When you ask Marie Young about Basking Ridge, her home since 2003, she gets that sparkle in her eye as one does when about to disclose exciting news. It is true that Young adores her hometown—and she wants others to experience the welcoming sense of community, vibrancy and beauty that surrounds her daily.
She recalls driving into Basking Ridge for the first time as she explored towns when her husband was relocated to New Jersey from Darien, Connecticut. The Garden Club was beautifying South Finley with eye-catching plantings and the historic oak tree was a crown jewel in the church yard. It reminded Young of Main Street in Nantucket, and it was love at first sight.
Then, they met residents and knew this was where they wanted to live and raise their daughter. “Neighbors became friends, and it’s been a wonderful experience ever since,” says Young, who loves recording and sharing town events as well as the many acts of kindness she sees.
For 17 years, Young has reciprocated by guiding people home to approximately 500 residences in Basking Ridge and surrounding towns. Since she and her husband used Coldwell Banker to buy their Connecticut home, she knew that was where she wanted to affiliate herself when she received her New Jersey license.
Moving from a town she loved was probably the best training Young received, on both a business and, more importantly, emotional level. “It’s been an amazingly joyful experience and a lot of hard and rewarding work,” she says.
Young has earned the New Jersey Realtors Circle of Excellence Platinum Level Award every year since 2013, as well as New Jersey Monthly’s Five Star Professional Award and Real Trends Best of America award based upon sales volume. Young personally closed over $52 million in sales volume in 2021.
Young is a co-founder of The West Oak Team. The model is unique in that each member has her own “practice,” like a law firm, with her own client base and book of business. “We earn our own individual clients every day, and a client is never ‘handed off’ or forgotten. The team masterminds how best to serve its clients, collaborates on the best marketing trends to provide the widest exposure, uses its collective experience to help with pricing and makes sure all clients can see a new listing without delay,” Young says. “We occasionally partner where it is beneficial to our buyer clients.”
On the listing side, Young helps her clients navigate the many new complexities and regulations, providing fire extinguishers, arranging permit and certificate appointments, and resolving inspection issues. When a client is out of town, she lights up the home in the morning and locks up at day’s end.
To stay focused on the transactional end, Young has a staff consisting of a licensed administrative assistant, social media director and copywriter. “Our digital and social media presence is unsurpassed,” she says. “The expanded network consists of a stager, an award-winning photographer, videographer and a cadre of trusted vendors and service providers. The broader Coldwell Banker network is unsurpassed and worldwide. We bring our unique style and personality to each transaction, and that makes it more important that our clients have one realtor in the group, with the collective best of resources.” In 2021, the West Oak team had a sales volume of over $96 million.
“It's the most incredible feeling to know that people who are making a major life change are letting me be part of that journey,” Young says. “It is so rewarding. While optimal return on investment is a given, providing the greatest client experience possible is a must.”
Learn more at marieyoung.net or call Young at 908-938-2525.
Home Sale Trends
Best time to list is now: The Spring market has been replaced by a 12-month supply-and-demand market, and right now, demand far outweighs supply.
Outdoor space is premium: Level yards and pools are hot commodities. Privacy with a sense of community is cherished.
Floor plan types: Kitchens that open to the family room, cozy spaces, home offices, playrooms and finished basements are sought after.
Neutral colors, calm aesthetics, easy living have a better return on investment: Remove the heavy drapes, open up spaces, avoid bulky furniture and busy wallpaper.
Outdoor maintenance: Curb appeal is every buyer’s first impression. Many drive by while waiting for the showing date.
Care and maintenance shows: Check details like flooring, carpeting and trimwork. Don’t let your home appear too “lived in.”
Buyers: “We don’t just stage homes,” Young says. “We stage our buyers with strong pre-approvals, flexible close dates, appraisal relief and an understanding of a seller’s priorities.”