Category Archives: Politics

The perks of campaign contribution

Posted on May 22, 2012 by grim
Posted in National Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 134 Comments

I’d be more surprised if this wasn’t going on everywhere. Will they be charging the contributors as well? Probably not, I’m sure they had no idea this was going on. Time for an investigation in NJ? From Bloomberg: L.A. Appraiser … Continue reading →

Farmland Assessment Fix – Does it go far enough?

Posted on May 19, 2012 by grim
Posted in New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 64 Comments

From the Star Ledger: Bill to stop ‘fake farmers’ from getting large property tax discounts passes N.J. Senate panel A Senate panel has approved a bill to make it tougher for property owners to qualify for large property tax discounts … Continue reading →

April Revenue #’s Gone Missing

Posted on May 15, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 112 Comments

From the Star Ledger: N.J. Treasury delays release of April revenue figures without explanation A joint news conference between Gov. Chris Christie and Senate President Stephen Sweeney wasn’t the only thing that didn’t go off as scheduled today in Trenton. … Continue reading →

Income or Property Tax Cut – Which would you prefer?

Posted on April 17, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 168 Comments

Editorial on NJ Property Taxes from the Philly Inquirer: N.J. needs property-tax relief, not income The one thing that seems to get otherwise rational New Jersey residents to foam at the mouth is the state’s punishing property-tax system. Property owners … Continue reading →

Appeal 2012!

Posted on March 26, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 81 Comments

From the Record: North Jersey homeowners seek lower tax assessments (Hat tip Gary) Watching their property taxes rise as the value of their 82-year-old house dropped, Nora and Pat Sfarra of Teaneck decided to appeal their tax assessment last year. … Continue reading →

Fast tracking abandoned homes

Posted on March 19, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, Foreclosures, Housing Recovery, Politics | 157 Comments

From the Star Ledger: Housing, banking advocates hail measure to speed foreclosures of abandoned homes A piece of state legislation that looks to turn foreclosed homes into affordable housing also contains a little-noted provision that banking and housing experts say … Continue reading →

Property taxes cuts too expensive to afford

Posted on March 12, 2012 by grim
Posted in New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 251 Comments

From the Star Ledger: N.J. can’t afford tax cuts proposed by either party It’s party time in Trenton, where we now have a menu of tax-cut plans to choose from — one from Gov. Chris Christie, one from the Senate … Continue reading →

Do you have an FHA originated before June, 2009?

Posted on March 6, 2012 by grim
Posted in Mortgages, Politics, Risky Lending | 24 Comments

You are in luck. From the WSJ: White House Cuts Refinance Fees The U.S. government will cut fees on federally insured mortgages that have prevented some borrowers from refinancing their home loans at ultra-low interest rates, the latest in a … Continue reading →

Seller’s Market Buyer’s Market Renters Market! (and a squatter’s market too)

Posted on February 24, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, Foreclosures, Housing Recovery, Politics, Risky Lending | 163 Comments

A Two-Parter from Bloomberg (Hat tip Chi!): Why Renters Rule U.S. Housing Market (Part 1): A. Gary Shilling The collapse in housing and the 33 percent plunge in house prices since 2006 are favoring renting over homeownership. This trend will … Continue reading →

Making the unaffordable affordable

Posted on February 15, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, Foreclosures, Housing Recovery, Politics | 126 Comments

From the Star Ledger: N.J. Dems outline proposal allowing towns to turn foreclosed homes into affordable housing Two senior Democrats today outlined a measure to let municipalities and a state corporation buy foreclosed homes and offer them to low- and … Continue reading →

Value in consolidation or just smoke and mirrors?

Posted on February 14, 2012 by grim
Posted in New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 118 Comments

From the Star Ledger: At Caldwell town hall meeting, Christie calls on N.J. towns to share services Gov. Chris Christie today told a hospitable audience at the Caldwell Community Center that after school funding, the duplication of municipal services is … Continue reading →

What’s our cut of the settlement?

Posted on February 9, 2012 by grim
Posted in Housing Recovery, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Risky Lending | 117 Comments

From the Daily Record: NJ gets $837.7M in nationwide mortgage and foreclosure settlement New Jersey’s share of the $25 billion mortgage settlement announced Thursday is expected to bring financial relief to at least some of the state’s homeowners who are … Continue reading →

Which gets cut: Income taxes or property taxes?

Posted on January 27, 2012 by grim
Posted in New Jersey Real Estate, Politics, Property Taxes | 280 Comments

From Bloomberg: Christie Pushes Income-Tax Cut as Democrats Eye Property Levies Governor Chris Christie told a group of business leaders that Democrats in the Legislature may jeopardize New Jersey’s economic recovery by putting social issues ahead of job-creation and tax … Continue reading →

Mortgage settlement near?

Posted on January 24, 2012 by grim
Posted in Foreclosures, Housing Recovery, Politics | 166 Comments

From Bloomberg: Bank Foreclosure Deal Reviewed by States as Delaware Drops Out State attorneys general reviewed a proposed settlement with banks over foreclosure and mortgage- servicing practices that negotiators are pressing to complete as Delaware said it would reject a … Continue reading →

I’d like a tax cut, but can we afford it?

Posted on January 19, 2012 by grim
Posted in Economics, New Jersey Real Estate, Politics | 149 Comments

From the APP: Gov. Christie takes rosy look at state revenues By calling for a 10 percent income tax cut, Gov. Chris Christie must believe boom times are coming to state finances. Because with the scheduled increases for pension payments … Continue reading →