Right here in beautiful Sussex County, we have some very valuable but little known real estate. I'm referring to stromatolites - fossils on a Precambrian rock outcrop, which is more than 500,000,000 years old. Stromatolites are one of the oldest living organisms on Earth - and you can meet some right in Hamburg!
The most famous places to view stromatolites are Shark Bay or Coral Bay both in Australia, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and in the Bahamas. While I'd love to visit any of those places, such a trip isn't in my family budget. Probably not in yours either...
So, what about a short ride to explore stromatolites fossils right in Sussex County, NJ? FREE and fun - just you and Mother Nature. Family members of all ages can find something of interest - collecting loose rocks, climbing on boulders, viewing fossils, perhaps spotting some wildlife. Best of all, everyone will get dirty, so wear your sturdy playclothes! Try to locate the "Godzilla's butt print" fossil. Bring a rope to aid climbing. You'll probably want your camera too. Perhaps hike along the Wallkill River, which runs parallel; listen for the waterfall. The Wallkill River stems from the Hudson and empties into Lake Mohawk in Sparta, NJ.
Directions: The Bluffs Active Adult community is at the intersection of Gingerbread Castle Road in Hamburg and Wheatsworth Road in Hardyston. (You probably won't find Bluffs Court via GPS or Mapquest.) We're right between Ballyowen Golf Course and the Gingerbread Castle. At the top of the loop, you can park at the site of the future clubhouse. Voila - stromatolites!
When you visit, please remember that you're in a private community. There are no public restrooms, no trash cans, no benches, no concession stands - simply you and our good Earth. It would be a prime time to practice being concerned environmentally-friendly citizens. And speaking of citizens, all my lovely neighbors and I always appreciate a wave or Hello!
Following are some links to Wikipedia for those who would like some details about terms used and what you'll be seeing. Never hurts to sneak in a little learning!
Outcrop Fossil Glacier Wallkill River
Copyright © 2009, Irene Kennedy, all rights reserved. This post from RealtorIrene Blogs from Sussex County, NJ represents Irene's personal musings.
Considering selling a home or looking to buy one around Sussex County, NJ? Benefit from creative marketing, top negotiating skills and vast real estate knowledge by contacting Irene via the data to the right or HomesIrene.com.
Irene Kennedy, who is a NJ real estate agent with Weichert, Realtors, lives in Sussex County & works from the Hamburg office. Her primary market includes: Augusta, Branchville, Crystal Springs, Frankford, Franklin, Hamburg, Hampton, Hardyston, Highland Lakes, Lake Mohawk, Newton, Ogdensburg, Scenic Lakes, Sparta, Sussex, Vernon, Wantage. With her vast network, however, Irene Kennedy also can help you find an equally talented real estate agent elsewhere.
While there are many more interesting things to do around Sussex County, NJ, for the 4th of July weekend, I still want to give you the option to review the June market data for Sparta real estate transactions. Don't know about you but I prefer to be at Lake Mohawk this weekend...
GSMLS market report for Sparta shows that 19 homes were sold in June 2009, a significant drop given May's high of 29! The list to sale price ratio ticked up slightly - averaging 96% in June. Given the prices, however, this didn't have a major impact on either home sellers or buyers.
As you'll see, the number of listings are up - meaning great choices for buyers who have their eye on Sparta!
Whether you're considering selling your home or purchasing a home in one of Sussex County's fine communities (Lake Mohawk, for example), this is a better time than many folks think. Statistics are a useful overview, but to really understand the outlook for your personal Sparta real estate goals - let's sit down and chat!
Copyright © 2009, Irene Kennedy, all rights reserved. This blog post from www.RealtorIrene.com represents Irene's personal musings.
For several shorts sales in the Sussex County, NJ, area, I've had great interactions with Chase. On Monday, I faxed a best-and-final offer, a net worksheet, copy of check and mortgage preapproval, updated seller financials, etc. Chase has already agreed to a short sale of the property in Hamburg and had 2 interior BPOs done. So, all should be ready to roll.
Wrong!
I just phoned to confirm receipt and learned that the Chase corporation is doing work on or replacing its computer systems. Employees will be unable to access details on any loans until at least July 8. According to the very polite gentleman in the Short Sale department, Chase decided to schedule this conversion to include a holiday weekend.
But one is talking about a least a week! And this does not just apply to the Short Sale section.
Save yourself some agony...
Copyright © 2009, Irene Kennedy, all rights reserved. This blog post from http://www.realtorirene.com/ represents Irene's personal musings.
Considering selling a home or looking to buy one around Sussex County, NJ? Benefit from creative marketing, top negotiating skills and vast real estate knowledge by contacting Irene via the data to the right or http://www.homesirene.com/.
Irene Kennedy, who is a NJ real estate agent with Weichert, Realtors, lives in Sussex County & works from the Hamburg office. Her primary market includes: Augusta, Branchville, Crystal Springs, Frankford, Franklin, Hamburg, Hampton, Hardyston, Highland Lakes, Lake Mohawk, Newton, Ogdensburg, Scenic Lakes, Sparta, Sussex, Vernon, Wantage. With her vast network, however, Irene Kennedy also can help you find an equally talented real estate agent elsewhere.
My nephews, Matt and Sam, moved to Kentucky a few years ago. Since then, I've felt disconnected from them, unable to maintain our special connection. Their family was visiting very briefly but due to my real estate showings, I was only going to have an hour or two with them.
Matt and Sam had other ideas and decided they needed to come to my home for a sleepover party at my distant Hamburg home - before knowing that we'd have hot fudge sundaes for dinner and stay up WAY late watching a PG-13 movie!
Matt and Sam taught me an important lesson. And for that, I am very, very thankful!
GSMLS market data for Sparta homes for sale shows that 29 homes were sold in May 2009! This represents the most closings within the last 6 months. While the average and median sale prices were down slightly, owners still benefited from a 93% list-to-sale ratio. (So did those buying homes in Sparta!)
Whether you're considering selling your home or purchasing a home in one of Sussex County's fine communities (Lake Mohawk, for example), this is a better time than many folks think. Don't let gloomy newspaper reports dampen your hopes - let's sit down and chat about what these MLS statistics might mean for your real-estate plans!
Copyright © 2009, Irene Kennedy, all rights reserved. This blog post from RealtorIrene represents Irene's personal musings.
Considering selling a home or looking to buy one around Sussex County, NJ? Benefit from creative marketing, top negotiating skills and vast real estate knowledge by contacting Irene via the data to the right or HomeIrene.com.
Irene Kennedy, a NJ real estate agent with Weichert, Realtors, lives in Sussex County & works from the Hamburg office. Her primary market includes: Augusta, Branchville, Crystal Springs, Frankford, Franklin, Hamburg, Hampton, Hardyston, Highland Lakes, Lake Mohawk, Newton, Ogdensburg, Scenic Lakes, Sparta, Stockholm, Sussex, Vernon, Wantage.
Covering SUSSEX COUNTY NJ real estate, I help home sellers & home buyers with a WIN-WIN deal. Among areas I cover are: Branchville, Crystal Springs, Frankford, Hamburg, Hardyston, Sparta & Vernon.
You will soon have confidence that someone is taking your real estate investment and requirements very seriously! Based in Sussex County, I'm a full-time real estate agent licensed in New Jersey.
Even though I'm very serious about handling buying a home or selling a home in a professional and respectful fashion, I do enjoy this business and try to make it pleasant for all parties. You gain peace of mind knowing that you have a dedicated, full-time Realtor working for you and with you.
Whether you are considering becoming a full-time resident, a snowbird or a vacation home owner, Sussex County NJ real estate has much to offer. Anyone not familiar with the area might enjoy my series on vacation properties in Sussex County. In various posts, I discuss lake communities & golf course homes (Crystal Springs resort), ski condo options, etc. Future posts will cover Lake Mohawk in Sparta and also our hotel-condos - Appalachian, Grand Cascades, Minerals.
Because I strive to treat each client as if she or he is the only one that matters, I've had success in a wide range of real estate areas. I help buyers "steal" their dream home and have my sellers "pinching themselves to make sure they're not dreaming" - sometimes on the same transaction. I've successfully worked with builders to sell new-home communities.
Many of my recent deals have been NJ distressed properties: short sales and REOs (bank-owned foreclosures); I welcome these and have great results in closing on them. I also know how to determine which distressed properties would be a nightmare for potential buyers.
If I could crawl through the phone line, I'd kiss you!
Owner of a ski-area condo when I reached out to see if she had any interest in selling her unit.
I'm working with buyers who have very specific requirements, not met by current listings. So, I identified condos that do meet my buyers' needs and reached out to the owners. Another owner wants to sell too but he didn't mention kissing me. Guess that would happen when I get him an offer!
Update April 29
That seller I quoted is now even happier, as my buyers submitted an offer on the condo. I negotiated a win-win contract. Closing is scheduled for May 22. Neither side lives locally, so I'll be providing some above-and-beyond services - I am always willing to go that extra mile. My buyers are delighted; my sellers are delighted. And I'm doubly delighted, as I'm sure you can guess.
Happy Ending
For the finale, I have a very special post: Million Dollar Real Estate Service in Sussex County - at a Fraction of that Price.
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