Month: April 2019

Maryanne Gallagher

who is interested in our club as well as serving as a guest speaker, has lived in the area for many years. She and her family currently reside in Palmer Farms. While she has served in many roles within the realty industry over the past 30 years, she currently specializes in representing only Sellers.

Throughout her comments, she welcomed and fielded questions from members. In terms of overall trends, she noted it was a real Seller’s market. Homes within +55 communities are selling well. She noted that HOA fees can be something you have to examine closely, if any of us are considering a move. She has a client who bought in Lambertville and two weeks after she moved in, her HOA went up over $200 a month (from $500 to $720!).

She thinks Shady Brook is a particularly hot selling neighborhood, even though many “seasoned” buyers want to prefer purchasing new homes. She noted that the new Toll communities going up in our area have less interior space, smaller lots, and the community roads/parking is much tighter. Mark also commented that our landscaping is much nicer, and we have far fewer residents using our community center compared to the Regency community, for example.

Maryanne cautioned us about being very careful to use certified, professional stagers when we sell. While there is magic % sellers have to invest to bring their homes up to snuff for sale, she stressed the importance of keeping your home very neutral and uncluttered as two critical factors.

She thinks we will continue to see strong sales over the next year, even if there are a few interest increases. Maryanne passed out a flier with the last six months of sales for both Flowers Mills and Shady Brook. When asked about renovations, she still felt that buyers look for upgraded bathrooms and kitchens, the “big ticket” rooms. She thinks you’ll get about 85% of such investments back with a higher selling price. When asked about carpeting vs. hardwood floors, she said that buyers still prefer hardwood. That said, she would not trade out the bedroom carpeting most of our homes have for hardwood. She thinks carpeting in those rooms still is a smart move.

Maryanne received a nice round of applause and thanks from the group.

We were honored to host Rabbi Eric Wisnia, retired Rabbi from West Windsor, NJ.

Recently retired, after serving over 42 years in West Windsor NJ, Rabbi Wisnia was born in Brooklyn, moved to Levittown in 1967, and actually graduated from our high school, Nashaminy HS. He is currently writing a book, and he stressed that one of the key tenets he tries to convey to those of faith is the importance of treating everyone with love, respect, and dignity.

He feels too often, when we pray, we treat God as a “cosmic bellhop”. We ask for things, we expect things, as if prayer was a sales transaction.

“I want some peace"

     "I want a new car"

          "I want…” 

               "I want…” 

In his view, that’s completely wrong. “God is not going to do what you want just because you pray and ask."

"Prayer, the practice of praying is critical for the following reason: Prayer does not change things, but it changes people. 

People then change things.

If you want to make things better, go do it.

Prayer can’t rebuild a city, but it can mend a broken heart.

We have to be God’s agents for change for good. He is not our servant, it is the reverse."

Rabbi Wisnia received a big round of applause from the club, and graciously stayed to answer private questions from members.

 

 

Quite unexpectedly, the  Club received an envelope with a number of hand-made "Thank You" cards from the students at the William Dick School.

For those members who have had the opportunity to visit the school over the past nine years, perhaps our greatest sentiments of appreciation have been the expressions on the faces of the students with whom we have had the opportunity to interact.

 

This afternoon, Alan Agree and Irv Perlsetin delivered more than 1,000 books (graciously donated by the Toll Gate Elementary School) to the William Dick School. 

In addition five huge bags of donated clothing … for both students and, in some cases, needy parents of the school's students … were provided for distribution by principal Amy Willaims and the sschool's staff.

Six eight graders assisted our Club members unload Alan's car.

 

Alan Agree and Irv Perlstein set up a booth at the previously weather-releated, posponed Levittown Library Flea Market with all of the proceeds being dedicated to the Club's ongoing campaign to raise monies for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and its fight to find treatments and cuers for blood cancers.

Today's efforts generated another $242.00 toward our goal.

Thanks to a donation to our Club by the Toll Gate Elementary School in Pennington, NJ, we were able to add an additional 1,000-plus additional books for the WIlliam Dick School's library.

(l to r)  Club members Alan Agree and Irv Perlsteinpicking-up the books.

Over the years, through the generosity of its members, their friends and the Toll Gate School, the Club will now be able to donate more books to the William Dick School.

Folds of Honor Board Members Beth Simmons and George Morrison (also a past president of the Saucon Valley Rotary Club)

(l top r)  George Morrison, Beth Simmns and Club President Jeff Revak

joined us for breakfast this morning and provided an informative overview of their organization

and the service it has and contiues to perform for the families of fallen veterans.

The organization's motto,  "Honor Their Sacrifice.  Educate Their Legacy." isa reflection of its founder's commitment to his fellow veterans, their service, their sacrifice and their families.

Returning home from his second tour of duty in Iraq, Major Dan Rooney, an F-16 fighter pilot in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, became painfully aware of the reality families face when a loved one in uniform is fallen or disabled.

 

 

This morning, the Club hosted its 6^th annual Flapjack Breakfast at Applebee's Restaurant in Newtown with the proceeds being dedicated to our support of

a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the community by facilitating free air transportation to children and adults in need of medical treatment far from home and other compelling needs.  Its volunteer pilots provide non-emergency transportation for a variety of illnesses and conditions including: follow up for organ transplantation, ongoing burn treatment, chemotherapy, and other medical issues that must be addressed far from home.

A record one hundred people were served by 18 club members and spouses/significant others, including : Fran and Fred Edelman, Ira and Robin Sherman, Art and Debbie Issadore, Sid and Shelly Baron, Irv and Wendy Perlstein, Steve Mansa, Mark and Judy Nath, and Alan Agree.

(l to r)  Art Issadore, Bob Morris, VFW Post 6393 COmmander Russ Davidson, Irv Perlstein, CLub President JEff Revak, Syd Baron and Ira Sherman

Noticably missing is the event chair and man-beind-the-camera, Jerry Redington

whose dedication and tireless efforts made today's fundraiser such a success.

The event generated $1,537.50, a record for our Flapjack Breakfasts!  A presentaiton witll be made to Angel Flight East at an upcoming meeting.