City Lights

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

We had our first snowfall in New York City today, and it was a magical one. 

 Those first flakes always bring the promise of the good this City has to offer.  Things seem quieter, the snow takes the hard edges off the tough city streets, and it seems to soften everything, including people’s hearts. 

It also takes most of us by surprise, bringing looks of wonder and happiness to the faces of the most hardened New Yorkers.  

And why not?  

Why not smile, as the Christmas lights on 5^th Avenue take on an enchanted glow in the winter wonderland setting.  Why not enjoy a little “wonder” as the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center sparkles with thousand of lights and towers over the ice skaters below in midtown Manhattan. 

 It’s amazing how this little miracle from Mother Nature can brighten the hearts, spirits, and attitudes of millions of people during its first fall of the year. 

As I head to Penn Station, I shift my gaze from the grandeur of the magnificent avenues to the side streets containing neighborhood commerce and residential life.   In the snow, the brownstone buildings of a past century come alive and bring back the feel of times gone by.  Between the first snow flakes of the year, it’s easy to imagine men in long coats, scarves and top hats emerging from the ornate stoops, hailing a carriage, the horse in front prancing in the joy of the first snow.

 After a final pause, I continue back to Short Hills, holding tightly to the day’s images of smiling faces, extra courtesies being offered, and the echo of a horse’s hoofs from a century ago. 

 I know it won’t be long before the white carpet becomes a dirty wet reminder of how bleak this city can become during the long days of winter. 

But for now, it’s New York City at its best, which we get to enjoy at least once a year, on a very special day like today.

Happy Holidays,

Robin

Buyers Beware! The next time you see me, I’ll be walking down the street in my Manolo Blahnik’s, harmonica in hand, singing The Times They Are A Changin’.

But I’m not talking about political “change.” I’m talking about a change that is more subtle, yet in some ways just as important.

Home buyers want to be connected again.

Buyers of all types are looking to scale back, be closer to schools and trains, and be more connected to the community. A recent New York Times article documented the trend in an article called “Where Walkable Encounters Affordable.” There is even a popular website, walkscore.com, that ranks more than 2,500 “walkable” towns near the 40 largest cities in America, and is being used by buyers and real estate professionals across the country. One of the blog entries on their site says it all,

“With gas prices going through the roof, buyers want homes closer to where they work, local stores, and public transportation. Not only are walkable homes smart investments in an age of $4 gallon gas, they’re better for your waistline (people in walkable neighborhoods weigh about 7 pounds less) and they’re better for the planet.”

Well, I don’t know whether it’s the price of gas, global warming, or just wanting to get into a size 6, but a growing number of my clients in and around Millburn/Short Hills and the surrounding area’s are longing for the benefits of community, and the four listings that follow are “walkable” properties especially for them.

Short Hills
Maplewood
South Orange
Short Hills

The only thing my clients are probably not longing for, is seeing me strolling along in their “walkable” town, wailing out protest songs from the 60s.

Hey, at least I’ll be in a size 6!

First Impressions Count

Preparing your home carefully for sale is more important now than it has ever been at any time. Surprisingly, the most effective home staging techniques are not going to be the most expensive. As you’ll see, good old elbow grease is the most valuable commodity you will call upon during the process of beautifying your home.

Let’s start with first impressions. They count, more than anything else. Before they make an appointment to view your home, prospective buyers will often drive by just to see what it looks like from the outside, and to check out the neighborhood. If that first glance doesn’t promise them a satisfying interior, they’ll never even make it through your front door.

So how can you make your house look tempting to passers-by and prospective buyers?

Curb appeal is the easiest part of home beauty to achieve as well as the most important. Make sure that to begin with there’s absolutely no garbage or clutter anywhere in sight. Even your back porch or deck, as this could be visible with a side-view of the house. Be decisive here. If it’s something ugly that you just can’t bear to part with, arrange to store it in a friend’s garage for a while until your house is sold.

Rake leaves, mow the grass and trim any shrubs that are out of control.

Now you have all the junk out of the way, take a long, cold hard look at your home. Imagine you’re seeing it for the first time. If there is any peeling paint it will be well worth taking the time to freshen it up. But if the paintwork is basically in good condition, consider giving it a really good scrub, along with your front porch. You’d be amazed at the difference that will make. Finalize your efforts with a brand new welcome mat to set the tone.

You can add color with seasonal plants, but even a well-placed green shrub can go a long way towards making a  house look elegant and welcoming.

Making a Home out of Your House

Once you’re satisfied that the outside of your home is looking the best it can, it’s time to move inside.

Again, the first thing to do is get rid of absolutely every item of clutter that you don’t want or need. The test is do you love it? If not why do you need it? Stuff that you don’t use and don’t love is out. Forget garage sales and other good intentions. Donate it now to where it’s needed most.

Once you’re free of clutter it’s time to take inventory of all the large and small fixing jobs that need to be taken care of.

• Do all your cupboards, closets and doors open and close smoothly?
• Are all your faucets free of drips?
• Are all your door handles up for inspection?

Think about all the little jobs you’ve meant to get around to over the years but just haven’t had time for. Any tiny thing might be the one thing that tips a viewer against your home. Any attractive corner, or clean uncluttered room might be the thing that tips them in favor of buying. Also remember that every item of clutter that you remove will add to the feeling of space in your home. Everyone wants to buy a spacious home. Clutter will make your home appear smaller and a lot less attractive.

Next, you can organize and arrange much more easily. Once everything is in it’s place it’s time to start scrubbing. Use a product that will remove absolutely all soap scum and build up from your sanitary ware. This can make a bathroom look almost brand new, providing you get into all the little nooks and crannies—don’t forget the area on top of the pipes under the sink. Think about adding fresh shower curtains, mats and stacks of welcoming towels.

Go on to scrub floors, walls and paintwork all over the house. If you can’t tackle it yourself then it’s well worth hiring a good company to do this for you. A house that appears well taken care of will reassure prospective buyers that they’re not going to have to undertake a lot of maintenance work that should have been done by previous owners.

When you’ve cleaned, fixed and arranged your home to within an inch of its life it’s ready to be viewed. Don’t leave anything to chance and don’t assume that any small detail is too small to be of consequence.

The idea is to help viewers see that house as it could be, to feel secure that they’re buying a sound, problem-free home, and to find it attractive as a potential home. If you feel that your efforts still aren’t getting results, or if you don’t have time to prepare your house for sale, then maybe it’s time to call in a professional. I have a matchless record at getting homes sold in record time. Some call it a science, but I think knowing just which pieces of furniture or decorative touches will make a house sell quickly and for top-dollar is an art. Call me today for a no-obligation chat about making your home more attractive to buyers.

Mom and dad, get ready.  You’re about to be blamed for something else.

The Millennial Generation.  (Where did generations X,Y and Z go?)

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, “The Trophy Kids Grow Up:  How the Millennial Generation Is Shaking Up the Workplace,” kids born between 1980 and 2001 are entering the job market and causing all sorts of problems.

“Blame it on doting parents, teachers and coaches,” the article states. “The Millennial’s were raised with so much affirmation and positive reinforcement that they come into the workplace needy for more.”

In our community of Millburn /Short Hills that can’t be true.  Can it?

As a mom who has lived here for 30 years, I know many kids who give back to the community, and whose hard work and balanced egos helped Millburn High School gain its #1 ranking in the recent September issue of NJ Monthly.

Ok, ok.  Maybe on “one or two” occasions we hovered too much, and even gave them a trophy when they came in last.  But according to a posting by Sue Shellenbarger, “Helicopter Parents: Beneficial or Detrimental?” we’re not the only guilty ones.  Apparently a number of historic well-known Presidents had parents who were worse than us.

So, there’s still hope.  And who knows?  One of our Millburn/Short Hills kids may even be President some day, and we hovering “helicopter” moms might even get a little credit for getting them there.

If not, they still get a trophy, right?

Professional Home Staging Boosts Your Home's Selling Price

You Should be Thinking ‘Home Staging’

When it’s time to sell your property you naturally want to sell for the best price you possibly can. You’ve already taken steps to ensure that everything’s in good repair and that your property has been cleaned and emptied of all your extra special things. But what else can you do to make sure that viewers will see your property’s full potential and warm to the idea of making it their next home?

As a professional home stager, this is where I come in. My skills, which are sometimes called lifestyle decorating, can transform the ambiance and decor of your home making it irresistible to the prospective buyer.

My art and my success is reflected in the number of properties that have been sold for more than expected as a result of my professional home staging skills.

My stock-in-trade is furniture, accessories, artwork, window treatments, plants and fresh flowers. But I may advise that we take it even further to ensure your success. Often I will provide accessories myself to relieve you of the effort and time it takes to make your home look its best.

In the not-so-distant past most home sellers regarded professional home staging services as a luxury. It’s not a luxury any more. If you’re serious about selling your home you’d better start to think about home staging as a necessity. Remember, a staged home sells faster and for more money so it’s well worth the investment of the price of home staging.

To learn more about how I can transform your home please contact me by phone or email.

Robin is thrilled to announce her move to Keller Williams Realty. She felt that the combination of twenty-five years living in the area and the strong presence of Keller Williams in New Jersey real estate is best for her clients in the present economic climate. As a fully-accredited Buyers Representative, Robin is a great fit for Keller Williams.

Robin had this to say about the reasons for her move:

I just knew that Keller Williams would be right for me when I read the following on their website:

In our experience, a home isn’t a dream home because of its room dimensions. It’s about how you feel when you walk through the front door. And the way you can instantly envision your life unfolding there.

That is totally in-sync with what I feel, and how I have been helping clients find the perfect home for so many years.

Have a laugh with Keller Williams:

Hello, I’m Robin Benjamin. My passion for luxury real estate in the Essex, Union and Morris Counties area of New Jersey is a gift to my clients. It means that you can look forward to the very best results when we look for your dream home together. It’s important to me that your real estate experience is both rewarding and exciting. So I made it my business to provide a professional real estate service that results in exactly that. Plenty of New Jersey realtors will tell you that they give the best service. I consistently deliver on my promises!

I’m highly-skilled at locating the best piece of Millburn or Short Hills real estate for you. Whether you’re looking for Summit, Maplewood, South Orange, Madison, Chatham, or Livingston, you’re still just a click away from locating the best real estate for your needs. Looking for a family home that’s perfectly placed for the best in work and medical facilities? Consider it a done deal! If you’re single, perhaps newly divorced, I can help you pick a property that will give you the best access to local social life as well as a superb financial investment. No other realtor has Millburn Short Hills luxury real estate nailed like I do!

Because of my experience in this part of New Jersey I can immediately put you on to all the facilities that you need, tailored to your individual taste. You won’t have to spend a minute of your precious time searching or wondering if you’ve missed something better. When I’m managing your home purchase or sale you can be certain that your best interests are taken care of.