Cannons, a marching band and fireworks capped off the Fourth of July weekend in Lancaster, PA this year!

Long's Park was the focal point for an estimated 35,000 Lancastrians to celebrate our country's birthday!

The festivities were scheduled to officially start at 7:30 pm.  Knowing that the crowds would be large, we arrived an hour and a half early - only to be turned away at the lower entrance to the park, which was alread full.

We were guided into an upper meadow, where the overflow cars were parked.  Those who came too late to park inside Long's Park at all had to cross over into Park City Center.  There is a pedestrian tunnel which runs from Park City's parking lot, under Route 30 into Long's Park.

We brought a picnic dinner with us, along with folding chairs and a blanket, and set up our little space near the top of the hill overlooking the band shell.  

There were food concessions, from hot dogs and burgers to ice cream, funnel cakes and one stand with beautiful large blooming onions.  of course, if you wanted food from the concessions, you had to put up with the long lines...

The music was provided by the 257th Army Band - the same one that played at the inaugeration of Barack Obama.  They started out with a medley of Beatles tunes, then some WWII big band numbers, including "American Patrol".

 Then it was time for Lancaster ex-Mayor Charlie Smithgall's cannons, accompanied by the Army Band's rousing rendition of the 1812 Overture. 

                     As night fell, the fireworks started, to the accompaniment of patriotic marches... 

©2009BrianSchulman

Visitors to Lancaster County, PA are  aware of the popular Amish and tourist areas of the eastern part of the county.  Less well known is that there is some beautiful countryside up the Susquehanna River in the northwest corner of the county.

One point of interest that shouldn't be missed is the Nissley Vineyards and Winery Estate in Bainbridge, PA.  This is an operating vineyard and winery in a particularly scenic setting, with a stone barn and farmhouse surrounded by the rows of grapes clustered on their vines, shielding the estate from any sign of modern civilization.

The grounds are beautiful in the summer.  Every Saturday night through the summer, lawn concerts are held.  People bring their own picnic baskets, or gourmet sandwiches, wine and food are available from the concessions onsite.

Some folks bring small folding tables, tablecloths and even candelabras as they eat and await the start of the lawn concerts.  Programs run the gamut from soft rock to big band to oldies.  There is even an area where couples can get up and dance to the music if they wish!

Dancing under the stars to a big band or more modern music is a special experience not to be missed.

 With the warm weather upon us, the farmland around Veranda in East Hempfield, Lancaster County, PA has come to life...

Historic barns and farmhouses surrounding Veranda, a lovely community, have been preserved and maintained...

Miles of walking trails run through the community.  There's also a wonderful square where community events take place throughout the year.

A pond, stocked with fish, supplies a peaceful, traditional way to pass the time on a summer weekend...

We recently got a call from an upset seller requesting that the lockbox be removed from her listing, which had just gone under agreement for sale.  Of course, we did so immediately.  But why was she so concerned?  Because - someone had put an ad on Craig's List advertising her home for rent! 

Potential renters called us requesting information on the ad, and one young woman actually stopped by the house, asking about the rental.  This young woman was thoughtful enough to provide our seller with an email she had received when she responded to the Craig's List rental ad.  It had awkward syntax (i.e., "Dearest, I am Pastor Joseph Ebo", etc.), reminiscent of the ubiquitous Nigerian email scams.

It appears that with the ballooning number of vacant homes, rip-off artists have taken to advertising homes for rent which they have no ownership in.  Innocent tenants have sent money to spoof addresses that look like the landlord's, moved into these vacant homes, and paid rent until they became evicted when the homes were foreclosed or sold at sheriff sale.

If you are selling a vacant property, make sure someone checks regularly that no unauathorized persons are in the home!  It might not even be a bad idea to google for rentals in your area, just to make sure there are no unauthorized ads attempting to rent YOUR property.

Just in time for summer entertaining, this great bilevel has an exceptionally nice pool and rear deck.

Located in the Penn Manor School District, Manor Township, not many homes come up for sale in the Letort Manor community.  Close to the Ann Letort Elementary School, this home offers suburban comfort bordering on scenic farmland.

Open this Sunday , 135 Spring Meadow Lane - 1:00-3:00 pm hosted by Brian Schulman of the Jeff Geoghan Realty Group.  Directions:  Letort Rd west from Millersville, right on Velma, right on Spring Meadow Lane, home on right.

If You See This Magnificent Home In the Heart of Lancaster County...

...you will appreciate what an incredible value it is at the reduced price of $564,900.

On a premium lot, this stately Georgian style brick home with its gables, overlooking a pond and farmland, has both superior size and superlative upgrades.  1465 Drake Lane is one of the finest homes in the desirable Veranda community.

The home is based on the largest model available in Veranda, the Creswood - but with even more square footage due to a huge game room addition on the second level, which could also be used as a fifth bedroom. 

Other features that set this home apart from the competition: gorgeous cherry finished oak floors - a $40,000 custom upgrade -complement the cherry kitchen cabinetry, and continue throughout the house.  Period characteristics such as wainscoting, chair rail and crown molding throughout blend with the most modern of conveniences, including wiring for Surround Sound and Internet throughout.  Custom wood interior shutters (over $20,000) add to the classic interior.   Rounded drywall corners are on all vertical wall corners and the arches.

 Lovingly built by Charter Homes, among its' many fine features are a sunken grand family room with an elegant fireplace and 10' tray ceiling, master bedroom suite with gas fireplace, and a gourmet kitchen that includes a new $5,000. stainless steel double oven and a sunny English garden room.   With a three car garage, 3-1/2 baths and 4,055 square feet, this lovely home is now offered at $564,900.

Veranda is a beautiful community in East Hempfield Township, close to shopping centers, the Lancaster Health Campus and Women and Babies Hospital - yet in a historic setting overlooking a pond and picturesque barns and farmhouses.  Family and cultural events are held throughout the year.  Miles of walking trails and sidewalks meander through this well-planned community.

Directions:  Rte 30 to Harrisburg Ave W approx 1.5 mi, L at Veranda, L on Banner Dr, L on Grassy Way, R on Carroll La, R on Drake La.

Early Tuesday morning, 300 real estate professionals from the northeast region meet to network and learn from each other in Philadelphia!  Held at the headquarters of the Greater Philadelphia Association of Realtors, the event was sponsored by GPAR, Trulia, TastyKake, Zillow, Coldwell Banker, Trend MLS, and a number of others.  REBarCamp has brought real estate professionals together at different locations across the country.

     Morning rush hour at dawn on the Schuylkill Expressway - sitting in traffic...

            Orientation.  Brad Carroll in the rear is recording the proceedings for the Internet.      

                                                            Kim Wood Emcees...

                                  Jeff Geoghan

                                                                  Brian Schulman

Lunch at Penn Treaty Park - where William Penn signed a treaty with the Indians in 1682...

                                       Adrienne Loughery, Audrey June-Forshey, and Anne Marie Malfi

                                                               Brian, Audrey & Jeff

                         The Ben Franklin Bridge in the misty distance behind Penn Treaty Park...

©BrianSchulman2009

Interest rates in Lancaster County PA continue to be quite low by historical standards.  According to the Lancaster County Association of Realtors, a poll of local lenders as of April 27, the latest figures available, averaged 5.04% for fixed 30-year mortgages, and 4.71% for 15-year loans.

Of course, these low rates reflect a soft market - but if you are in the market for a home anyway, this is an unusually good time to purchase.  And for first time buyers, the $8,000 First Time Buyer Tax Credit is still in effect.  (Please feel free to contact me for details on this great program.)

For buyers, I think it would be a mistake to wait until interest rates get any better.  It's entirely possible that rates are about as low as they are going to become.  In addition, it's quite likely that within the next six months to a year, we will start experiencing a reemergence of inflation, due to the incredible level of government spending.

The government doesn't possess the money it's spending.  Much of it is being borrowed, and what can't be borrowed is being printed.  In the long run, this can only lead to a devaluation of the dollar.  Countries like China and Russia are even hinting about going to an alternative currency in the future other than the U.S. dollar, due to the uncertainty that the dollar will remain strong.  An alternate global currency would accelerate even more the devaluation of our dollar as there becomes less demand for it.

What's the result of the devaluation of the American dollar?  Prices go up, for one thing.  But while it may look like our home values are going up, the impression is deceiving.  In fact, the increased number of dollars it takes to purchase a house in times of inflation is not the result of increased value - it's the result of needing more dollars of lower value to purchase the same home.

So how does all this relate to interest rates?  When lenders make long term loans, they expect to make their capital value back plus a profit.  If they expect that the dollars they lend are going to come back to them with less value, they're going to want more dollars back - which manifests itself in higher interest rates.

Bottom line - for the time being, with inflation low due to the soft economy, interest rates are probably pretty close to as low as they're going to get.  When the economy starts strengthening, inflation is waiting in the wings - and with it, higher interest rates. 

Don't put off a home purchase because you think interest rates may sink even lower.  When the economy comes back - as it inevitably will - higher prices and mortgage rates will make today's seem like a bargain.

©BrianSchulman2009

One of the most pleasant and historic towns in Lancaster County is the borough of Lititz, PA, founded by the Moravians in 1756.  Besides the wonderfully preserved architectural heritage and rich history, there are well-tended parks and green areas which add to the quality of life.

Linear Park is one such area.  Running between Market Street and Brookview Drive, it symbolically connects the historic town with the modern surrounding suburbs.

Children have plenty of available activities, while the paved walking trails are ideal for cyclists and joggers.

A wide variety of scenery passes by in the relatively narrow park.  Here a brook cuts through a wooded area.

                                                        A baseball field is one of the attractions in Linear Park.

Lititz is never far from the scenic Lancaster County farmland.  Here alpacas, known for their fine wool, graze in an adjacent field.

Linear Park was created in a joint cooperative effort by Warwick Township, Lititz Borough, Lititz Springs VFW, Lancaster County Parks Community Iniative Program, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.  It is open daily dawn to dusk.

©BrianSchulman2009

Discover Elegant Living In the Heart of Lancaster County...

On a premium lot, this stately Georgian style brick home with its gables, overlooking a pond and farmland, has both superior size and superlative upgrades.  1465 Drake Lane is one of the finest homes in the desirable Veranda community.

The home is based on the largest model available in Veranda, the Creswood - but with even more square footage due to a huge game room addition on the second level, which could also be used as a fifth bedroom. 

Other features that set this home apart from the competition: gorgeous cherry finished oak floors - a $40,000 custom upgrade -complement the cherry kitchen cabinetry, and continue throughout the house.  Period characteristics such as wainscoting, chair rail and crown molding throughout blend with the most modern of conveniences, including wiring for Surround Sound and Internet throughout.  Custom wood interior shutters (over $20,000) add to the classic interior.   Rounded drywall corners are on all vertical wall corners and the arches.

 Lovingly built by Charter Homes, among its' many fine features are a sunken grand family room with an elegant fireplace and 10' tray ceiling, master bedroom suite with gas fireplace, and a gourmet kitchen that includes a new $5,000. stainless steel double oven and a sunny English garden room.   With a three car garage, 3-1/2 baths and 4,055 square feet, this lovely home is offered at $574,900.

Veranda is a beautiful community in East Hempfield Township, close to shopping centers, the Lancaster Health Campus and Women and Babies Hospital - yet in a historic setting overlooking a pond and picturesque barns and farmhouses.  Family and cultural events are held throughout the year.  Miles of walking trails and sidewalks meander through this well-planned community.

OPEN FOR THE FIRST TIME SUNDAY, MAY 15, 1:00 - 3:00 PM. 

Directions:  Rte 30 to Harrisburg Ave W approx 1.5 mi, L at Veranda, L on Banner Dr, L on Grassy Way, R on Carroll La, R on Drake La.