Guide Me Home to North Jersey

Thinking of living in Harding Township? You have probably asked about the ease and accessibility of NYC transportation, the low taxes, and the country lifestyle. You may have even asked where the closest grocery store is for that bottle of milk. However, one important question remains: Where can I get a really good, quick bite to eat for lunch or dinner? Are there places I can pick up take-out that isn’t pizza or fried food?

Full disclosure: I like food with taste and creativity and I am not a restaurant critic, just a resident.

Let’s start with lunch, but keep in mind that dinner is also available at the restaurants mentioned below.

Dukes Café and Grill and the Wild Goose Market just opened in the heart of New Vernon next to the Post Office on Village Road. This is not a new enterprise having recently been relocated from Basking Ridge. The menu is great for people who want to grab a quick bite between appointments, school pickup, as well as anyone who wants a convenient place to eat on lunch hour. There are lots of salads, several burgers, paninis, and of course, pizza!

Just down the road on Rte. 202 is the Olde Mill Inn and Grain House Restaurant. There are three areas in which to enjoy your food: the main dining room, the bar, and weather permitting, outside on the patio. The menu is filled with interesting sandwiches, entrees, and salads.

Tsuki is a Japanese restaurant that prides itself on culinary invention and great taste. Zagat rates it a 22! Don’t miss the specials by the door when you come in! Tsuki takes reservations, but be sure to ask for a booth if you want one. Tsuki is located a few minutes away in Bernardsville, across from the railroad tracks.

I will talk about dinner opportunities, including takeout, next week. You can find me at mjbenedetto@turpinrealtors.com.

Posted by:Mary Jane Benedetto

Here in the Somerset Hills (which for the purposes of this article we will very loosely define as Bedminster, Bernardsville, Far Hills, Bernards Twp, Tewksbury, the Chesters the Mendhams and Harding Twp) the real estate market has certainly picked up. While we have become accustomed to experiencing a spring market as early as January or February in recent years, it wasn’t until April of 2009 that we began to see an increase in contract activity. The improvement in the real estate market between the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2009 is striking and includes a number of other encouraging signs too.

Most notably, contract sales in the 2nd quarter of this year have almost doubled from the 1st Quarter. In Q1 there were a total of 167 sales, as compared with 321 in Q2. Lest we attribute the increase simply to a seasonal pattern, in 2008 there were 209 sales in Q1 and 307 in Q2, and in 2007 the numbers were 316 and 405 respectively. So while we are accustomed to seeing an increase in contract activity between the 1st and 2nd quarters, this year’s increase has been significantly more dramatic. Before you break out the champagne, keep in mind that transactions YTD are still running approximately 6% below our 2008 numbers and almost 50% below 2007.

In several other areas the performance of our real estate market also improved, including average sales price, days on market and sale price to list price ratio. Average sales price went from $568,184 in Q1 to $687,778 in Q2. Average days on market for homes that have closed declined from 101 days to 96, while the percentage of final list price achieved went from 92% to 93.4%. While these changes are small, they do reflect a positive trend in the market.

This good news is a welcome reprieve from the slide we have been experiencing for years in the New Jersey real estate market, but it is important to keep in mind that with inventory levels still so high, it may be many more months before we hit bottom and prices begin to stabilize. The good news is that for now it looks like we are headed in the right direction.

Posted by: John Turpin

Bernardsville Office
163 Morristown Rd
Bernardsville, NJ 07924

Phone: 908-766-6500 x 228
Mobile: 973-224-1135
Email: cedgar@turpinrealtors.com

View Cynthia's Listings

Known for her upbeat nature and positive attitude, Cindy brings a wealth of experience to the Turpin team. Between her working knowledge of the area, and her artistic eye, she is a natural fit for helping families find their ideal home, and selling their existing property. Always able to see the potential in a home, she appreciates the unique history of the Somerset Hills, as well as the incredible variety of architectural styles available throughout the region. Cindy has her finger-on-the-pulse in the communities of Summit, Chatham, and Madison, and is always discovering new opportunities. Commuters from these towns appreciate the convenience and flexibility of direct train service to Manhattan, adding to their enduring appeal.

After living in Manhattan for many years, she and her husband Clarke wanted a different quality of life to raise their family. They longed for a classic town and country lifestyle: easy access to the city on a commuter train, along with the peaceful setting of an established community. Chatham, where they have lived since 1990, proved to be the perfect solution for them.

As a buyer for a major retail store in New York City since 1982, Cindy used her vision, innovation and imagination every day. Cindy also did interior design work for several clients in this area. She was drawn to Turpin based on the company's commitment to integrity and high level of professional service, qualities which also reflect the way she conducts her own business.

Cindy attended the University of Delaware, graduating with a BS in marketing and fashion merchandising. She also studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons School of Design, both in New York City.

She is an active member of her community, serving on the board of the Chatham Parent-Teacher Organization. She also served on Chatham Borough's Zoning Board, the Chatham Historical Society, The Noe Pond Club and Corpus Christi Church. She is currently a board member of the Garden Club of Madison, and a member of the Junior League of Morristown.

Married with three school-age children, Cindy enjoys gardening, tennis, paddle tennis, and yoga. She has a longtime interest in antiques and architecture.

Cindy invites your call, e-mail, or visit to the Bernardsville office.

Chatham Office

Office: 973-635-5555 ext.307
Cell: 973-722-6323
Email: lolmstead@turpinrealtors.com

186 Main Street
Chatham, New Jersey 07928

View Lois’s Listings

Lois began her successful real estate career in 1992, and has been long recognized for multi-million dollar production levels. She joined Turpin in January 2004 based on the company’s superb reputation and the fact that it serves her local neighborhood. “The attention to detail, the sophisticated understanding of the process of selling real estate, and the personal approach given to clients is a good match for the way I do my own business,” Lois explains.

Clients and co-workers describe Lois’s professional style as caring, dynamic, outgoing, intelligent and detail-oriented. She is a member of the North Central Jersey Board of Realtors where she serves on the Professional Standards Committee. Lois also belongs to the Garden State Multiple Listing Service and National Board of Realtors.

Before entering the real estate field, Lois attained a Masters Degree in psychiatric nursing as well as a post-masters certificate in nursing administration. Previous jobs included positions in surgical nursing, psychiatric nursing, and working with a group of teaching surgeons at Long Island Jewish Hospital.

Lois has been an active volunteer in the community over the years as a board member with the Pingry School Parents’ Association and as an assistant kindergarten teacher for religious education at Christ the King Church in New Vernon.

Lois is married with two children. The Olmsteads are residents of New Vernon, having previously lived in Murray Hill. Popular family vacation spots are the Eastern shore of Maryland and Lake Champlain in Vermont. Closer to home, Lois belongs to a book club and investment club.

Lois sums up her role as a Turpin sales associate this way, “I most enjoy meeting people, solving problems, and making a good match. Educating people about the sales process and the real estate market is both challenging and satisfying.”

Bernardsville Office
163 Morristown Rd
Bernardsville, NJ 07924

Phone: 908-766-6500
Email: ngelinas-coffey@turpinrealtors.com

The New Jersey Audubon Society’s Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary is a treasure located on Hardscrabble Road in Bernardsville, Somerset County, New Jersey.

The Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary features an Education Center, book store, and trails. The Sanctuary offers a variety of programs, field trips, and summer day and overnight camps for children.

During spring migration, birds flock through the Sanctuary. For bird watchers, between March 10th and 20th, look for the arrival of the Eastern Phoebe, Brown-headed Cowbird, Wood Duck, Belted Kingfisher, and Cooper’s Hawk.

For anyone who would like more information, contact NJAS at www.njaudubon.org.

Posted by: Gerry-Jo Cranmer

In last Sunday’s New York Times the headline in the Real Estate section was “For the Brave, the Moment is Now”. The article goes on to say that in New York City, in the last few weeks, first time homebuyers are beginning to take advantage of depressed prices and very attractive mortgage rates. Buyers without a place to sell, who have stable jobs and good credit are certainly in the drivers seat right now. Many who previously were priced out of the market can now afford to own their own home.

Traditionally, as the New York City market picks up, the increase in activity ripples out to surrounding areas. The homes that are moving in our area tend to be the lower priced homes. Fourteen Condominiums or Townhomes went Under Contract in the last month, in the area of Bernards Township, Bedminster and Bernardsville, which is two more than the same time last year. So the dream of home ownership is now becoming a reality for some who previously found it just out of their grasp.

Posted by: Susan Wagner