We're not the first here. We won't be the last. There are several private cemeteries in Monmouth County that dot our rural roads.Do they serve as grave markers or time markers? Do the people who walked this fine land before us lay as silent sentries as our Century passes as well. Slow down. You're rushing life. You're missing it. SUV's with crying children whisk past these still, green lots of earth. Cyclists on their way to France pedal furiously. An occasional jogger spikes the I-Pod volume lest the silence of death interrupt the song and pace. Oh, we hurry past death. Emily Dickinson was right: We cannot stop for Death so he gladly stops for us. Because if we go really fast we can out run the Reaper. We can stay one thought, one emotion, one idea ahead of the alternative. Tibetans be... 11/27/2007

Forgive me. Um, there is no beach in Colts Neck. So if you're not that miffed and you're shopping for a new home in Colts Neck, give me a call. I do take your real estate needs very seriously. Even though I have a sense of humor. A sense of humor reveals humanity. A humane person cares about others and how they do in the larger world. Colts Neck geography? Well, we're not far from the Atlantic but you have to drive to get there. Truth be told we're horse country. We have farms and agricultural business. Colts Neck is also home to amazing parks and acres of open space. We have homes selling from $400,000 to $15 million. Did you know that you can buy a home in Colts Neck below the Monmouth County average home sale of $565,000?Alas, we don't have a beach. I can find you a house with a pool... 11/25/2007

November 23, 2007The Missus is always asking, "When are you going to write about me on that blog?" You spend so much time on that damn computer. Real estate is so boring!Nag, nag, nag. ;)My contribution? A tapped Heinekin min-keg and the boys and I talked about football while frying a 12 pound turkey outside.And we didn't even burn the house down! So there!We entertained twenty seven folks yesterday for Thanksgiving. Liz really went all out; she always does. It's the whole Italian thing. Not only must the food taste good, it has to be presented well. I call her Martha Stewartini. She visited the local papery and gift shop called MULBERRY MARKET. (You can access the store's website at http://mulberrymarket.com/ )The sales associate printed out floral name plates. Liz attached the name ta... 11/23/2007

For those of you that don't know me personally let me share a secret with you. I LOVE COFFEE. I am a coffee fiend. Especially in the morning. I must have a cup of Mojo upon awakening and plenty more throughout the day.My vehicle is littered with empty coffee containers, either from the Colts Neck, NJ  Dunkin Donuts or the Marlboro, NJ Starbucks. Last year one of my clients gave me the most wonderful gift. They gave me a Tassimo. The Tassimo Hot Beverage System is not your ordinary coffee maker. It is a system that allows you to make anything from espresso, tea's and of course regular coffee to much more complicated drinks like Latte Macchiato at the push of a button.I absolutely love this machine! I rank it high on my list of "Can't Live Without". I thought I was the only one that felt ... 11/21/2007

Rosalia's has opened this week in the Orchards Shopping Plaza in Colts Neck.  They are having a GRAND OPENING Saturday November 17 and will be having food tastings all day.  From 12:00 until 2:00 Cinderella and Spiderman will both be there.The radio station The Point 94.3 will be on scene and will be there from 12:00 until 3:00.The Orchards SHopping Center is located on the corner of Rt. 537 and Rt 34 in Colts Neck Township across the street from the Colts Neck Inn.   11/15/2007

Rosalia's from Brooklyn opens in Colts Neck.  There is a new place in town to get Italian groceries.  Carmine Gambacorta opened on Monday in the former Tutta Italia marketplace.   Their Grand Opening is on Saturday November 17They will be open from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm and will have 94.3 The Point radio station from noon till 3:pm.  Cinderella and Spiderman will be there from noon till 2pm, and food tastings will be available all day.    11/15/2007

The Nicest Colts Neck, NJ Home Your Money Can't BuySeptember 10th, 2007 Categories: Real Estate News, Dog House Of The MonthBeware!!! This Home Is Not For SaleThen Why is it being featured on a Real Estate Blog you might ask? Good question.As a Realtor, Sarah often comes across homes that grab her attention. Although they may not be for sale, she still likes them and as such would like to have the opportunity to share them with you.Each month We will showcase the "Dog House of The Month". One that you might even be familiar with or one where you may even be the owners neighbor. If you are, please send us a shout out or a bark out as I say, either way we would love to hear from you. Enjoy the pictures.Green Hill Estates is located in Colts Neck New Jersey. It is an 18- Hole Golf Course c... 11/15/2007

I wanted to take a moment to share this picture with all of you. Its message touched me in such a way that I wanted to show it off. Hopefully it will touch you in a profound way as well.Last Thursday I was driving around Colts Neck going from one brokers open house to another. I was on Laird Road rushing, talking on my cell phone and just trying to get a deal done when out of the blue I noticed the above barn with the saying "Peace On Earth". I pulled over to the side of the road and just took it all in. I don't know about you, but in a time where I just wish I had an extra minute to just get one more task done on my to do list, the above message actually made me stop and think and just slow down.It is quite breathtaking when viewed in person. The barn sits majestically on a beautiful p... 11/15/2007

A grassroots organization was recently formed by a group of prominent Colts Neck business owners to form a business association. While it is customary for businesses to get together, network, and have a business card exhange, this group, that calls themselves the Colts Neck Business Association, has a broader mission.The core group that formed this organization has been meeting for the last three months to formulate their mission and objectives. Naturally every business is in business to make a profit, but it does not need to end there. This group while representing the business community intends to increase the quality of life for our town residents, the local farmers, business owners, and business people.The mission of the Colts Neck Business Association is to be a dynamic local organ... 11/14/2007

Colts Neck is more vibrant than ever!  There is always something exciting to do or see.  Whether it is taking in a show, enjoying an outdoor festival, attending a community class, or simply hanging out and enjoying Colts Neck's unique culture. It is the people that make Colts Neck special.  This is a place to work, live and call home.  Colts Neck sits peacefully very near the center of Monmouth County. It is bounded by Tinton Falls, Holmdel, Lincroft, Howell, Freehold, and Marlboro. Colts Neck is criss-crossed by a number of major routes: Route 34 runs north to south and routes  18 and  537 run east to west.First known as Atlantic Township, which was comprised of parts of Shrewsbury, Middletown, and Freehold townships of 1847, the community became Colts Neck in 1962. From 1844 to 1855, ... 11/07/2007

One of the prettiest farms on the East Coast.  Just 1 hr outside of NYC.The 110 rolling acres are picturesque & include hundreds of mature specimen trees. Magnificent home, pool/guest house, 4-bay garage with 1500 sq ft of office space, on the 2nd floor & a 200 year old barn totally restored. A wealth of equestrian facilities exist in the back half of the property, located beyond the park- like front acreage that is also planted with a select mix of pasture grasses. Equestrian facilities include indoor & outdoor arena, stables, farm manager's home, paddocks galore. This is horse country.It's amazing what 16 million dollars and change will buy in Colts Neck, NJ 07722.  Call CENTURY21 Showcase in Colts Neck for all of your real estate needs or to see this fine MLS listing* in Colts Neck. ... 10/29/2007

Oh I warned the Missus I was going to post this silly photo of her with the bloody skull cap and rat on my real estate blog. Her answer, "Go ahead. No one reads that thing anyway!" Ouch.The Brock Farms Garden Center on Route 34 in Colts Neck has been a favorite Halloween destination of ours since we moved into Colts Neck thirteen years ago. Hard to imagine I used to take my daughter through the Haunted House when she was a toddler. Now she's a freshman in college. That's one of the pleasant surprises to living in Colts Neck. We have our subtle traditions; you just need to S-L-O-W down your life to appreciate them!Eddie Brock and family also stock Christmas decorations, fish and pond supplies, trees, mulch, outdoor furniture, flags, bird feeders. Of course you can buy Halloween costumes,... 10/28/2007

October 26, 2007Did you know you can buy a single family home in Colts Neck at or slightly above the average value of a home in Monmouth County? No way, you say? Read on. The MLS data bears witness. Colts Neck is an affluent, rural community with older, charming houses and newer and larger, majestic Colonials. New construction the past few years has been in the genre of luxurious and executive estates. But not everyone in Colts Neck lives in a "McMansion." Not all the homes in Colts Neck are super-sized.And in this market buyers can take advantage of increased inventory (more selection and more motivated sellers) and historically low interest rates. There's talk on the cable news channels that the Federal Reserve may lower rates again next week by 50 basis points. Now if you're a buyer ... 10/26/2007

Market update for Colts Neck property.77 houses sold in Colts Neck year to date as of October 23, 2007.Of the 77 houses sold and closed 50 houses sold for less than $1,000,000. The average sold price YTD is $1,048,403. Almost 1/3 rd of the Colts Neck homes sold above $1,000,000 with one selling as high as $3,126,900 for a 10,400 square foot home.CENTURY21 Showcase in Colts Neck has the market data you need to make an informed decision on Colts Neck real estate.  Call Timothy Schwartz CRS, today at 732-845-3600http://www.showcaserealty.com 10/23/2007

Do you need an experienced, trained buyer's agent to represent you in your next real estate purchase? I am pleased to annouce that I successfully represented the buyers of this exquisite four (4) bedroom Colonial in the Reservoir area of Colts Neck. The home was meticulously maintained. My clients -- the buyers -- and the sellers developed an immediate rapport and the transaction went rather smoothly. Now the Colts Neck community has been enhanced with the addition of a hard-working New York (like myself) family that is enjoying the Monmouth County life.Would you like to relocate to Colts Neck or Monmouth County? Then call me at (732) 431-9003 or e-mail me at andrewlenza@verizon.net. Click on "More about me" to read my personal biography, testimonials and my company's philosophy. (Photo... 10/12/2007

October 8, 2007Now that the speculative smoke surrounding land sales and vacant lots is lifting, I'm often asked how much is an acre of land in Colts Neck worth?There are a few factors, obviously, that determine land value:Location -- okay, enough said.Approved or unapproved for sub-division or a permit for a single family home dwelling.Size of the parcel.Historic Values: 2005 -- 2007For vacant land in Colts Neck Township the average price per acre for calendar year 2007 was $631,800.For vacant land in Colts Neck Township the average price per acre for calendar year 2006 was $534,300.For vacant land in Colts Neck Township the average price per acre for calendar year 2005 was $265,000. Land values differ between raw or vacant state to the approved use for sub-division and building. So yo... 10/08/2007

As reported by Timothy Schwartz, Colts Neck Business Association SecretaryA grassroots organization was recently formed by a group of prominent Colts Neck business owners to form a business association.  While it is customary for businesses to get together, network, and have a business card exhange, this group, that calls themselves the Colts Neck Business Association, has a broader mission.The core group that formed this organization has been meeting for the last three months to formulate their mission and objectives.  Naturally every business is in business to make a profit, but it does not need to end there. This group while representing the business community intends to increase the quality of life for our town residents, the local farmers, business owners, and business people.The m... 09/27/2007

September 19, 2007 I love living in Colts Neck, New Jersey 07722 and selling Colts Neck real estate. It is a wonderful place to raise a family and enjoy the fresh, rural outdoors. Hailing from Staten Island it's taken me thirteen years to appreciate the critters here in Monmouth County.Sometimes we train our eyes on BIG and overlook the small. But the small, the very tiny is where you find intrinsic beauty and God's majesty in sync with the world.I hope you enjoy my photos of the tiny, fleeting images of summer, which I captured with my Canon digital. They remind me of Dylan Thomas's poem The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower. May the force and good karma be with you. That and a kicking cup of coffee!ANDREW J. LENZA REALTYOffice (732) 431-9003andrewlenza@verizon.net(c)... 09/19/2007

Come by and see what the Colts Neck Lions are all about.  If you just moved to Colts Neck or have been living in Colts Neck and want to give back to the community and help an excellent service organization grow, I (Tim Schwartz) invite you to attend our next meeting as my guest. The Colts Neck Lions meet the first Wednesday of every month.  This Wednesday the Lions will be meeting at the community center in Colts Neck's very own park....Bucks Mill Park. Stop on by Wednesday at 7:30.  Our next meeting is September 5th.  You can learn more about the Colts Neck Lions online at http://www.coltsnecklionsclub.org/If you have an interest in Colts Neck, please feel free to visit  http://www.ColtsNeckOpinion.com  Be sure to post a comment while you are there. 09/02/2007

Traveling east or west on Route 537 through Colts Neck, you can blink your eyes and unknowingly pass Montrose Road. What's the big loss? Only that if you made the turn onto Montrose Road you would have the pleasure of driving up one of the most scenic lanes in all of Monmouth County. The slower you drive, the more stunning the vista. Past the wide open fields of Mr. Ditmar's farm, who was instrumental in preserving the rural atmosphere of Colts Neck. Past the horses in the meadows of three large spreads. Past the split rail fence and the stately homes. (Photo of the Montrose Road Schoolhouse built in 1790!) Some homes are new. Others are not. Yet they all blend to create the Montrose section as a unique, pleasant place to live. The streets that comprise Montrose include Carriage Hill Dr... 08/29/2007