As its starting to get cold outside, Suffolk residents should be mindful of the Home Energy Assistance Program. This program offers financial assistance to help pay energy bills. Notate, this is not a loan, but assistance, so if you are in need permanently or on an emergency basis, check out this program by clicking here.

Qualification for the program is based upon your monthly income with reference to the number of household occupants. So first check out your paycheck and than see if you qualify.

Also, you can qualify regardless if your energy bill is in your name or part of your rent. Don't be ashamed if you need help, instead get the heat on because with a good night's rest you will be more productive and perform better at work. Thereafter, you can help someone else in need in the future.

If you weren't aware, the Fed Gov launched the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau this year and its starting to take names. Beyond a positive attempt to reframe the HUD-1, which all NY real estate professionals should take an interest in, the CFPB just launched a mortgage complaint hotline and web portal. Go check out the website at http://www.consumerfinance.gov/ to learn more.

While its still unclear what the extent of involvement in mortgage problems the CFPB will have, at the least, this new project provides a centralized place to submit complaints under the scary auspices of the government. Additionally, it is hoped that this new project will bring more attention to what has been this generation's epidemic, the housing bubble bursting. Maybe this project can help to light a fire under loan servicers to throw out their fax shredders and actually acknowledge receipt of workout documents and requests for information instead of blankedly claiming that the borrower has failed to comply.

The Long Island Education Board is excited to offer a brand new Free CLE course entitled Property Wars: Real Estate Issues Incident to Divorce.

Thanks to our event sponsor - PDE Title Services, LLC, this course will be offered on the following dates:

• 1/11/12 - Bridgehampton
• 2/29/12 - Manhattan
• 3/28/12 - Melville 

Registration for this free Continuing Legal Education course in Bridgehampton on Long Island is now available. Click here to register. 

Property Wars: Real Estate Issues Incident to Divorce

According to TransUnion, click here, borrowers who are 60 or more days past due on their mortgages will decline from approximately 6% of all borrowers at the end of 2011 to 5% by the end of 2012.

NYS Government is capping the increases in savings experienced by School Tax Relief Program (STAR) and Enhanced STAR recipients at 2%. Therefore, during 2012, recipients will still save more than last year, but less than they otherwise would have saved. It appears to be a compromise by legislators in a troubled economy where tax dollars are necessary to found governmental programs. To learn more about this cap, click here.