Vol. 39 No. 183
June 2018
Dedicated to the Performance & Advancement for the Real Estate Manager
18TH ANNUAL SUNSET BBQ Our next meeting will be on Thursday, June 7th, 2018, 6:00pm at Battery Gardens
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PRESIDENT: joe cervini 917-588-4922 jcervini@mac.com
MANhAttAN REsiDENt MANAgER’s Club, iNC. ORgANizED 1980 P.O. Box 1144 New York, NY 10021
VICE-PRESIDENT: ben floreS 917-860-5811 benjieflores3@gmail.com TREASURER: PatricK Mcenaney 917-699-5231
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE: Thursday, June 7th.
McEnaney.patrick@gmail.com
It’s our 18th Annual Sunset BBQ at Battery Gardens. (opposite 17 State Street)
FIN.SECRETARY: Steve Mala 212-861-2073 Steve.Mala@yahoo.com
Casual Dress Attire.
$80.00 for Members and Guests.
SECRETARY:
Doors Open at 6:00pm and concludes at 10:00pm . Anyone & Everyone is welcome to attend!
Steve KuKaj (917) 339-7166 kukaj01@gmail.com TRUSTEES:
Laszlo Karsai
John Szabo
Dean Berishaj
CLUB NEWSLETTER
Frank Pomponi
Louis Parrilla Publisher 917-750-4117 resmgr524@gmail.com
Peter Guzman Business Manager 917-837-1390 pgu3911250@aol.com
Ben Flores Editor 917-860-5811 benjieflores3@gmail.com
Any Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Manhattan Resident Managers Club,Inc., or its members. The Manhattan Resident Managers Club Inc. reserves the absolute right, at its sole discretion, to accept or decline requests or submissions for advertising or other copy in its Newsletter or in any Club publication.
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the resident’s essage
pm Joseph Cervini President
2018 Resident Manager of the Year
Welcome to the June Newsletter!
Happy Father’s Day to all the wonderful Dads out there! And of course, we hope all our beloved Moms had a great Mother’s Day last month! On behalf of the Dais & Trustees of the CLUB, I would like to thank all the members and guests for attending the May Meeting held at Connolly’s Pub & Restaurant. It was a great meeting for socializing with other resident managers and all those who help our industry. I want to give a special thank you to Mike & Abe from The Metro Group for their presentation and important information on NYC cooling tower regulations, specifically related to Legionella. All of us at the Manhattan Resident Manager’s Club would like to congratulate the winner and recipient of the William Key Award & our 2018 Vendor of the Year, Mr. Wilfredo Montano of Montano Wood Care Corp. We sincerely thank him for his continued support and contributions to the CLUB throughout the years. REMINDER TO ALL MEMBERS! Please remember to purchase your tickets to our Annual ‘’Sunset BBQ” on Thursday, June 7th. This is our last official meeting until the end of the summer! Open bar, food, music and dancing from 6pm-9pm at The Battery Gardens Restaurant. Tickets are $80.00 per person. The dress code is Business Casual. The first three of the six (6) John Person Educational Scholarship Drawings ($2,000.00 each) will be held at this event. YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN! The remaining 3 scholarships will be drawn at the September 6th meeting. For more details, please refer the application inside this newsletter. SAVE THE DATE for these upcoming events! The CLUB’s Golf Outing this year will be held at the end of summer on Monday, September 24th. Our 8th Annual Twilight Dinner Cruise around lower Manhattan is set for Thursday, October 4th. The 2018 Three Hands Grand Ball is set for Saturday, November 3rd at Gotham Hall. Don’t forget to check our Club’s website for updates throughout the year. It could all be found right there with a click of the mouse. www.mrmclub.com Also a reminder to all, the CLUB is also on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. These social media outlets are FREE to use and you should all be utilizing them every day for business and pleasure. Always be NETWORKING! Please remember to support our Associate Members as they are driving force that keeps our CLUB in existence. Most of our Associate Members take an ad in our monthly Newsletter, so when you’re in need of a contractor, vendor or supplies, please refer to the Newsletter for their services and/or products. I look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday, June 7th at the Sunset BBQ. All are welcome to attend; Members, family, friends, co-workers. Everyone and Anyone can come. We will accept cash, check and credit card at the door. We will also be holding a 50/50 Raffle and having some door prize giveaways. Come one, Come ALL! It’s gonna be a blast!!! You do NOT want to miss it! I would like to wish everyone a fantastic summer! Best Regards,
Joe
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– MANhAttAN REsiDENt MANAgER’s Club, iNC. – We are pleased to announce that our annual M.R.M.F. John Person Scholarship awards will be drawn at the Sunset Barbecue on June 7th (3 Scholarships) and at our September Meeting (3 Scholarships). Please fill out and return the application. All applications must be mailed, faxed or emailed and no application will be accepted the day of the drawing. Deadline is June 6th. Regular Members who have children or grandchildren attending a school that requires tuition are eligible. Please remember that you must be current with your membership dues & YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN. See Application on Page 38 of this Newsletter.
Tis the season for Graduations. All the Best & Good Luck to all the recent graduates and we wish you well on all your future endeavors..
Happy Father's Day to all the Dads here and gone!
Happy Birthday Wishes to Regular Members:
Michael Baglivio, Hector Norat, Marvin Diaz, Gavo Kalian
and our CLUB Vice President Ben Flores.
June 1 Happy National Donut Day
June 5 World Environment Day
June 17 Fathers Day
June 21 Summer Soltice
June 6 D-Day
June 27 National Sunglass Day
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June 14 Flag Day
June 29 National Hug Day
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WHY DO HIGH PERFORMERS QUIT THEIR JOBS?
High-performing employees are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs than low performers but one in five are still apt to leave within the next six months and more than half aren't content with their position, according to recent research by the Harvard Business Review. The study revealed that two criteria are essential to keeping high performers happy and many are not getting these from their current managers and companies. The single biggest contributing factor for high-performing employees' satisfaction is base pay and bonuses. It was important that yearly raises and bonuses
be measured against the individual's or team's performance rather than tenure. The range of a typical annual raise of 2 to 6 percent, for instance, was not significant enough to keep people in place who had other options in the workforce. Adding more variation to the bonus structure, such as removing the cap on the best performers, was found to be an indicator of success for the overall company along with better retainment. After compensation, the strongest employees want more feedback and options for company-led development and training. Respondents wanted at least one monthly conversation with their
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boss to discuss performance and goals, but only about half of the group were able to do so, and as a result, they showed symptoms of under-appreciation. Similarly, two-thirds said that they weren't supported in formal training by their manager despite already being willing to learn and grow on their own. There are likely many reasons for this lack of engagement around retaining high-value employees and sometimes they are merely a victim of their own success, according to Forbes. For example, managing superstars can be more stressful for a boss and can lead to resentment if employees are seen as a threat to their own job.
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Amazon's culture of high standards Amazon's meteoric growth over the past two decades can likely be attributed to its CEO Jeff Bezos and his culture of consistently high standards, according to Forbes. In fact, his most recent annual letter to shareholders centered around his ideas about how he thinks companies should be run and how he lives his life. He believes that these standards are contagious and that bringing a lot of high performers together will create a self-sustaining effect that quickly spreads to new hires. Meanwhile, the opposite is true, and companies with cultures of low performance will have a difficult time changing. Honesty with one's self is a big part of his next two ideas: eliminating blind spots and recognizing how hard a project is likely to be. During the early years, he admitted that he was not good at finding problems in the process, eliminating defects, and keeping issues fixed for the long-term. Asking for help and learning from his colleagues allowed him to correct his deficiencies in-
stead of pridefully ignoring them. Similarly, when a person underestimates the difficulty of an obstacle ahead, they are more likely to give up early than to succeed in the future. An accurate assessment of the task at hand means that the right assets will be used to tackle it and the timeframe will be realistic. His last point brings his company's performance around full circle by emphasizing his 'Day 1' mentality. He continually reminds himself why he initially started Amazon and uses that focus to stay disciplined every day. He firmly believes that it is easy to be satisfied, but greatness requires a person to handle risk and remain hungry for more.
Making a seasonal business work all year round Nearly every business experiences some ups and downs throughout the year but truly seasonal businesses, such as those at ski resorts or beaches, often require a year-round strategy to ensure that they are running effectively, according to Entrepreneur Magazine. For these businesses, the bulk of their yearly income could come from only a handful of months, and it is necessary for them to budget well and spend their time wisely during the offseason to prepare for the next busy time. Using the Winter Sports School in Harbor Springs, Michigan as an example of a business that actually closes their doors during the offseason, the family-owned business knows exactly how long they will be open during the year, and they understand that the money will stop coming in once they close their doors in April. Rather than taking a long break and scrambling to re-open in November, the family gets to work updating calendars, brochures, and the website so that potential customers will always have the most up-to-date information about booking. They also maintain a broad network of ski instructors during the summer to ensure that they remain well staffed. Rather than closing up shop, some seasonal businesses find ways to either extend their season or pivot into a related field during downtime so that they can generate income all year. Delphinium Designs, a landscaping business, used this strategy to open a separate business during the winter months centered around holiday decorations. Their landscaping clients made natural prospects for the decorating, and it allowed the owner to split her year into different planning and execution phases around both businesses. Another concept, a Christmas store, began completely transforming their store for each major season to bring in new customers all year without losing sight of their original idea.
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Stock rewards as a loyalty program A new kind of loyalty program gives customers $1 worth of stock in a company every time they spend $100. That is thanks to a new company, Bumped. The company, the first of its kind, lets shoppers choose their favorite companies from different categories. The idea is that if a shopper gets a slice of free stock every time they shop at CVS, they might stop shopping at Walgreens. Research shows that at least one-third of consumers with stock ownership in a company stop buying from other brands entirely.
The best values in June June is a great time to buy movie tickets, produce and gym memberships, according to Deal News. Many movie theatres will offer special summer movie prices that start in June and discounts on concessions. Prices on fresh produce will likely fall by as much as 50 percent off their winter highs as farmer's markets drive prices down. Gym owners know that potential customers will flock to their facilities during the new year's resolution season, but summer is slow and exercisers may find discounted rates, free months, and even complimentary training sessions.
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What is influencer marketing?
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Recent data from Marketing Dive has shown that a third of marketing professionals now think influencer marketing is an essential strategy, and 63 percent of those that make use of them increased their budgets last year due to their success. Influencer marketing allows a company to find an individual with a dedicated audience to become an advocate for their product as a way to build reach, credibility, and, ultimately, more sales, according to Forbes. For small businesses with small advertising budgets, influencer marketing could be a reliable option as many campaigns cost less than $5,000 to get started. Those marketing a product, particu-
larly a new product or one from a smaller company, have to start by increasing the reach or growing the audience that knows what the product is and why it is important to have it. Traditionally, commercials or ads in newspapers, radio, or television have been used to spread reach in a general way. By utilizing an influencer with an online social platform, however, companies can target the specific audience they want to sell to such as a camping supply company partnering with someone that hosts a podcast on outdoor living. Not only will the listeners be open to hearing about camping supplies, but they will likely be ready to buy.
Finding the right match with an influencer will go a long way towards building organic credibility with their audience around the product. In the case of the outdoor living podcast, the host will likely have already established trust with their listeners by establishing themselves as both an expert in the field and someone that only recommends a product that they would use themselves. Natural salespeople will be able to take a product they believe in and describe it in such a way that makes believers out of others. This will help the company gain new customers and the influencer will build even more credibility in the future.
Road Trip! Check off these important points before setting out
If vacation-time means a road trip, a few simple preparations can keep you safe and out of trouble.
Under the hood: Check all fluids, including oil, coolant, brake fluid and windshield washer fluid. Check the air filter. Check the battery.
The tires and the spare: The owner's manual, or your online car health guide, will tell you what the tire pressure should be. Make sure tires are properly inflated. That goes for the spare, too. Imagine the trouble this could save. Inspect the tires to make sure there is enough tread. The old penny in the tread trick should work: Hold the penny so that Lincoln's head is upside down and facing you. If you can see his whole head, it's time to replace the tire.
to change a tire. But also consider carrying a spare, fully charged cell phone and battery-powered phone charger, drinking water, a gas can, and a flashlight. It is not a bad idea to carry an emergency reflective triangle and a flare; especially useful if you will be going into back country. Just in case: Do you have a spare key accessible from outside the car? What about jumper cables? A bowl so that Fido can have a drink? How about a rain poncho?
Basics: Take your license, proof of insurance and registration.
Lights and signals: Besides the obvious safety issues, proper lights and signals are just one more reason why you won't get a ticket -or a nasty look from other drivers.
Safety gear: At an absolute minimum, make sure you have the tools
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OPENING A CUSTODIAL INVESTMENT ACCOUNT FOR CHILDREN
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Parents can open brokerage accounts for their children and get tax breaks, according to The Motley Fool. Custodial accounts are so named because they are opened in the name of the parent and will remain under their control until the child turns 18 or 21 (depending on the state) and assumes ownership. Other than the transfer of ownership, these brokerage accounts are the same as any other and investments can be made into any of the brokerage's offerings. Any withdrawals or earnings from the account will be taxed at the child's rate which is typically much lower than the household's. Money can be pulled out to cover certain expenses that would benefit the child.
Cataracts: You can have your sight back Cataracts, a clouding of the eye lens, have been known and diagnosed since at least 29 AD, but the treatments, until the 1940s or so, have probably been worse than the problem. With age, it is very common to suffer some vision loss from the clouding of the natural eye lens. According to the World Health Organization, age-related cataracts are responsible for 51 percent of world blindness. In North America, about 42 percent of people have lens changes between ages 42 and 64. That percentage rises to 91 percent by age 75. Today, cataracts are repaired surgically by inserting a foldable plastic lens to replace the natural one. Surgery is very safe and effectively restores vision. Symptoms of cataracts, according to the Mayo Clinic: Clouded, blurred or dim vision Increasing difficulty with vision at night Sensitivity to light and glare Need for brighter light for reading and other activities Seeing "halos" around lights Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription Fading or yellowing of colors Double vision in a single eye
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Better body composition has been linked to cancer survival
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Increased muscle mass along with decreased levels of excess fat has been shown to help improve the chances of surviving cancer, according to a recent study from Kaiser Permanente, the University of Alberta, and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. The chance of mortality among those with muscle deficiency was 41 percent while those with excess body fat showed a rate of 35 percent. More alarming, however, is that
those with body compositions that included both risk factors succumbed to cancer in 89 percent of cases. Researchers have often studied the link between body size and cancer survival rates in the past, but traditionally they have used the body mass index (BMI) as the method of analyzing the body. By using CT scans of the abdominal portion of the body, specifically the third lumbar vertebra of the lower back, the researchers were able to see a more accurate breakdown of both muscle and fat tissues in the body. They concluded that such a measurement led to better prognostic information than using BMI alone. Despite the strong correlation between having a better body mass composition and lowered risk of breast cancerrelated death, the true causation cannot be revealed by this study alone, according to Forbes. It is possible that those with less muscle simply had more aggressive forms of cancer that wouldn't respond to treatment and were therefore more lethal regardless of their starting mass. According to the National Institutes of Health, cancer cachexia, the progressive loss of both fat and muscle loss among cancer patients, is responsible for about a quarter of all cancer deaths and having a larger stockpile of healthy body mass to lose could be a necessary defense for survival.
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RESIDENT MANAGER
OF THE YEAR 2018
MANHATTAN RESIDENT MANAGER’S CLUB, INC. IS PROUD TO HAVE SELECTED
JOSEPH CERvINI Resident Manager of the Year 2018 With gratitude & appreciation for the years of dedication and service to the CLUB — 20 —
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RECIPIENT OF THE WILLIAM KEY AWARD 2018
MANHATTAN RESIDENT MANAGER’S CLUB, INC. IS PROUD TO HAVE SELECTED
Wilfredo Montano of Montano Wood Care Corp.
Associate Member of the Year 2018 In recognition of many years of support & friendship you have show to the CLUB — 21 —
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The creator -- and the improver -- of the U.S. flag Francis Hopkinson was a man of many talents: He ran a store, was accomplished on the harpsicord, wrote music, invented a musical instrument, and negotiated treaties with the Delaware and Iroquois nations. Plus he designed the United States flag. At least he thought he designed the flag and he asked Congress for a quarter cask of wine for his trouble. Even though Congress didn't pay, Hopkinson is recognized as the designer of the flag, although his sketches have been lost. Hopkinson's flag differs from the current design in that Hopkinson's flag featured six-sided stars instead of five-sided stars. George Washington himself is said to have asked Betsy Ross, an accomplished upholsterer, to sew the first flag. But Betsy argued that a five-sided star would be infinitely easier to manufacture than a six-sided star. When challenged, Betsy took out a swatch of material, folded it, and in one single snip produced a five-sided star. Her idea was adopted. You can see directions for Betsy's famous one-snip star at ushistory.org/betsy/flagstar.html.
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The news of the death of the tie is premature
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In the movie Back to the Future, Marty McFly was famously depicted as his 2015 self wearing not one, but two ties. A bad prediction. But so was a 2008 Wall Street Journal article that declared the death of the tie. Though tie sales have slowed from their high, ties are still a statement of power and fashion. Television still depicts power people around a conference table wearing suits and ties. But in Showtime's Billions, bad boy billionaire hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod (played by Damian Lewis) never wears a suit or a tie, or even anything fancier than a t-shirt. On the other hand, the shaved-head, non-binary character Taylor Amber Mason (played by Asia Kate Dillon), who leads the hedge fund, always wears a tie.
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Appreciating the Dad you have; not the one in the news – MANhAttAN REsiDENt MANAgER’s Club, iNC. –
Dad is a truck driver. He wants to come to your ball game, but he's on the road, just doing what it takes to make the family work. Dad is an old-fashioned guy. He hears he is supposed to express his feelings more, but he feels more comfortable being strong and silent. Dad and Mom are divorced, but Dad pays his child support and he comes to get you on time. On the one hand, Dad hears he has to be better. On the other hand, even good Dads seem to be blamed for being bad Dads. But maybe it is important to appreciate Dad, not for the image held up in the news, but for who he really is. Some of that comes with age. According to research firm onepoll.com, children don't start appreciating their parents until age 22. At least 17 percent don't see what parents have done for them until they go to college or live on their own. One result of the study showed that 78 percent of children don't understand the sacrifices their parents made for them until they settle down and have children themselves.
In 1928, Frank H. Cheley, founder of summer camps for kids, wrote this about his father: "I could not understand how any father could deny a single request of his very own son regardless of whether the request would be good for me or not. I could not see why boys had to go to bed or why they could not sleep just as long in the morning as they cared to. I could not understand why I had to cut the wood on Saturday when I had planned to go fishing, or why if he wanted a great big lawn, he shouldn't cut it himself after ten hours of labor on a brick wall." This Father's Day, if you want to
AN IMPORTANT TIP FOR FANS OF BlEACH Bleach is a great way to clean and disinfect, but many people unknowingly use it incorrectly. According to Good Housekeeping, the worst thing you can do is dilute bleach with hot water. Hot water can render useless the active ingredients in bleach. Always dilute in cold water.
thank your Dad, thank him for the happy things he has done. Maybe you remember him reading a story in his scary voice and silly voice. Or the time he came to your defense -- or didn't. You probably remember the time he brought you something special after that business trip. Or the time he interrupted an errand because you guys passed a gocart track. You can't go wrong thanking Dad for the memories he made. Gratitude, GK Chesterton once wrote, "is happiness doubled by wonder."
EASY SUMMER STORM TIP For summer storms and winter snows, losing power means you might not have water. Keep five gallons of water in rotation throughout the year for drinking. But if you know a storm is coming, one easy way to build a water reserve for pet bowls and flushing is to fill the bathtub halfway up. This should give you enough reserve to keep you going if power is off for a few hours -or even a day.
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Horoscopes
Aries 3/21 - 4/19: Your creativity plays a big part in a successful partnership. Be humble and give credit where it is due.
Taurus 4/20 - 5/20: A new test comes your way. Be ready. Decide what you have to do to meet the challenge. Learn something new. Scorpio 10/22 - 11/21: A new money-making opportunity comes your way. But, remember if it seems to easy, it's probGemini 5/21 - 6/20: Ruminating on a past decision is point- ably not. less. It can't be changed now. Move on. Sagittarius 11/22 - 12/21: Accept a compliment with thankCancer 6/21 - 7/22: Gratitude won't necessarily change your fulness. You know your faults, but others may see beyond circumstances. But, in June, it brings a welcome change in them. outlook. Capricorn 12/22 - 1/19: Shiny objects prove distracting. ReLeo 7/23 - 8/22: The new moon on the 13th seems espe- member it's one thing to want and another thing to need. cially gloomy. Take heart. Solutions and success are around Stay with your plan. the corner. The 21st is your day. Aquarius 1/20 - 2/18: Keep your cool in a time of friction at Virgo 8/23 - 9/22: You know your critical eye sometimes fo- home or work. It won't make any difference by the full moon cuses on family faults. Sometimes this is needed; sometimes on the 28th. not. Pisces 2/19 - 3/20: Make a small change this month and Libra 9/23 - 10/21: Kids might need your wisdom this month. you'll reap benefits next month. You know which change you Don't hold back! Even when they don't seem to care, they have to make. are listening.
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montano wood
care
YOUR SINGLE SOURCE FOR:
SURVEY AND ANALYSIS FOR:
ELEVATOR CABS
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FOR OFFICE & RESIDENTIAL
Member of:
“25 Years with professionalism,
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superior quality, and a focus on complete
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Manhattan Resident Managers Club
Wilfredo Montano, PRESIDENT
M o n t a n o Wo o d C a re C o r p . A rc h i t e c t u r a l Wo o d & M e t a l R e s t o r a t i o n 2 4 2 A L a ke Ave n u e , Yo n ke r s , N Y 1 0 7 0 1 Te l 9 1 4 - 4 8 8 - 5 4 0 0 F a x 9 1 4 - 4 8 8 - 5 4 0 2 E m a i l : R e s t o r a t i o n @ m o n t a n o wo o d . c o m
Call 914-488-5400 or visit us online at www.montanowood.com — 26 —
PUT THESE IN THE HOME TOOLKIT
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To fix most simple home problems, build a tool kit with these items, according to Lowes. Screwdriver set or one screwdriver with interchangeable tips. Add a variety of screws. Hammer, 16 ounces, claw style with a variety of nails. Tape measure, 25 foot. Make sure it has a blade lock. Pliers, 8-inch needle nose and 10-inch groove joint. Padded grips help. Locking pliers help to turn jammed screws or pull out bent nails. Utility knife and blades. Adjustable wrench set. Level. Good for hanging pictures. Stiff-blade putty knife. You can scrape away loose paint.
A good rule of thumb: Don't accept friend requests unless you know the person. That doesn't work all of the time, of course. One way you can sort out evil requests from good ones, is to look at the requester's Facebook page.
BE CAREFUL ACCEPTING FRIEND REQUESTS Are the photos snapshots or are they professional shots? Real people don't post photos purchased from a stock photo site. Photo situations: If you don't personally know someone with a yacht, don't accept a friend request from someone who has one. look
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for photo situations similar to your own. If you are unsure, message the friends you have in common with the requester to see if they really know them.
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STAY SAFE USING FREE WI-FI
Hackers are lurking on free wi-fi connections because if it is free to you, it is free to them. They can gather your passwords from any account you log into from social sites to your bank. Stay safe using these free wi-fi guidelines:
1. Never log in to your bank account or make payment for anything.
2. Check for the https prefix before the web address. The S shows that the connection is secure.
3. Avoid using an app on your smartphone or tablet when on free wi-fi.
4. Log out from websites you use. If you do not, a hacker could use the website in your name.
5. Don't use the same password for everything. A hacker on a free wi-fi network can get the password you are using and test it on other sites, even your bank. 6. Change your passwords frequently.
Gmail adds a new privacy feature
Google's latest innovation in email might be how to destroy them, according to Cnet. Similar to how many messaging apps allow users to send pictures or video that self-destruct after a certain amount of time, Gmail may soon allow users the ability to send emails that will delete themselves from the recipient's inbox. This feature is likely to be rolled out alongside a new 'confidential mode' that will create limits on what people can do with the emails you send such as not being able to download, forward, or print them.
Baby monitors can be security threat Hackers can and do hack into baby monitors using them to play loud music, sounds, or just watch your baby in your house, according to Makeuseof.com. The key is password security on both your home network and the monitor itself. Make sure your home network doesn't use the router's default password. Set up a secure, memorable password. Buy a baby monitor that allows you to change the password and then do it. All it takes is a search of the internet to find the default passwords for baby monitors.
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WHAT EXPENSES TO EXPECT WHEN YOU SELL YOUR HOUSE?
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Selling a house has hidden costs, but planning ahead can eliminate last minute worries. According to a new study by real estate research firm Zillow and Thumbtack, an online site matching local professionals to customers, the average cost of covering basic projects - painting, staging your home, carpet cleaning, lawn care and gardening, and local moving costs - was $4,985 for sellers who hire professional help. The analysis showed a range of an average high of $6,580 in San Jose and a low of $3,720 in Dallas, according to USA Today. Before you spend money on updating the look of a home, review the foundational elements that make or break a house to see how much you really need to spend. First look at smaller things. The faucets shouldn't drip and all fixtures should be in working order. Windows should not be broken or cracked. Fans should not wobble or make noise. Next, look at higher price items. The heating and air conditioning should work. Walls and ceilings should be presentable. Appliances should all work. If you can, gather information about the age and repair history of these items. Then there is the roof. In some hot markets, real estate agents say properties can sell sight unseen. Yet, the roof condition is crucial to getting the best price. Problem is that a new roof is expensive. If it costs $10,000 to put on a new roof, it could be money well
spent. If a buyer has options for similar houses at a similar price with a good roof, it's unlikely they'll choose a house they have to re-roof. Even if the house sells with three layers of shingles, chances are the selling price could take a hit for more than the cost of the roof. To your list of repairs, add the cost of decluttering. Plan yard sales and eBay sales for items of value. Theses sales might add some cash to your sales budget, but as for bulk clutter removal, they often won't do much good. For serious bulk removal, call a trash hauling company. You can usually hire a man and a truck who will take every last item out of a storage area. Naturally, you will need to pick out the items that you genuinely want to move. You could repair those three old string trimmers. You could use those 2x4s somewhere, but the question is do you really want to move them? A decluttered property and outbuildings are crucial to a good sales price. Experts usually recommend neutral paint throughout the inside, although many homeowners ignore this expense. Carpet cleaning can often suffice, in lieu of replacement, but be sure to add the cost to your estimate. Don't overlook yard work and house cleaners, both of which put your house in a good light.
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ASK THE EXPERT: We are retiring and thinking of buying a condo in a building we have long admired. Is this going to be hard to finance?
Condos can be more difficult to finance than single family homes, but the key to getting a conventional loan is in the building itself. remember that when you buy a condo, your mortgage company (and you) are placing trust in the whole 5@* +*( r 51 +*( =/
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building, not just your unit. for this reason, buildings must meet some standards. Here are a few: - Common areas must be completely finished and owned by the unit owners or the Home owners association. - at least 51 percent of all the units must be owner-occupied or second homes. - the building must maintain an adequate budget to run the property. -at least 90 percent of the units must be sold and currently owned by unit owners. - a single entity can't own more than a certain percentage of the building. - Unit owners must be keeping up with their association dues. - the condo project must be covered by adequate insurance. if the condominium project is established and known to meet guidelines, and you are a credit worthy borrower, you will probably have little difficulty getting a conventional loan. Keep in mind that in calculating your debt-to-income ratio for the loan, lenders will count your Hoa fees as part of your total monthly expenses. as usual, you can save on mortgage insurance by putting at least 20 percent down. When you buy a condo, you are buying into the Hoa and you are sacrificing some privacy for convenience. it's a good idea to take a look at the minutes from the Hoa meetings to see the sorts of issues being discussed. When the building qualifies and you find the property suitable, financing a condo should be much the same as a conventional home.
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Vent-Rite®
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“QUOTES 2 LIVE BY”
Barbara Bush Quotes
Whether you are talking about education, career or service, you are talking about life ... and life really must have joy. It's supposed to be fun! (Wellesley College commencement address, 1990)
You have two choices in life: You can like what you do, or you can dislike it. I have chosen to like it. (Barbara Pierce Bush online memorial)
Believe in something larger than yourself. Get involved in some of the big ideas of our time. I chose literacy because I honestly believe that if more people could read, write and comprehend, we would be that much closer to solving so many of the problems that plague our nation and our society. (Wellesley College commencement address, 1990)
The home is the child's first school, the parent is the child's first teacher, and reading is the child's first subject. (Barbara Pierce Bush online memorial)
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Visit our Web Site at: www.mrmclub.com
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Manhattan Resident Manager’s Foundation, Inc. We are pleased to announce that our annual M.R.M.F. John Person Scholarship awards will be drawn at the Sunset Barbecue in June (3 Scholarships) and at our September regular Meeting (3 Scholarships). Please fill out and return this application. All applications must be mailed, faxed or emailed and no application will be accepted the day of the drawing. Regular members who have children or grandchildren attending a school that requires tuition are eligible. Please remember that you must be current with your membership dues & YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN!
=================================================================== Manhattan Resident Manager’s Foundation, Inc. John Person Scholarship 2018
Member’s Name: ____________________________________________________ Child’s Name: _______________________________________________________ School: ____________________________________________________________ (Note: If you are a recipient of a foundation scholarship, please check with your financial advisor. Acceptance of this award may affect further financial aid considerations. Tax laws may also be affected) Please fill out application and mail, fax or email to: Manhattan Resident Manager’s Foundation, Inc. ATTN: Mr. Frank Rampino 45 Sutton Place South New York, N.Y. 10022 (212) 755-0308 Fax Email:resmanager00@gmail.com
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ROSENWACH TANK
THE FIRST NAME IN QUALITY WOOD AND STEEL TANKS
718.729.4900 • ROSENWACHGROUP.COM • 43-02 Ditmars Boulevard, 2nd Fl. • Astoria, NY 11105
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Mr. Louis Parrilla, Newsletter Publisher 524 East 72nd Street New York, NY 10021
To PLacE an aD in ThE nExT nESwSLETTEr PLEaSE caLL Louis Parrilla 917-750-4117 • resmgr524@gmail.com