Blog - Tandem Real Estate Group

Gas Fired Water Heater Maintenance

A Tank Based Gas Fired Water Heater is a unit which has a holding tank that holds heated water; further this water is heated by a gas fed flame. Did you know that there are measures you can take to increase the life expectancy of your home’s gas fired tank based Water Heater? The following […]

10 Tools You May Not Know About

Courtesy of Compass NYC Sales Manager, Fritz Frigan: I found a super interesting thread on Twitter and I thought it was worth sharing. Check the 10 web site or apps listed below. There is something for everyone. My favorite one is excelformulabot.com…. (you know I am obsessed with data!) I did not try it yet, but […]

Lunch and Learn with The Organized Leydi

Summary transcript (thanks AI!): MOBG Lunch & Learn - Leydi Rofman (2023-04-26 12:04 GMT-4) Introductions Susie Adamson: Hi everybody, and welcome to our first MOBG Lunch & Learn. I'm Susie Adamson, one of the partners at Tandem Real Estate Group at Compass. I'm joined by Bonnie Ramsey, and we're so excited to have Leydi Rofman [...]

Rising Property Premiums

Courtesy of Robert A. Davis, President, Davis Agency Insurance It is now late March 2023 and Property Insurance premiums continue to rise. Most people are seeing their homeowner’s insurance premiums going up by 10 – 15% this year with many seeing even higher increases. There are several factors behind the rising cost of property insurance. […]

Events, Local, Market, Sellers
April 5, 2023

Does the idea of selling your home overwhelm you?

Take the Guesswork Out of Your Next Move Watch the recording of our Home Sellers Webinar for tips and insights from these local experts! How do you tackle the monumental task of decluttering? Betsy Cahn & Linda Thibodeau of Curated Spaces share their advice and tips for decluttering, organizing, and preparing for your move. What [...]

REal Talk Jan 12 2023 – Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Should I stay or should I go?? Not sure if you should move now or wait? Tune in to hear what we're seeing in the market that might help guide your decision making... https://youtu.be/7KmaUrTLm00 Bonnie (00:00): Oh, we're filming. Susie (00:01): Yeah. Tandem Susie (00:03): Take one. Okay. So yesterday I had a great [...]

Dogs of SOMA 2023 Calendars are Here!

It’s here! The Dogs of SOMA 2023 Calendar! Don’t wait to place an order for this GREAT gift! Deadline for orders is November 27th. Calendars will be ready for pickup at Pet Wants in South Orange and The General Store in Maplewood in early December – just in time for the holidays! “We received an […]

REal Talk October 3, 2022

https://youtu.be/qkf6zXiyIec Confused by home prices? So is everyone! Having a hyper-local expert is your best bet for finding or selling a home in these times of transition... listen in for more on this... Susie (00:01): <laugh> Kelly, get in Bonnie (00:03): Here. <laugh>. Susie (00:04): Okay. So we haven't done a real talk in a [...]

Elktoberfest! Sat, October 1, 11am-11pm

A low-key, family-friendly day of food, games, live music! Guaranteed to be a fun time for a good cause. Come for an hour or spend the whole day! ALL are welcome. Bring a friend! Under 15 for FREE! No registration needed.

REal Talk August 01 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B851X6-VCuw Susie (00:03): Hi, Bonnie. Bonnie (00:04): Hi Susie. I like your new haircut. Susie (00:07): <laugh> Thank you! It's been a minute again. It's been a busy summer busier than we anticipated. We did have a hot minute where we got to take a breath. But it's good news for everyone that the market [...]

REal Talk June 23, 2022

https://youtu.be/dBSmzYoKpRc Susie (00:01): Hi, Bonnie. Bonnie (00:02): Hi, Susie. Susie (00:04): And hi, Kelly! Bonnie (00:04): Kelly! Bonnie (00:08): So excited to have you on REal Talk, Kelly! It's your official REal Talk debut. Susie (00:16): Yes. Debut. So for those of you who haven't heard... Kelly Lombardi, our good friend and excellent real estate [...]

REal Talk May 20, 2022 – How’s the Market?

https://youtu.be/Wm0qsucdA3c Speaker 1 (00:03): Hi, Bonnie. Speaker 2 (00:04): Hi Susie. Long time, no REal talk. Speaker 1 (00:08): I know I miss saying, "Hi, Bonnie." <laugh>. Okay. So we thought we should just do a market update cause we haven't done one in a while and the market has changed. Speaker 2 (00:19): Things [...]

About Those Magnolia Trees

Isn’t weather fun? As we wait for Winter and Spring to make up their minds about who’s turn it is, it’s not just our moods that suffer. You’ve probably noticed Magnolia trees suffering from winter burn after our recent weather-whiplash. We reached out to our friend, Catherine Redd, owner of Catherine Redd Horticulture + Landscape, for some advice: […]

Mom-Owned Business Networking Event

Mom-Owned Business Networking Event – Wed, 4/6, 7-9pm at Mana, 2168 Millburn Avenue, 206, Maplewood (same building as Carolina Drug & Surgical at the corner of Valley & Millburn Ave) Happy April, Moms*! Some of you may remember our Startup Showdown (originally Mompreneur Madness) competition, in collaboration with General Store Cooperative. We started that […]

REal Talk Jan 13 2022 – Tri-State Region (NY, NJ, CT) Local Market Insights

We LOVE collaborating with colleagues around the country!! This week, we chatted with some of our tri-state colleagues to offer local market insights for people considering NJ, Westchester, or both! Tune in! NY State vaca homes coming up... TRANSCRIPT Meggie (00:04): All right. Hi everyone. All (00:06): Hi. Meggie (00:08): Hi. We are so thrilled [...]

REal Talk Jan 6 2022 – Reflecting on our favorites from 2021

Happy New Year, one and all!! This week, we reflected on some of our favorite things from 2021 - shows, food, travel, etc. What were your favorites from the past year? TRANSCRIPT Susie (00:00): Happy new year, Bonnie~ Bonnie (00:02): Happy new year. <Laugh> It's a weird new year. I have to say... Susie (00:07): [...]

2022 Lunar Fest

Adamson Ramsey Homes is delighted to be the first sponsors of Lunar Fest 2022! Hoping that it is safe to hold this event this year!! Save the date! ~~ From https://www.facebook.com/LunarFestNJ Susie Adamson and Bonnie Ramsey of Adamson Ramsey Homes, Compass NJ have been strong supporters of Lunar Fest NJ since the beginning, and they […]

REal Talk Dec 22 2021 – What’s on the horizon?

It's almost the end of 2021!!!! Craziness!! And December has not cut us any slack this year! What's on the horizon? Tune in! Here is information about the Concierge program that we talk about - https://www.compass.com/concierge/adamson-ramsey-homes/ TRANSCRIPT Bonnie (00:04): Hi, Susie. Susie (00:06): Hi Bonnie. Bonnie (00:08): Are you ready for REal talk where we [...]

REal Talk Dec 10 2021 – Real Estate and Life!

REal Talk - Where we talk about Real Estate and Life! This week we talk about the surprisingly busy December market and what that portends for the Spring. We're also introducing a new format to our chats... tune in! TRANSCRIPT Susie (00:02): Hi, Bonnie. Bonnie (00:03): Hi, Susie. Welcome to REal Talk. Susie (00:07): Where [...]

REal Talk Nov 13 2021 – Holiday Cookies!

Can't believe last week was Thanksgiving and it's already Dec! Well, no time to catch our breaths! Time to make some holiday cookies! So here are some of our faves 🙂 Please share your go to recipes!! Bonnie: Chocolate Mint Candies Cookies - https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16212/chocolate-mint-candies-cookies/ Basic Sugar Cookie Recipe - https://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/2011/06/basic-sugar-cookie-recipe-2/ White Chocolate Trail Mix - [...]

REal Talk Nov 13 2021 – Thanksgiving!

Watch this week's REal Talk for some of Bonnie & Susie's favorite Thanksgiving recipes! Bonnie: Ribs - https://thestayathomechef.com/the-secret-to-crockpot-ribs/ Momofuku Brussels Sprouts - https://food52.com/recipes/19682-momofuku-s-roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-fish-sauce-vinaigrette BONUS: The best cranberry bread!! https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cranberry-nut-bread-13190 Susie: Cajun Cornbread Dressing - https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cajun-corn-bread-stuffing-5009 Momofuku Brussels Sprouts - https://food52.com/recipes/19682-momofuku-s-roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-fish-sauce-vinaigrette Cranberry Relish - https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/fresh-cranberry-relish/#recipe #thanksgiving2021 #thankful #thanksgivingrecipes Curious about selling? We’d love to meet [...]

REal Talk Nov 13 2021 – Special Edition: Yard2Kitchen

Wish you had an abundant garden but don't know how to set it up? Don't have a green thumb? Or maybe you're a master gardener but don't have a lot of time! Watch this week's REal Talk to see how Kirk Sohr from Yard2Kitchen created a beautiful, overflowing garden in Susie's backyard! Amazing, delicious, organic [...]

REal Talk Nov 1 2021 – AR Travel Log to Round Top, TX

In this week's REal Talk, we're sharing the first of our travel logs! Bonnie Leet Ramsey talks about her trip to Round Top, TX—where and what it is, how to get there, what you can find there, etc. Tune in to get a glimpse of why this town with a population of 88 people (!!) [...]

REal Talk Oct 7 2021 – What’s going on in Brooklyn?

We love working with our friends and colleagues, Meggie Simmons and Nigel Hall, of the Hall Simmons Team, Compass (https://www.compass.com/agents/hall-simmons-team/)!! It had been quite a while since we caught up with them and it was great finding out what they're seeing in Brooklyn. . Looking to make a move? Let us help you find just [...]

Senior Series Webinar on Medicaid Replay

One big takeaway from our Medicaid webinar with elder and estate law attorney, Allison Busch was to plan ahead. So, even if you or your loved ones are not in need of medicaid or long term care now, watch this recording to learn how to prepare… Connect with Allison and Bethany: Allison - LinkedIn / [...]

Homeowners’ Insurance Webinar Replay

Not only can knowing more save you money, but it can save you from untold headaches when you try to sell your property. What should you do when something happens to your home and you think to call your insurance company? Well, it depends! There are many variables you should consider before even making that [...]

REal Talk Sept 16 2021 – Post Ida Lessons Learned Part 2

The effects of Tropical Storm Ida are still very raw for many of us... this week, we talk to our friends at Goosehead Insurance - David Robinson Agency, who tell us why we may not want to call our insurance carriers when we have a water emergency in our homes. . And register for our [...]

REal Talk Sept 10 2021 – Post Ida Lessons Learned

It's been a doozy of a couple of weeks, y'all! We've learned a lot from Tropical Storm Ida and the havoc she wreaked. What did you learn? Mark your calendars for our homeowners' insurance webinar on Sept 30 at 8pm! Curious about selling? We’d love to meet with you to discuss how our local expertise [...]

Dogs of SOMA Calendar!!!

Thanks for all of the enthusiastic support for our idea of a Dogs of SOMA Calendar. We have decided to support the East Orange Animal Alliance with any profits from the sale of the calendar (Thank you, Lauren Kochman, for the rec!!) We REALLY want to keep this pretty simple and we’re doing this because […]

REal Talk Aug 21 2021- Oil tanks, Solar panels, and Insurance claims

Back together for a week before Bonnie gets some R&R! In this week's REal Talk, we highlight a few pitfalls we've seen in the past couple of years: oil tanks (the perennial favorite!), solar panels, and insurance claims. Tune in and share! Curious about selling? We’d love to meet with you to discuss how our [...]

REal Talk August 6, 2021 – Should I buy in a Seller’s Market?

We get so many questions from buyers about whether or not to buy during this “Seller’s Market” or to wait for things to cool off. We asked Justin Messing of NJ Lenders to weigh in and to crunch some real time numbers for us. The numbers may surprise you! **HINT** Mortgage rates make all the [...]

It’s Not Magic, But These 3 Tricks Will Make for a Smoother Refinance

Refinancing your existing mortgage loan to one with a lower interest rate can shave hundreds of dollars off your monthly payment. The key, of course, is to lower your rate by enough to realize these big savings. If you’re ready to lower the rate on your loan, here are three key tips to make the […]

REal Talk July 26, 2021 – NJ Market Insights & Predictions

Tune in this week to hear about the important market insights and predictions from the preeminent NJ housing expert, Jeff Otteau... spoiler alert: the market is not expected to "correct" in the near future... It's still a great time to sell! Curious about what you might get for your house? We’d love to meet with [...]

REal Talk July 20, 2021 – Let’s talk summer market and a meet-up!

I thought it was already August!! We are in summer mode, unlike 2020! Tune in to see what this summer's market is looking like and where to find us tomorrow (Wed, 7/21) Curious about selling? We’d love to meet with you to discuss how our local expertise and proven marketing strategy will get you the [...]

REal Talk July 9, 2021 – Let us connect you!

Thanks to those of you who have given us encouraging feedback about these videos!! We LOVE hearing that we're delivering value!!! This week, we talk about the connections we love making for people!! We know these towns inside and out and have loads of recs that you can pursue with confidence! PLUS, Shakespeare in Our [...]

REal Talk July 1, 2021 – How’s the Market?

How's the Market?" People ask us this all the time and so this week, we talk about how we address that question! (Spoiler: it's not a straightforward answer!) Curious about selling? We’d love to meet with you to discuss how our local expertise and proven marketing strategy will get you the most for your home. [...]

SOMSD School Re-districting webinar with Dr. Taylor

Updates from our Webinar with Superintendent, Dr. Taylor for more info on our school district re-zoning which will launch in September 2021 with the incoming Kindergarten class. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOMSD III Webinar with Dr. Taylor Transcript June 29, 2021, 8-9pm Susie (00:03): Okay. And I'll let you share your screen. And if you have questions, everyone [...]

REal Talk June 26, 2021 – Susie’s LBI Picks!

Check out our LBI roundup! Did we mention or miss your faves? Let us know! Summer can be a great time to make a move!! Reach out to find out why and talk through your options! Curious about selling? We’d love to meet with you to discuss how our local expertise and proven marketing strategy [...]

Shakespeare in Our Parks Presents Live Theater in Flood’s Hill

Shakespeare in Our Parks, producing in association with American Theater Group, will present Juliet & Her Romeo, an elegant abridgement of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Local artists Nathan Darrow and Susan Hyon have assembled a cast of three actors in their teens from Columbia High School in Maplewood, NJ who will collaborate with three experienced [...]

REal Talk June 18, 2021 – Hats off to the Graduates!

We missed a week but we're baaaaack!!! We're celebrating the end of the school year, talking about Shakespeare in Our Parks (!!!), and giving a quick market update! Tune in and share! Curious about selling? We’d love to meet with you to discuss how our local expertise and proven marketing strategy will get you the [...]

REal Talk May 27 2021 – Electric cars, gas prices and helping the environment

Tired of the high gas prices?? Want to do more to help the environment? Watch this week's REal Talk as we discuss electric cars!! Car chargers do add value to your home! Video Transcript Susie (00:04): Hi. Bonnie (00:04): Hi! We're having an evening chat. Susie (00:11): Yes. Bonnie (00:11): Very exciting. I have an [...]

REal Talk May 23 2021 – Renovations & Pool time!

Contractors, reno materials, and the end AAPI Heritage month -- pool party!! Experience, local knowledge, responsiveness, connections are key to selling your home and/or finding one in this crazy market! Message us today to get answers to your questions. Video Transcript Susie (00:03): Hi Bonnie. Hello, we're late this week with our real talk. Bonnie [...]

AAPI Heritage Month’s Upcoming Events

The events this month so far in honor Asian and Pacific Islander month have been so fun! It was so exciting for us to be co-sponsors of Maplewood’s first event, the Lion dance by the New York Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club. There are still some amazing upcoming events you’ll want to be sure to check […]

REal Talk May 16 2021 – This week in the market

It's a beautiful Friday! Tune in for a market update... even if you really don't think you are interested in moving... Video Transcript Bonnie (00:05): Hi! Susie (00:06): Hi. Bonnie (00:07): Good morning, Happy Friday. Susie (00:09): Happy Friday. So what are we talking about today, Bonnie? Bonnie (00:12): You know what we need to [...]

Events, Local
May 9, 2021

REal Talk May 9 2021 – Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the Moms out there! Watch our REal Talk this week for our Mother's Day gift to you! Video Transcript Susie (00:04): Oh, Bonnie. Bonnie (00:05): Oh, Susie. Susie (00:06): Hi. Bonnie (00:07): Hi, happy weekend. Susie (00:10): Happy weekend. Happy mother's day tomorrow. Bonnie (00:12): Yes. Happy mother's day [...]

REal Talk April 30 2021 – Why Buy Now?

Buyers: Should we wait to buy so that we're not competing in this crazy market? Watch this week's REal Talk to hear our perspective on this question! (Spoiler alert: the answer is, probably not!) P.S., it's also a great time to sell! Let us help you plan for the future by assessing what your home [...]

SOPAC Scavenger Hunt (May 1 -2)

We’re so delighted to be a co-sponsor of this fun community event!! Join the SOPAC Scavenger Hunt on a quest to beat the clock! Complete missions, earn points, and take the lead to victory. Missions range from text, photo, or location-based instructions for you to complete at your own pace during the weekend of […]

REal Talk April 23 2021 – We’ve Moved!

We’ve moved! Also, remember to vote in the final round of the Startup Showdown!!! Video Transcript Susie (00:01): Oh, hi Bonnie. I love that people have told us that they can tell that we have fun on these calls… Bonnie (00:10): We do! Susie (00:10): Because we’re grateful for all of our Watchers. And for […]

What’s The Difference Between An Appraisal And An Inspection?

Appraisals Home appraisals are done by an appraiser to help set a value of your home. Lenders use an appraisal to make sure they’re not lending a borrower more than the value of the home and that your buyers haven’t paid you more than your home is worth. Appraisers look at issues such as: The […]

Startup Showdown 2021 – Final Round!!!

We went from 8 amazing finalists to 4 and now, 2! Please vote for the WINNER of our amazing prize package and share with your friends and family so that your favorite gets more votes!! All of the details on our prize package and finalists can be seen at http://thestartupshowdown.com! Voting ends at midnight on […]

Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

May is AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Heritage Month and we are so pleased to be sponsoring the SOMA Cross Cultural Works celebration events! Plus, Startup Showdown! And, what’s coming next week… Video Transcript Bonnie (00:04): Hi, Susie. Susie (00:06): Hi, Bonnie. Happy Friday! We’re going to talk about why you’re standing in your […]