• 2    Cups Milk
• 3/4 Cup Water
• 2    Tbls butter or margarine
• 1    Package HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH Dressing
• 1    Cup sour cream
• 1    Box (7.2 oz) BETTY CROCKER HOME STYLE creamy butter mashed potatoes
• 4    Slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2    Tbls thinly sliced green onion

• In 3-quart saucepan heat milk, water and butter to boiling.  
• Stir in ranch dressing mix and sour cream; beat until smooth.  
• Stir in 3 slices of bacon and both pouches of potatoes just until moistened.
• Let stand one minute.  
• Stir with fork until smooth.  
• Spoon into serving dish.  Top with remaining bacon and onions.

Want to know what price houses are selling for in the towns that make up the Minisink Valley Central School District? During the month of October there were 14 homes that sold within the towns that make up the District. The selling prices on single family residential houses ranged from $90,000 to $433,000. The median of the data available shows us that homes are selling at close to 95% of the listing price at the time of sale. This tells us that homeowners are listing the houses that are selling at very close to market value. If you are out there looking at homes this is important for you to know. This is also something you will not learn from the listing agent or the homeowner trying to sell his home on his own.

It is important for you as a Real Estate Buyer to determine the value of a property you are interested in. Working with a Buyer's Representative gives you the upper hand in negotiations because they will prepare an analysis of the property you want to make an offer on using the most current data available. They can help you to determine a realistic negotiating strategy and help avoid mistakenly offering more than a property will appraise for.

The Minisink Valley Central School District encompasses 115 square miles and is one of the largest school districts in the southern tier of New York State. It is located in Orange County about 70 miles from New York City with New Jersey to the south and Pennsylvania to the west.

I work as a Buyer's Representative in Minisink Valley Central School District the and surrounding areas. I would love to help you find and purchase the right home for you at the right price for this market. If you are looking here text, call, or email me today. I can also find you an excellent Buyer Representative anywhere else you may be looking.

I saw this in the news today and thought it important enough to post.   There is a crew of daytime burglars targeting Orange County, New York to Sussex, New Jersey to Pike County, Pennsylvania in a channel across 3 states.   They are kicking open doors while the residents are at work.  They are stealing whatever can be grabbed quickly; cash, jewelry, TV's, laptops, electronics and other valuables.  Four burglaries have occurred in less than two weeks in my immediate area of Greenville, Minisink and Wawayanda.   The police and FBI also believe they may be knocking on the doors to see if anyone is home before they kick them in.  They may also be pretending to look for a particular person if someone happens along.

PROTECT YOURSELF!

1.  Always lock all your doors and windows before you leave your residence.
2.  If you have a security system make sure you arm it before you leave.
3.  Remove all of your valuables from where they might be seen through a window.      (ie:  laptops etc....)
4.  Keep dogs inside whenever possible to discourage entry.  
5.  Keep all of your bushes trimmed low around windows and doors so they cannot      hide anyone trying to get in.  
6.  Have motion sensor lights installed outside so that if someone approaches the
     house a light will go on alerting you and possibly deterring them.
7.  Consider timers for your indoor lights that are on a schedule for
     all different times and rooms.  

This is usually the worst and heaviest time of year for break-ins and with the economy the way it is this year could be especially rough.  Take the time to protect your biggest investment!

Betty Crocker is offering you your choice of Au Gratin or Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes FREE when you sign up for their newsletter. Their newsletter gives you money saving coupons, exclusive offers from BettyCrocker.com and 30 minute meal ideas for feeding your family. To receive the box of FREE potatoes you must be NEW to the newsletter.

Another great joke received in my email inbox!

A guy is driving around the back woods of Montana and he sees a sign in front of a broken down shanty-style house: 'Talking Dog For Sale ' He rings the bell and the owner appears and tells him the dog is in the backyard.

The guy goes into the backyard and sees a nice looking Labrador retriever sitting there.


'You talk?' he asks.


'Yep,' the Lab replies.

After the guy recovers from the shock of hearing a dog talk, he says 'So, what's your story?'

The Lab looks up and says, 'Well, I discovered that I could talk when I was pretty young. I wanted to help the government, so I told the CIA. In no time at all they had me jetting from country to country, sitting in rooms with spies and world leaders, because no one figured a dog would be eavesdropping. I was one of their most valuable spies for eight years running. But the jetting around really tired me out, and I knew I wasn't getting any younger so I decided to settle down. I signed up for a job at the airport to do some undercover security, wandering near suspicious characters and listening in. I uncovered some incredible dealings and was awarded a batch of medals. I got married, had a mess of puppies, and now I'm just retired.'

The guy is amazed. He goes back in and asks the owner what he wants for the dog.

'Ten dollars,' the guy says.

'Ten dollars? This dog is amazing! Why on earth are you selling him so cheap?'

'Because he's a liar. He never did ANY of that stuff!'