www.activerain.kateconover

I read a very interesting article in the NY Times, by one of my favorite columnists --- Nic Kristoff --- about a recent book about the minds of Liberals and Conservatives.  "The Righteous Mind" was written by a U.VA professor, Jonathan Haidt, and it deals with how each group views the other. Kris...

And yet another transaction, in Franklin Lakes, NJ, involving furniture. What am I, the Antique Road Show? I recently had a transaction where the Sellers wanted to leave several pieces of furniture that really had no real value, but they didn't want to have to pay to have it moved.  Since the hom...

Contrary to what some people think, being a Realtor/Broker is not a cushy job! Even back in the 80s, when many of us were writing contracts on the back of our cars --- so worried that we wouldn't get our offer in before the 10 people in front of us --- the process was fraught with landmines you c...

I just read that the young man whose camcorder videotaping of his fellow roommate was found guilty of several charges, and could face up to 10 years in prison.  As the mother of a gay man, I have watched this case with both a deep sadness and a keen interest. Many people don't understand when I s...

Just when you thought you'd read everything possible about lenders like Bank of America and Countrywide, this week's Rolling Stone Mag comes out with a block-buster article by the great Matt Taibi that will curl your hair.  It has always been astonishing that these lenders got away with unsavory,...

As an 18-year breast cancer survivor, I'm always interested in any new science on the subject, so I read with interest a recent post by the Silent Spring Institute.  Some of you may remember the name "Silent Spring."  It was a book written by a biologist and conservationist named Rachel Carson.  ...

Yesterday, I got a call from an appraiser wanting to gain access to one of my listings --- a 6.000+ Manor home, in Franklin Lakes.  Seconds into the conversation, I knew we were going to have a problem.  He told me to expect to be at the house with him "...for at least 2 hours. Nobody does what I...

Let's start with a give --- everyone thinks his taxes are too high. And they might well be. the problem is this: your taxes are what pay for all the services you moved to town to enjoy.  Several towns are struggling to keep their doors open --- some have already closed their Municipal Buildings a...

Many of us reach a stage in life where we've had enough of the big house, and are looking forward to living life on a smaller scale.  For those people, the change can be exciting --- less work to do often means more free time to have the fun we've been missing.  But, this isn't true for everyone....

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/realestate/mortgages-paying-on-time.html?ref=realestate