July 2010

Stats for Sparta Sales have also been added showing the the number of sales have decreased for the latest time period along with the median sale price. If you are thinking of selling your home, you must be ready to price it right and have it in the best condition possible. This is not the time to "test the market" in the hopes of getting a higher price than is realistic. On the other hand, if you are looking to buy another home in this area (or in many other areas,) you can take advantage of the lower prices as well. 

New real estate statistics have been added once again for each township page.

April 2010

New real estate statistics have been added to each township page - including under contracts and solds for the period 3/20/09 - 3/19/10.

January 2010

Happy New Year! I am currently updated all of the township pages to now include Under Contract listings & Sold listings which is in addition to the Active listings. Sparta has been updated for the time period 1/20/2009 - 1/19/2010. Over the next couple of days, the other township pages will be revised as well.

October 2009

New real estate statistics for October have been added to each township page.

July 2009

After a very rainy spring, we have been enjoying a gorgeous month of July. Warm, mostly blue skies and nights where windows stay open and cool breezes mean the air conditioning is not necessary. Here's a BEAR story for you. A fellow agent who lives in Sparta has a beautiful home in the woods. Over the weekend, she drove her niece back to her house from a family get-together. The niece's husband was to pick her up at my friend's home. The niece left her suitcase and her purse at the end of the driveway so it would be easy to transfer everything into the husband's car. The husband came to the door and said that he had just seen a mother bear and her four cubs next to the suitcase. Turns out that the niece had some food from the get-together in her suitcase, the bears smelled it, and UNZIPPED the suitcase! (The suitcase was not damaged in the least, but the food was gone.) The couple went out to the car along with my friend. The young woman then realized that her purse was missing. Next day my friend found the purse in the woods - damaged - along with the top from some lip gloss which the bears found tasty. (Bears cannot unzip small purses, it seems.) One of our fellow agents upon hearing the story joked, "Watch out for the bear with shiny lips!" 

June 2009

First time homebuyers (including those buyers who have not owned a home in the three years prior to the day of the 2009 purchase) will lose their opportunity for up to an $8000 credit from the federal government if they have not bought and closed on a home by December 1, 2009. With the present low interest rates and low home prices, this could be the perfect time to purchase a home.  Please send an email or give me a call if I can be of assistance.

New real estate statistics for June have been added to each township page.


May 2009

See below for an event coming up in Sparta on Saturday, May 16.

The Sparta Youth Committee is sponsoring a SPARTA YOUTH TALENT CHARITY FESTIVAL on Saturday, May 16th, commencing at 1PM at Dykstra Park.  The event will be preceded by a dedication ceremony for the new NICHOLSON PAVILION, located in Dykstra Park.

Approximately thirty groups and individual youngsters will be performing at this event which is trying to raise funds for WATER IS LIFE, a project run by Hands on the World Global that gives schools in South Africa access to clean drinking water.  This is a charity that is run by a local citizen, Rachael Paulson.

There is no entrance fee.  There will be many fun activities happening to raise money for Water is Life during the show.  Food and snacks will be provided by THE PIZZA PLACE, which has generously offered to contribute a portion of their proceeds to the charity.  Soda and water will be available as well.


Bowling ball gazing balls - fun to make when I have a bit of free time. I promised to give you directions and instead of putting them here, I have added a link to give you full instructions from someone who really knows what she is talking about as far as creating art from bowling balls. If you're interested, just go to my Community Links page (you will find the link on my homepage along the lefthand side.) Then go to Garden Crafts at the bottom of Community Links and click on "Bowling Ball Gazing Balls." The glue that I used that worked quite well is GE Silicone Glue - Clear. (There are many different  colors offered, so take care.) Gardens are a wonderful asset to your home, so you might want to try one of these. When finished, they are very beautiful. Mohawk Gardens in Sparta has some lovely garden objects along with the plants and trees they sell, so if you don't want to be crafty and are in the vicinity, take a look there.


At last Thursday's office meeting, one of our favorite mortgage people gave us the latest information comparing three types of mortgages - Conventional, FHA, and VA. FHA and VA mortgages are quite easy to maneuver now as opposed to some years ago when they carried many rules and regulations. One of the beauties of FHA and VA mortgages are that they are assumable. With interest rates as low as they presently are, this could be a wonderful eventual selling point when the homeowner decides to move on. As much as you feel the house you are going to buy is where you will live forever (I've felt that way a couple of times,) it's always a good idea to look at it in  the clear-eyed manner of someone who may be making a decision in the future to buy your house. If you are thinking of purchasing a home, take a look at all of your mortgage options. And, it you are thinking of buying in my area, I hope you'll give me a call or send an email. There are lots of great buys on the market.

Hope all you Moms out there enjoyed a Happy Mother's Day. It was a beautiful day here in Sussex County - in the 60's, sunny, gentle breeze - perfect spring weather. Our son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren came out Saturday afternoon and stayed until Sunday afternoon. Their black Lab, Lucy, enjoyed herself running around the yard and jumping into our pond to fetch sticks, some of which were three-foot long branches. She was a beautiful sight, and no one minded the wet dog smell. I had promised that we would make garden ornaments, so three generations of women made gazing balls from old bowling balls, covered with glued-on "gems" purchased from Wal-Mart. I'll put the instructions for doing this up tomorrow on this page. They are fun to make and really quite beautiful.

March 2009

New real estate statistics for March have been added to each township page.

January 2009

Happy New Year!
Wishing all who visit here good health and happiness in the year ahead.  Should you wish to buy or sell a home in the Sussex County area or just want some information for the future, please do not hesitate to send me and email or give me a call.
Just added a new link to my Community Links page under the State of New Jersey category. Click on NJ Transfer Tax Calculator there for the estimated transfer tax due upon the sale of your property. If you are a senior citizen, be sure to check that status before calculating.

December 2008

New real estate statistics for December have been added to each township page.

November 2008

A story on the front page of The Sparta Independent, a local weekly newspaper, announces that Sparta Public Library is the top public library in New Jersey according to Hennen's American Public Library Ratings. "The number one ranking out of New Jersey's 307 libraries is based on which library provides the most for citizens from the funds put into its programs..."  Sparta Library is truly a gem and an important asset to the town of Sparta. 


October 2008

New real estate statistics for October have been added to each township page.

August 2008

August seems to have slipped away almost without realizing it. We have experienced mostly wonderful weather and have not needed to turn on the A/C much at all. All the animals are busy eating - the deer with their new fawns  have pretty much stayed out of the garden but are chomping away at the grass, the squirrels are constantly eating and gathering the green coated walnuts to bury, turkeys wander by every day, and once in a while I spot a bear fairly close to the house. Had cocktails recently at the farm of a friend in Stillwater. It's a beautiful old house with wonderful grounds and loads of animals, many of them rescued. Then we had dinner at The Boat House on Swartswood Lake. (Picture of the view posted sometime last year on this page.)



July 2008



Shown above is a flower and plant cart located at 37 Fredon Marksboro Rd. belonging to the Ednie Flower Bulb, Inc. Throughout the summer, bulbs, plants, and cut flowers are sold here on most days except for Sunday. I have purchased beautiful bouquets recently of Asiatic lillies in a variety of colors. Payment is the honor system. Also, if in need of more flowers, just drive back to the barn or call 973-940-2700 and place an order.

My Lake Mohawk chalet located on a parkway has just had a LARGE price reduction. New price is $298,000. Three bedrooms, two baths, three decks and those miraculous views up and down the lake. Click on Featured Listings on the home page.

Most recent entry added in Sparta Statistics page. Take a look.




Our son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren came to visit the weekend after the 4th. One of the highlights of the visit was a trip to Swartswood Lake where their entire family went swimming and made a castle on the sandy beach. Swartswood Lake is State owned and a wonderful and safe place for families to swim, picnic, boat, and generally enjoy the area. David grilled Hayek's steakburgers for dinner, and we had corn and tomatoes from the local farmstand. They took in a movie at Newton Theater after having ice cream at A La Mode, Newton's new ice cream parlor located on Spring Street. We all made a trip there together on Sunday afternoon before they headed for home. (I've written about Cheddar Alley, the gourmet cheese shop just off Spring Street, and the ice cream parlor, owned by the same young woman, is equally impressive. A portion of A La Mode is pictured above.





The first week in July four of us met one evening for drinks in Lee's yard - overlooking the pond across the street and her newly painted outhouse in the back yard. Rona (pictured) showed us what her goats have done to her cashmere sweater. Interesting look, don't you think?



June 2008

New real estate statistics for June have been added to each township page.

Even though I hadn't read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen, this month's book club choice, the seasoned ribeye and the company at JC's Grill House in Newton, were calling my name. The Book Club (truly, that is its name) was begun in 1995 by Nancy Pierson, then the owner of The Book Shelf, an independent bookstore on Spring Street in Newton. Over the years, the club has flourished and has a membership of probably 30 some. We meet the last Tuesday and Wednesday of the month, so not all members come the same evening. If we are busy on one of these evening, we can choose the other day. The Book Club is an extremely democratic institution in which each member's opinion is respected. We share the choice of books (always in paperback) and make suggestions to remember hardcover books of interest when they do appear in paperback. The first part of the evening includes dinner during which time we discuss anything except the chosen book. Then once the book discussion has begun, the book and only the book is our topic. This works extremely well and is a wonderful format for our group. Our discussions never fail to be interesting, especially when there is a difference of opinion about the book.

Just a quick note about home inspections as I'm heading to one this afternoon. They have changed quite a bit since I entered real estate about eleven years ago. The home inspector still inspects the home, looking for any potential problems. He also acts as an advisor, telling the potential home owners about what needs to be done to take good care of the home they are preparing to buy. Two large changes relate to the water test and the septic test if both water and septics are private. The water sample used to be taken by the home inspector and then sent to a lab for testing. Now the test is state mandated, the sample taken by a certified water inspector, sent to a state certified lab, and tested for a larger amount of components than previously. This test is almost always paid for by the homeowner. Septic testing has also changed quite dramatically. It used to be that the home inspector would perform the test, often sending dye down the toilet, then running a great deal of water into the system, and then inspecting the field area for any sign of the purple dye. If nothing was seen, the septic was deemed working. Unfortunately, this was not always the case. Now home inspectors work with septic inspectors who test in a variety of ways - often sending a camera into the innards of the system to see that every part of the system is working. Septics are actually quite simple but are very expensive to replace, so it is important that the testing just described takes place. I prefer the testing to be done by a company who only tests and does not repair or replace septics as that could be considered a conflict of interest. I hope this will help those of you considering the purchase of a home where septics are common.

Since moving to Sussex County, I have gone to Okeson Family Dental in Frankford Twp. for my dental needs. Dr. Okeson is a lover of nature with bird feeders and birdhouses in plain view just outside the large windows in his various treatment areas. It's always fun to watch what is happening outside while having your teeth cleaned. Bears also come to visit the birdfeeders on occasion. Last week while having my teeth cleaned, I asked about any recent sightings of bears. Turns out a mother bear with five cubs was circling a tall tree on the property with her cubs up in the highest branches. Dr. Okeson went outside with his camera to get a picture much to the dismay of the people inside. The mother, fortunately, was too intent on her cubs to worry about Dr. Okeson, and he was able to get some good shots of three of the cubs.

I lied in the entry below! I did not put the three new listings in Featured Homes as I said I would, but plan to do so. The market has picked up somewhat - particularly with first-time buyers. Hopefully, this is a trend which will continue in our area, because when first-time buyers enter the market, it means that people who have been trying to sell their houses are then able to move on and buy other houses. FHA mortgages are available with low money down, somewhat lower interest rates, and are definitely not the FHA mortgages of old with the difficult inspection issues.

May 2008

I will add three new listings to Featured Homes in the next few days - A stone front colonial in Andover priced at $621,900, An adorable end-unit townhome in Hampton Commons (Hampton Twp.) for $243,900 and a beautiful 6.67 acre colonial in Fredon for $625,000.
 
Oops! I skipped April altogether - not because I had nothing to write but because real estate has been quite busy recently. People are out looking at homes, and some seem quite anxious to buy and have written contracts. It is still a buyers' market so homes need to show as well as they possibly can and need to be priced right!

March 25, 2008 - Real estate statistics for late March 2008 have been added to each township page.

March 7, 2008 - Here's a picture of my new listing in Lake Mohawk, Byram. Three bedrooms, two baths plus an office on three levels, each with a deck from which you see beautiful views of Lake Mohawk and the mountains beyond. For more pictures and details, see Featured Listings.





January 7, 2008 - Real estate statistics for the beginning of January 2008 have been added to each township page.

November 15, 2007 - Interesting fact that I picked up from an appraiser yesterday while discussing an assessment. A basement is not considered "finished" (and therefore taxed as such) if there is no ceiling other than the underside of the first floor. The basement can have hardwood floors, cherry siding, a wet bar, etc., etc., and not be considered finished as long as it does not have a "finished" ceiling. He mentioned an expensive  home that he had seen recently in Morris County that had such a basement. Instead of a real ceiling, dark waterproof cloth had been secured to become a pseudo ceiling, and therefore kept the basement from being considered  finished causing higher property taxes.
 
November 12, 2007 - Lake Mohawk lakefronts. Just a bit of information for those of you who may be dreaming about purchasing a lakefront home. According to Garden State Multiple Listing Service, there are 21 lakefront properties presently on the market. The lowest priced home is a four bedroom three bath expanded ranch located on the Upper Lake on 1.46 acres. It is priced at $649,500 and has been on the market 76 days. The Upper Lake is smaller than the Main Lake and allows no motorboats. This makes it quite serene. The most expensive lakefront home is located on the Main Lake on .64 acre (still a very good size piece of property for a lakefront.) Renovated in 2002 and priced at $2,700,000, it offers four bedrooms, 4-1/2 baths, five fireplaces, and sunset views. Median price for lakefronts is $1,399,000 and average price is $1,369,833. Of course, all homes in Lake Mohawk have access to the private beaches and docking space, so use of Lake Mohawk is available in all price ranges. Let me know if I can answer any questions you may have.

November 5, 2007  - Just entered information on the property pictured below in Featured Listings. Our area of New Jersey has many historic homes, and occasionally one of them comes on the market. Give me a call if you are interested in such a property, and I will do my best to give you the best information concerning it.




Oct. 25, 2007 - One of our Century 21 Gross & Jansen agents listed a home a couple of months ago that has always intrigued me. She hosted a luncheon there last Thursday and invited me - along with other Realtors - to attend and take a tour. The home was originally a gristmill dating back to the 1750's and is located on the banks of the Paulinskill River. The present owners purchased the gristmill building and working with an architect, transformed it into a beautiful home. The walls are stone and about three feet in width. The original character of the structure was maintained in the renovation with handhewn beams, wide plank floors, and high ceilings. Something that I loved is a floor to ceiling window looking out on the Paulinskill at some small rapids. The sound of water rushing over the rocks fills the downstairs. The price is $1,200,000. I will add the listing shortly to Featured Listings for those interested in further pictures and information.

Sept. 26, 2007 - Just a little recap on the Wine and Cheese Festival this past Sunday. The weather was glorious and attendance was huge. Some 550 people attended, enjoying the wine, cheese, and the beautiful surroundings. Along with two other agents from Century 21 Gross & Jansen in Sparta, I poured French wine non-stop for more than three hours. Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice was the beneficiary of all the money earned. Burke's Wines of Sparta provided all of the wine. I had just a couple of minutes to try a few wines, but have some favorites that I will buy at Burke's at the special Festival prices.

Sept. 14, 2007 - Real estate statistics for the beginning of Fall 2007 have been added to each township page.

Sept. 9, 2007 - Here's another event to put on your calendars. The 23rd annual Wine and Cheese Festival which benefits the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice in Newton will be held on Sunday, September 23, at Waterwheel Farm in Fredon. The cost is $35 and the Festival runs from 2:00-5:00 on the farm's beautiful lawn. For further information, the contact phone number is 973-383-0115. It is always a beautiful experience and for a wonderful cause. Hope to see you there!

August 18, 2007 - The Peter's Valley Craft Fair is coming up soon - September 15 & 16 at the Fairgrounds in Frankford Twp. Go to my Community Links page, click on Peter's Valley for all the details. I have taken photography classes at Peter's Valley and have had a firsthand look at the high quality crafts produced there. Definitely worth a trip!

August 1, 2007 - Just listed. A solid cedar custom chalet with cathedral ceilings, gleaming hardwood floors, huge loft-like rooms, & trusses which support  for many design possibilities. The lower level was previously an art gallery/gift shop and with town approval could be used for other similar situations. More information will appear shortly in Featured Listings.



July 31, 2007 - Yesterday, I was on my way through Stillwater to show a house in Hardwick. As I drove over the new bridge which crosses the Paulinskill River, I saw a picture that I had to have - several cows cooling off in the river.




July 20, 2007 - My totally renovated colonial in Newton closed a couple of days ago, and the family who purchased it are looking forward to living in Newton and being able to walk and bike to so many places in the town. Speaking of places to walk to, the day before I visited the new cheese shop called Cheddar Alley. Located just off Spring Street, it is at the end of the alley just beside The Bookshelf. I bought some delicious cheese and bread and enjoyed looking around the shop. This is a wonderful addition to Newton. (There is also parking in the back reached from Trinity Street which is parallel to Spring Street.)

July 9, 2007 - A new page has been added to my website featuring some very interesting statistics about Sparta Real Estate called simply Sparta Statistics.

June 22, 2007 - Real estate statistics for the beginning of summer 2007 will be added to each township page during the next week.

June 22, 2007 - For the past several months I have been told about an amazing garden on private property in our area. A good friend of mine arranged for us to visit it this week. To say that it is a work of art is an understatement. As most gardens are, this has been a work in progress and has been done solely by the couple themselves. It is quite extensive and includes a fern garden, a hosta garden (fenced in as hostas appeal greatly to the deer), a tea garden spacious enough for many visitors, a formal garden, a greenhouse, and more. Beautiful!



June 19, 2007 - We had guests from Florida with us last week. It was the first time they had visited, and they were amazed by the beauty of our area. (We had told them about it, but seeing it in person is a whole other thing.) We visited two restaurants while they were here. First, we had dinner at Andre's in Newton. There was a wine tasting going on in the main dining room, so we ate in the smaller dining room. As usual, the food and service were excellent. Two of us ordered strip steak (perfectly prepared and served under a layer of spinach leaves.) The following day we had lunch at The Boathouse located in Stillwater on the shore of Swartswood Lake. When I wrote about it before, we sat inside in the lovely dining room. This time we sat under an umbrella on the deck with a beautiful view of the lake. Every table was full and this was a weekday. There is also a large patio with tables even closer to the lake.



June 14, 2007 - This past weekend  our son and his family came out from Madison, NJ, to spend the weekend. We decided to go to Newton Day and see what was happening there. The kids enjoyed the activities provided - (it's a real small town event.) I was particularly pleased to visit the table set up by Cheddar Alley, a gourmet cheese and bread shop due to open at the end of June. They were generous in providing samples - a wonderful variety of cheeses and breads. This will be a wonderful addition to Newton. Their shop will be in the alley just on the right of The Book Shelf which is on Spring Street.

May 17, 2007 - As spring progresses, there are more homes on the market. Below is an update of properties on the market as of today:
     Sparta (including some properties in Lake Mohawk)  256
     Andover & Andover Boro                                                  94
     Byram                                                                                  79
     Frankford                                                                            49
     Fredon                                                                                47
     Green                                                                                  57
     Hardyston                                                                         206
     Newton                                                                               70
     Stillwater                                                                            52

April 27, 2007 - All you gardeners out there - take note. As new plants are emerging, it's important to protect them from deer that love the tender young shoots. See my Sept. 12, 2006 entry for the recipe for a non-chemical deer repellent recipe to spray on your plants. Our landscaper was here yesterday and put down mulch - a very dark brown - which looks wonderful and immediately makes my gardens look very attractive, even though there are only a few flowers up at this time. I also visited Mohawk Gardens in Sparta yesterday to order a new UV light for my garden pond. Mohawk Gardens is a wonderful nursery and has a very large area of trees, shrubs, and other gardening and lawn items which is not immediately visible when you drive in. If you're in the area, take some time to explore what they have. Like so many merchants in Sparta, they are extremely helpful and knowledgeable.

April 24, 2007 - Spring has finally arrived! Temperatures peaked in the low 80's yesterday. My crab apple tree is in bloom along with the forsythia and daffodils. Now we awake to birds singing, turkeys crowing, and sometimes - horses whinnying off in the distance. Beautiful! Homes are coming on the market and the numbers of listings in many areas are higher than when I entered the statistics in early April. If you need an update, let me know.

April 23, 2007 - My beautiful Newton listing is now priced at $339,000 - well below appraisal. It was a tear-down and was newly built on the original  foundation which was first reinforced and enlarged. It is in the middle of other new construction on the same street in central Newton. Please take a look in Featured Listings to see pictures and more description. If you would like to see it or know more, give me a call at 973-219-0978 or send an email (link at bottom of page.)

April 11, 2007 - I spoke a little too early in my last entry regarding the weather in these parts. Spring is making a late arrival this year (as it is in many other parts of the country.) However, skies are blue and the birds are singing, so it can't be too long until it truly arrives. I'm late in posting my spring page to take the place of winter (first button on the homepage.) It should be along shortly. Across the street from Century 21 Gross & Jansen in the Theatre Center, the new building in the center is near completion. Panera Bread has opened, and other parts of the building are expected to be completed in the near future. There will again be a movie theater, and also a hair salon and day spa on the second floor. I hear that a wine store will also take up residence there along with Rita's Ices which some members of our office are eagerly awaiting. I'll let you know when these open.

April 2, 2007 - I just finished adding the new spring statistics to each township page so you can get an idea of how many active listings there are in each area. Notice that in most cases the numbers of total listings at the beginning of fall and winter remain, so that you can see the history of properties listed for those periods. It was in the high 60's in our area today, and the early spring plants are pushing up through the soil. Beautiful!

March 19, 2007 - We've had a couple of big snowstorms here recently with temperatures reaching the high 60's between the two. We're on the upswing again temperature-wise, and I hope that my spring pictures which will soon appear on the homepage will reflect what we are really seeing in Sussex County. On one of the beautiful days between the two storms, a friend and I went to The Flower & Garden Show. It was a true breath of spring, and from the amount of people there, others felt in need of a change in season. I bought an orchid plant - my first - and was promised that it is quite easy to care for. We'll see! On the way back, we stopped at a restaurant on Swartswood Lake for a glass of wine and a view of the lake. Ice fisherman were quite far out on the ice. I wanted to get a photo that I could post here, but the distance was too great for my digital camera. The restaurant has changed hands with good results. The interior is quite lovely, and we plan to return for brunch or dinner one day soon.

February 10, 2007 - Lakefronts create a great deal of interest when they go on the market in Lake Mohawk. Yesterday was caravan day for Realtors in the area when we visit new and newer listings on the market. One of those we visited was a lakefront presently six days on the market. It had been one of our listings previously and sold for $540,000 after 88 days on the market in May of 2005. The new owners renovated it and have put it on the market for $780,000. It has two bedrooms, one bath, and a one-car garage which is used for storage and a laundry room. There is a crawl space under the home but no real basement. Now, $780,000 is a great amount of money for two bedrooms and one bath. However, the home is (1) a lakefront (and it's impossible to create any more lakefront space on Lake Mohawk), (2) perfectly located on a lovely street with wonderful views up and down the lake, (3) just steps from the lake, and (4) has a three bedroom septic so this ranch home could be built up. From the amount of Realtor cards in the home, it has created a great deal of interest. Another lakefront on Lake Mohawk which recently went on the market for $880,000 and is in need of some updating has received multiple offers. Let me know if a lakefront might be in your future.

January 31, 2007 - The Flower & Garden Show is coming to The Conservatory at the Sussex County Fairgrounds March 9 - 12. Adult admission is $9.00, and there are coupons for $1.00 off in stores around the area. Check out  www.springfestgardenshow.org for further information. You will find display gardens, a kids' garden zone (kids under 12 enter for free), speakers and a marketplace. This is a great way to get an early taste of spring and to start planning your garden.

January 20, 2007 - Just listed a two bedroom,  2-1/2 bath end-unit condo in Franklin Boro. It's in perfect condition with lots of updates. Please click on Featured Homes to see further information for this home which would be perfect for a single, a couple, or a couple with one child. It has a fireplace, so you can sit by a roaring fire now that the weather has finally turned colder.

January 2, 2007 - Happy New Year! Aside from some snow flurries which melted upon touching the ground one day last week, we have had no snow whatsoever. (This from the county nicknamed "Icebox of New Jersey" many years ago.) Skies are blue today and the view of the Kittatinny Range as I write from my home office is beautiful. I am working on recent statistics in  and will get them up soon in each of the town pages as promised on my homepage. Hopefully, they will be in a new, easier to read format. For those of you who are considering buying, this is a very good time. For those who are selling, it is most important to price correctly and market
strongly. I can help! 

December 11, 2006 - For the last several months, a lot of construction has been going on across the street from our office. The old Sparta movie theater was torn down, and a new building is taking its place. The lower level (basement) will be a movie theater. A Panera Bread restaurant will house the ground level, and the second story will be a day spa and perhaps more. The building in its unfinished state is very attractive. We're all looking forward to not having to dodge construction vehicles in the near future when the job is completed.

December 8, 2006 - Last year I went to a couple of Town Hall Lecture Series events held in Parsippany in Morris County as a guest of a member. This year I plus three other friends signed up for the full series of five luncheons and lectures. The first lecture was by Paul Rusebagina, the hero on which the movie, Hotel Rwanda, was based. I had recently seen the movie and was thrilled to listen to Mr. Rusebagina and to hear the differences and the similarities of what took place in the movie. The second lecture was given by Donna Woolfork Cross, the author of Pope Joan. Her novel was based on what may have been a female pope in the nineth century. She took, I believe, seven or eight years to write the novel which is based on extensive research. (I had earlier suggested the book to my book club and found her lecture extremely interesting. The third lecture which we just attended was based on the history of the beauty industry. Teresa Riordan, a New York Times patents columnist, spoke about interesting inventions such as a machine to give women full lips - looked like torture to most of us in the audience. Next March we will hear David B. Roosevelt who will talk about his grandmother, Eleanor Roosevelt. The final lecture in April will be the singer, Judy Collins. Town Hall Lecture Series take place in many parts of the United States. 

October 1, 2006 - A few years ago, a farm close to us kept chickens. The chicken house is very close to the road, and the chickens were constantly crossing from one side to the other. The property is on a curve in the narrow road and driving there meant constantly checking to see if any chickens were in the way. I always loved this touch of rural life in New Jersey and was disappointed when all the chickens disappeared. Anyway, now there are more chickens doing the same thing and if anything, remaining in the middle of the road longer than before. Back to the good "old" days of three years ago!

September 18, 2006 - It was my husband's and my wedding anniversary recently and to celebrate, we went to dinner at Andre's in Newton on a Wednesday evening. The restaurant was quite busy, but our service was excellent - along with the food and wine. We both had the five course dinner which includes soup, appetizer, salad, entree, dessert and coffee. It was not inexpensive but worth it in every respect. I had a wonderful fresh corn chowder, a delicious fish main course (there were a couple of fish choices and I can't remember what I had.) The ambiance is lovely and serene - the perfect place for a special evening. Highly recommended!

September 12, 2006 - Every morning as I drive in to the office, I pass a garden stand close to my home. It was purchased a few years ago and has become a bulb farm. There is a small area with plants and flowers for sale on a customer-trust basis. Recently when I bought some flowers for a friend, I picked up a small flyer with this recipe. In our area, there are many hungry deer. This is how you can keep your plants from being eaten:  take six eggs and put them in a blender with about one tablespoon of water. Turn on the blender and let it run for several minutes. After blending, put the mixture in a trigger spayer bottle. Spray tulips (plant bulbs in the fall) when they first emerge and are only about one inch tall. Repeat when they are about four inches tall. For extra security, spray once more before they bloom. For hostas, spray every two weeks as new leaves are formed. This spray does not wash off when it rains. I pass beautiful pink tulips in the spring and they are never eaten by the deer. I plan to try this (and I believe it will work!)

August 29, 2006 - Check out Featured Properties for the home I mentioned below. Over the weekend we took visiting Florida friends to Bula's Restaurant on Spring Street in Newton. It was a hopping place, and we all enjoyed our food and the ambiance. This is another restaurant where you can bring your own wine which I like to do.

Real estate has been interesting of late. I just listed a four bedroom three bath expanded ranch with a full finished basement in Lake Mohawk for $393,000. I haven't had time to get it on this website, but it can be found on Realtor.com (zip code 07871 and fill in the price parameters) to see it. I'll get it up soon. There are more homes on the market now, but average and median selling prices have not dropped compared to this time last year. (This may change as more and more homes come on the market.)

August 24, 2006 - A couple of weeks ago, I took my daughter-in-law and my six-year-old grandaughter to the Tea Hive in Fredon. We have gone a few times before this, and as a matter of fact, my daughter-in-law who lives about an hour away in Morris County came with a group of her friends in the spring to the Tea Hive proving that word has spread. Advance reservations are necessary because of its popularity. The Tea Hive is open Wednesday through Saturday for lunch and also afternoon tea on Saturday. The Tea Hive is located in an old home from the 1800's located on Rt. 94 just outside of Newton and there are several rooms in which food is served on the main floor as well as a gift shop upstairs. The food is excellent with the full tea lunch being the highlight. In addition there are salads and sandwiches and wonderful desserts along with a huge assortment of teas and also other beverages.

June 17, 2006 - Last Saturday I showed a lovely couple some homes in Sussex and Warren counties. When we finished, they asked me to join them for something to eat. I suggested Johnny's Hot Dogs which we had passed on Rt. 46. Johnny's has been a hot dog lovers' destination for some sixty years and, according to their website, is owned and operated by Johnny's daughter who began working there when she was eight years old. The establishment is located along the banks of the Pequest River between Rts. 519 and 31 in Warren County. We had hot dogs, french fries, and birch beer, and the meal was fabulous! If you are anywhere in the vicinity, it is a real treat.

May 26, 2006 - Earlier this week, three of us visited the Presby Memorial Iris Garden Display in Mountainside Park in Upper Montclair. It was my first trip to see the iris gardens, and it is something not to be missed for anyone who loves gardens. A multitude of species of iris is on display there bordered by grass and a background of trees. Iris of almost every color in the rainbow grow in the garden, from snow white to a purple that is almost black. All one needs to do is park the car and walk along the many beds. Some iris are for sale in pots along with other iris and garden-related gifts in the gift shop located on the first floor of an old home adjacent to the gardens. If you should decide to visit, take a drive through some of local streets to see beautiful older homes and their gorgeous landscaping.

May 24, 2006- One of the beauties of our area in northwest New Jersey is the abundance of wildlife that we can see. Early this morning out of the corner or my eye, I saw a dark shape pass by our family room window. I took a closer look and realized it was a young male black bear heading into the garden straight for the garden pond. Turns out he wanted to cool off there. He carefully stepped in, lay down, and lapped up some water. I ran for my digital camera and was able to take a picture through the window shades and screen. (I didn't want to open the window for fear of frightening him before I had my picture.) He remained a few minutes, then carefully emerged from the pond, walked out of the garden not breaking any plants along the way, and once reaching the grass - stopped and shook himself like a dog. Then he rose up on his hind feet and scratched his back on a tree. At that point, I opened the door to try to get a better shot. He turned around at the noise, saw me, and walked quickly into the woods and toward the road. Rarely do we see bears in our yard and when we do, they usually stop to cool off in our large pond which is a distance from the house. They are beautiful creatures, afraid of humans (unless they are females with cubs), and a real thrill to see. I had to clean out my pond afterward, but it was worth it!

May 4, 2006 - Thursday is caravan day in our area. This is when Realtors can visit homes on the list without making an appointment first, so we are able to see more in a shorter period of time. It's a good opportunity to get out and see other offices' listings and to say hello to our fellow agents. I saw one home today in Lake Mohawk which is truly an original. It's quite a large home with very special features and a lovely yard. I noticed it when it first came on the market and wondered at the price as it is over $600K and is not a lakefront. After touring it, I can see why it is priced the way it is. This is not a Century 21 listing, by the way. If you're looking for something out of the ordinary in Lake Mohawk, just let me know. I'd love to show it to you.

May 4, 2006 - I just relisted my four bedroom, 2-1/2 bath Lake Mohawk colonial which was off the market for awhile. The interior has been beautifully painted in a lovely neutral hue and is in move-in condition. It's in a wonderful family friendly neighborhood where kids play ball in the street.  Please go to Featured Homes to see it. Price is $469,900. (NOTE: Price since reduced to $449,900.)

April 30, 2006 - A couple of days ago I took the day off to go on a special excursion with a couple of friends. A while back I wrote about a day in Warwick, NY, just over the border from Sussex County. This time the trip was in the opposite direction, just over the border into Pennsylvania. We started out from Columbia, NJ, in Warren County, parked the car, and walked over the Delaware River on a footbridge to Portland, Pennsylvania. The weather here has been gorgeous - just the kind of day for walking. Our plan was to eat lunch in a small restaurant in Portland, but we found the place unexpectedly closed. After visiting the Duckloe showroom (gorgeous furniture and accessories for the home), we walked back over the bridge and drove to the small town of Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania, to have lunch at Trail's End Restaurant. What a treat it was - wonderful food served with beautiful presentation. Afterward we visited one of the small shops closeby with interesting items of which many are locally made. This is the New Jersey that many people who live elsewhere would not imagine existed.

April 26, 2006 - Please see Featured Homes for details about the beautiful Sparta colonial that I listed today. It was built for the builder's own family so has many extras included such as five zone heating, hardwood throughout, a two-story family room, a huge foyer, brick front, and fantastic landscaping. Always a lover of fairy tales, to me it seems to be set in the middle of an enchanted forest of flowering trees. Take a look.

April 19, 2006 - A recent article in our local paper, The New Jersey Herald, reported that new owners of Sparta's Cruiser Swim and Tennis Club have begun renovations on the club that was opened in 1937 and will open for the season on May 27. The Club includes an Olympic-sized pool, tennis courts, and will have a new bocce ball court. Located on the east side of Lake Mohawk, it is a membership club and not part of Lake Mohawk. Friends and customers loved the old club, and it sounds as though many improvements are now being made. Visit my Community Links page under Sports & Recreation for a link to the Club to find out more.

April 12, 2006 - On another note, the new Lowe's on Rt. 206 just outside Newton opened recently and is a really good addition to the area. The store is super clean, well stocked, and filled with friendly and helpful employees. I've been there a few times recently as I've had bathrooms redone in my own house and have been completely impressed with the standard of service and the quality of the merchandise.

April 12, 2006 - I just updated all my township pages with the spring market prices, so take a look to see what's out there in low, median, and high price ranges. The market has been slow but seems to be picking up somewhat for the spring market. Homes are generally remaining on the market somewhat longer unless they are perfectly priced and the right buyer comes along. The market is really more balanced than it has been for the last couple of years which is a good thing. 

December 30, 2005 - I have a new restaurant to recommend - Krave's in Newton. Housed in what used to be an old luncheonette, it has had an amazing transformation. The interior has been completely redone with a bar area for extra seating for meals and well-spaced tables. It is both chic and relaxing and reasonably priced. Krave's has become extremely popular in a very short period of time and reservations are a good idea. Open for lunch and dinner every day except Sundays, it has no liquor license but you can bring your own wine if you like. I've been there for lunch three times, and the food and service have been excellent each time. (I tried to make an early reservation for dinner on the day after Christmas, but they were totally booked.)

December 16, 2005 - Visited Mohawk Gardens, a wonderful gardening operation on Woodport Road in Sparta, recently. Their Christmas store is always fun to visit at this time of the year, and I always manage to find some unusual gifts there. One of my purchases was two birdfeeders for me - one with thistle for finches and the other for a variety of small birds. That feeder is inserted inside a cage that the small birds can enter (but not the larger birds or squirrels.) I got them out today as we are still snow covered. (The birdfeeder that I had used prior to this is stuck about 25 feet up a tree where a bear must have gotten to it by pulling on the pulley that I had rigged.)

December 11, 2005 - I've been negligent about writing here and have quite a bit saved up which I will add more often. As is usually the case with this time of year, the market has slowed down. I attended a real estate seminar in our area recently, and the general consensus was that the market is shifting in a healthy way to be more balanced. Homes are remaining on the market longer and need to be priced correctly to sell. Every change of season, I write what is happening in each town that I cover as far as number of homes on the market and a description of the low, median, and highest priced homes there. Be sure to check these out.

December 8, 2005 - The big snowstorm that was predicted started early this morning and continued until about noon when perhaps eight inches had fallen. Then the sun came out and the sky was a beautiful blue against the white of the snow-covered trees.  Our pond is clear of ice so far and reflects everything around it. The plows were out and about and taking care of the roads in their usual fashion. This area is fully prepared for snow and handles it much more efficiently than many of the communities closer to the City.

Thanksgiving Day - This morning there was more than usual noise in our front yard from the turkeys who meander through almost daily. I looked out and counted 37 of them - mostly hens but also a few toms with their tailfeathers spread. It was the perfect Thanksgiving sight and one of the many reasons I love living in this area.

October 7, 2005 - Sussex County is shaped like a diamond with New York State bordering the upper righthand side and Pennsylvania on the left. Earlier this week, a friend introduced me to Warwick, NY, just a little beyond Vernon, NJ. Warwick is a town filled with beautiful old colonial and Victorian homes, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, and a variety of shops. Last Tuesday was a beautiful day for touring. We arrived in late morning and visited a few shops before lunch. One of my favorites was a two-story building with furniture and excellent quality items for the home on the first floor and an art gallery on the second. While tempted by many things, I finally purchased an interesting leather frame for a 4x6 photo which was suspended from a leather easel. Definitely different and a bargain, I thought, for $25. In another store I found another frame - wooden this time - for a photo I had purchased in Maine this summer. It looks like an antique but was very reasonable. We had lunch at La Petite Cuisine billed as "A taste of France", and it was! Located just across the street from the old Warwick train station, the food and ambiance were definitely French. We ate outside where all the tables were filled. I enjoyed the brie and mushroom crepe and berry lemonade straight from France along with wonderful French bread and unsalted butter. The menu was varied with many choices. Highly recommended! Afterward we shopped in a boutique with great costume jewelry and clothing. Ended up in a smaller store where I bought some Christmas presents. We were welcomed in each store we entered. I will definitely return there soon.

October 3, 2005 - Sorry about the long lapse in writing. I started to make excuses but then thought better of it. Real estate has been hopping in this area for the last couple of months. Please see Featured Listings for some of what I've been doing recently. Yesterday as I was driving home from the office, I came upon an unusual animal in the road close to my house. A cow was standing outside the fenced pasture that holds two white ponies. She was grazing and looked like she had come to visit. (A cow is not unusual in these parts, but her location was.) I called the state police and, hopefully, they took her back home.

July 3, 2005 - Had a unique experience this morning during my walk . At one end of the road I live on in Fredon is a small and lovely petting zoo. There are rabbits, a variety of birds, goats, a small donkey, and a llama named Jake. I always talk to Jake and this morning I walked up to him while he was eating. Bad idea. Jake spat at me three times sending bits of straw my way. The same thing had happened to my granddaughter a while back and now when she comes to visit, she gives Jake a wide berth. Guess I will also.
 
June 30, 2005 - Last weekend I took my daughter-in-law and my five-year-old granddaughter to the Calico Rose Cafe at the Merry Go Round in Hamburg for lunch. It is a combination tea room and shop housed in a lovely old Victorian on Route 23 just west of Rt. 94. The interior is beautifully decorated and last Saturday was cool and serene. Lunch was beautifully served along with our choice of tea. My daughter-in-law and I both had the ginger peach tea from a choice of approximately 25 different teas. Afterwards we shopped a bit. We have previously been to the Tea Hive in Fredon which is also lovely but impossible to get in on a weekend without a reservation made at least a couple of weeks in advance. The Calico Rose Cafe was every bit as good in our estimation.

May 27, 2005 - I go to a wonderful dental facility in Frankford, Okeson Family Dental just off Rt. 206. The building is lovely with large windows in the back looking out on trees, flowers, bird feeders and bird houses. While sitting in the chair, you can look out at the visiting birds, squirrels, and sometimes even a bear. Yesterday when I visited to have my teeth cleaned, I noticed something new. In the garden were stone sculptures (four or five stones of different shapes, sizes, colors, and textures balanced one upon the other to resemble something like a bird, a boat, or what have you.) When Dr. Okeson came to examine my teeth, I asked him about them. He told me that he had done the sculptures and that he is a rock lover (as am I.) He suggested I take a drive along a road very close to the office to see what one of his neighbors has done there. It's a small winding road with probably more than 30 of these sculptures. They are delightful!  I have collected rocks since I was a child, and this past summer  brought a variety of larger ones home from Maine. In the hour that I had between the dentist and a real estate luncheon, I created a sculpture of my own out of some of the rocks and if I do say so myself, it's not too bad.

May 3, 2005 - When we first moved to Sussex County back in 1996, the previous owner of our home told us about a restaurant that we must visit - The Walpack Inn. The Inn is located on the backroads of Sussex County, in an area that the government purchased planning to dam the Delaware River to flood the Walpack Valley. Plans changed, but the government still owns the land. The Inn is a rustic building with large windows facing the back of the property. At night the area is lit and corn put out to feed the deer which provide a wonderful view for the diners. Upon entering the restaurant, you smell something wonderful - Walpack's own special bread which is baked every day. Big slices are presented in a basket when you arrive at your table. Actually, the bread was paired with Perona Farms salmon (also a treat) at an Oscar party earlier this year in Los Angeles. The wonderful thing is that it is not necessary to make the trip Walpack Inn to have the bread. It is now available as a bread mix that can be prepared with or without a breadmaking machine. (I use my breadmaker.) It is a brown bread with a wonderful crust, low in sodium and high in Vitamin C. The bread mix is about $4 and available at local supermarkets and at Hayek's Market in Newton. Try it - you'll love it!

April 23, 2005 - Buds are popping in Sussex County along with the buttons on the waistline of my skirts! I have eaten at a few restaurants in the last week and will tell you about one of them now. Three friends and I visited Bell's Mansion in Stanhope for dinner last Tuesday. 
Bell's Mansion was built between 1835 and 1840 by a renowned local businessman. It was owned by several people before staying in the same family for 72 years before once again being sold. The house is furnished with antiques and replicas of the past. Diners may choose from various rooms and, in good weather, the patio. The bar area is very special what with the large mirrored oak back bar that was built for a Pennsylvania hotel in the late 1800's. The menu is varied with mostly traditional American cuisine - well prepared and quite reasonable with several fish dishes. We had mojitos (rum, lime juice, and mint) and shared a fabulous appetizer of shrimp and calamari on the patio and then moved inside for dinner  when the weather cooled. The wine list was very good with a large number of choices by the glass. Good food, good service. Definitely recommended.
 
April 18, 2005 - In our local newspaper, the New Jersey Herald, I read a couple of days ago that one of our nationally recognized Blue Ribbon high schools is sending a team to Odyssey of the Mind World Finals at the University of Colorado in Boulder.  In order to attend the World Finals, teams must advance in regional and then state competitions. The High Point High School team did just that through creatively solving a long-term problem involving a fuel-efficient vehicle. Smithsonian Magazine calls World Finals "a dizzying four-day thinkathon that looks like some kind of kooky cross between science fair, masquerade party, performing arts fest and the Olympics." Finals are May 21 to May 24. Good luck to our great team from Sussex County!

April 16, 2005 -  Spring has finally arrived in Sussex County after what seemed to be an exceptionally long winter. The Japanese cherry tree in front of my kitchen window is in bud along with several other trees on the property. People are in their yards cleaning, mulching, and generally enjoying the warmer weather and sunshine. This is what we've been waiting for!
In this blog I plan to describe happenings, events, wildlife sightings, restaurant visits - things that might give you an idea of what it's like to live here.