When it comes to repairs and restorations, homeowners have a lot of times to consider from doors, windows, flooring as well as home furnishings. But, there are other items homeowners need to think of like their roofing systems.

Roofing systems play a huge role in making homes safe. For one, roofs help prevent problems with regard to strong rain and winds up to extreme heat. Next, roof also provide better security for the member of the family. And, roofing systems are also important in making homes appealing. This is why, there are some homeowners who opt for roof restoration services. Sadly, there are times when homeowners make mistakes in choosing such service. Below are some of the mistakes homeowners need to be aware of.

Forgetting to consider roof problems

One of the most common mistakes that individuals make when opting for roof restoration is they forget to consider roof problems. As of now, there are numerous issues that can affect the reliability and quality of roofing systems from weather conditions, installation as well as age. Because of this, there are cases when restorations are inappropriate. To avoid this, it is important to determine problems on your roof to find the right solution.

Not inspecting properly

Another mistake that most homeowners make when opting for roof restorations is they do not do sufficient inspections. As mentioned above, there are numerous issues that can damage roof. And, these issues can be restored if prevent immediately. Sadly, some homeowners do not inspect their roof. Thus, cracks can turn into holes and simple scratches can turn into rust. So, it is advisable to inspect roof most especially before rainy season comes.

Opting for costs than safety

There are also some homeowners who opt for roof restoration due to its price. Of course, buying new roof systems are more expensive than restoring existing ones. Not to mention, tasks involved in installing new ones are more time consuming than restorations. However, there are some instances when homeowners need to replace their roof especially if problems can affect the safety of homes.

Neglecting roof support structures

When opting for roof restorations, some homeowners also neglect roof support structures. Surely, roofing systems are prone to numerous problems. When neglected, this can also affect roof support. Thus, before restoring roof, you need to make sure that support structures are intact. Apart from that, you also need to make sure that support structures are also repaired to ensure safety and reliability.

Failing to call in reliable experts

Finally, some homeowners also fail to call in experts when restoring roofing systems. Simple repairs and restoration can be accomplished by homeowners. But, when noticing major problems, it is best to call in experts. This is important to ensure that restorations are not compromised. Plus, these experts have the right skills and knowledge to restore roof properly and effectively.

These are only some of the mistakes that homeowners make when opting for roofing restorations.

HEADLINES THAT SELL

Introduction

When it comes to selling a product, nothing is more important than the quality of

the product itself. If you have a good product, pitching it and attracting word-ofmouth

advertising will be easy. Customers will recognize that it has intrinsic value

as a product; and they will purchase it and spread the word to their friends.

However, when it comes to selling that same product, the next most important

thing is the quality of your sales pitch. Even if your product is excellent, you won’t

get a lot of word-of-mouth advertising unless at least a few brave souls are willing

to purchase the product initially to kick things off. And the only way that will

happen is if you persuade them to. And that’s where copywriting comes in.

Copywriting, for the uninitiated, is the art of using salescopy to persuade readers to become buyers.

I will give you an exhaustive list of “fill-in-the-blanks” headlines for all occasions.

Crafting a Winning Headline

There are five important components of any winning headline.

 Speak to Your Audience

 Use Psychological Trigger Words

 Use a Good Headline Formula

 State a Major Benefit or Propose a Puzzling Question

 Read News Headlines for Inspiration

Headline Templates

we will consider some “fill-in-the-blanks” headlines. All you have to do is pick a headline from the correct category, fill in the blanks, and add it to the top of your newsletter or squeeze page. Shape the rest of your copy around your chosen headline.

1. Reclusive Internet Tycoon Finally Reveals Secret to Success in [Name of Niche]

2. [Your Business] Launches Powerful New Product that Promises to Change the Market for [Product Niche]

3. After [# of Years] Years, [Product Niche] Will Finally Witness a Major Innovation

4. New Product Shakes Up Market for [Product Niche]

5. Age-Old Secret Helps People to Become More Successful in Their [Profession/Hobby]

6. Getting Rich Doesn’t Always Have to be Hard, Says [Your Name]

7. Pioneer, [Your Business Name], Offers Solutions Where Other Businesses Cannot

8. Shocking Developments are on the Horizon, says Internet Mogul

9. [Your Business] Unveils Master Plan to Revolutionize the Market for [Product Niche]

10. Internet Mogul Claims that She Knows Why You’ll Never Succeed at [Task/Hobby/Profession]

11. News Flash: This Innovative New Idea Might Just Change How You Do

Business… for Good

Question-Style Headlines

1. Are You Ready to Get Serious About [Job/Product/Task]?

2. What Would You Do If You Became a Millionaire in Just One Year? If You

Get [Your Product], You Might Just Have to Answer that Question.

3. Do You Know the Secrets to [Hobby/Profession/Task]? Find Out What

You’ve Been Missing.

4. Your Co-Workers Know Something You Don’t. Are You Ready to Learn

the Truth?

5. Is Your Business Living Up to Its Potential? Find Out Why It Might Not Be.

6. Are You Ready to Transform Your Hum-Drum Life into a More Positive,

Successful, Worthwhile One?

7. Are You Sick and Tired of [Problem #1] and [Problem #2] Preventing You

From Achieving [Goal]?

8. Do You Feel Like Progress is Elusive? Like You’re Running on a

Hamster’s Wheel? Find Out How to Move Forward in [Profession/Business/Hobby].

9. Are You Prepared to Take Your Future into Your Own Hands?

10. Do You Know that Two Tiny Problems Could Be Killing Your [Business/Love-Life/Career]?

Benefit-Style Headlines

1. Learn the Top Five Things that Science Suggests You Should Do to

Become Successful at [Career/Business].

2. Use My Tested Methods for [Achieving Goal #1] and [Achieving Goal #2]

in Just Days!

3. Finally Experience the Benefits of Using a Real, Effective, Authentic [Type

of Product].

4. There’s an Important Difference Between [Your Product] and All Others:

[State Biggest Benefit of Your Product].

5. Change Your Life Overnight with [Name of Your Product]!

6. Improve Your Energy-Levels, Get Healthier, and Enjoy Your Life to its

Fullest Using My Proven Strategies

7. Steal My Ideas to Make Your Business More Powerful, Effective, and

Better-Monetized

8. It Took Me [# of Years] Years to Learn This. But You Can Learn It In as

Little as [# of Days] Days.

9. Sick of the Rat Race? Find Out How to Get Out of Your Cage Using My

Patented Strategies for Being Successful in [Name of Niche].

10. Tired of Your Lackluster Ability to [What Product Does]? Make the Switch

to [Your Product] and Change Everything in Just Days!

How-To Style Headlines

1. Learn How to Change Your Life and Your Career in Just [# of Days] Days

Using My Proven System.

2. Don’t Despair. Find Out How to Explode Your Profits in Just [# of Steps]

Simple Steps.

3. Find Out How Other, Ordinary People Just Like You Become Wildly

Successful at [Career/Hobby/Task].

4. Learn How to Triple The Amount of Traffic That Comes to Your Site in

Just [# of Days] Days.

5. Learn How to Transform Your [Career/Hobby/Relationship] in Just [# of

Days] Days and [# of Steps] Steps!

6. Learn How the Experts Do Things. Adopt My Proven System to Change

How You Do [Whatever Your Product Promises].

7. How to Build an Empire from the Ashes of Your Failed Business Venture

8. How to Improve Your Relationship with Your [Spouse/Kids/Family] without

Hurting Your [Career/Other Goal]

Trigger Word Style Headlines

1. Seven Explosive Secrets that are Guaranteed to [Product’s Promise]

2. Sick of Paying Outrageous Amounts for [Niche Product]? Download Your

Copy for Free.

3.You Might Be Shocked to Learn What Science Has to Say About [Niche]

4. Warning: If You Think Your Business Practices Are ‘Good Enough,’ You

Might be in For an Unpleasant Surprise

5. The Fast Win Big and the Slow Fade Over Time. Learn Why The Coming

Revolution in [Your Niche] Might Render Your Business [Slow].

6. The World is Changing Around You. Adjust to the Times or Face

Extinction. Read On to Learn How [Your Business/Your Career/Your

Family Life] Will Change… Forever.

7. Learn the 10 Dangerous Secrets that Every Successful Person in [Your

Niche/Career] Knows, But You Don’t.

8. Generate a Hurricane of Revenue in [Niche] Using These Secret

Strategies that Even Some of the Best [People in Your Niche/Business]

Don’t Know

“Is it safe?”

If you’ve ever seen the movie Marathon Man starring Dustin Hoffman and Laurence Olivier, you know just how scary this question can be.

It can be a scary question for your team as well (although without the unpleasant dental work-watch the movie if you’re confused).

When you’re leading your team through a high-pressure situation, they’re looking to you (I’ve written about this before). They’re looking to you…

• … to see what you’re going to do (how you’re going to solve the situation); and,

• … to see how they should behave (do they need to panic?).

But really, they’re looking to you for the answer to the question: Is it safe? (Or, more accurately, “Am I safe?”)

That’s why it’s so vital that you, when faced with a high-pressure situation, exude calmness and confidence. Yes, even if deep down inside you’re a neurotic mess!

See, it’s really hard to produce great results when you’re panicking. I can prove this to you with the following quiz:

When the pressure’s on, do you want your airplane pilot, or your heart surgeon, or your military commander to be:

A. Calm and confident

B. A blithering idiot made of quivering Jell-O®

How many of you chose B? I’m going to assume no hands are raised. That’s because you inherently know that the blithering idiot is not going to produce great results. And if your future well-being depends on that blithering idiot… well… you’re not going to feel very safe, are you?

It’s the same with your team. When the pressure is on, they’re looking to you to see if you are, A) calm and confident (i.e., safe), or, B) a blithering idiot made of quivering Jell-O® (i.e., unsafe).

If the leader panics, the team panics. And it’s really hard to produce great results when you’re panicking.

Here’s why this is particularly important-and it goes beyond the scope of the particular high-pressure situation. Because high-pressure situations come and go. You get through one, and before you know it, another one’s right around the corner. So your team may not remember-once enough time has passed-what specific decision you made for any particular situation.

But they will never forget how you made them feel.

Days, weeks, years after the fact, they’ll remember whether you made them feel like their future was in jeopardy… or if you made them feel safe. And that will determine how eager they’ll be to follow you into battle the next time the pressure’s on.

Your team wants to know if you can get them through the pressure situations safely. To a large extent, it’s your demeanor that will answer the question: Is it safe?

When you first think about getting into a stained glass hobby and learn a little about what it takes to get started, you’ll find you will have to decide if you need to get a stained glass grinder immediately.

The cost for a grinder is the largest item that you’ll have to consider among the collection of tools and supplies you’ll need to get started. So for many this is a fairly big decision to make. The truth of the matter is that whether you get a grinder or not will probably determine if you actually end up making some excellent projects and decide to continue working with glass or not.

Many people see a magnificent Tiffany type lamp, or marvel at the elegance of a tasteful stained glass window as an accent in a home, and think that if they learned about making stained glass themselves that they would be able to create something at least nearly as nice for their own home.

And when you research and learn about what it takes to make your own colored glass windows or lamps you’ll find that it is not that difficult or expensive to learn the craft yourself. Only a very few basic tools are required. And for many years in the past there was no such thing as a powered stained glass grinder.

So a new hobbyist may think, “The artisans who made all the great stained glass windows in the cathedrals in Europe or the original Tiffany lamp craftsmen didn’t have an electric powered grinder, why would I need one?” And they go online and get one of the stained glass kits that include the very basic tools but do not include a grinder. Then they start their first project and either find that they can barely get it put together if they are using lead came, or that they are done before they start if they were trying their first project using foil.

While there were no electric grinders in the past, the new glass crafter will quickly find that after cutting the glass, the edges are sharp. And that when glass breaks it doesn’t break in a perfectly straight line up and down on the edge. It is just like when you break a piece of peanut brittle in two. The broken edge is sharp at either the top or the bottom and is always slanted.

No matter how accurately he scores the glass it will not always break where he wants it and the cut piece will not be accurately shaped. He will try nibbling away at it or try to make new small scores on the edges and will end up just making more sharp and variously slanted edges that still don’t exactly match the pattern.

If he is making a lead came project, the channel in the came will allow some irregularities to be covered up, but if his idea was to start with a foil project he is done before he starts. So he has two choices, either learn to grind and smooth the edges by hand using hand held grinding stones and emery sanding paper or go online and order an electric grinder.

You need a stained glass grinder to smooth the edges of the glass after it is cut and to roughen the edge if you are doing foil to allow it to adhere well. You’ll be happily surprised at how you can use the grinder to perfectly shape the piece of glass so that it fits exactly into your project. Doing this by hand is tedious and extremely time consuming.

It can be said that the availability of the reasonably priced electric home use stained glass grinder is the main thing that has allowed making your own stained glass lamps and windows explode as a hobby. What used to take hours can be done in minutes. You don’t need to be a full time craftsman now days to make an exquisite stained glass lamp or window. Give it a try and if possible get one of the stained glass kits that have a grinder as part of the package. You’ll be glad you did.

Not paying attention when receiving instructions

Communication is always important, especially when it comes to the relation between a client and a professional ofering a service. Clear and informative instructions are a requisite from the client, but it is also the responsibility of designers to make sure that these instructions are understood even if this means asking some more questions when something is not clear.

Of course, it would be a good idea from the designers to review their clients’ directives over and over, take notes and brainstorm. If they are confused about any of these, it is crucial to contact them so everything will be clear.

Using a large variety of fonts

It may be fun to play with fonts. However, this can prove to be annoying to viewers who read an article with text that keeps changing as much as ten times in a paragraph. Ideally, there should only be a maximum of three types of fonts in a single layout.

Nevertheless, it would be recommended to use only one or perhaps two fonts. Using a single font gives the text continuity, which is great. Keeping the number of fonts to a minimum is best for business card designs since the available space is limited.

Overthinking it

When you can include more to a design doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. They should keep it simple as this looks professional and is more effective. Therefore, they should avoid overusing Photoshop filters. While overdesigning is not a major error, it can also lead to serious issues.

Excessive things included in design make it more difficult for users to get the information they need. A design should breathe and flourish by itself. Blank space can actually be good and in most cases, it is a lot better than filling a blank space with a lot of things.

When a brochure is crowded with several fonts, colors and images this should be simplified and maintained to a minimum. This will allow customers to focus on the most important features that businesses would like to emphasize.

Thinking in a limited frame

Though others may think that it is just a cliché to think out-of-the-box, it does not necessarily mean that this is not true. One really big error in terms of designs like logos is getting stuck in the rut and sticking to known practices.

Graphic design is a process that involves creativity and because of this, designers have to be creative to succeed. They should try and experiment with different things even if these are out of this world. Though this does not guarantee success, there are better chances when they try.

Promising a lot and then delivering less

Perhaps the gravest mistake that can possibly cause damage to businesses is promising more than they can deliver. As stated by the Go Layer site, in graphic design, people seldom find a job that is quickly done.

Therefore, when it comes to expectations and deadlines, designers should make sure that do not promise something they could not fulfill. It is much better to complete a project before a long deadline than after a short deadline.

You adore your boyfriend so when he says he’s not happy and wants space it’s bound to hurt. You immediately, and understandably, jump to the conclusion that he wants to break up with you. Although he may tell you repeatedly that’s not the case, your womanly instinct is telling you otherwise. You’re right. The moment a man says he needs space, time, distance or any combination of those, he’s on his way out of the relationship. Unless you act quickly and in exactly the right way, the relationship, as you know and want it, is over.

When he says he’s not happy and wants space what he’s really telling you is that he’s not happy being with you and that he needs some distance from you. It stings when you hear this. In many cases, the woman won’t even be expecting to hear anything remotely close to this. In her mind, things were going well and she was completely and totally focused on the future. That’s likely exactly what you’re feeling too. It’s easy to get caught up in feeling sorry for yourself. You need to push that aside though so you can focus on your plan to keep him and rebuild the flailing relationship.

Arguing with him when your boyfriend says he’s not happy and needs some time will only serve to make him feel more justified in his decision. Conflict may very well be at the root of the problems you two face. If you try and fight him over his decision to leave you, he’ll likely cut off contact for good and then your chances of being with him again will be lost. Instead, you have to find the inner strength to accept that he’s unhappy and you have to let him go, at least for the short term.

By giving him the space he desires you’re showing him that you’re emotionally mature. You’re also ensuring he sees that his needs come before your own. What most women don’t see when they’re in the middle of a situation like this is that their boyfriend believes he knows what his life will be like once the break up has happened. To him there’s the promise of fun filled evenings and no conflict once he’s single. The reality of that is actually quite different. He’ll quickly realize just how much he misses you. If you can take a step back and give him want he wants, he’ll soon see that what he actually wants isn’t space or time, it’s you.

Are you shying away from your support system? Are you turning down invitations from friends or relatives to join them for dinner or a family barbeque? Are you choosing to walk alone instead of with your old walking buddies? If so, you are not merely isolating yourself from needed social contact when mourning, you are actually delaying the healing from your great loss.

The many studies on the subject of social interaction and its relationship to health and longevity have made it abundantly clear: your social circle plays a major role in mitigating stress and stimulating the healing process.

This does not mean that you shun all time to be alone. We need quiet time as much as interactive time. Solitude replenishes the inner life and allows us to balance the constant buzz and attention that often occurs when mourning a major loss.

However, it is important to understand that the love and support of friends and relatives can affect the way you feel about yourself at a time when sadness and depression often take a great toll on energy and your spirits. This is one of those times when mourning, that it is essential to do what you dislike doing, and get involved with others in a social setting. You may want to look at it as a diversion, a necessary diversion that is part of your grief work.

Diversions when mourning are essential in order to relieve the mind of constantly thinking about the loss. The grief process in itself is hard work and saps energy. It is perfectly normal to seek a time out away from the sadness and pain. In fact, it is important to schedule a time each day to give yourself special care and do something just for you–even if you don’t feel like it.

If you want to change your isolating behavior, start by changing your beliefs. Beliefs are the powerhouse for behaviors. Often our beliefs about grief and what we should do are picked up from poor grief models early in life. If, for example, you were taught to believe that the depth of your love for the deceased is expressed by how long you grieve, or that it is disrespectful to find a moment of enjoyment even while you are mourning, these beliefs will bring unnecessary suffering.

Carefully examine why you are isolating yourself and consider changing unhealthy beliefs. We all have them. In any event, make a commitment to yourself that you will speak to at least three people each day and accept invitations that will get you out of the house and interacting with others.

To summarize, uncover the hidden beliefs that are limiting your healthy grief work. Recognize the vast importance of the love being expressed to you by members of your support network. It will greatly assist you in gradually reinvesting your emotional energy in rewarding pursuits. Love will open your mind and heart to find meaning in your great loss and lead you to reinvesting in life.

I often hear from wives who are extremely shocked and confused. Often, they come home to find that their husband has left. Or, without any explanation, he will just walk in the bedroom, pack his bag, walk out the door, and leave the wife without ever looking back. Many wives are reeling not just because their husband has left them, but because they don’t have any idea why he has left and when (or if) he’s going to come back.

I heard from a wife who said: “last Wednesday, I came home to find my husband in the bedroom packing his bags. I actually think that he had planned to leave while I was at work, but I come home early that day and interrupted him. I asked him what on earth he was doing and he simply said ‘I’m leaving you’ and walked past me, opened the front door, and left. Needless to say, I tried to flag him down so we could talk, but he just drove away. Then, he would not answer my calls or texts. I have no idea where he even went. I’ve tried calling his family and friends but they won’t take my calls either. I truly did not see this coming. Sure, we have minor problems in our marriage from time to time but I certainly didn’t think it was this bad. What am I supposed to do now? I don’t want to let my marriage go. I want to know this instant why in the world he left me. I deserve answers. I want to know how he would do this.” I’ll try to address these concerns in the following article.

Try To Focus More On How To Proceed Than On Finding The Answers That May Not Be Immediate: Many wives in this scenario have one goal in mind. They want to track him down and demand answers from him. Many have no problem with a nasty confrontation designed to determine why in the world he would leave without any explanation at all. In short, they are angry and their intention is to get answers by whatever means necessary. But here’s the problem with that. Often, you are so focused on getting answers that you miss the bigger issue. And that issue is that your husband is gone. Right now, the main goal should be coming up with a workable and successful plan to get him back in the right way. This means that you will need to attempt to get him back in a way that is healthy, non detrimental and actually increases the chances for your marriage to thrive and succeed once he comes home.

Don’t Panic. Often, You Will Get Your Answers Without Needing To Do Something That You Regret: I remember when I was in this situation. I was so scared and so angry that my behaviors were ones that were sort of embarrassing and certainly not typical of me. And when I was acting this way, I knew that I was out of control but, at the time, I couldn’t seem to reign myself in. It’s so important that you do not allow yourself to become panicked or to exhibit behavior that is only going to make him want to get away that much more. Often if you are patient and calm, the answers will come without your needing to try so very hard. Not only that, but when the answers do come, you will know that you didn’t make any unfortunate choices that are going to damage your relationship even more. Usually, your husband will eventually calm down and will contact you. This is the best scenario and so much preferable to your tracking him down by any means necessary.

Once You Make Contact, Approach Him In A Mature Way Meant To Solve Problems Rather Than To Create More: I know how frustrated you are right now because I have been there myself. I know that it’s very easy to become panicked. Your feelings can be all over the place. One second you may be furious at him, and the next second you may be willing to agree to almost anything (or willing to make any promise whatsoever) just to get him to come home. But neither of these strategies make it more likely that you are going to have long term success. I know that it’s very easy to look at the short term and to tell yourself that you will say or do anything to get him home, but this truly is risky. Because what happens when he does come home and you don’t have a plan? The chances are decent that whatever is making him unhappy eventually will do so once again and so eventually he will leave once again.

Instead, you want to identify and solve the problem so that you don’t have to constantly worry about his leaving. What you want is to create a stronger marriage and a healthier bond so that you have long term rather than short term success. That’s why it’s so important that you approach him as someone who is willing to compromise and work with him rather than someone who is angry with him and wants to force him into coming home at all costs no matter what it takes.

If a man tells you he doesn’t know what he wants when you ask him about a relationship, then what exactly is he trying to tell you? Does he really not know what he wants? Is he busy? Is he not looking for a committed relationship at this point in time? Is it just his way of saying, “I’m really not that into you”?

Taking just a couple of minutes to read to the end of this article will help you get into the mind of a man so you’ll know exactly what he means when he tells you he doesn’t know what he wants.

He Has No Idea What He Wants…Or Does He?

In most cases, when a man says he doesn’t know what he wants it means one of two things:

• He is confused and really doesn’t know what he wants.
• He knows what he wants and it’s not you, but he’s afraid to tell you directly because he doesn’t want to hurt your feelings.

For the most part, men use words literally. Women, on the other hand, often say one thing, but mean another. They hint at things and want their man to pick up on it.

For example, when a woman says, “I’m fine”, she often means something like, “I’m not fine, but I really don’t want to talk about it. You should know what you did to upset me. I shouldn’t have to tell you.” Men tend to be much more straightforward. This is why men get really frustrated when they don’t know what they did and their wife or girlfriend won’t tell them in a direct, straightforward manner.

Straightforward communication can be good news because if a man tells you he doesn’t know what he wants, then chances are that’s exactly what he means. The trick, of course, is figuring out WHY he doesn’t know what he wants.

If you’ve always been friends and suddenly hit him with questions about being in a relationship, then you may just catch him off guard. When this is the case, he may tell you he’s not sure what he wants because he just needs some time to think about it and figure out exactly how he feels about you.

Likewise, a man may not know if he wants to be in a relationship with you for any of the following reasons:

• He’s currently focused on his career or other goals. He may feel like he can’t give you the time and attention you deserve.
• He may be young and not looking for a committed relationship. He’s more interested in the singles scene and being able to date without anything tying him down.
• He may not be that into you. He may like you as a friend, but isn’t romantically attracted to you.
• He may be super busy with other aspects of his life.
• You may not be his only love interest and he’s confused over which girl he should choose.

If the man you’re interested in tells you he doesn’t know what he wants, then the best thing you can do is give him space and don’t pressure him. Then, gauge how he reacts when you leave him alone for a while and you should be able to tell whether he’s into you or not.

New York law provides that judgments, as well as first and second mortgages, act as liens against real property. That means that once a judgment is filed against a client, it acts as a lien against their real estate, along with a mortgage or a Home Equity Line of Credit (“HELOC”) lien on the real estate. These act as secured debt which must be paid off when a party refinances or sells their home.

Under New York State law, a judgment lien can be “stripped away”, which means removed as a lien against the property and reduced to an unsecured debt, only if the first and/or second mortgages exceed the value of the home. Additionally, under New York State law, the “Homestead Exemption” of $50,000 per spouse takes priority over a judgment lien. Therefore, if a first and/or second mortgage, plus the Homestead Exemption exceed the value of the real estate, a judgment lien will be “stripped away”.

In order to strip away a judgment lien, a Motion must be brought in the County Court in which the judgment has been filed and the real estate exists.

In today’s real estate crisis, many homes are “underwater”. This means that the value of the home is less than the value of the first or second mortgage.

In Bankruptcy Court, it is quite common to strip away a judgment lien if it is unsecured by the value of the real estate. Stripping away a judgment lien in Bankruptcy Court means that the debt is turned into unsecured debt, which is either wholly discharged in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, or paid off under a Chapter 13 bankruptcy for pennies on the dollar.

A second or third mortgage may likewise be stripped away in a bankruptcy proceeding if the amount of the second or third mortgage is “wholly unsecured” by the real property. The bankruptcy law in New York provides that, as long as a mortgage is 100% unsecured by the real estate, then it can be stripped away into an unsecured debt. That means that if the value of your client’s mortgage, plus the Homestead Exemption of $50,000 per spouse exceed the value of the real estate, then the second or third mortgage will be stripped away in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Until recently a bankruptcy party was not allowed to strip away a second or third mortgage under a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. However, a recent case decided by Judge Eisenberg in the Eastern District of New York (Long Island), has held that a wholly unsecured second mortgage may be stripped down in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

However, if the second or third mortgage or judgment lien is even one percent secured by the value of the real estate, it cannot be stripped down into an unsecured debt.

The Bankruptcy Court judges in Westchester and the Hudson Valley (Southern District of New York) have not yet ruled on whether they will follow Judge Eisenberg in stripping down wholly unsecured mortgages in Chapter 7 cases. In fact, two Bankruptcy Court of Appeals cases have ruled against lien stripping in Chapter 7 cases.