Robert Geist's blog

New Jersey's best towns to live in according to NJFamily.com. What!

Did any see the list of BEST TOWNS IN NJ that was in the March 30th Star Ledger and ranked by njfamily.com?

If not check it out and see where your hometown ranks and compares to other towns in your area.  For example Jamesburg has a ranking of 163 while Monroe has a ranking of 438.

Becoming a Real Estate Agent in New Jersey

Becoming a real estate agent in New Jersey is not difficult. The requirements for obtaining a  real estate license in New Jersey are easily met by most people.  If you meet the minimum standards, go to real estate school and pass the state exam you get to activate your license with a real estate broker.  What most new licensees just into the real estate business don't realize is just how difficult it can be to become successful selling real estate as a career.  I'm Century 21 Real Estate School & Trainingnot trying to discourage anyone that's thinking "maybe real estate is for me".  What I hoping to do is give you a realistic expectations of what it will take to make your real estate career expectations come true.

So lets start with the real estate licensing school. This teaches you the law. That's pretty much it! Nothing about actually applying what you learn in school to your everyday real estate activities.  So you are going to need a few things and they are...

Century 21 Real Estate LLC #1 in Customer Satisfaction!

Keeping the customer informed and comfortable with the home buying and selling process is of the utmost importance.  The August 2014 J.D. Power Home Buyer and Home Seller Satisfaction Study shows that Century 21 Real Estate Agents gets the highest marks from it’s customers in all 4 home buyer/seller segments beating Re/Max, Coldwell Banker, Weichert, all other real estate firms and franchises.  The four segments that Century 21 came out on top of all competitors are on the buy side; First Time Home Buyers & repeat Home Buyers and one the seller side; First Time Homes Sellers and Repeat Home Sellers.

The bottom line is that our customer are the most satisfied with the way they were treated and with the overall results of their home buying and selling experience.  This is a very prestigious award and every Century 21 agent should be proud of this recognition as being part of the best real estate organization in the world.

USDA No Down Payment Home Loans

Over 50% of potential home buyers state that the one thing in their way of buying a home is the down payment requirements.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a home loan programs that offers no down payment loans to qualified buyers.  This program is geared towards home buyers that want to purchase a home in a qualified rural area and have incomes in the low to moderate range.  Guideline can be found on the USDA web site.  In Middlesex County NJ we found homes in Spotswood, Monroe and South Brunswick that a home buyer could use USDA loan program to to purchase. Some homes in towns of Monmouth, Somerset and Mercer Counties also qualify for these loans. Some buyer may also qualify for a grant from the USDA to reduce the there mortgage payments if their incomes are too low. Loans from the USDA have low interest rates and lower mortgage insurance cost then FHA or Conventional loans.

Existing Home Sales Highest Since Last October

CENTURY 21 Sylvia Geist Agency home sale report July 2014.  U.S. home sales including that in New Jersey climbed for the third consecutive month in June. Home sales are at the highest level since October as the housing market gained steam after months slowing home sales according to date release but the National Association of Realtor on July 29, 2014.

Report on existing home salesThe latest increase in home sales suggests the housing market rebounded from a harsh winter.  Tuesday's report showed home prices are growing more slowly than in prior months as more homes come on the market. The median sale price for a home nationally last month was $223,300, up 4.3% from a year earlier.  The median sale price of a home in the East Brunswick NJ area is considerably higher then the national average and...