Realty Reality: July 2006

Monday, July 31, 2006

Locating A Form on the NJ REC Web Site

This is for those who are, or need, to conduct business with the New Jersey Real Estate Commission and require access to the Commission's Web site (there is also a comment about contacting by phone at the end).

First of all, as any in-state professional knows, the NJ Real Estate Commission (NJREC) is part of the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance (NJDOBI) . There are various ways to get to the NJDOBI's main page, but the two main addresses are:

http://www.njdobi.org
http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/

From there, you can get to the Real Estate Commission's main page:
http://www.njdobi.org/remnu.shtml (or http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/remnu.shtml)

Once at the main page, you can select the forms option.

My most recent interaction was an attempt to attain a "Letter of Good Standing". However, New Jersey refers to it as a "Certification Letter" and you have to fill out their "Certification Request Form" and on it indicate whether you want License History or not. (In my case, I do not need the history detail, so the cost for me was $25, instead of $50 if history is also needed.)

BTW, the REC's main phone number is (609) 292-8300, and the number dealing with licensing and Certification letters requests is (609) 292-7053. (Which, by the way, gave the wrong web address that accaserbated by confusion.) When you first get their recorded message, you will have the option to enter "1" for it you know the name or extension of the party you are trying to reach, or enter "2" for more recorded options. Inadvertantly, after several attempts with the system, I pushed "1" and then a zero. I got directly to a live person. Don't know if this works all the time, but something to test next time I need to contact them.

Keep America Beautiful

The Nation's Largest Community Improvement Network

Keep America Beautiful is a national nonprofit public education organization dedicated since 1953 to engaging individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their local community environments. For half a century, Keep America Beautiful has been the nation’s leading community improvement organization successfully implementing an effective, systematic strategy for reducing waste, preventing litter and beautifying communities nationwide.

Their national affiliate network involves more than 565 town, city, and county affiliates and 22 statewide programs, and this enthusiastic network leads the way in protecting and enhancing local environments in more than 15,000 communities. Their affiliate directors are community leaders who also are trusted spokespeople in their cities, counties and states.

Their Mission
To engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments.

Their Guiding Principles
• Individual responsibility
• Education
• Partnerships (government, business, civic)
• Volunteerism

Their Focus Areas
Keep America Beautiful provides sustainable solutions to improve the physical and visual aspects of community environments that individuals can directly impact through their own actions in the areas of:
• Litter prevention
• Beautification and community improvement, and
• Waste reduction

Visit my web site for additional resources and services: http://www.LawrenceYerkes.com

and visit http://www.BestHomes-NJ.com for the latest New Jersey Real Estate property listings (residential, commercial, multi-family, farm, land)

Sunday, July 30, 2006

NAR: Local Markets Drive Real Estate Competition

WASHINGTON - Real estate markets are essentially local and competition within local markets is fierce, including competition among agents associated with the same firm, Pat Vredevoogd Combs, National Association of Realtors®(NAR) president-elect, testified before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity at today’s hearing

Agents openly compete for local listings from potential sellers and for potential buyers on the basis of reputation, level of service and price. On a national basis, average commissions have significantly declined since 1991, said Vredevoogd Combs.

“Commissions or the price for real estate services are independently established by each firm or broker, as are the commission splits with the affiliated agents. Many agents are permitted to set their own commission rates and have the ability to negotiate what services to provide to their clients within prescribed limits set by their broker,” said Vredevoogd Combs, broker-owner of AJS Realty, in the highly competitive market of Grand Rapids, Mich.

There are approximately 2.6 million real estate licensees in the United States. Nearly 1.3 million of these are Realtors®. All Realtors® are members of NAR and subscribe to a strict code of ethics. There are a large number of firms competing in every market, and a growing number of largely independent contractor agents ensuring that the real estate industry remains fiercely competitive. “Firms and agents compete at the neighborhood level with each other for listings and sales. I would say this is a model of competition and a competitive industry,” she said following her testimony.

“Those who have criticized the real estate industry as anti-competitive are oversimplifying the issue by looking at real estate as one national market, which is not the case. Real estate is local and competition should be measured at a local level,” said Vredevoogd Combs. She cited a recent report published by professor Steven Sawyer of Pennsylvania State University who addresses an important implication that industry critics have ignored. Specifically, Sawyer found, “The evidence suggests that it is inappropriate to consider the U.S. real estate industry as a common or singular market. The local variations in firm, franchise level competition varies to a point that there are few, not many commonalities.”

NAR reports that today consumers have access to a vast amount of information about the home buying and selling process. Even so, homebuyers and sellers still depend on real estate professionals for their information, experience and expertise to assist them with the complex task of completing a real estate transaction. In the most recent NAR survey of homebuyers, 77 percent reported that they used the Internet to search for homes. The report also found that of those homebuyers who use the Internet to search for a home, 93 percent of them still use a real estate agent.

As technology continues to evolve, so too will the real estate professional’s use of the Web. Some of the areas where real estate professionals are focusing their technology interests in the use of the Web include increased reach to a wider audience of potential buyers and sellers, innovative visualization technology, seamless transaction technology, and real-time delivery of listing information. “Before the local Multiple Listing Service was widely available, the only source for a buyer to get information was directly from a broker. Having a shared computerized database expands the search and access to available inventory. The MLS is a powerful force for competition,” said Vredevoogd Combs.

The benefit of the MLS system has been widely recognized, including by the Government Accountability Office which has stated, “The MLSs provide important benefits to consumers by aggregating data on homes for sale and facilitating brokers’ efforts to bring buyers and sellers together.” The MLS enhances competition by exposing sellers to the largest number of homebuyers. Competition would be significantly reduced without the use of MLSs because it would be extremely difficult for small or new and independent brokers to succeed if they lost access to the large inventory of listings currently available through the MLS.

“Working for America’s property owners, NAR provides a forum for professional development, research, and the exchange of information among its members and to the public and government for the purposes of preserving the free enterprise system and the right to own real property,” said Vredevoogd Combs.

NAR’s testimony maintains, “Recent claims that NAR is limiting competition, protecting high commissions and limiting access to the listing information on the Internet are simply not true. A close look at the real estate industry shows that it is more competitive than ever, and access to information is at an all-time high. Realtors® add value to the transaction – not because we have any unfair advantages – but simply because our members share an unparalleled dedication and love for what they do.”

The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

Visit my web site for additional resources and services: www.LawrenceYerkes.com

and visit BestHomes-NJ.com for the latest New Jersey Real Estate property listings (residential, commercial, multi-family, farm, land)

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Super Garages: The Last Home Renovation Frontier

The garage may be the last frontier of home renovation, but you don't have to be a car collector to see the potential in this often-cluttered space. Once a repository for garden tools, miscellaneous junk, and maybe even your car, the humble garage is going designer. For many, it's the last frontier of the complete home makeover, a big open room that can be converted to a spacious showplace for a car collector or an activity center for the hobbyist. (Source: YahooFinance)

Full Story . . .

Friday, July 28, 2006

Homes Hurt By Rising Energy Costs?

Although it wasn't always true in the past, crude-oil and gasoline prices, along with higher financing costs and decreased affordability, may have pushed the US housing market into a palpable decline. With crude-oil prices leaping past $77 a barrel, a conflict escalating in Lebanon, supply concerns exacerbated by hurricane threats, Nigerian pipeline sabotage and a civil war in Iraq, there doesn't seem to be an end to the global energy anxiety. Rising fuel costs often translate into higher mortgage expenses as the Federal Reserve raises short-term rates to squelch inflation. Already approaching rocky shoals, the housing market is imperiled by gasoline prices climbing 6.3% in the producer price index last month alone. (Source: Bloomberg.com)

Full Story . . .

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Renters: How To Know If You Are Ready To Buy

Interest rates are rising and home price appreciation is slowing, so fewer buyers are looking for new homes. That gives landlords the upper hand to raise rents. Meanwhile, the real estate market is starting to turn from the seller's favor toward the buyer's. So if you're a renter who has been dreaming of homeownership, is now a good time to take the leap? Here's a checklist of eight things first-time home buyers should have squared away before they consider a purchase, no matter where analysts say home prices are heading. (Source: kiplinger.com)

Full Story . . .

Benefits To Buying In A Cooling Market

Residential real estate, a shining star of the national economy that seemed unflappable over the past couple of years, has hit a speed bump. Nationally, home price appreciation is slowing down from the rapid pace experienced by many markets over the past few years. Mortgage interest rates are on their way up. Is this any time to be thinking about investing in a home? Of course it is, if you're buying it for a place to live, not as a speculative investment, and can afford to take the leap. "Owning a home is still financially not a bad deal, as long as you have the income to support the cost of homeownership," said Jim Gaines, research economist for the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. Another caveat: "You better figure on living there five or six years to make any kind of profit on the thing." (Source: Marketwatch.com)

Full Story . . .

Protecting Intimacy While Family Caregiving

By Barry J. Jacobs, Psy.D

The 70-year-old husband whose wife suddenly has had a stroke is at first full of resolve and tenderness. He means to make good on his wedding vows and demonstrate his love after 45 years of a good marriage by protecting and caring for her during her time of need. But, after three years of caregiving, he is fulfilling the obligations of those vows but not the spirit. He continues to help her get around the house and feeds her but now regards her resentfully as a source of chores rather than as the wellspring of his happiness. He has long since stopped confiding in her about his feelings for fear that doing so would only upset her. Their relationship seems to be circumscribed by the drudgery of the day’s arduous caregiving tasks. All sense of intimacy—emotional or physical—has vanished from their marriage.

Not all long-term caregiving families experience a diminution of love among family members. For some, providing care to a loved one is so meaningful an endeavor that their relationships deepen; they cherish each other more, not less. But, for many others, caregiving itself becomes anathema to intimacy. Their actions become motivated more by obligation than love. Feeling entrapped by those obligations and whipsawed by resentments and guilt, they wind up distancing themselves emotionally from their ill or disabled family members to whom they’re ostensibly devoting their lives.

As a clinical psychologist who has worked with families coping with illness for nearly 20 years, I’ve struggled to help relatives protect the intimate bonds among them as a means of preserving their quality of life and capacities for coping with adversity. To be truthful, I usually only partially succeed. Because illness alters the balances of give-and-take between members, it changes their relationships usually for the worse. But I’ve developed several strategies that are helpful for some families:

Know what caregiving entails and talk about how to spread around the responsibilities. Family members who communicate with one another about what the sacrifices of caregiving means to each of them and negotiate as just and equitable a caregiving plan as possible do a better job of preserving mutual respect and affection. The sense of working on a caregiving team gives everyone a greater feeling of being heard and supported.
Keep caregiving in perspective—as only one part of the family’s story. As compelling and consuming as a loved one’s needs may be, they shouldn’t define who the family is. Other members’ needs must also receive the family’s attention and resources. It’s when people feel cared for that they’re willing and able to give love in return.
Make sure the ill family member can give something back. There is nothing as destructive to the intimacy in families as the loss of reciprocity. The well family member who gives and gives ultimately becomes depleted and resentful. The ill family member who receives without the opportunity to give back feels like a burden and is prone to guilt and depression. No matter how limited the ill family member is, I ask him to give something back to his caregiver, even if it’s only acknowledgement and gratitude. For the wife who had a stroke, I’d urge her to find some way of taking care of her bedraggled husband. Perhaps she could listen empathically to his woes. Perhaps she could scratch his back. It will be her best chance to encourage him to regard her as his spouse again, with all the love, commitment and mutual concern that the term should imply.

There are many corollaries to each of these strategies. I explore them at length (as well as six other essential tasks for family caregiving) in my new book, just published by Guilford Publications (see title below). For more information on it, please see my website. To read a sample chapter, click on the cover of the book below or go here.

Source: EldercareNetworkNews

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Federal Reserve Beige Book July 2006 Report

Reports from all twelve Federal Reserve Districts generally indicated continued economic growth during June through mid-July, with numerous individual reports pointing to evidence that the pace of growth has slowed. Several Districts characterized the overall pace of economic growth as "moderate" or "modest," although San Francisco reported that its economic expansion remained "solid" and Atlanta and St. Louis described overall conditions as "mixed." The Philadelphia, Cleveland, Richmond, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco reports each highlighted a decline in the overall rate of economic growth in their Districts.

Most reports on retail sales indicated slightly weaker conditions, on balance, than earlier in the year. But tourist spending remained robust, albeit with evidence of slower growth in some areas, and activity expanded for providers of nonfinancial services to businesses and consumers. Reports from the manufacturing sector were strong, with significant gains in output and sales, especially for durable goods. Producers in the agricultural and natural-resource sectors also saw strong demand, although some weather-related difficulties and other supply constraints were noted. Activity in residential real estate markets cooled in most parts of the country, but various Districts reported an ongoing pickup in demand for commercial space. Among financial institutions, lending activity mirrored developments in the economy more generally: commercial and industrial lending expanded further, while most Districts reported a decline in residential mortgage lending and some noted reduced demand for consumer loans.

In the Philadelphia (Third District) region, overall economic activity increased in early July, although the rate of growth appeared to be easing. The manufacturing sector improved but not as much as in June. Retail sales of general merchandise rose, but auto sales were flat. Bank lending increased, although demand for residential mortgages continued to fade. Service industry activity rose, but the pace of growth has slowed somewhat from the first half of the year.

Third District business contacts generally expect business activity in the region to expand in the second half of the year, but not quite as strongly as in the first half. Manufacturers expect further gains, but not a strong advance. Retailers anticipate sales to continue growing near the current rate, but they say it is difficult to predict how successful the fall season will be. Auto dealers expect sales to remain sluggish through the rest of the year despite the reintroduction of manufacturers' incentives. Banks anticipate a moderate increase in overall lending, but they forecast a further decline in mortgage lending for home purchases. Service-sector firms expect business to continue to rise in the second half of the year, but not as rapidly as in the first half.

The volume of loans outstanding at Third District banks rose modestly in June and early July, according to commercial bank lending officers contacted for this report. Commercial and industrial lending increased for most banks. Credit card lending expanded, but other types of personal lending have been virtually flat.

Demand for residential purchase mortgages eased. Deposit interest rates were rising at commercial banks amid competition among financial institutions within the region as well as from those outside the region.
Bankers in the District expect continued growth in business and consumer lending in the months ahead, although they believe the rate of growth is slackening. They also expect gains in credit card lending, but they expect little if any growth in other types of personal lending. They expect residential mortgage demand to decline further.

Click here for the full Federal Reserve July 2006 Beige Book

FCC Junk Fax Rule Takes Effect August 1

On August 1, 2006, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) rules regarding the Junk Fax Prevention Act (JFPA) take effect. The FCC released the rules on April 6, 2006. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®(NAR) summarized the rules, which clarify certain responsibilities of businesses when sending unsolicited faxes.

Visit the NAR for their Field Guide to Do Not Fax (as well as Do Not Call or e-Mail)

Click here for Entrepreanour.com overview article, The New Junk Fax Law (9/19/2005)

Visit the FCC's Consumer Fax Advertising Summary page for summary of the rules and to access further JFPA resources oriented to consumers.
Click here for the FCC's Consumer Facts Sheet, Fax Advertising: What You Should Know

Existing-Home Sales Flattening, Prices Cooling

Existing-home sales were down modestly in June, and home prices were up slightly from a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors®(NAR).

Total existing-home sales – including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – declined 1.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate1 of 6.62 million units in June from an upwardly revised level of 6.71 million May. Last month’s sales were 8.9 percent below the 7.27 million-unit pace in June 2005.

David Lereah, NAR’s chief economist, said the housing market is flattening-out. “Over the last three months home sales have held in a narrow range, easing to a level that is near our annual projection, which tells us the market is stabilizing,” he said. “At the same time, sellers have recognized that they need to be more competitive in their pricing given the rise in housing inventories. Home prices are only a little higher than a year ago.”

The national median existing-home price2 for all housing types was $231,000 in June, up 0.9 percent from June 2005 when the median was $229,000. The median is a typical market price where half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less.

“The change in price performance is directly tied to housing inventories – a year ago we had a lean supply of homes and a sellers’ market, with monthly home sales at an all-time record high,” Lereah said.

Total housing inventory levels rose 3.8 percent at the end of June to 3.73 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 6.8-month supply at the current sales pace. By contrast, in June 2005, there was a tight 4.4-month supply on the market.

NAR President Thomas M. Stevens from Vienna, Va., said opportunities have opened for home buyers. “People who were discouraged by the bidding wars that were so common over the last few years are finding more choices now,” said Stevens, senior vice president of NRT Inc. “Relative to the five-year housing boom, this year is a buyer’s market in much of the country with plentiful supply, along with interest rates which remain historically favorable, so it’s a good time to buy a home.”

According to Freddie Mac, the national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage was 6.68 percent in June, up from 6.60 percent in May; the rate was 5.58 percent in June 2005.

Single-family home sales eased 0.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.81 million in June from an upwardly revised 5.86 million in May, and were 8.2 percent below the 6.33 million-unit pace in June 2005. The median existing single-family home price was $231,500 in June, up 1.1 percent from a year ago.

Existing condominium and cooperative housing sales fell 5.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 805,000 units in June from a pace of 852,000 in May, and were 14.6 percent below the 943,000-unit level in June 2005. The median existing condo price3 was $226,900 in June, down 2.1 percent from a year earlier.

Regionally, existing-home sales in the Northeast declined 3.5 percent to an annual sales rate of 1.11 million units in June, and were 9.8 percent below a year ago. The median price in the Northeast was $298,000, up 7.2 percent from June 2005.

The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

# # #

1The annual rate for a particular month represents what the total number of actual sales for a year would be if the relative pace for that month were maintained for 12 consecutive months. Seasonally adjusted annual rates are used in reporting monthly data to factor out seasonal variations in resale activity. For example, home sales volume is normally higher in the summer than in the winter, primarily because of differences in the weather and family buying patterns.

Existing-home sales, which include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, are based on transaction closings. This differs from the U.S. Census Bureau’s series on new single-family home sales, which are based on contracts or the acceptance of a deposit. Because of these differences, it is not uncommon for each series to move in different directions in the same month. In addition, existing-home sales, which generally account for 85 percent of total home sales, are based on a much larger sample – nearly 40 percent of multiple listing service data each month – and typically are not subject to large prior-month revisions.

2The only valid comparisons for median prices are with the same period a year earlier due to the seasonality in buying patterns. Month-to-month comparisons do not compensate for seasonal changes, especially for the timing of family buying patterns.

3Because there is a concentration of condos in high-cost metro areas, the national median condo price can be higher than the median single-family price. In a given market area, condos typically cost less than single-family homes.

Existing-home sales for July will be released August 23. The next Pending Home Sales Index will be on August 1 and the forecast will be revised August 8.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Most Overpriced Places to Live

Forbes recently announced the most overpriced places to live. They are:

1. Essex County, MA
2. San Francisco, CA
3. San Jose, CA
4. Honolulu, HI
5. Cambridge, MA
6. New York, NY
7. Tucsan, AZ
8. Oakland, CA
9. Boston, MA
10. Los Angeles, CA

Click here for full story.

Monday, July 24, 2006

Most Expensive Homes For Sale In The U.S.

The most expensive single-family home listed in America has just gone on the market for $135 million, taking the "most expensive listing in America" title away from Donald Trump's oceanfront estate in Palm Beach (FL), which carries a $125 million price tag. The newly listed Aspen (CO) home is owned by Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, who is selling the estate to pursue his new responsibilities as chairman of his nation's new national Security Council.

Click her for full story.

Click here for Forbe's Most Expensive Homes In 2006 (prior to the new one mentioned above, also breaks out by region and state)

In New Jersey, according to a Forbe's article, the most expensive home as of 2005 was listed at $40 million.

Commercial 1% Fee Applies to Transfers August 1

A 1% fee (paid by the buyer) on the sale of commercial property over $1 million applies to deed and non-deed transfers occurring on or after August 1, 2006 in New Jersey.

The law expanding the 1% fee to include commercial property was enacted on July 8, 2006 as part of the state’s FY 2007 budget. NJAR secured an amendment to exempt those commercial transactions where a contract was fully executed by July 1, 2006 and the deed is recorded on or before November 15, 2006. Buyers who fall under this exemption are required to pay the 1% fee and request a refund from the New Jersey Division of Taxation within one year following the date of the deed recording.

Source: NJAR

Sunday, July 23, 2006

Marketing Words

Following article published by permission of the author:

We all know that phrases like "Who else wants to know" in a headline can improve our sales. Have you ever thought about the individual words and their impact on your profitability?

I recently performed a statistical analysis on several thousand ads while looking at individual words and profitability.

The first task was to determine the profitability of each ad being analyzed. This was done using the age-old mailorder marketing method. Basically, if you see an advertisement month after month and year after year, it is probably profitable. If you see an ad only once or twice and then it changes or disappears completely, the advertisement was probably not very profitable.

The next task was to simply look for the occurence of a list of words in each ad while noting whether the ad was profitable or not. The results were tallied and lots of words were removed from the list because there simply wasn't sufficient data to come up with a statistically significant result.

I won't bore you with the rest of the details. Here is a list of some of the words found much more often in profitable ads than in ads that didn't produce a profit:

accessories, an, best, blue, buy, by, causes, cheap,
discount, discover, easily, fast, find, guaranteed, has,
improve, increase, lower, more, nationwide, near, need,
of, on, one, order, payments, powered, pricing, rates,
reduce, stop, superb, the, view, what, with

Here is a list of the words found much more often in ads that were NOT profitable:

affordable, after, and, as, at, before, better, help,
here, how, else, excellent, experience, for, led, listings,
loan, method, money, mortgage, naturally, now, options,
photos, search, secret, secrets, sell, step, to, try,
unlimited, us, who, you, your

Now keep in mind that correlation can not prove causality. This research isn't saying that all ads that use the word "excellent" are doomed to being unprofitable. However, it is saying that a statistically significant percentage of ads that use the word "cheap" are profitable and a majority of those that use the word "affordable" are not profitable.

If your ad copy currently uses the word "affordable" (a word from the "bad" list above) and you change that word to "cheap" (a word from the "good" list above), will your profitability increase? There are no guarantees. There are an unlimited number of factors that could impact that result. Not ALL ads that use the word "cheap" were profitable. Not ALL ads that use the word "affordable" were unprofitable. However, the use of the word "cheap" instead of "affordable" is more likely to improve your profitability.

You still need to split test to find out the answer in any particular situation. But, why not start out with the most likely words to be profitable in ad copy generally speaking?

Take a look at your current ad copy and see if you can find any of the words in the "bad" list that have good replacements in the "good" list. Run a split test and see if your profitability increases. What can it hurt to put some math on your side?

Author: JamesD.Brausch

Visit my web site for additional resources and services: http://www.LawrenceYerkes.com

or visit http://www.BestHomes-NJ.com for the latest New Jersey Real Estate property listings (residential, commercial, multi-family, farm, land)

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Hurricane Preparations Underway With One Eye Toward Beryl

The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management is working with the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to implement hurricane preparedness planning while Tropical Storm Beryl builds steam in the Atlantic.

The last storm to severely impact New Jersey was Hurricane Floyd in 1999. Floyd caused $6 billion dollars worth of damage across the eastern part of the U.S. with North Carolina and New Jersey sustaining the most severe impacts. Inland flooding caused the majority of the 57 total deaths from Floyd and four of the deaths were in New Jersey.

Currently State and Federal officials are already working together to create action plans, strengthen existing networks, clarify commodity staging plans, and identify available resources, should a state of emergency and subsequent disaster declaration result from Tropical Storm Beryl. FEMA is prepared to coordinate federal resources with New Jersey to support local emergency response systems and assets already on the ground.

New Jersey residents should also take this time to reassess their own emergency plans, evacuation routes, and preparedness supplies. There is no substitute for individual preparedness when it comes to safety during an emergency. [See our our blog's 'articles index' for related articles.]

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Reference: FEMA Release Number: 1653-007

Depression - Symptoms and Help

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), depression is a serious medical illness; it’s not something that you have made up in your head. It’s more than just feeling "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. It’s feeling "down" and "low" and "hopeless" for weeks at a time. more>>

It can effect people at any age, including seniors where it is one of the major reasons for admission to nursing homes.

Signs & Symptoms

Persistent sadness, anxiety or "empty" feelings
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in ordinary activities that were once enjoyed, family or friends
Decreased energy, listlessness, fatigue, feeling slowed down
Changes in sleep patterns - insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
Difficulty in concentrating, remembering or making decisions
Thoughts of suicide or death
Restlessness, Irritability
Excessive crying, sometimes without reason
Recurring aches and pains such as headaches and backaches that don't respond to treatment.

If you or anyone in your family experiences or exhibits these symptoms you need to first make sure that there are no other medical reasons for this occurring and then begin proper procedures and treatments to correct.

Here are resources for learning more about, getting help and dealing with depression:
NIMH - Depression
Depression - IFRED

New Jersey Disaster Recovery Centers To Close Sundays

TRENTON, N.J. -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management announced today a change in the hours of operation for the Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in New Jersey. The DRCs will now be open six days a week, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., closed Sundays.

It is possible to register for assistance at a DRC, but to gain the most from on-site personnel; individuals should register for assistance before visiting. New Jersey residents can apply by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or 800 462 7585 for those who are hearing or speech-impaired. The FEMA application line is open 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. seven days a week, until further notice. You can also register online at www.fema.gov.

DRCs are available to serve residents affected by the severe storms and flooding in Hunterdon, Mercer, and Warren counties. DRCs provide residents an opportunity to meet face to face with representatives from state, federal, and voluntary agencies to find answers to questions they may have about the recovery process. Loan officers from the U.S. Small Business Administration are on hand to help individuals fill out loan applications and answer questions.

The following is a list of DRC locations; now open Monday through Saturday, as of July 19, 2006:

Mercer County
West Ward Fire House
Corner of West State Street and Lee Avenue
Trenton, NJ

Hunterdon County
Municipal Court Parking Lot
#25 South Union Street
Lambertville, NJ

Warren County
Harmony Township Municipal Building
3003 Belvedere Road
Phillipsburg, NJ

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Source: FEMA Release Number: 1653-008

Friday, July 21, 2006

Rents Heat Up As Home Prices Cool

After years of slack demand and incentives from many landlords, apartment rental markets are tightening in many parts of the country, especially in areas where home sales have begun to slow. Rents are expected to increase nationally by 5.3% this year, about twice what they did last year, according to NAR. Real-estate experts credit a strong economy, low unemployment, and sky-high home prices that have boxed out many would-be buyers, not to mention those who have decided to put off a purchase until the market cools off. (Source: US News.com)

Full Story . . .

Land Use Laws Can Be Challenged and Changed

Land use regulations are designed to provide a uniform mechanism for controlling development in a community. They are intended to serve many functions. They protect the environment. They provide aesthetic controls. And they incorporate public safety requirements as well. These regulations are often adopted by local legislative agencies. They might include local land use boards, local town councils, or perhaps county based agencies or authorities. Such local land use laws are presumed to be valid and legal by reviewing courts. But that presumption may be challenged. Some of these laws are in fact excessive and subject to successful challenge. (Source: Realty Times)

Full Story . . .

Men Reclaiming Space In The Home

A century ago, male-centered rooms were common household features among the well-to-do. Billiards rooms and so-called "snuggeries" were a man's respite from domestic life. Since then, the male space has been absorbed into the rest of the home. However, more American males seem to be responding by making a concerted effort to reclaim their space. "Ninety-eight percent of men want a space of their own, and the other 2% lie about it," says Sam Martin, author of the forthcoming book, Manspace: A Primal Guide to Marking Your Territory. (Source: MSN Real Estate)

Full Story . . .

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Upload Your Image Files to View For Free

There are many services that allow you to upload your files for free. Some require login others do not. Here are some resources...

Imageshack.com is an example of one of the many "portal" pages that gives you various links, depending on your needs, from completely free with no registration or login (just upload and link, making it great for referencing images on blogs and classifieds) to full featured services.

AllYouCanUpload.com is totaly free and easy to use (and is part of the CNET Networks organization.) You have option of registering to maintain an album of your images.

ImageShack.us (NOT to be confused with the portal site listed above with similar domain name) provides an easy-to-use image hosting service. You have the option of registering to maintain your images in an album, or not.

PhotoBucket.com allows uploading of images and videos for free (size limits). Requires registration, but viewing does not.

Flickr.com - allows uploading of images. Requires registration, viewing does not.

There are many more similar sites, but those should get you started.

Cost Segregation Can Reduce Your Company’s Tax Burden

Taxpayers who have placed real property into service after December 31, 1986 can realize $20,000 to $80,000 in tax benefits per $1,000,000 of a building’s tax basis. They can accomplish this by utilizing shorter recovery periods and accelerated depreciation methods available to them through the application of Cost Segregation techniques.

For instance, identifying 10% of a $1,000,000 building as tangible personal property, as allowed under IRS Code Section 1245, rather than real property (Section 1250), and depreciating over 5 years rather than 39 years, creates $23,000 of tax benefits. Identifying 10% of a $1,000,000 building as Land Improvements rather than real property, therefore depreciating over 15 years rather than 39 years, creates $12,000 of tax benefits. (Source: Marshall-Stevens via Realstratpublications.)

Click here for full article.

See also prior article: Cost Segregation: Why are 90% of Real Estate Investors Overpaying Federal Income Taxes?

Why Johnny Can't Read: Schools Favor Girls

According to a FoxNews.com article, studies have long shown that boys in the United States and around the world do not read or write as well as girls. However, the common wisdom of why is now being disputed. This gap does not exist for homeschooled boys and girls, so what is being done differently in our school system to cause this? Research studies now appear to be indicating that the problem may be due in part to current reading programs thar are designed more for girls.

Full Story...

Grow Your Business - Publish A Book

Publishing Your Own Book Is Getting A Lot Easier Thank You May Think

In the past, publishing a book was just for the "professionals" or those with enough money to fund it themselves. Publication costs were high. In addition, it required a commitment of large amounts of time for preparation and setup.

Now, with current technology, it is relatively easy, inexpensive and quick to produce a professional quality book in limited quantities, even one or two.

Many printing services now have short-run presses handling any quantity, allow choices in quality (for example, you can choose a linen fabric hard cover with or without a dust jacket) and provide software that allows you to layout the manuscript and submit it for publishing. In addition, some provide options for manual editing and layout services if you don't have the time or feel comfortable doing it yourself.

This opens up all sorts of marketing, promotion, publicity, award and customer/employee appreciation uses -- all providing benefits to your business. For example, a real estate agent can publish a book on a large property or development project they are marketing, they can publish a book for home buyers/sellers that will help identify themselves as experts in their field and enhance their image, they can publish a Here's Your Life (or Your Home) as a gift or reward for customers or employees, creating bound photo albums, yearbooks, group recipe books, catalogs and immortalizing an event... the possibilities are endless and applies to any industry.

Here are some existing resources available to get you started if you want to explore the use of this tool for helping in developing and expanding your business:
Blurb.com - provides free software for creating/laying out manuscript. Will be providing online facilities to handle publishing of group projects.
Lulu.com - printer and order-fullfillment service, publishing in color or black and white, has cover design system.
Sharedink.com - you can have different versions of a book with specific pages left out.
Kodak Gallery - while not publishing standard (mainly text) manuscripts, it does offer publishing of bound photo albums (as does: Picaboo, Snapfish and Shutterfly)

Click here for a more in-depth discussion (it was a primary reference source) in the NY Times Technology's article: Technology Rewrites Book.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

New Housing Starts Drop In June

July 19, 2006 - Total housing starts dropped 5.3 percent in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.850 million units, according to figures released by the Commerce Department today. This was 11.0 percent below the pace of a year ago.

Single-family housing starts were down 6.5 percent for the month to a pace of 1.486 million units, a 13.8 percent drop from the June 2005 pace. Multifamily housing construction was up 0.3 percent for the month to a seasonally adjusted pace of 364,000 units.

“NAHB’s surveys of single-family builders have been showing a steady decline in confidence since the middle of last year, and builders are acting accordingly. They are slowing their production as market conditions and demand cool down,” said David Pressly, president of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Statesville, N.C.

“The June declines in single-family starts and permits clearly show that the housing downswing still is underway, a pattern consistent with our signals from the field,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Seiders. “Builders are reporting not only systematic declines in home sales, but also increases in sales cancellations and inventories—due to eroding affordability conditions as well as a withdrawal of investors/speculators from the market.”

Click here for rest of News Story...

Prepare Your Home For Emergencies

Disasters strike with little or no warning, their effects lasting far longer than the events themselves. During emergencies decisions must be made quickly under the most pressing of circumstances. The best defense for you, your family, and your home is to make the right preparations before a disaster occurs.

The first step is to get properly informed. Learn which disasters could potentially affect you and how to
prepare for them. You'll then be able to determine what still needs to be done to make your home as safe as possible. Be sure to communicate with everyone in your household, and together come up with a Home Disaster Plan. Some items to include:

"Safe zones" within the home during different kinds of emergencies, and what to do once there.
Safe evacuation routes/procedures and designated meeting spots.
Emergency telephone numbers and when to use them.
A designated, out-of-state "family contact" (it's often easier to call long distance after disasters)
How and when to turn off utilities.

Every home should also have an Emergency Supplies Kit. This kit should be stocked with items that would fill your most basic needs in the days following a disaster (a detailed list of emergency supplies can be found on the website of the American Red Cross). These can be stored in a large covered trashcan, duffel bag, or sealed plastic container. The following essentials, however, should be kept in an easy-to-carry container in the event of an evacuation:

One gallon of water per person per day. Enough for three days is ideal.
A three-day stock of non-perishable foods that require little or no preparation
A fully stocked First Aid Kit
Mess kits or plastic cups, plates, and utensils
Battery operated radio (preferably a NOAA weather radio)
Flashlight and extra batteries
Cash and/or traveler's checks
Utility knife and manual can-opener
Matches
Emergency preparedness manual
Toilet paper
Soap
Personal hygiene and feminine products
One complete change of clothing per person
Sturdy shoes or work boots
Rain gear
Blankets or sleeping bags
Specialty items such as baby formula, prescription drugs, and contact lenses

Click here for related prior blog articles.

Positioning the Brain-Computer Interface

Article from [Geeks are Sexy] Technology News...

Giving paralyzed people the ability to move a mouse cursor or control prosthetic devices using their brain has long been thought impossible, but fortunately, a new brain implant now turns fiction into reality (Videos). The news was all over the place, so you probably already know about this, but what you probably do not know is how this new technology works right? If you feel the need to quench your thirst for knowledge, Nobel Intent has a great post explaining the basics behind this revolution. This is definitely a worthwhile read for all of you science freaks out there.

Read more.

Best Home Investments: Getting The Best Return On Your Remodeling Projects

From An MSNBC.com item about a Forbes.com story...

Interest rates are up, the real estate boom has petered out, and so, it appears, has the remodeling frenzy. In 2001, U.S. homeowners spent $104.6 billion on remodeling projects, estimates Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies. By the end of 2005, spending had risen to $149.5 billion — an increase of 43 percent over four years. "It was the stars aligning," says Kermit Baker, director of the remodeling futures program at JCHS. "Financing costs were very low for people who were choosing to finance a project. Putting some money in your home seemed like a fun way to spend money but also a good investment."

But according to JCHS, renovation spending slowed considerably in the first quarter of 2006, growing just 4.5 percent over the prior 12 months. Home equity loans, a major financing vehicle for Americans looking to upgrade their properties, became more expensive. And the real estate market softened — considerably, in some areas. No longer can home owners slap improvements onto their properties, secure in the knowledge that they will recoup that money, and maybe substantially more, when it comes time to sell.

Under these circumstances, it's worth taking a closer look at remodeling investments, and how much of a return you can really expect to get on them. (Source: USC Lusk Casden Forecast)

Click here for details.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

America's Best Places to Live 2006 Announced by MONEY Magazine

MONEY magazine has named Fort Collins, Colo., the Best Place to Live in America. The magazine released its annual Best Places list yesterday. The selection criteria for 2006 was based on observations that Americans are flocking to places that offer big-city opportunities and amenities -- with a lot more green space and a lot less stress.

Fort Collins was followed by (2) Naperville, Ill., (3) Sugar Land, Texas, (4) Columbia/Ellicott City, Md., (5) Cary, N.C., (6) Overland Park, Kans., (7) Scottsdale, Ariz., (8) Boise, Idaho, (9) Fairfield, Conn., (10) Eden Prairie, Minn. Profiles of the top 10 and a full winner's list appear in MONEY's August issue, on sale July 24, and visitors to MONEY's Web site, CNNMoney.com, can pore over the numbers on more than 700 places considered for this year's list.

"This year we set out to find small livable cities that had the best possible blend of good jobs, low crime, quality schools, plenty of open space, rational home prices and lots to do," said MONEY Executive Editor Craig Matters. "These places reflect the qualities that most Americans want when it comes to a place to live and raise a family - the opportunity for themselves and their children to prosper and a quality of life that lets them enjoy the fruits of their work."

New Jersey placed 5 towns in the top 50: Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ (17), Edison, NJ (28), Wayne, NJ (32), Cherry Hill, NJ (47) and Middletown, NJ (50).

Click here for more of MONEY's best places to live for 2006.

Last year, MONEY's best place to live was Moorestown, NJ based on the criteria of Great American Towns -- where you would want to raise your children and celebrate life's milestones.

Click here for my previous article: Best Place to Live in USA (2005): Moorestown, Burlington County, New Jersey!

Visit my web site for additional resources and services: www.LawrenceYerkes.com

and visit BestHomes-NJ.com for the latest New Jersey Real Estate property listings (residential, commercial, multi-family, farm, land)

Importance of Homeownership Tax Preferences in All Congressional Districts Detailed in Study

Among the 35 million taxpayers who use the home mortgage deduction, the average amount of mortgage interest deducted among each tax filer is $9,650. For those who deducted real estate taxes, the average is more than $3,000, making these two of the most widely used and important preferences in the federal tax code, according to a new study released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

Using the most recent IRS data available from 2003, the report provides an in-depth analysis of the local use of the mortgage interest and real estate deductions in each of the 435 congressional districts across America.

It found that every state has at least one congressional district that had a minimum of $259 million of mortgage interest and $43 million of real estate taxes deducted.

“Because the mortgage interest and real estate deductions significantly reduce federal tax liabilities for home owners, they are important tools for promoting homeownership,” said Jerry Howard, executive vice president and CEO of NAHB. “The report shows that millions of working families across the nation use and depend upon these important tax incentives to help them maintain their current standard of living.”

According to the findings, the average congressional district contains roughly 80,000 taxpayers who use the mortgage interest deduction and 88,000 families who deduct real estate taxes, illustrating the widespread use of these important middle-class tax preferences.
On a national basis, 35 million taxpayers utilized the mortgage interest provision in 2003 and deducted a total of $338 billion, or an average of $9,650 per household.

There were 39 million taxpayers in 2003 who deducted an aggregate of $119 billion in real estate taxes, or an average deduction of more than $3,000 per tax filer.

Higher mortgage interest deductions occurred in areas with rapidly growing populations and high house prices. California posted the highest average among states at approximately $14,000 per taxpayer. The 14th district of California, which encompasses parts of San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, ranked first with an average of roughly $35,000 per household.

The top six congressional districts in terms of cumulative mortgage interest total more than $15.5 billion and are located in the Golden State. By contrast, the five congressional districts with the least mortgage interest deducted are located in the New York City metropolitan area, where renters exceed the number of home owners.

Not surprisingly, on a statewide basis, California had the most amount of mortgage deducted at $64.9 billion. Several other states across the country also registered at least $10 billion in mortgage interest deducted, including New York ($19.7 billion), Florida ($17.6 billion), Texas ($16 billion), Illinois ($15.9 billion), New Jersey ($12.9 billion), Michigan ($11.5 billion), Virginia ($11.3 billion), Ohio ($10.9 billion), Pennsylvania ($10.8 billion) and Georgia ($10.6 billion).

Higher real estate tax deductions were prevalent in areas with high home prices and real estate tax rates. New Jersey, with an average real estate tax deduction of $6,000, had the highest average among states. The Garden State was followed by New York ($5,181), New Hampshire ($4,830), Connecticut ($4,769), Texas ($4,501) and Illinois ($4,129).

For more information on this report as well as more in-depth analysis, key data and housing forecasts, please subscribe to www.HousingEconomics.com, NAHB’s economics publication for America’s housing industry. Annual subscription prices start at $195 for NAHB members and $295 for non-members.

Source: NAHB

Monday, July 17, 2006

Effective Pricing Leads to Selling Success

According to a recent report, about 75% of homebuyers surf the Web to begin their home search. That means home buyers are well aware of what properties are available on the market and the prices they are selling for. Therefore, now more than ever, pricing is the key to selling your home.

Some sellers think that a higher price will give them some negotiating room. But in fact many buyers don't even look at a property that is overpriced, much less make an offer on it.

This can lead to the property’s becoming “shop-worn.” Buyers often inquire about the length of time a property has been on the market. If it has been on the market a long time, they wonder if there is something wrong with it. The sellers then have to drop the price, taking less than they might have if they had priced it correctly to begin with.

Homes that are well-priced attract the buyers in their price range. The buyer's perception is that the home is a good buy, and then the seller is positioned to receive the listing price or close to it.

Please feel free to call or email us if you have any questions. We would be happy to provide you with a market evaluation on your home to make sure it is competitively priced in the marketplace so you will receive the best offer.

Source:1HomeRebate

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Off-Roading At Wharton State Forest, New Jersey

Wharton State Forest, which is part of an area known in New Jersey as the Pine Barrens, is the largest single tract of land within the New Jersey State Park System. It is also the site of Batsto Village, a former bog iron and glassmaking industrial center from 1766 to 1867 that currently reflects the agricultural and commercial enterprises that existed here during the late 19th century.

Throughout Wharton are rivers and streams for canoeing, hiking trails (including a major section of the Batona Trail), miles of unpaved roads for mountain biking and horseback riding and numerous lakes, ponds and fields ideal for wildlife observation. Bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, marsh hawks, ospreys, great blue herons, swans, screech owls, great-horned owls, bluebirds, hummingbirds, purple martins, goldfinch, turkeys, beavers, river otters, fox and deer are only some of the wildlife the alert visitor can see. Wharton is easily accessible within Southern Jersey.

My son (pictured at left -- if you look closely you will notice the 2 kayaks in the water off in the distance behind him -- and below with Jeep) and I decided to take the afternoon to go off-roading on some of the miles of trails within the park that are open to wheelers (using existing trails cut by the forest service for access and to fight fires). The size of the park and the variety of trails means that you have areas where no one else will be in sight and you can enjoy a relatively private experience enjoying nature.

For off-roading enthusiasts, while lacking in mountain-terrains, there are many levels and varieties of challenges which can not be fully accessed without a 4-wheel drive vehicle. This includes deep sand, flooded sections of trails during wet seasons, steep banks and deep gullies or crevices; and you are always surrounded by protected sections of God's creation that are almost as they were when first seen by man.

We took our 6-cylinder, '90 Jeep Wrangler (which has been upgraded for off-roading) for a spin and had a great time. We had a chance to test our off-road driving skills, extend the known limits of our vehicle, and took in the beauty and serenity of the park.

We had a great time together, enjoyed the outdoors, and are determined to soon return and explore more trails and "discover" new territories that relatively few others have seen or experienced.

Here are some additional links to resources for experiencing New Jersey's parks and pinelands areas:
The ParkDay Organization
Plan To Take A Hike
Batona Trail Club Batona Trail Guide (Text Only)
Hiking In New Jersey
Visit South Jersey - Camping and Hiking
NJ State and National Parks
PineyPower - New Jersey Pine Barrens
Trail Report: Pine Barrens Jeep Jamboree
4x4 Now Trail Reports - Pine Barrens
Jamboree USA - Schedule
Jersey Devil 4x4
Jeep Jamoree Video of Pine Barrens