Our committee of over 12 people read and shared each essay. We could have easily chosen any of our top fifty essays. Because of our tough decisions, we opted to award six children instead of the promised four. Our 5th and 6th place winners received Kindle Fires.

The winners and parents were invited to attend our awards ceremony dinner at the Pepper Jack Grill on Tuesday June 23rd, 2015 to read their essay and receive their well deserved awards.

The winners are as follows:

  • Platinum - Kayla Burkley of Blessed Sacrament (Laptop)
  • Gold - Olivia Simmons of St. Rita's (iPad Mini Tablet)
  • Silver - Avery Dixon of PS 53 (Kindle Tablet)
  • Bronze - Ariane Miceli of PS 1 (Kindle Tablet)
  • Honorable Mention - Andrew Barbera of OLGC (Kindle Tablet)
    • …

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One of the first (and very important) steps in qualifying for a mortgage is to have your bank run your credit report. Your credit report has a major impact on what type of mortgage loan you qualify for.

What is on my credit report?

 Your credit report will consist of three separate scores from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Transunion and Experian. The scores from each bureau are usually different of varying degrees. The report also consists of all your monthly payment obligations and your payment history on each one. What banks do with your credit report is to make sure you have a history of making your payments and making them on time. If you are behind on any of your payments, the bank will see this on your credit report. They…

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People fail to realize that a real estate agent is an experienced, trained, licensed and often seasoned professional. Yes, you have to 'interview' and hand pick your real estate agent, but it is important to have one to guide you and work for you when you are selling your home.

Providing you find a reputable agent that you feel comfortable with - there is no better way to sell your home.

Aside from having all the necessary tools, contacts and needed internet access, a realtor knows how to properly market your home to get you, the seller, the best possible price.

Realtors are also savvy negotiators. Strong negotiators usually bring much more in the way of final agreed sale price to substantially cover a seller commission and beyond to put more…

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Selling a home is not an easy thing to do. Many steps have to be taken to assure your home sells quickly and for a seller friendly price. Preparation of the home's condition and marketing the home are two very key early steps in the process.  

Some people feel they can sell their home on their own, they fail to realize a professional will advertise the home using the realtor's state of the art marketing, negotiate the best price, and make the process as stress free as possible for the seller.

Photos, Photos And More Photos!

Buyers want to see photos. They lure people and get their curiosity up. Consider hiring a professional photographer and include a virtual tour of your beautiful home! If you are selling your home in the winter, you should…

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You are paying for house insurance, assuming your property is covered for any natural disaster that can possibly occur. However, not all homeowners are aware that home insurance policies don't necessarily cover damage related to a flood, as the risks are too great. As a result, homeowners must purchase flood insurance through a private company.

What Is Flood Insurance?

Most insurance policies cover some form of water damage, ranging from leaking faucets to bursting plumbing pipes. Fun fact you may not realize is - some policies don't cover water damage because of flooding of rivers or backed up sewers that pump into your home. Standard flood insurance policies cover "direct physical damage" to a property resulting from floods.

A separate policies…

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Knowing what you want before you start looking is a big help when house-hunting. Providing your real estate agent with a list of 'must-haves' before you begin touring listings is a not only beneficial to your agent but yourself as well. 

Is it a 'Must-Have' or a 'Nice-to-Have'?

Before making a hasty decision, it is always wise to repeat to yourself: need, want or desire.

There are items that you want and certain 'deal breakers' that you cannot live without. An absolute 'must-have' might be proximity to work or certain schools, whereas desirable features could include a shed or a built-in barbeque pit. Knowing the difference between something you want and something that is absolutely required can save you a lot of time and money.

How to…

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Earlier this year, Tom Delese received the first Rising Star Award at SIBOR's 2014 Top Producer's Breakfast, Agent Day. Now, Tom Delese is being recognized as one of Zillow's Top Real Estate Agent. We are proud of our friend and fellow real estate salesperson, Tom Delese, on his accomplishments.

'Zillow’s going coast-to-coast shining the spotlight on some of the best agents in cities across the country. These Zillow Premier Agents are successful in their community and have used Zillow to help grow their business.'

By Alena Pilichowski July 2, 2014

Today’s New York, NY agent finds balance in his life by enjoying numerous hobbies outside of his career, including flying remote control aircraft, collecting books, and building wooden train…

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Although it is a sellers' market, some times when selling your house in a slow real estate market isn’t easy, (some times it is hard selling in general - except at Tom Crimmins Realty) but it can be done. Pricing your home right is the key to selling it within a reasonable amount of time.

Sometimes this means lowering your price while it’s on the market. Of course, you want to get as much money as possible, so how do you know when it’s time to lower your asking price?

  1. No One Is Looking At Your Home. If you expect your home to sell, you need to have people look inside it. Most buyers search for homes within a certain price range. If you aren’t getting any showings, chances are it’s because your home is overpriced compared to other homes in the…

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By Larry Ambrosino of Continental Home Loans

With Staten Island’s OPEN HOUSE weekend upon us, this Saturday and Sunday April 26th & 27th. Being a Senior Loan Officer with over 10+ year’s experience, the importance of a Pre-Qualification in today’s marketplace is as important as going to see a doctor when you’re sick for a proper diagnosis. Please call Larry Ambrosino at 917-952-5851 today to set up an appointment for your free Pre-Qualification.  Continental Home Loans is heavily involved in the Nation’s Union Members, Active and Retired, and their families, this includes, no processing fees, no application fees, no commitment fees and competitive rates.

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By Timmy Rail of Citybrook Corp.  NMLS•: 12812

Some important tips that first-time homebuyers should be aware of as this year's "Spring­ Buying Season" approaches:

  • Your credit profile is made up of 3 scores from the 3 main credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion; lenders will use your middle (average) credit score
  • A huge part of getting "pre-qualified" is to take an early look at your credit scores and credit profile, in-case there are errors or items on your report that you can "clean-up" before you find homes you like and want to put an offer on
  • Lenders generally take your "unreimbursed employee expenses," found on the "Schedule A" of your tax return (generally, page 3, line 21), off the top of your gross income (these may be…

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