How To Make An Offer On A Hoboken Condo

So you're ready to make an offer on a Hoboken condo! Well, now what? Wondering how the process works?

There are three basic components in the Hoboken and Downtown Jersey City area that realtors and sellers expect to see with a formal real estate offer.

1.- A Written Offer
Sounds obvious? Well sometimes buyers want to make a verbal offer and in this competitive market a verbal offer is not taken seriously. You will need to sit down with your real estate agent to draft an offer. In the offer you will include a few basic points. The price you want to offer, how much you have to put as a down payment, when you'd like to close and any specific additional terms.

 2.- A Good Faith Deposit Check 
All offers are to be accompanied with a good faith deposit check. This is traditionally $1,000 that will be made out to the office which is preparing the offer. The check will be deposit into a specially managed escrow funds that is regulated, and the copy of the check will go alongside your offer. This shows the seller you are serious and ready to make a deal. If your offer is accepted your good faith deposit will be transferred to the sellers attorney account and will then be applied towards your down payment.

3.- A Mortgage Pre-Qualification Letter
This is the third component to a successful offer. Your mortgage vendor will provide you with a pre-qualification letter. Hopefully you've already gotten your letter before you went out house shopping. So chances are your mortgage letter will be a different amount than the house you want to buy. Don't worry. You will want to call your mortgage rep and request a new mortgage letter, showing the amount of the house you want to buy. And the reason we do this, is not to show all your cards. You don't want the seller to know that you can afford significantly more, because that could hurt negotiations. Here are some common FAQ's on mortgages you may want to check out.

Sometimes if the house has multiple offers on it, then your realtor may suggest adding or changing some items to make your offer stronger and more unique. Each realtor will use their own experience in negotiations to assist you getting the house that you want at the best possible price.

Now you're ready to make an offer on a Hoboken Condo! Haven't found the right home? Search for condo's for sale now.

The Windmill Comes To Hoboken | Gourmet Fast Food

Chili Cheese Dog

When I think of summer I think of the Jersey Shore, Asbury Park, The Parker House and yes, the Windmill, or now Hoboken.

The Windmill is a chain of "gourmet fast food" restaurants that started it's reputation at the Jersey Shore and has now made it's way into Hoboken.

We were there to celebrate their 'soft' opening on April 30th. The artist that was commissioned for their mural was there painting celebrities and all things Jersey along the back wall.

The owners were also there to greet customers and offered us a piece of chocolate oreo cake - yummm (but not on the menu!)

Chef At Work

We tried the Cheeseburger, Chili Cheese Dog and Cheese Fries.. 'Twas Delicious! Not greasy, not salty, just plain good summer food.

The Windmill will be open late night on Thurs, Fridays and Saturdays (already confirmed ; )  ) and will also offer delivery for those special lazy nights.

The Windmill is located on Hudson Street - address 79 Hudson St in Hoboken.
Check out www.windmillhoboken.com

Have you been? What did you order!

Downtown Jersey City Real Estate | Update April

Downtown Jersey City real estate update, April has shown a spike in activity with units pending increasing month over month and the days on market decreasing dramatically from those units sold. With just 218 units currently for sale, there is little inventory for the high demand coming from buyers. "They seem to go into contract the minute we want to see them" - Jersey City buyer

Sales
For the month DTJC saw a total of 40 units close. Up from March's total of 34 sales.
From the lowest sold price of $213,500 for a 610 square foot one bedroom at 254.5 9th street with a list price of $214,500, to the highest sold price of $950,000 for a 4 bedroom 3.5 bath town home featuring 5 floors and a list price of $1.025M

The Median List Price for the month was $444,499 and the Median Sold Price was $431,000. The Median Days On Market was 40 days.

Compared with March's Median List Price of $422,000 and Sale Price of $411,500. The Median Days On Market for March was 75 days.


Pending
This same month DTJC saw a total of 41 units change their status to Pending. Also up from March. From the lowest asking price of $199,000 for a 520 square foot studio at Dixon Mills 186 Wayne street, to the highest asking price of $799,000 for a 1185 square foot two bedroom two bath at Hamilton Square 232 Pavonia Ave.

The Median List Price for those units pending was $395,000 The Median Days on Market was just 38 days.

Compared with March which saw a total of 35 units pending and 49 Median Days on Market
March real estate report

Search downtown Jersey City real estate for an update on homes available for sale.

La Vida Single | Living Alone in Hoboken

Part of the awesomeness of owning your own home, or living alone in Hoboken, is the ability to style your place however you want.

Now that I'm married I'm back to collaborating design choices and running ideas past the hubby.. "honey do you like this? HB: "no, please don't hang a heart of red roses on the wall!"

Truth be told, our home would be more much "girlie" if it were just me.

This would be up for every happy hour

Love this in a guest bath!

My heart be still

Um, yes and yes

My favorite flower, so romantic

What do you enjoy most about living alone in Hoboken and having your own place?

Anthropologie in Hoboken | Coming Soon

Anthropologie IS coming to Hoboken! It's confirmed!

I can finally say with assurance that this is true! I originally posted about the deal back in May of 2012 and was then told that the details were not official, but here it is. And yes, RE/MAX Gold Coast was the procuring broker, read the release.

Anthropologie IS coming to Hoboken soon - The commercial space on Washington St that formerly was the house of Blockbuster Video,  to be taken over by the fabulous, bohemian slash shabby chic slash vintage clothing and home accents store Anthropologie!! 

May 2012 Post:
Reports spotted!
http://hoboken411.com/archives/61724
http://theboken.com/hoboken/washington-street-shuffle-big-retail-store-arrivals-anthropologie-and-office-depot-coming-soon/


The store offers the perfect backdrop to house such a huge store. It's over 7000 square feet and two floors.


I've read on a few boards of some residents expressing concern of having such a large name brand presence in town competing with other smaller stores. My feeling is this: anything that was going to take over such a large space had to be a large corporate company of some sort - or another bank.. I'm happy it's not another real estate office.

And, Anthropologie's style is not for every woman, it's very specific. Plus it's not cheap. Take this dress for instance. This pretty little silk number retails for $228 on their website. 

Or this beautiful long Maxi dress with lovely bright print. This one retails for $298 online.

But not all of their dresses are this expensive they have many for less, and many for more.




I personally love the store, not so much for the clothes, although I have my eye on a few pieces in their summer collection, but I absolutely love, love, their home decor accents. I love picking up little vintage door knobs and pulls, bathroom shower curtains, perfume bottles, mix and match plates and candles. Just thinking about it makes me smile!

What do you think? Are you looking forward to them opening ladies? Will you visit Anthropologie once it opens in Hoboken?
I want to know!

Hoboken Arts and Music Festival | Spring 2012

The Hoboken Arts and Music Festival Spring 2012 is almost here! 

On Sunday May 6th the annual festival will happen come "rain or shine" as it reads the Hoboken city website!

We're hoping no rain of course! Starting at 11a.m. and taking over Observer Highway at Washington Street all the way up to 7th street. Hoboken's main swag will be lined with dozens and dozens of vendors and residents plus visitors all walking around, enjoying themselves.

Great street food plus a few gourmet stands as usual, lots of artists displaying art, photography, jewelry, crafts and more all for sale. Plus you can't miss the huge line up of musicians that will be performing throughout the day on different stages throughout.

Just take a look at the jam packed music schedule!  Sadly I'm out of town and will miss the Spring festival but I'll be thinking about kettle corn and fried Oreos - yummm 

Observer Hwy Stage (between Newark St & Observer Hwy)
11;45am – Wyldlife
12:30pm – The One & Nines
1:15 pm – Demolition String Band
2:00 pm – Freedy Johnston
3:15 pm – The Front Bottoms
4:30 pm – The dB’s

Sixth Street Stage12:30pm – Bandwidth
1:10pm – Hannah & the M&MS
1:35pm – Outside the Box
2:25pm – Stephie Coplan & the Pedestrians
3:15pm – Funkaphonics
4:00pm – Emily Turonis
4:40pm – Alexandria Potosnak
5:10pm – Orchestra C2

Children’s Stage (in the Capital One Bank parking lot on 3rd Street)
12:00pm – Chrissy Roberts
12:40pm – Monroe Movement Space
1:00pm – Chrisy Roberts
1:45pm – Hudson Dance & Movement
2:15pm – Hoboken School of Music
2:45 pm – Pre-School of Rock
3:30 pm – Garden Street School of the Performing Arts
4:15 pm – Little Club Heads
5:00pm – Pre-School of Rock

What's your favorite part of the Hoboken music festival? What are you most looking forward to othis Spring 2012? 

Hoboken Real Estate | Condo Market Update | April

My Hoboken Real Estate Condo Market Update For April is here!

Spring Market is in full swing! This months stats show strong activity in new contracts, but inventory is still low making real estate quite competitive .. 

April Sales
For the month there were 57 sales. From the lowest priced unit at 107 Harrisson street for a 450 square foot one bedroom with a list price of $199,900 and a sale price of $189,000 to the highest priced unit at 1125 Maxwell Lane, for a 1915 sq ft 2.5 bed 2.5 bath with direct NYC views and a list price of $2.211,995mil and a sale price of $2.180,995mil

The Median List Price for the month was $459,000 and the Median Sale Price was $435,000. The Median Days on Market Was just 57 days.

April Contracts Pending

For the month there were 70 units change to pending status. From the lowest asking price of $192,500 for probably the smallest condo in Hoboken, a studio coming at 269 square feet; tot he highest asking price of   $1.329Million for a 1774 square foot two bedroom at 1500 Garden Street, Harborside Lofts


The Median List Price for units pending was $539,000 and the !**Median Days on Market was 24 Days.**!

You can see the trend in contracts pending and Median Days on Market that there is a high amount of activity happening and that homes are selling at a significantly faster pace.




News Articles Pertaining the state of the real estate market today
Wall Street Journal - Stunned Home Buyers Find The Bidding Wars Are Back
CNN Money - Buying A Home Won't Get Much Cheaper

If you're looking for a Hoboken condo in the current real estate market you can search for units for sale on my website.