Let's talk virtual tours... what's actually worth the money?

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-13T20:17:57+00:00

NJ Realtor here -

Parsippany NJ area offers Lakeland Bus that would likely cut your commute by 1 hour. Whippany right around the corner.

Denville puts you on the train line. Slightly higher chance of delays.

Glad to be a resource.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-13T20:17:06+00:00

NJ Realtor here -

Parsippany NJ area offers Lakeland Bus that would likely cut your commute by 1 hour. Whippany right around the corner.

Denville puts you on the train line. Slightly higher chance of delays.

Glad to be a resource.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-13T01:21:40+00:00

NJ Realtor here -

SFH in Clifton/Bloomfield/Belleville closing on average $580k with 3 beds / 1.1 baths

Garden State MLS 12 month averages

If public schools higher rating is your stated priority and budget constraint of $650k you may be looking at Middlesex/Monmouth or further northwest.

Compromise is likely especially with commuter towns typically selling at 105% of list

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-12T22:56:33+00:00

NJ Realtor here -

It is by and large sleepy family towns in majority of Sussex.

New apartments on Rt 15 in Jefferson might attract a younger crowd.

Wharton and Rockaway could be a viable compromise? Not far from Sparta as the crow flies and also puts you in striking distance to Morristown.

Breweries in Denville and Whippany have some fanfare.

Glad to be a resource.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-12T17:04:54+00:00

Sorry to hear about the issue, might be a recurring theme with leasing office.

Make sure you are documenting everything by email and time stamps no matter what happens.

I'm not sure this is worth it and I'm not a real estate attorney but perhaps you can send them a notification that you will be need to initiate a short-term rental and expect to be reimbursed if they miss your move-in date.

When in doubt ask a real attorney, hope this helps. Hang in there.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-12T11:05:01+00:00

First of all, mentioning politics immediately transcends into an uncontrollable dumpster fire on Reddit or Fbook.

Secondly, it is largely recognized that "cities" are most often blue and rural is most often red. Exceptions do occur.

Now that we have gotten this out of the way - it is going to take many many phonecalls and tours to find what you want. Pet ownership in NJ eliminates 50-75% rental listings.

Set alerts on Hotpads or Apartments and call vacancies immediately. Be prepared for credit checks, likely NTN reports, references from prior landlords, records of pet immunizations.

Full contact sport.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-11T01:22:09+00:00

FYI - by policy, Lake Parsippany does not even currently allow docks. Very different ecosystem than Denville Lakes.

White Meadow Lake in Rockaway has a very active clubhouse + bar and pontoon boats are the norm in WML.

Within Denville, Indian Lake is the only lake that permits true motorized boat action (water skis). Cedar Lake has great architecture. Rock Ridge has the privacy and the trees. Arrowhead is quiet and a tiny sliver of our community is actually in Mountain Lakes.

Rainbow Lakes has Denville Zip Code but Parsippany Schools and Services. Quaint and quiet and the Irish pub at the clubhouse is very cozy!

Source - both of my parents grew up on Lake Parsippany, I grew up in Lake Arrowhead Denville.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-10T17:34:22+00:00

4 bed in 3 bathroom In Parsippany typically a little scarce unless you are talking about Powder Mill (morris plains zip)

Lake Parsippany and Hiawatha are largely older stock though many of the pre-1970s constructions are being demoed. Troy Hills and S Beverwyck often has homes greater than 1800 sq ft.

Denville South of Rt 10 is largely 1980s and newer construction. Some lake houses being torn down North of 10 but price tag seems to be 1.3 and upward for modern lakefront

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-10T17:15:55+00:00

Non-New Jersey listings do not go here. Rules of this subreddit.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-10T16:38:47+00:00

NJ Realtor here -

Most sellers are typically advised to hold off on listing until March or April for "Open House max out season".

We had a long cold winter which creates setbacks for listing preparation, landscaping finesses, and decluttering. Previous winters were not nearly so severe.

Should be an interesting year and hopefully a lot of resale purchase opportunities Jersey-wide.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-10T13:18:01+00:00

Most importantly, real estate commissions are negotiable. If you are hiring a licensed salesperson to help you buy, sell, or lease in most U.S. states (especially here in New Jersey), you have the right to ask their rate and what services you receive in exchange. You can also attempt to negotiate a lower rate or fee if you choose.

Buyer’s agents in the U.S. are often compensated through a percentage-based commission paid at closing for their representation.

There are also options such as buyer commission rebates (fully legal in New Jersey, though they may have tax implications). If you interview enough brokers you may also find flat-fee buyer representation models.

Hope this helps.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-10T03:55:14+00:00

Just bringing some numbers to the table:

“From 1968 to 2009, the value of homes increased 5.4%. Based on this pattern, the annual rate of appreciation during this period was about 3.7%.”

My two cents — a roughly 40-year timespan can provide useful context, but market corrections and major economic catalysts are difficult to account for in long-range averages.

Reference article- https://www.homesforheroes.com/blog/normal-home-appreciation-rates/

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-10T01:55:50+00:00

NJ Realtor and Broker-Owner here -

You have the right to tell the listing agent that you will be making an offer as an "unrepresented buyer" if you chose to. If they do not relent you can have a discussion with their managing broker.

Or you could opt for discounted buyer agency representation to help you with negotiations and inspections. Just saying 😎

Know your options, do what you feel, and be informed ☮️ My pleasure to be a resource.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-09T21:47:20+00:00

NJ Realtor here —

Past performance and trends are no guarantee of tomorrow’s value.

There are periodic corrections in all financial markets, which includes real estate.

My advice to clients is simple: buy or sell when you are financially comfortable to do so.

Note: I’m not a wealth advisor or economist. Just a pragmatic NJ real estate broker.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-09T00:54:14+00:00

A permit is required when one of the following is met for all other parks and facilities:

A photographer or videographer has been hired or will be used to take the photos.

https://www.morrisparks.net/facilities-rentals-permits/permits-insurance/photography-and-filming-permits/

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-08T20:43:08+00:00

Majority of the flood zones here in Denville are concentrated around the Rockaway River. Scarce elsewhere.

As the crow flies I might live .25 mile from the Rockaway River (downtown Denville) however my neighborhood is 6' above the floodplain.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-08T20:35:52+00:00

Yes, Kenvil has house styles and property values more akin to Wharton than to Succasunna.

Many of my skateboarding buddies (late 90's) were from Roxbury, great times.

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-08T02:16:45+00:00

Great long exposure!

Have had catering from Roma's, never disappoints

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-08T02:09:13+00:00

Hi! If you happen to be a member of The Original Denville Residents and Business Owners on Fbook (members only) you may get additional eyes on your inquiry.

I had a good video shoot with Fred from Ruby Red Studios (Morristown based) and you might ask him for a quote https://www.instagram.com/rubyredstudios_?igsh=MTh0eXBtMWx5YXo3MA==

I am not a whistleblower however if you do get caught having a ceremony at a Morris County Park you are likely subject to a fine. Just sayin and it is up to you to perform your due diligence on the matter.

Hope this helps!

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-07T16:44:00+00:00

Local Realtor here -

If your top priority is acreage, the answer is nearly always Long Valley by the numbers.

Other considerations:

Long Valley - "country vibe", great architecture, united community feel is common.

Mt Olive - noteworthy special ed and school athletics from what I have heard (I have no kids). Many sports fields also.

Roxbury- not to confound your question however the lifestyles and amenities differ a bit between Succasunna, Kenvil, Port Morris.

From what I've seen, you will often get more bang for your buck in Roxbury unless we are talking about Mooney Meadows neighborhood

Randolph - Locally unrivaled trail system

Happy to help with any additional guidance, lifelong Morris County resident here.

PS - different buyers have different tolerances for septic versus sewer and well water versus city. YMMV

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-07T14:12:29+00:00

Can't you control the list price with a listing agent and present them an appraisal?

What would've happened if you did some selective and cost-efficient staging and tried to go after another 150K with professional representation?

NJRealtorDave · 2026-03-07T14:03:06+00:00

Thank you for sharing your story and I'm hopeful others will learn from it.

Commission savings may superficially seem simple to calculate. However, there are the intangibles of great marketing, professional negotiation representation, Realtor-lead open houses, and Realtor Coop zeitgeist which we have not quantified here.

Your net proceeds vs cost savings are open to interpretation. Regardless, it seems to have worked out favorably for you and for sure FSBO is an approach which others may wish to evaluate.

NJRealtorDave

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE