Unusual opportunity...2 HOMES ON 3+ ACRES! Main residence with flexible space to accommodate a large family (up to 5 bedrooms) or provide a separate wing for an aupair or in-laws. The second residence offers a number of possibilities: 1...aupair, 2...compound (more than an apartment) for blended families or 3...legal rental with a history that could qualify a new owner for additional mortgage funding...potential additional income of $1,700-$2,000/month (would more than cover taxes). The second home offers the charm of a converted barn: 1st Floor...living room, 20x16, with cathedral ceiling; great room, 21x13, w/cathedral ceiling & fireplace + room for a dining area; 11x8 kitchen; 14x10 bedroom; 10x8 bedroom/office; full bath...2nd Floor accomodates a 19x19 bedroom with outside balcony & full bath. A private patio overlooks open space. Add'l: homes have c/a, oil heat & alarm systems; main house with w/o basement, attached 2 car & equip. garage + 3 car detached garage...contractor possibilities. Close to Princeton. 

Lambertville Cottage Hill colonial home on large lot at the end of a cul-de-sac allows one to enjoy all that Lambertville has to offer while also enjoying privacy, views of open areas and off street parking.   This well cared for home offers 3 bedrooms, 2 full and one half bath.  The spacious living room leads into the dining room that is adjacent to the kitchen.  The kitchen is open to an informal eating area and the family room.  This area is enhanced by wood floors, a fireplace in the family room, cathedral ceiling, skylight, recessed lighting and sliding glass doors that extends the interior space to the wooden deck/patio area for summer entertaining and an unobstructed rear yard. Also associated with the first floor is access to a spacious 2-car garage which is a LUXURY in Lambertville. DON'T MISS THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY!!!

This Mountainview home is move in ready! It has been updated throughout and its new owners will enjoy the renovations and upgrades made to the home including the siding, windows, kitchen, master bath, and flooring. The hardwood floors are in great condition and are located in the kitchen, dining and living rooms. The kitchen is exquisite with upgraded cabinetry, stainless steel Viking appliances, and plenty of counter space. The first floor includes the living and family rooms, dining room and half bath. The kitchen provides access to the newly updated rear patio and rear yard. The second floor features three bedrooms and updated full bath. This property is located minutes from I-95 for convenient commuting to the Hamilton or Trenton train stations, routes into NYC or Philly and Princeton's Route 1 corridor. There is a new above ground oil tank which was recently installed in the basement. Get 1% reduction of the mortgage interest rate for the first year on this property...call for details. 

Move right in to this brick front cape conveniently located near I-95 and routes into Philadelphia, New York City, and Princeton's Route 1 Corridor. The owner has made recent improvements to the home including updating the bath in 2008, replacing the kitchen stove and installing new kitchen cabinets. The first floor includes a living room with wall to wall carpet that covers hardwood floors, an eat-in kitchen, full bath and two bedrooms with hardwood floors. The second floor includes a bonus area plus bedroom. The roof and furnace were replaced approximately 8 years ago, electric was updated in 2003, plumbing was updated in as needed in 2008, and new hot water heater was installed in 2005. The property also includes a detached 1 car garage.  Get in touch to learn more about this property and to schedule a showing!

100% Home Financing is Available until Funds Run Out.... 

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*:

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 and the income limitations please call Amy Procaccino with Gateway Funding: 609-596-0020 x 222 or email her at: AProcaccino@Gateway-Funding.com

Visit 18 Bridge Street in Lambertville, NJ to see the current show at the Artists' Gallery featuring each of the artists in a show titled: Home for the Holidays.  Instead of two artists being featured per month, this series is a collection of work by each of the group's artists.  Stop by Friday through Sunday between 11:00am and 6:00pm to view their work and chat with one of the artists.

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 and Saturday January 7th and 8th
  The Passenger Featuring Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider from 1975
  • Showtimes - 7:30 pm
  • Cost: suggested dontion of $5
  • For more information visit Friends of Lambertville Library Nickelodeon Nights
    
    
• Friday and Saturday: January 14th and 15th
  Moon Pshychological Sci-Fi Thriller
  • Showtimes - 7pm and 8:45pm
  • Cost: Suggested donation of $5/ticket
  • For more information visit Friends of Lambertville Library Nickelodeon Nights
    
• Friday and Saturday: January 21st and 22nd
  An Evening of AnimatedShorts - Meet the Animators - After Show Reception
  • Evening begins at 7pm
  • Cost: $7 in advance - $10 at the door
  • For specifics about the evening and to purchase tickets in advance visit: Friends of Lambertville Library Nickelodeon Nights
    
• Friday and Saturday January 28th and 29th
  Gasland Plus DiscussionMovie theater concessions are available for purchase....enjoy the movie(s)!
• Showtimes - 7pm and 9:30
• Discussion at 8:50pm - open to all ticket holders
• Cost: $7 in advance - $10 at the door
• For more information visit Friends of Lambertville Library Nickelodeon Nights
  

BUY ADVANCE TICKETS ONLINE

I am sitting in my office in Lambertville, thinking that I would really enjoy a substantial lunch right now...my cup of soup didn't quite hit the spot.  I just looked up my new favorite restaurant's lunch menu and realized that they are not open for lunch on Tuesdays :( 

Instead of ordering lunch from them today I decided to transmit my energy into this post and recall the AMAZING meal I enjoyed over the holidays with my husband, brother, and sister-in-law.  Since I have started to follow a vegan diet this past summer I have found it very difficult to go to a regular restaurant; however at Sprig and Vine I can order ANYTHING I want off the menu...this makes me quite excited....think of all of the possibilities! 

NOTE: Before you begin to tune out it is imperative to note that my husband is a HUGE fan of the restaurant and he is a meat and potatoes eater! In fact, when we left he said it was the first time in a long time that he has left a restaurant feeling that the cost of the meal was worth the experience.

Back to the meal....we ordered many things off the dinner menu and shared everything.  My favorites included: grilled oyster mushrooms, green onion pancakes, gold beet and arugula salad, asian pear and mizuna salad, seared local polenta cake, rosemary and balsamic grilled portabella, cornmeal crusted tempeh (cooking tempeh is something that I cannot seem to master), and two delicious desserts.  The only reason the other items on the menu aren't mentioned is because we didn't have enough people with us to order everything.  Oh well, another day another entree...

If you haven't had the opportunity to visit Sprig and Vine give it a shot, I know that you will glad that you did!  To make it even more amazing...it is BYOB!!!! Enjoy!

Location:
450 Union Square Drive New Hope, PA 18938
Reservations are recommended: 215.693.1427
Check the website for their hours!

We hope that those who were able to take advantage of New Hope's Restaurant week enjoyed the opportunity to dine out and eat well on the cheap!

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!

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