As many of you know I have spoken about a horrible experience concerning my daughter and her severe peanut allergy on a delta flight #1598 leaving from Fort Lauderdale expected to land in LaGuardia, New York.  We boarded the plane around 9:00 AM and we notified everyone involved that my daughter had a peanut allergy.  Their apparent policy concerning peanuts is that they will not serve peanuts 3 rows ahead and behind the passenger with that peanut allergy.  They say it is a buffer zone (unfortunately if you know anything about allergies this will not work).  Anyway, apparently the stewardess did not notify the rows behind me and a passenger was eating peanuts which when asked to please put it away he was very nice and did so.  He told me he did not know as the stewardess did not approach him.  As we are on this tarmac for a total of over 3 hours they were serving peanuts to passengers in the back of the plane and they were dropping them and bringing them to their seats.  We could not go to the back bathroom with my daughter or get a juice or snack for my 5 year old.  She started coughing and wheezing.  We had to give her 2 doses of the inhaler.  Luckily she did not have an anaphylatic reaction.  I approached the stewardess to get off the plane, but we were not allowed to do so as we were in the middle of the runway, and subsequently there after the plane was canceled.  The stewardess kept saying it is Delta's policy and we cant do anything.  On a side note, the return flight home when we notified the steward of my daughters peanut allergy, he said he would not serve any peanut products on the flight.  We did not ask him to do this, but he took it upon himself to do it.  We did the same thing as we did on the previous flight and just notified him. 

Well I was tweeting with @deltaairlines yesterday, and their response was:

DeltaAssist: FYI - Often times less people request peanuts on early morning flights. Your daughters well being is important to us. Thanks for flying.^BH

So let me get this straight, I was trapped on a plane for over 3 hours with my child on what was expected to be a 9:00 AM flight and my daughter started to cough and wheeze, and I guess it is my fault that the airplane never left the airport in the morning because of bad weather and besides there is much less peanuts served in the morning.  Did you know my daughter has a much less chance of getting sick in the morning?  I cannot even react appropriately to a just flat out stupid comment. 

I have never been treated as poorly through this whole process as I have with Delta Airlines.  I would recommend not flying Delta if you have a disability and/or an allergy. 

I am a reasonable person, but the service as a whole has been so poor, and they wonder why the airline industry is crashing.  Though JetBlue is not perfect I will be flying them much more. 

On another side note:  Did you know when you fly Delta that if your flight is canceled that you have to request your bags off of the plane in order to receive them.  So you can imagine with no direction from Delta employees, the 200 passengers or so waiting at the carousel at baggage claim waiting for our bags to come out.  We waited about 40 minutes before I go over to the Delta Baggage Center and ask is there a problem with the bags on flight 1598?  Very rudely the girl says "well did you request them".  Huuhhh.  Why would on a canceled flight I have to request my bags does Delta think I just want to give them my bags.  So here we are requesting our bags and 1 or 2 people at a time is going to the plane and retrieving 1 or 2 bags at a time and bringing them back.  Hmmm very efficient.  I waited an hour and a half for my 2 checked bags, and I was one of the first people.  I can only imagine how long the 200th passenger waited. 

RE/MAX AGENT DAVID SERLE EARNS

HALL OF FAME AWARD

BOCA RATON, FLORIDA - DAVID SERLE, with RE/MAX SERVICES, has recently been presented with the RE/MAX Hall of Fame Award, which honors successful agents who have earned more than $1 million in commissions during their careers with the company.

DAVID SERLE has been working in the real estate industry for more than 7 years and has extensive experience in SHORT SALES,S SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, GATED COMMUNITIES IN THE BOCA RATON AREA. Among SERLE'S achievements are CERTIFIED DISTRESS PROPERTY EXPERT & E-PRO.

"DAVID SERLE has been an integral member of our team and is more than deserving of this very prestigious award," said STEVEN SERLE, of RE/MAX SERVICES. "Winning this award is a tremendous accomplishment.  DAVID SERLE continues to raise the bar in real estate, making us, and this community proud."

In addition, DAVID SERLE actively supports FAAN (FOOD ALLERGY & ANAPHYLAXIS NETWORK), CMN (CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK), AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, & JAFCO (JEWISH ADOPTION AND FOSTER CARE ORGANIZATION)

RE/MAX has nearly 100,000 agents in more than 75 countries who continue to out-produce the competition, averaging more sales than other real estate agents. With one of the most recognized brands in the world and one of the most trafficked web sites, www.remax.com, RE/MAX leads the industry with experienced, professional agents - agents who are trained and educated through the award-winning RE/MAX University.

# # #

About RE/MAX SERVICES

RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger.  From a single office in Denver, Colorado, it has grown into a global network of nearly 100,000 Sales Associates in more than 70 countries, an international presence greater than any of its competitors.  Today, all U.S. home listings in thousands of cities and towns can be found at www.remax.com.

RE/MAX International is proud of its Premier Community Citizenship, which has raised over $100 million for deserving organizations like Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, Children's Miracle Network and The Sentinels of Freedom Foundation.   

I have flown Delta a number of times, I had a flight on 07/13/2010 at 9:10 AM.  It was myself, my wife and my 1 year and 5 year old daughters traveling with me to NYC to see Dr. Sampson (one of the world's most recognized pediatric allergists at Mt. Sinai).  I notified delta about my 5 year old daughters severe peanut allergy when I made my reservation.  I then went to the gate and notified them as such.  I also notified the stewardess on the flight.  She mentioned that delta's policy for peanuts is not to serve them to the passengers 3 rows in front and 3 rows ahead.  She would also speak to all the passengers in those rows and tell them not to eat anything with peanut products.  We were getting ready to fly and still no announcement then something happened where we had to stay on the tarmac for an hour at that time i asked the stewardess if she made the announcement and she told me she had.  I then smelled something from the passenger behind me.  It was peanuts.  I politely asked him to not to eat them and he obliged and I asked him "by the way did the stewardess ask you not to eat peanuts" He said no.  Okay, I asked the stewardess again if she made the announcement and she told me she did.  Then we went back to the gate to gas up and waited on the tarmac another 2:30 hours because of bad weather in NYC.  During this time we were told to go get drinks and snacks in the back of the plane.  My wife takes my 5 year old daughter back there and there are peanuts everywhere.  Passengers are eating them, dropping them, and my wife immediately takes my daughter back to the seat. 

My child starts wheezing a little and coughing.  Now I am very angry as you can imagine it was my daughter who I am trying to protect so I ask the stewardess yet again did she make an announcement and she said yes.  I proceeded to tell her that she is lieing.  Apparently the first class cabin knew and they were not allowed to eat peanuts  (We were seated in row 5 bulk head), but the other people did not.  The stewardess kept telling me it is delta's policy and i am sorry.  I had to give my daughter 2 doses of the inhaler and I asked my daughter to get off the plane as my daughter has a severe peanut allergy she told me I could not and that she had not given peanuts to anyone around us, but that was not true they were going to the back of the plane and bringing them to their seats.  Luckily my daughter did not have an anaphylatic reaction.  Anyway shortly there after they cancelled the flight.  We waited over 3 hours on the plane.  Totally understanable considering the bad weather, but the above is not.  Strangely enough we flew flight 487 home to PBI on 07/20/2010 and the stewardess decided not to serve peanuts at all on the flight and they made several announcements.  Apparently this is not Delta's policy on peanuts, but the stewardess made a judgement call.  This was a horrible experience that got worse.  When we got off our cancelled flight there was no one to guide you where to go, and 1 announcement which we could not hear.  Everyone did not know what to do.  It was so unorganized. 

Waiting on long lines and them telling us we could not help you and so on.  Delta told us there were no flights for 2 days until Thursday.  I called my father and he called the priority number and he got us tickets to a flight 60 miles away.  So we originally were dropped off by a friend, but he could not pick us up so we had a friend drop our car off, and we drove another passenger on the cancelled flight to PBI.  We got on the flight and everything was great.  We however had to leave our car there for the 8 days.  The big problem is the service on the plane, and how and why would they continue to serve peanuts on a plane with a child who has an allergy. 

I really do believe it is horrible the way Delta reacts to people with allergies. 

Below you will find the article that Deutsche Bank published about the servicers and how they were ranked.  It seems to me after reading the article several times what Deutsche Bank published is not what I have been experiencing.  My rankings would be that Suntrust has been the worst bank to deal with in time frames and that the best was Citigroup or Citimortgage.  I also have not been seeing 8 and 10 month short sales.  They have sped up the process and I am seeing 3-6 months in most cases.  Take a look at the article and let me know what you have been experiencing with Short Sales.

Deutsche Bank ranked the top mortgage servicers in the US based on short sale timelines, and of all prime mortgage servicers, GMAC grabbed the top spot by completing the transactions in six months.

With short sales growing in demand from both distressed borrowers and banks, Deutsche Bank published a "recovery score" today, examining the speed at which the servicers conducted a short sale and the percentage these transactions take of overall property dispositions over the last year.

Servicers received a higher recovery score the more they increased the amount of principal recovered from the disposition of the property while decreasing the amount of time it took to do so. According to Deutsche Bank, a short sale generated a higher recovery score than an REO sale.

The servicers are broken down into four categories based on loan type.

Prime

For prime mortgage servicers, GMAC conducted short sales the fastest, averaging roughly six months per transaction. Also, 53% of their dispositions were short sales. It had a recovery score of 59.3.

The next fastest servicer was Citigroup's servicing arm CitiMortgage, which did a short sale in about seven and a half months, and 56% of dispositions were short sales for a recovery score of 54.4.

Third, was Wells Fargo, conducting short sales in roughly eight months for 34% of its total dispositions. It had a higher recovery score than Citi, however, at 55.6.

Countrywide, acquired by Bank of America, had the slowest short sale timeline. It took more than 13 months on average to conduct a short sale there. BofA took more than 11 months, but 59% of its dispositions were short sales. BofA had the lowest recovery score at 45.5.

Subprime

For subprime mortgage servicers, Wells Fargo had the shortest short sale timeline at more than 15 months. It conducted short sales, though, on 14% of these loans for a 29.2 recovery score.

HomEq Servicing followed Wells, conducting short sales in 16 months for 22% of its dispositions and a score of 27.4.

Saxon Mortgage Services, the servicing arm of Morgan Stanley, had the third shortest timeline at a little more than 17 months. Saxon conducted short sales 18% of its properties for a recovery score of 23.8.

The slowest was Equicredit, which took an average of more than 29 months to complete a short sale on 41% of its dispositions for a 19.4 recovery score. Ocwen was close behind, also average more than 29 months per short sale. But Ocwen had the highest recovery score of the top subprime servicers at 31.

Option-ARM

Of the top option-adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) servicers, EMC Mortgage, owned by JPMorgan Chase, had the lowest short sale time line at just over eight months on 43% of its dispositions. However, it did not recovery as much of the principal and had the lowest recovery score at 32.1.

The next fastest short sale timeline was Aurora Loan Services, at 10 months on 30% of its dispositions for a 35.1 recovery score.

GMAC was third, taking a bit more than 10 months for short sales on 33% of its dispositions of Option-ARM loans. Its recovery score was 34.9.

Countrywide, again, had the longest short sale timeline at almost 14 months on 22% of its dispositions. But it recovered more principal and held a higher recovery score at 38.7.

Alt-A

For companies servicing Alternative-A mortgage loans, First Horizon had the quickest short sale time line at just over nine months on 35% of its dispositions. They also had the highest recovery score of the top Alt-A servicers at 43.1.

Both Wells Fargo and Aurora took around 11 months on short sales for Alt-A loans. Wells did them on 17% of its disposition with a recovery score of 42. Aurora did short sales on 16% of its dispositions for a 37.2 recovery score.

Countrywide, again, took the longest at more than 13 months per short sale on 24% of its dispositions. Its recovery score, however, ranked fifth of the top Alt-A servicers at 39.7

When I first dove into blogging I never knew what to write or how to write it, but like with everything as you practice you start to get it.  I have now been blogging for about 4 years and I love it.  It gives me the opportunity to say what I want when I want to and without being interrupted. 

What I never realized was that so many people would read my blog posts. 

What I also never realized was that on occassion I would be interviewed. 

Yes Interviewed all from Blog Posts on Active Rain!! 

I have been interviewed by the Daily Business Review and the Associated Press and many more outlets.

This is not a post to boast, but the advantages of blogging keep coming. 

I saw an article the other day and it basically said that blogging and social networking was here to stay and that the reasons why people do not do it is because it takes so much time or they do not know how to get into it and the last thing it said was:

"If Burger King is is spending 25% of its marketing dollars on social networking and Ford is announcing its new cars on twitter how can you afford not to be doing Social Networking"

We all tend to have our pre-conceived judgements about twitter and facebook and linkedin, but why not try these outlets.  You may ust find that your success may be based on how well you utilize social networking.  Who knows you may even be Interviewed.

As I was writing this I was just interviewed by www.SlamOnline.com for a post on twitter about the www.WeWantWade.com campaign that the Miami Heat is doing.  I guess it does work. 

By Nicol Jenkins
Editor

The loss of four Lynn University students and two professors from the devastating Haiti earthquake struck a cord with Dashboard Confessional's lead singer, Chris Carrabba.

Carrabba, also a Boca Raton resident, decided to help the Lynn University community by rocking out the campus with a benefit concert. Many Lynn students and the community sang along to Carrabba's well known songs, including Stolen and Vindicated. The Lynn Philharmonia Orchestra also played with Carrabba.

Carrabba hosted the concert to benefit the Lynn University memorial scholarship fund in honor of the faculty members and students who passed away during the earthquake while providing service and care to the people of Haiti during the Journey of Hope course. Carrabba spotlighted the importance of active volunteerism and the positive energy it can bring to the world. The scholarship fund will go towards Haitian students and those students that complete humanitarian work.

"The whole community has been affected by this, and it's nice to come out and support this cause," said Carrabba, during his performance. "The survivors and those that were lost are examples to us all. They put others before themselves. They inspire me."

Carrabba, who began playing the guitar at 15 and continued throughout his years at Boca Raton High School and Florida Atlantic University, says the earthquake hit close to home. Many of his Haitian friends lost loved ones in the devastation.

"When I heard about the earthquake in Haiti, I thought about my town. There are tons of Haitians here in South Florida, and it hit our community hard," said Carrabba, "It struck close to home. Many of my friends are from Haiti and lost their family; one of my friends lost six relatives in one home."

Carrabba also wanted to honor those Lynn students and professors that passed away in Haiti while trying to help those in need.

"I wanted to honor the students and professors that passed away because they were doing humanitarian work," he said.

The surviving members of the Journey of Hope to Haiti and Lynn's President Kevin Ross have expressed gratitude for Carrabba's interest in the university, its ongoing commitment to Haiti and the local community.

"Lynn University is honored and thankful to have musicians as talented as Chris Carrabba join us in remembering and celebrating the lives of the courageous and compassionate members of the ‘Journey of Hope' trip that we lost during the Haiti earthquake," said Ross. "Because of the support this concert will bring to the Lynn University memorial scholarship fund, more students will be able to carry on the mission of Dr. Patrick Hartwick, Dr. Richard Bruno, Stephanie Crispinelli, Britney Gengel, Christine Gianacaci and Courtney Hayes, as they participate in educational and service opportunities focusing on those in need. The six strived to make a difference in the world, and we are committed to carrying on their legacies."

Attendees rocked out for a good cause.

"It's a pretty awesome thing that the band is doing. He's my idol," said Coral Springs residents and fans Alex Brown and Oren Gross.

Lynn University students Charlie Phillips and Wendy Crowell enjoyed the show and remembered their fellow students and professors.

"It's a really great cause, and it's really nice for Dashboard Confessional to come out and do this concert," said Crowell.

The students also bought Journey of Hope t-shirts and Remember Haiti bracelets for the fundraiser.

"It's good to remember the students and move on and continue their legacy," said Phillips.

BOCA RATON - Boca Raton--Free parking is coming to an end in parts of the city.

The City Council on Tuesday voted 4-1 to create parking meter zones in the city and approved spending $339,659 to buy and install the parking meters.

City officials expect the meters to be up by October. After the first year, officials estimate the city will make $600,000 to $700,000 a year.

"We are the last city to do this," Mayor Susan Whelchel said. "It's to our credit that we are the last. But we are in the middle of a recession."

Altogether, 387 parking spaces, most downtown, will require payment to park there.

They will be in Mizner Park, on Palmetto Park Road between the Intracoastal Waterway and State Road A1A, in the South Beach Pavillion east of A1A, on Spanish River Boulevard between the Intracoastal and A1A, in Red Reef Park west of A1A and in a city parking lot at Federal Highway and Northeast Second Street.

Prices and time limits will vary depending on the location.

For instance, street parking in Mizner Park will be $1 per hour during the day and $2 an hour between 5 p.m. and midnight. The maximum time allowed at a meter will be four hours.

Parking in the Mizner Park garages will remain free.

Parking at the South Beach Pavillion will cost $2 an hour with a time limit of one hour.

At most locations, the meters will cost $1.50 an hour.

The parking meters and the time limits on parking are expected to make parking easier in some locations, allowing more turnover at busy locations such as Mizner Park, Assistant City Manager Mike Woika said.

The city will hire additional employees to run the parking meter program. Two full-time employees will be hired for coordination and customer service. Six or seven part-time employees will be hired for enforcement.

Meters will cover multiple parking spaces, so motorists will use a centrally located meter and enter the number of the space where they're parked. They will be able to pay with bills, coins and credit or debit cards.

The meters will be capable of accepting payment by phone but that feature won't be immediately available.

Martin Siml welcomed the parking meters, saying it will help free up parking at Mizner Park.

"Meters will help churn," he said. "Meters will help people find empty parking spaces so they can shop at the businesses."

But downtown business owner Lenore Wachtel worried the parking meters would hurt downtown businesses. She suggested the city try them out at limited spots to see what impact they have on businesses.

"If they're hurting businesses, pull out the meters," she said. "Don't buy so many. Start on a smaller scale."

Councilman Anthony Majhess cast the sole vote against the parking meters, fearing they would deter people from visiting the parts of the city where they're located.

"The only thing I can agree with is it solves the turnover problem," he said. "It's a source of revenue more than anything. If the city had parking meters for the last 20 years, one thing I would do to spur economic development is to remove them."

Councilwoman Constance Scott shared Majhess' concerns about the meters turning off potential customers for downtown businesses. But she also worried about the city's budget woes.

"This is a very difficult vote," she said. "The only reason I'm in favor of this is because of the fear of the tax consequences if we don't take this step. ... If the economy turns around, nothing precludes us from removing them."

Parking tickets will cost $35. Failure to pay the fine within 15 days will cost another $25. And parking scofflaws could get a disabling "boot" on their vehicles if they have three or more unpaid parking tickets.

In addition, the city will supply the state Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles a list of people who have three or more unpaid parking citations, preventing them from renewing driver's licenses.

Marci Shatzman mshatzman@tribune.com

12:10 p.m. EDT, May 5, 2010

It was inevitable. Parking meters and timed parking zones are coming to parts of downtown and the beaches after City Council approved the city's first paid parking program and revamped its parking laws.

 Some 387 free parking spaces may soon cost $1.50 an hour, and $2 in the evenings on the streets in Mizner Park, if those provisions are passed at the May 10 meeting. The locations and rate of the meters and other specifics will be discussed and voted on at that time.

 Parking tickets now cost $35 with a $25 late fee after 15 days. That is already the law.

 The City Council's aye votes April 27 carried Ordinance 5132. It revamps the city's parking codes, puts new regulations in place, and provides for citations and violations. In layman's language it means scofflaws will get the boot, literally, or be towed if they have three prior violations and unpaid fines, and the city manager will keep a list of offenders.

  The proposed meter program includes: 165 along the curbs in Mizner Park; 93 in the parking lot across from Red Reef Park, except for golfers; 32 east of the Intracoastal Waterway on Spanish River Boulevard and 77 on East Palmetto Park Road, and 20 in the parking on Second Street and Federal Highway. The city plans to use multi-space parking meters that accept bills, coins and debit and credit cards, if the program passes.

  Mizner Park garages will still be free, according to General Growth Properties, owners of Mizner Park.

  The meters are expected to bring in $600,000 to $700,000 of revenue a year, according to a staff report presented at the council meeting.

  "If you look at the neighboring communities, we're the only one," who still doesn't charge for some parking, said Assistant City Manager Mike Woika.

  There also are now timed parking areas and no-parking zones.

  The new ordinance sets out what it means to be legally and illegally parked. Anyone who exceeds 12 inches from the curb for parallel spots, overhangs the next space, sticks out in the aisle impeding traffic, exceeds the posted time limit or fails to pay the fees is now illegally parked, since the ordinance was effective immediately.

Parking on right-of-ways will be prohibited, with exceptions that include emergencies and breakdowns, deliveries, lawn maintenance or trade activity, as long if there's enough room for their vehicles and trailers.

  The city is also prepared to give the state Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, "a listing of persons who have three or more unpaid fines" so the DMV can withhold a license tag.  There's an appeals process within 15 days, with a hearing.

  There's also a provision for a single-event parking rate.

  The parking program is costing $322,000 for the meters and installation and $140,000 for other costs. Staffing will include two new full-time employees and the work of six or seven part-timers, according to the staff report.

I love active rain because it is a happy medium to rant, rave, and complain.  So, I have a buyer who is looking for a home that it needs to be 3500 square feet or more, a pool, and a 1 story.  My buyer also is in a wheelchair so he has specific needs and probably will have to do work on anything he buys. 

We have been looking for over a year off and on, and we come across this bank owned property that is listed for $574,900 in a gated community and is 5572 square feet and the bank just put in about $75,000 to upgrade it.  It has granite kitchen with cherry cabinets, and they redid the flooring as well as painted the home inside.  My buyer becomes increasingly excited about this home so we go to see it at 9:00 PM that night.  We go in and it was absolutely amazing.  It had ramps and the doors were wider than normal and the master bath shower was perfect as my buyer could just roll right into the shower.  No steps at all.  The pool was green and the landscaping needs work, and the a/c probably needed to be replaced, but at 103$ a sq. ft when everything else in there was selling $175 a square foot it was a no brainer.  So we hurry up and offer $575,000.  We get it accepted.  Then I start looking at the square footage as it really did not feel like a 5500 square foot home so I decided to research it.  It shows a sketch of living area of 4208.  Wow almost a 30% misrepresentation.  Ouch.  I ask the listing agent about this, and he said well even if it was 4200 square feet it is still a good deal. 

Are you kidding me.  A 30% misrepresentation and it is still a  good deal.  Is he right?  yes, but my buyer is furious with myself and the listing agent.  Now I know what many of you will say and that is I should have looked at the square footage prior to the offer.  I did and the adjusted gross living area was 5572, but when you looked further that included the pool patio and porches. 

I started looking at other listings that were bank owned not by the same listing agent, and to my surprise there was 2 more 30% misrepresentations.  Is this a trend?  Just because banks say they have not owned the property and that there are no warranties or representations, can they continue to do this?  I guess they can, but it really stinks.  It goes back to the accuracy of the MLS.  Garbage in and Garbage out.  The MLS is only as accurate as the information being put into it.  We all need to do a better job in representing the correct information on the MLS.