The Jersey Shore By Karl Hess

What is Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) and What’s The Cost of NOT Paying PMI?Private mortgage insurance, also called PMI, is a type of mortgage insurance you might be required to pay for if you have a conventional loan. Like other kinds of mortgage insurance, PMI protects the lender not you if ...

Rising home prices have been in the news a lot lately and much of the focus has been on whether home prices are accelerating too quickly, as well as how sustainable the growth in prices really is. One of the often-overlooked benefits of rising prices, however, is the impact that they have on a ho...

The Barnegat housing market has been anything but normal for the last eleven years. In a normal real estate market, home prices appreciate 3.7% annually. Below, however, are the price swings since 2007 according to the latest Home Price Expectation Survey:After the bubble burst in June 2007, valu...

We all realize that the best time to sell anything is when the demand for that item is high and the supply of that item is limited. The last two major reports issued by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) revealed information that suggests that right now continues to be a great time to sel...

There are some people who have not purchased homes in Barnegat because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. Everyone should realize, however, that unless you are living with your parents rent-free, you are paying a mortgage – either yours or your landlord’s.In Barnegat t...

There are many conflicting headlines when it comes to describing today’s real estate market. Some are making comparisons to the market we experienced 10 years ago and are starting to believe that we may be doomed to repeat ourselves. Others are just plain wrong when it comes to what it takes to q...

We all know that New Jersey can be an expensive place to live, right up there with Hawaii, New York and California… even in relatively low tax Ocean County, it can be expensive in comparison to other states. So, if you’re thinking of moving and haven’t decided on your next location, below you’ll ...

Some home-buyers are willing to forego some ‘must-haves’ in favor of a good school district, but you don’t have to Manahawkin. We have all you could ask for, including one of the best High Schools in the state – the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science (MATES).MATES is a special...

Many have written about the millennial generation and whether or not they, as a whole, believe in homeownership as a part of attaining their American Dream.Comparatively speaking, millennials have taken longer to obtain traditional milestones (like getting married, having kids and buying a home) ...

If you’re thinking of selling your Barnegat home, be aware; competition is coming!! There are multiple new home construction projects going on in Barnegat at the moment, including at least 84 listings for homes that have just been built, homes under construction and homes to be built. New listing...