Bedford school officials hope to have the first leg of their application for federal “Race to the Top” funding completed by November.

Drew Patrick, the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction,  outlined the application process during the Oct. 27 school board meeting. The deadline to submit the application to state Education Department is Nov. 8.

The district would receive $98,000 during a four year period beginning next year if their grant application is accepted.

“This application is so specific that is a given that any school district that takes the time to fill it out is going to be given strong consideration,” Patrick said.

Race to the Top is a federal education reform program funded with $4 billion in stimulus money. New York, which received $700 million,  is one of 16 states awarded millions of dollars in funding.

The state must allocate 50 percent of the funding they receive to school districts. Monies will be divvied up to school districts the same formula that is used to give Title 1 one funds, according to Drew. Title 1 schools are schools with a large number of low income families.

State were given funding on the condition that they enact reforms in the four area:  adopting common educational standards and assessments, building data systems to track student achievement, training effective teachers and turning around low achieving schools.

“Bedford can access this money, really, in three out of these four areas,” Patrick said. “We’re not a low achieving school, so that’s not an area where we need to, even if we could, access funding for.”

Even though Bedford NY schools aren’t low achieving, the school district would still need to develop a plan to improve competency in English language arts and math test score on the fourths and eighth grade levels.

More example, 56.7 percent of students in the state tested as proficients in the fourth grade  English language arts exam in 2009-2010 while 71 percent tested as proficient in the Bedford school district. Even though the school district’s results are better than the statewide results, would still be required to improve to performance target goal of 80 percent by the 2013-2014 school year in order to comply with Race to the Top.

Similar performance goals would carry through to the high school level. Separate benchmarks would also be established for different sub groups in those classes such as black, Latino, disabled and economically disadvantaged students.

Benchmarks would also be set up for the number of students who enroll in college and return the following year.

Eric Karle, a member of the school board, wondered if it is worth to go through all of hassle of dealing with Race to the Top for what amounts to $24,500 a year for a four year period. He said the school district was already engaging in many of these initiatives and there still remains questions about the program, such as the penalty for missing benchmarks.

Karle also said the costs to get many of these initiatives up and running will be more than the district would receive from Race to the Top.

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STANDING on the roof of the Edge, luxury waterfront condos for sale project under construction in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, you can’t help but be taken in by the grand sweep of the Manhattan skyline.

New York City Economic Development Corporation

An aerial rendering of a proposed development at Hunters Point in Queens.

But what Jeffrey E. Levine, the developer whose company is building the Edge, sees when he looks to the north are vast swaths of undeveloped land stretching along the Brooklyn and Queens waterfront.

“It is a great opportunity to buy land and warehouse it for development,” said Mr. Levine, the president of Levine Builders, which operates Douglaston Development, builder of the Edge.

Many other major developers, real estate lawyers and city officials are thinking along similar lines. Even with new construction slowed by a troubled financing environment, the groundwork is being laid for the next great phase of waterfront homes for sale in the city.

The Bloomberg administration recently unveiled a draft of a comprehensive waterfront plan, known as Vision 2020, that includes more than 500 prospective projects costing tens of millions of dollars. These range from efforts to increase access to the water for kayakers and canoeists, to measures to protect against rising sea levels resulting from climate change.

“Vision 2020 is a blueprint for the next 10 years and beyond that will change the way New Yorkers live for generations to come,” Amanda Burden, the director of the Department of City Planning, said in October at a public hearing on the report’s recommendations. She said that the goal was for the water to become the “sixth borough.”

“The water should become a part of our everyday lives,” Ms. Burden declared.

After years of aggressive rezoning and more than a decade of environmental cleanup, sizable tracts of land along nearly 600 miles of waterfront in all five boroughs are positioned for development. And despite persistent uncertainty in the real estate market, the dozen or more large-scale residential projects that are soon to begin construction, are under way or were recently completed across the city will provide the foundation for that next phase of building. Many waterfront homes for sale will be available as well as business opportunities.

That being said, even with the groundwork laid out more clearly than at any time in recent years, a casual reading of the history of development in the city reminds us that the grand plans of today have a way of falling apart if public support, municipal needs and private profit cannot be made to converge.

NY Times Article

Bedford NY Homes

Bedford NY Real Estate

Understand what real estate lawyers do and why these attorneys are worth their cost.

Whether you’re buying or selling a Bedford NY home, your team of expert advisors should include a real estate lawyer as well as a REALTOR®. Your REALTOR® can help you find the right house or the right buyer and negotiate a price and closing date that are right for you. Your lawyer can review any offer you make or receive and make sure that your rights are protected and your duties clearly defined.

If you’re ready to make or accept an offer on a property, and haven’t retained a lawyer yet, make the offer contingent on a lawyer’s review and approval before you sign a binder.

There are non-legal services that claim they can do all the legal work you need. If you’re tempted to save a few bucks this way, remember that lawyers belong to a regulated profession with standards they must meet and insurance to cover damages if they make an error or omission. You don’t necessarily have the same standards or recourse dealing with other advisors. And this isn’t the time to do-it-yourself. Although many legal forms used in real estate are similar, binder or purchase and sale agreement forms vary from state to state.

Further, some title insurance companies and mortgage lenders require you to use a lawyer to ensure that, among other things, the title is good, there are no liens against the property, and that the deal will close as anticipated.

A lawyer’s role can be as broad as you want. And while it is not typical in a real estate transaction, you can ask that your lawyer describe his or her work and fees in writing before you proceed.

If you’re buying a Bedford NY home, your lawyer should:

•Help you understand the purchase contract, including how you will take title on the property.
•Check that there are no covenants, easements, liens, etc. registered against the property that will impede your use of it.
•Prepare and register all the legal documents.
•Clarify the terms of the mortgage and work with your bank, if necessary, to modify them.
•Scrutinize the adjustments, including taxes owing and utilities costs paid, prior to the transaction closing.
•Attend the closing and review all the papers you will be required to sign.
•Arrange title insurance protection to protect you from losses due to title defects.
•Ensure you receive a valid registered ownership subject only to the liabilities you have accepted.
If you’re selling a home, your lawyer should:

•Review the binder and review or prepare the purchase and sale agreement, including negotiating its terms.
•Prepare the deed and power of attorney if necessary.
•Deal with title issues as they arise and help correct them.
•Attend the closing and review all the papers you will be required to sign.
•Arrange for transfer of security deposits.
•Arrange for insurance certificates if needed.

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Everybody notices when prices go up. But when they fall, it’s an unacknowledged gift.

Ask a typical American family, and they’ll tell you that the surging costs of healthcare and education are among their biggest strains. Energy prices are an ongoing concern, stable now but punishing when they spike. But many consumers don’t realize that dozens of everyday goods and services have been getting cheaper. Overall inflation in 2010 is just 2 percent or so, after a record drop in prices in 2009. Some economists even think deflation is a bigger risk to the economy than inflation, since falling prices can cut into corporate profits and force long-lasting pay cuts.

But for now, Bedford NY homeowners are enjoying a windfall of cheap stuff, thanks to low-cost imports, rapid technological change, and falling demand for some things. To determine the most significant price declines, I analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on the 211 categories that make up the consumer price index, the most common measure of inflation. Over the last 10 years, the cost of goods and services in about 60 of those categories has fallen, while overall inflation has been about 28 percent, or 2.8 percent per year. A lot of other stuff has risen in price, but by less than inflation, which means it’s getting more affordable for people whose incomes are keeping up with inflation.

Some things don’t seem cheaper because manufacturers often keep prices stable while adding new features or improving performance–and convincing consumers they’ve got to have the latest 4G phone or ultrathin laptop. But consumers still get more for their money, even if they’re paying for extras they don’t really need. Here are some of the most notable things that are coming down in price:

Housing. By now, we all know about the housing bubble and bust: After rising sharply for several years, home prices turned south in 2006, and they’ve been falling ever since. The loss of home equity has been devastating for some homeowners, but the comedown has also tamed runaway housing costs that were pushing a basic home out of many people’s reach. With the recent dip, average Bedford NY housing costs have now risen by about 28 percent since 2000, which is about the same as overall inflation. Average rent has risen by about 29 percent. And the recent decline could continue for another year or so, lowering monthly costs for many ordinary families. One downside: With property values falling, tax rates are going up in many areas to compensate for lost tax revenue.

Your family room. It’s not just homes that are falling in value; the price of many things inside is coming down, too. The furniture you sit on has fallen by about 12 percent 2000, while the cost of a TV has plunged by 84 percent. Video recorders, audio systems, and movies are cheaper, too. The cost of cable and satellite TV has gone up, but overall, home entertainment has become a bargain. If it doesn’t seem that way, it might be because you bought a huge plasma TV or elaborate home-theater system that would have been an unreachable dream 10 years ago.

Your kitchen. Food prices have risen by a bit more than inflation, but the cost of big appliances like refrigerators and dishwashers has barely changed since 2000, which is a net gain for consumers. The cost of small appliances like coffee makers, toasters, and blenders has dropped by about 23 percent, while dishes and flatware are down about 28 percent. Maybe that helps explain why Americans seem to be eating more.

Your laundry room. Price tags on washer and dryers are about the same as they were in 2000, even with snazzy new color-coordinated machines and lower energy usage. And millions of consumers have saved money by trading down from name-brand detergents to store brands, which are cheaper but often seem just as good.

Your bedroom. Sleep is getting cheaper, as long as you factor out the medication that helps you nod off. The cost of bedroom furniture has dipped by about 4 percent since 2000, while bedding, window treatments, and linens have fallen by more, thanks largely to cheap material from China and other low-cost countries.

Your workbench. Tools, paint, hardware, and lawn and garden equipment are about 4 percent cheaper than they were 10 years ago. If you don’t have a cordless drill, you’re living in the dark ages.

Your office. Be thankful for Moore’s Law, which states that the number of transistors able to fit on a computer chip will double about every two years. The remarkable consistency of chip technology has forced computer prices down by a staggering 84 percent since 2000. That doesn’t mean we’re spending less on computers, but it does mean we have more of them, plus access to capabilities like video streaming that were uncommon 10 years ago. Internet access, long-distance phone service, and even stationery have gotten cheaper as well in Bedford NY.

Clothes. Virtually every type of apparel has come down in price, thanks to cheap overseas factories that now crank out much of our clothing. The cost of apparel in general has fallen about 8 percent since 2000, with men’s clothing down by about 12 percent and women’s by 10 percent. The cost of kids’ clothing has plummeted by about 27 percent. Even categories that have gone up in price, like footwear, jewelry, and women’s dresses, have risen by less than inflation.

Cars. Now you really know the salesman is fibbing when he says that special low price is only valid till the end of the month. The average cost of a new car is about 3 percent lower than in 2000, despite better safety equipment and more advanced electronics. Used vehicles are down even more, by about 8 percent. Aggressive new fuel-economy rules should gradually raise the cost of cars, but for the time being, weak demand is likely to offset that and keep the deals coming.

Communication. If you want to avoid talking to your nebbish cousin from Ohio, you’ll have to come up with a better excuse than money. The cost of keeping in touch is about 9 percent cheaper than it was 10 years ago, with wireless service down 20 percent and landline long-distance down 19 percent. If your phone bill seems to be going up instead of down, it’s probably because you’re buying a bundle of services–like text messaging and mobile E-mail–that barely existed in 2000.

Photography. America has become Shutterbug Nation thanks to camera prices that have fallen 64 percent since 2000. The cost of processing film has risen slightly, but of course many people bypass film these days and use their own printers, or post photos to the Web and enjoy them for free online.

Toys. The occasional safety scare might be unnerving, but Americans have saved a bundle thanks to cheap toys from China and other low-cost importers. Overall, the cost of toys has fallen by 44 percent since 2000, one of the biggest price drops for any category. Sporting goods–the adult equivalent of toys–have stayed about the same, making them cheaper, after inflation.

Music. There’s no accounting for taste, but in terms of cost, the past decade has been a huge win for music fans. First, the cost of audio equipment like iPods and other music players has fallen by about 43 percent. And the cost of music itself has drifted down, as online delivery has replaced CDs. For those who make their own, musical instruments are a bit cheaper, too.

Club dues and fees. If you’re not a joiner, maybe it’s a good time to become one. Membership fees for Bedford NY golf and tennis clubs, gyms, and other sports-related organizations drifted down during the recession, and since 2000 they’ve risen just 16 percent–a net decline, after inflation. Just remember to tip the caddy.

Bedford NY Homes

Bedford NY Real Estate

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