Monthly Guide to Active Adult Community Living

July 2007

Welcome Message

Welcome to our July issue of the Monthly Guide to Active Adult Community Living! Summer is in full swing here at the Jersey Shore and traffic gets a little hectic during the weekends...but that is par for the course since it has been hot and sunny for most part. If you do plan on visiting any 55+ communities and open houses during the weekends just be sure to give yourself some extra time in case of traffic delays.

This month's issue features the very desirable Four Seasons at Wall Township built by K. Hovnanian. This community has some special meaning to me because I actually worked for the civil engineering firm who designed the site plan for this community. Our second article covers some tips and tricks to help sell your existing home.

Don't forget to visit our 55Plus-Housing.com website regularly as new communities and listings are updated daily. Also, be sure to signup for our email newsletter (if you haven't already) so you never miss an issue.

Please feel free to contact us with your real estate needs and see how we have helped many of our readers buy and/or sell their homes. The Mary Holder Agency is a member of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World referral network. Even if you are not local to us, we can assist you in finding a local Realtor to help you buy or sell your home.

Featured Community

Four Seasons at Wall, NJ

K. Hov Four Seasons communities are known nationwide as a premier active adult communities and Four Seasons at Wall was one of the first built. a smaller luxury active adult community located in much desired Manalapan, NJ (Monmouth County). This community is located on the border of Wall Township (next to Brielle) and just minutes away from Point Pleasant Beach.

Four Seasons at Wall is a gated 55+ community featuring 400 single family homes on 200 acres. This development was established in 1997 and completed in 2001. This community is beautifully landscaped with ponds, waterfalls and fountains. The numerous amenities and social events available truly highlights "active" adult community.

Community Map:

Home Choices:
Four Seasons at Wall features five base model homes. Each model had many options available including basements and lofts. These models vary in size from two bedroom units to large four bedrooms homes with basement and lofts. Many homes may include optional features like enclosed sunrooms, whirlpool tubs, 2nd floor lofts, basements, Corian countertops, professional landscaping and more. Click Here to find available homes for sale.


Community Home Models

The Beech	The Cedar	The Cypress



The Danbury	The Elm

Community Amenities:
Four Season at Wall features many amenities including a large 2 story clubhouse w/elevator, ballroom, library, theatre, kitchen, exercise room, computer room, billiard & card rooms and an indoor pool. Outside features includes a beautiful outdoor swimming pool, putting green, croquet lawn, tennis, shuffleboard & bocce courts, picnic areas and a gazebo.

About the Builder:
K. Hovnanian in an award winning Nation-wide builder with their corporate office located in Red Bank, NJ. KHov has built many upscale Four Seasons active adult communities throughout NJ and in 11 other states. This builder was originally started by Kevork Hovnanian as a family-owned business almost 50 years ago. Now it is a publicly owned company run by the second generation family.

Municipal Information:
Wall Township is located in South Eastern section of Monmouth County. This township covers approximately 31 sq. miles with a population just over 25,000 (according to 2000 U.S. Census Data). Wall Township is close to the beaches, golf courses & major transportation routes. Wall Twp. also has a small airport and Wall Stadium for you race car fans. [top]

Tips to Help Sell Your Home

By now, anyone who has their home on the market or is thinking about it should realize that selling a home is not as easy at it was a few years ago. The inventory of homes on the market is at very high levels and buyers know they can have the pick of the litter. So here is my list of things you may want to consider if you are planning on or currently selling your home.

Make a lasting first impression! Buying/Selling a home is a lot like starting to date someone. The first impression can make or break that love "curb" appeal. So take a little extra time to clean up the front of your house to make it look the best it can be. Spend the time power-washing any mold or dirt off from the siding, paint the trim and wash dirty windows. Landscaping is also an important factor. Make sure your lawn is manicured regularly & edge the walks. If the lawn is looking brown or bare then water it more often and/or get some help from local landscape professionals (the money spent will be well worth it). Add some planted or potted flowers for a nice touch of color which helps make your home more inviting to buyers.

Clear out the Chaos! A cluttered home makes rooms look smaller and may give potential buyers an uneasy feeling. Before listing your home go through and remove any miscellaneous "stuff" that may be a distraction to potential buyers. Rooms with too much furniture and stuff on the floors makes it hard to navigate and gives you that closed-in feeling. Try and make the rooms open, clean and inviting. Store boxes and unused furniture preferably off-site or out of sight areas like the attic or basement. Some sellers may have the opposite problem of trying to sell an empty home. These sellers may want to hire a "home stager" who will decorate and furnish the empty home as if someone was still living there.

Think inside the box! Fresh interior paint makes rooms look clean and new. Stick with neutral colors as it is generally pleasing for most people to look at. Get your rugs cleaned professionally and/or remove worn out rugs especially in areas where there are hard wood floors. The bathroom is the one room where buyers are most critical. Fix any leaky faucets, re-caulk areas that need it and keep it as clean as possible.

Market your home like there was no tomorrow! Home sellers need to be much more proactive in the selling process if they want better results from their Broker/Realtor. Buyers now more than ever are using the Internet to find potential homes. Make sure your home is listed on the MLS with several pictures and a virtual tour (if possible). Also ask your Realtor if they use the "Showcase" feature on Realtor.com so that buyers can also see multiple pictures. Internet marketing savvy Realtors will also market your home on other real estate websites like Craigslist, Trulia, Propsmart and more. Also make sure that there are color home flyers available for potential buyers to take with them after they see your home.

Accessibility is Key! Giving agents the flexibility in showing your home very important. Sellers who have lockboxes are much more likely to have agents show their home vs. having to schedule with the owners or listing agents. Lockboxes are not the most attractive things, but they are safe and secure. Pets can also create an obstacle when showing your home. If possible, relocate them off premises during showings or secure them (especially large dogs) so buyers and agents can freely roam through the house. It's all about convenience and sometimes the buyer's schedule will require short notice to see your home.

Price Matters! In a buyer's market as we are today, price is the biggest motivation for a buyer to act or not. An overpriced home will stay on the market longer and may never get an offer even if you followed all of the above tips. I know it is hard for sellers to not be emotionally attached to their home. So it is best to get an objective opinion from your real estate professionals by working up Comps (Comparative Market Analysis) of recent home sales to help price your home for a quick and successful sale. [top]