Tag: amazing

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How to Sell a House in Queens when someone Dies

Sell a House in Queens

Sell a House in Queens

Details of How to Sell a House in Queens when Someone Dies.

We do a lot of property sales related to estates here in Queens, and while they can very sad and sensitive situations, they can also be some of the most fulfilling transactions for us because we get to help family members through a very rough time in their lives. Most of the time we are meeting with sons, daughters, or heirs of the decedent(s) and they are usually still grieving as they are trying to get things in order. In Queens, these sales can get somewhat complicated depending on the situation and probate/administration status. On top of that, many times the heir(s) who are handling everything live outside of Queens so that can also make it very burdensome and overwhelming. Whatever the situation, our goal is always to take the reigns and handle as much as we can for them so that they can grieve and rest knowing that their family member’s estate is being taken care of as desired. For this reason, we set out to create a guide on how to sell a house in queens when someone dies. If you have been placed with the responsibility of handling an estate sale for a deceased loved one, this will help you make sure that you have all your ducks in a row.

The first thing you have to know in these situations is that In New York State, the Surrogate’s Court decides what happens to a person’s property when that person dies. The judge in Surrogate’s Court is called the Surrogate, and the person who died is called the Decedent. That person’s property is called the estate. When a person dies and leaves a Will then they died testate. If the person died without leaving a Will, then they died intestate.

Estate Proceedings

There are three different kinds of estate proceedings in Surrogate’s Court, however, one of them is for descendants who had personal property of $30K or less so for the purposes of this article we will focus on probate and administration proceedings.

Summary:

If the Decedent had a will, then you file for probate.

 

If the Decedent didn’t have a will, then you file for administration.

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Government, UNDP set for integrated landscape management

Prof. Emmanuel Oladipo.jpg

 

Prof. Emmanuel Oladipo

In the meeting organized by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility.

Fresh impetus was added recently to the drive to enhance food security and ecosystem resilience in Nigeria through integrated landscape management, after a one-day of deliberations and fine-tuning by the participants at the Local Project Appraisal Committee (LPAC) meeting in Abuja.

In the meeting organized by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), attended by national partners, government officials and Non-Governmental Organisations as well as wide range of stakeholders, including the media and academia, reviewed the project document.

The participants also provided recommendation on the soundness of design and formulation, assesses its relevance, feasibility, potential sustainability, stakeholder / institutional arrangement and potential risk.

Consultant to the project and lecturer at the University of Lagos, Prof. Emmanuel Oladipo explained that the project will enhance the policy and institutional enabling environment for achieving improved food security and integrate sustainable, resilient and inclusive value-chain approaches.

According tio him, It would also scale up sustainable land and water management (SLWM) and climate- and water-smart agricultural (CSA/WaSA) practices that will ensure both environmental and social development benefits at farm and landscape level.

Similarly, the project will reduce gender disparities in agricultural production through women-specific economic empowerment schemes and scale up youth involvement in agriculture using IITA Youth Agripreneurs scheme and improve monitoring as well as assessment.

Among the key outputs are cultivating 350,000 hectares under improved land use and agro-ecosystem management practices; increased value addition and access to markets realized by beneficiary smallholder farmers and utilizing 35,000 hectares under intensive and diversified production for enhanced income and improved nutrition.

UNDP Team Leader, Environment and Sustainable Development, Muyiwa Odele explained that the objective of the project is to enhance productivity and promote sustainability and resilience of Nigeria’s agricultural production systems for improved national food security.

He pointed out that the essence of the meeting is to look for areas that need to be reviewed and enhanced to meet the project objectives such as incorporating emerging opportunities.

Mr. Osopade, Director, Department of Forestry, Federal Ministry of Environment stressed the need for stakeholders’ engagement for the preservation of the forest and reafforestation, especially with those destroying the ecosystem for personal gains.

He said the Federal Government has begun reafforestation projects with the assistance of the private sector in some states of the federation. Osopade stated that the government is mobilizing Nigerians to restore degraded environment.

Mr. Cyril, the focal point, Federal Ministry of Agriculture suggested that climate change resistant methods should be included in the programme.

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A Nanny could be what you need, There are two types of nannies

types of nannies

types of nannies

There are two types of nannies, a live in nanny and a part time nanny or the come and go nanny.

A nanny could be a great help for your to balance your lifestyle. In the fast moving world of today both parents have to generally work to maintain the social standard of living. In the process the children get neglected.  Every parent wants to enjoy with the child but fails due to the lack of time. This is where the need for a nanny arises. But before you employ a nanny you must understand what a nanny is and what you can expect from her.

A nanny is a person who takes care of a child at the child’s own home. She is going to be a companion to your child when you are not around. A nanny is a caretaker, an educator, and even a mentor to your child.

There are two types of nannies, a live in nanny and a part time nanny or the come and go nanny. A live in nanny will stay with your child for the entire period of time that you hire her, whereas a part time nanny will come and go as per working hours. Therefore you have to first decide what kind of nanny do you want to employ.

Once the time factor is decided, you need to start looking for a nanny. To look for a nanny you can give a local advertisement, or you can look for one by the word of mouth, asking your near ones to help you, you can also contact an agency which specializes in nannies, you can search the internet , and the last option is that you can look on your own .

When you get the feedback you should look into the background, skills , qualifications, and experience of the future nanny of your child. When you have zeroed upon one nanny then comes the time to talk and negotiate.

As a parent you have to make your expectations and limitations clear to the nanny. Discuss with her the basic job of protecting, teaching, loving and playing with your child. Also tell her about how to take care of your child’s meals, laundry, room and personal belongings. At the final step you should discuss the salary with her.

A nanny gradually becomes a child’s best friend, but that may not be always true. So you should keep checking the compatibility of your child with the nanny. The relationship between nanny and the child’s family should be built on trust. Don’t expect a nanny to be your housekeeper, a maid, your bestfriend, and your confidant. Always remember she’s there for the most important member of your family …..your child.

There are two types of nannies and finding a nanny is not a too difficult task, But you have to be very careful what type of nanny you employ to take care of your kids. As mentioned above is an easy ways to find a nanny .

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Commercial carpet, Carpet for your flooring need

Carpet for your flooring need

Carpet for your flooring need

Carpet for your flooring need? Most of the time you want to go for durability and the longevity that this type of carpet can offer.

The thing that makes commercial carpet different from the type that you might get for your home is the style. These carpets are generally very flat and very finely woven types of floor covering. This means they are more durable, and you don’t have a lot of material that will wear down and leave paths that are very obvious in your most traveled areas. The material used to make commercial grade carpet is very tough, as it is made to last more so than made to feel good to the touch. This type of material for commercial carpets also have the ability to take in a lot of dirt and water near the entrance so it is not tracked through the rest of your building.

The types of commercial carpet you buy are going to be more expensive, but you can consider it a good investment in the long run. If it lasts, you are not going to have to replace it nearly as often, and that does mean you save. This carpet is also very easy to clean, and you don’t have to worry about footprints making it look untidy when you haven’t had time to get it cleaned as you should. If you use a commercial cleaning company, you will find the time they need to clean your carpets is cut down, leaving time for other things and saving you money in cleaning costs as well.

The most common colors of commercial carpet are in the dark blue, gray, beige, and darker green families of colors. Though not companies many go with lighter colors, there are times when they are okay. These colors are common because they go with many types of décor, and with the exception of dark blue, they tend to hide dirt and mud rather well. When choosing a color, the best tends to be something neutral, but that does not mean that you can’t get something brighter when you wish to have that type of look for your business. You may not find what you need right away, but the right commercial carpet for your flooring need or décor is out there.

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Do It Yourself Solutions To Your Flooring Problems

flooring problems

flooring problems

We tend to like to do things by ourselves. You, too? Here’s how to handle your flooring problems .

Add to that picture a couple of bathrooms that were tiled in 2004 when textured beige-y brown tiles were popular (they were, right?), and we are facing multiple rooms that need new floors. The entire first floor needs new floors, if we’re being honest.

And while we have examined many, many (really, it seems like hundreds) of options over the last couple of years, nothing has stuck well enough to actually get to it. Part of the issue is that we don’t want to hand over the installation to someone else. While that would probably be the most practical option, it’s not the most economical, and we tend to like to do things by ourselves. You, too? Then come with us on this journey to find the best DIY solution to our (and your!) flooring dilemmas.

Painted wood

Frankly, anything that starts with “Sand surface” is an immediate turnoff. If they ever made a National Lampoon’s Renovation Vacation movie, there would undoubtedly be a scene where Chevy Chase’s Rusty Griswold lost control of the electric sander and major havoc ensued. That’s pretty much what we envision happening around here if a big, hulking sander is involved. That notwithstanding, painted wood floors do look pretty cool.

SF Gate has a good tutorial for painting heavily trafficked wood floors that involves really good preparation (so if you’re a step-skipper, maybe not for you) and high-quality primer, but, honestly, we’re skeptical about smooth floors that look like the above.

But, we’re loving the rustic beachy-ness of this look. Our shabby floors are already part of the way there, and if the dogs scratch the surface, it just adds more texture, right?

Painted tile

We first saw blogger Remington Avenue’s tutorial for painted floors in 2015, which should tell you how long we’ve been tossing around ideas for our floors. She crafted a stunning painted tile floor using chalk paint and a stencil that created a trendy Moroccan cement tile look.

Stencils have become more readily available and in greater variety since then, and her new tutorial is even more interesting because she used luster epoxy paint, like you would use to paint a garage floor. That spells greater durability, and since multiple children and multiple dogs live in this house, finishes that can’t endure kid feet and dog paws are a NO GO.

Should we do it? This would be a jackpot for that cave-like kitchen floor and beige-y brown bathroom tile floors (that look just like her “before” floors, ironically).

Floating floor

First, let’s get This Old House’s take: “It’s hard to imagine a house being cozy without the warmth of wood flooring. The quickest way to get new wood underfoot is to install a floating floor. Unlike traditional solid-wood strips, a floating floor isn’t nailed down. Instead, the planks are either glued or snapped together. The planks go down fast, over virtually any material – concrete, plywood, sheet vinyl, even ceramic tile. They have a complete tutorial here.

Now, our thoughts for flooring problems : The advantage to using a floating floor is that it’s definitely DIY-friendly in comparison to numerous other options because it requires no demolition under than removing baseboards – something we wouldn’t have to do if we were painting the existing surfaces, BTW. We would have to put down plywood on the concrete surfaces to make everything flush, but that’s not a big deal. The continuity that would be created by laying down one surface throughout the first floor of the house would be a dream given how broken up it currently is. The downside: it’s a pricier solution than paint, and the price, not surprisingly, goes up with the quality. Whether you are looking at using luxury vinyl planks, laminate, or engineered wood), it’s an investment.

Carpet tiles

We just haven’t been able to get rid of the idea of a soft, cushy carpeted surface in the bedrooms, but we’re not about to try to put in wall-to-wall carpet on our own. “I wouldn’t recommend any homeowner try to install their own wall-to-wall carpeting,” said Popular Mechanics. “First, just getting the carpeting into the room is a huge job. Second, precisely cutting it to size takes experience – one wrong cut can ruin the entire piece.”

The potential answer: carpet tiles. Oh, we know. We say “carpet tiles,” you say “ugly office building,” right? Fortunately, carpet tiles have come a long way in terms of design. The carpet tiles below from Flor and these that are are our favorite newer release are beautifully textured with a great neutral color palette.

The best part: they’re super easy to install. “One 3-inch-diameter dot is placed at each corner of a carpet square, with the sticky side up,” they said. “The next square is set in place tight against the first square, and then it’s pressed down onto the adhesive dots. In the end, the result is a floating floor of carpet squares all stuck together at the corners by adhesive dots.”

Actually, this may be the best part: Remember those previously mentioned kids and dogs? They make stains. Lots of stains. If one area of your wall-to-wall carpet gets stained beyond repair, you’re out of luck. If the same thing happens to a carpet tile, you rip it up and set another one down. Tempting. Very tempting.

 

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3 basic things your dog should learn through basic dog training

dog training

dog training

If you have a new dog or puppy, you may be interested in getting some basic dog training.

If you have a new dog or puppy, you may be interested in getting some basic dog training. Dog training can be taught by an obedience instructor, or you can do the dog training yourself.

Dog training with an obedience instructor can vary in price and it usually takes place in a class. If you do the dog training yourself, it is usually free and you can do it from your own home. If you do choose to do the dog training yourself, it is best to get educated on dog training.

There are 3 basic things your dog should learn through basic dog training. These are: sit, stay, and come. The first part of dog training is to teach your dog to sit. To start this dog training, you will first need some dog treats.

Do this dog training in a quiet environment so your dog doesn’t get distracted. Tell your dog to sit repeatedly as you hold the dog treat just over their head. This way the dog has to look up and may sit on there own to reach the treat.

If not, gently push there rear down. When they sit, praise them and reward them with a treat. This kind of dog training works because the dog constantly hears “sit” and will learn to associate the command with sitting and receiving praise.

The next part of dog training is to teach your dog to stay. This is often a difficult part of dog training. This kind of dog training is also incorporated with teaching your dog the command “come.” Sit your dog in an area with no directions.

Tell your dog to stay repeatedly as you back away. Start out by keeping eye contact with the dog. If the dog gets up, tell it “no” and start again. Remember this dog training takes a while. You may need someone to sit with the dog to help reinforce the dog to stay the first few times.

Once you have made progress with this dog training, you then start by walking away with your back turned. Dogs will often get up to follow you at this point. Tell your dog “no” and start the dog training again by repeatedly telling your dog to stay as you walk away.

Once your dog has mastered this part, you can teach it to come. After your dog has stayed, tell it to “come.” Have a happy voice and pat your knee as you say “come.” Your dog should respond to this dog training right away and you may then reward it.

Always use praise instead of punishment with dog training. Dogs respond best to positive dog training, rather than negative. With all of this in mind, you should be able to teach your dog the 3 basis commands.

Follow all of this advice and you should soon have a more obedient dog that is worth everyone’s praise!

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The first step in home security

first step in home security

first step in home security

Every home owner wants to protect their families and belongings, the first step in home security is the realization that there is a need for it.

Protection of our home has never been as important and as visible as it is today. In recent years there has been an increasing number of home-based crimes including home invasions and break and enters. Of course, any home owner wants to protect their families and belongings, the first step in home security is the realization that there is a need for it.

The single most visible aspect of home security is the monitored alarm system. Home security systems have been around for a long time and have evolved due to the increased need and indeed, demand for these protective measures. The security of mind offered by alarm systems is second to none as they provide a wealth of services in addition to the monitoring of the home. In a time of emergency in the home, most alarm systems will provide convenient one-touch connections to the Police, Fire and Ambulance services. Also, you are always alerted by your monitoring company if your alarm is activated. Additional services are also available such as the instant dispatch of security personnel in the event of an alarm when you are unable to attend. This can provide a great peace of mind when on extended leaves of absence from the home. Finally, most insurance companies will offer a reduction in the cost of home insurance for a monitored home.

There are a variety of other things that a homeowner can do to help ensure the safety of their home. Most of them are simple commonsense steps that are often overlooked. One of these aspects is exterior lighting around the home. If the front of your home is dark and secluded, it might be a good idea to introduce some lighting that makes the entranceway more visible. Never forget that visibility will usually dissuade petty thieves as a darker area is much easier in which to conceal their activities. Next one should consider where it is that thieves usually enter the home, that is, the windows. Look over all the windows in your home and ensure that the locks are in good working order. Its also a good idea to check the locks on your doors, are they old and a bit shaky? Replacement with new strong locks might be in order.

Communication with the neighbors is another great preventative measure. They will be just as concerned as you are about the security of their homes and families. Keeping informed about strange occurrences in the neighborhood can help to increase the awareness and safety of all concerned. An attitude of involvement and awareness is one of the best defenses against home crimes.

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Solar energy is safe for the environment

Solar energy is safe for the environment

Solar energy is safe for the environment

Solar energy is safe for the environment since it does not emit any harmful gases or chemicals into the air. It is a renewable resource.

Solar energy is simply extracting the sun’s energy for power. Just to tell you how powerful the sun is, it can burn scrub lands and give you sunburn if you are out in the sun without any protection. In fact, the Greeks and the Chinese used this to set fire until the 1880’s by Charles Fritts made the first solar cell.

Instead of using a heater to warm up the home, sunlight can be used to control the temperature. You will just need large windows and shades to control the amount of sunlight that will go inside and keep the heat absorbed during the day to remain at night.

Solar energy can also provide warm water as it warms up cold water that passes down through the closed flat panels called collectors.

But solar energy does not only give warmth to the home. It can also be used to help power it which reduces our dependence on non-renewable resources like oil or coal.

This occurs when solar cells are installed on the roof so it will be able to capture as much solar rays as possible and then converts this into electricity. You will need 10 or 12 to capture at least a kilowatt of power and more if you are powering more than just your home.

The only limitation which challenges the use of solar energy is that it can only generate power during the day. The answer to this is to put an auxiliary system in place that will store the energy and kick when the sun is not available. This comes in the form of batteries which will provide power in the evening or a brownout.

Advances in technology have taken solar energy to the next level. NASA uses it to power satellites in orbit, solar panels installed onboard aircraft allow it to fly across oceans while cars can travel speeds up to 40 miles per hour. It is used to power a lighthouse so seafarers will be able to find their way at sea while aircraft can land in an airport in the middle of the frozen desert.

Solar energy is safe for the environment since it does not emit any harmful gases or chemicals into the air. It is a renewable resource that has not yet been fully tapped by a lot of countries which makes it very viable for the future.

Aside from protecting the environment, you get to save a great deal of money. But before you switch to solar energy, here are a few things you should consider.

First, is your roof right for solar power? Most solar power systems can be installed as long as the roof is flat and made of material such as bitumen, composite shingle, cement tile, metal or tar and gravel. If this is how your roof is positioned, then there shouldn’t be any problems.

The solar panels will be installed parallel to the roof surface. If you are concerned that the weight could be too heavy for your roof, don’t be since this is very light and quite rare that you have to do some structural work before installing the system.

When you are looking for a contractor, find out how much it will cost to install the system. You should compare these first before you decide in picking the best one. But you should know right now that installing solar powered cells are a bit expensive. There are also no financing programs you can avail of. Your best bet if you don’t have enough money is to apply for a home equity loan.

If you are planning to install this in a commercial establishment, the various loans you can avail of include the capital equipment loan, equipment secured loan, property secured loan or energy efficiency loan.

Non-profit organizations may also avail of special loans for solar energy and the best one is through third party financing. In this case, the non-profit organization and the contractor will purchase the system and make use of the tax credits. The third party will then pass on the charges for the produced power to the non-profit and after the system has depreciated, this is sold to the non-profit at a discount.

The end result is that you pay for less than what you are currently paying for because it is maintenance free.

In fact, people are encouraged to borrow money to pay for solar energy. This is because you borrow money at a fixed rate and in return recouped your investment of about 7-11% annually as the utility rates increase so you pay less for it every month. This makes investing in solar energy very similar to other investments such as bonds, property and stock.

Will installing a solar system have any effect on your property? The answer is yes. In fact, it will increase the resale value of your property without having to pay much more in terms of property taxes. If you have a lot of space to spare, you may even be able to zero out your electric bill as long as the sun comes out so you can convert sunlight into electricity.

Aside from increasing the properly value, you will also be able to avail of tax credits from the government.

Solar energy can power your home in the same way you get electricity from the grid. You won’t be able to use it when there is a power outage or when the sun is shining but fortunately, this doesn’t happen daily so it is still an alternative form of energy worth considering.

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Real estate and hospitality, Choosing a hotel in Las Vegas

hotel in Las vegas

hotel in Las vegas

Finding a hotel in Las vegas that is close to the Strip but also close to all the nature reserves is a big bonus.

If traveling to Las Vegas it is important to check all kinds of different things, including hotels, hiking, recreation and entertainment for the whole family. Las Vegas was for a long time the adults playground. Las Vegas was and is the gambling and drinking capitol of the world, and it was just about as Wild West as you could get in the twentieth century. But in the last 20 years Las Vegas has changed into a large amusement park for the whole family. There is such a wide variety of things to do inside and outside of Las Vegas apart from gambling, that it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity to see some of the beautiful sites around the area.

1) Think location. A hotel in Las Vegas that is located directly on the strip will end up being much higher in price than a hotel just off the strip. Really, glamour is nice, but saving a couple of extra hundred dollars in the long run will allow you the opportunity to do some great things that had not been originally accounted for.

2) Outside of Las Vegas are some very nice deserts and mountains. Easy to get to and very close, it is nice to take a break from the gambling and partying to get out and visit a bit of nature. Finding a hotel in las vegas that is close to the Strip but also close to all the nature reserves is a big bonus that you cannot win at the casino.

3) Las Vegas is huge, and continues to grow, so trying to visit an amusement park on the outskirts from the Strip, may tend to be a bit difficult, so try to aim to be a little farther from all the traffic if you are not just gambling and are doing other fun things.

4) When searching for a place to stay in Las Vegas, you will find that in just about any direction there will be hotels in which to stay, offering a drive of less than 10 minutes to the Strip plus there is free parking at most casinos on the Strip for when you are going to gamble.

These are just a few things to keep in mind when traveling to Las Vegas. If you are traveling with the family, you will want to remember that Las Vegas and Nevada offer excellent hotels and casinos as well as some of the most undisturbed wildlife and nature reserves and fantastic camping in the area.