Tag Archives: Chappaqua NY

Chappaqua NY

20 tips to harden your home security for next to nothing | Chappaqua NY Real Estate

Most burglars work the daytime shift, just like most of us do. “Daylight jobs require a burglar to be quick, typically spending around 45 minutes selecting a home to target and just three minutes actually doing the job,” Los Angeles security expert Chris McGoey tells MSN Real Estate.

Burglars decide whether to hit your home based on appearances: Is it easy to crack or not worth the trouble? The most effective improvements are the ones that convince a burglar to move on to the next guy’s home. How? see it here. Sonitrol verified electronic security, this company for commercial security systems in New England notes. Alarm New England’s home security systems in Boston provide multiple safety and home automation features, For more information you could check here. The locksmith walnut creek ca  provide locksmith services such as: lock & key cutting, lost car keys replacement, re key and unlock door assistance. Sonitrol provides security systems like Intrusion detection, fire protection, video surveillance and access control.

9 easy and free ideas
  1. Enlist local police. Local police departments typically will send a trained officer to your home to do a “walk through” with you, pointing out your vulnerabilities and suggesting simple fixes. Check your police department’s website for crime statistics and tips. Any resident who lives in Norwalk would do well to protect themselves, by resorting to security systems that will help prevent crimes or at least help pinpoint and catch perpetrators when they do occur, for more information contact Mammoth Security Inc. For example, here is the Los Angeles Police Department’s detailed list of home-security tips for residents. Remember to alert police when you’ll be out of town.
  2. Chat up the neighbors. Join the local Neighborhood Watch program or start one. Chatting with neighbors updates you on local crime problems and enlists allies who’ll watch your home while you’re away. Neighbors are terrific watchdogs. My retired neighbor up the hill who likes peering out his window through a giant telescope spotted and chased a pre-dawn intruder from my garden once.
  3. Use your locks. Even if your neighborhood feels safe, make locking up a habit. Burglars often test a home by knocking on a door and, if no one answers, opening it. Keep every exterior door and window locked, including the door between the garage and house. If you need help finding locksmith companies working in Philly willing to take your job.
  4. Fake it. Getting a dog is a great security move. But if you can’t, pretend to have one, McGoey advises. Buy a couple “Beware of Dog” signs at a hardware store and put them up. When a stranger is at the door, make a show of putting the “dog” in the other room before you open the door.
  5. Install Long Distance Wireless Security Cameras. That way you will not only get indoor but also outdoor protection, using wireless technology avoid the use of communication wires and it will make your security cameras almost invisible at night time. For more details about security camera, click here now to find out the solution for camera installation. 
  6. Paste a local security company’s sticker on your front window.
  7. Keep the place looking lived in. Rotate lights on timers when you’re gone. Sign up for USPS’ Hold Mail service, reschedule expected deliveries and get friends to drop by randomly to water plants or just walk around.
  8. Trim shrubs. Bushy trees and shrubs provide cover for bad deeds. Keep the foliage well-trimmed.
  9. Use your head. “Don’t open the door — and don’t let kids open the door — to uninvited strangers,” McGoey tells MSN Real Estate. Stay home when workers are in or around your home. Don’t put keys in obvious places like fake rocks and under pots and doormats. “Train children (especially teens) to keep key locations, alarm codes and other family security information private from their friends,” the article adds.Locksmith sacramento ca provide us a good security solution.
4 cheap fixes
  1. Light the night. Install bright, motion-triggered security lights outside the front and back of your home. Battery-powered lights start at around $10 each. Hard-wired products start at around $50.
  2. Replace the door … or don’t. The best entry doors are solid wood ($100 and up) or 16-gauge minimum steel ($120 and up), says the Los Angeles Police Department. Use non-removable hinge pins and avoid doors with glass windows unless the glass is burglar-resistant. Consumer Reports’ test of entry doors found, however, that a strong door frame may count more than the door: “All [doors] eventually failed because the doorjamb split near the lock’s strike plate, though we also found that beefed-up locks and strike plates can greatly increase a door’s kick-in resistance.”
  3. Install a high-quality deadbolt – or two. Whatever you do, don’t rely on a simple knob lock (built into the door handle) alone. Install a deadbolt above a knob lock. McGoey recommends:
  • Use a solid core or metal door for all entrance points.
  • Use a quality, heavy-duty deadbolt lock with a 1-inch throw bolt.

http://money.msn.com/home-loans/article.aspx

Guards Raise Indian Point Security Concern | Chappaqua Real Estate

Several former and current security guards raised concerns about the state of security at Buchanan’s Indian Point Nuclear Facility in a recent Fox 5 report.

Guards falling asleep on the clock, failed drills and faulty computer systems are just some of the problems the five current and former security guards spoke about with Fox 5.

 

 

http://chappaqua.dailyvoice.com/news/guards-raise-indian-point-security-concern-fox-5-report

Major changes proposed to the King Street and South Greeley Avenue intersection | Chappaqua Real Estate

Two engineering firms presented concepts for how to improve downtown Chappaqua during a recent New Castle Town Board work session.

The companies responded to a request for proposals (RFP) from the town and came with plans to improve infrastructure and streetscapes, hoping to be selected.

The first company to present at the work session, held Nov. 6, was WSP, which is located near by in Briarcliff Manor. David Weiss, a representative from the company, touted the fact that it has employees of varying specialties – he remarked that everyone is “under one roof” – and its close location. He also noted that the WSP has done similar projects and has a record of coming in under budget.

WSP’s team went through existing problems that the hamlet has, including worn pavement to traffic back-up during peak activity. The scope of its review includes North Greeley Avenue, South Greeley Avenue and King Street.

The WSP proposal, which is in the conceptual phase, was fairly detailed. It calls for eliminating left-hand exit turns from Woodburn onto South Greeley Avenue during peak evening time and instead diverting the traffic to Washington Avenue, where it would then turn onto the main road.

Notably, the intersection of King Street, South Greeley Avenue and North Greeley Avenue would become an “all-stop” intersection, with drivers having to stop once they come down the King Street hill. The intersection would also lose its right-turn slip lane, which would be filled in, and would become a “T” intersection. To make up for the removal of the slip lane, and extra lane would be added to the northbound side of South Greeley Avenue. The intersection would also get stamped concrete pavement and stamped concrete crosswalks, with a fourth crosswalk added so people can cross South Greeley.

The project also calls for bump-out spaces, which have the effect of calming traffic, at the intersection of South Greeley and Senter Street, and at the corner of King Street and North Greeley Avenue. On the infrastructure side, WSP described assessing water and sewer operations, along with some water main replacement and sewer repair. Additionally, it includes adding a water fountain on the triangle at the intersection of South Greeley and the Route 120 bridge.

The company also addressed disruption to the business community, suggesting measures ranging from use of a precast concrete driveway apron to doing test pits to avoid conflicts with utilities.

The second firm to present was VHB, which has a presence in White Plains. A representative touted its assortment of services, including civil engineering and landscape architecture, noting that everything is under one roof and it is a “coordinated and efficient approach.”

Its presentation promoted pedestrian safety, walkability and lighting. Among the principals stated for street usage, were that pedestrians will cross at convenient spaces, that narrow streets can calm traffic and that crossings should be short.

Matthew Carmody, a VHB representative, discussed taking a “complete” streets approach, which involves involving the area from building to building and taking what is called a zonal approach. The firm would do simulation for traffic and phase construction to help merchants.

A concept presented by VHB also shows improving the intersection of South Greeley Avenue, North Greeley Avenue and King Street. It also includes filling in the slip lane but does not add a new right-hand turn to replace it. A fountain would be placed in the plaza area created by eliminating the slip lane, while marked crosswalks would be in all four directions at the intersection.

The proposals are of the town board’s latest effort to improve the aesthetics of the downtown. Previous studies included the 2003 Vollmer Associates Report, a 2007 report from Project for Public Spaces and a 2008 conceptual project from Pouder Design Group. Details on previous work are available on the town’s website at this link.

One conceptual overview – it was called the Chappaqua Hamlet Vision Plan – included two projects that have since been completed, such as construction of a new gazebo and a reconstruction of the South Greeley Avenue parking lot in 2011. It also included doing work in the area currently under consideration.

 

 

 

http://chappaqua.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/firms-vie-for-downtown-chappaqua-overhaul

 

 

 

 

NAR leaves list of MLS ‘basic services’ untouched | Chappaqua Real Estate

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) did not change its classification guidelines for MLS “basic services” at its annual conference, ensuring that, for at least the near future, multiple listing services (MLSs) may confidently charge all their members to operate public-facing websites — a practice that has riled some large brokers.

Asked of his reaction to the committee meeting, Craig Cheatham, CEO of The Realty Alliance, said that public-facing sites should be switched from “basic” to “optional” in NAR’s MLS service classification guidelines “immediately and without hesitation.”

“Giving the committee and the board of directors the benefit of the doubt, they simply must not understand the stakes of what they have done and the direction they continue to head,” Cheatham said. “Our conscience is clear. We have sounded the alarm loud and clear. We were optimistic for progress, but actions speak volumes.”

In an announcement that has kindled anxiety among MLSs, Cheatham recently announced that The Realty Alliance is planning to roll out an unspecified “big initiative” to address some brokers’ concerns with MLSs.

Some brokers have clamored for NAR to remove public-facing websites from a list of examples of services that it considers reasonable for MLSs to choose to offer as “basic services” — MLS services that all members are required to pay for in their dues — ever since NAR added them to the list in May.

The inclusion of public-facing sites in a list part of MLS Policy Statement 7.57, “Categorization of MLS Services, Information and Product,” allows MLSs to force their members to pay for a service that can compete with their own websites, those brokers say.

 

 

 

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/2013/11/11/nar-leaves-list-of-mls-basic-services-untouched/#sthash.utywKTka.dpuf

Tips real estate agents can use to qualify for ‘Obamacare’ credits | Chappaqua Real Estate

Last week, a 57-year-old Florida Realtor named Dianne Barrette got a good deal of publicity — not because of her real estate activities, but because of health insurance.

It turned out that she was one of hundreds of thousands of Americans who have been informed by their health insurers that their plans will not be renewed for 2014 because they don’t comply with the new “Obamacare” requirements.

Her insurer, FloridaBlue, offered her a new plan, but told her the premium would be $591 a month, far more than the approximately $50 a month she had been paying.

Barrette, who makes $30,000 a year, could not pay for such a plan. She soon became the poster child for the anti-”Obamacare” crowd, making appearances on Fox News and other media. However, when reporters dug a little deeper into Barrette’s story, the truth turned out to be a quite different than initially reported: Rather than being an “’Obamacare’ victim,” she was an “Obamacare” beneficiary.

Because of her relatively modest income, she qualifies for substantial tax credits if she purchases new health insurance through her state’s online exchange. Reporters found that, with the credits, she could obtain far better health insurance than she had before for $100-$150 per month out of pocket, with the credits paying for the rest. She was delighted and quickly became a nonperson to Fox News.

Don’t let the naysayers fool you. For most self-employed Realtors like Dianne Barrette, and other self-employed people, “Obamacare” is the best thing that’s happened in decades. Historically, obtaining affordable health insurance coverage has been one of the greatest challenges the self-employed face, especially those with pre-existing medical conditions

 

 

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/2013/11/11/tips-real-estate-agents-can-use-to-qualify-for-obamacare-credits/#sthash.mTTuxx8T.dpuf

How to apply PR strategies to improve your company’s SEO | Chappaqua Realtor

Public relations and SEO have always been destined to converge.

PR is about building relationships with media professionals and key influencers to help increase a company or individual’s visibility and profile; SEO is an iteration of that relationship. The only difference is that we operate in the digital sphere, and we measure these relationships through links, social signals, and other trust indicators. In the past, many SEO strategists focused on building a high volume of low quality relationships to get their company’s names out to the Web. Times have changed.

As Google’s ability to distinguish the quality, intent, and relevance of a link improves, SEO strategists need to start thinking more like PR professionals. Rather than “manufacturing” and “building” links, the SEO process should be more about the cultivation of key human relationships, and reacting effectively to real-time PR opportunities.

What can we learn?

PR has always been a multifaceted discipline. The techniques that PR professionals use to generate positive press are numerous and diverse. That said, there are three key areas of crossover that, if mastered, will help us all learn from the PR experts and improve your company’s SEO.

1. Content, content, content

This should come as no surprise since content has been one of the fundamental pillars of traditional PR for years. If you create content that is topical, timely, and can spark an interest in your target audience, it will get picked up.

So, what types of content can you use to create opportunities for positive PR, and what SEO value do they have? Do photos on a GMB listing really matter? Sure, we should be posting slideshares, videos, images, and blog articles provide outreach to our target audience. To be honest, most people are getting pretty good at it now. The key factor when you are planning and producing your content is to always think about the PR opportunities it might be able to create.

Teatown Lake Reservation | Chappaqua NY Homes

Teatown Lake Reservation
October 24, 2013                                                                                  Like us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFind us on PinterestView our videos on YouTube

All programs require pre-registration. 

To register call 914-762-2912 x 110 unless otherwise noted.

Click here for more of Teatown’s upcoming programs.

 

Visit Teatown

1600 Spring Valley Road
Ossining, NY 10562
914-762-2912
Nature Center hours:
9:00am-5:00pm everyday
Trails are open 365 days a year from dawn to dusk.

Teatown Lake Reservation’s mission is to conserve open space and to educate and involve the regional community
in order to sustain the diversity of wildlife, plants and habitats for future generations.

Your donation can make

an immediate impact to help

conserve and protect the

diversity of wildlife, plants

and habitats…

today and into the future.

 

Like us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFind us on PinterestView our videos on YouTube
In Teatown’s Gallery
Through December 31

Natural Light
Teatown Area Photographs by
Berl Brechner

Berl Brechner, an area resident for over 35 years, presents 30 scenes from nearby that he has captured,  most of them from trails, nooks and crannies of Teatown Lake Reservation. Much of the exhibit has been created with a relatively simple digital camera, with special attention to form and light.  All photographs are for sale, and all proceeds will be donated to Teatown Lake Reservation.

It’s a Bad Rap! Sunday, October 27, 1:00- 2:00pm
Some animals always get a bad rap – they’re maligned and misunderstood. Come see how animals like snakes, bats and spiders have a positive role to play in their environment. All welcome. Free for members, $5 for non-members.
Tech After Hours
October 26, November 2 & 9, 9:00am- 1:00pm
A special weekend series for teens, called “Ecology,” for those interested in working in environmental science is being offered by Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES and is being held at Teatown. In this course, learn and participate in hands-on exploration of several ecosystems including lake, stream and forest. The course will build students’ knowledge of science research and give them an opportunity to explore and learn about the field of ecology

Ages 12- 15.

 

Register here 

If you have questions, contact Gerry Battista, School Counselor, at The Tech Center. 914-248-2220

FOCUS ON NATURE Series
Through October 29
Jacob Burns Film Center

Fall and Winter Thursday, October 24, 7:30pm

 

Matt Anderson spent five years driving across the US searching for answers to the country’s ecological and other problems- and was stunned to find many creative people devising ingenious new strategies for the future. With breathtaking images, Fall and Winter is a hypnotic, disquieting voyage into our contemporary crisis that also charts a way out again.

Antarctica 3D: On the Edge Tuesday, October 29, 7:00pm
Filmmaker, adventurer, author, and oceans expert Jon Bowermaster (SoLa: Louisiana Water Stories) joins us for a discussion featuring film clips about his extraordinary experiences in Antarctica while kayaking the coastline and filming for National Geographic, followed by a first preview of his dazzling new 40 minute 3-D film about climate change in Antarctica. With absolutely extraordinary images, the likes of which you have never seen before.

Click here for more details about the series.

This series is presented by Jacob Burns Film Center in partnership with Teatown Lake Reservation and Scenic Hudson and made possible through generous support from the Hoch family and the van Hengel Family Fund.

 

Teatown Members may purchase tickets for any of the films in this series at the JBFC member price.
Reap the rewards of being a Teatown Member!
Join today at  teatown.org
Earth Art After School

October 25, November 1, 8, 15, 22, 3:30- 5:30pm
Kathryn W. Davis RiverWalk Center,
Kingsland Point Park, Sleepy Hollow
Children recharge after school while exploring the Hudson River and its

shores with wonder, shared discovery and creative expression time. In this Nature, Art and Science program, children are encouraged to develop observation skills, create art with natural materials, and learn about native plants and animals. Through art, they learn creative problem solving skills and enjoy teamwork with new friends. Ages 8- 12.
To register contact Strawtown Studio at (845) 558-0877, strawtownstudio@gmail.com or online at strawtownstudio.com
OSSINING IN 3D

Art Exhibition
On display through October 26, 2013

Teatown Participates in App for Ossining 3D Walking Tour:

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A walking tour app for the art exhibition, Ossining 3D, is now live and available free of charge at the iTunes app store-click here.  When you download the app you will find audio recordings for each of the artists who donated sculptures for the exhibit.  At the end of the walking tour you will see a link to an audio about Teatown with directions to our preserve.

5 Big Reasons Why You Should Consider Google Plus Marketing | Chappaqua Realtor

It snuck up so quietly that a lot of people didn’t even realize it was  happening.

One minute you could post a comment on YouTube just by logging into your  YouTube account, and the next you’re being asked to sign in through your Gmail  or Google+ account. The same goes for Zagat and other Google owned digital web  assets.

Google+ may not have caught on with users as a Facebook alternative yet, but  the service’s “Plus 1” symbol is ubiquitous within social marketing,  and top name brands are commonly listing the Google+ icon on television ads  right next to their Facebook and Twitter symbols. Whether you like it or not,  Google+ is quickly becoming a significant player in the social media marketing  world because it has one thing going for it that no other social site has:  Google.

Google plus is now the second largest social media network behind Facebook and can  no longer be ignored.

So Google plus marketing needs to taken seriously in your marketing  strategy.

Reason #1.  Search

Google’s approach for Google+ has been to seek success through visibility.  Because of this, Google is constantly launching new applications that integrate  Google+ with search results. A search for information about the election of Pope  Francis in March 2013, for example, shows several Google+ post results from  TIME, NBC and CTV, as well as author posts with images of the Google+ registered  author catching the eye of the casual searcher.

For Google+ users, as long as you share blog posts with relevant, new  (un-copied) information on a regular basis, you are that much more likely to be  pushed up through the ranks of search results.

Google Plus marketing

As with any search engine, keywords are a big factor in these results. How  can you push your Google+ page up in search results?

  • Post on a regular basis using relevant keywords in your text, but also  integrate those keywords in other aspects of your Google+ page, such as in the “about” and “video” sections.
  • Linking back to your own website where possible also improves your Google+  and personal website optimization.
  • Creating a Google authorship for you and your most frequent posters helps  your posts appear higher in search results, with the bonus of a personal author  photo.

Reason #2. Google Authorship

There’s something about being able to look people in the eye that makes the  advice or information you receive from them more reliable. But when you can’t  look them in the eye, seeing a picture makes them seem a little more reliable  and trustworthy. That’s the basic psychology behind Google+ authorship.

 

 

 

Read more at http://www.jeffbullas.com/2013/10/14/5-reasons-why-you-should-consider-google-plus-marketing/#HShJharmsiTdu4bF.99

Town Board Seeks Chappaqua Crossing Findings Statement Feedback | Chappaqua Real Estate

With the much anticipated draft findings statement for the Chappaqua Crossing retail plan now available to the public online, the New Castle Town Board will wait at least another week before putting it to a vote.

The board said in its Wednesday, Oct. 16 public meeting that dialogue regarding the document would continue in its Oct. 22 meeting.

The board told residents in an Oct. 8 town board work session that it would release the findings statements at least 48 hours before possibly making a decision on it on Oct. 16. The statement was not released until Oct. 15, however, leaving both board members and residents needing more time to digest the document, which outlines the mitigation measures needed to support Summit/Greenfield’s 120,000-sqaure feet retail-grocery store proposal.

“We said you would have 48 hours – we’re giving you more than that,” Town Supervisor Susan Carpenter said. “The board is going through the statement and we’ll continue to make changes to it. We’re open to taking useful statements and are happy to take suggestions.”

Though Oct. 22 is the next time the board will discuss the Chappaqua Crossing findings statement, a vote on that date is not likely. Councilman John Buckley will be on vacation and Councilwoman Elise Kessler Mottel has removed herself from all Chappaqua Crossing ordeals. That would leave only Carpenter and councilmen Jason Chapin and Robin Stout available to vote on the document next Tuesday.

“Next Tuesday would be the time to finalize the findings statement,” Stout said. “But we’re not suggesting there will be a vote. My guess is there will still be loose ends and not be a vote that night.”

However, when resident Michael Nolan asked the board to guarantee there would not be a vote on Oct. 22, Carpenter left the door open for all possibilities.

“It would be a vote a vote without John,” she said.

Several residents used public comment time in Wednesday night’s meeting to rehash common concerns surrounding the project, including traffic and its impact on surrounding neighborhoods. There is also a growing sentiment among residents that voting before the Nov. 5 election would be doing the town an injustice.

Stout shot down misconceptions that the board is ignoring residents who are pleading with the board to hold off on making decisions anytime in the near future.

“There is a difference between not listening and not agreeing,” he said. “I am not agreeing. I see this possibility (the Chappaqua Crossing retail plan) as something that can be a substantial benefit to the town.”

 

 

 

http://chappaqua.dailyvoice.com/politics/town-board-seeks-chappaqua-crossing-findings-statement-feedback