Seeking 3-4 Bedroom Home in Maplewood by Late August

I'm a new poster, seeking a 3-4 bedroom, 1.5 bath (at least) home in Maplewood by late August.  Looking to be within a mile of Columbia High School, MMS and the Maplewood Train Station, ideally closer.
If you're readying your house to list, and want to avoid 5% realtor fees and the potentially annoying staging process, let me know!

I know of someone who has a home you might love, intending to list in June. Please message me.


I sent you a conversation; not sure if that's how to PW in this new-fangled message board.

shh said:

I know of someone who has a home you might love, intending to list in June. Please message me.

 


I do hope to find someone like this when the time comes to sell my home (which definitely fits the description.)  I dread the staging/selling process!  But we aren't to that stage yet and no immediate plans.

Good luck!!!


Thanks, sac!  Staging and selling is not on my list of favorite activities...oh oh

sac said:

I do hope to find someone like this when the time comes to sell my home (which definitely fits the description.)  I dread the staging/selling process!  But we aren't to that stage yet and no immediate plans.

Good luck!!!

 


@lisat, are you out there?


so nice of you to think of me, @kthnry

Yes our house is on the market but with a realtor since I needed to spend some time out of town. The Open House was this past Sunday, and we have several offers. I will PM the original poster. 


Actually, I don't know how to do a private message so here's the scoop:

3 bedroom

1.5 bathroom

Victorian built in 1880

large open front porch

laundry room on second floor next to bath so is easily convertible to a 2nd bath or existing bath can be expanded

half bath on first floor

no fancy kitchen, not updated baths, no mucked up renovation

lovely original features including high coffered ceilings, antique fixtures, 

antique window panes throw lacy shadows on the walls

sanded/finished hardwood floors throughout

on one of the most gracious streets in Maplewood -- Mountain Avenue

5-7 minute walk to the train

$625K

18K taxes

Realtor is Robin Bohan at Weichart

Must be seen in person to be appreciated.


There is a For Sale sign on our house on Mountain Avenue, Maplewood, NJ. Robin Bohan is the realtor from Weichart. Here is my description. Our home is an 1880 Victorian overflowing with original period details. There is a wide front porch behind a trio of hemlock trees, which we have allowed to become overgrown, enabling us to take advantage of greater shade and privacy. The porch is large enough to enjoy separate areas/purposes, so we frequently ate with friends at the round mosaic table on one side, while enjoying ample space on the other side for our kids and our friends' kids to play. Most of the windows on the ground floor and some on the upper floor have small square windows running around the border of the larger window. The old glass throws lacy shadows on the plaster walls throughout the downstairs. Little space is wasted in the entry area, but offers a view of a lovely dark wooden staircase that leads to a small office on the landing between the first and second floors. There are four rooms on the first floor, which I have always found important. Many people I know have a larger entryway instead of a fourth room. We don't. As you enter, to the right is a living room with a fireplace area designed for a wood stove. The living room has high coffered ceilings. Behind the living room at the front of the house, is a square room that has served variously as a toy room, office, library, and media room over the years. Starting again at the front door walking into the entry way, to the left is a dining room with high coffered ceilings and a lovely bowed front consisting of three windows. This bay window area is the first floor of the round turret that graces the front of the house. Signature Victorian. Eat-in kitchen has large, arched windows, a 1920 farmhouse sink, authentic Hoosier Cabinet with original flour sifter and metal ledge that pulls out for rolling your dough, 1950s Chambers stove that is beautiful and works beautifully, new floor, new ceiling, new electric, routine dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave. Off the mudroom/pantry is a powder room that is decidedly lacking in charm, but is nonetheless functional. With slight architectural wizardry, this bathroom could accommodate a smaller sink in order to add the smallest permit-able shower. Or with more architectural wizardry, this bathroom could take over the mudroom and be transformed into one that is full-sized. We even have original claw-footed tubs in the basement waiting to be installed someday. I would say, 'you can have them,' except they belong to the house now. Climbing the front staircase, one may delight in the vaulted ceiling, and in the diminutive room off the landing. We use it as an office. It has two windows with those wonderful miniature windows mentioned earlier. On the second floor there are three bedrooms, a full bathroom and an adjacent laundry room, making it easily convertible to a second bath. Off the master bedroom (and over the front porch) is the sleeping porch built in the 1920s. The porch has original, oversized windows that glide open and closed horizontally. Returning to the generously-sized bedroom, the ceilings are high. The other large bedroom is the turret room and so boasts, but Victorians are not so bold, so instead we will say the room 'features' bow front windows identical to those in the dining room on the first floor. This bedroom also has high coffered ceilings. The third bedroom is smaller than the other two, which are quite large. From this third bedroom, there are views of our backyard where a beautifully handcrafted Amish-built log cabin. Behind our backyard is a neighbor's, which boasts, and this really is the correct word, a real barn. Well, a real horse stable. It is red. It is big. It is beautiful. And it makes the person looking at it feel as though he or she lives in the country. However living in the country would not afford one the ability to ride a train to Manhattan in a mere 29 minutes (during rush hour). Walking to the train station from our home takes a mere 7 minutes with a little hustle, and 10 minutes normally. Along the way, is the charming Maplewood Village with a bookstore, flower shops, art studios, bakery, coffee shops, grocery store, and two, count them, two toy stores. Three pizza parlors offer more than pizza, in fact two are nearly gourmet. Speaking of gourmet, there is also an award-winning restaurant that I have not had an opportunity to visit, and several other restaurants, and an Irish pub, offering incredibly delicious fare. Like the miniature windows that make their way around the antique windows of our Victorian masterpiece, Maplewood has an abundance of sidewalks running through the entire town. It invites walking, a popular mode of transportation and exercise among inhabitants. Fortunately these walks are shaded by mature trees, many of them maples, hence the name. A beautiful Japanese maple tree grows in our front yard, while our next door neighbor shares a magnificent Magnolia tree; its branches arching over our driveway and detached garage, and drapes exquisite blossoms over our miniature log cabin. We love it nearly as much as the cardinals who live there do. The interior was recently painted, and the exterior was painted five years ago. Electricity is modern -- no knob and tube. The kitchen has new ceiling and electric, a new floor, newly painted walls. All floors throughout the house sanded and finished. All bedrooms freshly painted. The 1920s sleeping porch off the bedroom is also newly restored. It is 1942 square feet. If someone loves this neighborhood and loves antique homes, this may be the place for them. It is a home that will love you back.

Houses are selling quickly with bidding wars as well ...examples of ones in the town selling way over asking price ...a house sells within days of being listed ..it is a good time to sell


I can't figure out how to message you. Our house is for sale by Coldwell Banker. Susan Palmaffy is our realtor. It's on Golf Island, near town, near the train station. It's a great place to raise a family


NJBornBred2 has a great house for sale!


Thanks, lisat -- we'll check it out!

lisat said:
NJBornBred2 has a great house for sale!



Question for the OP: The way you phrased your original post seems to imply that the 5% percent savings would all go to the seller but I would think that you'd expect a pricing difference on sales by owner, no?


Yes, Wendy, my expectation would be that the selling price without a realtor would be less, but there'd potentially be no staging costs or anything other expenses associated with putting a house on the market through a realtor.

wendy said:
Question for the OP: The way you phrased your original post seems to imply that the 5% percent savings would all go to the seller but I would think that you'd expect a pricing difference on sales by owner, no?



Hi, There is a house lot for sale on Park Ave. Near Valley St. If you want to build a new home! It is opposite the golf course. That is a 10 minute walk to Maplewood train station. You can find builders locally. May end up costing about the same as buying and you would have a new home.


I have a home that fits your needs. It is an estate sale, not listed yet...near MMS and train and CHS. 3-4 bedrooms. Needs updating (looks grandma-ish) but good location and with a little TLC a real find! Open to offers around 350K negotiable. Message me for any other details.




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