Ridgewood Seems to Have Fared Pretty Well in the Wake of Hurricane Irene…All Things Considered

Below is a photo of several gutsy Ridgewood Storm Chasers (My sons Luke and Ben and our dog Spartacus).

Hurricane Irene Aftermath - Fairway Road in Ridgewood NJ

Admittedly, my first hand assessment of Ridgewood storm damage is limited by how far a 9-year-old, 11-year-old and a somewhat lazy Bernese Mountain dog wanted to walk.  That said, we covered a decent swath of Ridgewood’s East side.  We found it to be pretty messy with some flooding and some downed trees but not too bad when compared to some of the more dire predictions.

There are several Ridgewood Roads closed today because of Hurricane Irene.

There are also many homes without power in Ridgewood and many homes with some flooding issues.  Click here for instructions on what to do and who to call if you are having issues, in Ridgewood, in the aftermath of the storm.

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Keller Williams Red Day in Ridgewood, NJ

Beneath bright and sunny skies, Keller Williams Village Square Realty in Ridgewood took a beautiful spring day and made it even more special. In support of the company’s RED Day (Renew, Energize and Donate) initiative, the Ridgewood office sales team rolled up their sleeves and got to work; lending a hand to local organizations whose primary objectives are helping others.

Now in its third year, RED Day is held annually on the second Thursday in May and celebrates Keller Williams Realty’s commitment to improving local communities. Every year on that particular day, tens of thousands of Keller Williams associates from across the United States and Canada participate in a wide range of community service projects, devoting their time to renewing and energizing aspects of the neighborhoods in which they serve. RED Day activities can range from rebuilding homes, refurbishing local parks and giving to local food shelters to hosting blood drives, beautifying beaches and more. Projects are chosen by each individual market center based on needs they see within their community.

Following careful consideration, the office selected two organizations whose primary focus is assisting individuals and families throughout the community: The Center for Children and Youth in Ramsey (a division of West Bergen Mental Healthcare) and the Alpine Learning Group in Paramus.

“When our staff first learned about the company’s RED Day initiative, we were collectively excited about having such the opportunity to help a fellow organization in our local community. Absolutely everyone in our office wanted to participate, so our goal was to find projects that everyone could take part in,” said Sally Ponchak, Keller Williams sales associate and co-chair of the local RED Day event. “Both West Bergen and Alpine Learning Group were thrilled by our offer to help out, and we were thrilled to do so. It was a perfect fit: the activities were fun and uplifting at the same time.”

Boasting a large and motivated assemblage of volunteers, Keller Williams Village Square Realty kicked off their local RED Day event on May 12. The office divided into two “work crews”, with one group arriving at the Childen’s Center in Ramsey to plant flowers.  The Children’s Center is a division of West Bergen Mental Healthcare, a non-profit organization based in Ridgewood that provides a wide range of psychiatric and counseling services for all age groups with various levels of need.

With a “RED Day Project in Progress” sign signaling their work was underway, Keller Williams agents got to work, beautifying the center’s entrance with a colorful explosion of spring flowers. West Bergen Chief Operating Officer Lee Schaeffer and Chief Executive Officer Michael Tozzoli enthusiastically lent their support to the activity.

The second group of Keller Williams agents spent the morning at Alpine Learning Group in Paramus, a non-profit education and treatment program specializing in working with individuals with autism. With the facility planning a large-scale garage sale as an upcoming fundraiser, they enthusiastically welcomed the agents’ offer for help.

Assisted by Gwen Purcell, Project Manager with Alpine Learning Group, the agents spent a busy morning helping Alpine staff members with setting up, tagging items, organizing donations and moving furniture- all in preparation for a fundraiser from which one hundred percent of the proceeds go back into the facility.

“We were thrilled with the success of the first Keller Williams RED Day in Ridgewood. We were able to raise awareness about some great local organizations and help them with necessary tasks,” noted Keller Williams sales associate and RED Day co-chair Jennifer Casper.  “Our office goal is to continue to give where we live throughout the entire year, not only during RED Day. With the unofficial office motto of ‘spread the red’, RED Day empowers us to help in our own communities on a daily basis.”

“RED Day reflects the culture of Keller Williams Realty. It illustrates the extraordinary effect a company can have when individuals come together to work as a team for the greater good of everyone,” added Keller Williams Village Square Operating Principal Al Donohue.

Keller Williams Village Square Realty is located at 257 East Ridgewood Avenue in downtown Ridgewood. The office may be reached by calling (201) 445-4300.

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Ridgewood’s Median Sale Price Rose 8.7 Percent in the Last Quarter

The New York Times recently ran an article entitled “In Market Reports, Some Affluent Towns Do Better Than Others”.  The basic gist of the article is that towns that are convenient to Manhattan and have a local train station will fare better than some of the other affluent towns.  Obviously this bodes well for Ridgewood Real Estate and the numbers seem to bear this out.

Excerpt from New York Times Article

In the Bergen County village of Ridgewood, for instance, the median sales price (at which half the homes sold for more and half for less) rose 8.7 percent in the last quarter, versus the same period in 2009. The median price was $700,000, according to the latest statistics from Otteau. In 2009 it was $644,000.

A typical well-maintained colonial at 42 Ethelbert Place in Ridgewood sold in November for $710,000. That was well below the original asking price of $839,000 in May, but above the real estate Web site Zillow’s October estimate of its market value: $626,000. The house last sold in 2002, for $545,000.

The Zillow estimate for a Tudor mansion at 224 Crest Road was $3.5 million in early 2010, and rose to $3.85 million by December, when it sold for $4.11 million…

Click here to read the full article.

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For Once, A Three Year Low Is Actually Good News…

My Favorite Ridgewood Neighborhood

Great for Ridgewood Families

This is my favorite Ridgewood Neighborhood and not just because I live here.  The Colonial Square section of Ridgewood is a throwback to simpler times.  Neighbors greet each other by name, folks stop by for leisurely chats while walking their dogs and children don’t need play-dates but rather walk from backyard to backyard to play with other neighborhood children.

Convenient to Everything That Makes Ridgewood Great

Colonial Square is within easy walking distance of Ridgewood’s Downtown, Ridgewood Train Station, Elementary, Middle and High Schools, Graydon Pool, Veterans Field, Ridgewood Public Library, Ridgewood Duck Pond and more.

Solid Real Estate Investment

Despite what you hear about home values on the national front, Ridgewood Real Estate remains strong and Colonial Square in particular is very strong.  Consider that 3 Colonial Square homes were listed for sale in the past month and all three were “under contract” in less than two weeks.  See links below.

465 Fairway Road – Ridgewood NJ

480 Overbrook Road – Ridgewood NJ

453 Colonial Road – Ridgewood NJ

By the way, I created the name Colonial Square for the purposes of this article.   Colonial Road is squarely in the middle of this neighborhood, and it is filled with beautiful Colonial Homes,  so I thought it made sense.  Besides, this great Ridgewood Neighborhood deserves a name.

Other Ridgewood Articles

• Top Ten Reasons to Relocate to Ridgewood New Jersey

• The Venn Center Opens In Ridgewood, NJ Offering Psychiatry, Psychology, and Education To Promote Mental Heath And Human Development (prweb.com)
• Ridgewood Real Estate Market Report – October 6th, 2010