Real Estate Information

Well, having done a ton of research as to the best methods of removing mold, I've come to the conclusion that there is an enormous amount of conflicting information out there, and to be on the safe side I'm directing you to the EPA's mold removal information. That way there can be no arguments in the future. This can be very dangerous stuff and needs to be taken very seriously. So click here and let me know if what you find on their site doesn't answer your immediate concerns.

Vanessa Saunders 845 598 5083  vanessa@wesellny

Fungi Kingdom

The Kingdom Fungi is a diverse kingdom consisting of over 1 million species and includes mushrooms, molds, and yeasts.  Fungi are mainly saprophytic meaning they obtain their nutrition from the breakdown and decay of organic matter. They can thrive in many places such as soil, plant litter, wood, live plants, dung, animal remains, fungal remains, etc, and play a vital role in the environment as a decomposer of dead-plant matter. 

Molds

Commonly called mildew, molds (sometimes referred to as "black mold") are a subset of fungi that produce fluffy or powdery growth on surfaces. Toxic molds can grow on cloth, carpets, leather, wood, sheetrock, insulation (and on human foods) when moist conditions exist.

Molds are ubiquitous, the most common form of fungus on earth,  and may grow at high levels indoors, in a home or building, if the right environmental conditions exist. Factors that influence the distribution of molds are most importantly a source of moisture, proper nutrients, temperature, and light. 

Carbon containing materials that are abundant both indoors and outdoors may provide the essential nutrients for growth. Sources of moisture, which are usually the limiting and most important factor. They can come from high humidity levels, condensation, and water intrusion due to a number of events such as indoor leaks and floods.  Temperature and light may affect fungal growth, but are usually not a limiting factor since most fungi can grow in light and total darkness. 

Excessive exposure to molds can lead to adverse health issues for humans. The affects of human exposure to mold is not a new, emerging problem but has been manifested for many years.  Documentation of mold growth indoors dates back as far as the Old Testament:

From Leviticus Chapter 14, verses 33-57

• On the 7^th day the priest shall return to inspect the house.  If the mildew has spread on the walls, he is to order that the contaminated stones be torn out and thrown into an unclean place outside the town.  He must have all the inside walls of the house scraped and the material that is scrapped off dumped into an unclean place outside the town.  Then they are to take other stones to replace these and take new clay and plaster the house

• If the mildew reappears in the house after the stones have been torn out and the house is scraped and plastered the priest is to go and examine it and, if the mildew has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew:  the house is unclean.  It must be torn down – its stones, timbers and all the plaster – and taken out of the town to an unclean place.

• Anyone who goes into the house while it is closed up will be unclean till evening.

• Anyone who sleeps or eats in the house must wash his clothes…..

Molds can cause a variety of reactions in hypersensitive individuals ranging from allergic responses to neurological damage.  Molds may proliferate in almost any indoor environment where excessive amounts of water and organic matter persist.

The key factor in limiting mold exposure indoors is to prevent it’s growth through moisture control, maintenance, and proper cleaning methods.

How a Mold Reproduces – It’s Life Cycle:

When the appropriate conditions for growth exist:  presence of moisture, nutrients, temperature,  etc, the mold begins to reproduce via it’s life cycle.

Hyphal Growth:  Hyphae are the thread-like filamentous cells that release enzymes which degrade and absorb nutrients from a substrate (ie. oganic debris, cellulose, wood, almost any carbon containing material including human skin). Upon obtaining it’s nutrition, the hyphae will grow into a mycelium, the main body of the fungus which is also the visible portion.

Spore Formation:  Spores form on the ends of some hyphael cells.  The formation of spores is dependent on a variety of environmental factors including light, oxygen levels, temperature, and nutrient availability.

Spore Dispersal:  After the spores are formed, they are released into the air and carried elsewhere to begin the process of germination and growth all over again. Mold spores are highly resistant and durable.  They can remain dormant for years in even hot and dry environments.

Spore Germination:  Once the spore is dispersed to a new area and when the appropriate conditions exist, moisture and nutrient availability, the spore will begin to germinate into a new hyphael cell. 

Now that we know what we are dealing with I'll research some of the best ways of dealing with mold. Look for the next blog from Vanessa Saunders or call me for more information: 845 598 5083

Just as openness, honesty and a commitment to figuring things out together are keys to a solid relationship, they’re also important when tackling money issues together. If you and your partner have decided to share your lives and a home, or are figuring out if moving in together is the right choice, make sure your finances figure into the equation.

Have the Money Talk and Lay the Ground Rules

First things first: Have an open and honest discussion with your significant other about how you’d like to approach your finances together and any financial goals that you might like to work toward as a couple. Being in sync on your money early on will guide you when you need to make important financial decisions and will also help you to avoid allowing money to negatively impact your relationship down the road.

Before you move in together, lay the ground rules for what’s “yours,” “mine” and “ours” to avoid arguments in the future.  This includes answering questions like:

• What expenses do you consider joint expenses?
• Who’s responsible for making sure payments are made on time?
• Will you create and maintain a joint budget to help you keep track of joint expenses?
• How do you plan to cover unexpected joint expenses?

Figure out the answer to these questions ahead of moving in together so you know how to approach these things before they become problems.

Open a Joint Checking Account for Joint Expenses

Once you’ve laid the ground rules for what’s “yours,” “mine,” and “ours,” you’ll need to figure out the best way to pay for “ours.” For many couples, that means opening a joint checking account that both you and your partner have access to, will contribute to and from which you’ll pay your joint expenses.

How much will each of you contribute? You have two choices: Split expenses 50/50 or contribute an unequal amount based on your salaries. For couples who make about the same amount of income, a 50/50 split may be the best option and one that won’t leave either partner feeling like they’re contributing more or less than what’s fair.

However, for couples who make very different salaries, splitting expenses based on your incomes may be a better scenario that’s not overly taxing on a single person.

Think of it this way: If your combined expenses total $2,000/month, you bring home $2,000/month while your significant other pulls in $3,000/month, a 50/50 split would mean that you’re shelling out 50 percent of your income on expenses, while your partner is contributing one-third – or 33 percent – of his income. Is that really fair?

In the case of unequal salaries, consider splitting the costs based on how much each of you take home every month. Here’s how to do the math:

1. First, you’ll need to figure out three things: Your monthly take-home income, your total joint expenses and your combined monthly take-home income.
2. Next, multiply your individual monthly income by your total joint expenses. Using the numbers above, that would be $2,000 x $2,000, which equals $4,000,000.
3. Finally, divide the amount from #2, by your total combined income. In our scenario, that’s $4,000,000 / $5,000, which equals $800. That’s your monthly contribution to joint expenses.

To figure out how much your partner will contribute, simply subtract your contribution ($800) from your total joint expenses ($2,000). In our example, your significant other will contribute $1,200 ($2,000 – $800 = $1,200).

Next, deposit this amount into your joint checking account to cover your shared expenses. Many employers allow you to direct deposit a certain amount of your paycheck into a special account, while the remainder can be deposited into your individual checking account. You’ll still have to sit down and do your bills together, but with many banks, you can set up bill pay for free to make sure all your joint expenses are paid on time every month.

Keep Some Things Separate

Your decision to move in with your partner may have been prompted by your desire to share your lives, but there are some things that should stay separate – For your own good and the good of the relationship.

First, hang on to your own checking and savings accounts. Different people have different ideas about how to properly manage their finances. In case your money personalities don’t mix, having your own bank accounts can help you avoid unnecessary arguments and even a break-up. Plus, having your own savings account will help you take care of yourself  without burdening your partner in case you lose your job, have an unexpected expense like a car repair or even if you’d like to buy your significant other a special gift without him knowing.

It’s also important to keep at least one of your own credit cards – and that includes not allowing your significant other to become an authorized user on your account. Having your own card will allow you to build and maintain a solid credit history as an individual so in case your relationship doesn’t work out, you’ll be able to move on with your life… At least financially.

Finally, while you and your partner should talk openly and honestly about money and do your bills together (at least your joint expenses), it’s up to you to make sure you know what’s going on with your money. You never know when a little rain is going to fall in your life – and that includes relationship problems and break-ups – so it’s important to learn how to manage your money as an individual first, and as a couple second.

Click on the title to leave a comment

or email me direct at vanessa@wesellny.com

In an effort to stabilize home values and improve conditions in communities where foreclosure activity is high, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced a temporary policy that will expand access to FHA mortgage insurance and allow for the quick resale of foreclosed properties. The announcement is part of the Obama administration commitment to addressing foreclosure. Just yesterday, Secretary Donovan announced $2 billion in Neighborhood Stabilization Program grants to local communities and nonprofit housing developers to combat the effects of vacant and abandoned homes.

“As a result of the tightened credit market, FHA-insured mortgage financing is often the only means of financing available to potential homebuyers,” said Donovan. “FHA has an unprecedented opportunity to fulfill its mission by helping many homebuyers find affordable housing while contributing to neighborhood stabilization.”

With certain exceptions, FHA currently prohibits insuring a mortgage on a home owned by the seller for less than 90 days. This temporary waiver will give FHA borrowers access to a broader array of recently foreclosed properties.

“This change in policy is temporary and will have very strict conditions and guidelines to assure that predatory practices are not allowed,” Donovan said.

The policy change will permit buyers to use FHA-insured financing to purchase HUD-owned properties, bank-owned properties, or properties resold through private sales. This will allow homes to resell as quickly as possible, helping to stabilize real estate prices and to revitalize neighborhoods and communities.

“FHA borrowers, because of the restrictions we are now lifting, have often been shut out from buying affordable properties,” said FHA Commissioner David H. Stevens. “This action will enable our borrowers, especially first-time buyers, to take advantage of this opportunity.”

The waiver will take effect on February 1, 2010 and is effective for one year, unless otherwise extended or withdrawn by the FHA Commissioner. To protect FHA borrowers against predatory practices of “flipping” where properties are quickly resold at inflated prices to unsuspecting borrowers, this waiver is limited to those sales meeting the following general conditions:

• All transactions must be arms-length, with no identity of interest between the buyer and seller or other parties participating in the sales transaction.
• In cases in which the sales price of the property is 20 percent or more above the seller’s acquisition cost, the waiver will only apply if the lender meets specific conditions.
• The waiver is limited to forward mortgages, and does not apply to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) for purchase program.

Specific conditions and other details of this new temporary policy are in the text of the waiver, available on HUD’s website.

Source: Lemar Wooley (HUD.gov)

I thought you might like to see some statistics that are bringing some  hope to both sellers and Realtors in Rockland, NY this month.

Single Family Homes Active on the Market 1086

Pending Sale (Under Contract)                  229

Sold this month to date (Jan 19)                28

Avg Selling price                                    $550,000

Highest price sold,so far this year             $950,000

These are much improved figures than those of the past 6 months. Don't miss out, the buyers both new and existing are cashing in on government incentives and to do so must be under contract by April.

The average buyer is looking at over 40 homes before deciding which one to buy compared to 15 two years ago, so the whole process is taking much longer. Banks are taking at least 30 - 90 days to get commitment letters out. So if you are waiting for the Spring market, you will be missing out on all of these buyers.

Call Vanessa Saunders for personal consultation and a different approach to selling your home 845 598 5083

Real estate has long been a quasi-monopolistic industry. Realtors have long controlled access to listing information – via the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) – and have effectively shut out non-brokers from sharing in this information, which has been one of their biggest weapons in the trade. This is rapidly changing. The monopoly is breaking down.

The current internet revolution, especially web 2.0, has created a method of sharing and combining all types of data that has been previously locked in seperate databases or unavailable in any significant form to the average user. Zillow was the first major disruptor that gained momentum from the public because it allowed anyone to see historical real estate data overlaid on a map – this mashup gave access to everyone, and while the data is not always accurate, it’s a good first step. Zillow, while being a disruptor, is still aimed to connect buyers and sellers with Realtors (and make money with contextual advertising in the process).

Redfin is another animal altogether. The company is creating an open marketplace that strives to remove the Realtor from the equation of buying andselling real estate entirely. Their first strides have been made on the buyer side by offering buyer-side rebates, but they are currently testing a seller-side model as well. This is a very radical approach, one that has made them plenty of enemies in the Realtor communities they have begun to target.

While I agree that the internet can bridge the gap between buyers and sellers much better by offering more accessible information, I don’t believe the role of Realtors will ever be erased – only changed. The same way E-trade demolished the inefficiencies that existed in stock trading by challenging the old-school brokereages, these new websites will open up access to real estate listings and general home values to anyone who cares to look. And while these new services will take away much of the existing Realtor power of controlling the MLS information, Realtors, especially ones that buy and sell high end homes will still have a significant role to play in the buying and selling of properties.

Why? Because homes are complex and emotional investments and can never be effectively commoditized. The real professionals in the industry know this and have many competitive advantages that reach way past conventional spreadsheet data.

Realtors must position themselves not as the primary sources of home listing information, but as experts in the field that cannot be defined by quantiative measures. If you’re renting a desk at a brokers office and are relying on the MLS to give you the edge, your days are numbered. If you know the ins and outs of zoning, have many contacts with private sellers, know all the reasons homes in Piermont's waterfront are selling better than those in Nyack, and have first hand experience in high-end deals, your future is safe, as long as you understand how this new technology will help both you and your clients.

For a private consultation with Vanessa to discuss your individual requirements, please call 845 598 5083

I just listed a lovely Aspen style chalet home in Rockland State Park. It’s hard to imagine a nicer place to live if you love peace and quiet and be surrounded by nature and yet enjoy all the amenities the park has to offer and yet be only 30 minutes from the George Washington Bridge and Manhattan.

Rockland Lake State Park's lake is located on a ridge of Hook Mountain above the west bank of the Hudson River. The park offers two Olympic-sized swimming pools and two kiddie pools, picnic tables and grills, a car-top boat launch and boat rentals, hiking trails with breathtaking views of the Hudson Valley, six tennis courts and two golf courses. Anglers can fish Rockland Lake for bass, perch and norlunge; walkers and joggers can use the fitness trail around the lake. Winter visitors can enjoy designated cross-country ski trails and sledding slopes. For a map of the area click here.

To arrange a private showing of this fabulous home

 call Vanessa Saunders at 845 598 5083

Many sellers are reluctant to "give away" their homes at a price so low they feel they'll regret it for a long time. In Harvey Araton's recent NY Times article he revisits the real estate doldrums of 1993.

When he sold his apartment in a problem-plagued Brooklyn Heights co-op for a song, he later came down with a bad case of real estate regret. As a cure, he revisited the place.

I found the similarities of todays market compared to the early 90's to be interesting and wonder if some of us will be doing the same in 20 years or so.