Real Estate Information

Yahoo! Finance posted a great article giving all home buyers and home sellers real estate tips for 2011. Mortgage rates remain at their lowest point in nearly 60 years! Real estate is becoming more affordable and needs-based instead of speculator-driving, making a home primarily a shelter once more, Yahoo! Finance reports.

Take a look at the following tips to help you in your home buying or home selling:

1.     Sellers: REDEFINE "MARKET VALUE"
If your home has been on the market far too long, there's a good chance you're not facing market realities. The value of your home isn't what the tax assessor says it is, or the sum on that two-year-old appraisal you have filed away. It's not what a similar-size home that sold across town. It's what a buyer is willing to pay today. To arrive at that sum, the sales prices of foreclosures and short sales must be factored into the equation, along with the average value of seller concessions in your submarket.

2.     Buyers: HIRE PERSONAL PEEPS
Briefly interview three of each by phone. Make sure your appraiser and your inspector (and perhaps a separate termite inspector) are appropriately state-licensed or state-certified and, ideally, have been practicing for at least five years and have done more than 200 inspections or appraisals. Compare the results of your inspector's findings with the inspection findings of the other party, and you're likely to stumble on disparities or omissions.

 3.     Sellers: EXTEND THE SELLING SEASON
Spring is the best time to find the broadest universe of buyers and sellers. Parents don't want to uproot their kids from schools mid-term and would like to settle in a new neighborhood by mid-summer. Many sell at the same time they buy. These days, “spring” really means late winter. So if you're going to sell in 2011, get your house ready for showings by late February. That will give you nearly five months until this buying-and-selling group starts dwindling by mid-July.

 4.     Buyers: CHECK THE SELLER'S ADDITION
Based on mounting concerns expressed in Bankrate reader mail, prospective buyers should add the following move to their due diligence lists when scoping out a home: Check for illegal additions. Revenue-starved cities are cracking down on unpermitted work. They focus on current owners, not the original step-skipping "perps." Unpermitted room additions, kitchen remodels and garage conversions are just a few areas that can haunt an unsuspecting buyer.

 5.     Sellers and buyers: GATHER MICRO DATA
Search local daily newspapers, business journals and websites to find the latest foreclosed homes, housing backlogs, current versus historic median selling prices, and the average time on the market of for-sale homes in your specific ZIP code, submarket or neighborhood. The website City-data.com is a good start for this.

On a broader scale, look at population income levels, unemployment rates and the contraction or expansion of major local employers. Homes near universities, hospitals and other major employment centers usually hold their value better and resell faster. A great product and great location, at least to some degree, will transcend local trends for buyers and sellers.

6.     Buyers: SMOKE OUT PERVS
Do a sex-offender search. The National Association of Realtors, or NAR, says it's the job of local police agencies, not Realtors, to be gatekeepers of registered sex-offender data. So do your homework.

 7.     Sellers: FEEL WHAT THE BUYER FEELS
Put your ego aside, sellers. Your for-sale home is no longer about you -- it's about the buyer. So be empathic. What would you expect to see on a tour of a for-sale home? Even though you're essentially marketing brick, mortar and land, the emotional response you elicit in a buyer is often what seals a deal. Neutral colors allow buyers to picture themselves in your house. To appeal to their olfactory pleasure senses, employ the age-old tactic of baking fresh cookies before potential buyers arrive -- then leave them for your visitors to enjoy. Or at least light a candle or two. To convey an inviting atmosphere, de-clutter the place with renewed vengeance, stow away your inexpensive or tattered furniture and box up cherished mementos. Remember that the illusion of space is almost as important as the space itself.

 8.     Buyers: KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE AFTER FORECLOSURE
Lost your home to foreclosure? In most cases, that won't keep you from owning another home as far into the future as you likely feared. It's true that a foreclosure can remain on your credit record for up to seven years, but government-backed mortgage guarantors Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA typically impose just a minimum of just three years before they'll back another home loan -- if your foreclosure was due to extenuating circumstances such as job loss, relocation or illness. Next time, you might be asked for a bigger down payment, as much as 20 percent, and slightly higher interest rates. So start saving now.

 9.     Buyers and sellers: SET YOUR GOALS IN WRITING
Certainly you should get all relevant real estate promises in writing, but that's not where we're headed. Keep a log of the entire process of buying or selling a home, including your objectives, home-tour dates, buyer and seller feedback, offers, expenses, contracts, repairs, contractors hired, agent communiqués, neighborhood observations, everything. It will give you a clearer picture of what you've done, what you're doing and what to do next. Studies have shown that goals are more likely to become reality if you write them than if you don't.

10.  Buyers: PLAY THE FIELD
Don't leave yourself open to heartbreak. Buyers pursuing heavily discounted short-sale and auction homes should research several prospects, because there may be plenty of other suitors. Many a would-be buyer has been left at the altar of lofty expectations after watching another guy or gal swoop up that perfect home at the last minute for just a little more money.

If you have any questions about any of these tips presented by Yahoo! Finance, please contact me and I will do my best to help you.

-Orly

Are you sick and tired of paying “convenience” fees? Do you see them as just another way for people to make money? Check out the article below and maybe you will have a different outlook on those “useless” fees…

NorthJersey.com published a great article explaining the reasoning behind some of the convenience fees along with the County Homelessness Trust Fund Act.

The County Homeless Trust Fund Act allows participating counties to put a $3 surcharge on basic transactions. This money is then used towards homeless services! What a great thing! With the struggling people out there, it’s great that entire counties are putting forth an effort to assist with getting people off the streets.

It is not mandatory for counties to participate, but they should. Luckily enough for us, Passaic county is a participating county. It makes those fees seem not so bad now, doesn’t it? Since Jan 1, 2010, Passaic County has raised $121,110 all from a fee that costs less than a gallon of gas or a footlong sub.

Keep in mind, counties aren’t just taking people’s money without a plan. Before the $3 fee is approved, they must develop a plan for how the money can reduce homelessness.

It blows my mind that some counties are not participating in this Act. I understand we are all going through tough times but a measly $3 isn’t going to make anyone destitute; it will however, help those in dire need.

Homelessness costs society. We pay for it one way or another, whether through higher health insurance rates to cover emergency room visits or higher taxes to cover jail costs. And it isn't just financial. We pay for it through the lost potential of homeless children with uneven schooling, the lost production of homeless workers who have to skip work and the lost security of a once-healthy neighborhood whose residents have been kicked out by the banks.

In the face of all that, skip the footlong and pay the fee.

-Orly

MSN Real Estate posted a great article from forbes.com about the suspected housing shortage coming this year. The article had some great insight and will inform you about what we are expecting to see in the new year so I wanted to share it with you.

We all know the focus in the real-estate market has been foreclosures and cheap houses. According to forbes.com, Brian Wesbury, chief economist at First Trust Advisors, says that if Americans don’t start focusing on building new houses, the market will have a much bigger problem on its hands.

In an interview with Steve Forbes, Wesbury informed him that we need 1.5 million houses per year just to keep up with population growth. Right now we are down to about seven month’s inventory.

Privately owned housing stats in December 2009 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 557,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 4% less than where it was in November.

Some people might shrug these statistics off because of the number of foreclosures on the market. There were 315,716 properties last month with foreclosure filings, according to RealtyTrac.

Will you be one of those people to ignore the numbers? There is definitely an issue going on in our economy and we should all be working to straighten it out as soon as possible. If you are in the market to buy a home, you should follow-thru with your plans. If you aren’t finding the home you are looking for, maybe consider buying a piece of land and building a home to your liking. This will help the housing market in the long run and then you could have your new home exactly the way you want it!

-Orly

I want to take a moment to wish all of you a very
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I hope you all have a great time with family and friends. Be safe in your travels and enjoy this wonderful time of year!

-Orly

Christmas is right around the corner so if you still need gifts for people, I'm sure the stress levels are increasing by the minute. I came across this article that I wanted to share with you to hopefully help those in dire need of gift ideas that won't break the bank. Robert Pagliarini, a writer for Yahoo! Finance, makes a good point….what about those of you who really CAN’T afford to give gifts in general this year? In his article, “10 Great Christmas Gifts that won’t Cost you a Dime,” Pagliarini lists 10 FREE gifts that you can give your loved ones, without breaking too many laws!

1. Gadget training. If you have less tech-savvy people on your Christmas list, i.e., anyone over the age of 15, give them something they desperately need — training for their gadgets. Take a couple of hours of your time, or however long it takes, to show them all of the features of their cell phone, how to record their favorite shows on their DVR, how to properly use and operate a Facebook account to stay in touch, etc. (If they are interested in this kind of thing, of course.)

2. Babysit. When your tolerance for screaming kids exceeds your bank account balance, consider giving babysitting “coupons” that your friends can redeem. If you’re a masochist, schedule a night where multiple families drop the kids off at your house. This way you’re not giving up so much of your time.

3. Swap services. If you have smart but broke friends, this tip is for you. Have a friend who provides a valuable service such as personal training, financial planning, or computer consulting give you several one hour vouchers you can give to your friends. In return, you give your friend the same number of one hour vouchers for whatever service you provide.

4. Teach them. Now is your chance to be a know-it-all. Do you have a special skill such as speaking a foreign language or the ability to play an instrument? If so, you could provide weekly lessons for a month or six weeks. Bonus benefit: If you’re a good teacher, they may just want to hire you at the end of their free lessons.

5. Start a book club. Tap into your inner Oprah. Offer to host a book club at your house every month. To avoid having to buy the books each month, download thousands for FREE from places that offer these types of services, such as Project Gutenberg or Amazon’s free eBook program.

6. iTunes transfer. Nothing like the gift of piracy! This can take some time, but for that special person, this is the ultimate gift! Import all of their CDs into iTunes for them (no, it’s not really piracy).

7. Be a host. Be the host with the most when you’re the host with the least (cash, that is). This is an efficient gift because you can give it to all of the people on your list. Offer to host a monthly or quarterly party or game night at your place. Tell them you’ll plan it, send the invites, etc. To make sure you’re not spending money, require attendees to bring food and drink.

8. Share lottery winnings. If your idea of asset allocation revolves around having a mix of scratchers and Powerball lottery tickets, consider sharing one of the lottery tickets you’ve already purchased with those on your list. If you win, share the proceeds equally with everyone on your list. If you win really big, simply keep it all and get new friends.

9. Cook & Serve. Who doesn’t love being served by a friend? Give those on your list the experience of eating out at home. Prepare and serve a meal for a friend, friends, your parents, grandparents, etc.  Be sure to make it a dinner to remember, complete with all the bells and whistles that they may get from a 5-star dining experience. Don’t forget to clean up for them after.

10. Workout partner. They may both thank and curse you for this gift! Offer to be a workout partner to a friend. When you exercise with others you are more inclined to keep going even if you lose motivation. It’s a superb gift that will also benefit you.

Whatever you decide, you don’t have to feel guilty about not spending money. As Pagliarini says, “I guarantee you that the less money you spend the more thought you’ll put into the gift.” Isn’t that what Christmas is all about anyway?

Happy holidays!

-Orly

10 Tips to Know Before Buying a Home

CNNMoney.com gave great tips to know before buying a home so I wanted to share them with you!

1. Don’t Buy If You Can’t Stay Put
If you can’t commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, owning isn’t for you…at least not right now. There are a lot of additional costs associated with buying a home so you want to ensure you are going to get your money’s worth. On another note, with the market being the way it is, you don’t want to be stuck with a home you can’t afford and/or aren’t living in.

2. Start By Ensuring You Have Good Credit
Since you will more than likely need to get a mortgage to buy a house, you will need to make sure your credit is in good standing. Get copies of your credit report a few months before you start house hunting. Make sure the fax are correct and fix as many dings as you can.

3. Aim For A Home You Can Really Afford
The rule of thumb is that you can buy a house 2.5 times your annual salary. Look online for a calculator to determine what range you should be looking in. Debts and expenses have a huge affect on what you can really afford.

4. If You Can’t Put Down The Usual 20%, You May Still Qualify For A Loan
There are quite a few lenders out there who offer low-interest mortgages that require a small down payment (upon approval, of course).

5. Buy In A District With Good Schools
Even if you do not have kids, you should still buy within a good school district. Reason being, when you want to turn around and sell your home, top school districts are a top priority for many buyers so your property value will be increased.

6. Get Professional Help
The internet can be a great source for home buyers; many agents even offer free listings online. However, you will always be better off going through a professional agent because they know all of the ins and outs of home buying that you may not.

7. Choose Carefully Between Points And Rates
When choosing the best mortgage option for you, you usually have the option of paying a portion of the interest at closing in exchange for a lower interest rate. The lower interest rate will save you a lot of money in the long run so it’s definitely a great route to go.

8. Before House Hunting, Get Pre-Approval
There’s nothing worse than looking for houses, finding some you really like, and then finding out you can’t afford them. Always get pre-approved before house hunting so you know your price range.

9. Do Your Homework Before Bidding
Check to see what similar houses in the neighborhood were recently sold for. This will give you a good idea of what the value of a home is in that neighborhood. You opening bid should be based off of the neighborhood sales trend. If homes were going for 5% less than the asking price, make your opening bid 10% less. You will always be able to work with the seller from there.

10. Hire A Home Inspector
Your lender will require a home appraisal but you should also hire your own home inspector. They will point out potential problems with the home that could be costly down the road. This all affects the value of the home.

These are just a few tips you should follow when looking to purchase a home. There are many more!

Good luck in your house hunt…I hope you find what you’re looking for when the time comes. Let me know if I can answer any questions or be of any assistance!

-Orly

Nate Moch, of Zillow.com, was probably correct in assuming that “your mortgage payment is most likely your largest monthly expense.” However, there are ways you can decrease your monthly payment and pay off your loan faster. In order to provide you with an example of exactly what you could be saving, from this point forward let’s pretend you have a $200,000 loan with a 30-year fixed rate, at 6%. That means you end up with a $1,199 monthly principle and interest payment.

With that being said, just a few simple adjustments could end up saving you thousands of dollars in interest and significantly cut down the life of your loan. If this sounds as good to you as it did to me, then I encourage you to continue reading and check out the 7 ways you can save money on your mortgage.

1. Make an Extra Payment Each Year
If you have the means, the easiest way to save money on your mortgage is by making an extra mortgage payment each year. These extra payments are automatically applied on your principal, not interest. Not only does your remaining balance drop, but you will not have to pay interest each month on that principal for the remainder of the loan term.

Savings: If you were to make one extra payment of $1,199 each year and apply it to your principle, you could save over $47,000 in interest and cut 5 years off the life of the loan.

2. Create Bi-Weekly Payments
Another way to pay off your loan early is by creating a bi-weekly payment plan. Put half of your monthly mortgage payment in a savings account every other Friday (or, on your pay day). Each month, pay your mortgage from the account. At the end of the year, you will have made 26 half payments, which is 13 full payments. This will leave with you an extra payment that you can put toward your principal. Most people manage the separate accounts themselves, but there are companies that you can hire to act as an escrow service and manage the payments for you.

Savings: They would be the same as the extra payment.

3. Cut your PMI
Many people are forced to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI) because their down payment is less than 20 percent. If you are in this boat, you can petition your lender to cancel the insurance as soon as your mortgage balance falls below 80 percent of the home’s appraised value. This can happen if your home’s value has gone up or you have repaid some of the principle. This may require a new appraisal but could shave hundreds of dollars off your monthly payment.

Savings: If you only put down 5 percent and had a PMI rate of .78 percent, you could save $130 per month.

4. Fight Your Property Assessment
Property taxes can be thousands of dollars a year. If you think the value of your home has decreased in the last year and it was not properly accounted for in your tax assessment, you can petition your assessor and fight your assessment. Lowering your tax assessment will lower your yearly taxes.

Savings: Depends on your local tax rate and home adjustment, but could be hundreds of dollars a year.

5. Recast Your Mortgage
Some lenders are willing to recast (reset) your monthly payment when you make large payments toward the principle of your mortgage. Usually when you put money toward your balance, your monthly payment stays the same but the term of your loan shortens. When the loan is recast, your monthly principle and interest is recalculated so you end up with a lower monthly payment over the existing term of the loan.

Savings: $120 per month. Putting $20,000 into the loan would reset the payment to $1,079, saving you $120 per month.

6. Loan Modification
If you are late on your payments and are going through a financial hardship, you may be eligible to modify terms of your loan to make it more affordable. The goal of these programs is to allow borrowers to stay in their homes and continue making their monthly payments. Not everyone qualifies for these types of programs, but if you do, they can save you a lot of money. To find out if you qualify, contact the servicer of your mortgage or visit the Making Home Affordable eligibility site.

Savings: Varies. It can reduce your interest rate to as low as 2%, extend your term to 40 years, or reduce your principle.

7. Refinance Your Mortgage
The most common way to save money is by refinancing your mortgage to a lower interest rate. Reducing your rate can lower your monthly payment and help you save on interest payments. However, there are costs associated with refinancing so you want to be sure you are going to save enough to cover the refinancing fees. With rates at historic lows, if you can refinance, and you haven’t already, you should.

Savings: $126 per month. By lowering your interest rate to 5 percent, you would have a payment of $1,073 which would save you $126 per month. If the refinance costs $5,000, you would recoup the fees after 40 months.

I hope these tips help you save money during this difficult economic time!

-Orly

It’s about that time of year when Mother Nature drops snowflakes and glazes the roads with ice. Therefore, we crank up the heater, turn on the fireplace, and complain of frost bite every time we step outdoors. But nevertheless, it’s definitely getting chillier outside and you know what that means, yet another bill to add to the stack. The heating bill. Even with a constant flow of information about energy efficiency, homeowners tend to make some major heating mistakes that end up making their electric bill much higher than it needs to be. Thanks to an article by Steve Graham of Networx, we have a list of some of the most common errors…along with the cause & effect of each decision. Hopefully, being aware of these mistakes will help you make some ‘smarter heating decisions’ and avoid sky high bills this winter season.

1. Maintaining a constant temperature

Cause: A persistent myth suggests that you can save energy by leaving the house at a comfortable 68 degrees (a widely recommended winter setting), even when you are sleeping or away at work.

The idea is that it takes more energy for the furnace to reach a comfortable temperature than to maintain that temperature.

Effect: You could miss out on significant potential energy savings by not using a programmable thermostat and adjusting the temperature overnight and during the workday.

Though the impacts of adjusting the thermostat vary based on your climate and other factors, studies show that knocking the temperature down by 10 degrees for eight hours per day can cut heating bills by 5 to 15 percent.

Sure, the furnace will cycle on for a longer period to return to the more comfortable temperature, but it will be far outweighed by hours of savings when it didn’t have to work as hard.

2. Cranking up the temperature to warm up the house

Cause: You come home in the middle of the day to a cold house. You want to warm back up to 68 ASAP, so you crank the dial up to 78 to get the furnace working harder and faster.

Effect: No time is saved in reheating the house. Most furnaces pump out heat at the same rate no matter the temperature. They just cycle on for a longer period to reach a higher temperature.

The furnace will take the same amount of time to return to 68 degrees regardless of the thermostat setting. By cranking up the thermostat, you are likely to overheat the house past 68 degrees and waste energy. Just reset the thermostat to 68, make some hot chocolate, and wait. 

3. Closing off vents in unused rooms

Cause: You don’t want to waste energy heating rooms you aren’t using.

Effect: Again, this just wastes energy and makes your furnace run inefficiently because it changes the air pressure in the whole system.

Experts recommend never shutting off more than 10 percent of vents. Sealing your ducts is a more efficient way to save energy.

4. Using the fireplace

Cause: You found some free firewood on Craigslist and think you can burn up some free heating energy while enjoying a romantic fire.

Effect: While we can’t make any promises about increased romance, we can predict increased energy bills. An open fireplace flue may suck more cold air into the house than the fire can radiate into the living space.

5. Using electric room heaters

Cause: You spend most of your time in a couple of rooms, so you figure you will just heat them with space heaters.

Effect: This could lead to higher energy bills and greater fire risks. Generally, a central gas heating system is cheaper and more efficient than a set of electric room heaters. Electric heaters also can be a fire hazard.

There are exceptions. A single energy-efficient space heater in a small, well-insulated room can save energy if the central heater is switched off.

6. Switching to electric heating

Cause: Electric heaters are more efficient than fuel-based systems, so they must be cheaper and better for the environment, according to this popular idea.

Effect: In most areas, simply switching to electric heat leads to higher energy bills and a bigger carbon footprint. Your heater may be more efficient, but most U.S. homes are still linked to coal-fired power plants. These coal plants and their transmission systems are extremely inefficient.

Of course, it’s a different story if you have a large photovoltaic solar array or your utility company uses renewable energy.

7. Replacing the windows

Cause: Those big pieces of glass get so darn cold. They must be the reason your house is so drafty.

Effect: You could spend a lot of money to only take care of part of the problem. Windows must be installed properly to avoid drafts, gaps, and leaks.

Moreover, more heat is typically lost through poorly insulated walls and ceilings than through windows.

8. Replacing the furnace first

Cause: You blame high energy bills on an old, inefficient furnace.

Effect: Your energy bills will still be higher than necessary if you don’t start with cheaper, smaller upgrades to improve the energy efficiency of your home, such as caulking around windows and doors and adding insulation. 

9. Upgrading to the most efficient furnace on the market

Cause: You want the sleekest, most energy efficient furnace available because it will be the most cost effective as well.

Effect: You may end up replacing an over-sized furnace with another (albeit more efficient) over-sized furnace. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that most U.S. homes have over-sized HVAC systems.

Again, insulate and weatherize to maximize efficiency, then get the smallest system that will comfortably meet your heating needs, which will be substantially reduced. Also make sure it is professionally installed. 

10. Using incandescent light bulbs for heating

Cause: Incandescent bulbs give off more heat than light, so they must be warming up the house.

Effect: It is hard to see this logic as anything but a weak excuse for holding on to the Edison bulbs rather than switching to CFL and LED lighting.

In fact, one German entrepreneur is marketing incandescent bulbs as “heat balls” to skirt EU laws against the old-style bulbs. However, I doubt he is keeping cozy this winter simply by sleeping with the lights on...

-Orly

Everyone is always looking for deals or simple ways to save, right?! So, why not reduce bills that you are already currently paying and save an extra hundred bucks or so per month? Melissa Neiman, a writer for Financially Fit on Yahoo!, shared 3 tips in one of her online articles. If you take this advice to heart, you are guaranteed to save around $100 per month around the house, if not more!

1. CUT DOWN ON ELECTRICITY

 Utility bills can be referred to as the silent wallet drainer! Each month they swallow a significant chunk of cash that could’ve otherwise gone into your savings account, retirement fund, or emergency fund. For those of you who may have missed our blog dedicated entirely to saving on your energy bill, here are several ways you can trim these bills:

Three quick and painless ways to save include: switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, lowering the temperature on your hot water heater (130 degrees Fahrenheit is enough to kill germs) and drying your clothing on a clothesline or rack whenever possible.

It was also recommended to sign up for any incentive or rebate programs offered by the local utility company.

With these programs, you typically agree to allow the power company to briefly shut off certain appliances when energy demand is particularly high. In return, you get a credit on your monthly bill.

2. CONSERVE WATER

Wash all clothing in cold water!

“I use cold water to wash clothes, and recently read that using the delicate cycle also saves water, too,” Palmquist says. In some cases, saving cash actually goes hand in hand with superior performance, Palmquist says.

“We installed a low-flow shower head in the main bathroom and find it not only saves water, but the flow is better than the old one,” she says.

Also, wait until you have a full load before running the washing machine, dryer or dishwasher. Seems obvious, but maybe you’ve been guilty of washing too frequently or when you only have 5 things in the dirty clothes hamper. Try to hold off and wash when there’s really a full load, as much as possible.

4. BUNDLE OR DROP CABLE AND INTERNET

 Save money by bundling cable and Internet services. Just make sure you look before you leap into bunding anything!

“Sometimes it’s more expensive and they can lock you into a two-year contract, so check out everything first,” Palmquist says.

If you’re really gung-ho about saving, simply drop cable altogether. Perhaps you can watch your favorite TV shows for free on an Internet site such as Hulu.com.

Take a few minutes to re-evaluate your wants and your needs when it comes to these 3 things and you will be well on your way to saving extra money each month!

-Orly

Hungry people began lining up at Eva’s Village in Paterson on Thursday at 9 a.m., three hours before the first turkey was wheeled out of the oven, reports northjersey.com.

Thanksgiving was about survival as opposed to celebration for many of the 250 people who came to the soup kitchen. That one free meal really does a lot for many poor people.

Eva’s served 135,314 hot lunches last year, an increase of 20 percent since 2007. And with demand rising, Eva’s recently received $700,000 in government funds to expand its kitchen to provide seating for up to 400 people.

With unemployment in Paterson hovering around 15 percent, Eva’s is serving more able-bodied people than ever before.

Thanksgiving dinner was cooked up by Eva’s volunteers and served by three members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation.

The people are addressed as his “brothers and sisters” and encouraged to pay close attention to their health. They are told them to visit clinics regularly instead of relying on the hospital emergency room for their primary care.

These people have fallen largely due to the economic times. People are losing jobs and unable to find others. It makes me so sad to think that so many individuals in North Jersey didn’t have a home to go to for dinner. Thank goodness for great places like Eva’s to keep the less fortunate off the streets on holidays and provide them with a warm, home-cooked meal.

-Orly