There are several Hudson-based organization that are trying to achieve President Obama’s goal of ending homelessness and several of them received some of this money. These funds are intended to help “provide permanent and transitional housing to homeless persons,” as well as, “provide job training services, health care, psychological counseling, substance abuse treatment and child care,”.

Due to our current economic difficulties, many folks across the nation have found themselves without homes, Hudson residents and families included. There are many Hudson-area residents who are currently in homeless shelters because they were overwhelmed by the sudden downturn in our nation’s economy. Hopefully, these funds will help some of our fellow residents and neighbors get back on their feet.

If you or someone you know is in need of any f the above-mentioned services, please contact your local homeless shelter to find out more

Please click the following link to read this article in its entirety at NJ.com.

It all started out innocently enough, we wanted to send all of our VIP clients a Thanksgiving Day card.  I don’t exactly where along the line we decided to send out pies as well, but that is where we ended up, sending apple or pumpkin pies and cards for Thanksgiving.

Please respond by Monday November 15, 2010. We prefer to have our clients stop in to pick up their pies on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.,

We really hope that all who receive a pie enjoyed it and their Thanksgiving as well.  We look forward to sending out even more pies next year.

According to an article that I have just read in NewJersey.com entitled, “Is it better to buy now or keep renting?” there are several factors that one should consider before deciding whether to buy or rent. Generally, buying makes more economic sense than renting, unless of course, you do not plan on living in one area for more than a few years. In the short term, renting is more logical, but one simply cannot overlook the long term benefits of owning a home. While all the rent that a tenant pays goes directly to the landlord, homeowners are able to recoup some of their monthly spending. Homeowners are also able to take advantage of property tax and Mortgage interest deductions, whereas renters cannot. What it comes down to in the end though, is whether you want to own a home or not.

Undoubtedly, home values are at their lowest point In recent years, but only you can decide whether the time to buy is right. If you are one of those people who are not sure whether to buy or to keep renting, I would recommend that you read this and similar articles. Then, study your own economic situation and maybe consult with a real estate professional or consultant before making your decision.

Owning a home also gives you more stability. Whereas renters tend to move around more often, homeowners frequently stay in one area and as a result, are able to build stronger ties to their community; which is especially beneficial to the education and social development of children.

Another great thing about owning your own home is that it is a source of forced savings. While renters are less prone to saving money, the money that homeowners spend on their mortgage is something they will see again in the future when they sell their home.

It is true that renting makes more sense in certain situations, but for families who plan to spend some time in a particular area, buying does have its advantages.

Another bonus for those who have been thinking of making the switch from renting to owning is that real estate prices have just about reached bottom, this means that soon, it will make even more sense to buy.

According to this article, not all Hudson County municipalities will be issuing more tickets. In the following days, Hudson County drivers can expect to see more police on the roads in Jersey City, Newark, Harrison and Union City. Well, that is the official word at least, I am quite sure that Hudson County drivers as a whole can expect to see an increase in police presence in general.

So, if you are not accustomed to wearing your seatbelts, you had better get used to it, or you could be cited. It is important to remember also, that you as a driver are responsible for ensuring that all of your passengers are wearing their seat-belts as well. Even thought this campaign will only last until the end of next week, I encourage all drivers to wear their safety belts at all times.

According to the national Highway Safety Administration, car crashes are the leading killer of people between the ages of 4 and 34, as well as the second leading cause of death among people between the ages of 35 and 44. It is a personal choice whether a person will wear their seat-belts or not, but I think these numbers speak for themselves.

According to the New Jersey Clean Energy Program’s website:

• New refrigerators or freezers consume 1,000 Kilowatt hours of electricity per year compared to pre 1990 models

• Recycling 20,000 older refrigerators or freezers will result in energy savings equivalent to the amount of energy used in 1,400 homes annually

• Recycling 20,000 older refrigerators or freezers would eliminate as much CO2 emissions as removing 40,000 vehicle from the road for one year

Please click the following link to learn how much your refrigerator or freezer costs to operate.

In order to take part in this program:

• You must be a NJ resident and a customer of Atlantic City Electric, Jersey Central Power & Light, PSE&G or Rockland Electric

• You must be the owner of the refrigerator or freezer

• The refrigerator or freezer must be between 10 and 30 cubic feet

• The refrigerator or freezer must be in working condition

• There is a limit of two appliances per household

• Incentives are processed within 90-120 days

• Customers of municipal electric companies do not qualify

• Someone must be home at the time of pick up

• Some restrictions may apply

If you would like to arrange for pickup of your old refrigerator or freezer, please call 877-270-3520 or schedule a pickup online at JACO Environmental.

If you would like to learn more about New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program, please visit their website at njcleanenergy.com.

For example, most folks wouldn’t think that it’s important to know your FICO score, but in reality, knowing your credit score, and how you can go about improving it, can help you save thousands of dollars in the long run.

Another very common mistake that home buyers make is buying a car, boat or opening new lines of credit during the home buying process. Big purchases can take a sizable chunk out of your total credit limit and may make lenders wary of lending you the money for your home.

We are all familiar with the old adage; a stitch in time saves nine. This is especially true when it comes to the home inspection process.  It will be less expensive to have a comprehensive home inspection of the property you are thinking of buying than having to fix the foundation or roof of your new house. This is especially true when many of the homes on the market are foreclosure homes. Folks who have had their houses foreclosed who have had to sell short, probably did not have enough money to have performed even the most basic maintenance on their homes.

This article considers not having a real estate attorney representing you as a mistake. I would go one step further and say that it is imperative to have a real estate pro representing you if you are buying a home. If the reasons why are not obvious, just imagine pitting an amateur versus a professional. The seller will usually have a listing agent and a lawyer representing their interests, buyers, especially first-time buyers should follow suit. This will be especially helpful when it comes to contingencies outlined in the sales contract.

Last but not least, do not make the mistake of not having reserves in your budget for home insurance. A home is probably the single most expensive thing most of us will buy in our lifetimes. Having set aside part of your budget for home insurance will help to ensure that you do not lost it to something like a fire, a severe storm or an explosion.

If you are thinking about buying a home in the near future, I would recommend reading this article in its entirety to make sure that you do not make any of these common home buying mistakes.

The Altessa is ideally located to provide its residents with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline and the Hudson River. Located just minutes from mid and downtown Manhattan, Altessa offers easy access to numerous restaurants, clubs and other big city hot spots..

The condos that are to be auctioned range from 825 square feet to 1,437 square feet and they come with a wide array of amenities including a 2,710-square-foot rooftop pool and deck, a community kitchen and on-site indoor parking. Other amenities include a residents-only gym with wet and dry saunas and men’s and women’s locker rooms, a spacious lobby with two elevators and 24-hour concierge and free shuttle to PATH trains and convenient access to NJ Transit buses and under 1 mile to Bergenline Ave station for the Hudson-Bergen light rail.

The starting bids for these condos will be $95,000.

If you have been looking to buy a condominium just minutes from the buzz of mid and downtown Manhattan, you may want to stop by the Maxpann website for more information about this upcoming condo auction.

Sure it is important to buy a child car seat for your infants and toddlers, but more important than buying a seat is ensuring that it is properly installed. An improperly installed seat can actually be more dangerous than not having a child car seat at all. If you are unsure as to how to properly install a child car seat, I recommend that you go to the municipal garage and let one of the officers install it for you. This way, you can rest assured that your child car seat meets legal requirements and is properly installed. If you have already installed your seat, it may be a good idea to stop by the municipal garage to let one of the officers check and make sure that it is properly installed.

Please click the following link to read this article in its entirety.

Regardless of whether you are remodeling your kitchen or bathroom or doing an all-out renovation of your home, there are several important factors to consider. Are you making renovations in order to increase your home’s value before selling it or are you remodeling so that you can enjoy your home more? If it’s the latter than things are easier to decide. If you are renovating your home for personal reasons, you can rest assured that you cannot go wrong. When we make additions or remodel our homes in order to enjoy the home in which we live, we get our money’s worth immediately in the enjoyment that our new and improved living areas offer. But, if you are thinking of doing some remodeling to make your home more attractive to prospective buyers or increase its selling price, then things get a little trickier.

When you decide to remodel your home in order to make it stand out among similar offers in your area, there are several factors that you have to take into consideration and this article does a relatively good job of covering all of the major bases so to speak. There are definitely some dos and don’ts that you will want to heed when remodeling your home to increase its curb appeal and draw higher offers. Check out this article to learn about some of the things that you should or should not do when you choose to remodel you home.

As with any remodeling or renovation project, it is important to look around and find the best, most reputable and licensed contractor in your area. Try to get at least three different quotes from qualified contractors and choose the one that you think is the best for your particular project, budget and lifestyle.

Please click to read this article about home remodeling in CNNMoney.com