Moving to Maplewood South Orange: Your Chance to Personally Experience a Columbia High Education

If you have clients interested in living in the South Orange - Maplewood School District, this event is a great opportunity to
see Columbia High School and meet some Columbia teachers. Please spread the word! Thanks. Joanne DiPasquale

The Achieve Foundation is proud to host CHS for a Day, a day of enlightening classes that typify the teaching that goes on every day at Columbia High School.
Parents often say that when it comes time for their high schoolers to choose their courses every year, they are envious. They wish they were able to sit in on some of those classes themselves!
Modeled after the popular “One-Day University,” CHS for a Day affords parents and other adults from the community the opportunity to sample some of the outstanding courses taught by CHS’s talented and dynamic faculty members. They may choose from a broad range of subject areas.
The 2013 CHS for a Day is scheduled for March 16. Enjoy courses including physics, math, Shakespeare, genetics, art and computer skills. Participants share lunch in the Cougar Cafe to round out the day.
Achieve is pleased to collaborate with SOMEA (the local teacher’s union), the Adult School, Columbia H.S.A., Presidents’ Council, the Cougar Café, Cougar Boosters and the CHS Alumni Association to host CHS for a Day.
✔✔No grades, tests or attendance records to worry about.
✔✔Proceeds are directed to Achieve’s Take a Seat campaign to restore the high school auditorium.
Register Online at www.achievefoundation.org.


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes



Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.



As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers



As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.



Mark Slade

Home Prices are Rising, But Appraisals are Lagging especially when Multiple Bids Win the Home

So, you are out looking for homes and you finally find one that is priced at the market price or a touch below and you pounce on it! Problem is, so do a few more people and the purchase price gets bid up. Still, after being coached by your agent that the home is still very much worth the price in the context of what the current market conditions tell us, you can find that an appraiser may not agree with the contract price because there may not be enough similar style and location friendly homes to use for comparision.

So, what happens when the home you want to buy, doesn’t appraise for its Purchase Price? Dan Green from Waterstone Mortgage tells us:

Whether you're buying, selling or refinancing a home, the home appraisal is an important part of the process.

What Is A Home Appraisal?

By definition, appraising a home is the act of assigning monetary value to a property; determining its "fair market value".

For today's home buyers, a home appraisal helps to determine whether you're over-paying for a home relative to similar for-sale homes, or getting a "good price". For refinancing households -- save for those using a no-appraisal-needed streamlined refinance -- the appraisal helps to determine your mortgage eligibility.

Appraisals are performed by licensed home appraisers and there are several different methods by which an appraiser will assign value to a home. The Sales Comparison approach is the most common.

Via the Sales Comparison appraisal approach, a home appraiser will compare your home to similar homes in the immediate vicinity with similar physical attributes.

Examples of such traits includes number of bedrooms; number of bathrooms; age of home; quality of home finishes; and square footage. Location matters, too, such that similar homes in different school districts may have different appeal and may not be considered "comparable".

Appraisers will then look at recent sales data of such similar homes, and will assign your property's value based on available data, and with adjustments made for variances between homes. A home with a finished basement, for example, may be adjusted to a higher value; as might a home with recent renovations.

Homes sold in the most recent 90 days will receive the highest weight in the Sales Comparison approach. Homes sold over 6 months are often given no consideration whatsoever.

What Happens When A Home Appraises For Less Than Its Purchase Price?

Another home appraisal function is to help set your downpayment amount on a purchase.

Mortgage lenders use home appraisals as the "value" portion of the your mortgage's loan-to-value (LTV) calculation, where "value" is equal to the lower of your home's purchase price or its appraised value.

For example, if you purchase a $410,000 condo in Chicago, Illinois with an appraised value of $400,000, and you plan to make a 3.5 percent downpayment via the FHA, your required downpayment amount is fourteen thousand dollars.

Conversely, if your home appraises for more than the purchase price, the required downpayment amount is $14,350.

When your home appraises for less than its purchase price, there are three potential outcomes :

1. Buyer and seller renegotiate a new, lower home sale price to appraised price or somewhere in the middle between contract and appraised value.
2. Buyer increases downpayment to meet new LTV and downpayment minimums
3. Buyer chooses to challenge--as for "reconsideration"--of appraised value if there appear to be inconsistencies with conditions, elements or comparables chosen; this doesn't have a high chance of working out, but if you like your lender, you might want to give it a try
4. Buyer chooses an alternative Mortgage Lender, with seller's knowledge and agreement of delay, and hopes to have a new appraiser that comes in at a value that works for the buyer to consummate their mortgage.(my recommendation)
5. Or, Buyer chooses neither option, and cancels home purchase contract

The possibility of a "bad appraisal" is among the reasons why the majority of home purchase contracts are written with an appraisal contingency. In the event that the home fails to appraise for its purchase price, the contingency clause gives buyers an opportunity to re-evaluate. When we are in a rising market, there is an increased likelihood that an appraisal may not have caught up to the current trend.

If you have any questions, please contact either Dan Waterstone at:
or contact me and I will be happy to answer any of your questions.


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes



Mark Slade


Appraisal contingencies are also sometimes used to renegotiate or exit contracts after an appraiser identifies required repairs, such as chipped paint or cracked windows.

Shocking Color Myths, or Not!

Busted! Get the Facts for 8 Common Color Myths

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More »

Browse Home Office Products on Houzz- For Example:

Bulletin Board · Cable Management · Desk Accessories · Desks · Filing Cabinets And Carts · Task Chairs ·

Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes



Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.



As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers



As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.



Mark Slade

Columbia HS Robotics Heads to World Tourney 2013

Columbia HS Robotics Heads to World Tourney

Saturday's success means onto St. Louis!

By Marcia Worth
Email the author
February 24, 2013


Columbia High School Robotics is headed to the World Championship.

After a successful trip to the Vermont State Championship, the CHS Varsity Robotics Team qualified for the World Championships in St. Louis in April.

The Columbia High School Robotics Team has been to the world championship once already, in 2011.


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes



Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.



As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers



As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.



Mark Slade

Why is it that a Home Isn't selling when Multiple Bids are so common?

So, you are looking to Sell or Buy a home?

Have you seen home after home online only to learn the next day that a home has an accepted offer? Maybe there were multiple offers, resulting in a sale for more than the list price. Believe it or not, this happens over 30% of the time in the communities I cover, known as Bedroom Communities of NYC because, offering <45 minute commutes to NYC. When this hapens, it simply means that the home was priced perfectly, so much so, that buyers see the value immediately and the feeding (buyer) frenzy ensues. I've also seen this as the result of a dramatic re-pricing that indicates to the market that the seller wants a deal done and soon!

Yet, as you review what’s on the market you also see homes that don't sell right away. Doing the math, that means that 70% of the homes didn't sell for final asking price or greater and this usually means that many, many homes sit on the market for 30 days, 60 days, maybe 90 days or more...This measure of days is called DOM or Days on Market.

Why Is it that some Homes Sell and Other's Don’t so Fast?

Believe it or Not: It’s Not Always About Price

Sure, price is an important factor in selling as pricing the home correctly brings out the most buyers; but, it’s not always about price.

What else could it possibly be?

ACCESSIBILITY: Making the home accessible - easily accessible - RULES! Anything that starts to decrease accessibility will limit your showings and buyer activity!

A. Showing(Buyer, ABR) Agents want easy instructions to show -- make sure you see what the Realtor community will see regarding the showing of your home - ask your Realtor.

B. Is the Seller requiring to much advance notice? Are you asking for 24 or more hours before a showing can occur? Do you know how many times I get calls from buyers that just saw the sign and want to check the home out? Frankly, that is how I bought my first home in Maplewood. We spent the day out seeing about 6 homes and as we were beginning to drive back to NYC, we noticed a home that we didn't see. Guess what, we called and went into the home about 15 minutes later and that is the home I bought.

C. Does a showing require that the listing agent need to be in attendance? Having a listing agent be an escort not only reduces availability to show a home, it also "crowds" the buyers and their agent.

D. Does the property have a lockbox? As a local Realtor, I have a digital key pad that allows me to sign in and show homes. When I show homes in Hoboken or Jersey City, however, at best I have to ask for a combination and sometimes I have to have the agent meet me to let me in. Once again, this can limit showings.

E. Showing Hours: Are Showing Hours restricted? Let's face it, it might be enjoyable to be out of the home by 9AM on a Saturday, or have to leave the home for a 7PM showing, but if you have a potential buyer, turning them away is the worst thing you can do as there are always other homes that they can see instead. And, limiting your showing hours can have the adverse affect of having to continue to show your home for 30, 60, 90 days more than you would have had too otherwise.

F. Pets -- big or intimidating dog? Angry Cat? Any pet that loves to escape impedes the quality of the showing as focus is shifted away from the home? Additionally, improperly cleaned and fresh smelling pet areas can undo any positive feelings a buyer may have about a home. It's always a crying shame to see buyers love a house till they get near the kitty litter room and then all bets are off.

<b>So, what's the lesson to be learned. Selling A house quickly is NOT as much about price as it also is about making the home easily accessible to show</b> And, when I'm helping my buyer clients, i enjoy finding homes that are truly worth more but have languished, unnecessarily so, on the market, making them potentially better bargains, whether for price or abundant inconvenience.

If you are looking to sell your home, I will try to take the guesswork out of what your home is worth with my Advanced CMA training. Then, with proper availability planning, we can discuss a proven strategy that works in exposing your home to the most likely buyers that will actually save you time on the market and bring an offer that you can accept.

Mark Slade is a Realtor in the Bedroom Communities of NYC--serving Montclair/Glen Ridge to Maplewood/South Orange to Millburn/Short Hills and out to Summit, Westfield, Madison and Chatham. He can be reached at 917-797-5059 cell or marksladehomes@aol.com.

Is This a Good Time to Sell? Trade Up?

Is There a Window of Opportunity for Sellers Right Now?
KCM Posted: 25 Feb 2013 04:00 AM PST


One of the most interesting revelations of the latest National Association of Realtors (NAR) Existing Home Sales Report is the shortage of housing inventory being reported throughout much of the country. At the same time, buyer demand is dramatically up over last year. Here are some key points:

Total housing inventory at the end of January fell 4.9 percent to 1.74 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 4.2-month supply at the current sales pace.

This represents the lowest housing supply since April 2005 when it was also 4.2 months.

Listed inventory is 25.3 percent below a year ago when there was a 6.2-month supply.

Raw unsold inventory is at the lowest level since December 1999 when there were 1.71 million homes on the market.


What Does This Mean if You Are Selling a Home?
The price of anything is determined by supply and demand. According to NAR’s report, inventory is at its lowest level since the real estate boom eight years ago. At the same time, demand is up. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, reveals:
“Buyer traffic is continuing to pick up, while seller traffic is holding steady. In fact, buyer traffic is 40 percent above a year ago, so there is plenty of demand but insufficient inventory to improve sales more strongly. We’ve transitioned into a seller’s market in much of the country.”
Does that mean you should sell your house now? Or should you wait to see if prices increase? Nobody knows for sure. However, some feel that there may be a pent-up inventory about to come to the market because, as prices increase, it will free up some sellers who have been locked in a negative equity situation (where the house is worth less than the remaining mortgage).

And if you are planning to trade up:


Thinking of Buying Your Dream Home? DO IT NOW!

by The KCM Crew on February 12, 2013 · 3 comments

C
Ski In Ski OutA recent survey showed that 3 out of 4 future home buyers (who are not first time buyers) plan to move up to some form of a ‘better’ home. The breakdown:

Move to a significantly bigger home (49%)
Move to a nicer home (17.5%)
Move to a nicer part of town (8.6%)

If you or your family falls into any one of these categories, you should strongly consider making the move sooner than later. The ‘cost’ of your new dream house will be determined by two factors: the price of the house and the mortgage interest rate. Both are projected to increase this year.
Prices Set to Increase

In the recent Home Price Expectation Survey, 105 leading housing analysts called for a 3.1% increase in home values by the end of 2013.
Mortgage Interest Rates Projected to Increase

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, after reaching record lows in 2012, the 30 year mortgage rates are expected to creep up slowly in 2013 to 4.4%.

Now is a great time to buy the home you always dreamt of owning. However, the longer you wait, the more it will cost.

Blog Radio: The State of the Local Real Estate Market

If you want to hear my latest interview:

Click Here for the Maplewoodian Podcast


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes


Mark Slade

Notable Alumni from Maplewood South Orange Columbia High

Frank Langella

How many Notable alumni do you know or have heard of?

Elisabeth Shue


Architect Richard Meier


Singer Songwriter Lauren Hill


Matrix Producer Joel Silver, also credited with being one of the founding members of Ultimate Frisbee


And Actor, Zach Braff, star of the movie Garden State--which was partially filmed in South Orange

The school has a hall of fame listing many notable alumni. They include:[33]

Alfred Kinsey (1912), biologist; created the field of study of sexology. Subject of the 2004 film Kinsey.[34][35]

Drew Middleton (1931), reporter; covered wars from World War II through the Falklands War for The New York Times.[35]

Teresa Wright (1938), Academy Award-winning actress whose films include Mrs. Miniver, Shadow of a Doubt, and The Pride of the Yankees.[36][37]

Judith Viorst (1943), poetess.[38]

Peter S. Connor (1950), soldier; posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.[39]

Paul R. Ehrlich (1949), entomologist; professor of population studies; author of The Population Bomb and The End of Affluence.[40][41]

Peter Eisenman (born 1932), architect widely known as one of the earliest practitioners of deconstructivism in American architecture.[42]

Roy Scheider (1950), actor most widely known for his leading roles in Jaws and The French Connection (for which he was nominated for an Academy Award).[43]

C. K. Williams (1954), Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winning poet.[44]

Amalya Lyle Kearse (1955), judge; first female African American partner in a Wall Street law firm, first female United States Court of Appeals judge.[38]

Linda Gottlieb (1956), producer of Dirty Dancing among other works.[35]

Alberto Ibargüen (1962), publisher; first Hispanic publisher of The Miami Herald, Pulitzer Prize winner for coverage of the Elián González story.[38]

John Payne (1963), former Captain of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.[38]

Myrth York (1964), politician.[38]

Paul Auster (1965), PEN Literary Award winning author.[45][46]

Robert Sternberg (1968), psychologist and researcher in the field of human intelligence and primary figure behind the triarchic theory of intelligence.[38]

Max Weinberg (1969), drummer for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and band leader of The Max Weinberg 7 of Late Night with Conan O'Brien.[47]

Leigh Howard Stevens (c. 1971) - marimba artist.[48]

Robert Bianchi (1979), lacrosse athlete of the century, United States Navy helicopter pilot killed in the line of duty aged 26.[49]

Joetta Clark (1980), four-time Olympic athlete known as the "Queen of American middle distance running".[35]

Matthew Cooper (1980), reporter for TIME magazine who was promoted to Political Editor for Time.com.[45]

Elisabeth Shue (1981), Academy Award-nominated actress of Leaving Las Vegas, Gracie, The Karate Kid and The Saint.[35][50]

Mark Bryant (1984) - Athlete; former NBA basketball player.[51]

Andrew Shue (1985), actor best known for his leading role on the television series Melrose Place.[35][50] He also appeared in the 2007 film, Gracie and served as producer for it

David Javerbaum (1989) - Writer and producer; head writer for The Daily Show, writer for The Onion, David Letterman and his own theatrical productions, first runner-up in 1988 Jeopardy! Teen Tournament.[52]

Lauryn Hill (1993), eight-time Grammy Award-winning artist as well as a member of The Fugees.[50]

Robert Verdi (1986), television personality.[53]


Other notable alumni not currently in the hall of fame include:

Robert Eisenman (1955), academic/writer/archaeologist/poet who led the international struggle to increase academic access to the Dead Sea Scrolls, skipped Senior Year to enter Cornell University Engineering Physics Program.[citation needed]

Bruce Feirstein, screenwriter and journalist best known for his screenplays for the James Bond films GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough, and his best selling humor books, including Real Men Don't Eat Quiche.[54]

Donna Fiducia (1975), radio DJ and TV news reader.[55]

Buzzy Hellring (1970), key developer of Ultimate who was killed in an auto accident his freshman year at Princeton University.[4]

Frank Langella (1955), actor.[56]

Richard Meier (1952), architect whose work includes his design of the Getty Center.[57]

Mark Rudd (1965), activist who led student war protests at CHS and later at Columbia University, and went on to help found The Weathermen.[58]

Ralph Sazio (1941), former football player, assistant coach, head coach general manager and team president of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1998 as a builder.[59][60]

Cortlandt V.R. Schuyler (1918), United States Army four star general.[61]

Joel Silver (1970), Producer of films such as Lethal Weapon 4 and The Matrix also invented Ultimate in 1968.[50]

Laura Anne Gilman (1985), science fiction writer and editor.[citation needed]

Claude Coleman, Jr. (1986), musician, drummer for Ween amongst other work.[citation needed]

Ahmed Best (1991) - Actor; most widely known for playing Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars movie series.[50]

Zach Braff (1993) - Actor/Producer/Writer/Director; leading actor on the television series Scrubs and producer / director / writer / star of Garden State.[50]

Kiki Smith (did not graduate), sculptor, who had a major retrospective of her work in 2003-4 at the Museum of Modern Art.[62]

Jonathan Tiersten, actor in the Sleepaway Camp movies.[citation needed]

Mark Leyner (born 1956), postmodernist author.[63]

Robert Sheckley (1946), a Hugo and Nebula nominated science fiction writer[64]

Stephen G. Bloom (1969), author of Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America

James Kaplan (1969), author of Two Guys from Verona.[65]

Grace Mirabella (19??), former editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, founder of Mirabella magazine.[66]


In popular culture

Gracie (2007): Columbia and Columbia's Varsity Soccer Team were featured in Gracie, a film loosely based on the lives of alumni Elizabeth Shue and Andrew Shue; the film was directed by Elizabeth Shue's husband, Davis Guggenheim, and produced by the Shues (who also acted in it).[67]

Lauryn Hill, for her 1998 release The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was photographed in the second floor bathroom of the school's "A" wing.

Garden State (2004): The school is both shown and referenced in this Zach Braff film, which was partly filmed in neighboring South Orange, New Jersey and Millburn, New Jersey.

Click here for sources of info


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes


Mark Slade

Living in Maplewood: Columbia High Fencers Advance to State Finals

Columbia HS Fencers Advance, Go for State Honors

The South Orange - Maplewood fencers have another medal-winning season

By Marcia Worth


The Columbia High School Fencing Team has advanced to the New Jersey State Championship match.

On Wednesday, February 27, the CHS Girls team will compete for the Bronze Medal, and the CHS Boys will fence for the Gold Medal and the State Title.

Spectators and supports are welcome to cheer on the school's sabre, epee and foil fencers at the season finale.

For More about this: Maplewood Patch

Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes


Mark Slade

Moving to Maplewood: Town Pool Will Now Open Memorial Day Weekend, YEAH!

Maplewood Pool Will Open Memorial Day Weekend

Responding to member requests, Township Committee votes 4-1 to start pool season early this year.

By Carolyn Maynard-Parisi
Email the author
February 20, 2013




The Township Committee voted 4-1 Tuesday night to approve a pilot program to open the Maplewood Community Pool on Memorial Day weekend, and to add an additional $30 to membership rates to cover associated costs. The vote will be memorialized at the next meeting on March 5.

Typically, the pool opens on Father's Day weekend. The new plan will mean the pool will be open for a total of seven additional days, or three extra weekends.

Before the vote was taken, the four other committee members expressed concerns with the amount of the increase and with raising the membership rates on the heels of last year's 30 percent increase.

(Last year, fees increased to pay for more than $1 million in bonds issued to pay for improvements including new waterslides, a new pool deck with better drainage, new dive platforms and diving boards, and handicapped accessible ramps into the pool.)

"Remember the people who are recommending this are (the) pool users, not the township committee," said Mayor Vic DeLuca, referring to the Pool Advisory Committee, which represents pool members. The committee recommended the change in response to a pool survey conducted last October wherein a number of participants requested an earlier start to the pool season.

DeLuca also said the members of the Pool Advisory Committee had discussed the potential for higher pool attendance this summer due to the damage to the Jersey Shore from Hurricane Sandy, and the fact that some South Orange residents now have the option to join the Maplewood Pool. He also noted that the South Orange Pool was opening earlier this year as well.

For more of this article: Maplewood Patch

Click here for more information about Maplewood's Town Pool and a short video


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes


Mark Slade

Project Runway's Tim Gunn to speak at Maplewood's Columbia High School

First there was the sold out show featuring Ira Glass. Now The Seth Boyden Series: a conversation with culture announces the upcoming appearance of Project Runway’s Tim Gunn live on stage in SOMA’s Columbia High School on Sunday, March 17 at 7:30 pm.

Tim Gunn is the Fashion Dean at Fifth & Pacific Inc (formerly Liz Claiborne Inc). He also serves as co-host of the six-time Emmy-nominated “Project Runway,” a reality-based fashion design incubator, the eighth season of which broke all previous seasons’ ratings records. “Project Runway” received GLAAD Media Awards in 2007 and 2011 and a Peabody Award in 2008. For the period of 2 years, I served as the Children's Design Consultant to F.I.T., so I always took extra pride in what Tim did on Project Runway.

The Seth Boyden Series was created to raise funds in support of a new playground and Outdoor Learning Center at the Seth Boyden Demonstration School in the Maplewood/South Orange NJ School District.

Tickets for The Seth Boyden Series featuring Tim Gunn are $50 for Premium Seating (first five rows of the theater, general admission seating) $35 for advanced purchase (general admission seating) and $40 at the door. They can be purchased on-line at: http://sbseriesgunn.brownpapertickets.com. For more information please call: 973.327.3016.


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes


Mark Slade

You can now take your Shower Outdoors While Inside

From Yanko Design

Shower Anywhere from the Comfort of Home!

There’s nothing quite like an outdoor shower, but it’s mostly reserved for those with the space and privacy. As much as our neighbors might appreciate a show, for those of us who live in urban spaces, it’s something we can only dream of! Well here’s the next best thing – the Spaces OLED shower brings the outside in with a 180-degree, wrap-around screen that will fulfill the user’s fantasy, putting them in any setting they choose… jungle, beach, waterfall, you get the idea!

Designer: Simon Michel & Steffen Gramsch
Read more at http://www.yankodesign.com/2013/02/22/shower-anywhere-from-the-comfort-of-home/#cIuQoRYeHgCXMzuw.99

Not sure if you remember the ole jingle, "you can take Salem out of the country but, you can't take the country out of Salem?"

Well, I felt that the jingle works for the above if you replace "Salem" with "Shower" and "country" with: "beach, desert, forest, etc."




Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes


Mark Slade

Omer Avital, Maplewood Jazz Bassist Chosen for Best Jazz Album 2012

Winter Happenings


(Photo Credit: Shmulik Balmas)

Friend and Fellow Maplewoodian, Omer Avital, now has Best Album of the year honors from TSF JAZZ!

It was an honor and privilege to have helped Omer and his family find their wonderful new home last year.

Omer writes:
Hello everyone,
2012 has been great year for me. After having the opportunity to perform new & old music with my different projects in the USA, Europe, Israel and Japan. The year came to a close with a magical week with my Suite of The East group in Paris - where my latest album was celebrated as the best album of the year at the grand annual TSF Jazz event at Olympia Music hall, followed by a four-night residency at Duc des Lombards (read about it here).

Now I'm getting ready for some shows with Yes! Trio in NYC, Suite of The East group in Amsterdam and, and Daniel Freedman's band in Montreal - A special band with Lionel Loueke and Jason Lindner. See more details below.

"Wishing you a great year, full of music and love!"

Omer

Suite of The East enters prestigious Best albums of 2012 lists

We are honored to learn that Omer's latest album has been listed as one of the best albums this year by some of the most regarded magazines, radio stations and jazz blogs:

>> TSF JAZZ (France) - Best Album of 2012

>> DownBeat Magazine (USA) - Listed on best CDs of 2012 (★★★★)

>> NPR Music - Top 10 Jazz Albums of 2012

>> Bird Is The Worm - #3 on Top 20 Jazz Albums of 2012

>> Erie Times - #5 on Best Jazz CDs of 2012

>> CKTK - #5 on Top 10 Jazz Albums of 2012


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes


Mark Slade

From Brooklyn to New Jersey

If any one is considering a move to New Jersey, you may want to come out, check out the area, some child care facilities and then take in one of these seminars at West Orange's Playhouse.

hi all - for those of you who are already out here in the nj burbs, there are a couple of good talks coming up at playhouse preschool in west orange - here is the info
March 3rd : How do our children REALLY feel about our phones? Parenting and Technology: Can they Co-Exist?

Janice Rosenman, MSW

With over 20 years of experience in private practice, Ms. Rosenman has worked closely with families around parent/child challenges. Through her work on attachment and regulation theory, she is particularly interested in how technology is impacting early attachment behavior in young children. This will be a participatory conversation so please bring your questions and concerns.



April 28th : Fathers – Where do we learn our Parenting Skills? A workshop for Men (Fathers, Stepfathers, Grandfathers) Only

Mark Pesner, Ph.D., developmental psychologist specializing in kids and families

A conversation among men led by Dr Pesner, a Licensed Psychologist with over 20 years experience working with children, adolescents and adults. In his work with children Dr. Pesner has a broad background in developmental difficulties with particular expertise in Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and other learning and behavioral problems. Please bring your questions and observations about being a parent for a lively discussion around how the way we were raised can impact our own parenting.


Sundays, 2 – 4 pm at Playhouse

88 Franklin Avenue, West Orange, NJ 07052

$10/Family/Workshop

Call to reserve your spot: 973-736-9451


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes


Mark Slade

Living in South Orange: Local Goodwill Seeking Donations

Thrift Store Seeks Donations

The local Goodwill, a favorite with South Orange shoppers, needs donations

By Marcia Worth


Goodwill asks all its customers and donors to assist with donations for the stores. The closest store to South Orange is located on Route 22. However, there are donation centers around the area, all listed here.

"We're somewhat tight right now between the winter weather and donations we usually receive that were diverted to hurricane relief. At the same time, Goodwill has run a program that allows Sandy victims who lost clothing or household goods due to flooding or storm damage to "shop" in our stores for free for up to $50 per family member -- which also places demand on our supplies," explains Goodwill spokesperson in a release. "Please help us with your donations of clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, linens, wares and household goods, computers, small electronics and appliances, and books."

For a list of items to donate, click here.

Here is the closest Goodwill store:
Goodwill
126 U.S. 22, Springfield Township, NJ
(973) 912-0156


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes


Mark Slade

Moving to Short Hills: Lend Me a Tenor Playing Now at the Paper Mill Playhouse

Don't miss your chance to see what everyone is raving about!

A Door-Slamming Farce, "Lend Me A Tenor" Reviewed

Paper Mill Playhouse's new show starts out funny and keeps getting funnier — even if you’ve seen it all before.

By William Westhoven


The cast includes South Orange resident and Broadway veteran David Josefsberg.

New Jersey loves its sopranos, but for the next few weeks, tenors are the dominant class in the northern area codes. And theater fans from Cape May to Cliffside Park will want to share the mayhem and merriment at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn.

No doubt the majority of regular theatergoers have seen at least one production of “Lend Me a Tenor,” a door-slamming farce that has been a staple of professional and community theaters since its debut in 1986 on London’s West End. It debuted on Broadway in 1989, where it earned nine Tony nominations (winning two), and was revived there in 2010.

Playwright Ken Ludwig, who has seen his comic hit translated into 16 languages, attended Sunday’s press opening at Paper Mill and shared a standing ovation with a splendid cast on New Jersey’s biggest theatrical stage.

Fortunately, “Lend Me a Tenor” is one of those gems that stands up to repeated viewing — as long as it’s done well, which is no easy feat. The good news is that not only is it done well here, but the cast makes it looks easy — and believe me, it’s not — making it that much more fun to watch.

For More: Millburn Patch


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes



Mark Slade

Moving to South Orange: Cal Ripken Jr is Coming to South Orange

So many of us grow up with our home town team as are favorite. But, even if you didn't grow up in the Baltimore area, how could you not have admiration for the man who owns the record for most consecutive starts in Major League Baseball? Cal Ripken JR was inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame just 8 days ago and set the record of 2,632 consecutive starts. My first time at the New Camden Yards visit, i couldn't not buy the signed limited edition of 2,632 bats (pictured below). So, I can't personally wait to see Cal speak as Seton Hall University's Student Activities Board (SAB) announces the spring speaker for their SHU Speaks series is, none other than Cal Ripken, Jr., world famous baseball Hall of Famer and former player for the Baltimore Orioles. Ripken will speak on March 14, at 7 p.m., in the Main Lounge of the Bishop Dougherty University Center.


For more info: South Orange Patch


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes



Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.



As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers



As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.



Mark Slade

Moving to Maplewood: Celebrating Black History Month

The Maplewood Memorial Library is hosting Look Inside Look Outside: The World Through African American Artists' Eyes, which explores the world from the perspective of black artists. Participants will learn about famous artists and create their own works of art in the library's craft workshops, which are offered throughout the month.

People can also join the Look Inside/Look Outside Reading Club and have the opportunity to earn prizes. Signup for the reading club is in the children's room.

The events will be fun for all ages, and the craft programs are available for children ages 6 and up unless stated otherwise.

The schedule for the month is shown below:

Alma Thomas Crafts

Drop in anytime to make a ripped paper collage. All ages

Wed 2/27 @ 4pm - Main Library

In-person pre-registration and Maplewood Library card required

Join local artist Susan Cohen Harris to create your own ripped paper portrait. Ages 6+



Jean-Michel Basquiat Graffiti Art

Week of 2/11 - 2/16 - Main Library

Drop in to make a Basquiat-inspired work. All ages



Romare Beardon: Black History Month Collage Craft and Jazz

Tues 2/19 @ 4pm Hilton Branch

In-person pre-registration and Maplewood Library card required

Join local artist Evelyn Graves to create your own collage. Ages 6+



Silhouettes and Storytelling:The Art of Jacob Lawrence and Aaron Douglas

Sat 2/16 @ 2pm

Main Library

In-person pre-registration and Maplewood Library card required

Join local performed Kim Prioleau for a hands-on craft workshop. Ages 6+



Faith Ringgold Story Quilts

Drop in to make a craft in the style of Faith Ringgold. All ages

Mon 2/25 @ 4pm - Main Library

In-person pre-registration and Maplewood Library card required

Join local artist Marissa Barnet to make a Faith Ringgold-inspired story quilt. Ages 6+



Lorna Simpson Workshop

Week of 2/19 - 2/23 - Main Library

Drop in anytime to make a photo collage.
 All ages

Wed 2/13 @ 4pm - Main Library

In-person pre-registration and Maplewood Library card required
For more info: Maplewood Patch


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes



Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.



As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers



As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.



Mark Slade

Moving to Maplewood: From Brooklyn To NJ

As a former Brooklynite now Maplewoodian, I can't resist anything Brooklyn. My time in Brooklyn spanned a Brownstone rental and then coop ownership in the Ansonia. While Brooklyn is part of NYC, there was a unique about the place that I just loved. The funny thing is, that as a result of the influx of so many Brooklynites, there is no doubt in my mind that Maplewood is Brooklyn-West!

So, having found this article about how the Swedes Like Brooklyn, I can't help but wonder if there are any Swedes that would find Brooklyn-West to their liking as well?

Here is the article:
By: Alice Hines
There's been plenty of talk about the influence Nordic culture has had on New York's bars and restaurants, brought up yet again in today's Times review of Swedish chef Fredrik Berselius's Aska. But while New Yorkers fetishize the wilds of Sweden, it turns out Swedes find themselves similarly attracted to the gritty-yet-crafty ideals of Brooklyn. In fact, as one Stockholm resident told me recently of his town: "You can just slap the word 'Brooklyn' on anything and every fucking hipster will buy it."

"Brooklyn is the center of cool for Swedes right now," a customer at the speakeasy-ish bar Kåken in Stockholm explained recently over sips of a Park Slope Collins. "People here think it's the best place in the world." Of course, Sweden isn't only country currently enamored with the county of Kings. You’ll remember the Times report last year on France's fascination with all things "très Brooklyn," and the subsequent backlash from New Yorkers upset with the de-authentication of their stomping grounds.

But the "très Brooklyn" trend of Paris is predicated on food trucks. In Sweden, Brooklyn the brand is more far-reaching: cocktails named after neighborhoods, blondes in Brooklyn cycling caps, and the ubiquity of Brooklyn Lager.

Swedes say their country’s current relationship to the borough has been paved by a long-standing vision of New York City as an arbiter of culture. According to Henrik Evrell, the founder of the Stockholm-based branding firm Seventy, Swedes began to look toward Brooklyn — rather than Manhattan — around 2008, when a renewed interest in farming, handicrafts, folk music, and local food was born during the financial crisis.

“The desire for authenticity and a back-to-the basics attitude caught on in Sweden in particular,” he says. “People started going fishing and making their own sausages. Many people associated these things with Brooklyn, which is an alternative to the luxury of Manhattan.” Banker chic is out out, farmer chic is in.

To read more about this article: Click Here for Grub Street.


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes



Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.



As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers



As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.



Mark Slade

Moving to South Orange: Sledding Down Flood's Hill

What a great way to spend the day after a big snow!

There were so many kids sledding on Flood's Hill in South Orange that they had whistles blowing to keep the flow of sledding moving as hundreds of sledders eagerly awaited their turn.

Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917-797-5059
marksladehomes@aol.com
www.goodhomesforgoodpeople.com

Moving to Maplewood: NBC and Friends Make New Home for Maplewood Family

NBC and Friends Make New Home for Maplewood Family

Burbank family gets home reno, courtesy of "George to the Rescue" -- and lots of local volunteers.

By Carolyn Maynard-Parisi


In the past six months, the Burbank family of Maplewood has been through steep challenges. After Carolyn and Eric Burbank's son, Ryan, was in an accident last summer that left him paralyzed from the chest down, the family has struggled to adapt to their "new normal."

The Burbanks have deep roots in Maplewood. Eric is the longtime Director of Public Works. Ryan worked at Village Trattoria and played football and lacrosse at Columbia High School.

After the accident, the community banded together to offer help in ways large and small, visiting, making meals and organizing fundraisers to help the family afford home renovations to accommodate Ryan's needs.

A sunken living room left Ryan largely confined to the first floor sitting room, unable to even watch TV with his brothers, and the bathroom was unaccessible to wheelchairs. (See photo attached of the living room "before".) Although family and friends painted the sitting room the colors of his favorite Dallas Cowboys, the arrangement left Ryan with little privacy and the family without a comfortable place to congregate.

Enter family friend Steve Ramos, who knew someone with a connection to NBC's home improvement show "George to the Rescue," where host George Oliphant and crew renovate homes to change people's lives. Ramos suggested the Burbank family for the show.

"We wanted to bring the family dynamic back," said Ramos.

The crew spent three weeks totally renovating the ground floor, which will enable Ryan to not only get around with ease but to have privacy. A horde of local contractors, businesses and many friends -- including Ryan's old high school buddies and lacrosse teammates -- also pitched in, donating labor and materials.

For more: Maplewood Patch


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes



Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.



As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers



As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.



Mark Slade

Who is Mary Leakey? Today's Google design

Who is this? What is this about?

SO here is the best information I could find:

It's Mary Leakey’s 100th Birthday

Posted by Andrew Howley of NG Staff on February 6, 2013


When Mary Douglas Nicol was born 100 years ago today, the idea of human physical evolution was only a few decades old, and very little evidence of any human-like creatures beyond ourselves and living apes had been discovered.

Some specimens of Neanderthals had been found, but the most complete belonged to an aged, worn, arthritic man. This contributed to a common view that whatever ancestors we had were, like Hobbes’ image of primitive life itself, “nasty, brutish, and short.”

Through a life of dedication to research and exploration of Africa’s Rift Valley, Mary met and married Louis Leakey and together they brought to light some of the most significant and spectacular remains of ancient human ancestors more apelike, and more clearly energetic and capable than many had ever considered possible. The discovery in 1960 of Homo habilis, the “handy man” marked the earliest known expert stone tool makers, and the footprints at Laetoli revealed for the first time a snapshot of our apelike forebears in action. (Read her full biography.)

Her son, Richard, continued the work and has been a champion for Africa’s people and animals for decades. His wife, Meave, has made significant discoveries as well, and has continued to be a leader in paleoanthropology. Though Mary Leakey herself died in 1996, her granddaughter Louise continues the family legacy.

Today Louise and Meave are National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence, continuing to push the boundaries of what we know about early human ancestors, and perhaps more importantly on a human level, how we think about them. 100 years ago today human beings knew very little about our ancient origins. Because of the life and example of Mary Leakey, we know ourselves better now, and continue to learn more every day.

Learn more about the life of Mary Leakey on the Leakey family website.

Hear Meave describe her most recent discovery in this segment from the National Geographic Weekend radio show:
Meave Leakey held onto the skull, even though she didn’t know exactly how it fit. The National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence found the two million year old cranium near Kenya’s Lake Turkana in 1972. If the skull wasn’t an “aberrant specimen,” she knew that it didn’t belong to a member of homo erectus or homo habilis, who lived in the same area at that time. But Leakey finally found other specimen like that of skull 1470. She tells Boyd that the species doesn’t necessarily represent a human forbear, but is certainly a related species. Listen to her story now


Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes



Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.



As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers



As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.



Mark Slade

Moving to Millburn & Short Hills: New JCP&L App to Track Power Outages

JCP&L Outage Info Available Through New App

Downloadable app comes after customers demand better communication following Superstorm Sandy.

By John Patten


The parent company of Jersey Central Power and Light is touting its new mobile phone app, which the company says could be helpful during times of power outages.

The app launched by First Energy Corp. is free for its customers in the five states the company's utilities serve, and offers quicker access to outage maps, simplified reporting of outages, and access to personal account information.

“Our new smartphone app and mobile website make it easier for our customers to stay in touch with us and conduct every-day transactions when they’re on the go, whether it’s reporting a power outage or paying a bill,” Ronald I. Green, vice president of Customer Service, said. “The new tools also make our simple and secure online bill payment programs even more convenient.”

The app also offers "click-to-call" for customer service and links to the company’s social media sites and the company's website.

Many New Jersey residents have been demanding better communication on power supply outages from the company, especially after Superstorm Sandy knocked power out for hundreds of thousands of residents for more than a week. The company was also directed to develop better communications by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities after 2011's Hurricane Irene also caused widespread and sustained power outages.

For more: Millburn Patch



Mark Slade
Keller Williams
917.797.5059
Good Homes



Selling a Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills area home involves many steps and having an experienced Maplewood New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor®, specializing in the Bedroom Communities of New York City in Essex/Union County— Millburn, Short Hills, Montclair, West Orange, South Orange, Livingston, Maplewood, Springfield, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Westfield--by your side will make the transaction run a lot smoother. I would love to be your Maplewood/South Orange New Jersey Area Real Estate Professional! I assist both buyers and sellers in the Bedroom Communities of New York City, mostly served by NJ Transit’s Mid-Town Direct Train Lines, offering commutes of 45minute or less to NY Penn Station, with either the purchase and or sale of residential real estate.



As an Accredited Buyer’s Agent (ABR), I have received special training to guide and educate you through the entire home buying process. From start to finish, I listen to your needs and desires in what you would like and take the information you give me to find you home. My GO-TO team can provide you the best in Real Estate advice with regard to attorney choices, Home Inspectors and Mortgage Loan Officers



As your Maplewood/South Orange/Millburn/Short Hills/Essex/Union County New Jersey listing agent I am well versed on as your local expert in all things in the Maplewood and South Orange area Real Estate Market. You can expect personalized service that includes a detailed consultation on how to best position your Mid-Town Direct home to be competitive in today’s market with training to provide my clients with an in-depth Advanced Comparative Market analysis, and advice on staging. As my office’s technology officer as well as both a Zillow Platinum Premier and Trulia Premier agent, I use the latest and most up-to-date marketing methods to get your home in front of as many buyers as possible. Being your New Jersey Real Estate Agent and Realtor ® not only involves just finding the home or selling the home, but being your guide, negotiator, advisor and advocate and making sure that your needs and goals are met. Being your New Jersey Essex/Union County area Realtor® (with a little bit of Morris County thrown in for good measure) is one of my truest passions, and “Helping You Find Your Dream Home” is my number one priority.



Mark Slade