What’s happening in the Scotch Plains Real Estate Market

 

Scotch Plains, NJ was famous in the Revolutionary War as the site of the Battle of Short Hills. It was also home of the first African American country club, the Shady Rest Country Club, now the site of the Scotch Hills Municipal golf course. It is now home to about 23,000 people, many of whom enjoy the ease of a short 45 minute commute to Port Authority via New Jersey Transit.

Students in Scotch Plains are served by the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School District which includes five elementary schools, two middle schools, and Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. Scotch Plains is also home to theUnion County Vocational Technical Schools and Union Catholic Regional High School. Union County College has a facility in Scotch Plains as well.

In Scotch Plains, 248 homes were sold in 2012 with sales peaking in the summer and resulting in a 43% decrease in inventory at the end of 2012 compared to the beginning of 2012. Only 101 homes are actively for sale  and this represents less than 4  months worth of inventory remaining in Rahway which is much lower than most of Union County. At the current rate of sales, it will take 3.7 months for the existing listings to sell.

 

 

List prices in Scotch Plains essentially increased about 8% over 2012. Sale prices, on the other hand, ended the year about 11% lower than they were in January.

 

 

Homes in Scotch Plains sold quickly this year. The average days on market of a home in Scotch Plains was less than 2 months over the summer and remains less than 3 months even at the end of the year.

 

 

If you’re thinking of buying a home in Scotch Plains or if you’re thinking of selling your home in Scotch Plains, you deserve a Realtor who understands the market and can get you the best deal. Please call us at 908-917-4189 for your personal consultation.

 

 

 

 

For more information on housing in Scotch Plains:

Shift in Scotch Plains Real Estate Market

How does the number of baths/beds affect sale price in Scotch Plains?

Free Market Report of Scotch Plains!

Scotch Plains Market Report

It made me wish I was 5 again

Scotch Plains Market Trends

11 Union County High Schools Make the Top 1000 List!

 

Union County Holiday Happenings

Welcome to December! Things are bustling in Union County this month with so much to do! 

Here’s a run down of exciting events you don’t want to miss:

Going on now until December 8th - Scotch Plains and Fanwood business are participating in a “Shop & Dine” event which was organized by Amy Boroff of Fanwood

who created a Facebook group titled “Scotch Plains – Fanwood Shop & Dine.” She is joined by the Scotch Plains-Fanwood BPA in sponsoring the event. Click here for more information.

December 1 and 2 – The Nutcracker Suite at Union County PAC in Rahway. For more information, click here.

December 2nd - The African Children’s Choir will perform their holiday show will perform at Enlow Hall  at Kean University,1000 Morris Avenue in Union. For more information, click here.

December 8 - The Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea  perform holiday classics at Union County PAC in Rahway. You can find more information here. December 7 – A Rockin’ Holiday Celebration starring Lightning Lou Christie and Jimmy Beaumont & The Skyliners will perform at Union County PAC in Rahway.  Click here for ticketing information and times.

December 9 - The Greater Newark Youth Orchestras’ 23^rd Annual Winter Concert at Union County PAC in Rahway. For more information, click here.

December 13 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Wild and Swingin’ Holiday Party will take place at Union County PAC in Rahway.  Click here for ticketing information and times.

December 15 and 16 – The Nutcracker Ballet at Kean University,1000 Morris Avenue in Union. More information can be found by clicking here.

December 16 – Holiday Brass, a quartet of brass and percussion, will perform holiday favorites at Enlow Hall at Kean University,1000 Morris Avenue in Union. Please click  here for more information.

 

Happy Holidays, Union County!

 

First Day of School, Union County!

It’s time to buy new notebooks and sneakers – schools all over Union County will be opening soon!

Opening day for all of Clark Public Schools in Thursday, September 6. School supply information and summer reading information can be found here.

Opening day for all schools in Cranford is Thursday, September 6th. Information on summer assignments and school supply lists can be found here.

All Rahway schools are opening on Wednesday, September 5th. Rahway’s Grover Cleveland School is holding their Open House on Tuesday, August 28, from 10am to 12pm. Rahway High School will hold its Freshman Orientation from 11am to 1pm on Tuesday, September 4th. For information on school supplies for Rahway students, click here.

The first day of school is Roselle Park is Wednesday, September 5th. Have you done your summer assignments yet? Click here  and here to see the assignments. Info on school supplies and school forms is available here.

Linden public schools open for all students on Thursday, September 6th. For information on your summer assignments, click here.

The first day of school for all students in Scotch Plains-Fanwood is Wednesday, September 5th. Freshman Orientation will be held on August 24th from 10am to 11:30 am, followed by a mini golf and pizza lunch. Orientation for Freshman parents will be at 7pm on August 28th. Summer Reading information can be found by clicking here.

Make it a great school year!

11 Union County High Schools Make Newsweek’s Top 1000 List!

Annually, Newsweek Magazine scours the data from the nation’s high schools and culls the top 1000 schools, based on the critera of which schools are most effective in producing college-ready graduates. The six components against which they judge the high schools are:

1. graduation rate
2.  college matriculation rate
3.  Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccaleureate (IB) tests taken per student
4. average SAT and ACT test scores
5. average AP and IB scores
6.  AP courses offered

This year, 11 Union County high schools ranked in the top 1000 in the Nation. Here they are:

#102 - Union County Magnet in Scotch Plains

#143 - Academy for Information Technologyin Scotch Plains

#167 - Academy for Allied Health Services in Scotch Plains

#224 - New Providence High School in New Providence

#251 - Summit High School in Summit

#279 - Cranford High School in Cranford

#352 - Westfield High School in Westfield

#498 - Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights

#585 - Jonathan Dayton High School in Springfield

#769 - Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in Scotch Plains

#820 - Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark

To read the entire article and see how other schools in New Jersey and in the Nation compare, click here.

Scotch Plains Memorial Day Events

The Borough of Fanwood is hosting a special concert, “A Tribute to Fallen Heroes,” at the north side of the railroad station this Saturday evening at 7:30pm. The Westfield Community Band will provide an evening of patriotic entertainment and the concert is free thanks to donations of local civic groups, businesses, and individuals. Please bring your own lawn chairs or blankets!

At 8:00 am on Monday morning, Memorial Day observances will begin at American Legion Post 209 at Park Avenue and Sunset Place. At 9:00 am, there will be a ceremony at the Fanwood Memorial Library at Tillotson Road and North Avenue. At 10:00 am, there will be a ceremony at the Veterans Monument at Park Avenue and Front Street, featuring the SPFHS Chamber Choir performing the National Anthem and God Bless America.

The Scotch Plains Memorial Day Parade will start at 10:45am at the Municipal Building in Scotch Plains, proceed along Park Avenue to Martine Avenue to Fanwood and end at LaGrande Park.  The Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and Vietnam Veterans of America Color Guards will lead the parade with the Grand Marshal Robert LaCosta, a Vietnam Veteran.

Egg-Citing Hunts in Union County

‘Tis the Season for Spring Festivities in Union County! Here are some great adventures for children this weekend:

• New Providence Lions Club will hold its Easter Egg Hunt at Oakwood Park Easter on Saturday, March 31, at 9:30 am with the Easter Bunny arriving at 9:15 am. Balloons, lollipops, and viewing of EMS vehicles will start at 9:00. All age groups are invited but the egg hunt is limited to Pre-K to grade 2.

• Garwood’s annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Saturday, March 31^st, and 12 pm, with a rain date of Sunday, April 1^st at 1:00 pm. The Hunt, along with prizes and a visit by the Easter Bunny, will be at the Garwood Little League Field at the East end of Myrtle Avenue. Garwood residents only.
• Scotch Plains annual Egg Hunt is March 31^st at 11 AM at Park Middle School. The first hunt will be for 0-2 year olds. Kids ages 3-8 will follow.  Baked goods will be for sale and children can get tattoos and their face painted, as well as guess the number of jelly beans and pick lollipops to win a prize. The Easter Bunny will be there, too. Please bring a non-perishable food item (no glass, please) to donate to the Scotch Plains Food Pantry.

The fun’s not over yet! Here are some Easter Egg Hunts especially for Union County kids next weekend:

• Summit PAL is sponsoring an Easter Egg Hunt with the Easter Bunny on April 7^th at 10 AM at the Family Aquatic Center at 100 Ashwood Avenue. This event is open to all Summit residents.
• Cranford Chamber of Commerce hosts breakfast with the Easter Bunny at the Garlic Rose, 28 North Avenue, on April 7^th at 9AM. Cost is $10 for children and $15 for adults, and photos are an additional $3. Email gina.tipton@gmail.com for more info.
• Fanwood’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt will be at Forest Road Park on April 7^th at 10 AM. All children 10 and under are invited to help find over 1000 eggs filled with goodies and prize tickets hidden around the park. The Easter Bunny will be there along with contests to guess the number of jelly beans and chocolate eggs. Bring your own decorated egg and bunny drawing to enter the drawing contests.
• Mountainside is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt at Oasis Church, 1180 Spruce Drive, On April 8^th, right after Easter Sunday’s 10AM Church Service and Kids’ program with a Bible lesson and craft under the Big Top Tent. Live bunnies will be there, along with the Easter Bunny.

And, one more event for the weekend after that!

• Clark will hold its sixth annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Clark Recreation Center at 430 Westfield Avenue on Saturday, April 16^th from 12 to 2 pm. Bring a camera and take pictures with the Easter Bunny. Decorate your own basket, hunt for eggs filled with prizes, participate in a coloring contest, have snacks, enter the jelly bean contest, and enter the grand prize drawing. This event is open to Clark children up to and including 5^th grade. Al children must be accompanied by an adult.

 

Union County’s Famous Graves

Hillside Cemetery at 1401 Woodland Avenue in Scotch Plains was originally purchased as farm land and then later turned over to a non-profit group as a cemetery. It is the final resting place of Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman (1852-1930) who was a Massachusetts born author and the first recipient of the William Dean Howells Medal for Distinction in Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. One of her more famous writings was Collected Ghost Stories, containing supernatural stories such as “The Shadows on the Wall” and “The Lost Ghost.”

Hillside Cemetery is also the final resting place of actor Dudley Moore, famous for his 1981 film Arthur.

William Nelson Runyon, the 50th NJ Governor, is also interred at Hillside, along with several US Congressmen.

Eli Long (1837-1900) was a Civil War Union Major General who is interred at Hillside Cemetery. Also interred at Hillside is Julian Scott (1846-1901) who was a Drummer boy for Third Vermont Infantry and is a Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient.  The main gallery at Johnson State College, in Johnson, Vermont, is named in Julian Scott’s honor.

Fairview Cemetery in Westfield was founded in 1868 and is the final resting place of Virginia Apgar, famous for developing the Apgar Score system to test the health of a newborn. Joseph Collins, also interred at Fairview Cemetery, played for the New York Yankees from 1948 through 1957, including seven World Series competitions.  Claydes Smith, guitarist for Kool and the Gang, died in 2006 and is interred at Fairview as well.

The Fairview Cemetery’s most notorious residents are the Lists.  Frederick, Helen, John, and Patricia List were all killed by John Emil List who disappeared for 18 years before being captured and sentenced to life in prison.

Evergreen Cemetery and Crematory  on North Broad Street in Hillside is the final resting place of Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General James Bomford and of Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients William Brant, Jr., Rufus King,  and James Madison Drake.  Adoniram Judson Clark, a Civil War Union Army Officer who commanded Battery B of the New Jersey Light Artillery is also buried there, as is Civil War Union Army Officer Adolphus Johnson, who commanded the 1st New Jersey Militia.  Civil War Union Army Officer Luther Martin served as the Captain of Company D in the 11th New Jersey Infantry is buried at Evergreen as well.

Seven United States Congress men are also interred at Evergreen Cemetery.

Novelist and poet, Newark born Stephen Crane died at the age of 28 and is interred at Evergreen Cemetery. He is perhaps best known for his novel The Red Badge of Courage about a young Union soldier named Henry Fleming.  Crane himself had never fought in battle.

Author Barton Wood Currie, who wrote the story of Peary’s polar expeditions, is also buried at Evergreen.

Mary Mapes Dodge, author of Hans Brinker, the Silver Skates, died in 1905 and was buried at Evergreen. Edward Stratemeyer, author of The Bobbsey Twins is also buried at Evergreen.

Hazelwood Cemetery on Lake Avenue in Rahway is the final resting place of Civil War Union Brevet Major General Harvey Brown.

Rahway Cemetery on Saint Georges Avenue in Rahway is the final resting place of two Civil War Union Army Officers.  Walter Bramhall commanded the 6th Battery of the New York Independent Volunteer Light Artillery and John Cladek served as Colonel of the 35th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry.

Rahway Cemetery is also the final resting place of one unknown woman who was the victim of a Victorian murder mystery.  She was in her early 20s with blue eyes and brown hair when her unidentified body was found early in the morning of March 25, 1887 in the mud on Rahway’s Central Avenue.  Her throat had been slashed and her face had been beaten.  When she was killed, she was wearing a feather trimmed green dress and carrying a basket of eggs.  No one ever came forward to identify the mystery woman or to provide any information.