This is a follow up to my earlier post regarding Yezzi Associates and the report available for $200.00.  Yezzi Associates did come out to my property and conduct a detailed inspection.  I was somewhat disappointed since the report was basically a description of the house and the damages – with photos.  The unfortunate side of this is that I have similar reports; one from the structural engineer who did an inspection and sent me a report; and, another report from the flood adjuster showing and describing all the damages, not to mention the report I received from my builder who detailed and estimated all the damage at no charge.

The Yezzi report was emailed to me and I had to follow up to get a one on one meeting with them.  I did meet at their office but did not come away with any definitive answer to my dilemma.  I was anticipating the evaluation to be more to the point of whether or not I should elevate and renovate or demolish and rebuild.  I did not find my answer after all.  So, my advice is to leave this one alone and not spend the $200.  Yezzi Associates changed their website and the language has been tweeked.  Originally their website stated …..Yezzi Associates developed a plan to evaluate the damaged property site and deliver a report to the homeowner explaining their professional findings and recommendations”.  Now I realize that you must hire them to get the full scope which is only fair since the demand is overwhelming.

It seems as if every one I speak to has more work than they can handle.  This is a good thing for all the builders, architects, engineers, suppliers, etc. but not so good for the ones needing the help.  It is not a simple fix with so many factors weighing heavy on any decision you have to make if you are displaced and trying to get back “home”.

Waiting for the Homeowner Reconstruction Rehabilitation Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program is your best bet at the moment.  For further information on the grant program you can call 1-855-726-3946.  In my opinion, the longer you wait to tackle your project the better off you will be.  The $1.8 billion grant is still being worked on for the application process to run smoothly.  Register so that you will be notified when the details come out.   (more…)

I was just asking, Where is that $1.8 billion?

Attention Homeowners who suffered substantial loss from Hurricane Sandy – Procedures and application instructions are being worked on and will be coming out very soon.  Every homeowner who is interested in getting grants to help rebuild their homes and continue to reside in their communities must stay on top of the application process.

A form is available whereby you can fill it out and be notified of all current programs as the applications are ready to be submitted.  First step, …… Click Here 

Scroll down half the page and click on:

ONLINE NOTIFICATION FORM

Fill out entire page and then submit.  You will be registered to receive updates of all program application availability.

This is very important – Stay in the Loop.  If you do not have an email address, I would suggest you get a friend or your children or co-worker to use their email address.  This is the quickest and most accurate way to  to be notified in a timely manner.

If you have any specific questions on Sandy Recovery Efforts, please contact me at 732-672-0409 or email at Diane@DianeKaplan.com

New Jersey
Dates: Monday Feb 18th – Holiday Inn Hazlet, NJ
Date: Thursday Feb 21st – Holiday Inn Toms River, NJ
Times: 7:00 PM
To register please call: (800) 206-4360

New York
Dates: Tuesday Feb 26th – St Clare School Cafeteria 151 Lindenwood Rd Staten Island
Times: 7:00 PM
To register please call: (800) 531-2885 ext. 695

If you cannot attend please contact Diane Kaplan at Diane@DianeKaplan.com for a personal consultation.

Town Hall Meeting:
Date: January 30th
Time: 7:30 pm
Place: Borough Hall

A town hall meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 30th 7:30 pm at Boro Hall for all Sea Bright residents – brochures will be available with information to help homeowners get back into their homes. I have partnered with Better Homes Realty and Storming Back….For Shore to help individual homeowners get back into their homes.

Please contact me at DianeKaplanRealEstate@gmail.com.

Credit history and your credit score is most important part of your financial life. You are your credit score and it follows you wherever you go. Credit history plays a major role in many financial situations throughout your life. You may think that your credit score only matters when you are buying a house or a car and applying for a loan, but it goes much father than that.

Credit Report vs. Credit Score

Occasionally you will hear each of these phrases interchanged, but it is important to understand the difference between the two. Your credit report is actually a detailed history of your credit information. It will contain current credit information, balances, delinquent payments, bankruptcies, personal identifying information and inquiries. More information click here.

Your credit score is a three-digit number that is based on the information in your credit report. After taking into account all aspects of your report a mathematical formula is used to determine what your score should be, the higher the better. The leading credit score in the industry is FICO and range from 300 to 850.

Beyond Loans

We all know that if you have a low credit score that it will be more difficult to find a bank or credit card company to lend you money, but it goes beyond that. Not only does your score affect whether or not you can borrow money and at an attractive rate, but it can affect everything from insurance rates to employment opportunities.

You can get a copy of your credit report for FREE – Get Your Free Credit Scores

For assistance in getting pre-approved for a mortgage, please contact Diane Kaplan at Diane@DianeKaplan.com  or call 732-672-0409.