Real Estate in New Jersey

Real Estate in New Jersey is a very valuable commodity.  Whether you are referring to North NJ, Central NJ or South NJ; real estate in New Jersey has a tremendous amount of value.  This is if you are interested in selling or buying.

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This is from a recent article from Glouchester County Times

Her novel idea taps South Jersey 'burbs

Monday, June 26, 2006

By Bob Shryock

HARRISON TWP. -- When Debra Galant wrote her first book, it was a mystery - well, at least its prospects for success.

"When you write a first novel, you never know if you're going to sell it," says Galant. "But my book has gotten nice reviews (New York Times, USA Today, Newark Star-Ledger among scores of good ones) and is doing well."

 

Galant, a former New York Times (New Jersey section) human interest columnist, will discuss her first novel, "Rattled," when she appears through Friends of the Gloucester County Library System on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Mullica Hill main branch. There is no charge and the public is invited. Reservations are not required.

A resident of Glen Ridge in Essex County, Galant's book is about a fictional New Jersey subdivision, Galapagos Estates, in Evesham Township. It was inspired by a January 2002 New York Times column she wrote about the endangered timber rattlesnake species. "I thought it would make a funny novel," she says.

According to her Web site, "'Rattled' is about what happens when soccer moms, animal rights activists, dishonest real estate developers and endangered species fight for ascendancy in the rapidly developing New Jersey suburbs."

Heather merely want a nice house. But her world is turned upside-down when a timber rattlesnake arrives on the scene.

In its review, the New York Times said, "Galant keeps the balls in the air with humor and efficiency, creating an intricate Tom Wolfe-ish portrait of suburbia."

Galant is a prolific freelancer who has written for New York Magazine, New Jersey Monthly, Barron's and other magazines.

She became a Times columnist in 1995 after writing a cover story about suburban etiquette for the newspaper. She wrote the column for five years, penning hundreds of them plus feature stories.

Additionally, the one-time newspaper reporter's commentary "All Things Considered" was carried on NPR and she has done features for "Marketplace" on public radio. She speaks often at blogging forums and women's groups. She also started Baristanet.com, among the new breed of Web sites using the blog platform to cover local news, in 2004.

Gallant's husband, Warren Levinson, is an Associated Press radio correspondent. They have two teenagers.

"I was proud of myself because writing it was a risk," she says of "Rattled."

Galant wrote her book in eight months, spent six months revising it and six months searching for an agent. She's now "halfway" through her second novel.

Tip #23

Home Buying Tip, Big Ticket Items:
Before you buy a home you should avoid buying any big ticket items.  When this is found out during the credit process or reporting it can make mortgage banks nervous.

Even if you will be able to get a loan, you might not be able to get the best available interest rate.

 

Tip #24

Home Selling Tip, Listing Right:
A common mistake when people list their house (especially in a buyers’ market) is list the house at a high price that they don’t anticipate to sell it at.  They figure that if they get it then GREAT but if not they can always lower the price.

This is not a good practice because what mostly happens is it will stay on the market for a while and make potential home buyers nervous because it’s been on the market so long.