Better Homes and Gardens Preferred Properties will be accepting donated items for a yard sale at our office located at 105 East River Road in Rumson, NJ 07760 on Saturday June 4th between 9am and 3pm. All proceeds will be donated to Share Our Strength www.strength.org for their No Kid Hungry program. The goal of this non-profit organization is to eliminate childhood hunger by 2015. Donated items can be stored at our office between now and the sale. Please call us at 732-224-9200 if you are able to drop items off for this benefit sale. Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate as well as Better Homes and Gardens Magazine are participating in this great fund raising event known as Clean Out for Kids.
Tag: rumson
A Real Estate Career with Better Homes and Gardens
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate offers outstanding marketing materials to assist agents with their real estate career. Through its affiliation with the Meredith Corporation (owners of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine ), Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate agents have access to an 85 million person database. The database is divided into many sectors which allow the agents to create target mailings using a product called Pinpoint Marketing. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate is part of the Realogy Corporation leading real estate brands and Cartus Relocation the largest relocation company in the world.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has embraced Social Media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Linkedin to stay in contact with the agent’s sphere of influence to build relationships for life. In the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate intranet site known as The Greenhouse, agents are able to obtain training modules on various topics including the use of social media sites.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate agents are able to stay in touch with their sphere of influence by sending out an annual subscription of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine with their contact information attached to the cover of the magazine at less than $15 per year for 12 issues.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate also has an I-Phone App which gives buyers information on homes, community, and schools.
Sherry Chris, the President and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate was named the Inman News Innovator of the Year for 2010 for her leadership in directing the company to develop ways to use technology in the real estate business.
Besides all of the great marketing and training provided to our agents, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Preferred Properties is located in one of the most desireable areas of the country. The following is a video promoting New Jersey and the Rumson area by Mo Rocca of CBS This Morning.
Better Homes and Gardens offers a real estate business plan to help agents stay on track with their goals. Click here for the complimentary business plan. If you are wondering whether the real estate business would be the right career choice for you, please click on the Real Estate Simulator to learn more about the business.
If you would be interested in a career with Better Homes and Gardens Preferred Properties, please contact George Coffenberg at 732-224-9200 or email at info@bhgmoves.com
Living in Rumson NJ
Rumson, NJ has always been rated as one of the best places to live in the country.
Here Mo Rocca interviews the Mayor of Rumson and takes a tour of the town.
The town borders the Navesink River to the north and the Shrewsbury River to the South and East. Just across the Rumson/Sea Bright Bridge gives the residents of Rumson easy access to the Jersey Shore beaches in Sea Bright.
The median sales price of a home is around 1.2 million but homes start around $300,000 and go well into the millions of dollars for riverfront estates. The public school system has always been rated as one of the best in the State of New Jersey. Rumson is also a relatively easy commute to New York City. The ferry-boat terminals are located approximately 10 minutes away in Atlantic Highlands as well as Highlands and Belford, NJ along the Sandy Hook Bay. The ferry service takes approximately 45 minutes to arrive at Pier 11 in the Wall Street area of New York City. 
The North Jersey Coast Line has nearby train stations in Little Silver, Red Bank and Middletown to take commuters to Penn Station in New York City. Another benefit to living in the Rumson area is the fine restaurants located here. If you like great water views you can visit Salt Creek Grill or Barnacle Bill’s. A well reviewed Steak house is What’s Your Beef?. Chef David Burke owns the upscale and highly rated Fromagerie Restaurant. You can make everyday St. Patrick’s Day at Murray Mac Gregors. To experience an authentic Italian Tuscany meal visit Undici Restaurant. For casual dining and pizza you can visit Val’s Tavern. An original speakeasy called Murphy’s Bar can be found in the basement of a home in a quiet residential neighborhood.
Rumson has some nice boutique shops and is also close to the upscale shopping areas of downtown Red Bank and The Grove shopping center in Shrewsbury.
Rumson has always been home to successful and famous people. The list includes musicians Bruce Springsteen, John Bonjovi, and Richie Sambora. Actresses Heather Locklear, Cher, and Queen Latifah have resided here. Film maker Kevin Smith lived in Rumson in the early 2000’s and below is a photo from his movie Chasing Amy where Ben Affleck and Joey Lauren Adams were filmed at a riverfront park in Rumson. Sports figures Bobby Ojeda (NY Mets), Phil Villapiano (Oakland Raiders), Randy Foye (LA Clippers), Rob Petitti (New Orleans Saints) as well as sports announcer Melissa Stark (ABC, NBC and ESPN) have called Rumson home.
If you would be interested in living in the Rumson, NJ area, please contact Better Homes and Gardens Preferred Properties located at 105 East River Road in Rumson, NJ. The phone number is 732-224-9200 or email info@bhgmoves.com
New Wave of Jersey Shore Musicians
The Quincy Mumford Band is one of several bands from the Jersey Shore that are hoping to reshape the local music scene and attract national attention.
Almost there is another Jersey Shore band based out of Ocean Twp, NJ. They recently won the Myspace.com New Artist contest and here is a video of their recording experience out in LA.
Carl Chesna and Company is another band in the area that plays at Various venues in Asbury Park such as the Stone Pony , the Wonder Bar,and the Saint as seen in this video. Better Homes and Gardens Preferred Properties’s Andrea Harbison is a singer in the band (right side of the stage)
Joe Rapolla and Joe D’Urso have created a popular show called Songwriters by the Sea. Joe D’Urso also organizes the annual Light of Day Benefit concerts. Here Joe Rapolla is performing his song at one of the songwriter events that featured Nicole Atkins as well.
Another long time Jersey Shore bar band is Brian Kirk and the Jirks. In the video they are performing on the beach in Sea Bright, NJ at Donovan’s Reef with Bruce Springsteen. If you would like to purchase a little bit of history, we currently have Donovan’s listed for sale. Please contact George Coffenberg for details at 732-224-0900.
Although Nicole Atkins has already become a national figure, she is still part of the new group of musicians that will hopefully have long and successful careers like Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi who began their careers in the same clubs that the young musicians are currently playing. Here Nicole appears on the David Letterman show.
Most of the musicians mentioned have a common bond with one very talented behind the scenes family based in Ocean, Twp NJ. That is the Petillo family masterpiece guitars. Started by the late Phil Petillo and now carried on by his son David, they have made and repaired guitars for most Jersey Shore musicians as well as artists such as Johnny Cash, James Taylor,Tom Petty, and Elvis. Here is a video interview with Phil Petillo.
If you enjoy talented-down to earth people, then you would enjoy living here. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Preferred Properties in Rumson, NJ can help find the perfect place to call home. Our phone number is 732-224-9200 or email us at info@bhgmoves.com If you have an I-Phone you can try the free Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate app by clicking here. It will allow you to locate the various places mentioned in this article with mapping features as well as local businesses.
Famous Residents of Monmouth County
Since the birth of our nation, Monmouth County has been home to some of the most well-known people of the last several centuries. One of the earliest well-known figures was Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley known as “Molly Pitcher” who helped George Washington’s soldiers at the Battle of Monmouth in Freehold, NJ 
on June 28, 1778.
Notable authors Stephen Crane and Mary Higgins Clark spent time at the Jersey Shore as well. Stephen Crane (1871-1900) is known for his book “The Red Badge of Courage” . He spent part of his short life with his family in Asbury Park, NJ. Mary Higgins Clark has a summer home in Spring Lake, NJ. She has written 42 best-selling suspense novels which have sold over 80 million copies. She is also an owner of the NBA NJ Nets. 
There are numerous professional sports figures with ties to Monmouth County, NJ. Miles Austin, a current Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, played his college games at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ. Other notable current and past professional football players from Monmouth County include current Indianapolis Colts running back Donald Brown from Red Bank Catholic High School, Rob Petitti from Rumson-Fair Haven High School who has played offensive line for several teams including the Dallas Cowboys whose current head coach, Jason Garrett, is from Monmouth Beach, NJ. Bill Parcells who has won several Superbowl trophy as a head coach with teams like the New York Giants called Sea Girt, NJ home for several years.
Sam Mills, who became an All-Pro linebacker for the New Orleans Saints, graduated from Long Branch High School. Phil Villapiano an All-Pro receiver for the Oakland Raiders graduated from Ocean Township High School and lived in Rumson, NJ after ending his football career. Greg Montgomery and Danny Stubbs both graduated from Red Bank Regional High School together and went on to have successful NFL careers. Greg Montgomery, originally from Shrewsbury, NJ became an All-Pro punter for the Houston Oilers and Danny Stubbs originally from Red Bank, NJ was a member of the Superbowl Champion San Francisco 49ers. Pete Carroll, the current head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, summered in Sea Girt, NJ. Former New York Jets players Joe Klecko and Wayne Chrebet reside in Colts Neck, NJ. Joe Klecko was an All-Pro defensive lineman and Wayne Chrebet was a wide receiver with the team. Joe’s son Dan played for several teams including the Atlanta Falcons football team. Knowshon Rockwell Moreno is a current member of the Denver Broncos football team. He grew up in Middletown, NJ where he attended Middletown South High School. Former Dallas Cowboy defensive lineman Jim Jeffcoat graduated from Matawan Regional High School. And finally the most famous football coach of all times, Vince Lombardi, is buried in Middletown, NJ. In addition to football players, Monmouth County has also developed professional Baseball players Ryan Kalish from Shrewsbury, NJ who graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School and currently plays for the Boston Red Sox. Manalapan’s David DeJesus currently plays for the Oakland A’s. Former professional baseball player Jeff Kunkel is from Middletown, NJ and Bobby Ojeda who played for the New York Mets resides in Rumson, NJ.
Former NBA player Lloyd Daniels resides in Colts Neck, NJ while Tim Perry is from Freehold, NJ and Darryl “Chocolate Thunder” Dawkins resides in Tinton Falls, NJ.
In addition to professional sports and writing, Monmouth County, NJ also has many residents involved in television and movies. News and Sports reporters include NBC News Anchor Brian Williams who grew up in Middletown, NJ.
Connie Chung and Maury Povich are also from Middletown, NJ and at one time Geraldo Riveria lived on the Navesink River in Middletown, NJ. Alisyn Camerota of Fox News grew up in Shrewsbury, NJ and graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School. Jim Nantz of CBS Sports resides in Colts Neck, NJ and fellow sportscaster Melissa Stark lives in Rumson, NJ. News Anchor Jack Ford, who became well-known during the OJ Simpson trial resides in Spring Lake, NJ.
TV personalities Jon Stewart from the Daily Show has a home in Red Bank, NJ.
Danny Devito, who is currently on the show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, grew up in Asbury Park, NJ. Jersey Shore cast members Mike “The Situation” Sorentino is from Manalapan, NJ and Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola is from Hazlet, NJ. Talk show host, Wendy Williams, graduated from Ocean Township High School. Steve Van Zandt of the Sopranos as well as a member of the E Street Band is from Middletown, NJ. Many scenes from the Sopranos were filmed in parts of Monmouth County, NJ including Long Branch, Sea Bright, Oceanport, and Monmouth Beach.
Movie creators and stars have also either moved to or grown up in Monmouth County. Actor Jack Nicholson graduated from Manasquan High School. Film Maker Kevin Smith grew up in Highlands, NJ and graduated from Henry Hudson High School. His film, Clerks, was filmed entirely in the Middletown and Highlands area. Another of his movies, Chasing Amy, was primarily filmed in Red Bank, Rumson, and Asbury Park, NJ. Here is a video of Kevin protesting his movie Dogma at the Monmouth Mall in Eatontown, NJ.
Monmouth Park Race Track in Oceanport, NJ has been the backdrop of many films including 2010’s Jennifer Aniston movie The Bounty Hunter.
Adrienne Barbeau, who is also Steve Van Zandt’s sister-in-law has a home in Middletown, NJ. Queen Latifah has a home in Rumson, NJ as did fellow actresses at one time Heather Locklear and Cher call Rumson, home. Ashley Tisdale of Disney’s High School Musical fame grew up in Ocean Township, NJ. Bud Abbott of Abbott and Costello was from Asbury Park, NJ. Kal Penn best known for Harold and Kumar go to White Castle graduated from Freehold Township High School.
But what the Monmouth County area is best known for is the great musicians that either were raised here or moved here. Those that grew up here include Bruce Springsteen (Freehold) and the East Street Band (Max Weinberg, Middletown, NJ; Steve Van Zandt, Middletown, NJ; Gary Tallent Long Branch, NJ; Clarence Clemmons, Sea Bright,NJ Patti Scialfa from Deal, NJ). Southside Johnny is from Ocean Grove, NJ and Count Basie was from Red Bank, NJ. The following video features Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt and Southside Johnny along with members of Bon Jovi, The Asbury Jukes and E Street Band.
Billy Howerdel of A Perfect Circle is from Long Branch, NJ and singer/song writer Nicole Atkins graduated from Neptune High School. Fred Schneider is the singer for The B52’s and graduated from Shore Regional High School. Members of Monster Magnet are from Red Bank, NJ. Country singer Clint Black was born in Long Branch, NJ. There are also those that discovered Monmouth County once they became famous. Jon Bon Jovi of Middletown, NJ and band mate Richie Sambora resided in Rumson, NJ. Deborah Harry of Blondie lives in Middletown, NJ along with Sabastian Bach of Skid Row. Jim Babjak of the Smithereens is from Manalapan, NJ and John Eddie is from Highlands, NJ.
I am sure we have left off some other successful celebrities from our area as well. Whether you like history, sports, literature, movies, or television you are bound to discover what the rich and famous already have, which is that Monmouth County, NJ is a Great place to call home. If you are interested in relocating to this great area, please contact Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Preferred Properties at 732-224-9200 or visit us on the web at www.bhgmoves.com
Visit New York City from Monmouth County, NJ
Recently Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey has received a lot of attention over his decision to eliminate an additional train tunnel to New York City. In the video above is Jimmy Fallon’s joke about how New Yorker’s find New Jersey. Governor Christie then appeared on Jimmy Fallon’s show to confront him on the joke.
Now the federal government is suing the taxpayers of New Jersey for money already spent on the project as this video demonstrates.
Whether you decide to travel by auto, train, or ferry, it is relatively easy to get to New York City from Monmouth County, NJ. Many Monmouth County residents commute daily to New York City using mass transportation. The train line is electrified from Long Branch to New York City which eliminates the need to switch trains before entering New York City. Diesel trains cannot enter the train tunnels leading to Penn Station in mid-town Manhattan which is located in the same building as Madison Square Garden. NJ Transit operates the train line known as the Northern Jersey Coast line which runs from Bayhead in Northern Ocean County to New York City. There is also connecting service via the PATH train line from Newark, NJ to the Wall Street area in lower Manhattan.
Everyone’s favorite transportation from the northern Jersey Shore area to New York City is the high-speed ferry service located at Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Belford, NJ. Service is provided by Sea Streak in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands and NY Waterway in the Belford terminal to the Wall Street/South Street Seaport as well as mid-town on the eastside of Manhattan. Within the next few years there will be an Oceanfront ferry terminal at Pier Village in Long Branch, NJ with Service to New York City as depicted in the rendering above. The current routes to New York City take you past the Statue of Liberty and under the Verrazano Bridge.
For Automobiles to New York City you can take the Lincoln Tunnel to the mid-town area of Manhattan or the Holland Tunnel to the lower Manhattan area. There are also commuter bus terminals at various points throughout Monmouth County to bring riders to points in Manhattan including the Port Authority bus terminal in mid-town just outside of the Lincoln Tunnel.
If you would be interested in relocating to Monmouth County, NJ; please call Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Preferred Properties in Rumson, NJ at 732-224-9200.
Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season
The Monmouth County area has always been blessed by the generosity of the people who have the ability to give back to their community like those who participated in this Holiday Concert for Charity (Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Southside Johnny, Nicole Atkins and many other talented musicians from the area that call Monmouth County home). We are also fortunate to have great local venues like the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ featured in this concert and currently under-going a major renovation. Although we have many successful and wealthy people in our area, we also have families that need assistance, especially during the holiday season. During this recent recession, many more families are in need of help from their neighbors. Even if you are not in a position to assist financially, there are always charities and non-profit organizations seeking people willing to donate their time to help others. In Red Bank, NJ there is a great organization known as Lunch Break which provides meals daily to the less fortunate. There is also an organization known as The Food Bank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties based in Neptune, NJ that provides meals as well. At Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Preferred Properties we are participating in the Toys for Tots program with United States Marine Corps Reserve.
You may drop off an unwrapped toy at our office located at 105 East River Road in Rumson, NJ which will be delivered to a needy family by the United States Marines. Everyone from Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Preferred Properties wishes you a Very Happy Holiday Season and a Great 2011. Here is a list of Holiday activities in Monmouth County.
Home Buying Opportunities
Now is the best time to purchase a home. Housing Affordability is near a record high. This is due to the historically low interest rates and home price levels prior to the “Boom Years” of real estate in our area. The mortgage rates and home prices in our area really cannot go much lower than they already have. The person who purchases when others do not, stands the greatest chance of obtaining a fantastic buying opportunity. Home sales generally decline during the holidays, so the smart buyer would commit to buying a home at that time rather than wait for the new year or Spring market when the majority of homes are sold for the year. Buying when everyone else buys is what causes spikes in home prices due to multiple buyers trying to purchase the same home. The median price of a home or condo in our area has begun to rise according to the National Association of Realtors report for the third quarter of 2010.
In our area less than 2% of all properties are in a distress situation. This means that more than 98% of property owners in our area are meeting their financing obligations. It also means that Monmouth County, NJ is one of the stronger and most desireable real estate markets in the country. The reason for this is our beautiful shore location and commuting distance to New York City. Even people like Bruce Springsteen believe in purchasing real estate in our area as his song above describes possibly his mansion on a hill in Rumson, NJ.
Many people are led to believe that financing is difficult, if not impossible, to obtain which is not true. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) provides financing for owner occupied homes up to $729,000 with 3.5% down. They also allow for less than perfect credit borrows. FICO credit scores can be as low as 620 to obtain an FHA loan. They also allow family members to assist the home buyer. The FHA 203k loan is perfect for buyers looking to purchase a home that needs repairs or remodeling. This loan is a very good choice for people who can afford the home but do not have the funds to renovate the home. Using this type of loan can build instant equity in a home by taking a home that was otherwise unihabitable, like a foreclosure or damaged house, and creating a newer inviting home.
FHA Loans are also assumable which allows the seller to offer their buyer possibly better mortgage terms than they could obtain at a bank. Most people move every 5 to 10 years. Buying a home today with an FHA loan at roughly 4.5% will help sell this home for a better price in 5 to 10 years. There are basically two reasons for this. One, in all likelyhood interest rates will be higher than 4.5% at that time (interest rates have not been this low in most of our life times). Two, assumable mortgages allow the new buyer to pick up the payments of the seller which means that selling a home with a 30 year mortgage in 5 to 10 years leaves 20 to 25 years of payments remaining. This also lets the new buyer build equity faster because the first 5 years of a loan are generally interest. They would also save 5 to 10 years of mortgage payments which if you were to use a payment of principal and interest of $1500 would equate to a savings of $18,000 per year times the number of years shortened from the 30 year loan. Based on using 5 years, it would save the buyer $90,000 in mortgage payments in addition to the difference in mortgage rates 5 years from now vs interest today’s rates.
For those intersted in learning more about home purchases and financing, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Preferred Properties is offering a Free Home Buyer Seminar on December 1, 2010 at their office located at 105 East River Road Rumson, NJ 07760. Please call 732-224-9200 x 102 for reservations.
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