As summer comes to an end, welcome back to a new school year and your new home. For many, it’s time to get back on schedule and to follow a routine. It’s time to buy those school supplies and get organized.
However for some of you, the chore is more involved than just school supply shopping. Your task involves a bullet point list of your home search criteria along with the research of schools. But don’t forget to add “schools”. No worries, as a parent, I completely understand and I got you.
Here is a list of schools and districts of Central New Jersey for you to know more about them. The list includes schools in Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex Counties. You can research school web-sites and explore other resources they offer, too. An important tip is to always verify the school zone that corresponds with a particular home. You can either call the school directly, however, I find it helpful to call the bus transportation department, since they organize the bus stop routes. The excitement of new backpacks and a new home awaits you.
Should you have any questions, just contact me to help guide you to the answers…732-995-5609. / http://NJHomesbyRoslyn.com
Updating your home includes your home’s exterior…When the weather has warmed up our yards become an extension of our living area. Creating an outdoor space to enjoy is not the laborious task as you might think. Just a few enhancements could make all the difference. Here are some tips from Realtor Magazine that just might give you the incentive to give it a try…
Create a dramatic focal point. A water feature or fire pit, for example, can draw the eye, and many homeowners say they have a greater desire to be home since adding items like these. Fire pits scored a perfect “Joy Score” of 10, according to the NAR and NALP survey. Homeowners stand to recover about 67 percent of the cost to add a $6,000 fire pit with natural stone and a gas burner on a flagstone patio (10 feet in diameter). A container garden can also be a way to add curb appeal, says Kristen Coffen, a landscape architect and owner of Garden Architecture in Fork, Md.
Enhance the lighting. Use lighting to highlight a focal point outside or to create a more inviting atmosphere. Installing 20 LED lights and a standard 600-watt transformer will cost an average of $5,000 but could make a big difference, according to the report. “It can also be quite lovely to uplight some of the specimen trees, or if there is a water feature or a pond … to have some lighting in that,” Coffen says. Lit pathways or even just a few string lights on the trees can enhance a space, says Alice Cramer, owner of Alice Cramer Interiors in Atlanta
Focus on nature. Green up the space with plants and trees to increase the outdoor ambiance. Landscape architects say consumer demand is highest for native plants and low-maintenance landscapes, according to a 2018 ASLA survey. Coffen recommends planting a specimen tree or shade tree by a patio. “It’s like a piece of living architecture outside,” Coffen says.
Start the year off on a fresh note….You’re stuck inside anyway and longing for spring, so why not get things in order. You can then enjoy the outdoors when the weather warms. Winter cleaning is just as important for maintinaing your home as spring cleaning. There are things that you can do to keep your home systems and applicances working efficiently and avoid the costs of replacements. Here are some tips to help you get started. If you are planning on selling your home, contact me at 732-995-5609 to go over some additional items you might need or want to address to get your home ready.
As we head into the heart of the fall season…it’s time for routine maintenace which protects the exterior, interior and major systems of your home. Yes it is a time where many clean out and organize, but maintaining a home properly will protect your investment. Before the weather gets really cold and snowy it’s time to get out there now. Here is a list of items to get you started. From winterizing your exteior pipes, replacing system filters and checking your roof, you will be happy to know that you can rest easy this winter. If you are preparing to sell your home, even better. This will assist the home inspection process and prevent hiccups. The winter season has always proven to have serious buyers looking for homes.
If you want more tips about how to get your house home ready, contact me at 732-995-5609 or go to NJhomesbyroslyn.com
Home Fall Maintenance List
Inspect your roof.
Protect faucets from freezing temperatures.
Freshen your furnace filter.
Ready your fireplace.
Keep the humidifier humming.
Ward off gas problems.
Keep wood fires burning brightly.
Keep the humidifier humming.
Ward off gas problems.
Keep wood fires burning brightly.
Repair walkways.
Review safety features.
Prep your lawn for winter.
Clean your carpets.
Bennett, J. (2021).Prep Your Home for the Season with Our Fall Maintenance Checklist. Better Homes & Gardens. https://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/advice/your-homes-fall-checklist/
No Halloween Party? No Problem..There are a number of things to enjoy this Halloween weekend to experience the season! Check out the list below put together by New Jersey Leisure Guide! I would love to know your favorites!
Halloween Central Jersey has many “scary” and “not so scary”, frightful shows, events, and parades that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
We have put on our costumes and headed into the dark of night with a full moon to search haunted houses, cemeteries, and pumpkin patches for ghosts, goblins, and skeletons to come up with the best Halloween events for families with kids. Caution: many of these events are Soooo scary that they are not recommended for children under 8. Suggest you call ahead to confirm age appropriateness.
Note: Sometimes conditions require cancellations or changes of dates, times and location which are not reflected in the original schedule. Before planning a trip to visit one of the listed events, it is suggested that you call the event sponsor to confirm the event schedule or for additional information on the event.
Stay tuned — we will be updating this list as the event sponsors confirm this year’s events.
These are spooky physical adventure games in which people coordinate in “Creepy” rooms with other participants and have to use elements of the room to solve a series of puzzles, find clues, and escape the room within a set time limit.
Must be 14 or older to enter alone. Ages 10-13 can enter if accompanied by an adult.
HallowFest
September 10 – October 31: The park will operate from 2 to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and from 5 p.m. with varying closing times on Friday evenings
Caution: The park is family-friendly by day, but they turn up the terror at dusk!
From 2 to 6 p.m, families and young thrill-seekers will experience HALLOWFEST Thrills by Day.
Chills by Night begins at 6 p.m. and will feature four scare zones, three shows, and three haunted mazes available outdoors in the wide-open midways, plus one indoor haunted maze.
Weekends beginning September 17 and ending on October 30, 2021
Located on five acres of farmland, there are over a dozen scary scenes & settings in it’s Graveyard and its Haunted Fields. Expect a 35 minute walk amongst chilling, haunted trails with creepy themes and adventures.
The curse of Gravity Hill features an extensive cast of terrifying ghouls, zombies, creepy clowns and other denizens of the night.
Casola Farms – Haunted Attractions
Weekends, beginning Friday, September 24th and ending Sunday, October 31st, 2021
Weekends, beginning Friday, Septemeber 24th ending Sunday, October 31, 2021
This year Scare Farm will again be hosting 3 Great Attractions, and after the great response of last season our Creepy Hollow, Paranoia Walking Trails and The Slayride – Hayride will again be one continuous Attraction for One Price.
Weekends beginning Friday, October 1, until Saturday, October 30, 2021
The featured Scary attractions are “The Woods Have Eyes” and “Blackout.” They also have The Sawmill Escape room. A realistic escape room experience, where the last piece of the puzzle is YOU!
During the daytime, the attractions include: U-pick your own pumpkins, Fall sand art, Haunted (decorated) Fun Zone, Haunted Gem Mine, and the Fossil Adventure.
The New Jersey Zombie Walk is dedicated to all things horror and zombie. The undead outbreak was born in Asbury Park in 2008, and every year since the zombie horde has increased in size, rocketing the event further and further towards a total citywide takeover. Prior to 2014 when the Zombie Pub Crawl in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, with over 15,000 zombies was listed by the Guinness Book of World records for the “largest gathering of zombies”, the Asbury Park Zombie Walk with over 10,000 held that record.
At 1pm, arrive in costume. Zombie Walk Info & Merchandise tables will be set up right along the Boardwalk. At 4pm the Zombie walk begins on the Boardwalk, heading from Convention Hall down the boards towards the Casino where it will turn onto Cookman Avenue and head towards the Downtown! The Zombie Walk route ends outside of Johnny Macs House of Spirits on Main Street. Judging for the Costume Contest will take place on the stage outside of JMacs immediately after the Zombie Walk!
The Haunting at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel
Selected dates from October 14th thru October 30th, 2021
Experience a Halloween tour of 13 haunted rooms @ The Berkeley Hotel in Asbury Park, NJ, along with a VIP speakeasy featuring Halloween-themed food & drinks! The Haunting is all new for 2021 – experience the haunted ballrooms and tour through an all new level of the spooky hotel. More Frights, More Scare Actors and More Fun. Also, make sure to add tickets for the Last Ride Immersive Coffin Experience as well as the Prisoner Maze. VIP’s (21+) get access to our Halloween Speakeasy Bar. This scary event includes strobe lighting, serious terror and loud music.
Brookdale Haunted Theater
selected dates from October 15th to October 30th, 2021
Brookdale Community College Performing Arts Center
Brookdale’s annual Haunted Theater – designed, built and run by current and former students – is a delightfully scary, tormented trip through evil creatures, ghouls and ghosts, bloody body parts, and more. The popular Haunted Theater redefines “stage fright” for its many visitors during the walking tour of a maze of blood-chilling rooms.
Haunts In The Park
Thursday, October 28th, 2021; 5pm & 6pm( Rain date: Friday, October 29th)
Cost; 2$ for the G rated (for younger Children) walk @5pm. $5 for the 6pm more scary Haunted Trail guided walk (may not be appropriate for younger children)
This event features outdoor spooky train rides with a Pumpkin Pie eating contest, Halloween parade, Games & Prizes, Music Concert , Food Trucks, a Pumpkin Painting contest, and more.
BlueClaws Laser Light Shows
October 8th & 9th, 2021; Gates open for each show at 6:00 pm and each show begins at 7:00 pm (Rain or Shine)
Tickets are available now for just $18 for adults and $12 for juniors (12/under).
The show is choreographed to a set of spooky music is sure to excite fans with a one-of-a-kind show across the Jersey Shore sky. Food and drink will be available at the ballpark. The Boardwalk, presented by Toyota World of Lakewood, with popular boardwalk games, plus the BlueClaws mini golf course, will both be open during the event.
The night will also be Halloween-themed. Kids are encouraged to come dressed up in costume and take part in a costume contest. The contest winner will earn a 2022 BlueClaws Luxury Suite for their family, to be used in April or May, subject to availability.
Enjoy the village grounds and historic buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries…visit with ghosts, ghouls, and monsters. Storytelling at the Chapel; a special night out at the Blacksmith Shop; the Manager’s House with fortune-telling for your entertainment; Mr. Allaire’s Macabre House; the Carriage House with legendary spirits; the towering four story shadows of the General Store stocked with seasonal goods; and don’t forget treats at the Bakery plus our very own Haunted Food Truck! New for 2021: TWO twisted, scary, creepy trails that will give you goosebumps In the dark of the night, from woods to historic homes, the Historic Village at Allaire takes on a twist for the Halloween season. Costumed ghouls, Glow In The Dark Bubble Witch Show, & Fire Juggler.
Boo Tastic
October 23rd, 24th, 30th & 31st, 2021: from 12-4pm each day.
This family event features the aquarium, mini golf, arcade games, a treat from the sweet shop. Wear a light-up pumpkin necklace and take home a Halloween bag.
Reported to be the 2nd the largest Parades of it’s type in the world by Guiness Book of World Records! It’s a parade with plenty of floats and decorative Halloween themed attractions. Arrive early. It is recommended you arrive about 2 hours prior to the start of the parade. This allows time to get settled and comfortable so the parade can begin on time. In the past, people have put chairs out even earlier. Parade starts at 7:00 pm, from the Toms River Center located at Main Street and Route 37, proceeding South on Main Street, then east on Washington Street and concludes at Hooper Avenue. Most trophies will be distributed at 101 Hooper Avenue, Ocean County Administration Building
Community event presented by Somerville Recreation & Downtown Somerville Alliance. Enjoy music, activities, and entertainment on Division Street, Main Street, and Borough Hall!. Participating merchants will be handing out candy to trick or treaters! Free parking in lots 1, 2, and 4 as a treat for parents.
(2021) “Discover The Best Halloween Events This Year”. New Jersey Leisure Guide, https://www.new-jersey-leisure-guide.com/halloween.html
The Garden State welcomes Fall!...New Jersey is home to so many orchards and it makes for a great day for the fall season. What is better than the taste of a newly picked Macintosh or a Granny Smith apple or a freshly backed hot apple pie and cider? If you are looking for some things to do in the coming weekends, here are a few orchards listed in Northern, Central & Southern New Jersey by NJ Leisure Guide that you might like to check out. If enjoying these events makes you think of relocating to Central New Jersey, I’ve got you covered…just contact me...Roslyn Sibilia at 732-995-5609 / NJHomesbyRoslyn.com
Northern NJ Apple Picking Farms
Alstede Farms / 84 Route 513 (Old Route 24), Chester, New Jersey
In addition to apple picking, they offer Fall Family Fun Days Features scenic hay wagon rides to pumpkin patch. Two corn mazes. Both mazes feature corn stalks that are over 10 feet tall with pathways carved through the immense plants. The adult maze is many acres in size and contains lots of turns and intersections. The children’s maze is only one acre is size and is much easier to transverse through.
In addition to apple picking, they offer pre picked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, rest rooms, picnic area, face painting, birthday parties, school tours.
A family owned and operated 53-acre farm. They offer a tractor ride to and from the apple orchard. Tractor starts around 10:00 and ends between 4:00-5:00.
Varieties include MacIntosh, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Winesap, Granny Smith, Ida Red, Cortland, and dozens more.. Central NJ Apple Picking Farms
A family-owned farm situated along the scenic Delaware River in the rolling countryside of Holland Township; offers pick your own apple and peach picking.
Open daily in September and October; 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. They have 34 varieties of apples ranging from traditional classics to heirloom specialties to modern favorites. The early apple varieties begin to ripen the first week of September when we open for our pick your own apple season. Pick your own apples in a scenic old orchard. Take a free haywagon ride on weekends through the orchards out to the patch. Find a new apple favorite amongst our 34 varieties of traditional, heirloom and modern apple varieties, sold by the pound. Be tempted by fresh pressed cider, local honey, old fashioned jams, and warm cider donuts. Take home some gourds and Indian corn. And mostly, enjoy a country day and the fall colors at our 68 acre 250 year old farm, kept simple, authentic and without the carnival.
Starting in early September, they are open to the public on Sundays from 12-4pm for pick-your-own apples as well as a farm stand with fresh, picked-that-morning produce. They offer varieties of apples including Macintosh and Gala, while Granny Smith and Stayman Winesaps are available later in the season. Please check their website to confirm dates & times.
In addition to apple picking they offer a “Kiddie Corn Pit Play Area” – a giant corn filled sand box for ages 1-6, and other children’s activities including a Rope Maze, a Tile Maze, a Pipe Maze, and a Kiddie Hay Maze. and their friendly animals. Their alpaca “Jersey Gold” and mini donkey “Jessica” are always looking to make new friends. Please call ahead to confirm picking times & dates
Featuring over 130 acres of fresh fruits, pumpkin picking, berry picking, apple picking, peach picking, private tours, corporate events, farm wedding, farm to table dinners and fun for the whole family. Moreover, the property where Treelicious Orchard resides has been an operating farm for more than 200 years.
Pick you own hours are 9am- 4pm daily and until 6pm on Wednesdays. Weekend hours are Saturdays from 9am- 4pm and Sundays from 10am- 6pm. Apple picking runs from August through November. They offer a variety of apples including Ginger Gold, three types of Gala, McIntosh, Macoun, Pink Lady, Cameo, Honey crisp, Granny Smith and more.
54 acres nestled in the arms of suburbia. Hundreds of fruit trees and acres of vegetables all yours for the picking. The picking/market hours are from 9:00am till 6:00pm begonning about the 2nd week in July. You must be at the farm no later than 5:15pm to enter the fields and orchards. Offers pick your own Apples, Peaches, and pumpkins
Fall Family Fun Weekends Enjoy a day of family fun on the farm! What better way to celebrate fall than with Pick-Your-Own Apples! Enjoy pony rides, wagon rides, visit the Corn Stalk Maze, the Barn of Legends and Lore, and our barnyard of farm animals. Don’t worry about lunch, there’s lots of food available – soup, chili, hot dogs, pies, apple cider donuts, apple cider, and more! Terhune Orchards features live music played by some of our best local talent, (between noon and 4pm). No admission. Parking is at the farm.
A family owned farm. They offer U-pick Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, apples, and pumpkins. U-pick strawberries start the berry picking in late May. Blueberry picking traditionally starts in late June, followed by blackberries later in the summer. Apples and pumpkins are available for picking from mid-September through October.
Theyhave pick your own strawberries, peaches, apples, collards and pumpkins in season.
Hill Creek Farms / 1631 Route 45, Mullica Hill, NJ
They grow three varieties on dwarfing rootstock including; Cameo, Jonagold, and The Autumn Rose Fuji apples. In addition to apple picking they offer a snack and refreshment stand, picnic area, face painting, pony rides, and school tours.
Offers pick ypur own apples, peaches and pumpkin picking. Visit their Animal Farm, which now includes an obstacle course. The Animal Farm is bursting with many animals to feed along with a pipe slide, wacky bridge, rope maze, balance beam, and tire climb! Enjoy our furry animals in a picturesque farm setting with utilities to feed them safely through our feeding tubes and to wash-up afterwards at our hand washing stations. There is also the Discovery Barnyard This is a Fun-filled and secure area designed for Families with young children. The Discovery Barnyard is brimming with age appropriate climbing structures, shaded eating area, small animal barnyard, and our very popular pedal go-carts. Click this link for a full explanation, and check out our photo gallery of fun! On those hot summer days, cool off at our farm market with a delicious Ice Cream cone, thick Milkshake, or refreshing Italian Ice, and enjoy it while sitting under the shade of our sycamore trees or our tented picnic area.
They also have an Apple Festival on Saturday, September 11, 2010 10:00am – 4:00pm. The festival kicks off with the interactive story of Johnny Appleseed at 10:00. The Donut Eating Contests will follow at 10:30. The winner receives a cash prize and a bag of donuts. There is one adult contest and two kids contests.
The weather may not feel like it, but spring is here…Time to dust off the cleaning supplies for the home. Before the weather gets nice enough where you don’t want to do it, take advantage now while still indoors. There are so many things to give the seasonal dusting and cleaning to that get ignored the rest of the time. Here are some things that are good to address to give your home a fresh feel for the spring and most importatnt if you are looking to prepare your home to sell. If you want more tips about how to get your house home ready, just contact me at 732-995-5609 or go to NJhomesbyroslyn.com
Home Spring Cleaning List
The Exterior
*windows & screens (including sills and molding). Winter just seems to linger on the windows
*vent covers
*ceiling fans
* wipe down the walls
*doors (those that have fingerprints on them, because we refuse to use the doorknobs.
*switch covers
*moldings clean and recaulk if needed (including base moldings and chair rails and other decorative ones.
*carpet steaming
*airduct cleaning
*dryer vent cleaning (this prevents fire hazards)
Bathrooms
recaulk if necessary. Caulk sometimes gets dried up and cracks. Recaulking prevents leaks before they turn into something more. Grout is porous and it’s good to seal it, too.
Tile floors
If using waxes, sometimes there is a buildup, steaming the floor removes this residue
Declutter
Organization is just as important. Out with the old and in with the new. Get rid of excess papers, supplies and objects that have been around and not needed. With less stuff in out in the house, comes less cleaning.
This is a great time to look up a local charity and donate unused or lightly used clothing, toys and appliances. If you haven’t used things for a few years, you probably don’t need them. If you find it hard to part with some things, take pictures and keep in an album, especially when it comes to school projects or work.
Exterior
*Prune shrubs
*Remove any dead foliage
*Edging give a clean look to a lawn or anywhere grass leads to a patio or pool.
*Repaint/stain the deck
*Powerwash the patio, walkways, house and pvc fence. Parts of a home facing north, get discolored with a moldy green. This is normal due to the minimal amount of sun on that side.
Positive news regarding the housing market has created a confidence to be part of it…Many Americans are optimistic when it comes to decisions about buying or selling a home based on a recent poll by Fannie Mae. See what other Americans are saying about the housing market. If you are ready to get off the fence and search for a new home, contact me, Roslyn Sibilia at 732-995-5609.
In a seller’s market, it’s not too surprising Americans have expressed optimism toward home selling. But Americans also say it’s a good time to be a buyer—in fact, more Americans are bullish over buying than selling.
Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index, which reflects the attitudes of more than 1,000 respondents toward housing, shows consumer sentiment over five of six housing indicators increased in August. Consumers are expressing more optimistic views than previously over buying and selling, and fewer concerns over job losses.
The buyer optimism stems from near-record low mortgage rates, which are helping to “restore much of consumers’ positivity on whether it is a good time to buy a home, while also improving the good-time-to-sell sentiment,” says Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist. “The August survey was conducted as consumers continue to face uncertainty regarding schools’ and business’ reopening plans and as the CARES Act $600-per-week income supplement expired.”
While Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index rose by 3.3 points in August to a reading of 77.5, the index is still down 16.3 points compared to a year ago.
Here’s a closer look at findings on consumer sentiment from the latest survey:
Homebuying expectations: The percentage of respondents who said it’s a good time to buy a home increased from 53% to 59% in August.
Homeselling expectations: The percentage of respondents who said it’s a good time to sell a home rose from 45% to 48%.
Home prices: Fewer respondents believe home prices will rise over the next 12 months, the percentage decreasing in August from 35% to 33%. The percentage of respondents who said home prices will likely fall decreased to 26% while the share who think home prices will stay the same was unchanged at 34%.
Mortgage rates: More Americans believe mortgage rates will remain near record lows. The percentage of respondents who said mortgage rates will go down even more over the next year increased to 33%. Forty-five percent of respondents believe mortgage rates will stay the same.
Job concerns: Consumers are less concerned about losing their jobs over the next year. Seventy-eight percent of respondents said they are not concerned about losing their job in the next 12 months, up slightly from 76% the previous month.
Household income: Some Americans are feeling richer. The percentage of respondents who said their house income is significantly higher than it was a year ago rose to 25% in August. The percentage of respondents who say their household income is significantly lower stayed unchanged at 16%. Fifty-nine percent said their household income has stayed the same.
To stay most updated regarding your home buying or selling decision, contact me to discuss your local market…732-995-5609 / NJHomesbyRoslyn.com
Source: “Poll: American Say It’s a Good Time to Buy and Sell” Realtor Magazine (September 9, 2020)
Technology plays a huge factor is all lives these days….Many hours on a computer can cause side effects for some. With travel times eliminated , some may even work longer hours. Also, children’s education will be more technology driven than before with many virtual classes. Here are some tips below from Start Healthy Magazine to manage the side effects of digital headaches.
Today’s world revolves around screens. It’s hard to avoid, because most jobs require using a computer and a cell phone. Even outside of work, cell phones and televisions take up our free time. If this is you, you’ve likely experienced a digital headache. Here are the reasons digital headaches occurr and how to stop them.
Do digital headaches really happen?
Yes, digital headaches are real and in fact 60 percent American adults report experiencing digital eye strain, headaches, neck and shoulder pain, dry eyes, and blurred vision after prolonged use of screens. When using screens, blinking less than you should and trying to keep focus causes dry eyes and strain. Visual demands when dealing with screens is unlike any other activity. The technical term for it is an ocular migraine caused by eye strain and mental fatigue, and it could have serious consequences on your vision if you don’t take steps to decrease and manage it.
Suggestions to ease the pain and fatigue
Turn down the brightness
The quickest way to help decrease risk for ocular migraines is to decrease the brightness of the screen. Not only does this ease up your eyes from taking in so much light at once, but it will help prolong your battery life too.
Invest in a pair of computer glasses
Computer glasses have become a phenomenon among those immersed in digital work all day. By blocking out blue UV light, they help reduce damage to the retinas. These light waves are short and full of energy. They are the same light waves emitted from the sun and are why people wear sunglasses. Typically, computer glasses are separate from regular glasses and should only be worn when sitting in front of a screen for prolonged periods.
Limit your free time used on screens
Get outside, talk to people, and call instead of text. These are ways to step away from screens during your free time so you can reserve the work your eyes need to do during work hours only. Giving yourself time away from work should mean giving your body, most important, your eyes, time to rest as well.
Annual eye exams
Stay on top of your prescription when you feel yourself getting frequent headaches. It’s always a good idea to get an annual eye exam, even when you don’t feel your eyes hurting or vision changing. There are things going on in your eyes you can’t see or feel. When you have the proper prescription and care, it makes it easier on your eyes when they do have to work hard.
Eyes are often forgotten in our health care routine. Be kind to your eyes and follow these tips to help reduce risk factors of CVS (computer vision syndrome). Consult your optometrist before trying new glasses and changing your eye care routine.
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