Donald Trumpâ€s former Connecticut mansion that he bought at age 35 is for sale and featured this week at TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

“Donald Trump’s First Mansion”

Donald Trump was born into the real estate business in 1946 in New York City where his father, Fred Trump, was a developer. Donald got a jump-start in the business while he was still in college in the 1960s working menial jobs at his father’s lower middle-class apartment complex in Cincinnati.  In 1971, he moved back to New York City where he took over his father’s company changing the name to The Trump Organization and earned a reputation as a fast-rising real estate tycoon on hotel, condominium and casino projects. In 1986, he made a deal with New York City Mayor Ed Koch to renovate Central Park’s Wollman Rink. The ice skating rink was going on its seventh year of renovations when Trump volunteered to finish and finance the restoration with his own money. He completed the job in just three months.With his business success and wealth, Trump owns a roster of mansions. His main home is a posh three-level penthouse at Trump Tower on New York’s Fifth Avenue where he also runs his vast business operations. Also in the Gotham area, in 1996 Trump purchased a 60-room mansion in Bedford, New York with three pools and a bowling alley. He later bought Albemarle, a 23,000-square-foot mansion, vineyard and winery on 2,000 acres in Virginia for $12.7 million, a fraction of the original asking price of $100 million. Trump also keeps a large home on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

When he isn’t running for president, firing someone or saying something controversial, Trump relaxes at his Mar-A-Lago mansion in Palm Beach, Florida that he purchased in 1985 for $10 million. The 1920’s mansion with 62,000 square feet and over 100 rooms was originally built for Post Cereal heiress, Marjorie Merriweather Post. Trump upgraded it to a private resort with initiation fees of $100,000, annual dues of $12,000 and nightly rates up to $3,000. Mar-A-Lago guests have included Bill Clinton, Regis Philbin, Tony Bennett and Barbara Walters.

Trump was only 35 in 1982 when he and wife, Ivana, purchased their first mansion, a 5.8 acre home on a peninsula in Greenwich, Connecticut for $4 million. Always a family-oriented business, Ivana was also remodeling the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan in the early 1980s and was able to incorporate many of the same materials in the decoration of their new home creating a residence dripping in gold leaf, elegant chandeliers and crown moldings. When they divorced in 1991 after 15 years of marriage, Ivana won the mansion in the property settlement. She sold the Greenwich home for $15 million in 1998, and the mansion’s new owners immediately began a renovation to tone it down to more livable neutrals and added tennis courts as well as a 4,000-square-foot addition which includes guest suites, a lap pool and a sauna. It is currently for sale at $54 million.

Originally built in 1939, the 19,773-square-foot Georgian Colonial-style main house and a guest house have eight bedrooms, thirteen baths, a three-story rotunda foyer with double grand staircase, formal rooms overlooking views of the pool, grounds and Long Island Sound, home theater, a putting green, multiple terraces and patios, tennis courts and three fully-equipped staff apartments.

Awaiting a new Greenwich billionaire resident, Donald Trumpâ€s former Connecticut mansion with major additions, six waterfront acres and private boat dock. The listing agent is Tamar Lurie of Coldwell Banker in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Real estate is never boring at TopTenRealEstateDeals. Check out today’s most entertaining, important and unusual real estate news stories of the week. News such as “Obama Vacation Home For Sale,” “Bacall’s Dakota Apartment Sells At Big Profit” and “New York’s First Penthouse.”

Visit TopTenRealEstateDeals.com for more historic, spectacular and celebrity homes.

The post Celebrity Homes: Donald Trump’s First Mansion Is For Sale $54 Million first appeared on River View Observer.

By Sally Deering

A terrorist flirted with her; a murderer stuck his tongue out at her; and a victim whose face was slashed shared with her the heart-stopping details of her attack – itâ€s all in a dayâ€s work for courtroom artist Christine Cornell who has spent decades in the courtroom with her canvas and pastels drawing some of the biggest criminal trials in our countryâ€s history.

Cornell, a Weehawken resident, has been drawing trials since the 1970s and images from her portfolio are sought after by documentary filmmakers like Ken Burns who features 30 Cornell drawings in his new film “The Central Park Five” which recently aired on PBS about the five young men convicted and later found not guilty of the rape attack of the “Central Park Jogger”. Just last week CNN contacted Cornell for a documentary on the 1980 murder of Beatles†singer/songwriter John Lennon. They wanted to purchase the drawing Cornell did of gunman Mark David Chapman at his arraignment clutching the book “Catcher in the Rye”.

When asked what makes a good courtroom drawing, Cornell says, “Composition. You have to have the key elements and be able to see and feel what the defendant is feeling. You need the judge, the witness, the attorney engaging the witness. Itâ€s always more interesting when thereâ€s more than one person. These drawings are more telling when thereâ€s an interaction between people. You can look back at the drawing and it can actually tell the story.”

Courtroom artists have been attending criminal trials and drawing the events inside the courtroom since the Salem Witch Trials of the 1600s. By the 1960s, courtroom artists were in demand because TV cameras were not allowed in the courtroom, but things began to change in the mid-1980s with more courts allowing cameras and since then, courtroom artists have seen a decline in numbers. Still, Cornell is considered one of the best in her field and travels all over the country to draw courtroom trials. And when sheâ€s not in the courtroom, Cornell spends her time working on her first book, a visual history of the biggest trials of our times and a collaboration with her sister Irene Cornell who has covered most of the same trials as a reporter.

Famous Trials

Martha Stewart, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, Donald Trump – these are just a few of the celebrities Cornell has covered in the courtroom. In December 1980, she was called in to draw the arraignment of Mark David Chapman who was clutching a copy of “Catcher in the Rye”. In the late 1980s, Cornell covered the trial of Bernie Goetz, dubbed the “Subway Vigilante”. She also covered the trial of Leona Helmsley aka the “Queen of Mean”.  During her trial, Helmsley leaned over and asked Cornell: “Is my hair really that messy? If I looked like that my husband would divorce me”.

“I told her she was right, and I fixed it,” Cornell says.

In New York, Cornell also covered the Central Park Jogger trial. Watching the daily courtroom proceedings, Cornell felt that the boys on trial were not guilty as charged, she says.

“None of their confessions matched. None had a criminal history and it was hard to imagine they could get all the details wrong if they had participated in it,” Cornell says. “They couldnâ€t agree on what she was wearing, where the event took place. The sentiment in the courtroom was they were guilty of something. Everyone knew they shouldnâ€t have been out there, but they were kids. In the end when they got convicted, I figured okay, you donâ€t confess unless chances are you did something. So there it is. But all along I didnâ€t think they committed the rape.”

For the Bernie Goetz Trial, Cornell did a series of five drawings that included a re-enactment of the crime where Goetz was attacked by a group of young men and alleged that he used his handgun in self-defense to shoot his attackers. Cornell drew the re-enactment by reading the transcript of Goetz’s confession. She also did a re-enactment drawing for the trial against the men who slashed the face of Marla Hanson.

“In that case I sat down with Marla and she described to me what happened,” Cornell says. “I drew the assailants from her descriptions. She told me that the guy carving her was smiling.”

At John Gottiâ€s trial, Sammy “The Bull” Gravano testified to 19 murders and Cornell was there drawing it all in and on paper.

“He looked at me and stuck his tongue out at me,” Cornell laughs.

And when Ramses Yousef was on trial for the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993, Cornell says his lawyer came over to her and relayed this message from his client: “If I beat this rap, will you go out with me?”

In 2012, for the show “In Session” on Tru-TV, Cornell was courtroom-artist commentator for the Jerry Sandusky trial in Pennsylvania. It was her job to describe how the young men who accused Sandusky of sexual abuse were handling the pressures of telling their stories in public and how Sandusky was reacting.

“It was a challenging task I took seriously,” Cornell states on her website ChristineCornell.com where you can purchase prints of her courtroom drawings including one from the Sandusky trial. “People began to approach me on the street and tell me how I had added to their understanding and appreciation of the emotional goings-on inside.”

How to Draw Justice

Born in New York and raised in Yonkers, Cornell grew up in a news-gathering home. Her dad Cameron Cornell was a popular newsman in radio and her sister Irene went on to be a reporter for CBS radio. Eager to go to college, Cornell was 16 when she entered the Pratt Institute where she earned a BFA in Drawing. She attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons – part of Columbia University – where she studied anatomy to hone her skill drawing the human body.

“We learned all the external musculature and it made it so I could draw figures from my imagination from every position,” Cornell says.

Honing your craft is important to being a courtroom artist, but so is having a strong sense of compassion, Cornell says. Thatâ€s because courtrooms are emotional places and the human drama is what makes a good drawing.

“If youâ€re missing out on the feeling, whatâ€s the point,” Cornell says. “Youâ€re trying to tell the emotional story as well as get their likeness.”

To view Christine Cornellâ€s courtroom art, go to www.christinecornell.com

 

For more info on “The Central Park Five” documentary, go to
http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/centralparkfive/

The post WIN, LOSE, DRAW -Courtroom Artist Christine Cornell See the Art in Justice first appeared on River View Observer.

We don’t know who to credit for this film but it is a wonderful look at a Jersey City long gone and we are happy it was taken.

Pay close attention to the camera angle as the camera pulls close ups on building being offered for sale at the time.
Enjoy and The River View Team thanks the person or persons who took this film.

The post Downtown Jersey City’s Italian Village 1973 first appeared on River View Observer.

Successful Re-Branding Campaign Leads to Robust Sales Activity at Premier Luxury Condominium

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (Jan. 25, 2011) – Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City, one of New Jersey’s most luxurious residential condominium towers, triumphed in 2010 with a successful marketing campaign that spurred phenomenal condominium sales and the lease-up of the building’s entire retail space.

With more than 50 years of combined sales and financial experience with residential real estate on New Jersey’s Gold Coast, the sales team at Trump Plaza Residences, which includes Jodi Stasse, director of marketing and sales; John Paszamant, sales director; Evan Cappiello, sales manager; Colleen Vogt, sales representative and Ray Lamberti Jr. of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, helped catapult the building’s sales, with approximately 65 homes sold in 2010, contributing to the amazing feat of the tower’s 300th sale by close of the year.

“The past year at Trump Plaza Residences has been extraordinary,” said Stasse. “The number of sales generated is evidence of the strong appeal of the Trump Plaza Residences metropolitan lifestyle, as well as the tremendous value this building affords, including access to every luxury amenity buyers can imagine, as well as a full-service concierge.

“Additionally, as sales at the community have increased, so too has the level of involvement in the building amongst homeowners,” Stasse added. “Recently, the building’s homeowners association and residents hosted a fantastic holiday resident party, assisting with the holiday decorations throughout the building and creating a truly festive atmosphere.”

Among the many lifestyle amenities offered at Trump Plaza Residences, the building will soon offer even more conveniences to its residents as the entirety of the building’s ground-floor retail space has now been leased. Buon Italia, a gourmet Italian market; ROAR Dental, a family dental practice; and Elegant Nails and Spa, a salon that will offer both nail and spa services, are all slated to move in to their spaces at the building in 2011.

Stasse continued, “The residents have been expressing how excited they are to see all three retail spaces occupied with great tenants. Buon Italia will instantly turn the area into a destination spot.”

Located two blocks from the waterfront at 88 Morgan St., Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City, New Jersey’s tallest residential tower, have been designed to provide an abundance of natural light and to take advantage of the breathtaking views of the Hudson River, Jersey City, the Statue of Liberty and the famous New York City skyline.

A seventh-floor terrace complete with pool and cabanas, a glass-enclosed fitness center and an exclusive spa with a Roman-style aqua grotto are among a long list of indoor and outdoor sanctuaries that make Trump Plaza an ideal address for the New York metropolitan area’s elite.

The residences at Trump Plaza include one- and two-bedroom homes ranging in size up to 1,450 square feet. Prices for one-bedrooms start in the mid-$400,000s, while those for the two-bedrooms start in the mid-$600,000s. Three-bedroom homes and penthouses are available but are in limited supply, with pricing available upon request. The property has a 20-year tax abatement. FHA financing is also available, offering reduced interest rates and low down payments.

In addition to panoramic views of New York City, the property features a convenient location near the Exchange Place and Grove Street PATH stations, the waterfront ferry and the Bergen-Hudson Light Rail.

For more information on Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City, visit the on-site sales suite, which is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 88 Morgan St. in Jersey City. Morning and evening hours are available by appointment. Contact the sales and marketing team by calling (888) 263-7003, e-mailing info@trumpplazaresidences.com or visiting the website at www.trumpplazaresidences.com

Follow us on twitter: @TrumpJerseyCity
Facebook link: facebook.com/TrumpPlazaResidJerseyCity

About Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City
Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City is a full-service, luxury high-rise condominium located at 88 Morgan St. in Jersey City, N.J. The 55-story residential tower is the tallest in New Jersey, with panoramic views of the Hudson River, the Statue of Liberty and the New York City skyline. Completed in 2008 with a total of 443 residences, the homes feature exquisite interior finishes. Additionally, there are more than 40,000 square feet of amenities managed by The Trump Corp., including a screening room, a dining hall with catering kitchen, game rooms, sitting areas and lounges, a heated outdoor rooftop pool with cabanas, an in-house spa including massage and locker rooms and saunas, a business facility, a fitness center and indoor and outdoor children’s play areas. For more information, please visit the website at

 

The post Jersey City Real Estate -Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City Closes 2010 with Milestone 300th Sale first appeared on River View Observer.

 Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City, the exquisite residential tower located on New Jersey’s prestigious Gold Coast, is celebrating a successful summer of stellar sales and building enhancements as it looks forward to exciting events in the coming new year.

Sales at the luxury condominium at 88 Morgan St. have greatly exceeded expectations, with approximately 50 homes having sold since January of this year. About 20 residences sold during the summer months, which is typically a slow time for real estate sales.

 

“The extraordinary sales volume is evidence of the appeal of Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City and its great value,” said Jodi Stasse, director of marketing and sales. “A resident can enjoy a real metropolitan lifestyle here — with access to every luxury amenity they can imagine, as well as a full-service concierge — at advantageous pricing with low interest rates!”

The 55-story building, New Jersey’s tallest residential tower, offers beautiful one-, two- and three-bedroom residences of up to 1,599 square feet. One-bedroom homes start in the mid-$400,000s and two-bedroom homes start in the mid-$600,000s. Penthouses and three-bedroom homes are also available, but are in limited supply. A 20-year tax abatement for the residential tower translates to reduced property taxes.

In addition to the inherent appeal of the luxury building, Stasse attributed the volume of sales to a new marketing campaign for the building, launched earlier in the year, which introduced new advertising and communication materials including the sleek new property website, www.trumpplazaresidences.com.

Referrals from residents have been another huge part of the building’s sales success.

“The residents here take pride in the community they have formed together. They’re always looking forward to seeing new neighbors in the building and they want to contribute to the success here,” said Stasse. “They appreciate the rate at which they’ve seen the building fill up and they have a desire to share this lifestyle with the people closest to them.”

Another bonus for residents is the elite TRUMP CARD Privileges Program presented by the Trump Hotel Collection, which entitles them to special offers, personal services and added benefits at any Trump Hotel Collection property in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and Hawaii. Future Trump Hotel Collection properties that members can look forward to visiting include those in New Orleans, Panama, Toronto, Cap Cana, Dubai and Scotland.

The summer also brought a special treat in the form of the building’s lighted rooftop crown, which was installed in August. The bright purple lighting, striking against the night sky, added the final touch to the enhancements that took place this year including a new front entrance, remodeled lobby and embellished pool and outdoor lawn seating areas.

On-site conveniences are also coming soon with the arrival in early 2011 of ROAR Dental and Elegant Nails and Spa, as well as the highly anticipated opening of buon Italia gourmet Italian market, originally of Chelsea Market fame in New York City.

Buon Italia will offer imported groceries; meat and seafood counters; prepared foods and specialty products, including fresh cheeses, pastas and charcuterie; a combination espresso bar, gelato bar, pasty shop and wine bar; and generous indoor and outdoor café seating.

“Having buon Italia set up shop right at our front door is an incredible convenience for residents and an extension of the amazing amenities that are offered at Trump Plaza Residences,” said Stasse. “Plus, it will instantly turn the neighborhood into a destination spot.”

Trump Plaza Residences is appreciated by residents for its impressive amenities and unparalleled service. The lavish 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities and well-known Trump 24/7 concierge service are luxury hallmarks of the elegant property and the Trump brand.

A sampling of the amenities includes a screening room; game room; Roman-style aqua grotto; in-house spa; heated pool with cabanas; and an impressive glass-enclosed fitness center.

The building’s thoughtfully designed homes features elegant, contemporary design elements and custom oversized windows that open out to sweeping views of the Hudson River, the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline.

The proximity of Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City to Manhattan and the rest of the Gold Coast, as well as its convenient location near the Exchange Place and Grove Street PATH stations, the waterfront ferry and the Bergen-Hudson Light Rail, makes for easy commuting and uncomplicated travel.

For more information on Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City, visit the on-site sales suite, which is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 88 Morgan St. in Jersey City. Morning and evening hours are available by appointment. Contact the sales and marketing team by calling (888) 263-7003, e-mailing info@trumpplazaresidences.com or visiting the website at www.trumpplazaresidences.com.

To learn more about the TRUMP CARD Privileges Program, visit www.TrumpHotelCollection.com/TRUMPCARD. For more information on buon Italia gourmet Italian market, visit www.buonitalia.com

Follow us on twitter: @TrumpJerseyCity
Facebook link: facebook.com/TrumpPlazaResidJerseyCity
-or- Search for us on Facebook: Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City

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The post Real Estate Views-Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City Looks Ahead After A Summer Of Success first appeared on River View Observer.

Stasse continues, “At a time when we’ve adjusted our values to reflect the realities of today’s market, three years of parking valued at over $7,500 really provides a nice premium to a homeowner’s purchase.”

Stasse decided to extend the parking incentive from the original purchase deadline date of April 30th to May 31, 2010 when she realized that although the last group of purchasers did not have cars and were unable to take advantage of the parking incentive, they did receive a substantial burst of activity from people considering a purchase at Trump Plaza Residences because of the incentive. “Ultimately, we hope they choose Trump Plaza Residences regardless of whether they’re able to take advantage of the parking incentive or not.”

The homes at this stunning 55-story Gold Coast property, New Jersey’s tallest residential tower, include one-, two- and three-bedroom residences ranging in size up to 1,599 square feet. The homes are an extraordinary value for the level of luxury provided, with pricing for the one-bedrooms starting in the mid $400,000s, and pricing for the two-bedrooms starting in the mid-$600,000s. Penthouses are available but are in limited supply as are the three-bedroom homes. Pricing for those are available upon request. Adding to the value is a 20-year tax abatement that translates into reduced property taxes for residents.

The well-known Trump 24/7 concierge service is among the luxury hallmarks of Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City, along with their 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities. The indoor amenities include a screening room; a dining room with a full catering kitchen; a billiard and game room; a golf simulation room; a children’s playroom; a Roman-style aqua grotto; an in-house spa including massage facilities, locker rooms and saunas; and an Internet-accessible business center. The outdoor amenities include a landscaped lawn area, a heated pool with glamorous cabanas, a children’s tot lot and an impressive glass-enclosed fitness center.

All amenities are housed on the seventh floor and are managed by the on-site Trump staff who are available to help residents with treatment appointments, scheduling activities or booking private functions in the many social spaces throughout the property.

Each thoughtfully designed home features refined and contemporary design elements such as well-appointed stainless steel appliance packages in the kitchens; indulgent bathrooms with soaking tubs and/or showers; rich cabinetry and natural stone counters and vanities; elegant hardwood floors in living room, dining room and bedrooms; premium fixtures and finishes, selected for their durability and timeless appeal; and oversized custom windows that open out to sweeping views of the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty and New York City skyline.

The proximity of Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City to Manhattan and the rest of the Gold Coast, as well as its convenient location near the Exchange Place and Grove Street PATH stations, the waterfront ferry and the Bergen-Hudson Light Rail, makes for easy commuting and uncomplicated travel to and from work, entertainment events or shopping and dining.

For more information on Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City, visit the on-site sales suite which is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 88 Morgan St. in Jersey City. Morning and evening hours are available by appointment. Contact the sales and marketing team by calling (888) 263-7003, e-mailing info@trumpplazaresidences.com or visiting the Web site at www.trumpplazaresidences.com

About Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City
Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City is a full-service luxury high-rise condominium located at 88 Morgan St. in Jersey City, N.J. It is the tallest residential tower in the state of New Jersey reaching soaring heights of 55 stories with panoramic views of the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty and New York City skyline. Completed in 2008 with a total of 443 residences, the homes at this exquisite property all feature interior finishes of refined and contemporary design elements. Additionally, there are more than 40,000 square feet of amenities, managed by The Trump Corporation, which include such luxurious conveniences as a screening room, dining hall with catering kitchen, game rooms, sitting areas and lounges, heated outdoor rooftop pool with cabanas, in-house spa including massage, locker rooms and saunas, business facility, fitness center and indoor and outdoor children’s play areas. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.trumpplazaresidences.com

The post Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City Announces Added Parking Incentive first appeared on River View Observer.

Jersey City, N.J. (Mar. 3, 2010) – Trump Plaza Residences has been able to place many buyers into their dream homes at the 55-story Jersey City luxury condominium tower due in large part to the property’s FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loan-compliant status under which the federal government insures private loans to qualifying borrowers.

FHA mortgage terms for New Jersey, differentiating from county to county, allow for loans up to $729,000. The majority of prospective buyers at Trump Plaza Residences are first-time homebuyers seeking homes in the $450,000 to $600,000 price range, therefore qualifying for FHA financing. FHA loans have no income limits, allow for less-than-perfect credit histories and allow buyers to put down as little as 3.5 percent, compared to 10 to 20 percent for a conventional mortgage.
“Being able to tell prospective buyers that the property is FHA-qualified makes all the difference to those who didn’t think a luxury home at Trump Plaza Residences was within their reach,” said Jodi Stasse, director of marketing and sales at Trump Plaza Residences. “However, prospective buyers should be aware that the FHA guidelines are changing and that they should act now to take maximum advantage of the program.”

The FHA guideline changes, which go into effect this spring, could prevent a portion of borrowers from meeting the new, stricter requirements, said Ray Lamberti Jr., Trump Plaza Residences’ on-site Wells Fargo Home Mortgage representative. These changes, combined with the upcoming April 30 expiration of the $8,000 first-time homebuyer federal tax credit, have created a sense of urgency among buyers that has stimulated a surge in sales.

“The best thing first-time homebuyers can do for themselves is come in and talk to us today,” Lamberti said. “If there’s a chance the new guidelines could even slightly prevent a prospective buyer from obtaining a home here, then we need to work with that individual or family as soon as possible.”

Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City has already sold out over half of their 443 homes. The sales team takes pride in the care and attention they show to prospective buyers, offering them comprehensive financial guidance and consultation so they can find homes that will fit their budgets and fulfill their lifestyle needs. In addition, they help prospective buyers understand all components of their financial obligations, from monthly mortgage payments to maintenance fees.

A major appeal of Trump Plaza Residences is the incredible 40,000 square feet of lavish, Trump-managed amenities, including a screening room; a dining room with a catering kitchen; an outdoor landscaped lawn area; a game room; sitting areas and lounges; an aqua grotto; a heated outdoor pool with cabanas; an in-house spa including massage facilities, locker rooms and saunas; a business facility and a fitness center.

As the tallest residential tower in Jersey City, the building also features panoramic views from the George Washington to the Verrazzano Narrows bridges, and a convenient location near the PATH station, the waterfront ferry and the Bergen-Hudson Light Rail that puts all of Manhattan and the Gold Coast at residents’ doorsteps.

The homes at Trump Plaza Residences include one- and two-bedroom homes ranging in size up to 1,450 square feet. Prices for the one-bedrooms start in the mid $400,000s, while the two-bedrooms start in the mid-$600,000s. Three-bedroom homes and penthouses are available but are in limited supply, with pricing available upon request. The city has granted the building 20-year tax abatement, which translates into reduced property taxes for buyers.

“With the new FHA guidelines taking effect in the spring, the federal tax credit expiring in April and the 20-year tax abatement, I can’t imagine a better time to buy than right now,” Stasse said. “Plus, interest rates remain at or near historic lows. The fact that this fortuitous confluence of circumstances is unlikely to come again provides an incredible incentive for first-time homebuyers who are still on the fence to realize their dream of owning a home at Trump Plaza Residences.”

The details of the new FHA guidelines were announced last month, Lamberti said. The changes were initiated as a means of addressing the increased risk in the housing market and strengthening the FHA’s capital reserves, thus improving their financial position and ensuring their long-term ability to guarantee affordable mortgages.

Under the new guidelines, mortgage insurance premiums (MIP) will increase from 1.75 percent to 2.25 percent of the loan amount. In addition, there is a reduction of the allowable amount of seller concessions to the buyer from 6 percent to 3 percent. In the past, sellers could offer up to 6 percent of the home’s closing cost to the buyer as an incentive if the buyer used an FHA mortgage; now, the allowable concession is only 3 percent of the closing cost.

Other advantages of an FHA-insured loan include little or no adjustment to the mortgage interest rate during the life of the loan, a mortgage insurance premium (MIP) that is funded into the loan instead of being paid for out-of-pocket and the fact that the mortgage can be assumed by a qualified buyer, which means that if the seller’s mortgage carries a lower rate than the current market rate, the buyer can take over the seller’s mortgage. This is a great option for the buyer to have if they sell their unit five or six years later and the rates are higher at that time.

Yet another big advantage of a FHA-insured loan in today’s climate of widespread job displacement and workforce reduction is that, unlike with a conventional mortgage, friends or relatives can gift the down payment to the borrower.

For more information on Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City, please contact the on-site sales and marketing team by calling (888) 263-7003, e-mailing info@trumpplazaresidences.com or visiting the Web site at www.trumpplazaresidences.com

About Trump Organization

The Trump Organization is the world’s only global luxury real estate super-brand, and is responsible for many of the world’s most recognized developments. Trump is renowned for its leadership in real estate development, sales and marketing and property management, representing the highest level of excellence and luxury in residential, office and retail properties. The experience of owning a Trump property and living the Trump lifestyle is unparalleled. With each of its properties, Trump continues to consistently raise the bar for super luxury living.

The post REAL ESTATE- FHA Financing Brings Sales Success to Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City first appeared on River View Observer.

Exciting New Marketing Program And All-Star Team To Take Luxury Tower To New Heights Of Excellence

Already known for its luxury brand and swank atmosphere, Trump Plaza Residences is upping the luxury ante with a dramatic enhancement of the upscale 443-unit tower, the tallest residential tower in Jersey City, which is managed by the Trump Organization. The revitalization will include a grander entrance, creating a sense of arrival for residents and guests, and the enhancement of the already impressive amenities with a new design for the outdoor space that maximizes the full potential of the pool, cabanas and lawn areas.

In addition, a new all-star team of leading industry professionals is gearing up to launch an exciting new marketing campaign, which will kick off with a grand opening and unveiling of the interior spaces later this year.

“The Trump Plaza Residences are already known for their astounding panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline; their white-gloved concierge services; and their distinctive suite of amenities,” said Jodi Stasse, director of marketing and sales at Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City. “The re-imagining of the exterior amenities is raising the bar for luxury living in Jersey City.”

Celebrity interior designer Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz of Manhattan-based BNOdesign has been brought in to redecorate the entrance and the public spaces — including the heated outdoor pool — giving them the relaxed-yet-luxurious feeling of a hip urban mansion with a home-as-castle theme. The building’s chic, contemporary black and white design scheme will be enhanced with one that incorporates the lavish use of jewel-toned colors, opulent draperies and plush furnishings.

The result is to set Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City apart from other waterfront properties by making it more comfortable, sensual and welcoming while retaining the signature Trump prestige and allure. The building also will be officially renamed Trump Plaza Residences and will have its own logo, inspiring a new branding approach for this property in keeping with the distinctive branding that the Trump Organization already has established for their Trump Plaza Casinos and Trump Plaza Hotels, making this building the first residential property to be given this distinction.

All renovations will be completed in two phases – the model residences, sales center and all interiors will be completed in February 2010 and the outdoor space and landscaping, including the pool and new cabanas, will be completed in May 2010.

The luxury high-rise, which was started in 2006 and was completed in 2008, has 443 residences, of which more than half have been sold and closed. The property’s more than 40,000 square feet of amenities are comparable to those of the world’s grandest hotels, and include a screening room, dining hall with catering kitchen, game room, various sitting areas and lounges, aqua grotto, heated outdoor pool and cabanas, in-house spa including massage, locker rooms and saunas, a business facility and a fitness center. All amenities are managed by the Trump Organization.

Residences include one- and two-bedroom homes ranging in size up to 1,450 square feet. Prices for one-bedrooms start in the mid $400,000s, while two-bedrooms start in the mid $600,000s. Three-bedroom homes and penthouses are available but are in limited supply, with pricing available upon request. The property has a 20-year tax abatement program. FHA financing is also available, offering reduced interest rates and low down payments.

The residences feature panoramic views from the George Washington to the Verrazzano Narrows bridge, and a convenient location near the PATH, waterfront ferry and the Bergen-Hudson Light Rail that puts all of Manhattan and the Gold Coast at the residents’ doorstep.

For more information on Trump Plaza Residences Jersey City, please contact the on-site Sales and Marketing Team at (888) 263-7003, email: info@trumpplazaresidences.com or go online at www.trumpplazaresidences.com 

About Trump OrganizationThe Trump Organization is the world’s only global luxury real estate super-brand, and is responsible for many of the world’s most recognized developments. Trump is renowned for its leadership in real estate development, sales and marketing and property management representing the highest level of excellence and luxury in residential, office and retail properties. The experience of owning a Trump property and living the Trump lifestyle is unparalleled. With each of its properties, Trump continues to raise the bar of super luxury living consistently.

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