According to the Port Authority the Bayonne Bridge will be closed this weekend from 9 p.m. Friday, October 9th to 5 a.m. Monday October 12th. The bridge's alternate shuttle service will also not run this weekend. All of these closures are to help speed up the process of reconstructing the bridge. Port Authority recently announced that the completion of the project is going to take longer than expected. For traffic updates, call 511 or visit www.511NY.org.

 

The photo above shows the projected outcome of the "Raise the Roadway" Bayonne Bridge reconstruction. The plan is to raise the roadway on the bridge a total of 64 feet. The recent announcement from the Port Authority says the project is going to take two years longer than they had initially…

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With Halloween just around the corner it's time to start thinking about the best possible ways to decorate around the home to get everyone into the Halloween mood! This year, we've brought you three creative and fun ways to make your house look absolutely spook-tacular! 

 

Pumkin Luminary Halloween Jars:

With a mason jar, some tissue paper, and some pieces of black felt you can create this one of a kind jack-o-lantern that's much less intimdating and sure to last longer than a real pumpkin!

Click the photo below for a full tutorial on how to make these cute and spooky halloween friends!

Carve-By-Color Pumpkins:

If you are looking for that real pumpkin feel, this can be a fun activity to do with adults and children alike! These…

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Today in our Market Updates series we will be talking about boomerang buyers and what their recovery means for the housing market.

As seen in the infographic above provided by our friends at KCM, a boomerang buyer is defined as a former homeowner who has gone through a "short sale," "foreclosure," or "bankruptcy" in the past few years and has been saving for a downpayment in preparation of the expiration of the waiting period, in order to qualify once again for a mortgage. 

Between 2006 and 2014 over 7 million homeowners went through a short sale or foreclosure. However, in 2014 about 350,000 homes were sold to return buyers. According to the National Association of Realtors up to 1 million consumers have already restores their credit since the…

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Today in our Market Updates series, we have some interesting information about the average interest rates and mortgage payments throughout the last 4 decades and into today. 

The infographic above, provided by our friends at KCM (Keeping Current Matters) shows the difference in interest rates and mortgage payments from the 70's to today. In the 70's the average interest rate was at 8.86% with average mortgage payments costing about $1,589. In the 80's the average interest rate skyrocketed to a whopping 12.7% with average mortgage payments costing about $2,166. In the 90's interest rates lowered to a similar 70's rate at 8.12% with an average mortgage payment of $1,484. In the 2000's the interest rate lowered again to about 6.29% with average…

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In today's edition of Market Updates, we'll be using this amazing infographic from our friends at KCM (Keeping Current Matters) to discuss the benefits of hiring a real estate agent.     Whether you are buying or selling, hiring a real estate agent holds many advantages for everyone involved in the buying/selling process. They understand all the paperwork that has to be filled out, know all the tips and tricks for negotiating deals, have knowledge and experience in all aspects of real estate, know the proper values of any home, and have a clear understanding of the current market conditions. Hiring a real estate agent makes every step of buying or selling a home a simpler process. You'll have a cunning and educated person taking care of all…

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The New York Times recently posted an article listing the top 10 most cost effective ways to renovate your home and get the most out of it. A costly renovation won't always mean a dramatic increase in the value of your home when you're looking to sell. These 10 cost effective renovations will increase the aesthetics in the home while bringing it up in value.

Something like adding a new wooden deck to the backyard can be a cost-effective investment with a high return in property value!

This is the NY Times top 10 Cost-Effective Renovations list:

For Apartments and Houses:


1. Refinishing hardwood floors.

2. Painting walls.

3. Replacing kitchen counter tops. 

4. Installing new kitchen appliances.

5. Replacing kitchen cabinet…

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With Halloween just around the corner the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum on Tompkins Avenue is ready to get Islanders into the spirit (in more ways than one)! This Friday October 2nd and Saturday October 3rd,  two renowned ghost hunters, Brian Cano and Chris Mancuso, will be taking all who dare on a paranormal tour of the museum and it's surroundings. They'll tell tales of previous paranormal findings on the grounds and take you on an active hunt using the latest technologies in ghost-hunting. Plus, all proceeds from the event will go towards the museum and it's programs. What better way to get into the Halloween spirit?

Call (718) 442-1608 to make your reservation today! 

Tickets are $50 in advance, $60 at the door. 

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In June of this year there were 3 homes sold in St. George. This is one more than June of lat year, when there were 2. The highest price any home sold for was $585,000, while the lowest was $324,000.

Average Selling Price of homes in St. George: $456,334.

Here are the addresses and the prices they sold for: 

1. 90 Bay Street Landing 7K - $460,000

2. 90 Bay Street Landing 3I - $585,000

3. 26 Carroll Place - $324,000

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In June of 2015, 8 homes were sold in Bulls Head. This is 3 more than June of last year when there were only 5 sold. The highest selling price was $619,000, while the lowest was $220,000.

The average selling price of homes in Bulls Head was approximately $427,325.

Here are the addresses and the prices they sold for: 

1. 395 Hillman Avenue - $515,000

2. 232 Merrill Avenue - $380,000

3. 14 Amsterdam Place - $549,600

4. 158 Lander Avenue - $390,000

5. 269 Hillman Avenue - $375,000

6. 245 Signs Road A - $370,000

7. 10 Greentree Lane A - $220,000

8. 280 Graham Avenue - $619,000 

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In an article published by the Staten Island Advance recently, they claim that we are currently in the midst of a "retail revolution" here on Staten Island. Those who once went to New Jersey to shop are now hesitant to do so, due to traffic and rising toll prices. People are becoming more willing to spend their money in their hometown. 

This is becoming increasingly true with the prospect of new developments on the island. The most prevalent of those being the BFC Partners' Empire Outlets, Blumenfield Development Group's Bricktown Centre, General Growth Properties' Staten Island Mall expansion, Kimco Realty's The Boulevard, and Melohn Properies' Riverside Galleria. The advance stated in their article that the combination of these outlets will bring…

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