Residential fires occur mostly in the winter. Several factors contribute to the rise, including an increase in cooking and heating, in addition to flammable holiday decorations. Below are ten fire prevention tips:

1.  Maintain carbon monoxide and smoke detectors on a regular basis and test the batteries.

2.  Skip the candles and opt for battery-operated candles instead.

3.  Remove flammable materials from around the cooking area and never leave the area unattended.

4.  Keep a live tree watered, when it dries out, remove it from your home. Artificial trees should be flame retardant and the decorations non-flammable.

5.  Have your chimney, fireplace, wood/coal stove, furnace and any other alternative heat sources checked by a pro. Space heaters should not be left on or in proximity to flammable items.

6.  Invest in LED lights and only use the recommended amount.

7.  Read and follow the directions and safety precautions of portable heaters.

8.  Don’t overload outlets and use power strips.

9.  All lights and holiday décor should be turned off before leaving your home or going to sleep.

10.  Look for any exposed wires, frayed appliance cords or loose connections.

Having a good relationship with your real estate agent can make the difference between a smooth transaction and a mess. If you’re making a cross-town or a move to a neighboring community, your agent may be a good choice if the agent specializes in the area where you’ll be selling and not necessarily the one that you want to represent you in the purchase.

Sometimes, agents who do multiple transactions with clients offer a break on the commission to ensure your repeat business. However, the possibility of a modest savings shouldn’t blind you to pitfalls of working with an agent who is unfamiliar with the territory.

Your buying agent needs to have extensive knowledge of local pricing to accurately advise you about the current market. As a buyer you could offer too much or too little if your agent isn’t up on prices in the area.

Neighborhoods next door to one another can have very different pricing structures. As multiple listing services (MLSs) coalesce into larger entities, out-of-area agents have access to listing information for communities far afield from where they specialize. There is more to accurate pricing than simply analyzing data from the MLS, especially in areas that have a lot of variability in the housing market. For example, a two- bedroom, two-bath villa in one area of the Villages Golf & Country Club, might sell for $200,000 while a similar sized villa in the adjacent village, would likely sell for $350,000.

Offers written by out-of-area agents frequently reflect lack of knowledge about local custom, such as whether the buyer or seller pays fees like title insurance and transfer taxes. Another area of concern in a niche market like the over 55 communities, is the rental restrictions, number of people living in the villa, age of residents and an in-depth understanding of what is included in the Association Fees.

The best bet is to ask your out-of-area agent to find an agent for you who has expertise in the new area, and who has a work ethic and style you’ll appreciate.

Whether you’re facing an imminent retirement or you’re just dreaming of it, deciding where you’re going to retire is a big decision. While some people choose to stay in the same home they’ve lived in for years, others like the freedom that comes with moving to golf cart retirement communities. If you’re thinking of making one of these golf cart communities your home, you might be happy to learn just what they have to offer.
Golf Cart Communities Provide Residents With Easy Access To Their Favorite Sport

First and foremost, these neighborhoods offer their residents with, well, golf! This pastime is a favorite of many retirees and the opportunity to live right on a course and be able to play nearly every day is a big draw. Courses can offer a number of different amenities, but the best courses can have features like professional designs from well-known course designers, a pro shop that’s well stocked with some of the best known brands, a driving range, putting greens and even a restaurant where golfers can whet their appetites after 9 or 18 holes on the course.

Find Neighborhoods That Promote Active Living

Just because golf cart retirement communities are for people in their later years, that doesn’t mean that golf is the only thing to do. If your hobbies include fitness, look for a community with an indoor fitness center, including exercise equipment, a track and even a heated pool. While the homes in these neighborhoods have gourmet kitchens for cooking enthusiasts, it’s not uncommon for a community to have cafes and other restaurants for those nights residents just don’t feel like cooking.

Living in a community that’s designed for seniors also means that you can finally pick up that hobby you always meant to start. It’s not uncommon for a community to offer classes in photography, pottery, jewelry making, ceramics, line dancing, wine tasting, billiards, cooking, horseshoes and more. Also consider if a community is open to feedback if there’s a particular hobby or class you’re interested in.

Retirement years should be some of the best of your life and golf cart communities can help ensure that you’re retiring in style. Whether you’re looking to enjoy your favorite hobby or pick up a new one, consider looking for a retirement community where you can have it all.

By: Chris Harmen
Post Date: 2012-01-26

Over the age of 50 and considering selling the family home?

SAN JOSE—December 21, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber applauds All Nippon Airways’ decision to launch nonstop airline service
between Mineta San Jose International and Tokyo’s Narita International Airport

Establishing international air travel between the two cities was a priority by the SJSV Chamber, and
dozens of members wrote enthusiastic letters to support and shared information about their business
travel to Asia.

“This announcement would not have happened if it were not for the leadership exhibited by the San Jose
Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce,” said San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed.

ANA announced it would begin to offer service sometime in 2012-13 using the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner,
The airline company’s president called San Jose “an important destination on the U.S. west coast” because
of the many important software and high-tech companies in the Silicon Valley.

“The SJSV Chamber is committed to cultivating a strong regional economy, and having direct flights to a
Pacific Rim country will directly benefit many small and large companies engaging in commerce–not to
mention the benefits all around to leisure travel,” said Matthew Mahood, president & CEO. “2012 will see
the chamber engaging more strongly on important economic initiatives, advocating for jobs and our community for a new economy.”

From Councilmember Rose Herrera via CalTrans:

Beginning Friday night, December 2nd at 11:30 p.m., Highway 101 will be closed each night between the Highway 280/680 connector and Capitol Expressway. The highway will reopen each morning and these closures will end Monday morning.

For more information about the closures and detours, please see the Caltrans Traffic Advisory or call Councilmember Rose Herrera (408) 535-4908 or email at district8@sanjoseca.gov.

Detour signs and Changeable Message Signs will be posted to assist motorists during this closure. Please drive cautiously and slow for the cone zone. Caltrans appreciates your patience as we improve California’s highways. You can follow us on our project website: www.dot.ca.gov/dist4/tullyroad/

Join Councilmember Rose Herrera at the District 8 Community Forum

When: Monday, Nov. 28, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Where: Evergreen Community Center, 4860 San Felipe Road

RSVP by contacting Councilmember Rose Herrera’s office at (408) 535-4908 or email district8@sanjoseca.go

AP Photo/Rich Schultz

Retirement communities may have their perks, but Beryl O’Connor says it would be tough to match the birthday surprise she got in her own backyard when she turned 80 this year.

She was tending her garden when two little girls from next door — “my buddies,” she calls them — brought her a strawberry shortcake. It underscored why she wants to stay put in the housethat she and her husband, who died 18 years ago, purchased in the late 1970s.

“I couldn’t just be around old people — that’s not my lifestyle,” she said. “I’d go out of my mind.”

Physically spry and socially active, O’Connor in many respects is the embodiment of “aging in place,” growing old in one’s own longtime homeand remaining engaged in the community rather than moving to a retirement facility.

According to surveys, aging in place is the overwhelming preference of Americans over 50. But doing it successfully requires both good fortune and support services — things that O’Connor’s pleasant hometown of Verona has become increasingly capable of providing.

About 10 miles northwest of Newark, Verona has roughly 13,300 residents nestled into less than 3 square miles. There’s a transportation network that takes older people on shopping trips and to medical appointments, and the town is benefiting from a $100,000 federal grant to put in place an aging-in-place program called Verona LIVE.

Beryl O’Connor plays cards with her friends including June Szabo, left, in her home in Verona, N.J. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

Administrated by United Jewish Communities of MetroWest New Jersey, the program strives to educate older people about available services to help them address problems and stay active in the community. Its partners include the health and police departments, the rescue squad, the public and public schools, and religious groups.

Among the support services are a homemaintenance program with free safety checks and minor homerepairs, access to a social worker and job counselor, a walking club and other social activities. In one program, a group of middle-school girls provided one-on-one computer training to about 20 older adults.

Social worker Connie Pifher, Verona’s health coordinator, said a crucial part of the overall initiative is educating older people to plan ahead realistically and constantly reassess their prospects for successfully aging in place.

There are 5 types of Identity Theft:

1.  Financial.  This is where thieves use your identity to open new accounts in your name.

2.  Medical.  Your social security number is used to obtain medical services.    Not only is this dangerous for you, but you may have this affect your credit in a negative way due to unpaid Emergency Services Bills that show up on your credit report.

3.  Employment.  Illegal Aliens are stealing other peoples Identities for employment.   Another downside to this is the Tax Liability that you face by the IRS and State Tax Board for wages that they assume you have earned!4.  Drivers Licenses.  Once again people that do not qualify for license or that have lost their Drivers License due to illegal activity may steal your identity to obtain a Drivers License!   It doesn’t even have to be in the State that you reside in.

5.  Character Theft.  Your Identity was used to commit a crime!   A criminal used your name and now the law is after you!   think of the implications and the cost and mental duress in trying to clear your good name!

How do you protect yourself?

• DO NOT EVER as a habit carry your Social Security Card around with you!
• Avoid giving personal information over the phone until you verify that the person on the other end of the phone is who they say they are.
• If you are on a wireless server make sure that your Laptop or Smart Phone is on a secured network and has the proper firewalls.
• Make sure that any online site that you visit has Https encryption.
• Check your Credit Accounts EVERY month as well as your bank statement.
• Any addresses being reported on your Credit Report that you do not know may indicate that your Identity is being used by someone else!
• You can sign up with a credit monitoring service such as Free Credit Report.com or Annual Credit Report.com as a consumer and check your credit on a daily basis without it counting as an inquire.
• SHRED SHRED SHRED!  Any documents or unnecessary paperwork that you do not need to keep for legal, tax or proof or receipt Shred!   Never store ANY documentation with your personal information in an unsecured location.

What to do if you are a victim?

• Fill out the FTC Identity Theft Form and have the Affidavit notarized
• Make a Police Report
• Send in the information to the 3 Credit Bureaus
• Ask the Bureaus to put a “Freeze” on opening any new account

Please be careful as everyone is potentially at Risk!    The Holiday Season is the worst time of the year, so please be aware at all time.