The Bergen County Homes Blog

  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.

The New Jersey Association of Realtors publishes a report every year on the characteristics of people who buy and sell homes in New Jersey.  The National Association of Realtors has it’s own buyer and seller profile but naturally that’s on a national scale.

There are some very interesting facts in this report and you might just be surprised by a few.  Here are some highlights from the New Jersey Association of Realtors profile of home buyers:

• The median age of New Jersey home buyers is 36
• First time home buyers had a median age of 30
• 56% were married couples
• 21% were single females
• 10% were single males
• 49% of home buyers were first time buyers
• 64% had no children under 18 living with them
• The #1 reason to buy a home – a desire to own your own home
• The #1 reason for deciding when to do it – it was the right time in their life
• Top reason to choose the location – quality of the neighborhood
• 2nd reason to choose the location – convient to their job
• 68% of all purchases were detached single family homes
• 89% used a fixed rate mortgage
• 72% used the internet frequently to search for a home; 17% occasionally

There are two key items here ito note - 49% of all buyers in 2008 were first time home buyers and they decided to buy a home because the time was right for them.

First time home buyers are crucial to keep a market moving – without them, a real estate market will collapse because they are the first cog in the wheel that drives the real estate engine forward.  It’s also interesting to see that no matter the external factors at work (economy, interest rates, etc), it still comes down to when it’s the right time for me.  If you want a copy of the full report, just email me.

The closest winter sports facility to New York City is right here in Bergen County at Campgaw Mountain Reservation.  Only 18 miles from the George Washington Bridge, Campgaw is run by the Bergen County Department of Parks and has it all – you can ski, snowboard and tube down the mountain day and night. 

There’s all sorts of fun here and it’s also a learning center with group and private lessons for you and your family - here’s some children at a Skiwee session:      

For the more adventurous, however, there’s the thrill of snowboarding and those glorious jumps. 

If you’re more “down to earth, there’s also the fun of sliding down the mountain on a snow tube.

But if you’re a traditionalist, you can ski downhill with abandon!

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!