Monday, Jun 28, 2010 9:50am | COMMENTS (1)
(Updates with new details)
Clever Commute says the 7th Avenue Concourse at New York Penn Station is closed due to a commercial power outage. Customers are advised to use the 8th Avenue Concourse.
Earlier this morning, this advisory came in from Clever Commute:
NJ Transit at NYP – Fw: [NJTT-NEC] no power at nyp, all boards down
Monday, Jun 28, 2010 9:00am | COMMENTS (10)
Remember back in March, when we told you the Strahan garage controversy was finally over? Well, apparently, it’s not.
In a dispute that’s run for eight years, the Montclair Board of Adjustment ruled in March in favor of David & Carrie Greenbaum of 91 Lloyd Rd, and against the building of a colossal garage by neighbors Michael and Jean Strahan.
The Greenbaums had argued that Montclair township was wrong to issue building permits for a taller garage with fewer architectural detail than originally approved by the board of adjustment.
But David Greenbaum tells us the town has now backtracked on that decision, and that the Strahans now have their OK for the structure.
Sunday, Jun 27, 2010 11:00am | COMMENTS (22)
There are 260 real estate listings for Montclair on the website Foreclosure.com, including a new listing at $24,900. But buying a house this way is anything but straightforward. Bloomfield Public Library is having a seminar on it Tuesday night. Read more about it, and what some local realtors say, on Real Estate.
Sunday, Jun 27, 2010 9:00am | COMMENTS (1)
Sunday, Jun 27, 2010 9:00am | COMMENTS (4)
Have you ever wondered if going after a short sale or a property in foreclosure is worth the time and hassle? You’ve probably heard stories of “amazing deals” on these kind of properties, but really — is it a good investment? Local realtors say you need more than money — you need lots of patience, time, smarts, and expert advice.
Adriana O’Toole admits the values are somtimes great for the buyer – there are usually no inspection issues addressed, it’s “as is is as is.” “But the buying process takes a long time and can be very frustrating. It’s not for a buyer who needs quick occupancy or has no patience.”
“If you’re considering an investment property, investors have to have a lot of cash around to fix things up and re-list or get ready to rent and this is not really the market for that,” says O’Toole.
Several realtors advised working with an agent who is certified in this specialty and and a good lawyer with experience managing these types of transactions.
Roberta Baldwin adds “short sales can be exasperating and endless. Many of them do not close. Once the owner has signed off on the sale, the contract goes to the bank for approval, and that could take months, and then be rejected outright. The lender often doesn’t even own the property outright, having sold it to an “investor,” at some point, so that entity also has to weight in.”
Foreclosures, which are “bank owned,” tend to go faster, because the bank actually wants to get rid of it, but these deals, too, are pretty difficult.
“In my opinion, it’s a grueling way to buy a house, even when money is saved, and the buyer really needs to be committed the the property — and patient. The agent, meanwhile, really needs to know how to handle the silences with the bank and how to keep lines of communication open with the buyer — or all the hard work is for naught,” says Baldwin.
Want to learn more? Find out how to get into this risky segment of the recession-fueled market, and if it’s for you, Tuesday night, June 29, at a free seminar hosted by Bloomfield Public Library. Details, after the jump.
Saturday, Jun 26, 2010 1:56pm | COMMENTS (0)
A reader writes:
Our shop cat is missing from 8 North Willow Street in Montclair. She is a 10-year-old, fixed, gray, tiger-striped cat. She is a runt so she looks more like a year-old kitten. Not friendly, since she was a stray, but very well cared for and not vicious. Her name is Kitty and she has been missing from our yard since Thursday afternoon.
Sorry, we do not have a photo but if you’ve seen a cat who fits this description, please write pets@baristanet.com
UPDATE: Kitty has been found and has been reunited with her owner.
Saturday, Jun 26, 2010 1:00pm | COMMENTS (1)
Fitzgeralds 1928 Lager Run which takes place tomorrow (Sunday, June 27) at 6 p.m. So far more than 600 runners have pre-registered, but day-of-race registration is available ($25) at Hurrell Field starting at 4:30 p.m. The 5K race goes through the north end of Glen Ridge and finishes on the new Hurrell track. Proceeds benefit the Glen Ridge Community Fund. Fitzgeralds 1928 sponsors the post-race party featuring Budweiser, soda, hot dogs, watermelon and cookies. There’s also a free one-lap Fun Run for kids. More info here.
Saturday, Jun 26, 2010 10:26am | COMMENTS (0)
It’s an old-fashioned small-town tradition, eschewing caps and gowns in favor of white dinner jackets and white dresses. And it was especially personal for this Barista, who saw her youngest child take his diploma. For a slide show of last night’s Glen Ridge High School graduation ceremony and Project Graduation tent party, check out Barista Kids.
Saturday, Jun 26, 2010 9:00am | COMMENTS (6)
One creature’s misfortune is another’s meal. A reader sent in this picture of a reportedly HUGE turkey vulture about to snack on a raccoon at the corner of Essex Ave. and Warren St. in Bloomfield the other day.
I slowed when I saw large objects in the road ahead of me. It turned out to be a turkey vulture ( I confirmed this by looking at many pics of them on Google before writing this) picking at the carcass of a rather large raccoon. The bird was trying to pull the whole raccoon out of the road where the cars kept disturbing him when an official Township of Bloomfield truck arrived & took the dead animal. I wasn’t able to capture the true scale of this bird on film, but it was HUGE!! When it looked at me I got a bit nervous & retreated to my car.
Friday, Jun 25, 2010 9:13pm | COMMENTS (6)
Carrie Fisher, who will be forever known as the iconic Princess Leia Organa from the first Star Wars Trilogy’s, has survived Hollywood inbreeding, commercial merchandising (she’s a Pez dispenser!), alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness, “turning her husband gay”, and a BFF dying in her bed. This afternoon, Fisher shared her one-woman act — titled Wishful Drinking — with several hundred Essex County residents who attended her dress rehearsal at SOPAC (thanks to Producer and Glen Ridge resident Robin Seidon for inviting so many from Baristaville). Among other clever expressions of wisdom, Fisher quipped that “Saying you’re an alcoholic and an addict is like saying you’re from South Orange and New Jersey.”
You can catch this poignant and hilarious memoir at SOPAC tomorrow (Saturday June 26) at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Click here for ticket information.
