Martinsville, NJ

Occasionly I think about the wonderful trim work that was installed on my Somerset County home in Martinsville, NJ when I contracted Fine Homes Construction to do the work. I was so pleased with the way things turned out and the quality of the workmanship, that I'd like to share it with other local realtors and homeowners that live in Somerset County area.

Henry Calvo, who is the owner of Fine Homes Construction resides in Manville, NJ. He is one of the finest hands on building contractor I know. He did the trimwork on my home that consisted of exterior and interior door and window casings, crown moldings, and a remarkable coffered ceiling. He and I discussed the ideas I wanted implemented and together designed all the trim details on site.

I am happy to say the custom home project turned out exceptionally well, as was evidenced by Henry Calvo's genuine artistic flair. The hidden details, such as the proper use of glued and nailed components, were done to ensure that the installations would last for a long time. After the trimwork was done, I also had Fine Homes Construction install my CWP custom kitcnhen cabinets. Everything went well and Henry displayed his flair for installing custom cabinetry again.

Additional Henry spoke to me about the painting that still needed to be applied on the doors and trim. I, myself, have years of experience doing normal painting, but little did I know I was about to recieve an education in high end painting. Painting is one of the most important aspects of a house.

To make the trimwork turn out the way it should the painters needed to use the best paint, caulking and nail filler material available. This makes all the difference in the world. And this is where some home owners go wrong, where they would rather save the money and do the work themselves but later finding out that there was much more to finishing woodwork than they expected. Thanks to the painting crew that Henry recommended, the job turned out to be superior quality. This is the coffered ceiling that Henry created. As you can see the ceiling turned out picture perfect and quite impressive.

Fine Homes Construction is licensed in New Jersey and also does a variety of installations such as installing kitchen cabinets, built-ins, bathroom upgrades, decks, additions, power washing and handyman services.

Don't hesitate to give Henry a call. He will be happy to assist you every step of the way. Estimates are free of charge. Phone: 732-356-8927 or 908-307-4445.

Living in Somerset County for many years has been a wonderful experience. With the nicer weather upon us, I'm sure that most folks are eager to take a drive and enjoy viewing the beautiful country side. Somerset County offers a wonderful landscape of hiking areas and other recreational activities. There also is a more than ample deer population that has been here living here for many years.

If you are new to the area and scouting around the countryside for a new home or just out driving to one of the many shopping areas here in Somerset County, please be aware of the huge deer popuation we have . During the day deer are fairly easily to spot. If you see a deer that is crossing the road ahead of you, be aware that more animals may follow, as they tend to move one behind the other. I would caution you to gently slow down and double check that there are no more deer around.

As I presently own a home in the Martinsville area of Somerset County, I do travel back and forth quit often and practice safe driving habits as often as possible. There is a device called "deer whistlers" that can be attached to your car that emit a whistle sound that deer can hear quite distinctly. I have noticed while passing deer along side a road that their ears go up and they are alerted that something new to their environment is arriving. Though not a 100% cure, my personal opinion is that these deer whistle devices do work and do help. And I think they would be most beneficial when traveling at night where one's visibility is limited. These devices can be easily attached to the grill area of an automobile using the self stick tape that is provided in the kit. Incidentlly these whistles are quite cheap and easily available either in a sporting goods store or over the internet.

Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in October were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 552,000.

This is 4.0 percent (±1.9%) below the revised September rate of 575,000 and is 24.3 percent (±1.9%) below the October 2008 estimate of 729,000.

Single-family authorizations in October were at a rate of 451,000; this is 0.2 percent (±1.0%)* below the revised September figure of

452,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 85,000 in October.

HOUSING STARTS

Privately-owned housing starts in October were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 529,000. This is 10.6 percent (±8.7%) below

the revised September estimate of 592,000 and is 30.7 percent (±8.3%) below the October 2008 rate of 763,000.

Single-family housing starts in October were at a rate of 476,000; this is 6.8 percent (±7.5%)* below the revised September figure of

511,000. The October rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 48,000.

HOUSING COMPLETIONS

Privately-owned housing completions in October were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 740,000. This is 1.9 percent (±12.4%)*

above the revised September estimate of 726,000, but is 29.9 percent (±9.7%) below the October 2008 rate of 1,055,000.

Single-family housing completions in October were at a rate of 528,000; this is 10.7 percent (±14.5%)* above the revised September

figure of 477,000. The October rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 200,000.

New Residential Construction data for November 2009 will be released on Wednesday, December 16, 2009, at 8:30 A.M. EST.

Read more: http://www.census.gov/const/newresconst.pdf

Paul Stillwaggon, For All Your Real Estate Needs Contact New Jersey Estates Real Estate Group E-mail: njestates@gmail.com Web: http://www.newjerseyestates.net 908-561-5492 (Paul S) 908-310-1358 (Cell)

NJ Estates Real Estate Group Weichert Realtors 908-561-5492 55 Stirling Road, Watchung, N.J. 07069

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Cutting your own Christmas tree is a fun holiday activity. You can find Christmas trees at New Jersey tree farms from our list below. But make sure you do it right so you don't wind up feeling "Grinchy"! Tips Below.

Tips for cutting down your Christmas tree from tree farms around New Jersey:

First, don't just head out into the woods and make like Paul Bunyan - that's illegal. A local New Jersey tree farm will have much nicer, fuller Christmas trees due to the pruning and care they receive over the years.

Go early. Waiting until the night before Christmas to get your tree may leave you trekking across lots of empty spaces filled with the "ghosts of trees past" in New Jersey tree farms.

Bring a handsaw (some farms will loan you one). Chainsaws and axes are usually not allowed at most New Jersey tree farms. You'll want to cut it as close to the ground as possible, in order to have enough trunk to give it a second cut when you get home. The second cut allows the Christmas tree to soak up water, THE key to keeping your tree fresh through the holidays.

Most Christmas tree farms around New Jersey will put mesh around your tree; leave it on until you're ready to set it up at home.

When you get the tree home, tap it on the driveway to shake off the loose needles from the tree, then give it a second cut and set it in a bucket of water. Once its in the house, keep the temperature a little lower, around 65 degrees or so. This will keep your freshly cut New Jersey Christmas tree looking and smelling fresh throughout the parties, presents and holiday fun.

Paul Stillwaggon, For All Your Real Estate Needs Contact New Jersey Estates Real Estate Group E-mail: njestates@gmail.com Web: http://www.newjerseyestates.net 908-561-5492 (Paul S) 908-310-1358 (Cell)

NJ Estates Real Estate Group Weichert Realtors 908-561-5492 55 Stirling Road, Watchung, N.J. 07069

Equal Housing Opportunity

Current Listings Info
Luxury New Homes
Custom Build A New Home
Land & Building Lots
New Jersey Estates
All New Jersey Homes
Real Estate Listings Blogs
Real Estate Info Blogs
Open Houses & Directions
Our Testimonial Letters
Going Green/ Complete Info