Mount Holly Township, NJ

This article comes to you from my sister, Lisa Rose, who is my "Guest Blogger." Lisa is also a life-long resident of Burlington County and loves to shop!

It never fails. There will come a crisp evening every September when someone in my family will walk through the front door and say,

"It smells like Halloween." No explanation is necessary. We just say, "Awww, it does?"

Translation: It smells just like it did when were trick-or-treating 35 years ago with the smell of fireplaces and leaves.

There is something special about the Fall. It is a time to celebrate the year's harvest and prepare for the cold winter ahead. It's also a reminder of the upcoming holiday season.

Burlington County offers a variety of Fall Festivals, Craft shows, and Halloween activities for the whole family:

One year my sister and I stumbled upon the Cranberry Festival on Farnsworth Avenue in historic Bordentown City. I found a footstool made of an old Pepsi crate and always keep it in front of my favorite rocker. This year's festival is on October 3 and 4. They offer hundreds of crafters, food vendors, a classic car show and children's events.

October 10th, visit the historic Kirby's Mill in Medford for the Apple Festival and try some home-churned apple ice cream, apple cider donuts, apple cobbler and more! Over 100 artists and crafters will have display booths with one-of-a-kind items for your early holiday shopping. Musicians will serenade you while you enjoy this fabulous annual event!

October 10 is also the Fall Home Brew Contest in Mt. Holly at the High Street Grill for tasting and judging the People's Choice, see who the professionals pick, beer tickets and a fall inspired buffet.

The Witches and Wizards Costume Ball is for adults who want to get into the Halloween spirit with fire dancers, palm and tarot readings, ghost stories, and a costume contest. Held at Mill Race Village in Mt. Holly on October 15.

The Historic Prison offers Haunted Tours from October 9 to the 31st.

Enjoy live music at the Celtic Café Concert on Union Street at the Friend's Meeting Hall on October 16 in Medford.

Octoberfest is to be held in Haddonfield on October 17 with over 100 crafters, vendors and skateboard demonstrations. Stop by the Haddonfield Farmer's Market for some fresh produce before you head home.

In neighboring Chatsworth, The Annual Cranberry Festival is October 17 and 18th with crafters, vendors and antiques.

My cousin informed us of a wonderful mission project. The International Gift Sale held on October 18 and sponsored by Faith Presbyterian Church in Medford, helps sell handcrafted items to support the international economy for struggling countries. It's the perfect place to find unique Christmas presents and holiday décor and it's for an excellent cause!

October 18th 9am is the Fall Foliage Family Float Festival! (Say it 3 times real fast) Smithville is offering free canoes and kayaks for all of the family to enjoy the foliage views from the Rancocas Creek. Don't forget to check out the re-enactments and Star cyclists.

October 25th Bordentown: Check out the Halloween Parade, a Ghost Walk, and Bordentown's House Decorating Contest.

No matter how you spend your free time this Harvest season, be sure to walk outside on a crisp autumn night and take in the fall air and know that it smells like Halloween.

Mt. Holly's Historic Prison

Michele Rose is a Realtor and Professional Home Stager in Burlington County, NJ. She has been assisting both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs for the last 5 years. In 2007, she formed Rose-Colored Staging to help sellers market their homes with professional home staging.

Let me introduce you to Carl and Lisa. They have been married for three years, are expecting their first child, and lived in a one-bedroom apartment. It was time to buy a house!

Now let me share with you some key steps they took in their journey to homeownership, steps that ensured they got their dream home:

•· They made sure they were financially secure. For three years, Carl and Lisa have rented a one-bedroom apartment and lived below their means, saving for the day they would buy a house. The payoff: They had a healthy down-payment at closing, negotiated for closing costs from the seller, and had enough left over to purchase necessities such as appliances and furniture.

•· Their timing was perfect. With baby expected the end of June and their lease not up until May, they could comfortably close the end of March. The payoff: Having that goal in mind helped keep them on track for finding their home. Within just a few weeks, their home was found and we successfully closed the end of March, giving them the luxury of taking their time to move in-- a big stress relief!

•· They knew what they wanted. She knew she wanted a formal dining room; he knew he wanted a basement. We sat down together and talked about what they pictured in their "dream home." Her real dream: a Victorian style home with a front porch. They knew they would not likely get everything they wanted, but we kept these things in mind in our search. The payoff: They purchased a totally renovated Victorian-era farmhouse complete with a wraparound porch and they are in love with it.

•· They assembled their "dream team." Their mortgage representative was a recommended trusted friend with a reputable, local bank so their financing was secure. Prior to placing an offer, we went back for another look, this time with a few friends in tow. They brought their electrician friend, a friend who does insulation, and one who does flooring, all with varying degrees of construction knowledge. Once under contract, they hired an experienced licensed home inspector who was knowledgeable about older homes. The payoff: There were no big surprises at the home inspection and they knew exactly what they were buying.

•· They wrote a letter to the seller. If there is a chance a home has other offers, I encourage my buyers to write a letter to the seller when submitting an offer. Their letter introduced themselves to the seller, explained their situation, and shared their hopes and dreams for their new life in his home. The payoff: The letter helped my buyers keep focus as to what this house meant to them. The seller, having never received a letter like that before, was extremely touched. All negotiations after that went very smoothly. The seller agreed to make all repairs according to the home inspection, and at closing gave my buyers old pictures and history of the house, making this a very friendly transaction.

Carl and Lisa did not find a perfect home, but they found the home of their dreams. They are slowly moving in and making the new house their home. Lisa told me the other day that when there is a day she does not go to the new house, she feels a little sad! They are totally in love with it and looking forward to settling in soon, in plenty of time for baby's arrival.