Westfield News Archives - Luxury Homes/Top Towns

Westfield Makes Top 10 List of Best Suburbs to Live in NJ

February 19, 2021 by Scott Gleason

Niche.com collects data on various cities all over the country. They compile this data in different “best of” lists. In 2020, they put Westfield in the top 10 of their Best Suburbs to Live in New Jersey list. (It is a little too early in the year to be releasing their 2021 list.) That actually moved us up a spot from our 2019 rankings. But that really does not surprise anyone who lives here.

Niche.com put Westfield in the #6 spot of its 2020 Top 10 Best Suburbs to Live in New Jersey, moving it up one spot from 2019.

Westfield Ranked in Top 10 Best Suburbs to Live in NJ

How Niche.com Determines Rankings

The folks at Niche.com base each city’s ranking on 15 separate categories. These include the cost of living, education, housing, public schools, and diversity among other things. They pull data from a variety of sources, including the US Census Bureau, FBI, US Department of Education, and local surveys. Each category equals a percentage of the overall score.

Why Westfield Made the Grade

While our cost of living may be higher than some other cities in New Jersey, we excel in just about every other category Niche.com judged us in. Our excellent public school system, community health and access to healthcare, and our family-friendly community set us in the “A+” category. Meanwhile, our abundance of outdoor activities, our economic growth, high employment rate, and an array of restaurants, bars, and entertainment options achieved “A” status as well. Our low crime rate, diverse population, and short commute times were all given a “B” grade.

With a population of just under 30,000, Westfield residents enjoy the close-knit community that a small town provides. Fortunately, its location allows an easy commute to NYC and everything that the city has to offer (both for work and play). Niche.com also ranked it #9 out of 637 other cities on its 2020 Best Places to Live in New Jersey list. And it made the #14 spot on its 2020 Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in New Jersey list.

Scott Gleason, CRS at RE/MAX Select, Luxury Homes

Smart Ways to Use Your Home Equity

January 22, 2021 by Scott Gleason

You bought a Westfield home two or three years ago. Its value increased quite a bit since then. The difference between what you owe and your property’s value is called “equity”. You can use this equity in a myriad of ways: a vacation, a wedding, a new car. But to make the best use of your home equity, you should either use it to buy a new home or borrow against it to pay off debt or remodel/update to further increase the value of your property.

The smartest ways to use your Westfield home equity are to either buy a new property or pay off/down your debt to free up money to invest elsewhere.

Smart Ways to Use Your Home Equity

New Home Purchase

Starting a new family? Need a larger home? Downsizing after the kids flew the nest? Ready to retire and want to simplify your lifestyle? Are you simply ready for a change? Then it is time to buy a new Westfield home. When you sell your current home, roll over your home equity into the purchase of a new property. The higher the down payment, the less you pay on your new mortgage. Or, if you receive enough equity, pay for a new property in cash.

Borrow Against It

There are three ways to borrow against the equity in your home: a home equity loan, a HELOC (home equity line of credit) or a cash-out refinance. A home equity loan is like a second mortgage. You borrow a specific amount that gets paid out in even amounts over a specified time period.

A HELOC acts more like a credit card, with your Westfield home used as collateral. Your lender approves you for a certain amount. You use however much of it that you need. That can be several smaller amounts or one large sum. As long as it totals less than your “limit”, you may borrow against it. For the draw period (five to 10 years), you may pay only interest if you want. After that, your payment jumps up to include principal as well as interest.

With a cash-out refinance, you may borrow up to 90% of your home’s value (depending on your credit score). Lenders never allow a 100% cash-out refinance. This pays off your original home loan and gives you the difference in cash to use as you wish. So, if you owe $200,000 on your Westfield home but it’s worth $500,000, you can refinance as much as $450,000 with excellent credit. That gives you $250,000 in cash (minus expenses) at the end of the refinance. A lower score means a lower percentage allowed. Keep in mind, though, that the new loan will be a higher amount than your original loan. That means a higher monthly payment.

Talk to your financial advisor to determine which option works best with your particular situation.

Scott Gleason, CRS at RE/MAX Select, Luxury Homes

Christmas Tree Disposal Info for Westfield Residents

January 15, 2021 by Scott Gleason

First of all, let me thank everyone who purchased their trees and garlands this year from the Westfield Area Y’s Men’s Christmas Tree Lot. The response we received was tremendous. We sold out of our entire stock well before Christmas Day. All money raised from the lot helps us with our community programs throughout the year. So, we greatly appreciate the public’s patronage. Speaking of Christmas trees, the City recently released their Westfield Christmas tree disposal information to help residents know where to take their trees now that the holidays are over.

Unfortunately, Westfield curbside pickup does not include Christmas tree disposal. But the City allows free drop off at the Conservation Center every Saturday during January.

Christmas Tree Disposal in Westfield

Unfortunately, curbside service does not include Christmas tree disposal. However, they do allow free drop off of all trees, Hanukkah bushes, leaves, and other recyclable materials at the Westfield Conservation Center (1300 Lamberts Mill Rd). Every Saturday in January (from 9 am to 3 pm), residents may take these items to the center for free disposal. Make sure to remove any decorations (tinsel, lights, ribbons, etc.) and the tree stand before dropping it off. This free service is only available to Westfield residents during January. Contact the Conservation Center at (908) 789-4100 for further information.

Also, as a quick reminder, 2021 brings us a new recycling service contract with Grand Sanitation. This may affect curbside recycling service for some Westfield residents. For more information, please visit the City of Westfield’s website here.

COVID Rules at the Conservation Center

The Westfield Conservation Center operates under the CDC’s COVID-19 guidelines. They observe all social distancing protocols. Be aware that this may create longer than usual lines when dropping off your recyclables. Please remain patient. The staff works as quickly as possible to move people through while watching out for the health and safety of the public. Wear a mask when interacting with center staff. And, if you feel sick, stay home. Feel free to come back when you feel better. We are all in this together.

Scott Gleason, CRS at RE/MAX Select, Luxury Homes

Westfield Adopt-a-Drain Program

August 28, 2020 by Scott Gleason

One of the best things about living in Westfield is that we take care of each other and our town. That’s an important contributing factor to why we continue to make the list of Top Best Places to Live in NJ each year. City officials created the Westfield Adopt-a-Drain program to encourage residents to assist them in keeping our storm drains clear. This also provides a wonderful opportunity to teach your children a pride in their community.

Westfield Adopt-a-Drain Program

When it rains (like this weekend), everything ends up in the storm drains. Grass, leaves, trash, animal waste, and anything else on our sidewalks and streets all make their way down the streets and into these drains. The build-up of materials creates a blockage, backing up water and causing flooding to occur. If left to pool for a period of time, it causes damage to our city streets and walkways.

These drains need to be cleaned regularly to keep the water from backing up. But with 3000 drains, the City has a tough job keeping up with regular cleanings. So, they created the Westfield Adopt-a-Drain program. Simply sign up online, choose a drain near your home, school, or office, and start raking away.

How Often Do I Need to Clear My Storm Drain?

Honestly, twice a month should be enough. But, please, check it before and after a big storm. We need a clear area for proper runoff before the storm starts. And since debris can build up during a storm, cleaning it afterward helps ensure that it continues to provide a clear pathway for future runoff.

Make sure you document your efforts by taking photos and posting them to your social media. Tag the City (@TownofWestfield on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) when you post. Also, visit the online tracking tool to update the stats after you clear the drain. You’ll be provided the information needed to do so when you sign up to adopt a drain. Encourage others to participate. Together, we can continue to make our community a great place to live.

Scott Gleason, CRS at RE/MAX Select, Luxury Homes

Westfield 300 Time Capsule

August 21, 2020 by Scott Gleason

One hundred years ago was the beginning of what would eventually be known as “The Roaring Twenties”. Women were officially allowed to vote. F Scott Fitzgerald’s first novel, This Side of Paradise, was released. A world pandemic, the Spanish Flu, wound down. And presidential election results were broadcast over the radio for the very first time. To celebrate our city’s 300th birthday, officials need your help with one of the objects going into the Westfield 300 Time Capsule.

Along with the usual items (newspapers, maps, menus, current electronics), local officials would like to include residents' opinions about current events as well as predictions for the future to place in the Westfield 300 Time Capsule.

Westfield 300 Time Capsule

Officials already decided to include the regular stuff you expect to see in a time capsule: newspapers, maps, menus, a jersey from Westfield High School, etc. Current electronics that are sure to be obsolete when the capsule is opened in 100 years also go into the time capsule. Of course, they plan on placing news about COVID-19 inside as well.

But officials need your help with a special project they’d like to add. They want residents to fill out an online questionnaire. Questions include your opinions about current events, pop culture, and where you live. The questionnaire asks about how COVID-19 affected you and your loved ones. They also want to hear your predictions for the future. It only takes a few minutes to complete. So, please visit the Westfield 300 website to complete your questionnaire today.

Quimby Street Updates

In other news, the one-way traffic weekends on Quimby Street appear to be quite popular for many Westfield residents and most of the local businesses there. Therefore, officials decided to extend this setup well into the fall. In fact, it may continue through Thanksgiving if possible. The city purchased and set up tents along Quimby Street to allow for anyone utilizing the “to go” options from local restaurants to sit and eat. As the weather cools off, officials talked about possibly purchasing outdoor heating lamps to encourage the continued use of these spaces. How do you feel about that? Sound off in the comments below.

Scott Gleason, CRS at RE/MAX Select, Luxury Homes