Update Dec 15, 2012;  The bills are just starting to come in.  Can you guess what the grand total will come to?  I'll post when all is paid. I had hernia surgery Nov 29th at Staten Island's University hospital, North Shore LIJ, and was extremely impressed with the care I received. From the first person I spoke with to the very last, a PCA, (patient care assistant). So I wanted to write a letter of thanks and also give them Kudos for a job well done  on the internet.  You hear so many bad stories about hospitals, I thought I could bring a little fresh air in.  I had the same surgery 40 years ago, just on the other side, had a 6 day hospital stay, and the scar (not that I cared) was about 4 inches long.  This time around my Surgeon, Dr. Lance Jung, said  it would be only about one inch. ... 12/05/2012

ANOTHER HOME SOLD BY HERMAN & CO!!! 48 Goller Place Staten Island, NY 10314 Updated 4 bedroom semi features 4 bathrooms, granite kitchen w/maple cabinets. Siding, roof, windows all updated in 2008. New hot water heater and new heating system. Yard features pool & 2 tier trex deck. Nice block close to Willowbrook Park and Staten Island Expressway in the heart of Bulls Head. SoldPrice: $435,000 DOM: 71 Accept Date: 9/10/2012 CloseDate: 11/19/2012 DUC: 49 SoldTerms: Conventional ContractDate: 10/1/2012 PrjClsDate: 11/01/2012 Seller Concessions 0   11/26/2012

What's my house REALLY worth? In short, it's worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Generally, it's all about location, size, condition and special features.  Some websites, Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com,  just go for the generic information, i.e. location, size, etc.  That can be very misleading.  I looked up my property on several different sites and found a big difference between them.  One had it very low, $350,000 while another had it too high, $485,000.  So, who is correct? As a Realtor with sales experience in my neighborhood, I believe I'm better to know local value, then some computer out in Montana, or even Brooklyn.  Again, these computers use a very generic approach to value.  So let's take a look at why someone would want to buy a property. For this exercise I'll use my... 11/25/2012

Accurate Appliance Repair, Kudos Thanks to Accurate Appliance Repair Academy. James, who came to my house to "fix" my fridge, gave me a crash course on how to repair what was not broken. Tuition was only $40.00, service call charge, and well worth it. It seems that someone left the freezer door ajar, which made the tubes that feed the cold air to the top cooler part clog up with frost, eliminating the flow of cold air to the top.  His instructions, shut the whole unit down for 24 hours. Put the unit back on for 24 hours.  if top cooler part is good and cold, nothing is wrong. Go back to normal use. If unit is not working properly, call me, no additional service charge due, just repair costs. All is well, thanks James, you saved me a bundle. 11/24/2012

9 Questions to ask your home inspector in Staten Island. Most of us only need a home inspector a few times in our life.  Ask your REALTOR® for names of inspectors with a good reputation in the industry, for fair and accurate reporting.  Ask your friends, co-workers, and family for referrals and recommendations.  Then take a few minutes to make a couple of calls. You may have other questions, but here are a few to get you started so you feel confident in your choice of a home inspector. 1. What Will You Inspect? What Does the Inspection Cover? Electric, plumbing, and structural?  What about targeting areas of concern like fireplaces, HVAC, or the roof?  Make sure you understand the inspectors scope of practice, or the degree to which he will inspect the systems of the home.  In other wor... 11/20/2012

  Analytics, do you use it? Not very hard to see the report, just click in to your Youtube Video and click on "Views reports" From there you can see who is viewing your video, male, female, age group, etc.  It's interesting to see where they clicked in to the video, how long they watched, where did you start to loose them, etc.  This information shows how interesting your video is.  Think about how you can improve it to retain more viewing time, and show your client how you are working behind the scenes.  Views reports;  Views, Demographics, Playback locations, Audience retention. Engagement reports;  Subscribers, likes and dislikes, Favorites, comments, Sharing, etc.   Overview; Traffic sources Content Geography Date range   Hurricane Sandy Crescent Beach Staten Island, N.Y..wmv Nov 14... 11/15/2012

Seventeen days after Hurricane Sandy   Crescent Beach, (this link taken before Hurricane Sandy hit full force Monday 29 Oct at noon) only 2000 feet from my home, just over the border from Eltingville, in Great Kills,  damage to homes and boats.  While I only lost power for 5 days, these poor folks are still not back in their homes.  Many had a lot of damage, police have posted a mini precinct in the area.  Video below is from the waters edge at low tide, Wednesday afternoon 14 Nov 2012. As I understand what happened, the wind caused a water surge of 13 to 17 feet.  Boats in the street and in peoples yard show the force of the water.     11/14/2012

CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIRTUAL TOUR OF BEAUTIFUL 3BED CONDO IN PARKLIKE SETTING IN ROSSVILLE, STATEN ISLAND, NY DEBORAH BRACCO-LICENSED REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON ROBERT DEFALCO REALTY- 718-605-9300, CELL 718-619-5701     11/09/2012

Did you SCRAMBLE as a child on election Day? Random Thoughts on Election Day .... scrambling?? Happy election day everyone. What a strange day election day is. Sometime late this evening the major news networks will project the winner and about 1/2 of the country will be ecstatic and the other 1/2 will be disappointed.  I (FRANK) will probably be snoozing in my recliner by the time the west coast polls close and a winner is projected. Wouldn't it be nice to wake up tomorrow and have the candidate you voted for be the new President and fell like you are on the winning team. Wouldn't it be nice to wake up tomorrow and find that all those little signs that cover the landscape are gone. At least the phone will stop ringing off the hook (colloquialism) with political calls. This was always a... 11/06/2012

Many residents of Staten Island and other buroughs of New York City are wondering if their polling station will be open tomorrow due to the Hurricane Sandy. You can find out here if your polling station is open or redirected. There is also lots of information on this Board of Elections City of New York website. Be sure to get out and vote tomorrow, Tuesday, November 6, 2012 May God Bless America!!       11/04/2012

  This week has changed the lives of so many ... young and old!   Staten Island along with other parts of the coast were hit with a severe hurricane called "Sandy". Some people lost their power & heat for a day, two or may still be home with out it; others have lost their homes, pets, their personal belongings and their lives.    I am truly heart broken and devastated by how this storm has effected so many people who are close to me including family and what it has done to our beautiful blocks, beaches, parks, marinas and community.   I can not put my feelings into the right words because every time I think about it I get mad and start to cry. The past few days I dedicated to help in the areas where Sandy has destructed. What I have witnessed is unbearable and it will be a long road to... 11/04/2012

In this ariel view video you can see what Tottenville looked like before hurricane Sandy and what it looks like today. My heart goes out to all who where effected by Hurricane Sandy. 11/03/2012

When it you're looking for looking for luxury homes on Staten Island... Dongan Hills Colony is one nice looking place to venture...Our video gives you a view from the sky. 10/31/2012

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Storm Watch (Hurricane Sandy) 2012, keep posted http://www.mta.info   Just received notice from NotifyNYC, subway and buses are to be suspended later tonight.  see link above for more details. Also you can get alerts from NYC as they happen, in areas that are important to you, for example, a bridge or highway that you travel on.  You can have the alerts sent to your cell phone, house phone, and your email address. It's easy to sign up, just go to;  https://a858-nycnotify.nyc.gov/notifynyc/ From my Congressman's office;   Emergency Resources: Register for emergency notifications by calling 311 or visiting www.NYC.gov/notifynycNYC Office of Emergency Management: www.NYC.gov/oemNY State Emergency Management Office: www.semo.state.ny.usFederal Emergency Management Agency: www.fema.gov & www... 10/28/2012

Fall in Eltingville, Staten Island     10/26/2012

HERMAN & CO is now offering electronic signing of documents Herman Herrera, broker/owner of HERMAN & CO, has announced that he is now offering electronic document signing for all agreements, contracts, and disclosures.  ”The benefits of using electronic signatures is tremendous.  Clients, attorneys, co-brokers, all have access to signed documents immediately upon signing a document, any where in the world.” says Herman Herrera. With simple to use software, an iPad, and a stylus, clients now enjoy zero lag time between signing a document.  ”I recently closed a deal on a property in Manhattan and the seller lives in California.  We were able to get all documents signed on the same day by both the buyer and seller.  It is an amazing technology and truly benefits everyone involved.” What is... 10/25/2012

Here is a dramatic look at an aerial view of Staten Island's Eltingville neighborhood. Located adjacent to Great Kills this neighborhood, offers up a variety of real estate including some waterfront luxury homes.   10/25/2012

10/24/2012