Wine N Dine At The W Hotel For Haiti

This Thursday night, February 25th, the W Hotel Hoboken is sponsoring, in conjunction with Party With Purpose, a fundraiser to benefit Haiti. 100% of the proceeds will be sent directly to Haiti through Partners In Health and Unicef.

W Hotel Hoboken and Zylo Restaurant is donating their space, food and cocktails along with other wonderful vendors that have donated gifts, certificates and more all for silent auction and those funds will be sent to Haiti as well. A great opportunity to lounge in the beautiful Chandelier Room all for a needy cause.

You can purchase tickets in advance.. to learn more about this wonderful event please visit

http://www.partywithpurpose.org/pwphaiti/

The Haiti disaster is long from over and the people of Haiti will need help for a very long time before they are back on their feet again.

We'd like to say congrats for a well organized event and wish them the best of luck!

From Party With Purpose

Party With Purpose, Inc. is an entirely volunteer-run 501(c)(3) charity founded to make a difference in the world by producing unique events to raise money for charitable causes. Over the past seven years, PWP has donated almost $200,000 to help our neighbors in need and had a great time doing it. Join us as we "Work Hard, Play Hard, Give Hard

New Listing - Short Sale - Looking For A Buyer For This Great Home

Newly listed! In Union City located just steps to local bus stop to NYC and 5 minutes from Hoboken, downtown Jersey City, and Jersey City Heights. This condominium is located in a commuter friendly zone!

This condominium features 865 Sq Feet, two roomy bedrooms and one full

bath. Solid construction building, just 5 years old! Outfitted with central air conditioning, hardwood floors throughout, tiled bathroom, terrific counter space, great customized closets and recessed lighting. It features a open concept living and dining area!

This wonderful starter home is perfect for first time buyers! Currently listed at $189,000. This property is subject to bank approval and can take 60 - 90 days to close. If you're interested in a private viewing, please contact me for an appointment. This property cannot be FHA approved.

Hoboken Open Houses Today By RE/MAX Gold Coast Realty

If you're in town today feel free to stop by one of these two broker open houses, we open them to the public too so you can catch a sneak peak! If you happen to pop in, just say Karina sent me.

74 Garden St #4S

12:30 - 2:00PM

Asking Price: $349,000
1 Bedroom/1 Bath

Perfect for 1st Time Buyers! Great location and exceptional layout in this 700 Sqft 1 bedroom home just steps to everything. Open granite kitchen with breakfast bar, good cabinet space, stainless steel refrigerator and new dishwasher. Kitchen overlooks spacious living room and dining area with rare and cozy wood burning fireplace. Other features include: high ceilings and ceiling fan, hardwood floors throughout, updated bath with pedestal sink and oversized bedroom with good closet space. Just 3 blocks to NYC Path, Ferry & NJ Trains. Steps to restaurants, shops and park. Monthly parking available right next door!

205 14th St #2R

12:00 - 2:00PM

Asking Price: $399,000
2 Bedroom/1 Bath

Sunny quiet and quaint! Well laid out 2 bedroom on 14th St conveniently located to bus, ferry, gym, movies and more. Laundry in bldg. Large, landscaped common yard. Hardwood floors, dishwasher, great closet space!

Comedy In Hoboken BYOB - Review Of A Recent Show At Monroe Arts Center

If you don't know yet you will! The Monroe Arts Center is now hosting a BYOB comedy night. Read about a fellow LaVidaSquared's recent experience..

To Laugh or not to laugh

By Alisha Mantovi

We, too lazy to head into the city, decided to experience a local comedy night at the Monroe Center recently. Supporting local comedians while exploring Hoboken at the same time was appealing to us. Plus, at only $15 and BYOB – what could be better? I called a few days in advance to “reserve” a spot for 3 people, as instructed in the email I received. I spoke to a gentleman that was very pleasant and accommodating, which made me more excited for the outing. When I arrived at the Monroe Center, around 8:35, I was greeted by a large cold, open concrete space – not exactly what I was expecting. After one of my girlfriends arrived, we headed upstairs a few minutes early to be seated.

As we headed into the large open space, which looked like an empty dance studio, I realized that there was no need for a reservation, as there was just a young man taking money at the door. No list of names in sight. Seating was first come first serve and consisted of a handful of high bar-top tables towards the back of the room, long folding tables closer to the stage and random seats filled in between. Arriving earlier was key, as we got to choose a bar-top table near the back. However the room was not full until about 9:30 (a half hour after the show was supposed to start). My girlfriends and I brought two bottles of wine, thinking that would be enough. We were by far the least prepared in the room. Other groups brought handles of vodka and mixers, 32 packs of beer, pretzels, chips, and cheese and crackers. Just in case there were some who did not bring alcohol, there were a few opened bottles of alcohol on the table at the entrance. For a small “donation” you could divulge in the spirits. Personally, I was very wary of that and luckily had brought some liquid fun of my own.

The show began around 8:45 with the host Jimmy Q doing a short set to get the crowd warmed up and in between each comedian. His Irish accent in itself was quite funny. That is, until it disappeared later on in the night and he divulged that he was actually American. A little strange. Two comedians preceded the headliner – Rich Shultis and Sarah Guartafierro. Each was funny in his/her own way. Shultis’ set consisted mainly of sexual jokes and racial observations – slightly uncomfortable at times but all in all entertaining. Sarah Guartafierro, the only woman in the show, used this to her advantage and filled her set with anecdotal jokes about her lackluster fashion sense and longterm relationship woes all while successfully embarrassing an audience member who thought he should have been on stage instead.

Headliner Yannis Pappas, who is most famous for being on Comedy Central and contributing to VH1’s “Best Week Ever,” provided the best performance of the night. Pappas’ comedy touched on a variety of topics from our state’s claim to fame as of late, “Jersey Shore,” to drunken bar fights.

During the sets, many audience members chimed in and were included in the show – both annoying and funny at times. If you prefer not to be part of the show then sit in the back because if you are even relatively close to the front (as with any comedy show, I suppose) you will be picked on. At the end of the show, two gift certificates for a local Hoboken Salon, The Beauty Parlor, were given away and lucky me, I won one! All in all, I would call the experience interesting. Although some aspects of the night were a little strange, the crowd was a little rambunctious at times (what else can you expect with BYOB?) and the venue wasn’t as classy as the Ritz, it turned out that the comedy was decent, the BYOB was economical and I got to spend the night with great friends. Will my girlfriends and I be going back? Sure, but probably after a few month hiatus. Maybe that will give them time to work out some kinks.

Side notes:

Don’t forget cups and corkscrew if you plan to bring wine!

Sit in the back if you don’t want to be singled out.

Remember, it is BYOB – there will be some obnoxious people at times.

Hoboken Condominium on Hudson Street - Just Sold

Amazing Hudson Street, downtown Hoboken location! My buyers just snatched up this roomy one bedroom condo located in a beautiful brownstone right on third street and Hudson. Hudson Street, is hands down my favorite block in Hoboken. Hudson street is also the most desired address in Hoboken!

Do you watch property virgins? Hudson Street is the street that the buyers meet her on and they say they want to live here, and she asks which one of these houses do you like? Then they point to a gorgeous one and she asks, "how much do you think that is?" then they always guess really low, probably $400,000 and she'll say actually "that brownstone right there is 2.5 million".

Yeah. Millions - and these brownstones are a steal compared to the brownstones on the other side of the river. They are on nice wide lots and many have outdoor patio/backyards, over 4 bedrooms and full finished basements. Some of the beauties on Hudson Street, actually many, have been condo converted over the years, so some lucky buyers can enjoy the luxury of living in a brownstone but without the heavy price tag.

So what did my buyers buy?

A second floor one bedroom condo with lots of windows, hardwood floors, an open kitchen with breakfast bar (open concepts are sometimes hard to find in these brownstones) washer dryer in the unit, some nice closet space and location location!

They are redecorating the condo and leaving behind the dull, shabby chic look and moderinizing it with some moroccan decor and new paint! Can't wait to see what it looks like when it's done!

Congrats guys! Welcome to Hoboken!

Downtown Jersey City Condo - Just Sold

Just sold an adorable, bright one bedroom condominium plus extra den in downtown JC just 2 blocks to Hamilton Park. First time buyer Ryan had his eye on ownership for about two years. Great timing, because he not only was able to buy more house for less money this year, he closed in time to receive his $8,000 tax credit and he was able to secure a low interest rate on his mortgage. There are some great buyers in Jersey City real estate condominiums for sale, especially for first time buyers right now.

The condominium is located in a quaint, 3 unit brownstone that was built in the late 1800's! It was condo converted in 2004.

650 square feet, one bedroom and den with beautifully renovated, spacious eat in kitchen, and a gorgeous new bath (my favorite) with subway tile, and Italian Carrera Marble and tub with a ledge perfect for spa toiletries and candles! Sale price $255,000 :)

Congrats to my buyer!

Hoboken Real Estate | Home Buyer Tax Credit | Get The Facts

Real estate is heating up steadily and it is because of a combination of factors.

• One - the home buyer tax credit is expiring
• Two - interest rates are very low and we're not sure when they'll go up
• Three - Spring market is soon upon us
• Four - Distressed sales opportunities

Combine all of these incentives and the natural increase in market activity during spring, and we are going to see a very busy season. If you look in my past posts I've been reporting that sales activity and interest is way way up. Multiple offers are becoming more common and we're seeing some properties be snatched up after only a few days on the market... it will be very interesting to see how this projects into 1st and 2nd quarter sales.

If you are looking to buy in the near future, you need to know a few things.

Reminder : Important dates are April 30th and July 1st! Below are the facts:

Facts about the Homebuyer Tax Credit:

• You must have a signed purchase agreement for your home no later than April 30, 2010, and the transaction must closed before July 1, 2010.
• First-time buyers receive a credit of 10 percent of the purchase price, up to $8,000. You are considered a first-time buyer if neither you nor your spouse has owned a principal residence in the U.S. within the last three years.
• Buyers who owned and lived in their principal residence for at least five consecutive years of the last eight can receive credit of up to $6,500 when they contract to purchase a home before April 30, 2010, and close before July 1, 2010.
• The upper income limit to receive the full credit is raised to $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for couples.
• If the purchase price is more than $800,000, the buyer is not eligible for the credit.
• There is no minimum income for claiming the credit. You qualify for the full credit even if you won’t owe any taxes for 2009 or 2010.
• You can claim the credit when you file your 2009 or 2010 tax return. And you can even apply the credit to your down payment for the purchase of an FHA-insured home.

Create your own profile on my website and start searching for properties all over New Jersey. Save searches, view full pictures and details without having to contact various companies or create many profiles - RE/MAX.com is one of the leading consumer websites for real estate in the industry. Plus, RE/MAX.com is one of the few sites that feeds off of all of the multiple listing services and compiles status updates and new listings almost immediately.

Go to www.myhobokenproperties.com

Moroccan inspired decor ideas

Moroccan Decor

One of my very recent clients just bought a condominium on gorgeous Hudson Street. Every girls dream right? When her and her husband told me that they were thinking of Moroccan inspired decor I was so excited and immediately started searching for pics to share with them.

It inspired me to write a blog post on design ideas with a Moroccan theme. My fiance and I were discussing the same idea ourselves a few months ago when we were ambitious about redecorating the extra bedroom that is now an office slash catch all slash sports collectible room..

Here are some fabulous pictures I found on the net and I have to say. I love purple, always have, but only until this year have I found it comfortable to wear, decorate with and accent with! Purple is so beautiful and regal and modern! But you can play with it in ways and be vintage and Victorian too.

Doesn't your mouth just go ooooohhh when you see this? This is so perfect! What an amazing living room or guest room! Don't be afraid of color - especially purple! This room could work just as nice if the walls were a pale silvery lavender that wasn't as dark.

OK, Maybe your place is already decorated. If so, almost everyone has an empty wall like this that could use some sprucing up. Why not turn it into a little writing area for writing notes and thank you cards, or to enjoy paying your bills? An easy way to make a design statement is wall paper in small amounts. This is easier on the wallet and can make a big impact. I love the tranquil sea foam grass paper on this wall paired with a Moroccan inspired mirror with gold trim. You could swap the desk for a buffet, or a simple console table or even a book case!

If you love neutrals or maybe you're in a rental and don't want to paint or go crazy with wall papers how about bring a punch of Moroccan colors by bunching up a collection of throw pillows in all different bold hues? Add a couple of prints like the pillow below from West Elm, and a tea tray with some fancy silver and voila!



Next, make dark espresso floors contrast with furniture in bold colors like these velvet orange pieces or bright fuchsia would be amazing as well! Add a few bold print rugs and keep it upscale by painting walls in a bright white and adding dark espresso window treatments!! Oh, I love this room!

Here are some other pics of Moroccan inspired living rooms. Take a look at this one, white washed walls with white cushions and green accents. Again, swap out the color for any you like!

Here is an example of a less bold color on the walls with neutral furniture and different shades of white with a few purple accents.

I found these sconces also on west elm. I think they would look terrific in an entry way on either side of a door. Or, how beautiful would the be in a bathroom full of candles. Great for a relaxing bath.

Last, how about this idea?! You can purchase a stencil or make your own if you're crafty and repeat on a small section of a wall and paint with another color. Add a little table, some silver tea china, candles and a few floor cushions and you can create a little tea room or meditation nook.

This reminds me of my trip to Spain. In the South there were lots of Moroccan influences seen throughout in the architecture, clothes and collectibles. Wish I was there again!

Leave me your comments! Have a pic to share! Please do!

Tips To Successfully Market Your Home

Watch this video on You Tube. Great tips for marketing your home for a successful sale plus the power and leverage of the RE/MAX brand.

NJ Home Foreclosures - Banks Still Want Their Money

This is an interesting article I read on CNN Money today. The headline reads, "You lost your house - but you still have to pay"

Read the full article here.

Wondering what the law in NJ is with respect to deficiency judgements? I found this excerpt

on Foreclosure.com

Are deficiency judgments permitted in New Jersey?

Yes. Adeficiency judgment may be obtained when a property in foreclosure is sold at a public sale for less than the loan amount which the underlying mortgage secures. This means that the borrower still owes the lender for the difference between what the property sold for at auction and the amount of the original loan. New Jersey however has a “Fair Market Credit” doctrine set forth under N.J.S.A 2A:50-3 which is a safeguard against low or minimal bids which may give rise to a windfall in the event of a deficiency proceeding. Under this doctrine the defaulting borrower is given credit for thefair market value of the property regardless of what the bid at the foreclosure sale was. This is however an affirmative defense which must be raised in a deficiency proceeding. Deficiency actions must be brought within three (3) months of the foreclosure sale.

Are you a home owner in trouble? Are you thinking of walking away from your home and letting it go to foreclosure? This article should make you think twice. There are other avenues available to you to help, such as a loan modification, a short sale and others. Read my recent post on lenders forgiving 2nd debts.

Hoboken St Patty's Day And A Letter From The Chief

Chief Anthony Falco Sr of the Hoboken Police Department has issued a public letter stating it's new no tolerance policy - the answer to the unruly madness that goes down during our Hoboken St Patty's Day. Last year was one of the worst the town has seen, people jumping on roofs, completely drunk by noon, tinkling in the streets and more..

The fines are hefty and will set you back a few thousand dollars if you're caught. A word from the wise: make good decisions, have fun, and be safe.

Here is the letter:

“Dear Residents and Visitors of Hoboken,

On Saturday, March 6, 2010, the City of Hoboken will be hosting the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade is very popular and draws tens of thousands of people to our city. At times, some of our residents and guests become disorderly and unruly making it a difficult day for our residents who do not celebrate the day. In order to keep our city under control and create a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone, I will have every one of my officers working on that day with almost all of them, out on our streets, on patrol. My officers will be strictly enforcing all criminal and motor vehicle laws as well as all city ordinance violations. The following are four violations where there will be a zero tolerance policy in effect for the day:

1. City Ordinance 145-23 A/B (Consumption of Alcohol/Open Container in Public)- Any person seen possessing an open container of alcohol in public faces maximum penalties of a fine up to $2,000, and the possible sentence of having to perform Community Service.

2. City Ordinance 145-22 (Urinating in Public)- Any person observed urinating on public streets, sidewalks or in parks faces maximum penalties of a fine up to $2,000, and the possible sentence of having to perform Community Service.

3. New Jersey State Statute 2C:33-12 (Maintaining a Nuisance)- House parties have become our largest problem on the parade day. Last year my officers responded to 131 calls for disorderly house parties. This year, when a party is deemed to be unreasonably reckless, disorderly and unsafe, the renter or owner of the apartment or house will be charged with this statute. A person is guilty of this offense when one “by conduct which is unlawful or unreasonable, knowingly or recklessly creates or maintains a condition which endangers the safety or health of persons”, or when “one knowingly conducts or maintains a premises or place where persons gather for purposes of engaging in unlawful conduct.” The maximum penalties for this offense are imprisonment of up to 6 months and fines not to exceed $1,000.

4. New Jersey State Statute 2C: 33-2a (Disorderly Conduct, Improper Behavior)- A Person is guilty of disorderly conduct if “with purpose to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof he, (1) Engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior, or (2) Creates a hazardous or physically dangerous condition by any act which serves no legitimate purpose.” This offense carries maximum penalties of a 30 day prison term and a fine not to exceed $500.

I ask all the residents and guests of our city to please be considerate to everyone on this day, and to inform all family and friends to act respectful and orderly. Once again, we want this to be an enjoyable, but more importantly, safe day. The Hoboken Police Department will do everything within their powers to keep it as such. Finally, Do Not Drink and Drive. You may injure yourself or others, and if caught, you will be arrested.

Sincerely,

Chief Anthony P. Falco, Sr.