Hoboken Real Estate

Here’s how Hoboken becomes Home to another 10,000 people.

November 20, 2010 | Frank Marciano

Article by Judy Marciano, who is getting so good, that people now say when they see me, oh that’s Frank, the Realtor’s Husband.

The last census taken in Hoboken showed our population in the year 2000 at 38,577 people. As you know, we just had another census count taken this year and by all accounts our population has increased by at least 10,000 bringing the total to around 50,000 people. This amount does not include people who come here to work or party, it is just the residents. There are a few people in Hoboken who think this increase is a bad thing, but they are a small, but vocal minority, most people are happy that the increase in population has brought more stores, more food places and more activity on the streets. All of which has made Hoboken a safer and more vibrant community.

What many do not know is that in the next 10 -20 years there are plans to increase the residential housing stock to add another 10,000 residents to our city. On the Southern edge of Hoboken, New Jersey Transit put forth a proposal by a planning firm called FXFOWLE to add 6,000 residential units to the City. While that plan was withdrawn for now, a more modest plan for an 18 story high rise building is proposed on the site of the existing bus terminal. Since it is on only 3% of the 54 acres that New Jersey Transit controls you can be sure more development will be proposed on their property.

Hoboken’s Washington Street named one of best in USA

October 16, 2010 | Frank Marciano

		We all know that Hoboken is the coolest place to be in New Jersey, We love the constant hails of greetings and the endless smiles on so many of the people walking on Washington Street. However, for most people the subtle effects of the physical city around them is given little attention. This is a great award from a great Association
Washington Street	APA Award	and as a Attorney

that has practiced zoning law in Hoboken, Jersey City, Weehawken and the surrounding area I have had a lot of experience regarding the zoning process. The fact that Hoboken retained it’s charm throughout the years is a testament to the steady hand of Hoboken’s City Planner, Elizabeth Vandor of Vandor and Vandor She as quietly but firmly guided the City of Hoboken’s planning process since the early 80’s. The very fact that she has survived the political minefield of Hoboken’s politics during such a politically turbulent period of time is testament to her integrity and professional foresight. Continuity in the professionals advising Hoboken is a great thing if the right professionals are in place, and as a city we are lucky to have Elizabeth Vandor as our trusted professional. When so much is written of the bad in local Hudson County Government I thought it important that some good news be spread around.

Mortgage lenders Bank of America, J.P. Morgan and GMAC Mortgage unit have taken action to suspend or review foreclosure paperwork include New Jersey.

October 4, 2010 | Frank Marciano

In an effort to mortgage out America’s future at ever increasing speeds, the Banks and mortgage companies apparently forgot to do their homework. Missing signatures, missing documents even totally missing files are preventing lenders from proving their cases in a Court of Law. For all the bad things that can be said about the judicial system it is pretty gratifying to see the Courts of America not buckling under the pressure of these huge institutions as they try to crush America homeowners. It a lot like the Baseball players that get in trouble with steroids while the Baseball Club owners who benefited from the increase business and value that the steroid players made for them just seem above it all. But in the Courts where justice is Blind, the big Lenders have to prove their case like any other litigant. This is truly and exciting time in the world of Real Estate, What happens when a bank cant prove in a court of law that they own a mortgage and then cant foreclose. Can the homeowner just walk away, Its all new due to the digitization of the mortgage process. All I can say is that in all my years of practice I have never seen such disarray in the mortgage process. Of course it hurts new loan applicants since the Lenders are now crossing their T’s and dotting their I’s three or four time before they release a loan from underwriting but is great to see that the Banks cannot just bully are court system into taking over the homes of hardworking Americans. Stay Tuned Hoboken for what is sure to be an interesting year!!

Forgotten Cemeteries and Coyotes right here in Jersey City

March 29, 2010 | Frank Marciano

I had a case this week about rear yard setback zoning violations in Jersey City that came about when a landowner of a vacant landlocked lot filed a complaint against my clients innocent backyard Rubbermaid shed, (one like all the other landowners in the area) and forced the matter to court all because my client rightly complained to the City about overgrown weeds.

Well court worked out great with no fine to my client However, day before court I went to my client’s house to take pictures and in speaking to a neighbor I leaned about an existing cemetery behind my clients property that was behind a church in Jersey City. The cemetery was totally fenced in and was sparsely filled with graves and stones from the 1750’s that no one now remembers or visits. One big old stone placed horizontally on the ground about 12 feet long and 3 feet wide had the names of 5 children who all died at the ages of 2-4 and then their parents name. Old and forgotten and very sad.

(Upon doing some research it turns out that this is called the “Speer Burial Ground and or the DeMott Burial Ground, and that “The cemetery is named for Abraham Speer, a Jersey City undertaker, bought the cemetery in 1857 and made it a public cemetery by selling burial plots for $16 each. It was used as a potter’s field during the nineteenth century. The absence of records makes it impossible to verify who and how many were buried in the cemetery over the years. Headstones indicate the burial of the veterans of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War.”)

Appellate Court allows Blimpie Base No 1 to Stay in Hoboken

October 4, 2009 | Frank Marciano

The First Blimpie ever was built in Hoboken in 1964, and over the past few months this true Hoboken Tradition was almost forced to leave because of their Landlord’s tricky attempt to try and double their rent. Well, they lost at the trial level and then went to the New Jersey Appellate Court to try and force their interpretation of the lease regarding when and how Blimpie had to give notice to renew their lease. Thankfully, they lost again. In this Appellate Court Decision the Law Firm of Frank Marciano successfully defended an attempt by The Hoboken Blimpie’s landlord to double their rent for allegedly failing to provide a timely request to renew their lease. You can read the decision here, but before the decision here is a little bit on the History of Blimpie:

Blimpie’s roots can be traced back to three friends armed with an entrepreneurial spirit and a business itch to introduce what the world now knows as the beloved submarine sandwich. After months of research and planning, all the components were in place for them to begin their journey of becoming business owners, with one exception – they needed a name. With a desire to set themselves apart from their competition, they decided to call their sandwiches something other than submarines or hoagies. Hoping to find some inspiration, they paged through a dictionary until they came to the word “blimp” and a picture resembling the healthy, generous-size sandwiches they saw as their competitive edge. That was the “eureka” moment, and the Blimpie sandwich and restaurant chain was born! On April 4, 1964, the three friends opened for business in Hoboken, N.J.

Today with more than four decades of history and locations from coast to coast, the Blimpie brand continues to grow with the strength of its past propelling it forward. Though times have changed since those three friends began their journey, enjoying a meal at Blimpie is still like returning to your neighborhood deli. With fresh sliced meats and high quality ingredients, Blimpie keeps the dream of its founders alive while still setting itself apart from the competition.

The Hoboken Real Estate Market and Underwear

September 1, 2009 | Frank Marciano

In the old days, Hoboken families didn’t have wash and fold, it was more like hang and dry.

It is hard to predict where the economy is headed, some pundits are even analyzing underwear sales to gauge the state of the economy, I will leave such esoteric punditry to MSNBC and will just write about what is actually happening in my law practice.

The real estate market in Hoboken is surprisingly strong. New clients are buying and existing clients are selling their condos and moving to the suburbs. There is interest in new construction where developers are offering their own incentives to seal the deal. In fact when units are priced below the market I have seen bidding wars. On the other hand, units that are priced over the market don’t attract any buyers.

Appellate Court Decision Victory

May 29, 2009 | Frank Marciano

hoboken%20marciano%20appellate%20court%20victory%20copy.jpg

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Just received the Appellate Court’s Decision in a trial I had in Hudson County Chancery Court that reversed the Trial Court’s judgment. This was an interesting case involving rent control in Hoboken, reformation and rescission of a contract, and many other points of law discussing what happens when rent control issues come to play in the sale of a multi unit building. It also is a great example of how slow the legal process is and how Judges can be wrong and how the system does allow a person to appeal and overturn a judges decision. For those that are not attorneys it must not make that much sense that decisions and opinions at the trial level are not always correct. In this case the Trial judge is one of the smartest and fairest judges that I have appeared in front of, but for whatever reason he saw the case as presented in way that my client thought was incorrect, so we appealed, and thankfully three appellate court judges took the time and effort to write a 19 page opinion that reversed the trial judge’s judgment so that my client won his case.

Mortgages are getting harder to obtain.

April 19, 2009 | Frank Marciano

Mortgage industry changes throw new hurdles in borrowers’ way – Los Angeles Times

A Wonderful time at Hoboken’s new “W Hotel”.

April 8, 2009 | Frank Marciano

Hoboken%20W%20Hotel%20Outside.jpg The W Hotel from the outside.

Hoboken%20W%20Hotel%20Staff.jpg The front desk staff showing off their W’s

Hoboken%20W%20Hotel%20Living%20Room.jpg The W Hotel Living room. Now its quiet, at night it’s not.

The Irish have come to save Hoboken

March 7, 2009 | Frank Marciano

Don’t worry bout a thing, cause every little thing gonna be alright !!! (courtesy of Bob Marley)

I have not seen anything like it since the 1986 bicentennial in Hoboken. The amount of adults, young, full of energy ( and beer) adults that are arriving in Hoboken by Path, by Train by Car by Bus by Ferry and by God I think I see some Helicopters filled with a bunch of green shirts airlifting them in. Hoboken simply is the place to be. Hoboken for all the reasons anyone who has been here knows is a safe wonderful almost mythical town of magic and energy. So some kids (I mean young adults) will cause a ruckus maybe even break one of my office windows, so what. Hoboken is a destination, it is a place where young fun entrepreneurial people want to be. If you want hope if you want good news and encouragement then understand the craziness of Hoboken today shows that there is plenty of energy and options for people, Everything’s gonna Be all Right !!