Continued development of housing alternatives...

Not for Nuclear Families Only

By ANTOINETTE MARTIN



LIVINGSTON
LIKE many older suburbs that grew up fast during the baby-boom years, Livingston evolved as a homogeneous place offering a lifestyle for families: a detached home with the requisite lawn and two-car garage, plus quick access to the Mall at Short Hills in Millburn.
What happens when residents who lived that lifestyle don’t want to leave, but need a different kind of housing? Those who know Livingston well say that the town is adapting to accommodate them. The process has been slow, both local builders and town officials acknowledge. But zoning changes enacted eight years ago are having their effects, and Livingston has a variety of options opening up.
One is a project by Sam Gershwin’s company, Westminster Communities, for 54 condominiums near St. Barnabas Hospital, aimed at young couples as well as empty-nesters. As Mr. Gershwin, a longtime Livingston resident, sees it: “This a desirable location that not many people want to leave. If they do, then many of them want to come back.”
Work began last summer on Mr. Gershwin’s project, Cedar Gate at Livingston, which is designed to appeal to both ends of the age spectrum at the high end of the price scale.
There is also an elegant new condominium complex called the Pointe at Livingston opening near the downtown area. Millennium Homes, the builder, says the project’s more than 300 units are selling rapidly.......

Let's not forget the taxes....

Monday, October 23, 2006

NJ Election 2006 – Taxes and The U.S. Economy
The editors of the Star-Ledger in their article, The best choices in the House races”, tell us that: “Taxes and the economy are a major focus of the campaign in the 7th District”. Why just the 7th remains unclear. We believe most voters in New Jersey are focused on those issues, although little ink has been spilled by the state’s largest paper on the facts surrounding federal taxes and the U.S. economy.We believe most voters favor keeping the U.S. economy growing as it has for the past 19 consecutive quarters since the “Bush tax cuts” were enacted. These tax cuts have facilitated a growing economy, low unemployment, federal tax revenues at record levels, the stock market hitting all-time highs, as well as, a shrinking U.S. budget deficit. Not to mention the side benefit of saving every New Jersey taxpayer money (see chart below).

Some good advise on determining your offer...

Lowballing in a Cooling Housing Market

Current market conditions will spur home sellers to consider lower offers, but don't expect them to panic, says Real Estate Adviser Steve McLinden....continue