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Bergen County Real Estate News : May 2011 – week 2

Bergen county news with an emphasis on aspects affecting real estate, residency and community issues.

May 2011 – week 2 Issue

High taxes in Alpine
Tenafly revamps its building department
Money for housing campaign in Bergen County
Unusual luxury construction in Cresskill
Residential high rise may come up in Edgewater


Tax raises in Tenafly and Alpine

With other sources of town revenue decreasing, the town of Alpine may soon see increase in taxes. Review meetings in the luxury town of Alpine showed that with miscellaneous town revenues being on the decline, the town may have no other option but to raise taxes. A 2% increase in these taxes may take place as they go up from current figures of $5295,568 in 2010-2011 to $5401,479 for the year 2011-2012. The average owners of homes in Tenafly would also see a school tax increase of $146 because of these reasons. Officials stated that various costs were affecting the current Tenafly school budget. These included increase in tuition for special education students, contractual obligations, higher pension and benefit obligations. While Tenafly’s proposed school budget is 1.3% lower than that of last year, school taxes would amount to $7,474 for a home valued at the average of $2674,543. Officials added that the current budget was outlined keeping everyone’s interest in mind and that it had been pared down as far as possible.


Tenafly revamps its building department

In recent developments, the municipal office of Tenafly, which was responsible for construction permits and codes was revamped. Known as the department of code enforcement, the section was streamlined such as to improve and ease the flow of work. Amongst the major changes, the topmost tier of the agency was renamed as the department of buildings. Three offices of the construction agency, division of zoning and division of property maintenance would come under the new department of buildings. Of these offices, the construction office will administer the state Uniform Construction code and coordinate work of relevant officials. The division of zoning would administer/enforce zoning codes while the property maintenance division would handle the borough’s code for property maintenance. Also, the jobs of the zoning officer and the construction officer were brought together under a common title. Finally, the job of the code enforcement officer was made a part-time one. The salary figures for officials at these posts have also been changed to reflect their current responsibilities. The above changes have been made to offer better customer service and improve customer relations.


Money for housing campaign in Bergen County

While many luxury homes continue to thrive across the towns of Bergen County, a few members of the young generation take the time to increase awareness about society and help the people in it. In this regard, two young people of Bergenfield are working for the non profit organization called Habitat for Humanity. As a part of its current project, these two youngsters would be cycling across the country to raise awareness about the current financial crisis and also raise funds for housing projects. The eleven week journey undertaken by this pair of girls would begin at South Carolina and end at Santa Cruz, California. Titled as Bike and Build 2011, the event would see the participation of 9 teams from across the nation. Approximately 30 young adults would participate and take 9 different routes to reach their destination. During these trips, the team members would talk to various communities regarding the housing crisis, raise funds and build awareness. Each participant would need to raise $4000 from the trip, from which 10% would go towards administrative costs. The remaining amount would go to the common fund used for construction of homes. Most participants are enthusiastic about the trip, stating that it would help them discover themselves, socialize, have fun and be of use to society, all at the same time.


Unusual luxury construction in Cresskill

Have you ever heard of a luxury home with an indoor hockey rink? Cresskill may soon see the construction of an indoor hockey rink with an apartment attached. Stretching over 16,000 sq ft, this structure will be constructed atop a hill and would resemble a large mansion on the outside. However, what would make it special, is the indoor ice hockey rink, for which the construction is coming up. This ice hockey rink will measure approximately 120 feet long and 85 feet wide. The mansion would also have a one-bedroom apartment in the basement. The entire project is estimated to cost $10 million and would also include a locker. As the mansion is situated in a region where local zoning laws seek residences only, the construction has added a one bedroom apartment, to conform to the regulations. However the debate on whether this is a house or a rink and whether it is okay to meet zoning challenges in this manner still continues. Two neighbors have filed a suit to stop the project, stating that it would be difficult to control operations once the rink begins functioning. The owner of the piece of land, Mr. Larry Robins, states that he has started the project because he loves hockey and has 
kids who love the game too.


Residential high rise may come up in Edgewater

An eight-storied residential high rise building may come up in Edgewater, if the developer of the project gets the required approvals. The developer has planned this construction along the Old River Road, an area where housing constructions are not permitted. The property in question is located in an area zoned for offices and research. In order to have a residential construction, the developer would require nine variances of borough code, approval to build the housing in a non-housing region, have a taller building than allowed and fewer parking spaces than mandated. An abandoned building that once housed a fertilizer plant is now located there. If the required permissions are obtained from the Board of Adjustment, the abandoned building would be razed down, and an apartment complex be constructed. The residential is proposed to have 58 housing units and 87 parking units. The proposed apartments would be a mix of studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments. A traffic inspector has also certified that the proposed traffic from the project would have minimal impact as the area is an industrial one.


Buy a Home in Bergen County

Bergen County offers the quality of life for you and your families have been dreaming of. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to set house in one of Bergen County’s towns, famous for their charming atmosphere and top quality schools. Let Anat Eisenberg help you find the house that is right for you. Take your first step with this FREE inclusive report, containing:

Bergen County offers the quality of life for you and your families have been dreaming of. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to set house in one of Bergen County’s towns, famous for their charming atmosphere and top quality schools. Let Anat Eisenberg help you find the house that is right for you. Take your first step with this FREE inclusive report, containing:

  • 14 Questions to ask a Realtor
  • 5 Powerful Buying Strategies
  • 9 Deadly Mistakes Home sellers Make
  • Additional Reports
  • How To Get Top Dollar In Any Market
  • Making the Move Easy on the Kids
  • Six Ways To Beat The Stress Of Buying A Home
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  • Things You Should Know about Moving
  • When Selling a Home

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Find out more about Bergen County homes available for sale. Anat Eisenberg can help you find your dream real estate property. Anat is no ordinary real estate agent. In short, she is professional, honest and dedicated. Call: 201-341-4765 or email here.

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