Category Archives: Lewisboro

Innovations in ‘big data’ set to take off | Cross River Real Estate

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The sheer volume and types of real estate data available may be akin to drinking from a firehose, but the technology available to wrangle that data is rapidly becoming cheaper and easier to use.

“In the past three years, costs have gone through the floor. The cost of doing (data) integration is so cheap now. The ability for you to integrate and pull in data now from (different sources) has completely changed. You can build something in an afternoon,” said Jack Miller, chief technology officer for the The Goodlife Team, an Austin, Texas-based boutique brokerage.

Miller spoke on a panel about how to work with real estate data at today’s Real Estate Connect San Francisco conference.

Miller noted that data is becoming normalized and “making everybody’s life easier.” He pointed to the Spark API from multiple listing service software provider FBS as an example. The API allows authorized MLS members and developers access to MLS data standardized according to the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) Data Dictionary, which includes some common vocabulary for fields used to represent real estate data in MLSs.

Previously, vendors had to tailor their products to the standards of different MLSs, which stymied innovation in the industry as a whole and allowed other industries to innovate faster, Miller said.

“Now that things are normalized, new tools can come to the market and spread much, much faster,” he said.

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/2013/07/10/innovations-in-big-data-set-to-take-off/#sthash.yaN6KaCf.dpuf

 

Innovations in ‘big data’ set to take off | Inman News.

Ramadan fasting isn’t for everyone, Hudson Valley Hospital Center doctor | Waccabuc Real Estate

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As Ramadan begins, Dr. Sadaf Lodhi of the Hudson Valley Hospital Center advises that the Muslim traditional of fasting for the holy month is not for everyone.

Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, people with serious illnesses that prevent fasting and others are exempt, Lodhi said.

Here’s a release from the hospital:

Fasting not for Everyone on Ramadan

 

OBGYN says those with health concerns are exempt


 

Cortlandt Manor, NY – (July 9, 2013) – Today is the start of Ramadan, a month long holy day celebrated by Muslims worldwide. Dr. Sadaf Lodhi of the Westchester Medical Practice explains the meaning of Ramadan and some health concerns associated with the month-long fast.  

It is that time of year that millions of Muslims anticipate:  the month of Ramadan.  The month of Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic Lunar calendar.  It is considered the holiest of months for Muslims and is believed to be the month in which the Quran (Muslim holy book) was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.   It moves up by approximately 11 days each year and starts with the new moon.

The end of Ramadan is marked by the holiday of Eid ul -Fitr that takes place either 29 or 30 days after the beginning of the month.  Ramadan is a month of fasting and is one of the five pillars of Islam that requires individuals to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset everyday for thirty days.  Many Muslims use this month as a means for spiritual and physical renewal.

Ramadan teaches:  self-discipline, patience and spirituality.  Muslims try to increase their acts of kindness, charity, prayers, introspection and self-reflection during this month.

Some muslims are exempt from fasting: pregnant or breastfeeding mothers (for fear that the fasting may harm the baby and his/her nutrition), people who are seriously sick(those with chronic condition that does not allow them to fast such as diabetics, the elderly, those who perform very physically tough jobs, travelers or those at health risk should not fast.  Children are required to start fasting once they begin puberty.

This year Ramadan begins on July 9 and ends with the celebration of Eid -ul-Fitr on August 8, 2013 based on the Fiqh council of North America.  To all the Muslims served by Hudson Valley Hospital Center we wish you a blessed and joyous Ramadan.

Ramadan Kareem!  Ramadan Mubarak!

 

Dr. Lodhi is a board-certified OB/GYN physician with the Westchester Medical Practice.  Dr. Lodhi performed her internship at Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital and completed her residency at St. Joseph Mercy – Oakland, in Pontiac, Michigan. She moved to New York in late 2004 and has been a practicing OB/GYN physician since 2005.  Her professional interests include infertility, adolescent health and family planning. Dr. Lodhi speaks Spanish and Urdu, and resides in Westchester County with her husband and 3 children. Call 914-736-6180 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Lodhi.

 

 

Ramadan fasting isn’t for everyone, Hudson Valley Hospital Center doctor advises – Northern Westchester.

4 Steps to Creating a Top-Ranked Business Podcast | South Salem Realtor

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Do you want to create your own business podcast?

Do you have the passion and drive to make it happen, but you’re just not sure where to start?

Keep reading for 4 tips to set you down the path of podcasting success.

Why Podcasting?

Podcasting is a unique tool that allows you to deliver relevant, on-demand and targeted content to a massive, worldwide audience.

What’s special about podcasting beyond its reach is that, unlike any other social platform, it allows you to connect with your audience on a personal, one-on-one level during a time when they are looking for hands-free, audio-only content.

microphone

Podcasting can be a powerful delivery platform in your marketing toolbox. Image source: iStockPhoto.

Pat Flynn of The Smart Passive Income Podcast, who was recently profiled for the success he’s had with his podcast, stated, “I’ve been able to make a much deeper connection with my audience. When I go to conferences, the first thing people who meet me say is, ‘I love listening to your podcast.’”

A podcaster’s ability to create a show that consistently delivers high-quality content to a captive audience, like Flynn does, will determine his or her success.

Here are four steps you can take to set yourself up for podcasting success.

#1: Buy Recording and Editing Equipment

There are a lot of different types of equipment and software out there for recording and editing your podcast. As you can imagine, they range in price from free to really expensive. However, one of the many great things about podcasting is its accessibility—whether you have $100 or $10,000 to spend doesn’t matter.

Here’s what you’ll need to get set up.

A Microphone

One option is to simply use the built-in microphone on your computer to record your podcast. While you will definitely be forfeiting some of your audio quality by going this route, it is possible.

The Logitech ClearChat Headset is a low-cost option ($26.78) and a big step up from your computer’s built-in microphone. This headset will connect straight to your computer via USB.

If you’re not willing to forfeit your audio quality on any level and have some money to spend on a high-quality microphone, the Heil PR-40 is a great option that will cost you just around $300.00. This microphone functions via an XLR connection, not via USB, and thus requires that you also purchase a mixer.

mic shot

The Heil PR-40 is a great choice for a microphone because it delivers high-quality audio every time.

A Mixer

A mixer allows you to manipulate the audio signals, dynamics and frequency of your recording. While a mixer is not a requirement, it is an important piece of equipment to have if you want to provide your audience with high-quality audio.

If you’re going to purchase a mixer, an all-in-one is the way to go. The PreSonus FireStudio Project is a great option and allows you to record audio on two separate tracks, which is a huge benefit if you plan on doing interviews. With this, you cansilence out background noise and easily edit both sides of the interview. The Presonus Firestudio mixer runs around $400.00.

Recording and Editing Software

Recording and editing software is required because this is what actually allows you torecord, edit and convert your audio into an MP3 file.

Much like the microphone equipment, there is a free option and an option that costs money.

  • Free options: Mac users can use GarageBand while Audacity is available for PC users.
  • Paid option: Adobe Audition is a top-notch recording software program that has amazing capabilities. If you do not subscribe to an Adobe software package likeCreative Cloud, then you can check out package options or simply purchase access to Adobe Audition alone for $19.99 per month.

 

4 Steps to Creating a Top-Ranked Business Podcast | Social Media Examiner.

Peekskill’s Black Bear Gains Fame In…. Texas? | Katonah Real Estate

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Peekskill’s small-townbear got some national attention this week.

The story of a black bear being sighted in the city was picked up by the Houston Chronicle, which relayed the tale of the bear to its Texas readers.

A black bear was spotted in the city Tuesday.

“Peekskill police are in the process of coaxing a nuisance black bear off city streets and into the woods by Depew Park and Blue Mountain,” said Peekskill spokesman Bob Knight in an email Tuesday.

“Residents are asked to keep their garbage covered and pet food inside. If you see a bear, do not approach it and do not surround it.”

Knight later added that the bear was spotted heading away from the city, but cautioned residents not to leave food out to entice the bear to come back.

 

 

Peekskill’s Black Bear Gains Fame In…. Texas? | The Bedford Daily Voice.

Residential real estate market heating up | Katonah Real Estate

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Are you thinking about jumping into the real-estate market, but don’t exactly know what the temperature of the market is right now?

While commercial properties are lagging in value and the ability to rent them, this home, located at 110 Mountain Ave. in Pompton Plains section of Pequannock, listed for $519,000 but sold for $525,000.
While commercial properties are lagging in value and the ability to rent them, this home, located at 110 Mountain Ave. in Pompton Plains section of Pequannock, listed for $519,000 but sold for $525,000.

Those at the Pompton Plains Weichert Realtors office have been gauging the temperature of both the commercial and the residential real-estate market.

“The commercial real-estate market in our service area of Morris and Passaic counties is not recovering at the rate of the residential real-estate market,” explained Aileen Williamson, SRES and Relocation Certified broker/manager of the Pompton Plains Weichert Realtors office.

“Commercial space for sale and for rent is moving at a slow pace. Days on market is an average of 242 days. Price per square foot must be very competitive and ‘location’ is key in order to secure an ‘intent to purchase’ or an ‘intent to lease’ in a short amount of time,” said Williamson.

She continued, “Our office area of expertise includes Pequannock (Pompton Plains), Lincoln Park, Riverdale, Pompton Lakes, Wayne, Wanaque (Haskell), Ringwood, Bloomingdale, lower West Milford, Butler, Kinnelon, and Jefferson. Our service area currently contains approximately $22 million of available commercial property, of which we are seeing a two-year supply.”

But on the flipside, the residential market tells a different story, according to Williamson.

“In all but two towns (of the office’s service area of expertise), we are in varying degrees of a seller’s market, in residential real estate sales: meaning the absorption rate is under five months’ supply. We are seeing our listings receiving multiple offers, which are resulting in full asking price or higher in some cases. Inventory is low and the still very attractive interest rates are starting to rise, which is driving more buyers into the market at this time,” said Williamson.

“The residential real estate market is ‘hot’!” said Williamson. “Buyers realize that now is the time. Savvy buyers realize the need to offer asking price with a willingness to pay over asking price in areas of a ‘seller’s market.’”

Williamson added, “Although prices are edging up, the price of homes in our area can still be considered discounted. Savvy sellers that could not sell in the downturned market are listing their homes slightly below FMV (Fair Market Value) and reaping the rewards of top dollar and over asking sales prices. These closings are just beginning to drive up appraised values in our market area. Appraised value has been a huge concern over the past seven years; this is improving.”

So what would be a good investment for someone trying to get into the market and trying to make a possible profit?

– See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/realestate/214564271_Residential_real_estate_market_heating_up.html#sthash.YeCBg9KH.dpuf

 

Residential real estate market heating up – NorthJersey.com.

3 Business Reasons to Upgrade to LinkedIn Premium | Katonah Realtor

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While there are a number of different types of paid LinkedIn accounts you can choose from (LinkedIn Premium, For Recruiters, For Job Seekers, For Sales Professionals), LinkedIn Premium is the most balanced paid account type that will generally suit most business owners and professionals.

The LinkedIn Premium account has four different levels of membership that you can choose from depending on your budget and needs:

  • Free
  • Business Plus
  • Executive
  • Pro

Here are three of the benefits that may have you wanting to switch from a free account to a LinkedIn Premium account.

#1: Narrow Your Target With Advanced Search

The left section of the Advanced Search is available to all LinkedIn members and includes several fields such as keywords, location and company. In the right-hand section of the Advanced Search are several Premium fields that are valuable because of their ability to help you greatly narrow down and target your searches.

advanced people search

Both paid and free members can use the Relationship, Groups, Location, Current Company, Industry, Past Company, School and Language fields in the Advanced Search.

While several fields (Industries, Groups, Relationship and Current Company) are available to all members, there are eight fields that are available to the different levels of paying members only (all eight fields are available only to the Executive and Pro Premium level members). Premium Members with the Business or Business Plus level membership have access to the following four fields:

  • Company Size—This can be beneficial; for example, for businesses that target small businesses and freelancers (select the 1-10 option), members looking for very large businesses (select the 10,000+ option) or any size in between.

    limit your search

    You can limit your search by company size.

  • Seniority Level—Narrow your search by seniority levels such as VP, manager, senior, owner and partner.

    search seniority level

    Only search for the seniority level or positions that are useful to you.

  • Interested In—Choose from options such as Industry Experts, Entrepreneurs, Potential Employees or Consultants/Contractors to look for specific groups of people.

    quickly search for people

    Quickly search for people like industry experts and entrepreneurs with the Interested In field.

  • Fortune 1000—Search strictly for employees at Fortune 1000 companies. There are a number of options that allow you to select the Fortune 50, Fortune 501-1000 and several choices in between.

    narrow your search

    Narrow your search to Fortune 1000 companies.

For example, you may want to search for facilitators within your local area whom you may not already be connected with but you share a group with. To do this, you would simply type “facilitator” into the Keyword field, select the country, enter your ZIP code or postal code and select within 50 mi (80 km) and finally select Group Members under Relationship.

multiple search fields

Finding the people in whom you are most interested using multiple search fields.

use advanced search

Search results are more relevant using Advanced Search.

Another example would be if you were looking to connect with the Communications VPs of Fortune 50 companies whom you share a connection or group with. For this search, you would type “communications” into the keyword field, select Location Anywhere and then check 2nd Connections and Group Members from Relationship, VP from Seniority Level and Fortune 50 under the Fortune 1000 section.

meet search requirements

Save time prospecting by searching for LinkedIn members who meet your search requirements.

best search results

Get the best search results using Advanced Search.

Finally, Advanced Search allows you to save your searches. Not only will this feature remember your search, it will also send you weekly or monthly notices of any new member profiles that become a part of your network. You can also scan these new profiles from the Saved Search Tab by clicking on the number under New.

As a free member, you can save three searches, while Premium members have the ability to save up to 7 with the additional bonus of 500 profiles showing up in the search results rather than the standard 100 that comes with free membership.

 

3 Business Reasons to Upgrade to LinkedIn Premium | Social Media Examiner.

Reorganize Your Fridge, Revitalize Your Diet | Cross River Real Estate

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If finding something as simple as ketchup in your refrigerator is akin to reaching into astorage unit of forgotten mysteries, it’s probably time to rethink the way you’re storing food. Not only does a well-organized fridge make for a more pleasing kitchen environment overall, but you’ll never again find yourself frantically searching for green onions halfway through cooking dinner. Here are some easy ways to reorganize your fridge and streamline the way you cook and eat, for the better!

Organize by expiration date and throw items away weekly

Unless you’re planning on hunkering down for the next year or so, there’s no need to hoard food or keep leftovers for longer than 2-3 days. Judiciously throw away any foods that are expiring, or close to expiring, at the end of every week. This allows you to start each week with a clean slate — a great motivational tool if you’re following a specific diet plan or just trying to eat healthier.

Invest in quality storage containers

It’s easy to forget which leftover came first when you’re looking at five different to-go boxes. To solve this problem, invest in quality see-through containers such as Tupperware or Pyrex, and label with the contents and date. Clear space in your freezer as well by getting rid of unnecessary box packages, and instead keep everything in airtight plastic containers or bags.

Take advantage of your fridge’s storage

Your fridge comes with drawers and compartments for a reason — they’re optimized for certain foods. Meat should go into the deli drawer. If your fridge doesn’t have one, place meat in the shallowest drawer, which happens to be one of the colder areas in your fridge. Also make sure your vegetables are in the drawer with the highest humidity (most fridges will come with a fruit and vegetable drawer). Be careful with your eggs: They absorb odor, so put them in the airtight egg bin if your fridge has one, or in the centermost area.

Don’t rely on the the refrigerator door

While you may be haphazardly piling various food and drink items into the door of your refrigerator, don’t forget that most foods should be stored in an area that maintains a stable temperature. The frequent opening and closing of your refrigerator door can actually be damaging to many foods and cause them to expire faster than their regular shelf life.

Some foods are better left unrefrigerated

Some foods just do not belong in the fridge. These include potatoes, onions, tomatoes, avocados, peaches and honey. Some foods, such as bread, nut butters, bananas and apples, do not need to be refrigerated, but can be. Additionally, be careful of storing fruits that emit ethylene gas in close proximity with other ethylene-sensitive foods. Apples, for example, release ethylene gas, which will end up spoiling nearby fruits and vegetables.

 

Reorganize Your Fridge, Revitalize Your Diet | Zillow Blog.

Katonah sales up 2% – Prices up 8.5% | RobReportBlog | Katonah Real Estate

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Katonah NY Real Estate ReportRobReportBlog
20136 months ending 7/52012
48Sales47
$727,000.00median sold price$670,000.00
$275,000.00low sold price$209,000.00
$7,000,000.00high sold price$4,000,000.00
3261average size3016
$286.00ave. price per foot$278.00
175ave days on market208
$990,356.00average sold price$858,238.00
89.67%ave sold to ask94.50%

 

 

Katonah sales up 2% – Prices up 8.5% | RobReportBlog | Katonah Real Estate.

Surging interest rates could slow housing’s recovery | Katonah Real Estate

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A sharp rise in mortgage rates is threatening to slow the momentum that has driven the housing market sharply higher in the past year.

 

Rates on a 30-year fixed mortgage have spiked in the past two months as the Federal Reserve signaled the coming end of a massive bond-buying program designed to stimulate the economy by keeping rates low.

 

Someone who today takes out a $220,000 loan — the median sale price for a traditional home in the Twin Cities — will pay at least $100 per month more on the mortgage than someone who locked in an interest rate on May 1.

 

“It’s been a pretty impressive increase in rates,” said Keith Gum­binger, vice president of HSH.com, a mortgage information firm. “If that increases monthly payments by, give or take, 10 to 15 percent, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to see sales back off by perhaps that much.”

 

U.S. home prices were up 12 percent in May from a year earlier, and Twin Cities prices were up 14.8 percent, in part thanks to demand fueled by rock-bottom ­interest rates. Since home purchases often translate into sales of garden hoses, lawn mowers and washing machines, as well as construction jobs, the likelihood that rates will continue to rise should temper economic growth.

 

The irony is that what’s driving up rates is, ultimately, an improving economy. Rates are as low as they are because the Federal Reserve has been buying $85 billion in mortgage-backed securities per month, a program known as quantitative easing that’s meant to stimulate borrowing.

 

The Fed’s purchases create demand for mortgage-backed securities and so drive down interest rates for borrowers. The strategy has been effective. Rates for 30-year mortgages were as low as 3.3 percent in November, a number that inspires awe in anyone who took out a mortgage in decades past.

 

But rates started to rise in mid-May when Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke first hinted in a Congressional hearing that the economy might be strong enough for the central bank to contemplate slowing its asset purchases. After a Bernanke news conference on June 19, rates on a 30-year fixed mortgage rose from 4 percent to 4.6 percent in five days, while the stock market faltered.

 

Surging interest rates could slow housing’s recovery | StarTribune.com.

New Google+ Website Plugins: This Week in Social Media | South Salem Realtor

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Welcome to our weekly edition of what’s hot in social media news. To help you stay up to date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention.

What’s New This Week?

Google+ Launches New Plugins for Your Website: Google+ launches “a bunch of new plugins that help visitors to connect with you on Google+, directly from your website.”  There’s an updated Google+ Follow plugin and updated badges for your Google+ Profiles and Pages.  You can now also create a badge for your Google+ Communities.

Check out the updated Google+ Page badges.

LinkedIn Adds the Top Requested Features to Their Mobile App: LinkedIn has “added the top requested features — the ability to search for jobs, companies, groups and people on-the-go. In addition they have added a few tips to help you be more productive from wherever you may be working.”

With LinkedIn mobile, you can now find and discover people, jobs and groups.

Discussion From Our Networking Clubs: Thousands of social media marketers and small business owners are asking questions and helping others in our free Networking Clubs. Here are a few interesting discussions worth highlighting:

How are the Facebook Hashtags going for you so far?

Are you drowning in social media?

Facebook Announces a New Review Policy for Pages and Groups: Facebook will “implement a new review process for determining which Pages and Groups should feature ads alongside their content. This process will expand the scope of Pages and Groups that should be ad-restricted.”

For example, Facebook “will now seek to restrict ads from appearing next to Pages and Groups that contain any violent, graphic or sexual content [content that does not violate (current) community standards]. Prior to this change, a Page selling adult products was eligible to have ads appear on its right-hand side; now there will not be ads displayed next to this type of content.”

Twitter Decides Auto-Follow-Back Is Now Taboo: SocialOomph reports that “Twitter changed their terms of service and outlawed automated following back of people who followed you first.”

Bing Integrates Search Prevalence Into the Klout Score: Klout announces “the official integration of Bing search results into the Klout Score.” This means that “the number of times you are searched for on Bing will now contribute directly to your Klout Score.”

 

New Google+ Website Plugins: This Week in Social Media | Social Media Examiner.