From MyCentralJersey:
Central Jersey home sale values rising: Is it enough?
(click for tables)
The good news is that home sale prices improved last year in more than half of Central Jersey municipalities.
The bad news is that home values remain nowhere near prices in 2006, before the market collapse and recession, a Gannett NJ review of home sales data shows.
In Monroe, for example, the median price of 583 homes sold during the first nine months of 2015 climbed 29 percent over the previous year, but the $280,000 median value was still 7 percent less than in 2006.
Branchburg’s $429,500 median sale price among 106 sales for the first nine months last year was 18 percent higher over the same months in 2014, but still 6 percent short of 2006 levels.
Nevertheless, the state’s real estate market was the strongest last year since the recession, according to Jeff Otteau, chief executive officer of the East Brunswick-based Otteau Evaluation Group, which analyses real estate data for developers.
“There’s good cause for optimism for the real estate markets in 2016, especially in New Jersey,” Otteau said. “The glass now appears half full.”
…
The Central Jersey counties of Union, Middlesex, Somerset and Hunterdon counties all saw inventories of unsold homes shrink as more people are buying homes. The faster pace of the state’s job gains in 2015 and improvement in the financial markets has led to a significant rise in demand across all of its real estate sectors, Otteau said.According to Otteau, Union County had a 5.3-month inventory of homes in December 2014, meaning if homes continued to sell at the same pace, it would take 5.3 months to sell all the homes on the market. In 2015, that inventory had shrunk to 4.2 months’ supply. In Middlesex County, the inventory went from 5.4 to 4.9 month’s supply from December 2014 to December 2015. Somerset County saw its December 2014 inventory of 5.1 months in December 2014 shrink to 4.2 months in December 2015 and Hunterdon County saw its inventory contract from 6.7 months’ worth of homes in December 2014 to 6 months in Dec. 2015. This tightening of the market helped to drive prices higher.
…
Otteau’s figures show that Union County sales increased by 24 percent in volume from 2014 to 2015 but only 12 percent in price increases. Middlesex County saw a 9 percent increase in the number of sales from 2014 to 2015, but the market prices swung only 4 percent higher. In Somerset County, contract sales increased by 21 percent, but the market swung 12 percent higher. And in Hunterdon County, contract sales rose 24 percent, but prices increased 11 percent.
Frist, and damned tired
The selection of the least offensive megalomaniac commences…
[2] splat
Wake me when it’s over. 4 more years of stasis.
you are just recycling the Third Reich ideology about those other races (and cultures)
Racism is easy, improving humanity is hard
.
Ragnar says:
January 29, 2016 at 4:07 pm
31,
Is it possible that some races (and cultures) in aggregate assign differing levels of value to the accumulation of knowledge, self-discipline, work, and thrift, and thus some groups
Stereotypes exist for a reason.
4. Which possibly might be why the government should stay away from humanity.
Is there a reason to quote Tweets?
leftwing says:
February 1, 2016 at 8:16 am
Stereotypes exist for a reason.
CNN, WSJ, USA Today:
Boko Haram kills 86
Dallas Dad Not Guilty for taking Tween Daughter’s Phone
http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/crime/2016/01/26/dallas-dad-not-guilty-taking-tween-daughters-phone/79355512/
[4]
Be the exception and not the rule…..
7. Chi
?
I can’t possibly be confident that Splat! wouldn’t shoot at me; but when the Brown Shirts come, I’m pretty sure I know which way he’ll be shooting.
Pretty ingenious way of using natural resources
New Jersey family tosses out shovels, melts snow with one-of-a-kind eco-friendly system
The home they call “Zenesis House,” which took three years to build, captures rainwater all year round and then uses a solar thermal system to heat that water which eventually makes its way to a network of heating pipes underneath the concrete.
The system, which maintains the home’s temperature on the coldest and hottest of days, is developed to not let anything go to waste.
http://fox6now.com/2016/01/31/new-jersey-family-tosses-out-shovels-melts-snow-with-one-of-a-kind-eco-friendly-system/
This can’t be good for Bernie!
Venezuela is on the brink of a complete economic collapse
Funny how we’ve heard nothing of this until the eve of Hillary possibly losing to Bernie in Iowa. What amazing timing for Hillary… O_o
14. Venezuela had all of its eggs in one basket– OIL.
Thinking you could ride off that is like going on a spending spree after hitting the lottery…
For Joyce,
An article to read..
http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/02/smile_youre_on_camera_says_the_cop.html#incart_river_home_pop
Anyone here own a home in Monmouth county ,and how has the new yearly assessment effected your taxes ….
Ray [16];
That’s the shot… here’s the chaser:
Report: 80% of Chicago cops purposefully destroyed or hid dashcam mics
In a (deep blue) city like Chicago… hoocoodanode? Never happen here… right? Right?!?
PSA…
Cyberthieves Have a New Target: Children
To the list of things we wish we could shield children from, add identity theft.
Cyberthieves target children because their identities offer a clean slate with which to apply for bank accounts, credit cards or loans, government benefits and tax breaks. Criminals will often combine a child’s Social Security number with a fake date of birth and address to avoid suspicion, experts say.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/cyberthieves-have-a-new-target-children-1454295685
17
Mine went up, but was undervalued previously due to a really good appeal a few years ago.
They’ve never done the in home assessment to my house, although I got a letter recently that they will be doing it soon. Good luck with that. I’ve got a hundred pounds of dog that says they don’t make it in the front door.
Listed assessment on the tax card was pretty close I thought.
18.
Interesting thing I read is that the camera will be active in a private residence during an emergency.
19
S Security numbers are a joke. They should never be used for getting credit anywhere…
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/ssn.htm
My Monmouth county assessment on the tax card went up $6,600 for this year and $29,000 last year, all on improvements only. I will appeal next year if the comps support it.
[22]
Besides the SS#, what identifier is there out there that can be used to combine multiple databases (utilities, loans, cc, etc) to get a holistic view of someone?
Companies should simplistically look up the DOB as well and deny any form of credit/services for someone under the age of 18 to prevent this abuse.
13
It’s illegal to capture rain water in some areas.
[12] moose,
I’m guessing Splat isn’t as good a shot as you all fear.
I, on the other hand, . . . .
[26] joyce,
That is true but I don’t think that is an issue in the northeast. It’s basically a western states issue.
Feel free to research it. Can’t vouch for its accuracy.
http://www.harvesth2o.com/statues_regulations.shtml
Hughesrep 20- I would think twice about denying them access to inspect your home. The law allows them to assume you have the highest level of finishes/improvement if you do. It will come back to bite you in the a$& with a hugely overinflated assessment if you do and then you’ll have the expense of filing an appeal.
“If you’re not home on the inspector’s first visit, a notice will be left asking you to call for an appointment or indicating the second intended inspection date. A phone number will also be left so that you may call if you have a scheduling conflict. If the representative is unable to inspect your home or if you refuse entry, the interior value will be estimated at the highest level for your property type.”
http://www.essextaxboard.com/reval.html
Must have hit close to home since you’re response it to start calling him a N@zi.
Iowa is up (the good one) says:
February 1, 2016 at 8:06 am
you are just recycling the Third Reich ideology about those other races (and cultures)
Racism is easy, improving humanity is hard
.
Ragnar says:
January 29, 2016 at 4:07 pm
31,
Is it possible that some races (and cultures) in aggregate assign differing levels of value to the accumulation of knowledge, self-discipline, work, and thrift, and thus some groups
29
Thanks. Have to consider “highest level for my property type” vs things like the deck and sun room they don’t know about.
I’ve redone everything except for one bedroom floor in this house over the past six years I’ve been here.
Iowa (4)-
Eugenics is the answer.
“Racism is easy, improving humanity is hard”
#31…in my town, before they came inside, they did a perimeter walk around to check deck, etc…
I am a very, very good shot. Not Olympic level, but not far off.
I don’t have a lot of skills other than capacity to drink. And my legs are shot from getting older, so I can’t really hang at soccer anymore.
However, I can shoot the shit out of shit. Back in HS, I’d get bored of shattering clays, so I’d drop down and shoot from the hip. Could run 20-25 that way before finally missing.
For racial reconciliation, here’s a video of two rappers. http://southpark.cc.com/clips/713xlv/black-or-white-its-alright
I did not let them in, taxes went up maybe 20 dollars total.
Splat,
Do you shoot deer during the culls?
To the hacks that keep on thinking the Congo is a free country, check out the case of Botswana, one of the cleanest and most economically free countries in Africa, which in turn has helped it to be among the wealthier African countries.
http://www.heritage.org/index/country/botswana
Fun fact: The top personal income tax rate is 25 percent, and the top corporate tax rate is 22 percent.
31 Hughesrep – no hiding the deck or the sunroom,won’t they see that just from an exterior view of the property?
Re upgrades, they will assume everything is finished in 24K gold. During the Montclair reval, one of our neighbors did not allow an inspection and easily wound up $150-$200k overassessed.
Gator [39];
During the Montclair reval, one of our neighbors did not allow an inspection and easily wound up $150-$200k overassessed.
$200k of fit and finish? That sounds punitive. I’ve got some time on my hands to play with them in court.
Back in 2012 right after I moved in Sandy dropped a tree and took out a detached structure. I put in a FEMA claim – I figured at least they’d pay for my chain saw to remove the tree. Some ‘contractor’ with a FEMA badge rang my doorbell and wanted to do a room-by-room interior inspection of my house — “to verify the house was being used as a residence.” I wasn’t clear exactly why I had to subject my house to being cased by some day-labor “contractor” because a tree dropped on my shed. I politely declined; and they predictably refused my claim, blaming no inspection as the excuse. Silly rabbit, government doesn’t write checks to Morris County, they only cash them from there.
The whole incident was brought to mind recently because I got an email stating that I was eligible for extended SBA reconstruction loans due to Sandy. (WTF?!?)
rags (37)-
I tired of deer hunting while still in high skool. Goose and duck hunting much more my thang.
@40 Had a friend flooded out in Wallington from Sandy. They got a whopping $87 for a flooded basement.
39- They’d probably need a drone. Fence is tall enough to hide most of it, sits in the middle off the back of the house.
I’m in the business and do my own work. My upgrades are probably worth more than they would estimate. I buy great stuff and can install it myself.
200k in upgrades in my neighborhood would be 1/2 of a house. Different strata. I’m NJ poor, my wife is a teacher, I get paid when I sell something.
The total SF has never been on the tax rolls. It’s near enough to a wash not to let them in my house for $hits and grins.
42
How far is Wallington from the coast?
80% reported in Iowa and what a race. Rubio could put Trump in third. Bernie and Hillary neck and neck.
The race is on. I love politics.
Sanders loses by a hair. Trump too….
44
More evidence.
Go Christie 2%
Quick pool – Who bows out next?
[45] sx
I’m not sure that’s hair on Trump
Damn I was going to go with Huck, I had no idea he already bowed out.
Impressed that Bernie is pulling a 49.
50/50 – Hillary with 0.2 edge.
WOW
Christie should bow out, but he’s not able to bow. And he forgot the password to his office pc at his NJ taxpayer-funded job.
Christie wasting time & money and for what?
Anyone with 3% and lower should quit. But they have sunk costs in NH, so probably wait for that. Hilarious to see li’l Bush pretend to be presidential and get rebuked so brutally.
Rubio delivered a strong speech
54. Thing is Bush is probably better than some of them. His brother crushed his dreams.
Rubio’s speech was strong. But as usual low on details. Trump’s speech was garbage, devoid of substance, full of his usual bs. Cruz’ speech was ok, but was more about stirring his base than winning new voters.
Update: Cruz spoke too long.
Feel the Bern b1tches!
So the Ipads are taking over the service industries, taking over financial services and now ….
http://www.mtv.com/news/2729059/joshua-browder-robot-lawyer/?xrs=_s.fb_up
I had an idea years back for an AI court system, I might just dust it off.
Biggest lie in politics. Taking personal time off from a government job to work on a campaign.
They all get comped time when they do this.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/de-blasio-heads-home-day-early-clinton-campaigning-article-1.2516431
Go Bernie. He has a really decent chance of winning New Hampshire now and winning it by a noticeable margin.
I also expect that Cruz and Trump get a reality check in NH. Most likely Rubio wins; I expect Christie Creme to come in 2nd. Bush and Kasich should do well. Carson may surprise but if he doesn’t, he’s gone. Everyone else still in should be gone.
I feel sad for those groundhogs getting yanked out of their homes to “forecast” the weather, wouldn’t it be more humane to yank anon out of the basement instead?
[57] Ragnar
Whenever I listen to Trump speak, it’s like listening to someone who is either off their ADHD meds or has had too much of it.
[63] Alex,
If Twitter folds, he may come out on his own. Especially if the economy improves and he gets his old spot at the Fryalator back.
[50] Grim,
I’ve always considered Iowa a freak show. It’s a contest to see who can get the most likes on DailyKos or Freep. Especially on the GOP side, its as if they go out of their way to make an oddball choice. Dems little better.
NH will set things right on the GOP side. On the Dem side, you have all those college students and Subaru-driving Vermonter wannabes across the Connecticut River, and if they outnumber the Massh0le transplants that work on 495 and 128, that could tip it for Bernie
[66] redux
As the latest reports show that some fringe candidates are skipping NH for SC, I will adjust my thinking here on the GOP side. After SC, it’s a four person race–only Trump, Cruz, Rubio and either Bush or Kasich will be in. Santorum and Carson will be gone.
And it saddens me to say it, but Bernie peaks in NH. After that, the Clinton machine will turn him into an afterthought.
The single most important moment of the Iowa caucuses.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/watch-a-man-eat-hillary-sticker-behind-her-at-post-iowa-caucus-speech/article/2000868/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=t.co&utm_campaign=20160202_TWS-blog-hillary-eat-sticker-2_twitter&utm_content=TWS
I admire Millennials. A generation after my own heart.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3427611/Sticker-Kid-steals-Hillary-s-thunder-Clinton-upstaged-Iowa-victory-speech-animated-college-student-dances-face-campaign-stickers.html
@jonkarl
“Win the Iowa caucuses and you’re more likely to become a Fox News host than president”
Here you go, NJ: Still up? Eat Up!
Here Are The 24 Best Restaurants In New Jersey To Eat Late At Night
I could go for some White (Castle) Mana (No. 2)… Melt Factory in Morrisown (No. 8) is currently running a Groupon deal. Always wanted to stop at Clifton Diner (No. 7), but I only pass it on the way someplace else with other plans. Train car is a novel hook, but I can’t imagine food is better than any other diner.
Re: Trenton Social (No. 20) — Is that a hot dog maki?
ANone/Plumps/Tool [71];
“Win the Iowa caucuses and you’re more likely to become a Fox News host than president”
Its settled then, Hillary gets a show on Fox and stays the hell out of the White House. You’re a real peacemaker to be lauded by the ages.
Kids in 11 N.J. cities have higher lead levels than Flint, Mich.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/new-jersey/2016/02/01/nj-lead-poisoning-campaign/79665914/
Redux [74];
“Governor Christie is poisoning our children and our future,” said Mrs. Lovejoy.
The flint story is the latest bogeyman for the r@ce b@iting industry. They’ve moved on from demonizing police after realizing how spectacularly that backfired.
Jeez, here we go. I’m seriously getting annoyed listening to this lead bs. Now every town in America is going to claim that their govt is trying to poison them.
Anon E. Møøse, Who never bit anyone’s sister says:
February 2, 2016 at 1:01 pm
Kids in 11 N.J. cities have higher lead levels than Flint, Mich.
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/new-jersey/2016/02/01/nj-lead-poisoning-campaign/79665914/
77- It’s not a race thing like they are making it out to be. You get a free education, take advantage of it, get out of the ghetto, and you won’t have to worry about drinking tap water with lead in it. Otherwise, don’t buy expensive sneakers, soda, and cigs. Instead buy some bottled water with that money.
What a coincidence that University of Michigan gives out masters degrees in “Environmental Justice”. They will be finding environmental racism everywhere.
http://www.snre.umich.edu/degrees/masters/environmental_justice/overview
Overview
Equity and justice play an integral role in environmental affairs, yet remain elusive in our legal, economic, and ecological systems. When we recognize the interconnectedness of social and biophysical factors, we expand our potential to advance both sustainability and human rights.
At SNRE, Environmental Justice students and researchers examine how and why inequalities arise and are maintained around the world. We tackle global issues like climate vulnerability and adaptation; environmental workforce dynamics; environmental health; energy transitions; agricultural change; food security; animal rights movements; forest governance; hazard exposure; community revitalization; conservation and access to natural areas; as well as conflict mediation, management of non-governmental organizations, advocacy campaigns, public opinion, and more.
Our Environmental Justice faculty is at the forefront the field’s teaching, research, scholarship, and activism. SNRE was the first school in the U.S. to launch an Environmental Justice program that offered undergraduate and graduate degree specializations, and our campus is now home to one of the largest clusters of the field’s faculty and students nationwide
Hillary won Iowa by 6 coin toss and won all of them
More NYT derision aimed at Flyover Country.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/opinion/how-stupid-is-iowa.html?WT.mc_id=2016-FEBRUARY-OUTBRAIN_AUD_DEV-0201-0229&WT.mc_ev=click&ad-keywords=AUDDEVREMARK&_r=0
I figured “New York Values” would play well, and it apparently has.
Iowa is stupid.
yome,
That’s the same lucky coin she flipped to help her trade cattle futures so successfully one of those many times she was “dead broke”.
79.
Environmental Reparations, US to Africa.
Our industrial revolution polluted the skies changing the climate to below subsistence and was therefore derived off the backs of poor Africans.
Take 20% of the output annually from 1880-1950, add it up, apply some compounding, and write a check to Kenya, babeeeee!
Don’t worry, we’ll float some T Bonds to finance it.
Think I’m kidding? Gentlemen’s bet of $1 that a similar course is actually offered.
The Great Pumpkin says:
February 2, 2016 at 2:25 pm
“Otherwise, don’t buy expensive sneakers, soda, and cigs. Instead buy some bottled water with that money.”
Wrong – Don’t waste money on bottled water, buy bottled pancake batter instead right Pumps?
Fascinating
http://cookpolitical.com/story/9221
Well at least I know why DIS stock has sold off…..I didnt see the new Star Wars until today…….really quite an average thing it is……
#88..agree..now 13 Hours….wow…even my son (21) thought it was non stop intense.
Rubio is open borders all the way. As is Cruz with regards to H-1Bs tech workers from India, which he wants to increase by 500% annually. An open assault on both blue collar and white collar jobs from these two.
I’ll take Trump’s brand of crazy over these two job killers any day of the week.
#88
Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaOSCASqLsE
How much did each vote cost in Iowa for Cruz?
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/how-ted-cruz-out-strategized-trump-in-iowa-061103474.html
Re [77], [78];
Pumpkin-troll sock is seemingly back on his meds. Give it up, Anon.
Kuggerands on Ebay. Sounds legit…
I suppose the 10% premium over spot price they’re asking isn’t insane.
#70 D,
It’s Demamp from Workaholics..or pretty close resemblance.
#70 D-FENS
No, Cat Lady took that honor.
https://twitter.com/anamariecox/status/694211639340445696
Cat lady and sticker boy. Proof that the idiocracy is upon us.
[87] Gooner who must not be named.
Not especially novel, that piece. Did not really say anything that wasn’t readily apparent. And given the sample size of the democratic caucuses, one busload of students probably threw that from landslide to dead heat.
I still stand by my Dem thesis: NH will prove to be Bernie’s high water mark and Hillary has it wrapped by the Fourth of July, and perhaps Memorial Day. Not the outcome I want but that is how I am calling it.
GOP side is wide open. The Donald is the stinkbomb thrown into the party and its anyone’s game (except Carson, and probably Kasich) until Labor Day unless someone implodes so badly that the donors run for cover. I’d say “and the media savages him” (or her but Carly won’t be in long. In fact, is she still in?) but the media will be all over any GOP candidate that does anything even remotely twistable, like wearing a striped tie on a checked shirt.
“Everryone, and I mean everyone, should come out of college knowing how to program a computer. This can be everything from coding in C to being proficient in Database Programing to knowing how to work with Geographical Information Services (GIS).
In a changing world, the question is no longer merely technical subjects vs. the humanities. Instead, students must understand that the world they are emerging into is rife with new challenges. Addressing those issues will require understanding both the pervasive technological and scientific foundation of our society, as well the human beings who populate it.”
http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/02/02/465239105/what-is-the-value-of-an-education-in-the-humanities
Comment from that article.
“Thank you! Lately, every discussion about student loans has descended into a humanities-major bashing party. Universities were never supposed to pump out high-earning workers with perfectly honed job skills for a capitalist market. An education is not the same thing as vocational training, and it SHOULDN’T be. As a general populace, we need people who understand the full range of things that influence the human condition.”
Another comment I found interesting. World is changing.
“We should do away with the absolutely specious notion that everybody has to earn a living. It is a fact today that one in ten thousand of us can make a technological breakthrough capable of supporting all the rest. The youth of today are absolutely right in recognizing this nonsense of earning a living. We keep inventing jobs because of this false idea that everybody has to be employed at some kind of drudgery because, according to Malthusian Darwinian theory he must justify his right to exist. So we have inspectors of inspectors and people making instruments for inspectors to inspect inspectors. The true business of people should be to go back to school and think about whatever it was they were thinking about before somebody came along and told them they had to earn a living.” ― R. Buckminster Fuller
“In today’s digitally driven world, companies are competing ferociously for technological skills. They believe the ability to create the hard code that makes a product come to life is at the heart of their success. Without code, after all, you merely have ideas on a napkin or a dream in your head.
It’s the same with data analysts and business intelligence engineers. What’s more important than taking the massive amounts of data that a company receives every day and making sense of it? Decoding this data, everyone tells us, will help companies pinpoint exactly what each consumer wants and will inform a product’s creation in turn.
The current emphasis on these skills seems totally rational, as nothing happens without them and no company can ever hope to be successful in their absence. But what companies forget is that this won’t be true forever. In fact, it won’t be long before these very skills become commoditized. In the future, computers will take over more and more of these tasks, including programming and data crunching. The things that are foundational to a company’s success today will be replaced and automated by a machine tomorrow.
But there will be a limit to how far computers can replace human capabilities, at least in the near long term. What can’t be replaced in any organization imaginable in the future is precisely what seems overlooked today: liberal arts skills, such as creativity, empathy, listening, and vision. These skills, not digital or technological ones, will hold the keys to a company’s future success. And yet companies aren’t hiring for them. This is a problem for today’s digital companies, and it’s only going to get worse.”
https://hbr.org/2016/01/digital-companies-need-more-liberal-arts-majors
Gooners have started their annual drive to finish fourth.
Soft, passive, slow, ineffective. Perfect team for gluteus.
[103] splat,
Much as I hate the Gooners, I don’t talk trash from a position of relegation-bait.
I love bashing Fabian as much as the next guy, but from my perspective, we Toon fans have nothing to brag about.
That said, I hope the Gooners flame out spectacularly.
[87] Gooner-who-lives-vicariously-through-football
Here is a decent article on some inside baseball in Iowa.
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-02-02/cruz-win-hits-corn-s-clout-and-emboldens-ethanol-foes-in-senate
“The major welfare abuser in America is the wealthiest family in America, the Walton family,” Sen. Bernie Sanders says, referring to founders of Wal-Mart Stores.
Walton family demonstrates nation’s “rigged” economy in that Wal-Mart doesn’t pay its employees a “living wage,” forcing many workers to turn to food stamps, Medicaid and subsidized housing funded by taxpayers, the Democratic presidential candidate says at campaign event in Keene, N.H.
“I say to the Walton family, get off of welfare. Pay your workers a living wage”