Online surplus auction scheduled

Online surplus auction scheduled
for Oct. 13-17
Sale of items will begin to close at 6 p.m. Oct. 17

FREEHOLD, NJ – Monmouth County has scheduled a fall 2012 auction of surplus vehicles and equipment that will begin Saturday, Oct. 13. The entire auction is being conducted online.

 

Bidding for all items will commence at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 and will begin to close at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17. All bidders must pre-register with the auctioneer, Auction Liquidation Services, at  www.govauctionlistservices.com.

 

The items were assembled from the county’s Fleet Services, Bridge Department, Buildings & Grounds, Reclamation Center, Park System and seized and surplus property from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

 

A full list of the items including pictures, descriptions, terms of sale and other auction information may be found online at www.govauctionlistservices.com.

All items for sale will be available for viewing from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 15 and Tuesday, Oct. 16. Most items will be available at the Public Works and Engineering Complex, 250 Center St., Freehold.

Successful bidders will be able to pick up their item or items at 250 Center St., Freehold, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18 and Friday, Oct. 19.

The county experimented with an online auction in 2007 by selling just two large items on the World Wide Web, and the county nearly doubled its expected price. Since then all of the county’s auctions have been conducted online. To date, the online auctions have netted $2,199,350 for the county.

“These auctions are a great success in that we are able to attract bidders from outside of New Jersey,” Freeholder Gary J. Rich Sr. said. “Selling the county’s surplus items online has allowed us to consolidate our operations and reduce overtime expense for the auction to zero.”

The county anticipates holding its next online surplus auction in the spring of 2013. 

As fall begins, mosquitoes still active! in Monmouth County

For Immediate Release:

September 28, 2012

As fall begins, mosquitoes still active!

Protect yourself and help reduce the mosquito population

 

FREEHOLD, NJ – As the mosquito season continues Monmouth County residents should take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites and eliminate backyard mosquito habitats that allow for the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as the West Nile virus.

 

“Right now, many of Monmouth County’s mosquito problems are being caused by the Asian tiger mosquito that grows in man-made containers of water,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Thomas A. Arnone, liaison to the Monmouth County’s Mosquito Extermination Commission. “This mosquito is a very aggressive biter and is one of the few mosquitoes that bite throughout the day and night.”

 

Asian tiger mosquitoes can grow in containers as small as a bottle cap. Sometimes finding the sources can be very time consuming.

 

“The good news is that Asian tiger mosquitoes do not travel more than a few hundred yards from where they hatch,” said Douglas Guthrie Sr., Superintendent of the county’s mosquito control program. “If you can eliminate all locations on your property where water collects, you can reduce your Asian tiger mosquito population and breeding locations for other species, too.”

 

The commission also emphasizes that homeowners should check that their window and door screens are in good repair, and that their property is free of water-holding containers such as cans, buckets, tires, flower pots, wheelbarrows and toys that create areas where mosquitoes can breed.

 

“Residents need to be vigilant in protecting themselves and reducing the places where mosquitoes can increase their population,” Arnone said. “It is also important that residents follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendations for personal protection.”

 

The CDC recommends that people can reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes and, as a result, lower their exposure to insect-borne diseases by following some simple steps:

• When outdoors, apply insect repellent following the label instructions, especially for use on children
• wear long sleeved shirts and long pants whenever possible
• avoid outdoor activity at peak mosquito times - dusk and dawn

The CDC also recommends the use of repellents that contain the active ingredient DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) or picaridin (KBR 3023) or IR 3535. Products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (p-menthane-3,8-diol) provide better protection than other plant-based repellents but fall short compared to products containing high concentrations of DEET.

“You should choose a repellent that provides protection for the amount of time you will be outdoors,” Guthrie said. “Repellents with a higher percentage of an active ingredient, like DEET, typically provide longer-lasting protection.”

 

The Mosquito Extermination Commission routinely tests various county sites to monitor mosquito breeding and activity including the presence of West Nile virus (WNV)and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEEV).

 

The mosquito samples collected as part of the Commission’s surveillance program are transported to the New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services laboratory in Trenton where they are tested for the virus. This is part of a statewide Vector Surveillance Program that is funded in part by the State Mosquito Control Commission and administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s, Office of Mosquito Control Coordination. The data gathered from this collaborative effort are used by the Commission to target specific areas for additional treatment.

 

“Professional mosquito control is always guided by the surveillance, giving you the most efficient and effective results for your efforts,” Tony Acquaviva, Mosquito Commission entomologist said. 

 

Residents who find dead birds should call their local or regional public health departments to report the finding. Birds in the corvid family, consisting of crows, blue jays, and grackles, that do not have obvious signs of injury or decay can be collected by heath officials and submitted to the State Health Department laboratory for testing.

 

“I have every confidence in the professionalism and dedication of the Commission’s employees to provide quality mosquito control,” Guthrie said. “I also recognize the fact that we can’t eliminate all mosquitoes. Therefore, it is important that citizens follow the CDC’s recommendations for personal protection and help us reduce mosquito habitats.”

 

If you know of any potential sources such as unmaintained pools, a yard with many containers or buckets, or a foreclosed property, please contact the Monmouth County Mosquito Commission.

You can complete an online request form at www.visitmonmouth.com/mosquito or call 732-542-3630. Specific information will help our inspectors respond to your request.

 

For the latest information on mosquito control and mosquito-borne disease activity in Monmouth County, residents can log onto the Commission’s website at www.visitmonmouth.com/mosquito.

 

The most up-to-date mosquito control information can also be heard on the Mosquito Commission’s hotline at 732-578-1600.

The Google™ Effect

The Google™ Effect

Learn About Your
Prospect Before the Appointment!

Do you know enough about your prospects and potential strategic partners when
you meet for that first appointment?

The Internet can tremendously aid your business in many different ways. One of
the great benefits is Google™, the world's leading search engine, aptly located
at www.google.com. This
search engine allows you to access a wealth of information about people –
possibly those with whom you seek to form a relationship. Use this utility to
research backgrounds on individuals prior to meeting with them.

As sales people, we've been told, "Use your mouth less and your ears
more," especially on the first few appointments. That gives us a clearer
view of our prospective clients' and referral partners' hot buttons.

Often, because of our insecurity as sales people, we present our sales pitch
too aggressively. We essentially toss darts at a dartboard and hope to come
close to hitting the bull's
eye. That's where Google™ comes in handy. Consider the value of
walking into an appointment, armed with the knowledge of a prospective client's
goals and interests.

Many people have Web pages loaded with personal information about their family,
their hobbies and their successes. The more data you gather about your contacts,
the better you can tailor your presentations to suit their needs and desires.

By doing a little preliminary research, your interactions will dramatically
improve. This will lead to an increased conversion ratio from prospect to
client.

Here's another hot tip! Would you like a quick listing of all the professionals
in a certain field in your area? Try http://local.google.com, and put in the name of the
profession (for example, "CPA"), along with your zip code. Google™
combines search data with Yellow Pages references to compile an amazing list of
professionals, including business phone numbers, addresses, as well as links to
their websites. You can use this information to develop strategic partnerships
in a variety of fields.

Full Moon
September 23 - All night long.
Romance, Romance, with the Full Moon
at Mr. C's

September 22
Yes, Mr. C's is Open Tonight!
The reports of a fire are greatly exaggerated and there was minimal damage, so come on by and enjoy the first day of fall on the beach!

Foreclosures 'boil over' in judicial foreclosure states

Foreclosure-related filings were down sharply from a year ago nationwide in August despite an increase in foreclosure activity in 20 states, particularly in states where courts handle the foreclosure process, including New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

According to the latest numbers from data aggregator RealtyTrac,  193,508 homes were hit with foreclosure-related filings last month, including  notices of default, auction notices and bank repossessions. That's an increase of 1 percent from July, but a 15 percent  decrease from a year ago.

Foreclosure starts were up 1 percent from July to August, with 99,405 homes entering the foreclosure pipeline, down 13 percent from a year ago. Bank repossessions were also down on a year-over-year basis for the 22nd month in a row, RealtyTrac said. Lenders  repossessed 52,380 homes in August, down 2 percent from July and 6 percent  from a year ago.

Source: RealtyTrac

Bucking  the national trend, foreclosure-related filings "boiled over" in  August in several states where courts handle the foreclosure process,  including Illinois and Florida, said Daren Blomquist, vice president of  RealtyTrac, in a statement.

An increase in short sales and foreclosures was predicted in judicial foreclosure states after the nation's five largest mortgage servicers reached a $25 billion settlement in March over "robo-signing" allegations. 

While foreclosure-related filings were down 31 percent collectively from a year ago in the 24 nonjudicial states and District of Columbia, some judicial foreclosure  states saw big annual increases in foreclosure activity, led by Kentucky (up 73 percent), New Jersey (up 65 percent), New York (up 56 percent), and Maryland (up 54 percent).

Foreclosure-related filings were up from a year ago in 20 states in August, including Illinois, which posted the highest rate of any state with 1 in every 298 housing units. A total of 17,781 Illinois properties were subjected to a foreclosure-related filing in August, -- a 42 percent increase from  a year ago.

Florida climbed to second on RealtyTrac's list of states with the highest rate of foreclosure-related filings, with 1 in 328 properties subjected to a filing.

Until August, the top two spots on the list have been held by one of four nonjudicial foreclosure states since December 2010: Arizona, California, Georgia and Nevada.

10 states with highest foreclosure rate

Rank	State	August 2012 Properties with Foreclosure Filings	1/every X Housing Units	Percent change from July 2012	Percent change from Aug. 2012
1	Illinois	17,781	298	29.09	42.33
2	Florida	27,422	328	7.39	16.35
3	California	40,200	340	-4.47	-32.30
4	Arizona	7,899	360	-3.87	-28.72
5	Nevada	2,921	402	3.33	-69.82
6	Georgia	9,478	431	-12.73	-19.29
7	Ohio	9,218	556	-5.15	-6.33
8	Michigan	7,648	593	-12.66	-41.24
9	Delaware	665	610	180.59	1.68
10	Colorado	3,584	617	24.66	-27.35

Source: RealtyTrac

for full story

Senior Texting Codes
* CBM - Covered by Medicare

* CUATSC - See You at the Senior Center

* FWBB - Friend with Beta Blockers

* GGPBL - Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low

* GHA - Got Heartburn Again

* IMHO - Is My Hearing-Aid On?

* LMDO - Laughing My Dentures Out

* LWO - †Lawrence Welk's On

* OMMR - On My Massage Recliner

* OMSG - Oh My! Sorry, Gas

* TTYL - Talk to You Louder

* WAITT - Who Am I Talking To?

* WTP - Where're the Prunes?

Hope these help. GGLKI (Gotta Go, Laxative Kicking in!)

First day of delivery. We're gettingready to break ground on the River Pointe Town Homes in Long Branch.

10 tax tips for home sellers

Tax time image via Shutterstock.

The IRS has recently issued a helpful list of 10 tax tips all homeowners should keep in mind when selling a home:

1. You are usually eligible to exclude the gain from income if you have owned and used your home as your main home for two years out of the five years prior to the date of its sale.

2. If you have a gain from the sale of your main home, you may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of the gain from your income ($500,000 on a joint return in most cases).

3. You are not eligible for the exclusion if you excluded the gain from the sale of another home during the two-year period prior to the sale of your home.

for full story

New Short Sales Rules - Cheat Sheet

New Short Sales Rules - Cheat Sheet Recently the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced that both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are issuing new guidelines for mortgage servicers that will essentially consolidate all short sale programs into one streamlined program. These updated short sale program rules will allow lenders to qualify someone for a short sale, and homeowners will more easily be able to tell if they are eligible for a short sale. Under the new guidelines going into effect Nov. 1: - Homeowners with a mortgage backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac will be able to do a short sale even if they are current on their mortgage if they have an eligible hardship such as the death of a borrower or co-borrower, divorce or legal separation, illness or disability, or a distant employment transfer. - Homeowners will be able to make a financial contribution at closing in exchange for the lender not pursuing them for a deficiency judgment later (assuming the homeowner has sufficient income and/or assets). - Milita ry personnel who are being relocated will be automatically eligible for a short sale and will be under no obligation to contribute funds to cover the shortfall between the outstanding loan balance and the sales price on their homes. - Subordinate-lien payments will be limited to $6,000. Previously lenders would often attempt to negotiate a higher payment from the homeowner. - In certain circumstances, homeowners will be eligible to receive up to $3,000 in relocation assistance. New guidelines for lenders The FHFA also recently announced that lenders: - Must respond to short sales within 30 days of receipt of the short sale offer. - Must provide weekly updates to the borrower. - Must communicate a final decision to the borrower within 60 days of receipt of the offer.