It’s 2012 and Summit, NJ is Selling!
Tags: home buyers, Home Buying, home sellers, market trend, New Jersey, NJ Summit homes, residential real estate, Summit, Summit NJ

The Number of Homes Under Contract in Summit New Jersey for January and February in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Good news!! In February 2012 more homes in Summit New Jersey have gone under contract year-to-date in 2012 than in the past four years. In fact, 44.8% more than last year, 55.6% more than in 2010, and a whopping 200% more than in 2009! In the chart above, it can be easily seen that the real estate market in Summit each February for the last several years has been progressively stronger.
For more statistics on the Summit Real Estate market go to: www.SummitTrends.com. If you are considering buying or selling a home, having a perspective on what direction the market is heading will help you to make informed decisions. I look forward to being of service to you, or to your friends, co-workers or family members in the coming year. It is my goal to help you steer with confidence through this complex and changing market. If you are thinking about moving, contact Judi for a free consultation and a market analysis of your home.
SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY: 2011- A YEAR IN REVIEW
Tags: absorption rate, home buyers, Home Buying, Home Prices, home sellers, market trend, New Jersey, NJ Summit homes, real estate, residential real estate, Summit NJ
Summit inventory in January of 2012 was at the lowest level it has been at any given time in Summit in the last six years. This is noteworthy, since the inventory last January was the lowest it had been in any January since 2007. Looking back at 2011 as a whole, the Summit market was strongest in the first quarter, with relatively high demand and low supply. As can be seen in the chart above, starting in April 2011, the inventory in Summit rose above the level it had been in 2010, and remained at just above the 2010 levels through the remainder of the year (but still lower than the inventory levels in 2009).
We can see that in the chart above and below, the Summit market was weaker with higher inventory and fewer accepted offers through most of Q2-Q4 in 2011 than it had been in the same time period in 2010. In fact, there were a total of 25% fewer closed sales in Summit in all of 2011 than there were in 2010. Most analysts, however, are predicting the overall national real estate market to pick up beginning this Spring, and that more homes will sell in 2012 than in 2011. We can see that this improvement in market strength has already begun in Summit, with not only fewer homes on the market, but at least as many accepted offers on homes in both December 2011 and January 2012 year-over-year, than in the past several years.
The Final Tally
Yes, it appears we may have turned the corner in Summit, and that we are entering into a stronger market. As previously mentioned, for the past 2 months, 1) inventory is lower than it has been, and 2) the number of homes going under contract is up year-over-year. Absorption Rate (AR) is a metric that measures these two tracking points, and shows the relative strength of the Real Estate market. By tracking AR over time, we can see where the market may be heading. This metric can be viewed as the theoretical number of months it will take to sell off the existing inventory of homes in a specific market. The lower the AR, the stronger the market, and an AR of around 6 months can be considered to be a neutral market. From the chart below, we can see that since this past December, the Summit market is the strongest it has been since 2009. In January 2012 the Absorption Rate in Summit was 6.2 months, compared to 13.7 months last January, and 34.5 months in January of 2009! For more statistics on the Summit Real Estate market go to: www.SummitTrends.com.
If you are considering buying or selling a home, having a perspective on what direction the market is heading will help you to make informed decisions. I look forward to being of service to you, or to your friends, co-workers or family members in the coming year, to help you to steer with confidence through this complex and changing market. If you are thinking about moving, contact Judi for a free consultation and a market analysis of your home.
Pleased to Announce My New Affiliation
Welcome 2012! I am excited to start this year with an announcement that I have just affiliated myself with Keller Williams Realty in Summit, the 2011 Garden State MLS office market leader. I believe that Keller Williams as a company is poised to dominate not just the local market, but the national Real Estate market as well, given it’s leading edge educational focus to support it’s agents to be nimble and keep ahead in best practices in these changing times. This new affiliation will help me to best provide for you the type of innovative service that this 21st Century new Information Age is demanding.
Summer thoughts in Summit NJ
Are you considering simplifying your life and downsizing from your home into a condo? As you may know, Summit Place, the newest development in Summit New Jersey, is just a breeze away from the town center and train. There are only 23 units total, and the development is already 65% sold out! Here are some lesser-known details about this opportunity:
- Remote doorman providing 24 hour, seven day a week visitor and delivery management in an elevator building with an inviting lobby.
- Seven packages of luxury design home finishings provided by well-known designer Letta Kirks.
- Prices of units that are still available range from $571,500 to $980,000.
- Homes are all one-level, and are either one or two-bedrooms with or without a den; many offer balconies or decks. Plus, there is a 1600 square foot open deck on the 3rd floor.
- There is a secure parking garage, offering 2 parking spots per unit.
- Just a few of the home amenities: 10’ ceilings, well thought out architectural details, furniture-quality custom wood cabinetry, and complimentary granite or quartz countertops.
- There are no pet restrictions.
If you would like more details, call Judi for a no-obligation consultation. For current statistics and graphs about Summit Real Estate go to: www.SummitTrends.com. If you are thinking about making a move, or just curious to find out how much your home is worth in the current market, call Judi for a complimentary Market Analysis.
Judith “Judi” Paris, Broker/Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker Realtors- Summit, NJ
(O) 908-522-3631 (C) 973-902-HOME
Visit me at: www.BestHomeResults.com
Follow me on Twitter: @JudiParis
In Summit, the Spring Buying Spree Has Begun!
Tags: absorption rate, Home Buying, Home Prices, home sellers, spring real estate market, Summit, Summit NJ
Real Estate is moving in Summit! In February of 2011 there were 38% more homes under contract than in February 2010, and 120% more than in 2009.
Absorption Rate, a real estate metric that measures the strength of the selling market can be calculated as the number of homes currently available on a given date, divided by the number of homes that went under contract in the previous 30 days. The indicator is a theoretical number of how many months it will take to sell off current inventory, given the current sales pace and quantity of inventory available. When the Absorption Rate is 5 or less, it is a Sellers Market, with rising prices.
Calculated on March 6, 2011, the Absorption Rate in Summit was 3.3, indicating a very strong market. Twenty-six homes went under contract in that period, almost a third of which went under contract between March 1st and March 4th! Not surprisingly, we have been seeing multiple offers on properties.
For more statistics on the current Summit Real Estate market go to www.SummitTrends.com. To find out how much your home is worth in the current market, call Judi for a free, no-obligation Market Analysis.
Judith “Judi” Paris, Broker/Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker Realtors- Summit, NJ
(O) 908-522-3631 (C) 973-902-HOME
Visit me at: www.BestHomeResults.com
Follow me on Twitter: @JudiParis
Statistics from Coldwell Banker Market Action Reports for February 2011
Summit NJ Sends Mixed Signals in the January Real Estate Market
Accepted offers were down in Summit in January. However, there is also a notable lack of ‘fresh’ inventory; inventory remains relatively low and very few homes are coming onto the market. Although the drop in the number of homes with accepted offers could be interpreted as a softening of the market, ‘in the trenches’ I still see buyers as very active in Summit; but buyers are waiting for ‘the right home’ to come on the market, and I believe that demand is actually growing because of the lack of new inventory. In January of 2011, there were 29.7% fewer new listings than in January 2009, and 10.3% fewer than in January 2010.
Some market indicators show the Summit market as stronger than in the past couple of years. The average number of ‘Days on the Market’ for homes sold in Summit in January of 2011 was down a whopping 70.9% from that of last January, and significantly down 52.7% from January of 2009. Meanwhile, the ratio of the Sales Price (SP) to the Original List Price (OLP) was 98%, up from 94.2% in January of last year, and up from 94.9% in January of 2009. For more statistics on the Summit Real Estate market go to: www.SummitTrends.com.
If you are wondering if now is a good time to sell your home, or if you are waiting for better weather to put your home on the market, it is not too early in the season for an in-home consultation. To find out what the current market value is for your home, you can call me to receive a free ‘Market Trend Analysis’. I can also provide input on how to ‘stage’ your home to get the highest possible net return. I look forward to being of service to you, or to your friends, co-workers or family members, to help you to steer with confidence through this complex and changing market.
Judith “Judi” Paris, Broker/Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker Realtors- Summit, NJ
(O) 908-522-3631 (C) 973-902-HOME
Visit me at: www.BestHomeResults.com
Follow me on Twitter: @JudiParis
Statistics from Coldwell Banker Market Action Reports for January 2011
SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY: 2010- Real Estate, A YEAR IN REVIEW
Tags: absorption rate, home buyers, Home Buying, Home Prices, home sellers, Months Supply of Inventory, MSI, NJ Summit homes, real estate, Real Estate Inventory, real estate market strength, residential real estate, Summit, Summit NJ
In the beginning of every year, I like to look back at many of the details of how the real estate market behaved during the course of the previous year(s), to look for patterns, which may offer insight on the market from the past year, and perhaps even shed some light on what to expect in the coming year.
Inventory is currently at the lowest level it has been at any given time in Summit in the last four years. This, in part, is due to the fact that fewer new listings came on the market in Summit over that period. Not only were there fewer new listings in Summit in 2010 as a whole, but also in December, this past month, fewer new listings came on in Summit than in any other month over the last decade! Current inventory is also currently at a low-level because more homes had accepted offers (i.e. went ‘under contract’) in all of 2010, than in either 2008 or 2009. In other words, supply in Summit is low both because demand is up and new supply is down.
The amount of supply of homes for sale, compared to the amount of demand for those homes, gives an indication of how strong the real estate market is. This is important information to know if you are purchasing a home, or considering selling one. More specifically, looking at the ratio of the number of accepted offers to the number of new listings in a given period is a good measure of market strength. By understanding how strong the market is, and how strong it appears it will be moving forward, I can help you to have a perspective about market values; which will impact how much you choose to price your own home for sale, or how much you choose to offer on one you wish to purchase.
Comparing the total number of new listings to the number of homes with accepted offers (i.e. how many went under contract) shows that in Summit, the market was clearly stronger in 2010 than it was in 2006, 2007, 2008 or 2009.
A look at market strength on a month-to-month basis shows trends, which again is helpful in giving perspective on where market values are going. The measure ‘Months Supply of Inventory’ (MSI) is another calculation often used to track real estate market strength over time. The lower the MSI, the stronger the market, and an MSI of 5 or less is typical of a ‘Seller’s Market’. Looking at the chart on the right, in 2010 the market strength in Summit has been strong since the Spring market began in April of this year. Comparing MSI year-over-year (because the real estate market is seasonal, this is more meaningful than comparing month-to month), we can see the largest difference between 2010 and 2009 in April and May. This year in Summit, overall, there has been a ‘Seller’s Market’ since April. For more statistics on the Summit Real Estate market go to: www.SummitTrends.com
If you are considering buying or selling a home, having a perspective on what direction the market is heading will help you to make informed decisions. I look forward to being of service to you, or to your friends, co-workers or family members in the coming year, to help you to steer with confidence through this complex and changing market. Please accept my wishes to you for a happy, healthy, and successful 2011! If you are thinking about moving, contact Judi for a free consultation and a market analysis of your home.
Judith “Judi” Paris, Broker/Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker Realtors- Summit, NJ
(O) 908-522-3631 (C) 973-902-HOME
Visit me at: www.BestHomeResults.com
Follow me on Twitter: @JudiParis
Statistics from Coldwell Banker Market Action Reports for December 2010
Long Delays & Wrongful Rejections with First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credits- What to Do?
Tags: 2010 tax credits, Berkeley Heights NJ, Chatham NJ, Federal tax credits, home buyers, Home Buying, Morris Township, Morristown, New Providence NJ, Randolph, Short Hills, Summit NJ
Did you recently purchase your first home with the expectation of getting a quick $8,000 tax credit, only to wait for months without a response, and then get denied? If so, you are unfortunately one of many.
The IRS has been processing around 150,000 claims per month since early 2009 when they started processing 2008 tax returns for the First-time Homebuyer Credit, so it comes as no surprise that there are long delays and many errors. Processing time is generally taking over six months. And a number of the credit requests from first time homebuyers are getting wrongfully denied. Here are 3 common scenarios of wrongful tax credit rejections, along with suggestions of what to do about it:
1) The IRS rejects the tax credit claim because the first-time homebuyer filer has sent in a 1098 form for mortgage interest paid for real estate that is not their primary residence. Claims are not supposed to be rejected for first-time buyers of a principal residence who previously owned time-shares, vacation property, or even investment property. In this situation, you will need to send an immediate response letter, proving that the mortgage the IRS sees on the 1098 form isn’t on a personal residence. For example, include in the letter copies of rental contracts of where you have been residing for the past three years, an old driver’s license showing that address, and utility bills showing that address.
2) The IRS rejects the tax credit claim because the address of the home purchased has an apartment number. First-time homebuyers of condos, coops, duplexes, mobile homes, and boat slips (yes, even boats can qualify as a principal residence!) are legitimate examples of primary residences that may show an apartment number. In this situation, respond to the rejection with an immediate letter with an explanation of the type of residence purchased, along with proof that you really did purchase a primary residence.
3) The IRS automatically rejects the tax credit claim when the filer has an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) because they do not qualify for a real Social Security number, even if they are not a non-resident alien {The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 does exclude nonresident aliens.} Holders of ITIN numbers can technically be ‘Resident Aliens’, who may qualify for the first time home buyer tax credit, IF they have a green card AND they meet the “substantial presence test” (they have been present in the US at least 31 days during the current year, as well as 183 days during the 3-year period comprised of the current year and the previous two years). In this situation, as a Resident Alien’, you will need to send copy of your green card and prove the time that you have been living in the United States.
According to Eva Rosenberg, publisher of TaxMama.com, if you have not yet heard back from the IRS, it is a good idea to call the IRS to confirm that someone has received your file, and also to make sure that they have your correct new address for correspondence (to avoid delays that can cause you to miss response deadlines), because they may be sending notices to your previous residence. For more information on this subject, check out this article: http://bit.ly/biNbXC .
To see how local New Jersey Real Estate markets are faring now that the deadline is past to get a tax credit for a home purchase, go to www.NJMarketTrends.com for current local market data in the New Jersey towns of Summit, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, Millburn/Short Hills, the Chathams, Madison, Randolph, Morristown and Morris Township.
If you or someone you know (friends, family, coworkers, neighbors) is looking to buy or sell a home in Summit New Jersey or in the surrounding areas, AND would like honest, reliable, and tech-savvy service, contact Judi for a free, no obligation consultation.
Judith “Judi” Paris, Broker/Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker Realtors- Summit, NJ
(O) 908-522-3631 (C) 973-902-HOME
Visit me at: www.BestHomeResults.com
Follow me on Twitter: @JudiParis
6 Important Real Estate Market Statistics- in Summit, the Chathams, Madison, Millburn, Morristown & Randolph- April 2010
Tags: absorption rate, Chatham, Home Buying, Madison, market trend, Median Sales Price, Millburn, Morristown, Randolph, real estate, residential, Short Hills, Summit, Summit NJ
* In all six towns below, the number of homes sold in April 2010 was higher than in April 2009, except for Millburn, where the number of sales year over year was unchanged. The Chathams showed the highest year over year increase in sales. The “# Sales YTD” refers to the percent increase or decrease in the number of sales for April 2010 as compared to April 2009. April 2010 home sales were higher than that in both ’08 and ’09 in Summit, The Chathams, Morristown and Randolph.
* Median Sales Prices were up in April ’10 over April ’09 in all six towns, with Summit showing the highest year over year increase.
* The Absorption Rate is the theoretical number of months needed to sell off the inventory. The lower the absorption rate, the stronger the market. The absorption rates in both Madison and Summit indicate a seller’s market in both towns; both with absorption rates lower than 6 months.
* The Sales Price to Original Price Ratio (SP-OLP) increased year over year in Summit, the Chathams, Millburn and Morristown, showing a strengthening market in those towns.
Statistics in April 2010 as compared to April 2009
| SUMMIT | CHATHAMS | MADISON | |
| # SALES | + 91.7%
YTD +48.6% |
+ 144.4%
YTD +118.5% |
+ 66.7%
YTD +53.3% |
| Median Sales Price | + 68.9% | + 23.6% | + 1.7% |
| ’10 Absorption Rate
(’09 vs ’10) |
7.7 vs 5.8 | 6.3 (April 2010) | 5.7 vs 4.4 |
| Days on Market | - 39.6% | + 17.1% | + 7.8% |
| SP/OLP (’09 vs ’10) | 95.2% vs 96.7% | 94.5% vs 97.9% | 96.2% vs 95% |
| Inventory | + 14.8% | + 44.2% | - 22.9% |
| MILLBURN | MORRISTOWN | RANDOLPH | |
| # SALES | Unchanged
YTD + 38.5% |
+ 27.3%
YTD +8.6% |
+ 57.1%
YTD + 56.3% |
| Median Sales Price | + 35.5% | + 5.5% | + 20.4% |
| ’10 Absorption Rate
(’09 vs ’10) |
6.0 vs 7.3 | 7.2 vs 7.6 | 8.3 vs 13.5 |
| Days on Market | - 51.8% | + 65.4% | - 17% |
| SP-OLP (’09 vs ’10) | 94.8% vs 98.9% | 95.8% vs 97.7% | 96% vs 96% |
| Inventory | + 18.4% | + 19.2% | - 5.6% |
For more specifics on the local data statistics go to www.NJMarketTrends.com. If you are looking to buy or sell a home in Union, Morris, Essex or northern Somerset Counties of New Jersey- and, if you appreciate honest, savvy service contact Judi for a free, no obligation consultation.
Judith “Judi” Paris, Broker/Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker Realtors- Summit, NJ
(O) 908-522-3631 (C) 973-902-HOME
Visit me at: www.BestHomeResults.com
Follow me on Twitter: @JudiParis
Statistics from Coldwell Banker Market Action Reports for April 2010
Need Some Guidance on What to Offer for that Home in Summit, Chatham, Short Hills, Morristown or Randolph?
Tags: Chatham, home buyers, Home Buying, Home Prices, market trend, Morristown, New Jersey, NJ, Randolph, real estate, residential, Short Hills, spring real estate market, Summit, Summit NJ
When my Buyer clients are ready to put an offer on a home, they nearly always look to me for advice. To answer, I provide statistics to help them make an informed decision, based on their goals; starting with specific statistics and information for the home, and then by looking at the current buying behavior for homes in the type and price range where the home is located. Buying behavior varies greatly from town to town, and even from neighborhood to neighborhood. Many buyers in Summit, Chatham, Short Hills, Morristown and Randolph have recently been expecting a buyers market, and then are surprised when they find themselves in a multiple bid situation on well-priced homes.
Important specifics to look at:
1) Previous purchase date and price to give a clue about the Seller’s perspective (in this market, it is helpful to know if the seller is losing money from when they purchased the home, or if in fact the seller might be ‘upside down’, meaning that they owe more to the bank than the property is actually worth).
2) A current market analysis for the home, comparing it to similar homes (same town, style and general age) that have recently sold. Using a guide used by local appraisers, I make adjustments on price for all notable differences between the home and the ones it is being compared to.
3) Find out if there are other buyers currently interested in the home.
4) Get all of the listing history on the home with the current owners, including previous listings, as well as dates and details of all price reductions.
In addition to giving my Buyers an idea of the current value of a home they are about to bid on, I also provide valuable information about the nature of the buying behavior for the home’s environment, so my buyers know how much to offer to get the best deal possible, and to successfully make their purchase. Below is some market data to help give an idea of the current buying behavior in the different real estate markets of Summit, Chatham, Millburn/Short Hills, Morristown and Randolph.
- Summit: The list price to sales price ratio, year to date from January to March 2010 is 95.1%. 29 homes were closed in the first quarter of 2010, and of those homes, approximately 21% were sold at or above list price, and around 7% were sold above asking price.
- Chatham Borough and Chatham Township: The list price to sales price ratio, year to date from January to March 2010 is 92.2%. 37 homes were closed in the first quarter of 2010, and of those homes, approximately 19% were sold at or above list price, and around 5% were sold above asking price.
- Millburn Township/Short Hills: The list price to sales price ratio, year to date from January to March 2010 is 91.6%. 38 homes were closed in the first quarter of 2010, and of those homes, approximately 18% were sold at or above list price, and around 11% were sold above asking price.
- Morristown: The list price to sales price ratio, year to date from January to March 2010 is 93.7%. 24 homes were closed in the first quarter of 2010, and of those homes, approximately 13% were sold at or above list price, and around 4% were sold above asking price.
- Randolph Township: The list price to sales price ratio, year to date from January to March 2010 is 89%. 46 homes were closed in the first quarter of 2010, and of those homes, approximately 13% were sold at or above list price, and around 2% were sold above asking price.
Summit tops the list with the greatest percentage of homes selling at list price or above, and Summit also had the highest percentage of sales over asking. Of the homes selling in the above towns, with the exception of one home in Chatham, none of the homes selling over asking price were for homes with a value over $1 Million.
Buyers looking for a home in Union, Morris, Essex or northern Somerset Counties of New Jersey- if you appreciate honest, savvy service contact Judi for a free, no obligation consultation.
Judith “Judi” Paris, Broker/Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker Realtors- Summit, NJ
(O) 908-522-3631 (C) 973-902-HOME
Visit me at: www.BestHomeResults.com
Follow me on Twitter: @JudiParis
List Price to Sales price ratios from Coldwell Banker Market Action Reports for March 2010; the rest of the above data comes from the Garden State Multiple Listing Service.










