I remember going to the ACME in Lambertville when I was a little girl, I then remember it as a posh supermaket which did not make it.  The building sat vacant prior to it being renovated and converted into the city's Justice Center.  What is not as well known is that the Justice Center moonlights as a movie theater on Friday and Saturday nights.  I have never been to the theater but know many who do go and enjoy the atmosphere, movies, community, and reduced ticket prices.  For most shows the tickets are a recommended donation of $5; for special events the ticket prices vary. 

Location: 25 S. Union Lambertville, NJ

Upcoming shows are as follows:

• Friday, March 5th:
  • Where the Wild Things Are
  • Showtimes - 7pm and 8:45pm
  • Cost: Suggested donation of $5/ticket
  • For more information visit Friends of Lambertville Library Nickelodeon Nights
    
• Saturday, March 6th:
  • Bob Szuter, writer/producer, NJN Public Television will presnet two short documentaries followed by a question and answer period.
  • 7pm - Morristown: Where America Survived
  • 7:45pm - Turning the Tide
  • Cost: $7 in advance for one or both screenings or $10 at the door
  • To purchase: Visit Friends of Lambertville Library Nickelodeon Nights
    
• Friday and Saturday March 19th and 20th:
  • Pirate Radio
  • Showtimes - 7pm and 9:20pm
  • Cost: Suggested donation of $5/ticket
  • For more information visit Friends of Lambertville Library Nickelodeon Nights
    
• Friday and Saturday March 26th and 27th
  • Capitalism: A Love Story
  • Showtimes - 7pm and 9:05pm
  • Cost: Suggested donation of $5/ticket
  • For more information visit Friends of Lambertville Library Nickelodeon Nights

Movie theater concessions are available for purchase....enjoy the movie(s)!

Make Your Reservations Now!!

I was driving through New Hope, PA this snowy morning on my way to get coffee before I reached my final destination...our Lambertville office.  When I pulled into town I saw a new banner announcing the FIRST EVER Restaurant Week in New Hope!  What a great idea!  My husband and I try to hit the restaurant week in Philadelphia each year and this gives us the chance to enjoy it in our backyard!  It is a great opportunity to try a new place at a discounted rate...I don't know about you, but we are always up for a bargain!  It is not cheap to enjoy good food...LOL!

Visit the New Hope Chamber's website to see all 17 participating restaurants and make reservations to enjoy a 3 course meal for $29.95/person.  If you go to the Chamber's site you can view several of the restaurant's menus including the The Mansion Inn and Triumph Brewery (which also includes a pint of beer!).  If you don't see the menu on the Chamber's site, try the restaurant's website which is where I found the menu for Marsha Brown.  Bon appétit!

When: Sunday 2/28/2010 from 11am -3pm

Where: Tre Piani located in Forrestal Village

What: A GREAT indoor farmer's market set up throughout the restaurant.

Why: Support local agriculture and vendors in NJ.  This is a great event that we always enjoy.  We usually grab lunch (including oysters) and a bloody mary or two! 

How Much: $2 donation requested

Some of the Vendors:

• Cheese from Cherry Grove Farm
• Davidson's Mushrooms
  • We follow Davidson's Mushrooms around the various outdoor markets in the summertime.  We get their mixed box of portabella, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms.
• North Slope Farm
• Hopewell Valley Vineyards
  • Love their Barbera and Chardonnay
• Pure Indian Foods Organic Ghee
  • LOVE IT.....it has a higher smoke point and is great for cooking! 
• Terhune Orchards - apples, cider, salsa
  • They make a great, fresh tasting salsa and always have samples on  hand :)
• Village Bakery - breads and sweets
  • Our girls occasionally moonlight with them helping them sell their fresh breads.  Their bread is better than any you can get at the grocery stores and well worth the trip!  Visit them on Gordon Avenue in the Village of Lawrenceville.
• and much more....

To see a complete list of vendors visit the Slow Food Central NJ website.

Have Fun...if you go, post it in the comments section and let me know what you think!

Also, if you apply for their 'Warrior Card' you get an additional 10% off :)

Enjoy!

Good-Bye Spot Approvals...
Prior to February 1, 2010 it was fairly easy to get approved for an FHA loan in a condominium community that was NOT FHA approved.  All the lender needed to do was get a "Spot Loan Approval" and as long as certain conditions were met the property could qualify for FHA financing.  Well, like a lot of other changes in the lending world, those days are over.  As of February 1, 2010 if a condominium community is NOT already approved by FHA and HUD then one cannot purchase in that community with an FHA loan.  Will this create problems?  It is likely to.  A large percentage of first time buyers buy in a condominium complex and tend to use FHA financing due to the lower down payment requirements. 

Do Your Homework....
If you are purchasing with an FHA loan, save yourself a lot of time and hassle by doing your homework and learning which communities are approved for an FHA loan.  I have outlined some below, but you should check with your lender or visit HUD's website. 

Are there any alternative low down payment programs?
If the community does not qualify for an FHA loan, depending on the location and whether or not you meet the income qualifications, you may be able to qualify for the USDA loan program which offers 100% financing.  Please see other blog post under 'Financing.'

Bucks County, PA Approved Condos

(this is NOT an exhaustive list)

Charing Cross

Doylestown

Mercer County, NJ Approved Condos

(this is NOT an exhaustive list)

Middlesex County, NJ Approved Condos

(this is NOT an exhaustive list)

Through the USDA Rural Development Program, 100% financing is still available.  With this program there is NO Mortgage Insurance Premium; however there are income limitations and the specific property needs to qualify based on location.  The following areas are ones we service and which are eligible*:

The income limitations are as follows:

For households up to and including 2 children: $92,000

For households with 3+ children: $120,000

To learn more about this program visit the USDA's website and to search specific property addresses use their mapping feature.  This can be accessed as follows:

• CLICK HERE to go to the USDA website.
• Once on the site look in the menu on the left side of screen.
• Under the heading "Property Eligibility" click on the appropriate link.
• When you accept the "Property Eligibility Disclaimer" you will be taken to a map and can search by clicking on the map or entering a specific property address.

To learn more about this program feel free to call Amy Procaccino with Gateway Funding: 609-596-0020 x 222 or email her at: AProcaccino@Gateway-Funding.com

Are you handy?
DON'T MISS A GREAT OPPORTUNUTY to buy into a $300,000+ neighborhood where you can walk to the library, Hopewell Valley Central High School, Timberlane Middle School, Pennington Quality Market, Pennington Shopping Center, and Pennington Borough.  This property is located on a quiet neighborhood street with cul-de-sac and is centrally located for easy access to I-95, Princeton's Route 1 Corridor, trains into NYC or Philadelphia and Merrill Lynch's Hopewell Campus.  The 1400+ square foot ranch needs TLC and is priced accordingly. The home provides an entry foyer; living room with large windows,and brick fireplace; dining area with door to rear yard; kitchen with wood cabinets and gas cooking; eating area or den off the kitchen; some replacement windows; main bedroom with full bath + two additional bedrooms and an additional full bath. Additional: hardwood floors; full basement; and 2 car garage. Don't Miss It...this may be one of the best opportunities currently available in Hopewell Township. 

Grande at Crystal Lake offers this Energy Star homes that shows beautifully & offers many custom upgrades. Room by room our Dalton Grande Model offers: MAIN LEVEL: 2 story entry foyer; den/office/living toom w/custom wainscot & mouldings; dining room w/custom wainscot & mouldings (installed after construction); family room w/gas fireplace; sunny large kitchen w/all stainless steel appliances, island, gas cooking, disposal & custom breakfront replaces pantry closet...spacious dining area & access to a custom deck; laundry room & half bath are also off the kitchen. SECOND FLOOR: offers 3 generous size bedrooms + spacious main bedroom w/built-in entertainment center, large walk-in closet & full bath featuring a whirlpool tub & separate glass enclosed shower; there is also an additional full bath. LOWER LEVEL: this daylight/walkout level consists of 2 finished rooms + unfinished shop area. ADDITIONAL: sprinklers; 2 ceiling fans; new carpet in lower level; custom trim; some hardwood; home wired for internet/data. 

SILVER LAKE AREA - PRICE REDUCED! This home is positioned nicely within Silver Lake Manors and is within a block of the lake for summer and winter activities. The main level offers living and dining rooms with picture windows, parquet floors and an eat-in kitchen with gas cooking. The upper level has main bedroom with new full bath, access to an outside deck that overlooks the private rear yard, two additional bedrooms and another full bath. This level also offers hardwood floors. The lower level offers a family room, additional bedroom or office and a refinished full bath...there is also access to the rear yard and private brick patio. This home also has an additional lower level which consists of a carpeted bonus room, storage area, laundry and heater room.  Other features include: washer and dryer; shed in rear yard; 3 wall mounted airconditioners; new carpet just installed on lower level. This home has been pre-inspected and many inspection issues have been resolved. 

This one of a kind property with 8 acres is located just outside of Lambertville, NJ.  The property is farm assessed and offers wonderful space for the horse enthusiast or one who has storage needs. The agricultural facilities include: a wooden barn with 3 box stalls, a foaling stall and tack room; a Morten indoor arena measuring 66'x120'; and a fenced pasture area. The stone and frame farmhouse dates to 1930 with the original portion of the house dating back to the 18th Century. The eat-in country kitchen is spacious and the living room is enhanced by a stone fireplace.  The master bedroom has high ceilings and a large cedar closet.  Other property features include a pool, patio, circular drive, portico, and an additional space that could be converted to a bedroom suite. This property abuts preserved farmland which adds to its appeal.  The property provides convenient access to Routes 202 and 31 as well as back roads into Princeton, NJ.  If one needs to travel into NYC there is a bus which stops in Lambertville, NJ.

Fox Run Preseve is a popular active adult community located in scenic Bucks County just outside of New Hope, PA.  This home backs to open space and is conveniently located near the Delaware River, Doylestown, Lambertville, and Route 202 to Flemington.  Enjoy one floor living and a finished, walk-out lower level which backs to preserved, open land. This home was built four years ago, offers easy, carefree living and is loaded with extras.  The floor plan is open and the main level offers the following: an entry foyer; living room; dining area with access to a covered deck; kitchen with granite counters, eating bar, quality cabinetry and GE Profile appliances; family room with fireplace; spacious main bedroom with beautiful bath; additional bedroom; main bath and sunny office. The completely finished lower level offers an additional custom living space with full bath; large windows and glass doors to a covered patio with gas hook-up for a grill. The house is positioned to take full advantage of the preserved wooded open space. Please get in touch with us for a complete list of upgrades: Homes@TomeHomeNetwork.net or call Maury's cell: 609-352-6214.

This is a fantastic opportunity to own a property with over 100 acres in Hopewell Township, Mercer County, NJ.  This idyllic setting includes over 100 acres of mostly open, rolling fields.  The home and barns are set back from the road which enhances the privacy of this setting.  The property provides convenient access to Princeton and Flemington, NJ and routes to New York and Philadelphia.  The property is located in the highly sought after Hopewell Valley School District.  Whether you are a farmer or someone looking for privacy, this is an ideal location.