THE BERNARDS-RIDGE CONNECTION PAGE 56 SEPT/OCT/NOV 2025 theconnectionsnj.com CREATIVECORNER Ephemeral Art By Carolyn Hanson in warm water softens them enough for weaving. Willow branches also work. The technique is similar to wrapping yarn into a ball, plus tucking the ends and weaving as you go. I am thinking of adding fairy lights to the balls and leaving them in the labyrinth (along with the cement rope lawn sculpture - See my June 2025 article). I also crochet over large river rocks with white cotton yarn and place them in the garden. The sun bleaches them, and, over time, the cotton decomposes or becomes bedding for a squirrel’s nest. I am also fascinated by intricate crochet on leaf edges; elaborate mandalas created by monks using colored sand only to blow it all away upon completion; and intricate ice sculptures that catch the light and then disappear. All are so beautiful and so temporary. Everyone can enjoy this creative practice in any season and watch it return to nature. For Children: • Collect different color leaves and make designs on a path. The wind will whisk it away. • Carve a pumpkin. Leave it outside and wildlife will munch away. • Build a snowman or igloo and watch it shrink and melt. • Watch chalk drawings wash away in the rain. • Paint anything with water on a hot day and watch it evaporate. • Build a sandcastle, add shells and sticks. High tide erases all. Make a wreath from wildflowers and wear it like a crown all day. Welcome Fall. BTW, I highly recommend the self-guided walking tour in Vermont, www.vermontinntoinnwalking.com. Four inns, 43 miles, fabulous 3-course meals and luggage transported. Check it out. aking art out of natural materials is something I’m drawn to each season. It may disappear or decompose, but at the moment, for the moment, it is beautiful. Ephemeral art is just that…Art that is intentionally temporary. It does not leave a permanent mark. It can be fragile. Performing arts like dance and song, sculptures from natural materials, even paintings or drawings that wash away are all ephemeral art. This spring I took a walking tour in Vermont where previous walkers had decorated the trail with ephemeral art. I saw a stone cairn, a floral bouquet in an old high-top sneaker, and a labyrinth cut into a field of wildflowers. The locals call them “hoodoos”, and we added to them by making a lattice on a “Y” shaped branch and weaving in wildflowers, ferns, and leaves. We left our art beside a fairy house at one of the inns. It was such a fun group project. Now others on the trail will see our contribution to the trail art and perhaps refresh the flowers as they wither. At home, we have a healthy wisteria vine that covers a pergola. It grows like a weed, so the vines need to be trimmed every few weeks. My husband saves the trimmings. While they are green, I bend and shape them into wreaths and balls. If they are more woody or dried out, a soaking M mandalas created by monks using col t’s not too early to say that the holiday season will be upon us soon. In that spirit, Chris Baggio and I wanted to share our thoughts on how the past year has shaped our present outlook—and what we believe the future holds based on current market trends. In 2024, we experienced a textbook seller’s market. Inventory remained low, yet home prices continued to rise despite higher interest rates. Early in the year, buyers were hesitant, waiting to see if rates would drop—especially with the elections approaching. But demand for homes in our markets stayed strong. Although we saw fewer bidding wars, prices held firm. Sellers continued listing at premium prices and, in many cases, got what they asked for. In the luxury segment, savvy sellers began pricing ahead of the market, understanding that overpriced listings deterred buyers who feared bidding out of budget. Suburban towns like Basking Ridge, Bernardsville, and Mendham remained top destinations, attracting buyers from Hoboken, New York City, Bergen County, and other areas looking for more land, value, and space. As we moved into 2025, hopes for a rate drop persisted. While there was a brief lull around the election period, the market quickly picked up again. Sellers regained the advantage, but many, especially in the luxury tier, began adjusting prices with more strategy—focusing on maximum exposure and creating urgency through competitive pricing. Interestingly, it’s not always interest rates that influence luxury buyers—it’s mindset. When we asked buyers why they didn’t view or bid on a home, the top reason was, “I thought it would go over budget.” The lesson? Price realistically. Not low—but right. Here’s what the numbers tell us for 4-5 bed, 2+ bath homes listed from Jan 1 to July 31, 2025 in Bernardsville, Basking Ridge, Bedminster, Mendham, Far Hills, Peapack-Gladstone, Chester, and Morristown: • Available Homes: 30 Avg. Asking Price: $1,583,000 Avg. Days on Market: 74 • Under Contract: 83 Avg. Price Accepted: $1,323,000 Avg. Days on Market: 30 • Sold Homes: 217 Avg. Asking Price: $1,238,023 Avg. Sold Price: $1,302,000 Avg. Days on Market: 18 Average: 5% over asking The crystal ball is in the data: price it right, and you’ll attract more buyers. Many are still cautious due to pricing trends over the past five years. The luxury market has adapted best—and that confidence often trickles down to lower price tiers: $750K–$1.1M, and then $500K–$750K. Looking toward 2026, we expect a similar landscape. It will likely remain a seller’s market, though we’re seeing slightly more inventory and longer market times in the $750K–$1M range. Buyers are becoming more patient, cautious not to overpay. That behavior will nudge sellers toward more accurate pricing. If mortgage rates drop later this year or next, we could see one more strong wave of activity and pricing uptick. The duration of those lower rates will ultimately determine the next chapter of our market story. REAL ESTATE CORNER Past, Present and Future By Peter Lorenzo & Chris Baggio attract more buy The luxury mar I
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