Hey everyone. The community choir I am involved with is always looking for members who want to share in the joy of singing. We are especially in need of tenors and basses, but sopranos and altos are always welcome to audition. Let me know if you know anyone who might be interested!
The Celebration Singers to Hold Auditions
The Celebration Singers, a fifty-member mixed chorus, will hold auditions on August 18 and 25, from 7 PM to 9PM at the Cranford United Methodist at Walnut and Lincoln Avenues in Cranford.
Director Sean Berg encourages interested tenors especially to try out. The choir, open to singers 18 years of age and older, rehearses on Tuesdays from 8 to 10 PM. According to the choir's president, Regina Bielen, "Our goal is to provide quality musical programs that feature a wide range of musical styles, and to present music to those who may not have the ability to see and hear it elsewhere. And it's important that while we do all this, we're having fun."
The Celebration Singers, non-profit cultural arts organization that has been in existence since 1938, presents a winter and spring concert each year as well as performing at nursing homes, hospitals, and municipal events. During the summer of 2008, the Celebration Singers made their first international tour performing in Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Funding for the Celebration Singers is made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council for the Arts, Department of State, through a grant administered by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.
For more information: www.Celebration-Singers.org
I had to do a "double take" this morning when I saw the headline on the front page of the Wall Street Journal "Home Prices Rise Across US" - I wonder when the last time this appeared in a national newspaper!!!
The Journal made reference to the Case Schiller Index which tracks home prices in 20 major markets across the country, and in 13 of the 20 markets, prices showed an increase month over month, and year over year, the decline went frm 18% to 17%, suggesting that the market has stabilized.
Some areas will still be affected by downward prices if more foreclosures hit the market, but I think its fair to say that what I've been suggesting to my local clients this year is true, that our area has stabilized price wise, especially in the first time buyer market. Those of you who have been outbid on a home can testify to that,.
Check out the article at www.WallStreetJournal.com
FIRST TIME HOME BUYER SEMINAR in Berkeley Heights, NJ!!
Take Advantage of the $8000 First Time Hombuyer Tax Credit!
Critical buying steps and mistakes to avoid
How much can I really afford?
Getting the mortgage that's right for you
Protecting your family's future
Free Giveaway's and a take Home Packet
This is a great opportunity to learn about real estate, and ask questions of local professional experts, in a non-sales environment. Seating is limited. For more information and location and time; CLICK HERE or:
RSVP: NJHomeBuyerSeminar@Gmail.com
As I shared in my blog last week, the biggest factor affecting the Cranford NJ Real Estate market right now is inventory. While plenty of homes are starting to go under contract and close, we currently have 98 homes on the market, which is about double what was for sale during the peak of the market in 2005. This means that buyers have tremendous choice, and sellers who price correctly will sell if they are the best looking property in that range. There are, unfortunately, a lot of homes on the market though that have been for sale for a long time, as they are just not priced right.
For a complete list of homes for sale in Cranford NJ, and other fantastic towns, logon to:
http://www.NJAreaRealEstate.com
Sean Carroll - Realtor, Sales Associate
RE/MAX Classic Group
908-898-0800
Here is blog #3 about the numbers in our area. I included most of the towns we service in Union, Essex, Somerset and Morris Counties, excluding the larger markets like Newark, Elizabeth and Plainfield.
In this report, we isolated just the first quarter of this year, and compared it to the first quarter of last year
Total Closed Sales Q1 2008 - 298
Total Closed Sales Q1 2009 195
This is a decline of 34% in total transactions.
This is a VERY drastic drop in sales from last year to this year. The good news is that 195 homes still sold. If you are a seller, make sure your price is fair, so you can be one of the solds and not one of the EXPIREDS.
Buyers, most of those homes that sold were at least 95% of the asking price, so if its priced fairly, make sure your offer is fair if you like the home and don't want to lose it to another buyer. If its priced correctly, it's already a bargain!
More to come.... :)
Sean Carroll
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Team Carroll - We specialize in Cranford, Westfield NJ and surrounding areas as THE local experts on the Cranford and Westfield NJ Real Estate Market. Certified Distressed Property Experts (CDPE)
As a resident of Westfield, NJ, I pride myself on being the local specialist for my neighbors, friends, and new clients in the Cranford, Westfield, Scotch Plains Area. I am a former public school teacher in the Union County area, and the skills I gained as a teacher help me tremendously as a Real Estate Agent.
I believe in providing my clients with as much information as possible. Whether through e-mail searches, online market analyses, or searching the MLS through my website, I believe it is important to give my customers the type of service I would expect from a real estate agent.
I always want to treat people with kindness, courtesy, and respect. By selecting me as your Realtor, I am confident that you will feel as if your needs are my number one priority.
Visit my homepage at http://www.TeamCarrollNJ.com to view properties, and other great free services that I provide for my clients.
If you are looking for a home in Berkeley Heights, Cranford, or surrounding areas, you can receive automatic real estate listing updates by e-mail by logging onto http://www.NjAreaRealEstate.com
Free Comparative Market Analysis by e-mail at: http://www.UnionCountyHomePricing.com
Selling your home in Cranford, NJ? Logon to http://www.Cranfordhomesellers.com for helpful tips to prepare your home for sale.
Sean is a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE). We are passionate about helping homeowners AVOID the devastating consequences of foreclosure.
What Is a CDPE?
The Developers of the Certified Distressed Property Expert Designation (CDPE) believe that in almost all cases the best person for a homeowner in distress to speak with is a well informed Licensed Realtor® that has the tools needed to help that homeowner find the best solution for their situation.
Foreclosure is a devastating financial and emotional process for a homeowner to go through, and in many cases they do so alone and without help of any kind.
An Agent who has earned the CDPE Designation has dedicated their time and effort to understanding the issues distressed homeowners are dealing with. The CDPE Professional is an agent who understands the full range of solutions and is ready to help.
While experiencing financial distress is difficult for any family, the process of finding a real estate professional shouldn't be, Selecting a CDPE agent ensures you are dealing with a professional ready to address your needs.
What Makes Team Carroll the Best Choice for You?
Realtor Code of Ethics
Call Sean Carroll today for all of your real estate needs for Cranford, Westfield, Scotch Plains NJ and surrounding areas.
We just wanted to extend our sincere gratitude to you for all of your efforts and hard work that went into finding us our first home. You were relentless and never lost hope that we would find the right place, even when we thought it was just not meant to be. We cannot thank you enough for all of your support and willingness to be there throughout the entire arduous process. All things considered, we believe that it was you that made it a positive experience for us in the end. We just want you to know that you will be the first person we think of to recommend if any of our friends/family need a realtor! And of course, it goes without saying that we plan to use you for any of our future real estate endeavors. - Erin and Vincent B - Hillsborough, NJ
Keith and I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your outstanding support! Throughout the entire house-buying process we have been impressed with your thoroughness, kindness, honesty, knowledge and willingness to go the extra mile on our behalf.
You offered us an objective viewpoint on each house we toured, thereby helping us with our decisions. Furthermore, we were consistently impressed by your willingness to research our questions and concerns without hesitation.
Your generosity didn't stop there, you also took it upon yourself to take and send us digital pictures of homes we were interested in when we could not make it into town.
We really appreciated how comfortable you made us feel during the whole process. You were expedient in returning our calls, searching for properties, and setting up tours.
In finalizing all the detailed work involved in closing the deal and completing the contracts, you were very helpful and were on top of all closing requirements.
It has truly been a pleasure working with you and we can not thank you enough for all of your effort and hard work.
We will recommend you to anyone looking for a highly effective and reliable real estate
agent. Please do not hesitate to use Keith and me as a reference; we can be contacted anytime!
Best Regards, Keith and Yvonne - Red Bank, NJ
We had seen almost 60 houses when we found Sean. He introduced us to Cranford and showed us all the houses we wanted to see. He was patient, kid friendly and worked diligently for us right up to and after the closing. We still keep in touch with Sean and he is still answering questions and supplying us with info a new home owner needs. - Amy and Rich I. - Cranford, NJ
Just want to wish you a Happy New Year and to tell you how much I appreciate receiving the information you send. You are hardworking and industrious and I hope your earnings reflect this. If I were a business owner, I would like to have only people like you working for me. - Carol G in Summit NJ
You were definitely worth every penny! You really understood me, and what I needed, and I could have never sold my home without you! - Sherry R. in Berkeley Heights, NJ
I would like to express my gratitude and my wife's for all your efforts and patience in helping us along in the process of finding a house that met our needs. Your performance as negotiator was admirable, thereby bringing the other side to accept our offer, not once but twice.
Your opinions and knowledge of the real estate business contributed in grand measure to make the whole process a smooth and palatable experience.
It was pleasant to always find you available with timely communication and updates either by phone or
e-mail. We would certainly recommend you to our friends as the
best buying negotiator and agent that we know.
Best regards,
Jaime and Dennys R. - Rahway, NJ
My husband and I were in the market for a new house so I decided to do some research on line. We had used the same realtor on previous occasions but I felt we needed someone with a bit more enthusiasm for the job. I was surfing the internet when I came across Sean Carroll's advertisement and decided to give him a call.
I was not expecting anything as I am the type of person that prefers to have a recommendation before hiring someone. Not only did Sean promptly return my call but he quickly arranged to meet my husband and me at our house to discuss every aspect of the buying and selling process. Sean stayed for over two hours, answering every question that we had. He never once indicated that we were taking up too much of his time. To the contrary, he made sure that every query we had was answered to our satisfaction before he left. My husband and I decided there and then to hire him as our realtor and it was one of the best decisions we made.
Not only is Sean extremely efficient, he is very enthusiastic about his job, reliable, honest and trustworthy. He never once showed us a home that was out of our budget or out of our desired target area to live. He knew exactly what we wanted and didn't stop looking until he found it. Even when things got a little tense with the sellers of our new home, he was there to smooth things over and to ensure that not only were we happy but the seller also.
In the end the transition from our previous home to our dream home was very smooth and that is all thanks to Sean. In fact at the closing the seller's attorney commented that we had an excellent realtor. He said usually in these situations realtors and attorneys do not get on but that Sean was the exception. He truly went above and beyond what we came to expect from a realtor. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Sean Carroll as a realtor.
Carmel Broderick & Mark McAvey - Cranford, NJ
You are an excellent example to follow in business. You follow up is commendable. You attention to your customer and every detail of the transaction is flawless. Working with you motivates me in my business. I would feel totally confident recommending you to my clients, associates and friends. Well done!
Melanie R. - Scotch Plains, NJ
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