Author Archives

Matthew Haviland

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Be Thankful

A reminder to be thankful on thanksgiving and all the other days, too.

These words from an unknown poet remind me to be thankful on Thanksgiving and all the other days, too.

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times, you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary,
because it means you’ve made a difference.

It’s easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.

I love the thought that Thanksgiving is less of a meal and more of a mindset. May your Thanksgiving be filled with friends, family, love and all that is important to you.

Matt

P.S. We are grateful to our friends, family and clients for their support of our real estate business and we always have time to help new clients.  Who do you know that would benefit from our help?  Please send me a message to let me know.

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First Time Home Buyers In Atlantic County Receive $16,000 Grant.

Kimberly and William received $16,000 to purchase their first home.

Kimberly and William were looking to buy their first home and were referred to me by a for sale by owner.  They ended up not buying the for sale by owner home and instead found a home at lower price that had been completely redone including new roof, siding, windows, kitchen, bathrooms, heater, air conditioning, septic system and well.

Here’s the best part, they were able to qualify for the NJ Home Seeker grant for $16,000 to help them pay their down payment and closing costs.  Not everyone qualifies for the grant and the process to receive the grant is tedious and time consuming.  So to get funding for the grant allow for another 4-6 weeks of transaction time.  In the end Williams and Kimberly purchased a fantastic home at a great price and their new mortgage payment is less than what they would have spent in rent.

Who do you know that would like to buy their first home?  Please have them call me or contact me here.  I’ll be happy to go over home buying options including financing and any available grant programs.  Best wishes,

Matt

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Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore Is The Real Estate Sales Leader In Egg Harbor Township, NJ

The new sales leader in Egg Harbor Township NJ is Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore with the highest year to date units and sales volume.

Recently one of our competitors has been advertising as the Egg Harbor Township, NJ real estate sales leader.  I questioned whether this was true and discovered that at one time they were the sales leader however year to date real numbers show that Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore is number one in sales volume and sales units.  I have included some charts and graphs to show this.  These are real numbers taken from the South Jersey Shore Regional Multiple Listing Service.

Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore units sold in Egg Harbor Township increased 73.68% as of September 21st 2017 compared to year to date numbers from 2016.  165 units have been sold year to date and our next closest competitor sold 131 units.  Units sold is the number one indicator of who the sales leader is in a community and we are dominating that category.

 

Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore sales volume increased 53.96% as of September 1st 2017 compared to year to date numbers from 2016.  Year to date sales volume for 2017 is $24,814,297.00 making it number one.  Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore is number one in market share also with 16.6% market share  based on units sold.  So the new sales leader is Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore and we have the data to prove it.  If you are looking to buy, sell or invest in real estate in Egg Harbor Township, NJ I’m your local home town real estate consultant and I’m happy to help.  Call me at 609-484-9890 ext 132 or send me a message on this site.

Best wishes, Matt

P.S. Here are the actual sales numbers taken from our multiple listing service showing how we stack up against the competition.

YTD Total # Units as of 9-21-17

YTD Total $ Volume as of 9-21-17

YTD 2017 vs YTD 2016 Change in # Units as of 9-21-17

YTD 2017 vs YTD 2016 as of 9-21-17

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Egg Harbor Township, NJ Market Statistics

What's happening in the real estate market September update

Houses for sale in Egg Harbor Township New Jersey

Here’s a quick overview of what’s happening in the real estate market in Egg Harbor Township.  Median sold price is down 6% to $190,000.  The median for sale price is up 2% and sold properties are down 2%.  New properties are down 9% and total inventory is down 19%.  

So even with lower inventories prices are still down overall.  My interpretation of these statistics indicate that the foreclosure properties that are still on the market are continuing to pull prices down.  At the same time some of the communities in Egg Harbor Township are very short on inventory and so there is a great possibility of price appreciation.  Contact me if you’d like to know how much your home is worth in today’s market.  To view full statistics for August 2017 Egg Harbor Township real estate click here:  egg-harbor-township-market-stats

Matt

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New Construction Homes In Egg Harbor Township, NJ Gardenia Estates

New homes starting at $220,000. Up to 4 bed, 2.5 bath, 2 car garage.

I got to tour the building site today of Egg Harbor Township’s newest community Gardenia Estates.  The community is located just off West Jersey Ave not far from English Creek road.  The development is a small community of 25 homes on a cul-de-sac.  The homes are built by DR Horton as “quick delivery” homes.

Gardenia Estates Model Home

The biggest benefit of the community is value.  Homes are priced in the low to mid $200,000 range.  For $210,840 you can purchase a 1,900 square foot home featuring 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a two car garage.  Home sizes range from 1,600 square feet ranch homes up to 2,867 square feet 5 bedroom and 3.5 baths.  Homes feature open layouts and 9 foot ceilings.  The home are all built on slabs and basements are not an option.  The “quick delivery” homes means that the builder in most cases has pre-selected options and colors of the homes.   If you are looking to make customization I suggest you contact me now as there may be opportunity to make changes at this stage of the construction process.

If you’re looking to build a home it’s hard to beat the value of what DR Horton is offering.  If you’re looking for a basement, more options and customization this may not be the best community for you. I work with all the area builders and would be happy to consult with you to find a home and community that meets your needs.  Please contact me and I’m happy to help.

Best wishes,

Matt

P.S.  Here is a link to available homes at Gardenia Estates.

P.P.S.  These homes are selling out quickly.  Call me today to reserve a home at 609-338-3773.

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Margate Dairy Bar & Burger, Margate, NJ

The best place at the shore for great ice cream and burgers.

One of our favorite family places to go in the summer is Margate Dairy Bar & Burger.  The food is awesome there.  Fresh made burgers and fries and great gluten free options.  My favorite is the lamb burger with extra tzatziki sauce on the gluten free bun with sweet potato fries.  The atmosphere is fantastic.  The service is friendly and helpful.  You can sit inside or outside with plenty of seating.  The is cream is fantastic although I’ve only had the Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss ice cream.  The Coconut Bliss ice cream is sugar dairy and gluten free and is the best dairy free ice cream that I’ve had.  And I’m sure the sugar filled dairy ice cream tastes great too!

Coconut Bliss Ice Cream

Friday night is Jazz night and they have a fantastic Jazz band playing outside with instruments for kids to play along with the music.  Margate Dairy bar is located at 9510 Ventnor Avenue Margate City, NJ 08402.  Their phone number is 609-822-9559 and website is http://www.margatedairybar.com/

Margate Dairy & Burger Bar is open late in the summer and you can call ahead or order online to save time in line.  So please check it out and let me know what you think.  I trust you’ll find it to be the best burgers and ice cream at the Jersey shore!

Matt

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$16,000 Grant For First Time Home Buyers And Veterans In NJ

$16,000 grant available for Atlantic, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Passaic and Union County home buyers.

The New Jersey Housing and Finance agency recently released a new grant program for first time home buyers and veterans in Atlantic, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Passaic and Union County.  The grant program covers up to $16,000 for down payment and closing costs assistance.

To qualify your household income must fall below these maximums? 

Atlantic, Camden & Gloucester County: $127,680

Essex & Union: $131,880

Passaic: $135,100

Your home’s purchase price must fall below these maximums?

Existing One-Family Homes:
$437,349
Existing Two- to Four-Family Homes: $559,854

To qualify you must use a mortgage company that is registered with the New Jersey Housing and Finance agency.  Contact me for a recommended list of approved local lenders to take advantage of this great program while funds are still available.

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Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore Participates In Atlantic City Schools Anti Bullying Program

Keller Williams Realty "Red Day" and Texas Avenue School Sponsor Student Event.

Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore Team participates annually in the corporate Keller Williams’ Red Day. Red Day was designed to be a day that thousands of Keller Williams Realtors and staff in every state give back to their communities in a way that will have a drastic, positive impact on that community.

On May 11th, 2017, the agents of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore Team partnered with Texas Avenue Public School in Atlantic City, NJ to help promote their anti-bullying program titled “Live the Pledge.” 100+ students participated with KW volunteers in a celebratory, fun-filled day. There was carnival games, a scavenger hunt, awards and a public dedication to the school presented by the KW team.

The local KW office also donated outdoor basketball and soccer equipment that the school was lacking.  The challenge faced by all New Jersey schools is to create a positive and healthy school climate. The Anti-Harassment Intimidation and Bullying (H.I.B.) Bill of Rights goes beyond the requirements of providing a full investigation of alleged HIB incidents, consequences for those found in violation of the Bill of Rights and support for the children found to be a victim.  Since the Bill of Rights in 2011, Texas Ave. School has implemented several school and community-wide programs that promote a positive school environment. Each program has given birth to the other. The inception of the Bucket Filling Philosophy, led to the “Take a Stand, Lend a Hand” initiative, which resulted in the current incentive program of “Live the Pledge.”

Keller Williams Realty is grateful to have partnered up with Texas Avenue school children who “Live the Pledge.” Their commitment of creating a positive climate for their classmates is truly inspiring.

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Atlantic County First Time Home Buyer Grant Money Now Available – $10,000

It's back! $10,000 available for Atlantic County, NJ First Time Home Buyers

Good news!  The Atlantic County, NJ grant program is now funded with grants available of up to $10,000 for first time home buyers!  All funds are forgiven after 5 years.  This programs does not work for everyone so I’ve outlined the key requirements below.  You will need to be pre-qualified by an a approved mortgage company.  My preferred lenders are on stand by to help qualify potential first time home buyers asap and get them qualified to receive the grant money.

Eligible Applicants:

     HOUSEHOLDS

  1. Who have resided in Atlantic County for the last 12 months or are employed in Atlantic County.
  2. Who have not owned a home for the last  three years.
  3. With acceptable credit history and the ability to obtain an approved mortgage.
  4. With incomes below 80% of Median income:

These income levels are (2015):

                                                           # of Household  Members 80% of Median Income
1 Person. $37,600
2 Persons $43,000
3 Persons $48,350
4 Persons $53,700
5 Persons $58,000
6 Persons $62,300
7 Persons $66,600
8 Persons $70,900

If you or someone you know may be eligible to qualify for this grant please call me for more details at 609-338-3773.  Time is limited and funds are usually gone in a few months so please call me now.  Matt