and a substantial downpayment. Do not focus totally on the interest rate; check out the fees, especially when comparing lender to lender. Some lenders will attract you by offering a lower interest rate, but when it comes time to close they will pack on the fees. Be specific when asking your lender about their fees. Tell your lender that you want to know exactly what they are charging you. Ask such questions as - what is the application fee? - what is the appraisal fee? - what is the attorney fee? - etc. For further advice on what to ask your lender, please contact me a Diane@DianeKaplan.com

The worst home selling mistake a seller can make is overpricing. Prices of homes are on the decline and you can estimate a 1% decline per month in home sale prices on average in Monmouth County. In order to get the most for your house in this market, a correct price tag is the key factor. If a house is listed today and does not sell within 30 days, the price will have to be adjusted downward at least 1%. Have you heard the phrase "chasing the market"? This is when a seller prices a property too high and then reduces the price as time goes on. Each time the price is reduced the seller cannot understand why the house still doesn't sell after such a big reduction in price. Can you figure out why this happens? What happens is that every time the seller reduces the price, the market has declined and the reduced price is still not in line with the market. So, if you start out with the correct price you will end up with more in your pocket than if you try to test the market by putting a higher price tag on your property just to see if you will get any takers. Pricing it right is critical in order to get the most money for your house. What is the right price? One important factor to remember when pricing your house for today's market is that you must factor in comparable sales but adjust the price from the contract date of the sold comparison, and not from the date the property actually closed. For further information on "Right Pricing Analysis" please contact me since I specialize in giving home owners the right price for today's real estate market even if it is not what they want to hear. My facts back up my "right price analysis" and help homeowners make wise decisions.

As a real estate representative, I've had the opportunity to help many homebuyers find their ideal homes. Buying a new home is one of the largest financial transactions that most people ever undertake. Because the process can be lengthy and sometimes confusing, I am there to help through every step. My goal is to help buyers find the home of their dreams and also make the home buying experience as easy and enjoyable as possible.

Buying a home now can be rewarding and prove to be a great investment since interest rates are still at an all time low and prices of homes continue to decline. When representing buyers in the purchase of a home, I determine the current market value by using the "Right Pricing Analysis" (RPA) and also assist in the negotiations in order to obtain a great price for the home. There are many factors to be considered when choosing a property to bid on. For example: Is the house vacant? How long ago did the seller buy the home? Is it a foreclosure? When representing buyers, I provide valuable information about homeownership, the real estate market and many other helpful topics by email. In other words, I save my clients time online!

I would be happy to answer any questions about the buying process, financing or, especially, current market conditions. My services include helping buyers find a home, arrange for financing, negotiate the purchase, and handle the details to ensure a smooth closing. I recommend that buyers receive listings of homes for sale via email and SAVE TIME ONLINE! Remember, when you are thinking about buying a home, there are always plenty of questions to ask. Please don't hesitate to call or email me any time. Get your FREE Buyer's Guide by clicking here.

Went to a great workshop regarding the Fall Housing Forecast presented by Jeffrey G. Otteau, State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser, and was surprised by the prediction that the housing market will redirect during the next 15 years from "...drivable suburban to walkable urban self-contained active adult" buyers whereby urban areas, especially those in close proximity to trains, will be the focus for Generation Y (Otteau Seminar, October 2008). Also, prices of homes have been steadily declining at the rate of about a half percent per month since 2005 and are continuing to decline at a rate of about one percent per month.....So in other words, if you are a seller and sell now you will get more than if you wait and sell later. For buyers, the best time to buy is now and if you wait until the bottom of the decline you will be too late. As soon as the real estate market starts to go up the best deals are gone. Another important fact for buying now is that the interest rates are still low - we might even see another rate cut. Pricing a home right is key for obtaining the highest price.....don't be fooled by agents just trying to get your listing by telling you what you want to hear. For a complete "Right Price Analysis" with no obligation contact me.