The Bergen County Homes Blog

Last month I wrote an article about the change in school board elections – New Jersey now allows school board elections to be moved to the general election in November.  This will save a lot of money and increase voter turn out so it’s a cost saving and convenience improvement.  But, if you aren’t registered to vote, then you’re out of luck.  Most but not all school board elections have been moved to the fall – please check with your town on this.

If you haven’t registered to vote because you’ve just moved to Bergen County or elsewhere in New Jersey, click on this link for voter registration application forms.  It’s very easy, doesn’t take long so do it today before you forget and it’s too late.  The New Jersey Division of Elections website is easy to use and very informative for any questions you might have.  Here’s something else too -

If you’re not sure you can make it to the voting booth on election day, you can apply for a mail in ballot.  If you want to vote by mail,  just get an Application for Vote by Mail Ballot You don’t need any reason at all – just make sure you get your mail in ballot application to your County Clerk no later than 7 days before the election.

I’ll bet you didnt know that you can go to the woods and get your own maple sugar from a tree right here in Tenafly!  Well, it is true – the Tenafly Nature Center will show you how to do this, right here at home, for the next two Sundays.  On March 4 and March 11, you and your children can learn how sap is gathered today, and check tapped trees.  Then, you’ll boil down the fresh maple syrup for a warm sweet treat!

Yes, you can do this in Tenafly.  So close to New York City, and yet the wonders of nature abound here.

The Tenafly Nature Center is a wonderful resource in our community.  Located at 313 Hudson Avenue, the center is close to everything, and yet seems far removed, its own nature world.  Its wonderful to have such a rich resource near us.  Maple sugaring isnt the only thing you can do there.  Take guided nature hikes for children and adults, attend children’s nature story times, or find out about opportunities to sail along the Palisade!  Whether you are an adult or a child, you will find there is something for you here.

Tenafly is a beautiful place to live and to play.  Not only do we have a great schools system, beautiful homes, and proximity to New York City, we live in a beautiful place with many natural wonders to appreciate and explore.

Check out maple sugaring at the Tenafly Nature Center, March 4 and 11, 12:30-1:30 and 2:00-3:00.  While you are there, find out about Spring Break Camp in April, and an Easter time “Eggs Bunnidict” celebration of rabbit trails and hidden candy eggs.

  In the wake of last year’s early winter storm in October  that had a devastating impact on Bergen County and throughout the New York City area and beyond, Public Service Electric and Gas has begun a year long effort to prune trees in Bergen County so that the next major storm won’t have the same resul. 

Bergen County is known for it’s foliage – our streets are often lined with magnificent towering trees reaching enormous heights.  Many of these trees have limbs perilously close to electrical wires and when winter storms come, they snap and break tearing down those wires creating havoc for the nearby residents.  Last October 29th Bergen County was brought to a standstill as power, phone and cable lines were out everywhere and streets were made impassable due to the overwhelming number of trees and branches that fell.

PSE&G spokeswoman Bonnie Sheppard said that all pruning work should be completed in the following towns by the end of April: Bergenfield, Bogota, Cliffside Park, Dumont, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fairview, Haworth, Fort Lee, Leonia, Little Ferry, New Milford, Oradell, Palisades Park, Paramus, Ridgefield, Ridgefield Park, River Edge, Teaneck and Tenafly.

This is welcome news for Bergen County residents some of whom were without power last October for one week.  No one wants a repetition of last year’s Halloween snowstorm.

Voter Alert – School Board Elections Are Changing in New Jersey

School board elections in Bergen County and throughout New Jersey have been held on the 3rd Tuesday in April. Because they are a separate election apart from the general elections in November, they’ve never gotten the turn-out of the November elections and have been an extra expense. Starting in 2012 this is going to change for many New Jersey and Bergen County residents.

Signed into law on January 17th of this year, a new regulation allows a school board to move its election to the general election in November. While there is no specified deadline to make this change, towns were encouraged to do so no later than February 12th.

By February 9th twenty-one Bergen County towns had moved their school vote to November: Alpine, Bergenfield, Carlstadt, Cresskill, Elmwood Park, Glen Rock, Hasbrouck Heights, Little Ferry, Maywood, Moonachie, New Milford, North Arlington, Oradell, Ridgefield Park, Riverdell Regional, River Edge, Saddle River, Teaneck, Tenafly, Waldwick and Wallington. Six opted to maintain the April date: East Rutherford, Englewood, Lodi, Palisades Park and Ramsey.

There are 70 locations in Bergen County; if yours is not here, get in touch with your local Board of Education to find out when your school vote is scheduled.

Have you been enjoying this winter? I have! There is so much to do right here at home in Bergen County for winter sports. You never have to leave home, or take an expensive vacation. Skiing, hockey, ice skating – it’s all here!

Probably the top winter attraction for this area is Campgaw Mountain in Mahwah. Just a short drive from Tenafly and eastern Bergen, this mountain resort is on the New York State border, and it’s very popular. Take a look!

Campgaw Mountain Reservation is open year round and in warmer weather is a favorite hiking and camping retreat.  But, in the winter, it becomes a snow park where you and your family can come for “in your backyard” winter sports.  Campgaw is just another reason why it’s fun to live in Bergen County and why our Bergen County homes are so valued.  I bet you didn’t expect a ski resort only 30 minutes from Manhattan!

Isn’t the internet great?  When you are buying a home nothing seems to beat it for all the information it has.  But when it comes to knowing a town and the neighborhood, nothing replaces being there.  Still there is one place where you can get to know a community and that’s the town website. 

Town websites give you a special look into the character and services of a community.  Although not all towns have a website, most do and they are filled with information and community news.

Are you shopping for a Tenafly home?  The Tenafly Borough site has the Tenafly Memorial Day Parade schedule telling you that everyone is invited to the Tenafly Elk’s Club for refreshments after the ceremony. 

Looking for a Ridgewood home?  If you go to the Village of Ridgewood website you’ll learn that the Ridgewood flood rating is unchanged which gives it’s residents a 15% discount on insurance. 

Looking for an Englewood home?  The City of Englewood website tells you that all Englewood residents are eligible for a 20% discount card for prescriptions.  

If you’re thinking of buying a home in Cresskill the Cresskill Borough website announces that the town is having it’s Spring Festival on June 11th.

I have all the town websites for you on my site.  Click Here and choose the town you want!

The State of New Jersey had a great idea – help for homeowners who had underground oil tanks.  Whether leaking or not, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) would administer a fund to reimburse homeowners who wanted to remove, replace or remediate their underground oil tank.   Thus was born the Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Remediation, Upgrade & Closure Fund or UST Fund as it was commonly known. 

Actually the program worked very well.  Applications for funding were processed in a timely mannter; most homeowners only waited 2 months to receive their reimbursement check.  There was only one problem – the money to pay for all this was not unlimited and now the $20 million set aside for the UST Fund has been depleted.

Because funds are so low, the NJDEP is no longer taking new applications for non leaking tanks.  If you have a leaking tank , you can send in an application which will be date stamped and held until more funds are available.  Applications now awaiting approval will be processed with what money is left.  Whether or not funding will be restored by New Jersey is truly unknown.

When you are buying a home, part of the process involves a home inspection.  Home inspections are usually done in 3 sections – structural, termites and wood destroying insects and radon.  Radon is a gas that occurs when uranium and radium breaks down in the soil or in rock formations.  When this gas is released, it can build up to dangerous levels in a house.  Radon is a leading cause of lung cancer. 

Not only is it dangerous, it’s clear and odorless.  The only way to discover if the radon level in your house is unsafe is to test for it.  Home buyers rarely re-test after they’ve moved in and most people who bought their home before radon became a known issue have never tested to see if their home is safe from this dangerous gas.  The good news is that you can solve a radon problem through contacting a licensed radon mitigation contractor; this often involves a simple ventilation system in your basement.

Bergen County Executive, Kathleen Donovan, announced that there will be a limited number of free radon testing kits for Bergen County residents on a first come first served basis this month.  Just call the Bergen County Department of Health Services at 201-634-2803 or stop by Room 103A, 327 E. Ridgewood Ave in Paramus to pick up your free testing kit.  Do this today to protect yourself and your family!

Now that we’re past one December holiday (Hannukah) and about to land on Christmas, parents of young children have that 10 day period of vacation time looming in front of them asking “What do we do with the kids?”  With the weather bound to not cooperate for at least one point in time, why not take them to a great indoor activity?  Why not go to a local museum?   

For children from 1 to 8 there’s the New Jersey Museum for Children right in Paramus.  They’re closed on Mondays but open the rest of the week although I’d check their schedule over the 2 holiday weekends we have this month.  It’s a great place for the kids and they even do birthday parties.  Their exhibits are so much fun for children as they learn and use their imagination.  One of the reasons I like this museum is because it’s tough one focused solely on our youngest children.

For children of all ages (and adults too) there’s Liberty Science Center  in Jersey City.  It’s an easy ride down the Turnpike to Exit 14 and no more than 1 hour away from anywhere in Bergen County. It’s really a snap to get to and you have a stunning view of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline from the parking lot.  Right now they have a special exhibit that runs till January 9th on the ice age and wooly mammoths that is truly awesome.

Another good idea is your local nature center.  Many have special events for the holiday vacation week as do many local libraries all aimed at children.  And, of course, across the Hudson River is New York City.

Now that Thanksgiving is past, the annual holiday shopping season is in full swing.  Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, and Christmas dominate the December holiday buying season but Kwanza is also a significant holiday this month.  With all the parties, events and home entertaining that goes on in December it’s no wonder that this is a busy time of year. 

Bergen County is famous for it’s concentration of shopping malls located on Route 17 and Route 4 in Paramus although one major mall is actually in Hackensack on the Paramus border.  No matter where you live in Bergen County, you’re no more than a 10-15 minute drive to a major shopping center.  This is truly a shopper’s paradise.

Right on Route 4 you’ll find the very upscale Shops at Riverside and the discount mall Bergen Town Center and a minute or two west at the intersection of Route 4 and Route 17 is the Garden State Plaza which is one of the largest shopping malls in the New York metro area.  Further up Route 17 is the Fashion Center and the Paramus Park Mall although connecting all of these are countless other local malls.

In addition to the major malls and countless others on the Paramus highways you have major local shopping centers with national brands such as The Gap, Starbucks, Ann Taylor, Chico’s etc. in Englewood, Ridgewood and Westwood plus several other towns with strong local business districts such as Glen Rock, Tenafly, Bergenfield and Allendale. 

If you need to “shop till you drop” Bergen County has will make you smile!