Ringoes is located in East Amwell Twp., NJ, Hunterdon County. East Amwell Township is located on the southeastern corner of the county bordering Somerset and Mercer Counties.

Rich in history and beauty, East Amwell Township is mainly a farming community. It is also the home of two vineyards, Amwell Valley Vineyard and Unionville Vineyard, both of which are to host the "Walk in the Vineyards Wine Trail Weekend" this coming weekend, July 12^th and 13^th.

The town of Ringoes is charming, featuring historic properties. Old York Road was a Lenape Indian trail and later in 1764 became a Kings Highway, which was a main stage route between Philadelphia and New York.

The Harvest Moon Inn was originally constructed as the Amewll Academy, built in 1811. It is considered one of the finest examples of Federalist architecture in the state of New Jersey.

The Black River and Western Railroad runs on the weekends. The train runs every Saturday and Sunday to and from the Flemington Station. You can visit their web site for a discount coupon.

Ringoes is also the home of the Marion F. Clawson Memorial Park, which features two playgrounds, tennis courts, a pavilion, rest rooms, softball and baseball fields and walking/jogging trails. Dogs are allowed on leash and the park is open from dawn to dusk.

A lovely area with rolling hills and vistas as far as the eye can see.

The housing market, as scraped by media and the reality nowadays, has been severely afflicted in the past 2 years, and sees little indication for the way to upturns sooner or later. Its overheated market culminated in the 2nd quarter of 2006, long after a flurry of warning signals had inundated here and there.

As shown below, Bergen County saw a dramatic plunge in sales volume in a year (-59% for 7/2006~7/2007) and another similarly worse year (-68% for 7/2007~7/2008) compared to the 1-year average of previous 3 hot years between 7/2003 and 7/2006.

During the same period, Palisades Park took a little different route to this hardships. As its condomized duplex market still hung in there to an extent with only 30% decrease, the total residential sales downed by 52% in a year. But in 2 years, its condo market followed the suit and the sales went down by 74%. This lagged but steeper slowdown in sales volume in the 2nd year (7/2007~7/2008), conceivably, may arise out of the stereotyped price temcency and the unwillingness to make a compromise with the reality.

The congestive inventories waiting for sale were abosorbed in part by rentals. Leased properties in this period soared by 38% in a year and 46% in 2 years in Bergen County, comapred with 52% in a year and 44% in 2 years in Palisades Park, vs. the 1-year average of previous 3 hot years between 7/2003 and 7/2006.

The market sensitivity these days seems to go high, as the players feel it. Dare to say, it wouldn't be wise to hold on to one's own deja vu with antennae folded. Watch out for the alive market!!!

***Charts are based on the New Jersey MLS data.

Princeton's Battle Monument is within a stones throw of our Nations office on Nassau Street in Princeton Boro. It sits at the entrance to Boro Hall and is adjacent to Morven.

This beautiful stone monument commemorates the January 3, 1977 Battle of Princeton and depicts General George Washington leading his troops to victory and the death of General Hugh Mercer.

The monument was commissioned in 1908 and designed by sculptor, Frederick MacMonnies of prominent Beaux Art, with the assistance of architect Thomas Hastings.

In 1922 the monument was dedicated and President Warren G. Harding was present. Nighttime illumination was planed; however, it was not until 2007, 85 years later, that the lighting work finally got underway with fundraising from the Princeton Parks Alliance.

In September 2007, the monument was re-dedicated and the lights were turned on for the first time.

This is truly a magnificent monument, one that must be seen up close to truly appreciate.

Here's what I'm thinking: the following sales statistics for the town my office is located in (Plainsboro, NJ) look very encouraging. You can see that the 'months of inventory' show that at the current rate, we have only 5 months worth of home inventory. That is about as good as you can expect in all but the most overheated markets. Average days on the market are also very reasonable and actually show a more favorable trend this month over last month. And just look at the number of pending sales this month (19) versus the number of units listed (25). That is great news for the market here in general.

However, many buyers are still reading the newspapers and listening to the TV news and think that we are in the same boat as whoever the newsmen are talking about. Yes, prices are generally lower than in the past few years, interest rates are favorable and we may very well have hit bottom (probably late last year?) So, I've said it before and I really believe that buyers who buy this year in Central Jersey will look back in a few years and say "wow, we were the lucky ones. We really timed it right."

Monthly Statistics for the Date Range Selected

Inventory Accumulation for the Last 12 Full Months

*Current Inventory is based on the actual available properties on the date this report was created.

**Average Monthly Sales is the average sales for the last 12 full months

***Inventory accumulation (in months) = Current Inventory Units / Average Monthly Sales Inventory Accumulation figures are only calculated when Report End Month is the current month

© Copyright 2008 TREND MLS - Information Deemed Reliable but Not Guaranteed. Printed 6/20/2008 4:07:28 PM

The Atlantic City area is in a sweet spot of the nation's real estate market, according to first-quarter price and sales figures released Tuesday by the National Association of Realtors.

Median home prices increased 4.8 percent in the Atlantic County market from the first quarter of last year, better than the 3.2 percent price rise for the Northeast region. Meanwhile, home prices dropped 7.7 percent nationwide for the period.

And New Jersey was one of just three states (besides Indiana and Alaska) where home sales increased from the year-ago period, rising 4 percent to 169,600 units sold in the first quarter. Nationwide, sales fell 22.2 percent and in the Northeast as a whole dropped 23.9 percent.

Lester Argus, president of the Atlantic City & County Board of Realtors, said the figures match what he's seeing in the area.

"All of the Realtors I've talked to are doing a lot more business than they were six months ago," Argus said. "My office (Argus Real Estate in Ventnor) itself is very busy. ... With interest rates as low as they are and prices the way they are, I think it's going to pick up even more."

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For Ian Lazarus, president of the Cape May County Association of Realtors, the first-quarter figures suggested the declining home resale market has pretty much bottomed out.

"That's telling me the worst is probably behind us," Lazarus said. "I don't know if the market is done dropping, but I do know that we're closer to the bottom than the top."

He said price reductions lately have been yielding quick sales, and more buyers are waiting for a signal that prices have stopped falling.

"I'm now working with 15 to 20 buyers, and as soon as they feel the market has built in some kind of floor, they're going to buy," Lazarus said.

To the state Realtors association, the performances of New Jersey and the Atlantic City area prove its longtime contention that the depth of the housing slump depends on the region.

"It's worth saying again, all real estate is local," said Drew Fishman, state association president and broker with ReMax Atlantic in Northfield. "National trends don't necessarily translate to every market."

Lazarus, who is also president of the Landis Co. in Sea Isle City, said the inventory of homes available in that city has shrunk from 375 units a year ago to about 290 now, reducing choices. "People are saying, I want one like my friend got last year," he said. "Well, that's not there now."

Home prices dropped in two-thirds of the 149 metropolitan areas surveyed by the National Association of Realtors. The national median price - one at which half of homes sold for more and half for less - dropped to $196,300 from $212,600 the year before.

The Atlantic City metro area - all of Atlantic County - saw its median home price rise from $264,600 to $277,400 during the same period.

Home prices nationwide might be stronger than the survey suggests, according to NAR economist Lawrence Yun, because difficulties lining up jumbo mortgages may have held down sales of houses in the high end of the market.

Two other housing price surveys - from the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight and Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller Home Price Index - track price changes at particular properties to make comparisons between quarters more accurate. Those surveys, which come out later this month, have indicated a weaker housing market.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported Tuesday that 36 professional forecasters it surveyed believe those home price indexes won't stop declining until the second quarter of 2009, and won't turn positive for the year until 2010.

To e-mail Kevin Post at The Press:

KPost@pressofac.com

One of the services we provide at Team Carroll is a business referral directory, that will be going online in the next 3 weeks. Once per month, we will feature a local Cranford NJ area business, and a short description about what they do in our monthly mailings that you've been receiving. This referral directory will be online and available to our clients, and businesses, because we would much rather refer you to quality businesses locally who have been referred to us, than have you open the yellow pages, or google someone, only to not receive excellent service.

Right now, we are pleased to feature Dave Weichert of Magical Travel. For those of you who love Disney, or want to take a Disney Vacation anytime soon, I HIGHLY recommend speaking with Dave, and letting him take the stress out of your vacation planning, and get you a great deal on your Disney Vacation. See below for a detailed description and contact information for Dave. Thanks for reading!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dave Weichert - Disney Vacation Specialist

I'm a Disney Vacation specialist working and living in Cranford. I can meet you to discuss your Disney Vacation or do everything over e-mails. I try to take all of the confusion and stress out of planning your Disney Vacation at no cost.

Just a little about me. I'm a graduate of the College of Disney Knowledge. I have personally stayed at 6 different Disney resorts and have dined at almost every restaurant in Disney World. I can offer advice on trip planning - including where to stay, what to do, where to eat, all tailored to your budget, personal preferences, and the ages of your children (and maybe more important their personal preferences).

I'm a member of CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), meaning I have taken and continue to take continung education cources on vacation planning and cruising.

I'd like to help plan and book your next Disneyworld, Disneyland, Disney Cruise or Adventures by Disney vacation at the best possible price. Here are some reasons for using my services:

· I give you Disney Dollars for land packages and Shipboard credits for Disney Cruise packages - to be used as cash at any Disney destination or store

· I simplify your life by booking your complete vacation including resort stay, airlines, Disney meal plans, and park passes

· We check DAILY for new discounts. When specials are announced, we immediately check availability and re-book your vacation at the lower price whenever possible.

· I can book all your Disney dining and will do my best to get hard-to-book reservations such as Cinderella's Royal Table

· I'm easy to work with, and will do my best to make sure you are satisfied.

Working with me, you are likely to pay less and get more. There is never a charge for my service. Magical Travel is a full service agency, an authorized Disney Vacation Planner, and a member of all the important-sounding travel associations (IATA, CLIA, OSSN). If you have already booked a trip directly with Disney. Your reservation can be transferred and you will be able to receive Disney Dollars!

Dave Weichert disneydavew@verizon.net 908-709-4199 Let me help you plan your next Disney Vacation or Cruise....ask me how to get free Disney Dollars!

Today marks the first day of Summer but those in Sea Isle City last Saturday would have to say it already started. With Skimmer Weekend drawing such a large crowd, Sea Isle City has already started celebrating the season. This past week my family and I kicked off summer with a night of crabbing (we caught five and promptly cooked them), had Mack-n-Manco pizza(Ocean City), ate some taffy and walked the promenade. Shops opening their doors for the season, beach badge checkers and Maryann's donuts..... Yes, summer has begun! Enjoy!

Ana O'Callaghan was named May Associate of the Month for the Ridgewood office, a Marron, Gildea & Donohue spokesperson announced today. O'Callaghan completed over $1,000,000 in real estate transactions in a recent 17-day span during late April/Early May. She is currently working with over a dozen active clients and she is in serious negotiations on 3 different properties.

"Ana is a team player in the truest sense of the word," said Aloysius Donohue, a managing partner at the firm. "She goes the extra mile not only for her clients but also for the other agents in our office and she is always the first person to offer a helping hand to anyone who needs it."

O'Callaghan settled in Ridgewood 8 years ago with her husband and young daughter and is very active in the Ridgewood community. Ana entered real estate several years ago after a successful career in corporate America and quickly became an extremely successful agent. Ana attributes her quick rise up the real estate ranks to her customer centered approach, her thorough understanding of the Ridgewood market and her ability to make use of technology to stay in constant touch with her clients.

"Things are just crazy right now," said O'Callaghan. "It's hard to keep up with everything that is going on but I guess that is a good problem to have - especially in this market. The management here at Marron, Gildea & Donohue have really helped me grow my business. In fact, the two homes that I just closed on were leads that were supplied by the office".

Aloysius "Al" Donohue is Ridgewood Resident with two young children in Ridgewood Schools, an award winning REALTOR® and a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist with a focus on Ridgewood real estate. For more information on Ridgewood real estate you can contact Aloysius Donohue at 201.906.3287 or aldonohue@marrongildea.com.

Click here for more information about Ridgewood NJ

Click here for more information about Ridgewood Real Estate

Hi,

Here are the latest Sold Properties in South Amboy as of January 1st,2008.

ADDRESS TYPE BEDS # FBA ½ BA DINING ROOM LIST PRICE SALE PRICE

72 RARITAN REACH 2/STORY 3 3 1 FORMAL 1,099,000 971,380

28 LIGHTHOUSE DR 2/STORY 4 3 0 FORMAL 850,000 815,000

2 CAMPBELL ST CAPECOD 3 2 339,123 329,000

314 FIFTH ST SPLIT 3 2 0 FORMAL 329,000 285,000

145 STOCKTON 2/STORY 3 1 1 FORMAL 300,000 267,500

395 RARITAN ST 2/STORY 2 2 0 FORMAL 285,000 275,000

CATHERINE ST 2/STORY 3 2 0 FORMAL 280,000 280,000

242 ELM ST 2/STORY 2 1 1 269,900 260,000

308 DAVID ST 2/STORY 3 1 0 FORMAL 245,000 220,000

318 DAVID ST 2/STORY 3 1 1 FORMAL 244,900 225,000

208 GEORGE ST 2/STORY 3 2 0 FORMAL 239,000 235,000

341 SECOND ST 2/STORY 3 2 0 185,800 180,000

120 HENRY ST 2/STORY 2 1 0 169,999 115,000

I hope this helps someone!

Ryan Tooker