The Connections Bridgewater Somerville Edition Dec 2019-Jan 2020

WE SELL AND SERVICE GENERATORS NOW IS THE TIME TO GET YOUR SNOWBLOWER IN FOR REPAIR Lawn & Garden Equipment • Snowblowers Accepting Junk Mowers • Offering Storage ECHO, Husqvarna, Ariens, Gravely, MTD Products, Simplicity, Snapper & White, Generac SALES AND SERVICE 237 West Union Avenue, Bound Brook, NJ 08805 Winter Hours: Mon - Fri 8am-6:30pm, Sat 8am-5pm, Sun 10am-3pm www.lawnmowershopinc.com BLG Cleaning Service % % ! ,&+$)))$(+'& % " ,&+$)(($*++' # DRY CLEANERS & TAILORS Giorgio’s email: info@giorgiosdrycleaners.com Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-6pm • Saturday 8am-4pm • Closed Sunday 1035 Route 202N Branchburg, NJ 08876 908-218-1891 Villa Plaza, 484 Route 28 Bridgewater, NJ 08807 908-595-6800 ! # " " # # ! $ 5 OFF $ 30 For Incoming Cleaning Expires 12/31/19 $ 5 OFF $ 30 For Incoming Cleaning Expires 1/31/20 We are living in an information age. Because of the internet, we have access to more facts, figures, data and personal details than at any time in history. The sale price of your home is public information. Historically, sale prices were on file at the county courthouse and some- times published (monthly for example) in a newspaper. Now that it’s online, you can immedi- ately find data, photos, and sell- ing prices for any address. When do you need to know the sale price of a home? If you are buying or selling, it’s relevant to know the nearby sales figures of comparable properties. A real estate agent’s help is extremely valuable in this case, because we can provide insight into condition, location, and extenuating circum- stances. A website algorithm can’t make these important value distinctions in pricing. Realtors use a membership sys- tem called MLS (Multiple Listing Service) to share data about cur- rent and past home sales. Photos and property details are stored, so that we can assist clients in mak- ing decisions about which homes to see, what other homes have sold for, and whether prices accu- rately reflect the property’s value. These facts are necessary for mak- ing professional judgements. But, this information also gets sent to public sites. These consumer sites are for-profit, and generate rev- enue with ad sales. If your home is for sale, we want potential buy- ers to see your home’s attractive features. As a new owner, you may no longer want these pic- tures to be visible to the public. There is good reason for home sale data, including photos, to be stored and accessible to industry insiders, but the public does not need to see interior photos of pri- vate homes when they are no longer available for sale. In my opinion, the consumer real estate sites should remove interior pho- tos once a property has sold. At present, we must ask them on an individual basis, for each property and web site, and compliance is not guaranteed. With so much information available, it’s easy to feel entitled to it. I’m aware of several uncom- fortable social situations when neighbors have discussed prices and interior features of recent sales. We should consider the pri- vacy of our community members, and remember that once a home is sold, it should be allowed to make the transition from public to personal again. Despite the easy access to sale prices and informa- tion, let’s respect each other by being discreet. Local expert Johanna Wiseman of RE/MAX Preferred Professionals can be reached at 908-705-0652, or visit www.MyBridgewaterHome.com PRIVATE HOMES / PUBLIC SITES By: Johanna Wiseman home & design PAGE 52 See ad on page 4 theconnectionsnj.com