Open & spacious 3 Bdrm Bi-Level in Lake Telemark! Features Liv Rm w/bay wndw, formal Din Rm w/sliders to lg Deck, updated Kit w/maple cabs, Fam Rm w/wd burn stove, h/w flrs thru-out, 1.5 Baths, laundry rm, storage rm, ceil fans, 2 zone heat, built-in 1 car oversized Garage, 2 car wide driveway, shed, newer vinyl side & ins wndws, all on .36 acres! Lk Privileges avail!

DIRECTIONS: Green Pond to Telemark, Right on Oslo, Right on White Birch, Left on Hallvard, #31

This article has been provided courtesy of Morris County, NJ, Real Estate Agent Andrea Martone. For assistance with real estate decisions, buying or selling a home, or a no obligation market analysis of your home, contact Andrea at andreamartone@aol.com or (973)886-2626.

I would love to hear what your favorite holiday traditions are!  Feel free to leave a comment here or on my facebook page www.facebook.com/ANDREAMARTONEREALTOR.

Below are a few simple ideas to perhaps inspire you to start a new tradition this year!

- “Elf on a Shelf” – This Elf keeps an eye on children for Santa and reports back to him every night!  He hides in a different place every day and kids love looking for him! There is even a cute website http://www.elfontheshelf.com with lots of things to do with your Elf. 

- Write Santa a letter. Be sure to thank him for last year’s presents!                           

- Attend the local Christmas tree lighting!

- Chop down your own Christmas tree!

- Build and decorate a gingerbread house!

- Bake holiday cookies and decorate them with lots of icing and sprinkles!

- Watch the  holiday TV shows together while eating those cookies!

- Attend a local holiday concert!                                                                                                          

- Go see Santa at the mall! Make sure the kids give him their list and have their picture taken!

- Participate in a local “Angel or Giving Tree” or “Toys For Tots “ program.  Go shopping together!

- Make chocolate Hanukkah lollipops together!

- Drink hot chocolate and munch on homemade cookies while decorating the tree!

- Visit Rockefeller Center to see the tree! Then stop by Macy’s, Lord & Taylors, and Bloomingdales to see the magical holiday windows!  www.MommyPoppins.com has a great list of all the stores!                                 

- Drive through your own neighborhood and enjoy the holiday light displays!

- Track Santa on Christmas Eve as he travels around the world!  Log onto www.NoradSanta.org and you can see exactly when Santa will arrive in New Jersey!

This article has been provided courtesy of Morris County, NJ, Real Estate Agent Andrea Martone. For assistance with real estate decisions, buying or selling a home, or a “no obligation market analysis of your home”, contact Andrea at andreamartone@aol.com or (973) 886-2626.

This Spacious 2 Bedroom 2 Bath custom Ranch sits on over 4 acres and has it’s own pond! Features include Living Rm, formal Dining Rm, Eat-In Kitchen with breakfast bar and skylight, Master Bedroom with 2 walk-in closets, Master Bath, Den/3rd Bedroom, large Family Rm with door to Deck, Laundry Rm, full walk-out Basement with high ceiling and full sized windows, Storage Rm, central air, central vacuum, security system, 2 Garages with parking for 3 cars, walking distance to the park, minutes to mass transit and highways.

For a virtual tour of this home, click here: 

http://listings.realbird.com/VirtualTour.aspx?rb-brand=1&fid=135334&id=F6A7E5C6

This article has been provided courtesy of Morris County, NJ, Real Estate Agent Andrea Martone. For assistance with real estate decisions, buying or selling a home, or a “no obligation market analysis of your home”, contact Andrea at andreamartone@aol.com or (973) 886-2626.

You can use any kind of yams or Sweet potatoes in the following recipes.  Try the Japanese sweet potatoes for a fun change- up! They are white inside, but they are nutritionally dense & taste similar to sweet potatoes. Check out this site for more on the differences between yams & sweet potatoes.  What most American markets commonly call a yam is actually a sweet potato! Wow!  http://www.sweetpotatoawareness.org/ 

These 2 recipes are great if you have limited time! 

Recipe 1: Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Prep time: 5 minutes     Cook time: 20 minutes     Serves 4 

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1” – 1 ½” chunks

¼ cup+ almond milk or other non-dairy milk

2 pats grass-fed organic butter, OR vegan butter substitute, i.e. Earth Balance

¼ cup leftover cooking water from potatoes

A few dashes sea salt

Several shakes cinnamon 

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a dash of salt with the sweet potatoes & bring back up to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are fork-tender.  Save about ¼ cup, or a little more, of the cooking water. (if you forget this step like I usually do, then a little warm water is a good substitute.)

Drain potatoes.  Return to pot. Add milk, water, & butter or butter substitute. Mash with a potato masher or a fork.  Add salt & cinnamon, stir well to combine. You may want to put the heat back on for a minute or two to ensure it’s heated through. 

Recipe 2: Roasted Savory & Sweet Potatoes

Prep Time: 5 minutes     Cook Time: 30 minutes     Serves 4 

Many people coat sweet potatoes with more sweet flavors. These naturally sweet complex carbohydrates help us avert sugar cravings by satisfying our need for sweet foods. So omit the brown sugar & try this versatile spice blend instead: garam masala. Garam masala is an Indian spice blend that includes black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, & coriander. Cinnamon also helps balance out your blood sugar & the other spices stock your digestive fire during the cold months. 

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1 ½” – 2” chunks

2 tbsp olive oil, as needed

Several shakes garam masala

Salt to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400^◦.  Scrub sweet potatoes under running water & cut them into 1 ½” – 2” chunks.  Sprinkle baking dish with oil, place sweet potatoes in dish. Add several shakes of garam masala spice & salt to taste.  Turn gently.  Bake at 400^◦ for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes or so.

Voila! Two delicious side dishes for your Thanksgiving meal or any day of the fall or winter.

Recipe courtesy of Christine Grasso, a Holistic Health & Nutrition Coach, a devoted yogini, & a satisfied customer of Andrea’s.  She specializes in supporting women who are struggling to lose weight or with digestive disorders. She helps them eat right for their body type, reduce stress, & have more energy. She leads workshops on holistic health and nutrition, offers individual and group health coaching to women, & teaches yoga. Sign up her exclusive Women’s Wellness Club to trim down your waistline, get more energy, & stop the cycle of stomach pain at www.ChristineGrasso.com. Next meeting on 11/16 – don’t miss out!

This article has been provided courtesy of Morris County, NJ, Real Estate Agent Andrea Martone. For assistance with real estate decisions, buying or selling a home, or a “no obligation market analysis of your home“, contact Andrea at andreamartone@aol.com or (973) 886-2626.

  The Exterior:

  Fall brings beautiful colors of orange, gold, red and green.  Add these colors to the outside of your home by   using colorful potted mums. pumpkins and gourds by the front walkway and entrance.  A simple fall wreath on the door adds an inviting touch. 

Keep up with lawn maintenance. Patch any brown spots and keep the grass mowed.

Rake the fallen leaves on the front lawn, backyard, walkways and driveway. Potential buyers want to see what the whole house looks like.

Cleaning out the gutters will protect the house from water damage and shows upkeep of home maintenance.

Nighttime comes earlier as fall turn into winter.  Add solar lights to the walkway and by the front entrance not only for safety, but also so buyers can see your house at night when driving by.

The Interior:

It’s all about comfort! Put away anything that has to do with summer and bring out the warm throw blankets and plush pillows.  Drape them over the couch arm or back of a chair to create a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Add a few tasteful fall accents around the house such as a vase of leaves, bowl of nuts or fresh apples. Keep them to a minimum so that potential buyers are not distracted by all the holiday décor. You want them to remember your home, not how you decorated for Halloween!

Highlight the fireplace if you have one.  Arrange the furniture so that the fireplace is the focal point of the room.  Stack a few logs in the hearth so it looks ready-to-go. Add artwork with fall colors, mirrors or a few scented candles to the mantle to draw attention to it.

Don’t forget the bedrooms. The bed is the focal point and sets the tone of the room.  Add thick comforters made of luxurious materials to create a relaxing and inviting feeling.

Inside lighting is just as important as the outside.  Open up the shades and blinds to let in as much sunlight as possible. Have enough lamps around to simulate daylight. Use light bulbs that give off a yellow light which will add to a room’s warmth.

Keep the thermostat at a comfortable temperature.  Walking into a cold home leaves a potential buyer feeling uncomfortable.

Most importantly….take new pictures of your house to put on the mls! Out of season pictures give the impression that the house is not saleable!

It’s all about setting a scene where potential buyers can envision their family in your home!

This article has been provided courtesy of Morris County, NJ, Real Estate Agent Andrea Martone. For assistance with real estate decisions, buying or selling a home, or a “no obligation market analysis of your home”, contact Andrea at andreamartone@aol.com or (973) 886-2626.

This beautiful 4 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath Colonial-Split is ready for you to move in! Features include Entry Foyer, 13 x 23 Living Room with bay window and high ceilings, formal Dining Room, Eat-In Kitchen with Silestone counters and sliders to 16 x 26 Deck with retractable awning and natural gas grill, Family Room with gas Fireplace and floor to ceiling brick surround, 1st level Laundry Room, Master Bath with stall shower, partial finished Basement with Recreation Room, hardwood flooring, wall to wall carpet, ceramic tile floors, central air, ceiling fans, newer furnace, insulated windows, security system, in-ground pool with newer liner, 2 car garage with openers, large storage shed and fenced-in backyard. Great neighborhood! Walk to playground, park and ball fields! Close to NYC transportation and stores!

For a virtual tour of this home, click here:  http://listings.realbird.com/VirtualTour.aspx?rb-brand=1&fid=130128&id=F6A7E5C6

 This article has been provided courtesy of Morris County, NJ, Real Estate Agent Andrea Martone. For assistance with real estate decisions, buying or selling a home, or a “no obligation market analysis of your home“, contact Andrea at andreamartone@aol.com or (973) 886-2626.

 For a virtual tour of this home, click here: http://listings.realbird.com/VirtualTour.aspx?rb-brand=1&fid=129749&id=F6A7E5C6

 This article has been provided courtesy of Morris County, NJ, Real Estate Agent Andrea Martone. For assistance with real estate decisions, buying or selling a home, or a “no obligation market analysis of your home“, contact Andrea at andreamartone@aol.com or (973) 886-2626.

Immaculate 3 Bedroom, 1.5 Bath Bi-Level is ready for you to move right in! Features include Living Room with bay window, formal Dining Room, hardwood floors, updated Eat-In Kitchen with breakfast bar, cherry cabinetry and stainless steel appliances, updated Baths, huge Family Room with gas fireplace, bar with mini fridge and sliders to Patio, Laundry Room, central air, 2 zone gas heat, solid wood raised panel doors, pull down stairs to Attic, new roof, 1 car built-in Garage with new door and opener, recently paved double driveway and large backyard! Lake Privileges! Close to NYC transportation, major highways and stores!

 For a virtual tour of this home, click here:  http://listings.realbird.com/VirtualTour.aspx?rb-brand=1&fid=128959&id=F6A7E5C6 

This article has been provided courtesy of Morris County, NJ, Real Estate Agent Andrea Martone. For assistance with real estate decisions, buying or selling a home, or a “no obligation market analysis of your home”, contact Andrea at andreamartone@aol.com  or (973)886-2626.

This week, I am sharing an article from Kate Villopoto of Kate’s Corner!  She is graciously sharing these easy steps for getting a mortgage approval!

You may have heard that home loan rates are near historic levels..NOW is the time to buy!

Here are some easy steps to getting approved for a mortgage:

- Credit History: Be sure to speak with your mortgage consultant to make sure all the information is correct on your report. If there is any negative information, they can advise you on how to correct it.

- Down payment and closing costs should be in your account (savings, checking, cd or 401K) for at least 2 months.

- If you are currently renting, pay your monthly rent by check.

- Do not close out your revolving accounts (example Macy’s). Keep them open with small balances.  Having no credit affects you the same as having bad credit.

- You need a 2 year work history. You can change jobs, but it must be in the same line of work. If self employed, you must provide 2 years worth of tax returns.

- Do not open any new accounts. This will affect your credit score and also lower the amount you can borrow.

- Most important is to pay your bills by their due date, so your credit rating will be in good standing. This enables you to get the best interest rate available.

For more information or questions about mortgages, contact Kate Villopoto NMLS#67663, NJ Lenders Corp, (973) 200-3245 direct, (973) 650-5114 or Email- Kate@njlenders.com.

This article has been provided courtesy of Morris County, NJ, Real Estate Agent Andrea Martone. For assistance with real estate decisions, buying or selling a home, or a “no obligation market analysis of your home”, contact Andrea at andreamartone@aol.com or (973) 886-2626.

Updated Expanded Ranch features Living Room w/wood burning fireplace & built-in shelves, Formal Dining Room, Eat-In Kitchen with tons of cabs & stainless steel appliances, 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths, 15 x 25 Master Bedroom, Master Bath w/jetted tub, Office w/outside entrance, Family Room, Exercise Room, hardwood floors throughout, all large rooms, central air, vinyl siding, insulated windows, 2 car attached Garage, paver Patio, 2 Decks with above ground pool, hot tub & screened-in gazebo! Fenced-in yard backs park land! Located in desirable Sedgefield section of Morris Plains!

 Click this link for a virtual tour of this home:  http://listings.realbird.com/VirtualTour.aspx?rb-brand=1&fid=127809&id=F6A7E5C6

 This article has been provided courtesy of Morris County, NJ, Real Estate Agent Andrea Martone. For assistance with real estate decisions, buying or selling a home, or a “no obligation market analysis of your home“, contact Andrea at andreamartone@aol.com or (973) 886-2626.