2nd Annual 'LUAU for The Library' - Sat. July 23rd - 2 to 4pm The 2nd Annual LUAU to benefit The Library will be held on Sat. 7/23 @ 2pm! Even BIGGER and BETTER than before! Dust off your Hawaiian shirts & dresses and get ready to limbo.....or at least watch one. Snacks! Cash Bar! Pennsville Business Association Expo! Dancing! Prizes! 50/50! Book Sales! GREAT music! Surprise Guests! All-in-all, THE place to be this summer!Hope to see you all there. The Library still needs your help!!Call Carol Waddington 678-5630, Carol Wooten 678-8356 or Chris Hooks 628-2710 for tickets & info. $30 per personBusiness Expo tables available - $45 includes 1 LUAU ticketSponsorship opportunities available:$100 - Silver Sponsor includes 1 LUAU ticket$200 - Gold Sponsor includes 2 LUAU tickets$300 - Platinum... 06/25/2011

    Community Wide Yard Sale - Sat. July 23rd, 2011 Coldwell Banker Pino Agency is spearheading an effort to organize a community wide yard sale in Pennsville at the end of July.  Anyone who is interested in joining in the fun can call 856-678-4663.  We'll be preparing a master list of all the participating households, along with a map for the shoppers. Our agency will advertise the yardsale, place it on facebook, write blogposts and generally GET THE WORD OUT!   We'll have applications on hand for the necessary township permits, too.  Remember that saying, "There is strength in numbers?" Let's show 'em! 06/23/2011

  2 becomes 4 becomes 8 becomes 16 becomes 32 becomes 64 becomes 128 and so on......... The Central Park Elementary School held their year-end awards assembly in the afternoon on Monday June 13th.  The weather was simply perfect for their outside activities and awards! Awards were given for traditional achievements such as reading accomplishments, running achievements, fundraising goals, unique artwork National Physical Fitness Awards as well as Presidential Fitness Awards.  One young lady even won an award for perfect attendance:  not one missed day -- not one late day -- not one early dismissal -- not one sick day.  She was there on time, all day, every day.  This is quite an achievement!  These already busy kids even teamed up for a school-wide community service project.  These terr... 06/14/2011

The Pennsville Public Library's NEW Online Newsletter is Here! I'm so happy to announce that the Library now has a new communication vehicle -- an online newsletter! It has been created and edited by Debbie Davis, owner of Davis Day Trips.  Debbie is one of those 'spit-fires' we would all like to be like.  Her energy and enthusiasm never wains.  She has successfully arranged several fundraiser bus trips in 2011.  (The Board and Friends are so very thankful for all of her efforts.) The newsletter will provide no-cost dispersement of all the good stuff that is happening at the Library, plus it will feature the Board, Friends and Staff.  There will be puzzles, trivia, contests, feature stories about the 'Champions of The Library' award winners, Dates/Info about fundraisers and more.  What ... 06/01/2011

I Love To Shop Local - Walton's Florals & Gifts! I'm feeling pretty lucky today.  Yesterday was my birthday and I received a few bouquets of flowers.  This is just one of them.  (very pretty, huh?!) Let me just say --- I LOVE flowers! I grew up in Pennsville Township where Walton's Flower Shopwas a constant part of the landscape.  Walton's has been around for over 50 years.  (about the same number of years as me, as a matter-of-fact!)  A few years ago Walton's was sold to a new owner.  A better steward of the business could not have been found.  Brenda Rogers is carrying on the Walton name with such style! Take a look at this arrangement, on the left.......         The white flowers are amazing......so classic!               The 'pinks' are one of my absolute favorites, too.......   As ... 05/26/2011

Today's Real Estate Activities - May 24th, 2011! And the word of the day is:  FINGERPRINTS! My Broker and I are working on a new project.  We're starting a Real Estate School in Salem County, NJ.  We're hoping to get it off the ground within the month. The application is mostly completed save for a few license numbers that need to be submitted.  The location is secured:  The Pennsville Public Library. We even know when the school will be held:  On Wednesday evenings, from 5:15 until 10:15pm for approximately 16 weeks.  (a total of 75 hours to fulfill the NJ Real Estate Commission requirements) We even chosen the name:  The South Jersey Real Estate Academy Joseph F. Pino is a licensed Real Estate Instructor (since the 70's!) as well as a licensed School Director.  It looks like I will ne... 05/24/2011

A GREAT Day At The Pennsville Public Library Special days over the course of our lives stand out. First day of Sunday school. First day of kindergarten. First day of little league. First day of scouts. First day of Jr. High School.  (scary!) First dance. First kiss. First day of High School. First Prom. Just to name a few....... I felt pretty fortunate to be at the Pennsville Public Library one day recently when a father and his son stopped in to get the boy's first Library card.  The little fellow's face was beaming.  I happened to be behind the front desk, so I smiled and said, "hi." The father stated that they were there to get his son's first Library card.  The young man leaned forward, gave me a determined look and whispered, "My name is Jackson." His expression said it all to me. ... 05/23/2011

Sprucing Up After The Storm As mentioned in an earlier post, a field trip to Dad's Produce yielded some lovely flowers that now needed to be planted. After one storm but before a second, Mr. Pino weeded all of the beds at the office, planted the marigolds, geraniums, etc and mulched.  He used a licorice root mulch because he read how very good it is for enriching the soil. Who doesn't want richer soil? Now it's up to the ladies in the office to keep those pretty flowers watered and fed.  We're wondering how hot the summer of 2011 will be here in New Jersey?  Last year, it was positively brutal.  Let's hope this year will bring lots of sun.....not too much humidity......and not too much fire-power! "A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are sin... 05/16/2011

I Love To Shop Local - Dad's Produce It's that time of the year again.  The Memorial Day parade is scheduled for next Sat., May 21st at 10am, beginning at the Pennsville Shopping Center and ending at the PMHS High School.  That means it's time to plant some pretty annuals at The Coldwell Banker Pino Agency's office.  We are on the parade route, after all.  Our front lawn is one of the best spots for parade watching!  So, in preparation we've got to have our flower beds up-to-snuff. Today's 'field trip' was to Dad's Produce.  Marigolds, geraniums and some type of ivy-like vine caught my eye. Just look at all of those pretty flowers....... I spoke to 'Dad' today.  He told me that he's celebrating his 29th year in business this year.  He sure had some lovely things on display today: *  han... 05/14/2011

I Love To Shop Local - Salone di Belleeza It's so GREAT to have a salon right in town that offers such a high quality of services.  Whatever it is that you may need to upgrade your looks is right here at the day spa. Need a classic haircut? Done! Need a facial? You can have it right here! How about a deep-tissue massage? Look no further! Tired of your current haircolor?  They have the perfect new shade for you! Thinking about a henna treatment?  Yep, they've got that here, too. Is it time for a mani/pedi?  Call today! Basically, whatever services you need to stay well-groomed, relaxed & beautiful, the salon can help you with that.                                          Salone di Bellezza 58 N Broadway Pennsville, NJ,  08070 856-678-6631   You can find them on Facebook, too:  Salone-di... 05/13/2011

She's BAAAACCCCKKKKK...... I spent another three hours today with organizer Valerie Cowan, owner of Destination Organized.  When last in the office, she spent time getting things ready for our appointment today. Today, we began to go through all of the boxes and piles that Valerie and I had consolidated during her first visit.  I was surprised how well it went today and how much we accomplished.  I can't begin to tell you exactly how many boxes we emptied.  My entire desk is clear and I now have a system of where to put my stuff each day when I come into work.  I realize that may sound silly to some of you, but when one is a 'pile-a-maniac,' like I can be at times, having a system is vital to successfully ridding one's workspace of clutter and confusion. Valerie made a very good point t... 05/13/2011

  New Faces -- New Beginnings -- New Dreams The Coldwell Banker Pino Agency is very pleased to announce the addition of Kelly Ann Peterson to our staff.  Kelly brings ten years of Real Estate experience to our organization.  With an eye on education, Kelly has diligently pursued the designations Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) and Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR).  She is also a registered Notary in the State of New Jersey. We are most excited that Kelly is in the process of sitting for the New Jersey Real Estate Broker's examination as The Coldwell Banker Pino Agency is looking to increase it's management staff.  It's a perfect fit! Kelly is quite active in her community, serving as a Director on the Board of the Gloucestor/Salem Counties Board of Realtors and as President... 05/10/2011

Learn To Better Control Your Diabetes - Program At The Pennsville Public Library On May 9, 2011 - 6:30 to 8pm Learn: * What affects blood sugar levels? *  Importance of meal planning *  How food affects sugar levels *  What is carbohydrate counting? *  Demonstration of Accu-chek RSVP by May 6th, 2011 to Tanya Parlock  610 - 984 - 7900 tanyaparlock@roche.com Supported by Roche, maker of Accu-check American Diabetes Association Program will be held in the meeting room at The Pennsville Public Library, 190 S. Broadway, Pennsville, NJ  08070  856-678-5473 05/01/2011

Today's Real Estate Activities - April 27th, 2011 And the word of the day is:  SETTLEMENT! Today's closing was expected to be an easy one.  It was a lower priced home, being sold 'as is'.  The original offer was one of cash.  It turns out the buyer obtained a small, private mortgage but it presented no problems. The deed, on the other hand, has been one problem-after-another.  My Seller is out-of-state.  We had to send the deed to her to be signed and notarized.  It came back to us signed by the Power of Attorney.  There isn't anything wrong with a POA signing a deed to transfer property, it just isn't as desirable as having the owner sign the paperwork.  I learned something new about deeds:  if a Power of Attorney signs a deed, an original copy of the Power of Attorney will need to be ... 04/27/2011

Today's Real Estate Activities - April 7, 2011 And the word of the day is: CONTRACTS!!!! It's been productive, so far, this week.  Showings were scheduled, offers were received and negotiated successfully and now contracts have been typed.  It really is a great feeling for all parties involved!  The Buyers are excited with the hope of their new home, The Sellers are grateful and optimistic at the thought of the sale of their home, The Buyer's agent is guardedly cautious about the upcoming settlement, as is the Listing agent.  There is much to be happy about at this time.....but there is also much ground to cover between now and the settlement date.  Mortgage application, inspections, processing, underwriting, government review in some cases, insurance quotes, packing, school registratio... 04/07/2011

Today's Real Estate Activities - April 2, 2011 And the word of the day is: SHOWINGS!! (and SUN!) The long, cold winter finally stepped out of the way today.  In more ways than one.  Not only were a good many of my listings being shown .....I was out showing properties to one of my buyers.  We looked at some really pretty houses.  It's always such a pleasure to see 'Pride of Ownership'.  Some folks simply have talents and skills when it comes to having a home ready-to-show.  We were fortunate today to view the hard work of some of them this afternoon. I know it may sound old-fashioned.....it may sound corny.....but the tried-and-true methods of putting a buyer at ease and keeping them interested during a showing still work.  Decluttering Cleaning Nuetralizing Staging 'Disappearing' your ... 04/02/2011

Know Your Numbers - Free Blood Pressure Clinic A free blood pressure clinic for Pennsville residents will be held on the 2nd and the 4th Thursdays of each month from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Pennsville Visiting Nurses 14 North Broadway, Pennsville, NJ  08070 Appointments are needed to have your blood sugar or cholesterol taken. Call 856-678-4341 to make your appointment.       Dates: March 10th and 24th April 7th and 21st May 12th and 26th June 9th and 23rd July 14th and 28th August 11th and 25th September 8th and 22nd October 13th and 27th November 10th December 8th Do yourself a big favor and use this FREE service.  The nurses are friendly, caring and ready to help you with these general screenings.  Know your numbers........it could save your life. 03/18/2011

Spring Is Here And The Market Seems To Be Heating Up! How do I know this? It's really not that hard to tell...... because the phones are ringing more..... because there are more requests for showings...... because there are more requests for preapprovals... because there are more offers being made..... because there are multiple offers on one property, at times...... because Spring is in the air. After a long hard winter, here's hoping for a wonderful, sunny, prosperous Spring for all of my customers, clients and fellow Realtors.  After the challenges of the tough times we've been through, here's hoping that those times are finally behind us.   03/14/2011

Good Cop - Bad Cop?  How About Good Dog - Bad Dog?! A potential client called yesterday to discuss listing her mom's house.  Unfortunately, her mother has fallen ill.  At the end of the conversation, the caller excitedly congratulated me on the new 'addition' to my family.  What a great compliment to know that she both found and read my blog.  My new acquaintance voiced that "dog people are good people."  I believe she felt she could trust me to take good care of her mother's property.  How proud was I that she also adored my new little rescue dog? I hung up the phone realizing that I was going to have to thank 'Billy The Kid' for helping me with this new special listing.  As I pulled onto my street - feeling very happy to be going home to greet 'Billy' - when I noticed a competitor's s... 03/09/2011

New Jersey's Clean Energy Program - Part One New Jersey's Clean Energy Program produces significant energy bill reductions for the state's consumers. Are you taking advantage of these savings? For 2001 through 2009, program activities have resulted in lifetime energy savings of over 26.6 million MWh of electricity; 80 million dekatherms of natural gas; 11.5 million MWh of renewable generation, and 1.9 million MWh of distributed generation from combined heat and power systems.   What interests me about this?  The possibility and potential to save money for my clients and quite frankly, for myself, too! There are lots of different programs for residential utility users.  There are two useful assessements:  one is online, one is in-house.  I am planning on working on the online assessment ... 03/08/2011