On the day after Thanksgiving, promises of bargains at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in New York triggered a backup of traffic on the New York Thruway and adjacent roads that at times stretched for 10 miles. And troubles didn't end once hopeful shoppers successfully arrived at the Common. Then came the near impossibility of finding a parking space.I know New York was not the only location to experience the madness on Black Friday. This is an annual scenario that plays itself out all over the US.There are those who love the excitement and experience of participating in Black Friday, and there are those who avoid it like the plague. Whichever you are, I hope you have a healthy and happy holiday weekend. 11/24/2007

Indian Point is a nuclear power energy generation facility on the east bank of the Hudson River in Westchester County, NY. It is owned and operated by Entergy Nuclear. This facility is close to portions of Orange, Rockland and Putnam Counties in New York State. Officials of these counties have developed a comprehensive emergency plan, in cooperation with New York State and Entergy Nuclear. The plan includes information and procedures for protecting the public in a wide range of possible emergencies.A key component of the plan is the New York State Office of Emergency Management's web site for the Joint Information Center. Westchester, Orange, Rockland and Putnam Counties, New York State and Entergy are partners in this public education web site. The site provides daily information on In... 11/23/2007

The Real Estate industry in the State of New York will see changes in licensing law in the year 2008. The upcoming changes to New York Real Property Law are steps in the right direction.An increase in the number of classroom hours required to become a salesperson will better prepare future agents to function more effectively in the business. And increasing the required time a salesperson spends as an apprentice, under the guidance of a broker, will provide salespersons with more practical experience and on the job training.Here are highlights of the changes that were made to the New York State Real Property Law, to become effective in July 2008.Statutory definition of Office Manager - Must hold at least an Associate Real Estate Broker's license.Educational Requirements for a Real Estate... 11/18/2007

The FTC discovered that confusion over details of a loan or refinance is abounding for borrowers across the nation. The agency conducted a study of 800 recent mortgage customers and found the loan disclosure was confusing and ineffective in explaining the costs, terms, and risk of a mortgage or refinance. This was especially true for complicated loan products like the adjustable rate mortgages.FTC Chair Deborah Platt Majoras said, "Mortgage disclosures designed more than 30 years ago can be confusing even for simple loans, and they do not address the variety and complexity of today's mortgage products." Two other federal agencies, The Federal Reserve and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, have reviewed the FTC report and both agree loan disclosures were too complex.It i... 11/07/2007

Anyone who has a web site realizes the importance of being able to track the site's traffic and statistical activity. StatCounter.com offers a FREE hit counter which generates detail tracking and visitor analysis reports about a web site's activity. Different types of counters are offered for display on the site, as well as one that is invisible to the viewer.The tracking reports are in real-time and are easy to read. And StatCounter.com does not require any ads to be placed on the site. To obtain a FREE hit counter click on: http://www.statcounter.com/ 11/02/2007

A Seattle-based nonprofit research organization, The Sightline Institute, has developed a web site which enables buyers to locate homes in communities which offer walking accessibility to shopping areas, restaurants, schools and parks.  The service utilizes patent pending algorithms and Google Maps to analyze and rate addresses with a Walk Score between 0 and 100, with 100 being the best walk-ability area. The Sightline Institute points out that the Walk Score is an approximation and cannot account for everything such as: crime, bodies of water, hills and weather. To preview the site click on this link:  http://www.walkscore.com/ 10/29/2007

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides an online service to find and locate flood zone areas in the US. The flood zone areas are shown on a map which is retrieved by address, community or county. This information proves to be helpful in determining whether a specific property in the US is located in a flood zone area.To access the FEMA Flood Zone map service, click on the link below.   http://msc.fema.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/FemaWelcomeView?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1 10/19/2007

The Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded a total of $17.1 million in grants to recipients in 37 different states and the District of Columbia.The grants were funded through HUD's Fair Housing Initiatives Program and will be used to educate the public about their rights under the Fair Housing Act and to investigate allegations of housing discrimination. This year's grants were awarded under one of two initiatives:Private Enforcement Initiative grants (PEI) - HUD awarded $14 million to help groups investigate alleged housing discrimination, and to enforce the Fair Housing Act and state and local laws that are substantially equivalent to the Act.Education and Outreach Initiative grants (EOI) - HUD awarded $3.1 million to groups that educate the public and housing providers a... 10/13/2007

The popular Internet site Facebook, Inc. has been warned by the New York State Attorney General's Office that the company may face consumer fraud charges. Facebook which promotes its safety for young teens from sexual predators and promises prompt responses to concerns raised, was warned that it failed to do either.NY State Attorney General Cuomo publicly announced that he had subpoenaed Facebook after the company did not respond to many complaints by investigators who were solicited for sex while posing as 12 to 14 year olds on the Facebook site. Consumer fraud is a civil offense. 10/09/2007

For those of you who do not know who Jeff Foxworthy is, Jeff's wry Southern humor made him one of the most popular standup comedians of the '90s. I'd like to share some of his humor on  "Upstate NY". Enjoy, and thanks Danielle for sharing it with me."If the speed limit on the highway is 55 -- your going 80 -- and everybody is passing you, you may live in upstate New York.If you have switched from heat to AC and back again in the same day, you may live in upstate New York.If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September to the end of May, you could live in upstate New York!If you install security lights to your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in upstate New York.If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there; you may live in ups... 10/06/2007

For a truly fulfilling shopping experience, spend some quality time at Woodbury Common in Central Valley, New York.  Shoppers in the know come from far and wide to take advantage of what Woodbury Common has to offer. Woodbury Common is an uncommon outlet mall. Upscale and trendy, the Common's 800,000 square feet is home to 220 designer and brand name stores. Shopping hours run on most days from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., but may be extended on holidays. This gives plenty of time to take advantage of what is a paradise for shoppers.Access and parking are no problem. Located on Route 32 in Central Valley, NY, the Common is easily reached from exit 16 of the NYS Thruway (I-87). For information call: (845) 928-4000Or Visit: www.premiumoutlets.com  09/16/2007

 I'd like to congratulate Rosario Lewis of DDR Realty for achieving her first Featured AR Post " Not to Sound Sexist, But...." And invite the AR community to do the same. Rosario enjoys sharing her experiences and hopes that others will benefit from reading about them. I, as well as others, truly enjoy reading her posts.Rosario cares about her clients and is extremely pragmatic and professional in her approach to the business. Although this is her first featured post on AR, I have a gut feeling that it won't be her last. Thank you Active Rain. And Congratulations Rosario!!! 08/25/2007

Woodbury Community Day is back on the calendar this year. Woodbury Community Day started in the 1990's as a way of introducing residents to the area's businesses. But the event was not held last year. This year, the event is scheduled for Saturday September 8, 2007. The day time venue will take place on Smith Clove Road, off Route 32 in Central Valley between the hours of 10 A.M. and 4 P.M. Various demonstrations are scheduled, including one by the Orange County Sheriff's Office K9 Unit. This venue will also include craft and food vendors, a WHUD radio van and prize wheel, music and other forms of entertainment. 08/25/2007

I remember when I did not own a home and how often and badly I wished I owned one. So over the next few years, I worked hard and diligently to save up the minimum down payment. I also worked on improving my credit rating. A few years later, I was finally in a position to buy a home. Fortunately for me, everything worked out well. And I was able to obtain an affordable home, within my means, to provide a great living environment for my family. I thank God that I was able to live out the great American Dream of attaining Home Ownership.Now working as a Realtor, I am in a profession where I help others to become home owners. And I truly feel blessed to be in the position to offer services which help others realize their dream and attain their goal of home ownership. While servicing buyers,... 07/29/2007

Central Valley, NY is located in Orange County about 55 miles north of NYC. It is a hamlet within the Town of Woodbury. The location makes it quite attractive to commute to NYC. As of the 2000 census, the population of Central Valley was approximately just under 2,000 residents, listed at 1,857.  Central Valley offers arts, entertainment, parks, restaurants, family activities, tourist attractions and much history. It is also fairly well known for it's popular shopping area, Woodbury Common.Source: http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/new-york/central-valleySource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Valley,_New_York 07/13/2007