Joel Flores\’s Blog

We all have our favorite harbingers of spring; later sunsets, the Groundhog Day ceremony, and for millions of families, spring break. Whether one has children or not, spring vacation is a tremendous respite and a much welcomed tradition for those who have endured a harsh winter.

If you have spring break plans, here are several tips to keep your home and property safe while escaping to more exciting locales and hopefully balmier climes. Ensure that walkways and driveways are clear of snow. Ask a neighbor to collect your mail or have your mail held for you at the post office. Install light timers, which you can purchase at most hardware stores, throughout your home. Lock away important valuables, documents, and medications in a safe or a safety deposit box. Don™t forget to secure all windows and doors before you leave.

For those of you selling your home, be sure to leave it sparkling clean and fresh in the event your Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage sales professional has scheduled several showings while you™re away. It™s true that historically home sales tend to slow during the frosty months, particularly during those unforgiving winters. For serious homebuyers, however, no amount of snow or icy conditions can keep them at bay.

The month of December is a perfect example. One would expect that with stormy weather and the approaching holidays, homebuyers would have been few and reluctant to move. However, existing-home sales rose 12.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.28 million in December 2010, when sales increased for the fifth time in six months, according to the National Association of REALTORS ®.

Of course real estate is very local. Regardless of seasonal trends, one community may show signs of slowing sales activity, while another may experience an increase for various reasons.  As your  Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage sales professional, I will be more than happy  to provide you with an overview of current market trends if you are thinking of selling your home or are looking  at homes for sale.

If you are thinking of selling your home or looking for homes for sale feel free to look though my website, http://www.joelflores.net/. For free community info and market trends feel free to visit http://www.propertiesinclifton.com/.

From all of us at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, enjoy your spring break, it was well earned.

There are many reasons to look forward to spring. Thoughts of spring flowers and April showers can be a real respite from the bitter ice and cold that many are experiencing in the northeastern half of the U.S. For those of us in real estate, the spring selling season is literally just around the corner and there is much to prepare for in advance.The spring season is historically the busiest time of year in real estate so if you are thinking of putting your home on the market for this coming selling season, now is really the perfect time to meet with me, Joel Flores, your Real Estate Sales Professional, to discuss your options. There is much a homeowner needs to prepare for and as your real estate agent, I can help you prioritize and map-out your plan.The spring market is a prime opportunity for sellers to capture motivated buyers, and sellers need to ensure their property stands out from the competition. To do so, price positioning and home presentation are critical factors in attracting a buyer™s attention.  

I am trying out this new search feature so if you are looking for homes for sale in Clifton, New NJ or any other area feel free seach below. Please let me know you opinions as you use it to look for homes for sale in Clifton, NJ or the area of your choice.

January, 2011
As we kick-off the new year and make resolutions to keep our resolutions, one question is still at the forefront of many minds. Will the housing market and the economy overall improve in 2011? Depending on what you™re reading or who you™re watching, the opinions of economists and real estate industry watchers are varied. It™s not easy to predict what the market will do in the coming year, especially without the help of a crystal ball. However there are some key indicators to follow.

Most agree that the housing market recovery is largely based on the recovery of the job market. Consumers will make a down payment and purchase a home when they feel financially stable and secure.

According to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report released in December, 28 states and the District of Columbia posted unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier though the national jobless rate approached 9.8 percent in November.
In December, the Labor Department issued statistics that showed applications for jobless insurance payments fell by 3,000 sending the average in December to the lowest level since August 2008, and fewer workers filed claims for unemployment possibly signaling that the U.S. job market is improving if only slightly.

Another indicator to watch is pending home sale statistics. According to the National Association of REALTORS ® (NAR), pending home sales jumped in October, showing a positive uptrend since bottoming in June. The NAR Pending Home Sales Index rose 10.4 percent to 89.3 based on contracts signed in October from 80.9 in September. Of course the index remains 20.5 percent below when compared to the same time last year as buyers rushed to meet the Tax Credit deadline in 2009.

Overall, these numbers are positive, but we still have some way to go before a full recovery is realized. œIt is welcoming to see a solid double-digit percentage gain, but activity needs to improve further to reach healthy, sustainable levels, said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist. œThe housing market clearly is in a recovery phase and will be uneven at times, but the improving job market and consequential boost to household formation will help the recovery process going into 2011, he said.

If you are in the process of buying or selling a home, as your Coldwell Banker  sales professional,  it™s important that we discuss these factors. I will know how local unemployment rates and pending sales in your immediate area will impact your success.  I  will also help you  determine how additional factors such as inventory levels and recent sales can affect your home purchase and home sale goals.

At Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, we are hopeful that 2011 will bring a revived economy and a stable housing market.  I look forward to welcoming in the new year and assisting you with all your real estate needs in 2011 and beyond. Happy New Year!

Feel free to contact  me, Joel Flores, your  Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage sales professional. I will be more than happy to provide you with a detailed analysis.  PLease browse through my website, www.JoelFlores.net for more information as well as www.PropertiesInClifton.com for free up-to-date community reports.

December, 2010
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently released its annual Housing Opportunity Pulse Survey which questioned Americans from across the nation on their attitudes towards homeownership. According to the survey, homeownership still features prominently as the American dream as nearly 8 out of 10 respondents believe buying a home is a good financial decision.

Also according to NAR and its Pending Home Sales Index, pending home sales have increased for the second consecutive month rising 4.3 percent to 82.3 based on contracts signed in August. The data reflects contracts and not closings. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing.

That number is still low when compared to August of 2009 when it was up 103.0, but it is still a sign of improvement and we™ll take it. It™s clear that we still have a ways to go towards a full housing market recovery. Most industry experts agree that we must have further job creation and healthier consumer confidence to achieve that goal. Those surveyed also agreed that job insecurity and the lack of jobs continue to be the primary obstacle to home ownership and market recovery at this time.

For those in a position to buy, it is still a prime opportunity with historically low interest rates and a wide selection of homes that are more affordable now than ever. NAR™s survey respondents agreed, with more than two-thirds of respondents (68 percent) saying that now is a good time to buy a home.

If you are currently in the market to purchase a home, be aware that industry insiders are watching inflation rates closely right now. If inflation rates begin to rise, then so will mortgage rates. If mortgage rates rise, it could price many buyers out of their dream home.

To see what specific trends are taking place in your in the Clifton, NJ and surrounding areas. feel free to contact  me, Joel Flores, your  Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage sales professional. I will be more than happy to provide you with a detailed analysis. Feel free to browse through my website, www.JoelFlores.net for more information as well as www.PropertiesInClifton.com for free up-to-date community reports.

The renting versus homeownership debate has taken center stage in the headlines lately. Wall Street Journal columnist Brett Arends provided readers with 10 Reasons to Buy a Home, while readers were able to ponder those 10 reasons the same week the Today Show featured a segment weighing the pros and cons of renting and buying.

All this information can be a lot to digest for many consumers, who are weighing whether to make the most significant financial commitment and investment of their lives. But for some people, the decision to buy a home isn™t so much about dollars and cents “ it™ s more of an emotional decision based on the desire to have a home that they can call their own. And many people simply want to be their own landlord, with no worries about an expiring lease hanging over their heads.

Almost everyone expects their real estate agent to say: “It™s a good time to buy!” Right now, there are several factors that make that statement especially true. Buyers have a wider selection of properties to choose from, at more attractive and affordable prices. Mortgage interest rates are historically low, helping to improve affordability even more. Additionally, homeowners can also save on taxes by deducting mortgage interest from income taxes.

Home prices have stabilized in most markets, and in the long run home values typically enjoy modest gains. According to a recent survey by Fannie Mae, a majority of Americans still believe housing is a safe investment.

For some, purchasing a home can seem like an unreachable goal, while for others it still remains their number one American Dream. To find out if buying a home is a viable goal at this point in your life, contact  me  and  I will love to assist you as you weigh your options.

A real estate professional, I  can provide data on local home prices and sales and help you analyze the statistics and determine how they affect you.  I can also guide you as you search for a home and neighborhood that best suits your needs.

Whether to take the leap from renting to homeownership can be a tough decision.  My guidance and expertise as a Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage sales professional can make it much easier. Please feel free to contact at homes@joelflores.com or browes my web site, www.joelflores.net for more info. For a free market and comunity info please visit www.PropertiesInClifton.com.

Any homebuyer or seller who peruses the news headlines can become quickly disheartened or elated depending on which publication, blog, or news station they are following.   There is no doubt that conflicting information is being reported on the real estate industry on a daily basis.

The information reported is not necessarily false, but the reality is that real estate is a very local business. What is happening in regards to sales, pricing, or foreclosures nationally or even state-wide, may not be the reality in your local community.

Understanding how this information impacts you directly can also be difficult to navigate.   The National Association of Realtors ®, the leading source of information for the real estate industry, just reported that the national median existing-home price for all housing types was up 0.7 percent in July from a year ago; a very positive sign that home prices and the market have stabilized.   Yet completed transactions dropped 27.2 percent in July from June; initiating news reports that the market is far from recovery.

To confuse matters further, some online real estate companies are launching programs that allow homeowners to pre-list their homes online to test whether or not they will sell and for what price. The online community essentially weighs-in on the value of the property. Ultimately, these types of programs are forcing homebuyers and sellers to rely on non-professionals and strangers to advise them on one of their most important financial and life decisions.

So what™s the real deal?   How should this data impact your home buying or selling decisions?   Is the market stabilizing or flailing?   Are these online programs reliable or risky?

Its times like these that  as your  local Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage real estate professional, I  can provide you with the solid facts that are relevant to you in  the Clifton, NJ  area, and can guide you through this quagmire of information.    

As an expert in Residential Real Estate  in the Clifton, NJ area, I not only have the professional experience and knowledge to assist, but also deal in  with local marketplace everyday and have access to pertinent Clifton, NJ data that can help you make sound home buying and selling decisions.

As your Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage agent, I  can help you analyze the Clifton, NJ market  and explain explicitly what it means to you.  I can provide you with a competitive market analysis and give expert guidance on current market conditions that impact you and the Clifton neighborhood directly.  

Whether you are home seller who needs professional guidance to price a property appropriately, or a home buyer who needs a responsible representative who will lead you through the process,  as your  Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage expert, I  can advise, dissect those national headlines, and give you the right kind of information to help you make the decisions that are right for you.

Welcome to Joel Flores’s Blog! This blog will provide you with valuable information, tips, and general insight into the real estate market in Clifton, NJ. Visit my website at  www.JoelFlores.net for more information.  For market and community reports in Clifton, NJ and the surrounding areas visit www.PropertiesInClifton.com.