With this in mind, enjoy the following story in the Staten Islands Advance:

Madam C.J. Walker may not be a household name in many Staten Island homes, but St. George resident Jonnette Graves has known the name of America’s first self-made female millionaire since she was a little girl.

“Most black women who have ever had anything done to their hair know about Madam C.J. Walker and her history of helping to develop a stylized way,” said Ms. Graves at a Black History Month event honoring the late entrepreneur. “Before we could afford to come to a salon, our mothers would tell us about Madam C.J. Walker. We used her products as kids.”

Born in 1867 in Louisiana, Madam Walker developed a line of beauty products for women, and established beauty schools in Pittsburgh and New York. She died at the age of 51 in her mansion in Irvington-on-Hudson, N.Y., and is in the Guinness Book of Records as America’s first self-made female millionaire. 

As Nashville Songwriter

Song written by Staten Island-based attorney Jonathan D’Agostino

and New Jersey musician Chris Corley earns a top-10 finalist spot in nationwide CMT competition

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Jonathan D’Agostino, a hard-fighting personal-injury lawyer with offices in New York and New Jersey, has reached a milestone – in the Country Music industry.

Jonathan D’Agostino, left, shares a musical moment in Nashville with songwriter Matt Dame.

A prolific songwriter for more than two decades, the founder of Staten Island, N.Y.-headquartered Jonathan D’Agostino & Associates recently collaborated with New Jersey-based musician Chris Corley to write “I Try To Let Go.”

The song has been chosen from approximately 2,500 submissions from across the nation as a top-10 finalist in the prestigious 2012 CMT (Country Music Television) Listeners’ Choice Awards competition. The contest is co-sponsored by CMT and the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), the world’s largest not-for-profit songwriters trade association.

Click here to see a NY1 interview with D’Agostino.

CAST YOUR VOTE

The public may listen to “I Try To Let Go” at http://www.cmt.com/videos/misc/730005/nsai-cmt-song-contest-finalist-jon-dagostino-chris-corley-i-try-to-let-go.jhtml and cast votes through the end of February at http://www.cmt.com/asm/contests/nsai/cmt_choice/2012/vote.jhtml.

“The fuel for my inspiration comes from one place: My family,” said D’Agostino, a married father of three children. “Everything I do – from the dedication provided to clients of my law firm to every song I write – is honest and comes from the heart.”

If “I Try To Let Go” wins the 2012 CMT Listeners’ Choice Award, the songwriting team of D’Agostino and Corley will be offered a mentoring session with a major music publisher and have their song pitched to music industry executives through a CD for one year.

In addition, they will receive a three-day trip to Nashville, Tenn., including accommodations by Hilton Garden Inn and airfare from American Airlines; have “I Try To Let Go” professionally recorded and produced as a single-song demo with professional singers and musicians at Parlor Studios on Nashville’s Music Row; be given tickets to the 2012 CMT Music Awards, and receive numerous additional perks.

“It’s thrilling just to have “I Try To Let Go” among the top contenders,” said D’Agostino.” The experience, however, isn’t new for him: In July, D’Agostino’s song “A Christmas Kiss” was a winner in the 2010 NSAI “Christmas in July” contest, and he also had a song land in the top 10 of the NSAI/CMT contest last year.

“The songwriting education and relationships formed through NSAI have given me the tools to write songs that have been signed by over a dozen publishers and to get my songs placed on independent artist projects, international artist projects and, recently, in several independent and major films,” D’Agostino said.

 Media Contact: Barton Horowitz

Relevant Public Relations, LLC 

Headquarters: 718‑682‑1509

Mobile: 917‑715‑8761

Email: Bhorowitz@RelevantPR.com

In a survey of 1,000 single people, more than a third of women and 18% of men said they would much rather date a homeowner than a renter.

Only 2% of women said they preferred to date a man who rents, while only 3% of men said they would choose a woman who rents over one that owns her home, according to the survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive for real estate site Trulia.

Both sexes also clearly prefer it when there’s no roommate in the picture; 62% of survey respondents, men and women, prefer to date singles who live alone.

READ MORE …

About The Staten Island Board of Realtors

The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.

SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Comprised of over 1,600 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas.

SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.

All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

SIBOR may be reached at 718-928-3220 and visited online at http://www.siborrealtors.com.

Media Inquiries:

Relevant Public Relations, LLC

Headquarters: 718‑682‑1509

Mobile: 917‑715‑8761

Email: info@RelevantPR.com

A real estate agent is a REALTOR® when he or she becomes a member of the National Association of REALTORS®, The Voice for Real Estate®, the world’s largest professional association.

The term “REALTOR®” is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and abides by its strict Code of Ethics.

The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.

All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Founded in 1908, NAR has grown from its original nucleus of 120 members to more than 1 million today. NAR is composed of REALTORS® who are involved in residential and commercial real estate as brokers, salespeople, property managers, appraisers, counselors, and others who are engaged in all aspects of the real estate industry.

Members belong to one or more of 1,700 local associations/boards and 54 state and territory associations of REALTORS® and can join one of our many institutes, societies, and councils. Additionally, NAR offers members the opportunity to be active in our appraisal and international real estate specialty sections. REALTORS® are pledged to a strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

Working for America’s property owners, the National Association of REALTORS® provides a facility for professional development, research, and exchange of information among its members.

About The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR)

The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.

SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Comprised of over 1,600 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas. 

SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.

All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

SIBOR may be reached at 718-928-3220 and visited online at http://www.siborrealtors.com

Media Inquiries:

Relevant Public Relations, LLC

Headquarters: 718‑682‑1509

Mobile: 917‑715‑8761

Email: info@RelevantPR.com

The plan gives E-ZPass holders a 50 percent discount on the toll, provided the driver makes at least 10 trips over the Outerbridge Crossing, Bayonne Bridge, or Goethals Bridge in a 30 day period. Staten Islanders have been calling for a break from the high tolls; now commuters who use the bridges regularly have the opportunity to save money.

To start saving, click here or call E-ZPass Customer Service at 1-800-333-8655.

When you sign up, $47.50 will be deducted from your E-ZPass account, to pay for 10 trips at half price.

After making just 5 trips(during peak hours), you have broken even on what you would be paying on the non-discounted toll price.

Trips 6 through 10 are a gain to you under the discount program. You are not limited to 10 trips in 30 days. Once you use up 10 trips, you can start a new cycle, valid for an additional 30 days. Unused trips cannot be refunded.

All E-ZPass tags on your account count toward the minimum trip requirement.  Multi-driver households can really save.

About the Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR)

The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.

SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Comprised of over 1,800 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas.

SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.

All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

SIBOR may be reached at 718-928-3220 and visited online at http://siborrealtors.com/.

Media Contact: Barton Horowitz

Relevant Public Relations, LLC

Headquarters: 718‑682‑1509

Mobile: 917‑715‑8761

Email: Bhorowitz@RelevantPR.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  – A Staten Island-based businessman has rediscovered the antidote for failure: Enthusiasm.

 “There is real magic in enthusiasm,” said John Paul Carinci, accomplished author and longtime insurance industry entrepreneur. “It can help you accomplish greatness and enjoy a deeper, richer and more meaningful life.”

For many, however, enthusiasm can be allusive, sadly blocking life’s path to happiness and success.

In his second self-help book, “An All-Consuming Desire To Succeed” (Morgan James Publishing; 2011),  the owner of the Carinci Insurance Agency, Eltingville, reveals that enthusiasm is obtainable, and provides an encouraging solution for disposing of emotional shackles that hold many people back.

 LIFE CHANGER FOR UNDER A DOLLAR

 Beginning Feb. 1, the Kindle version of the book is being offered for a limited time on amazon.com for only 99 cents.

Whether a reader opts for the Kindle or soft-cover edition of  “An All-Consuming Desire To Succeed,” the results are identical: The author succeeds in helping readers overcome negative thoughts, rediscover their childlike enthusiasm, and ultimately achieve a richer life.

With more than 30 years of research to his credit, Carinci has found the keys to success; and others are taking notice.

Weighing in on ForeWordReviews.com, book reviewer Barry Silverstein places Carinci among the likes of “such inspirational authors as Norman Vincent Peale, Napoleon Hill, and W. Clement Stone,” describing “An All-Consuming Desire To Succeed” as a “classic self-help book centered around achieving success.”

LIFE-CHANGING ADVICE

“An All-Consuming Desire To Succeed” provides easy-to-read life-changing tips that can catapult readers to success, such as how to:

•  Control and eliminate worry and fear;
• Get enthusiasm back in your life;
• Develop and maintain “mental blinders” to negativity;
• Identify and embrace good habits;
• Maintain self-confidence for life;
• Use life-changing “Positive Affirmations;”
• Maximize your subconscious mind;
• Benefit from “Positive Visualization,”
• And formulate and achieve your special goals.

 “These same tools have propelled the supercharged attitude of history’s greatest inventors, leaders and business people,” Carinci said. “And they have sustained my successful career within the New York business community for over 35 years.”

 “An All-Consuming Desire To Succeed” is available at amazon.com and by order at all major bookstores nationwide.

 ABOUT JOHN PAUL CARINCI

 John Paul Carinci is a successful entrepreneur and president of Staten Island, N.Y.-based Carinci Insurance Agency Inc., which he founded over 35 years ago.

 An internationally published author, Carinci has penned such books and/or screenplays as: “The Power of Being Different;” “ In Exchange of Life;”  “Share Your Mission #5;” “A Second Chance;” “The Psychic Boy Detective; “Better Off Dead;” “Better Off Dead In Paradise,”  and “A Gift from Above.”

 Carinci’s multifaceted career additionally includes achievements as a songwriter, poet, and CEO of Better Off Dead Productions Inc., a movie production company.   

 His first self-help book, “The Power of Being Different” (authorHouse; May 2005), has been translated and published worldwide.

 Carinci may be reached via email at John.Carinci@verizon.net

Who are the people selling them on the American Dream? Their parents! It seems that parents of some adult children are strongly suggesting that their children take advantage of the low cost of homeownership available today. Some moms and dads are helping financially and are even co-signing for the mortgage. Middle age parents who have owned a home understand its true value. A home has always been a good long term financial investment. However, homeownership also has many other benefits.

In Fannie Mae’s most recent National Housing Survey, they asked the question directly: Is this a major reason to buy a home?

The study broke up the answers into financial and non-financial reasons. The top four reasons and six of the top ten reasons were NON-FINANCIAL. The top four are below:

1. It means having a good place to raise children and provide a good education.
2. You have a physical structure where you and your family feel safe.
3. It allows you to have more space for your family.
4. It gives you control over what you do with your living space (renovations & updates).

 Should this surprise us? Aren’t these the same reasons our parents bought their home? Aren’t these the same reasons we purchased our home? These are the same reasons parents have suggested their children buy a home. They want the same things for their grandchildren that they believed to be important for their children.

And today, the cost of homeownership is at all time lows:

J.P. Morgan

“The numbers on housing have an important message for American families today, and particularly younger families setting out on life’s great adventure: Five years ago, at the peak of the home-buying euphoria, it was emphatically a time to rent. Today, when home ownership is depreciated more than ever before, the numbers tell us it is a time to buy.”

MSNBC.com

“[S]omeone who plans on staying put for seven years would come out ahead by about $9,000 if they bought a median-priced home rather than being a tenant in a median-priced rental.”

HUD

“Homes today are more affordable for average families than they have been since 1971. Median-income families today have nearly double the funds needed to purchase the average home.”

Bottom Line

Now that the economy is beginning to show signs of stabilizing, people are getting back to the core values that families have always embraced. Homeownership is definitely high on that list. And today, from a financial standpoint, it may be the opportunity of a lifetime.

– Reposted with permission of Keeping Current Matters

About The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR)

The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.

SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Comprised of over 1,600 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas. 

SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.

All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

SIBOR may be reached at 718-928-3220 and visited online at http://siborrealtors.com/.

Media Inquiries:

Relevant Public Relations, LLC

Headquarters: 718‑682‑1509

Mobile: 917‑715‑8761

Email: info@RelevantPR.com

and majestic hills, Island cyclists remain fit while glancing at magnificent panoramas.

The borough also holds the finish line of the annual TD Five Boro Bike Tour, which will hit the streets of NYC

on May 6. 

The Staten Island Board of Realtors wants you to know that registration for the 2012 TD Five Boro Bike Tour is open.

Every year, the fantastic ride features 40-miles of car-free NYC streets.

Be a part of the biggest cycling event in the nation!

This year, you can enter a lottery for a spot in the Tour, or join a charity team for a guaranteed spot. The Safe Streets Fund is an official charity partner. Join the team and help promote cycling in NYC.

About The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR)

The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.

SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Comprised of over 1,600 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas. 

SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.

All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

SIBOR may be reached at 718-928-3220 and visited online at http://siborrealtors.com/.

Media Inquiries:

Relevant Public Relations, LLC

Headquarters: 718‑682‑1509

Mobile: 917‑715‑8761

Email: info@RelevantPR.com

In his State of the Union address on Jan. 24, President Obama laid out a Blueprint for an America Built to Last, calling for action to help responsible borrowers and support a housing market recovery.

• Broad Based Refinancing to Help Responsible Borrowers Save an Average of $3,000 per Year: The President’s plan will provide borrowers who are current on their payments with an opportunity to refinance and take advantage of historically low interest rates, cutting through the red tape that prevents these borrowers from saving hundreds of dollars a month and thousands of dollars a year.

This plan, which is paid for by a financial fee so that it does not add a dime to the deficit, will:

• Provide access to refinancing for all non-GSE borrowers who are current on their payments and meet a set of simple criteria.
• Streamline the refinancing process for all GSE borrowers who are current on their loans.
• Give borrowers the chance to rebuild equity through refinancing.

• Homeowner Bill of Rights: The President is putting forward a single set of standards to make sure borrowers and lenders play by the same rules, including:

• Access to a simple mortgage disclosure form, so borrowers understand the loans they are taking out.
• Full disclosure of fees and penalties.
• Guidelines to prevent conflicts of interest that end up hurting homeowners.
• Support to keep responsible families in their homes and out of foreclosure.
• Protection for families against inappropriate foreclosure, including right of appeal.

• First Pilot Sale to Transition Foreclosed Property into Rental Housing to Help Stabilize

Neighborhoods and Improve Home Prices: The FHFA, in conjunction with Treasury and HUD, is

announcing a pilot sale of foreclosed properties to be transitioned into rental housing.

• Moving the Market to Provide a Full Year of Forbearance for Borrowers Looking for Work: Following the Administration’s lead, major banks and the GSEs are now providing up to 12 months of forbearance to unemployed borrowers.

• Pursuing a Joint Investigation into Mortgage Origination and Servicing Abuses: This effort marshals new resources to investigate misconduct that contributed to the financial crisis under the leadership of federal and state co-chairs.

• Rehabilitating Neighborhoods and Reducing Foreclosures: In addition to the steps outlined above, the Administration is expanding eligibility for HAMP to reduce additional foreclosures, increasing incentives for modifications that help borrowers rebuild equity, and is proposing to put people back to work rehabilitating neighborhoods through Project Rebuild.

The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.

SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Comprised of over 1,600 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas. 

SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.

All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

SIBOR may be reached at 718-928-3220 and visited online at http://siborrealtors.com/.

Media Inquiries:

Relevant Public Relations, LLC

Headquarters: 718‑682‑1509

Mobile: 917‑715‑8761

Email: info@RelevantPR.com

The article’s message is clear: “Lenders stop making reasonable loans when they lose confidence in their ability to predict losses.”

The article continues to say:

“The mortgage industry especially is facing the uncomfortable reality that traditional models and metrics, like credit bureau scores, are far less relevant in an economy dealing with job loss, income instability and negative home equity.

For example, an emergency room nurse in Dallas with a credit score of 660 is a better mortgage credit risk than a construction foreman in Naples, Fla., with a credit score of 740. The nurse will be better able to sustain income in a high demand profession, working in a stable local economy where property values are still largely unaffected by the housing collapse.”

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE …

About The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR)

The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.

SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Comprised of over 1,600 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas. 

SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.

All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

SIBOR may be reached at 718-928-3220 and visited online at http://siborrealtors.com.

Media Inquiries:

Relevant Public Relations, LLC

Headquarters: 718‑682‑1509

Mobile: 917‑715‑8761

Email: info@RelevantPR.com