A blog for The Bedroom Communities of New York City: Maplewood, South Orange, Millburn/Short Hills and Montclair, etc. for Area Residents, for future residents and for home buyers and sellers in New Jersey. Provides information on housing trends, tips for sellers and buyers, mortgage information events and happenings around town and the regional area. Local contributions are welcomed!
Main Library - Wed. Apr. 1, 8 and15 - 7:00 – 9:00 pm; Hilton Branch - Thurs. Apr. 16 - 6:00-8:00 pm Join us for a free series of SAT math practice sessions. You will take practice tests, go over test results and learn ways to improve your test performance! Come to one of the sessions or all three presented by Michael Steiner, certified high school math teacher. Registration required. Click for more information or to register.
Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059 Good Homes
Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.
As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers
As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.
The Able Baker, Maplewood
Buttery, fresh-from-the-oven scones (try the blueberry!) and other delicious baked goods often upstage the coffee. But the coffee is terrific. Two dollars buys a 12-ounce cup of Philadelphia roaster La Colombe’s Corsica blend, a smooth but rich medium-to-dark roast that holds up well in cappuccinos and lattes. “It’s a food-lover’s coffee,” says owner Julie Pauly. The bakery also sells it by the pound, whole bean or ground. 187 Maplewood Avenue.—TLG
A picturesque town in Essex County, Maplewood is located on the East Branch of the Rahway River. Originally consisting of farms, mills and orchards, Maplewood is now a great mix of residential and commercial areas, culminating in the jewel of a downtown village and coming together to create a charming, tight-knit and diversified community. Maplewood has predominantly Colonial and Tudor style homes with sprawling porches and ample greenery, but you can also find some Victorians and a range of more modern style construction on its beautiful tree lined streets.
Maplewood is a diverse town with 6 elementary schools and prominent municipal building designed by famous architects, Guilbert and Betelle. In the center of town, famed landscape architects, the Olmstead Brothers, created the breathtaking Memorial Park; not to be overlooked is Ricalton Square, nestled between the train station and the downtown shopping; this area is frequently used for events including a Halloween Parade with hayrides and petting zoos, as well as featuring replica homes during the Winter Holiday Season. The town offers many activities to its residents from camps in the summer, arts and crafts classes, a public pool (with 4 pools ranging from a “baby” pool to toddler pool to large lap pool and a diving tank) and a farmers market when in season. There is even an annual musicalpalooza--Maplewoodstock—featuring a variety of bands and musical styles, showcasing local and national bands with booths for local businesses to set up.
The Village, also known as Maplewood Center, is a quaint, downtown shopping district with everything from restaurants with foods from all over the world, bakeries, dance studios, gyms, bookstores, a movie theater and bookstores. With its large variety of cuisines to choose from, Maplewood recently started a yearly town-wide Restaurant Week with over 30 eateries participating.
Easily accessible by its throughways and the New Jersey Transit, it's no surprise Maplewood has been ranked several times as one of the most desirable places to live in America by a number of surveys.
Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059 Good Homes
Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.
As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers
As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.
Get out your baskets, line up your kids and hunt for eggs! Maplewood's Department of Recreation & Cultural Affairs is holding their annual EGG HUNT! Maplewood's Annual Egg Hunt is right around the corner....and if you look hard enough, there might be an egg there!
The highlight of the afternoon will be the ever-popular Egg Hunt, as well as a Jelly Bean Guess Contest and prize baskets. You can even take a picture with the new and improved Bunny!
The Egg Hunt will take place on Saturday, March 28th at 1:00 pm. Just like last year, it will be held at Memorial Park North, directly in front of Town Hall along Valley Street. It's going to be Eggsciting!
A picturesque town in Essex County, Maplewood is located on the East Branch of the Rahway River. Originally consisting of farms, mills and orchards, Maplewood is now a great mix of residential and commercial areas, culminating in the jewel of a downtown village and coming together to create a charming, tight-knit and diversified community. Maplewood has predominantly Colonial and Tudor style homes with sprawling porches and ample greenery, but you can also find some Victorians and a range of more modern style construction on its beautiful tree lined streets.
Maplewood is a diverse town with 6 elementary schools and prominent municipal building designed by famous architects, Guilbert and Betelle. In the center of town, famed landscape architects, the Olmstead Brothers, created the breathtaking Memorial Park; not to be overlooked is Ricalton Square, nestled between the train station and the downtown shopping; this area is frequently used for events including a Halloween Parade with hayrides and petting zoos, as well as featuring replica homes during the Winter Holiday Season. The town offers many activities to its residents from camps in the summer, arts and crafts classes, a public pool (with 4 pools ranging from a “baby” pool to toddler pool to large lap pool and a diving tank) and a farmers market when in season. There is even an annual musicalpalooza--Maplewoodstock—featuring a variety of bands and musical styles, showcasing local and national bands with booths for local businesses to set up.
The Village, also known as Maplewood Center, is a quaint, downtown shopping district with everything from restaurants with foods from all over the world, bakeries, dance studios, gyms, bookstores, a movie theater and bookstores. With its large variety of cuisines to choose from, Maplewood recently started a yearly town-wide Restaurant Week with over 30 eateries participating.
Easily accessible by its throughways and the New Jersey Transit, it's no surprise Maplewood has been ranked several times as one of the most desirable places to live in America by a number of surveys.
Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059 Good Homes
Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.
As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers
As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.
Early bird registration for the Maplewood Community Pool is now open! Early bird registration is available through Friday, May 1st.
Registration Information:
You can register for the pool a few different ways (Must be a resident of Maplewood or South Orange):
Register Online at: https://register.communitypass.net/maplewood
Register by Phone: (973) 763-4202
Register in person at: Recreation Office at 574 Valley Street in Maplewood. We are open 9am-4:30pm Monday-Friday.
2015 Pool Fees:
To check out the pool prices for this year, please click the following link: 2015 Pool Fees
Photo ID Cards:
Photo IDs can be taken at the Recreation Department. If you are unable to make it in to take a photo, you can email your photo to us @recinfo@twp.maplewood.nj.us and we will mail you your ID! In your email please identify correct picture with correct names, include family ID and home address. Please make sure all pictures are current and please send in JPEG format. Once your membership is paid in full, we will mail out your IDs ASAP.
Swim Lessons:
Registration for Swim Lessons will be open on Monday, May 4th at 9:00am. The schedule will be posted on our website in the near future.
Guest Passes:
Guest passes are not available for purchase at this time. We will send out an email blast when they are ready for purchase. Please remember, only Maplewood Pool members can purchase guest passes.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Recreation Department at (973) 763-4202. For additional pool information, please visit our website. Information will be updated shortly.
Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059 Good Homes
Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.
As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers
As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.
Life if full on contradictions. The below is being shared after a recent experience that clients of mine had while looking for a home online.
If you are selling your home, you traditionally look to find an agent/agency that will Market your home to the MAX. That means finding the right agent that knows how to put your property in front of as many buyers as possible. It’s simple Economics 101, the more buyers that see your home online, the more buyers that will see your home in person, which should translate into the highest price paid.
When markets are short of inventory, you can sometimes encounter an agent/agency that will try to convince you to sign what is officially called AGENCY EXCLUSIVE Listing Agreement in tandem with a WAIVER OF BROKER COOPERATION. You need to know that this is probably NOT in your best interest.
A Waiver of Broker Cooperation means that you are restricting buyers to only use that agency. This runs contradictory to normal economics and marketing strategies that are all geared to exposing your property to the most number of possible buyers. Keep in mind that the area’s local agencies (offices)may have as few as 5 active agents to as many as 250 agents each; whereas, the Garden State MLS has over 17,000 registered agents. Why would you want to restrict your home to potentially less than 1% of the available are agents and local experts? According to NAR: "88% of buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker—a share that has steadily increased from 69 percent in 2001."
Selling a home with a Waiver of Broker Cooperation may share a similar result when likened to the statistics for a FSBO--For Sale By Owner. When Sellers are shown to sell their homes as a FSBO, they can put a sign in the ground, use a FSBO site to feature their home and potentially achieve some additional minimal online distribution. This is in stark contrast to using a agent/agency that will broadcast your listing out on the local MLS, advertise broker opens which puts your home on a HOT LIST, and ultimately gives you much more broad base exposure.
Statistics don't lie! In 2013, the typical FSBO home sold for $184,000 compared to $230,000 for agent MLS listed home sales. That means that the Homes sold by agents with full distribution and MLS support sold their clients' homes for 25% more than those properties limited to minimal online and restricted agent exposure. Your home is generally your single biggest investment, you should trust in your agent/agency and in the market to give you the highest possible sales price, even if you spent as much as 6% to list your home--with half going to the buying agency and the remaining half being paid to the listing agency--you still make out almost 20% more in your pockets.
Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059 Good Homes
Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.
As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers
As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.
You are thinking it may be time to move either to a larger home, a smaller home or to a new location. This means you will also need to sell your current home; yet, you are unsure of how to proceed. So, here is your recommended list to review as you prepare to sell a property.
1. First of all, I recommend that you do your due diligence to determine if you are financially in a position to achieve your goal of moving, making sure you can afford the type of home you are seeking. Every year I encounter clients that want to move yet, after a thorough review of their finances with a loan officer or mortgage lender, they find out that they are better staying put. Once you know what your options truly are, we can then take the next steps to help you get on your way.
2. Once we have your monthly budget, we can start the ball rolling with looking at homes that you are interested in and can also afford, so that we can get a level of comfort with the goal of moving forward.
If you have already met with a loan officer, then using a mortgage calculator can also help you understand what your monthly budget can afford.
3. If you are ready to pass “GO” on your own personal Monopoly board of real estate—having verified that you are a position to know that selling your current property is our next step, here are some recommendations to we should utilize to maximize the value of your current property and to help us sell it with in the least number of days, thereby reducing the stresses of keeping the property in “mint” condition for potential showings beyond a reasonable time frame.
a. Property condition-Interior is a key factor in what a property will eventually sell for once being put on the market.
i. You should conduct an aesthetic evaluation of the interior (with Realtor and/or stager) to get the best possible advice as to how to present the property in the best light and condition.
ii. You may, especially if the house has been lived in a long time, want to bring in a home inspector to conduct a cursory interior and exterior inspection that would help to identify any structural, environment or other problems that would potentially work against you getting the most $ for the property. I can’t tell you how frequently such an inspection turns up a pressing safety issue that needs to be addressed immediately for your own protection. When this idea is fully supported by the client, we can then feature the home as a “certified,” which helps enhance the value of the property.
b. Exterior conditions are also paramount. The home that has peeling exterior paint not only lessens the price an interested buyer might be willing to pay but, also will traditionally curtail the number of buyers that would otherwise be interested in looking at the property.
i. Your Realtor should walk the exterior of the property with you to look for signs of wear and tear and look to make the necessary repairs to enhance the appearance. There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint to dress up the home.
ii. Also, take landscaping and sidewalks into consideration as these items affect both the appearance and, in the case of sidewalks, unsafe trip hazards that you will want to alleviate immediately.
4. Pre-Marketing the Home:
a. The most critical component to selling a home is to make sure it is priced where its true market value would be found in the marketplace. Over-pricing a home can cost you so much more than you will ever know in terms of a final net price. In fact, Jeffrey Otteau (Otteau Valuation Group is one of NJ’s largest and well-known appraisal companies) advises that for every $10,000 you over price a home at the start, you can expect to receive $3,500 less than you should have achieved if you priced the home correctly at the start. Getting a CMA or an ACMA (www.advancedcma.com) is highly recommended to determine the market value for the property in question.
b. Staging a home may also be a factor in extracting the most value for your home. You may have lovely period furniture and decorating tastes, but you need to keep in mind that once you are selling your property, it is best to market the home in the spirit and design aesthetics that today’s buyers are “trained” to look for relative to their taste levels. So, if your home looks like the palace of Versailles rather than a West Elm/Renovation Hardware catalog, you may want to consider trading out some of your furnishings to create the “Broadway Stage Set” that will appeal to the most buyers, because the more buyers interested the higher the eventual price paid will be! Even if your home has current styling, you also want to make sure that each room has a singular use identity and that the density of the furniture doesn’t overwhelm the space.
5. Marketing the Home:
a. Marketing your home to the MAX means finding the right agent that knows how to ”speak” to as many buyers as possible. It’s simple Economics 101, the more buyers that see your home online, the more buyers that will see your home in person, which should translate into the highest price paid.
i. You will want the maximum number of photos allowed on each site (you can add to many of the syndicated sites beyond what an MLS may limit you too).
ii. You will probably prefer an agent with Priorty on syndicated sites as your listing will get more bang for its buck due to the spend of your agent.
iii. You should make sure you have a true video rather than a regurgitation of the pics already online being displaced as a slide show.
iv. There are many more ways an agent can maximize your exposure. Please feel free to check out www.sladesells.com to see how my client’s listings get MAXIMUM exposure and how we usually sell for more $ and in less time than the typical agent.
6. Managing the Project. I so often advise my clients that selling or buying a home is like an iceberg, you only see 10% of what is really entailed and necessary in managing the project and getting both parties to the closing table. So, make sure your agent is prepared and experienced at managing the process.
7. The final stage of selling your home is the handing over of the keys. This means you have accomplished your goal and now have the satisfaction (and relief in some cases) that comes with being able to MOVE forward with your life.
Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059 Good Homes
Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.
As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers
As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.
Maplewood Memorial Library is pleased to announce the lineup for our 2nd Annual Maplewood Ideas Festival, featuring authors, architects, innovators, artists and visionaries.
*Some programs require registration.
As inspiration for the below, check out this video:
Here are the 2015 events!
Mikel Frank and Gerard Amsellem, the Visual Passion Duo, will exhibit their work from March 2 through April 4. An Art & Music Reception will kick off the Festival on Saturday, March 14 at 2 pm. Live painting demo!
The music of Django Reihnardt will be performed by Martin Leys and Friends. Artists' talk at 2:30.
Richard T. Morris, author of the award-winning children's book This is a Moose, and resident of Maplewood will lead families in Word Games With Moose! on Monday, March 16 at 7 pm at Main Library. The Moose from the award winning book This is a Moose by Richard T. Morris and Tom Lichtenheld will be here LIVE with author Richard T. Morris to have fun with words, read a few books, and have a laugh out loud good time with language. For children ages 3 ½ - 9 and their parents.
Explore the World of Edible Colors with Children's Book author and illustrator, Maplewoodian Jennifer Vogel Bass on Wednesday, March 18 at 4 pm
at Main Library. Come play with your food! A delightful discovery of the many shades of fruits and vegetables. An interactive event for kids ages 3 ½ - 6. Older children welcome, too.
A launch party for our new Create Space will be held at the Hilton Branch Library on Saturday, March 21 from 10 am to 1 pm. Participants will be able to create and print a custom Duplo using Rhino 3D CAD and work on Raspberry Pi, Snap Circuit and craft projects. This program is in conjunction with NJ Makers Day, a day dedicated to celebrating and sharing Maker Culture.
* A highlight of the Festival will be world-renowned architects Richard Meier and Peter Eisenman, in conversation at Columbia High School on Monday, March 23 at 7 pm. Meier's achievements include the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona. Among many worldwide projects, Eisenman designed the University of Phoenix Stadium, which hosted this year's Super Bowl, and the Berlin Holocaust Memorial. Both are graduates of Columbia High School. * Registration is required. Register at ideasfestivalarchitects.eventbrite.com
Marc H. Morial is President and CEO of the National Urban League, the nation's largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization. He was Mayor of New Orleans from 1994-2002 and currently resides in Maplewood. His talk, 20th Century Lessons for 21st Century America, will be held at Main Library on Wednesday, March 25 at 7 pm.
Marylou and Jerome Bongiorno, Emmy-nominated, award winning, husband-and-wife filmmakers, will screen their new film, Love and Arguments, on Thursday, March 26 at 7 pm at Main Library. Love and Arguments is a film festival of fiction shorts; urban love stories that tackle truth, commitment, stereotypes, and morality, including some contemporary interpretations of stories by Jane Austen, Henry James, and Edith Wharton. See a trailer for the film here.
*Internationally acclaimed author and Columbia High School graduate Paul Auster will receive the Maplewood Literary Award on Saturday, March 28 at 2 pm.
The event is free, but tickets are required. Register at literaryaward-paulauster.eventbrite.com.
Broadway and Hollywood Costume Designer Ann Roth will be the featured guest on Monday, March 30 at 7 pm. Roth won an Academy Award for The English Patient and a Tony Award for The Nance.
All programs are free and open to the public.
The Ideas Festival is made possible thanks to The Friends of the Maplewood Library, The Maplewood Library Foundation, The Maplewood Woman's Club and The Essex County Arts Council.
THURSDAY NIGHT BOOK CLUB
Our march title is The Book of Illusions, by Paul Auster
recipient of the 2015 Maplewood Literary Award.
"...one bizarre event ricocheting neatly and unexpectedly into the next... creating a narrative that continually manages to elude our expectations."
-New York Times
Thursday, March 5
7:00 pm at Main Library
Copies of the book are available through the BCCLS system
The Thursday Night Book Club will not meet in April.
SATURDAY KNITTING IS BACK!
Knitting teacher Yasmin Esmek will get beginners started on the basics, and help intermediate and advanced knitters meet new challenges. Bring your own yarn and needles, or a project in progress.
Registration is required. Go to knittingmarch7.eventbrite.com
Saturday, March 7
10-12 at Main Library
To register for additional dates:
knittingapril11.eventbrite.com
knittingmay16.eventbrite.com
knittingjune6.eventbrite.com
COMPUTERS FOR BEGINNERS
These classes are for people with little or no computer experience. Learn how to use a mouse, go on the Internet, and more.
No registration is needed.
Tuesday, March 10 1:00 pm at Hilton Branch
Additional dates:
April 7, May 12, June 9
FOOD FOR THOUGHT BOOK CLUB
Join us for our monthly discussion of recent food-themed writing, with refreshments provided by local eateries.
The March title is
The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine
byAlina Bronsky
"Bronsky lands another hit with this hilarious, disturbing, and always irreverent blitz." - Publishers Weekly
Wednesday, March 11
7:00 pm at Main Library
Refreshments will be provided by Cactus Charlie
The title for our April meeting is Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehra
ADULT HEALTH SCREENINGS
Screenings by Township Nurses
For residents of Maplewood. Free blood pressure and carotid bruit screening and medication, weight & health counseling are offered.
Drop in, or call, call 973- 762-8120 ext. 4300 for an appointment .
Wednesday, March 11
10:30-12 at Main Library
Overlook Van Cholesterol Screening
This test includes LDL, HDL, and Total Cholesterol/ HDL ratio. A simple fingerstick method is used, and fasting is not required. There is a $10 fee.
Educational materials and individual counseling will also be provided.
Free Blood Pressure Screening also available.
For an appointment, call 1-800-247-9580. Drop-ins are also welcome.
Thursday, March 19 12-2 pm in front of Hilton Branch
NORTHERN NJ PROFESSIONALS IN TRANSITION
The group will meet on Mondays, March 9 and 23.
Meetings are at 10 am at Main Library
Get more information about Professionals in Transition here
Join the online Discussion Forum/Information Archive here.
UNDERSTANDING MEDICARE
The Basics for Boomers & Caregivers in Need of Guidance
It's easy to become confused by Medicare's many parts and plans, and to keep up with the yearly changes. This seminar will cover everything you need to know, in easy-to-understand terms. You will learn:
• What Medicare covers
• When to apply, even if you're still working, even if you're not eligible for Social Security.
• The difference between Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medigap
Free and open to the public.
Presenter Neil Berger has 35+ years experience in the Human Resources profession, including benefits and compensation administration. He developed this seminar for individuals who had incorrect or non-existent information about their benefits.
Thursday, March 12 (rescheduled from February)
7:00 pm at Main Library
FRIENDS BOOK DONATIONS
The Friends of the Maplewood Library will be accepting donations from March 7 to April 18. You may bring books and movies to the Main Library during the following days and times. No encyclopedia, magazines or mildewed books please!
• Mondays: 10 am to Noon
• Wednesdays: 7:30-8:30 pm
• Thursdays: 2 -4 pm
• Saturdays: 10 am to Noon and 2-4 pm
The Book Sale will be held on April 25 and 26.
TEEN PROGRAMS
TEENS READ TO KIDS
Main Library Monday March 2 3:30 pm
Join in the Read Across America celebration and read a picture book to kids ages 4 to 9. Each teen will read one or two picture books to the group. Please arrive at 3:30 pm to choose a book and allow time for practice. The storytime will begin at 4:00 pm. Sign up to be a reader at: https://teensreadtokids.eventbrite.com
TEEN TECH WEEK
MINECRAFT
Water Challenge
Main Library
Tuesday March 10 3:30 pm
The enclosed world contains only a single water source. With few resources for food available, participants must set up a farming operation and feed themselves. To do so they must creatively transport, conserve, and build around the limited supply. Space is limited please register at: minecraftmarch10.eventbrite.com
CYBER SAFETY
Main Library Thurs. March 12 4:00 pm
Sgt Sally and Officer Wright of the Youth Aid Bureau will explain the do's and don'ts of texting and social media such as SnapChat and Instagram. Learn the hazards of over sharing information, the consequences of bullying and how to keep your phone and online identity safe. Pizza will be served.
FLASH FICTION
Main Library Tues. March 17 3:30 - 4:30 pm
Flash fiction is very very short stories. You choose from the stories provided, read it aloud and then we'll talk about it. Refreshments will be served.
TEEN GAMING DAY
Main Library Tues. March 24 3:30 pm
Who's got game? xBox and Wii gaming systems as well as board games will be available! Just dance, FIFA and more!
TinkerCAD BASICS
Main Library Wed. March 25 3:30 - 4:30 pm
Learn the basics of this free online 3D modeling software and build a model for entry into the BuildTak 3D Design Challenge. Email address needed to register on TinkerCad website.
CHILDREN'S ROOM PROGRAMS
BowWow Book Buddies
Tues. 3/17 6-7:00 pm - Hilton Branch
Come to Hilton Branch and read to a dog... they LOVE stories! Sign up for a specific time, or just drop in.
Saturday Storytime
All ages * Drop in
Sat. 3/14 @ 10:30 am - Main Library
Enjoy live music, stories and movement, featuring Marilyn Lehren and Wilma Van De Pol on guitar, with other musical guests. We especially welcome children with special needs. A wonderful way for the family to spend a Saturday morning!
Women's History Month Project
All ages * Drop in * Main Library
March is Women's History Month, and to celebrate there will be a drop in craft throughout the month where you can color in your own paper dolls of famous women. Stop by the Children's Room to participate!
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
All ages * Drop In
Mon. 3/2 @ 4:00 pm - Main Library
Oh the places you'll go on March 2nd! Come join us in the Children's Room to hear teens read stories written and inspired by the amazing Dr. Seuss to kids of all ages. You can even take a picture to send Dr. Seuss your best birthday wishes!
Dr. Seuss's Birthday Party
Ages 5-10 years * Drop In
Tues. 3/3 @ 6:30-7:30 pm - Hilton Branch
Celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday with some of his stories and a craft. Program provided by the Girl Scouts.
Building STEAM with DIA
Ages 5-12 * Drop in Thurs. 3/26 @ 5:00 pm Hilton Branch
A book club with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math!). We will read a book about a real-live person, do an experiment and have some snacks! Everyone will go home with a book! This program is available thanks to the ALA grant, Building STEAM with DIA.
Family Science
All ages * Drop in Mon. 3/9@ 7:00 pm - Main Library
Does your family like to tinker and experiment? Then come to the Main Library for some family fun with science! March is Women's History Month, and we'll be celebrating the lives of famous female pilots Amelia Earhart and Bessie Coleman by designing, making, and testing our own paper airplanes. Please visit our calendar of events on www.maplewoodlibrary.org to register!
Music with Wilma & the Wingers
All ages * Drop In Fri. 3/6 @ 11:00 am - Main Library
Dance, sing, and get your body moving with some
upbeat songs. Live music performed by Wilma Van De Pol and friends.
Itty Bitty Wouldn't Budge
All ages * Drop in Tues. 3/10 @ 4:00 pm - Main Library
Hear local author Victoria Martin read her new Children's book, Itty Bitty Wouldn't Budge, about a Newfoundland dog right here in Maplewood. There may even be a real Newfoundland for kids to see for themselves!
Lego Club
All ages * Drop in
Wed. 3/11 @ 4:00 pm - Main Library
Tinker and build at LEGO club! Supported by ALA's Junior Maker Grant, we have lots of LEGOs for everyone to build something and display their creations around the library
B I N G O
All ages * Drop In
Thu. 3/19 @ 4:00 pm - Hilton Branch
You can play if you know your numbers!
IDEAS FESTIVAL PROGRAMS
See the Ideas Festival section for more info!
Word Games with Moose!
Ages 3-9 * Drop in Mon. 3/16 @ 7:00 pm - Main Library
Explore the World of Edible Colors
Ages 3 ½-6 * Drop in Wed. 3/18 @ 4:00 pm - Main Library
Create Space Launch Party/NJ Makers Day
All ages * Drop In Sat. 3/21 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm - Hilton Branch
Storytime Programs
No registration required - All children must be accompanied by an adult
No registration required - All children must be accompanied by an adult
MAIN LIBRARY:
Baby Lit (Ages birth-2 1/2)
Tuesdays @ 10:30-11
3/3, 3/10, 3/17
Preschool Storytime (Ages 2 1/2-5)
Thursdays @11:00-11:30
3/5, 3/12, 3/19
A picturesque town in Essex County, Maplewood is located on the East Branch of the Rahway River. Originally consisting of farms, mills and orchards, Maplewood is now a great mix of residential and commercial areas, culminating in the jewel of a downtown village and coming together to create a charming, tight-knit and diversified community. Maplewood has predominantly Colonial and Tudor style homes with sprawling porches and ample greenery, but you can also find some Victorians and a range of more modern style construction on its beautiful tree lined streets.
Maplewood is a diverse town with 6 elementary schools and prominent municipal building designed by famous architects, Guilbert and Betelle. In the center of town, famed landscape architects, the Olmstead Brothers, created the breathtaking Memorial Park; not to be overlooked is Ricalton Square, nestled between the train station and the downtown shopping; this area is frequently used for events including a Halloween Parade with hayrides and petting zoos, as well as featuring replica homes during the Winter Holiday Season. The town offers many activities to its residents from camps in the summer, arts and crafts classes, a public pool (with 4 pools ranging from a “baby” pool to toddler pool to large lap pool and a diving tank) and a farmers market when in season. There is even an annual musicalpalooza--Maplewoodstock—featuring a variety of bands and musical styles, showcasing local and national bands with booths for local businesses to set up.
The Village, also known as Maplewood Center, is a quaint, downtown shopping district with everything from restaurants with foods from all over the world, bakeries, dance studios, gyms, bookstores, a movie theater and bookstores. With its large variety of cuisines to choose from, Maplewood recently started a yearly town-wide Restaurant Week with over 30 eateries participating.
Easily accessible by its throughways and the New Jersey Transit, it's no surprise Maplewood has been ranked several times as one of the most desirable places to live in America by a number of surveys.
Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059 Good Homes
Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.
As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers
As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.
