Jacqueline Haynes

NJAR: Paycheck to Paycheck article

2009-11-03T16:28:00Z

http://www.njar.com/paycheck2paycheck/

Chester, NJ

2009-01-05T04:28:00Z

When the relocation company sent me on my first 'look-see' trip to Morris and Somerset counties, 9 years ago, I fell in love with Chester. Next door to Mendham, Chester offered Art and Craft fairs, an attractive down-town with cute shops, a cinema and pub, yet was just a step away from small farms with fresh produce and open countryside.
So, I found myself living in that vibrant small town - with it's fabulous school district and friendly neighbors.
As part of the Highlands, Chester is limited in new construction as the water table is a source of water for other, more built-up areas. So, while there will ultimately be 'room' for maybe 70 more homesites, Chester is not going to lose that small town appeal.
For myself, I find that the local gym is 3 minutes drive from my house; the karate school is maybe 4 minutes drive; my daughter's gymnastics team is 15 minutes up the road and the Paul Green School of Rock (my son's hobby) is 12 minutes away out in Long Valley. Perfect! None of the children's activities takes me more than 15 minutes from home.
Work-wise, I am a member of the Weichert team in the Mendham office - 8 minutes away from my house and yet another, historical and desirable town in which to live. More about Mendham in another blog not yet written.
In the summer months, the town pool opens. Located toward the side of the middle school on North Road, the pool attracts many local residents who can let the children meet up and play, while they have a chat with friends. A local pizza shop has taken over the snack bar there and expanded the menu - which means that while the kids have what they want, there are more tempting alternatives for adults.
Let me know of any subject you would like to learn more about in this town. I will probably move onto Chester restaurants next - unless another topic is suggested.
Till next time...
Jackie

Home Staging

2008-01-14T03:08:00Z

Gosh! We hear that a lot nowadays. What is it exactly and what is it's purpose?

The answer is simple. Home staging is the practice of making a home more appealing. In the same way that we try to present our best face to the world by having a professional haircut, applying cosmetics, wearing nice clothes, etc - the house is visually improved by applying fresh paint, changing color schemes, etc.
Home staging can mean as little as having in a cleaning company to spruce up the property and perform a deep clean and decluttering - or as much as putting in a new kitchen and bathrooms.

All homes can benefit from this practice - which is why, as an Accredited Home-Staging Specialist, I provide a free consultation as a courtesy to all of my clients. Staged homes sell quicker and for more money than homes that have not been staged.

Staging also includes the placement of 'vignettes'. A vignette is a small feature added to a room which tells a story. This may be a bottle of wine and 2 glasses - or a beachbag packed for a day of fun!

If you were looking for a home and you saw 2 identical properties - one had chipped paint around the front door and an appalling turqoise colored hallway... the other had a freshly painted door with potted plants in the porch and a neutral toned entrance way... would it be any surprise that you would prefer the 2nd home?

Call me for my free and complimentary service to all clients that list their property with me!

Technology and Real Estate

2007-08-14T04:19:00Z

As we all know, technological advances are sweeping through our industry. It is enlightening to learn of a whole new world which is available to us, should we take the time and trouble to understand it.

I have always been interested in how this may assist in the transaction experience, for both Realtor and Client. I therefore enrolled in ePRO. This is an on-line course which takes 20-30 hours to complete. In reality, it takes much longer, should one wish to implement new systems as one learns about them.

This is a definitive and engaging course which enables the Realtor to vastly increase the resources available to clients. It is a win-win situation.

With new technology, it is possible to conduct e-transactions. This enables Real Estate Professionals to show all areas of a transaction on a secure website. Interested parties, such as an attorney or a client, are sent information how to log-on to the site. They can then find the latest update at the press of a button.

Websites can be made more informative and relevant utilizing local neighborhood knowledge for an in-depth look at a community.

It has always been possible to auto-email new listings to clients - however, with the collection of more data, we can send only those which the client will find of greatest interest.

Auto-responders will generate a return email within seconds of receiving an inquiry, so that potential purchasers of a listed property know that their inquiry will be returned and they are given a telephone number where they may be able to contact the agent immediately.

When you choose a Real Estate Professional, do you choose someone who not only knows the local area and inventory, is a skilled negotiator and communicator, but is also 'technology aware'?

Thank you for reading,

Jackie