Krista Fuchs's Blog

2009 Chester County Real Estate Market Report (600-800)

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:14:46 -0500

Real Estate in Chester County has softened in certain areas and price ranges but we certainly haven't suffered like some of the other parts of the country. Most of the softening in our market is in the higher price ranges. Not only have the prices softened but homes in the higher price ranges need to shine with the extras in order to sell. Let's take a look and see how the homes in the $600,000-$800,000 price range did for the first 3 quarters of 2009.

Unfortunately you can see from the graph that homes in Chester County in the $600K-$800K price range had less sales this year than in the past 3 years. It even looks as though this price range sold at a lower rate than in the other three years as well. Let's see if these Sellers lowered their prices from previous years to help their cause.

Interestingly enough the average sales price is consistent with the past three years. I'm sure if these Sellers lowered their prices they would have seen more sales.

These numbers represent ALL of Chester County so if you would like me to research what is going on in your township specifically I would be happy to do that for you. And you can find the data for the price ranges of $400K-$600K, $200K-$400K and $0-$200K by clicking on the links.

Krista Fuchs, Realtor. Giving You The Attention You Deserve.

I can always be reached directly at (484) 459-8025.

Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors

(484) 875-2600

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

2009 Chester County Real Estate Market Report (400-600)

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:19:48 -0500

The Real Estate market in 2009 for Chester County was not all bad, for sure. My previous posts on the $0-$200K price range and the $200K-$400K price range showed that. As we get into the higher price ranges we do see some softening of the market but overall Chester County has not seen any Real Estate bubble popping!

$400,000-$600,000

This price range has been a little tougher for the Sellers this season. For all of my Sellers in this price range I always tell them "If you don't have to move you shouldn't be moving." We didn't see much trickle up in the $200K-$400K price range so we're not going to see any here. Let's take a look!

Unfortunately this graph shows us what Realtors in the field know of this price range; it's a tough one. The graph shows that 2009 sold the least amount of homes in every month in the past three years. Not a fun group to be in for sure.

But have these folks been lowering their prices to help their cause? Let's see...

So the graph shows us that for the majority of the year, and in our Real Estate high season of the Spring/Summer, Sellers have lowered their prices a bit from the previous years. I'm sure if we would have seen a larger gap in price differences we would have seen more sales in this category. It's a tough pill to swallow but you really need to shine in this price range and higher in our area and if you're not shining your price needs to come down if you want to sell.

Next we'll take a look at $600K-$800K and see how they fared for the first three quarters of 2009.

Krista Fuchs, Realtor. Giving You The Attention You Deserve.

I can always be reached directly at (484) 459-8025

Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors

(484) 875-2600

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

2009 Chester County Real Estate Market Report (200-400)

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:11:31 -0500

We have already seen the stats in the $0-$200,000 price range from my previous post so now lets take a look at the next level and see if we're seeing any trickle up effect.

$200,000-$400,000

This pricing group represents a smaller percentage of first time home buyers and mostly move up or downsizing buyers.

As you can see from this chart, 2009 had the slowest start but by June was catching up with the numbers from 2008. Could this be the result of the $0-$200,000 group moving up? Most likely. But it could also be from homes in this price range coming down, so lets see.

This graph does show us that average sold prices are down from 2008. They are very close though and if you really look, in the past 3 years they are only about $10,000 apart at most. Chester County have been very lucky in this softening of the market. We haven't seen significant drops, at least in this price range.

We'll look at the $400K-$600K price range next. This has been a tough range for a lot of sellers for sure!

Krista Fuchs, Realtor. Giving You The Attention You Deserve.

I can always be reached directly at (484) 459-8025.

Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors

(484) 875-2600

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

2009 Chester County Real Estate Market Report (0-200)

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:33:49 -0500

I recently posted a request on facebook for blog ideas and one smarty pants wanted to know when the market was going to come back up. Well, if I knew that I'd be sipping a pina colada on a beach located on Krista Island!

But it did get me wondering how we are comparing this year to other years. I know how we're doing this year but the specifics of other years are fuzzy so I researched the numbers to clear things up.

I split my research into pricing categories of $0-$200,000, $200,000-$400,000, $400,000-$600,000, $600,000-$800,000 and $800,000-$1,000,000. I did this because when I see trends in the field I see them in price ranges mostly.

All of the numbers represent residential real estate in all of Chester County.

$0-$200,000

This price range is the "First Time Home Buyer" range and is usually strong. This year, I think, it has shown more strength due to the Tax Credit involved.

As you can see from the chart 2006 and 2007 started off the same but 2007 ended lower. 2008 and 2009 started lower than 2006 and 2007 but 2009 surged up to 2006 levels with the data ending in September. This surge was most likely due to the tax credit the government offered. But was it also due to homeowners lowering their prices? Let's see!

This graph shows that home prices have been pretty constant for the past few years. It also shows that home prices are on an upward trend this year. In September of all the other years it shows the trend is downward but this year it upward!

So I think it's pretty clear that the first time home buyer tax credit worked well in Chester County because home sales are up along with average sold prices in the $0-$200,000 group.

The goal of the tax credit was to get more people into the housing market with the hopes of the effects trickling upward in the market. So stay tuned to see if that worked in Chester County PA!

Krista Fuchs, Realtor Giving You The Attention You Deserve

I can always be reached directly at 484.459.8025

Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors

484.875.2600

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Week ?? with Growth Leader!

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:00:07 -0500

I've had Growth Leader for some time now. I have a bunch of prospects most of which have only been to my site once but I have some coming back occasionally, some emailing me and a couple I've been out with showing homes.

Currently I have one that is interested in a property I've shown him, has gotten preapproved and is currently getting his home appraised (mainly because he feels my cma was very low). So this is good!

Before Growth Leader I was not set up online to capture leads well. Growth Leader has really opened my eyes to how the internet can work for you if you set it up right. You can read about how the internet can help your business until you're blue in the face and not realize it's potential until you connect with a real person captured from the internet. I guess it was harder for me to realize because my main form of marketing was through my SOI and then referrals so I didn't have much print marketing prior to Growth Leader either.

I've been approached by several other lead generation websites/companies since I started with Growth Leader and have only joined one other and it's been horrible, I actually just canceled my account with them. I'm really hoping I close at least one deal from Growth Leader so I can justify keeping it when it's no longer free for me! I like the Vision website setup and ease of use and would recommend it to someone that is in the market for a lead generation website.

Growth Leader Week 3

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:47:38 -0500

Still chuggin along! The leads are still coming in and they are coming back over and over to my site even if they haven't responded to me personally.

This week I had someone email me with interest in a property. They didn't leave a phone number so I emailed back asking if they wanted to see the property or if they had any questions but no response.

I took the Vision 201 webinar today and that answered a lot of my questions which was nice.

Overall, I'm enjoying the program and am getting into a groove of contacting leads and follow up. Things are progressing so it's encouraging.

One thing I have to get better at is acting like I know who people are when they call me. I have someone on my site signed on as M S and the other day the husband called and said "Hi, I'm Joe, Mary's husband." (pause) and I said "Yeeeesss?" Then he said " Are you one of my wives friends that's a Realtor that's been sending us listing alerts? We love those listing alerts!" So I went on to say that I'm happy they like the alerts and that his wife found me by signing up on my website. And then I asked him if there was anything I could help them with. He then got a little cooler saying that they were going to do a drive by first and then get back to me. I really think that if I responded different in the very beginning I could have gotten more info out of him and had him be more open to me. So...lesson learned!

Downingtown Open House, Sunday 12-2

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:35:10 -0500

Come and see a beautiful Downingtown home this Sunday from 12-2pm.

907 Livingston Dr in the community of Williamsburg has generated plenty of interest with it's popular amenities like it's open floor plan, large rooms sizes, first floor office finished basement and wonderfully large lot which is a hard find in this neighborhood.

The community of Williamsburg offers a pool and kiddie pool, clubhouse, playground, baseball field, basketball court, paved path to the Struble trail, sidewalks and community activities like the yearly easter egg hunt and community wide yard sale.

Beautiful Single Family Home in Downingtown

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:43:20 -0500

Krista Fuchs | Prudential Fox & Roach | krista.fuchs@prufoxroach.com | 484-459-8025

907 Livingston Drive, Downingtown, PA

Large Home + Large Useable Lot in Great Community

4BR/2.5BA Single Family House

offered at $514,900

Year Built	2000
Sq Footage	3,176
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	22,364 sqft
HOA/Maint	$48 per month

DESCRIPTION

This is the one! A home with a HUGE, USEABLE, PRIVATE LOT! This beautiful 4 bed 2.5 bath home will not disappoint with its open floor plan, neutral colors and recent updates. The first floor offers an office, living rm, dining rm, eat-in kitchen, family rm and laundry rm. The finished basement adds another 900sqft bringing the total to over 4000sqft for this home. The hardwood floors lead you from the foyer into the EAT-IN Kitchen, with Corian countertops, and then bring you to the Family Rm with Wood Burning Fireplace (which was gas so can be converted back). The Master Suite is spacious with a sitting area and the attached full bath has double vanities, soaking tub and stall shower. The 3 other bedrooms are large and share a hall bath with double vanity as well. The icing on the cake is the huge fenced in back yard with deck which is hard to find in the spectacular community of Williamsburg- offering pool, clubhouse, tot lot, basketball courts, baseball field and paved path to the Struble Trail.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Fireplace	Walk-in closet
Hardwood floor	Family room	Living room
Bonus/Rec room	Office/Den	Dining room
Dishwasher	Stove/Oven	Microwave
Attic	Basement	Laundry area - inside
Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Clubhouse

Swimming pool(s)

Playground

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Front View	Kitchen
Family Room	Basement
Master Bedroom	Back

Contact info:

Krista Fuchs

Prudential Fox & Roach

krista.fuchs@prufoxroach.com

484-459-8025

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Mar 26, 2009, 11:43am PDT

Tredyffrin-Easttown School District Is Still Highly Desirable

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:03:26 -0500

No surprise here! As one of the best school districts in the state, Tredyffrin-Easttown School District saw a lot of real estate activity in the month on February. You can see what sold in February below.

Address	Beds	Baths	Sold Price
372 Drummers Ln, Wayne, PA	2	2	$150,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 10, Devon, PA	2	2	$185,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 20, Devon, PA	2	2	$199,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 28, Devon, PA	2	2	$199,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 27, Devon, PA	2	2	$205,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 33, Devon, PA	2	2	$205,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 22, Devon, PA	2	2	$205,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 19, Devon, PA	2	2	$205,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 6, Devon, PA	2	2	$205,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 8, Devon, PA	2	2	$205,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 17, Devon, PA	2	2	$205,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 32, Devon, PA	2	2	$207,500
411 W Conestoga Rd 4, Devon, PA	2	2	$212,500
411 W Conestoga Rd 30, Devon, PA	2	2	$215,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 16, Devon, PA	2	2	$215,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 15, Devon, PA	2	2	$217,500
411 W Conestoga Rd 9, Devon, PA	2	2	$220,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 11, Devon, PA	3	2	$230,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 23, Devon, PA	3	2	$230,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 35, Devon, PA	3	2	$230,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 38, Devon, PA	3	2	$230,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 2, Devon, PA	3	2	$232,500
411 W Conestoga Rd 26, Devon, PA	3	2	$232,500
411 W Conestoga Rd 12, Devon, PA	3	2	$235,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 24, Devon, PA	3	2	$235,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 41, Devon, PA	3	2	$240,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 1, Devon, PA	3	2	$250,000
411 W Conestoga Rd 42, Devon, PA	3	2	$281,000
532 Midland Ave, Berwyn, PA	3	1.1	$355,000
22 Cabot Dr, Wayne, PA	2	2.1	$370,000
1142 Thomas Rd, Wayne, PA	4	1.1	$425,000
162 Daylesford Blvd, Berwyn, PA	3	2.1	$450,000
246 Walker Rd, Wayne, PA	6	4	$532,000
7 Sugar Knoll Dr, Devon, PA	3	3.1	$575,000
986 Hobbs Rd, Wayne, PA	4	4.1	$885,000
1580 Overlook Pl, Malvern, PA	6	6.2	$935,000
114 Exeter Rd, Devon, PA	3	3.1	$1,110,000
25 Crestline Rd, Wayne, PA	5	3.1	$1,335,000
1099 James Ln, Berwyn, PA	5	3.2	$1,763,275
2211 Grubbs Mill Rd, Berwyn, PA	4	4.1	$1,975,000

As you can see from the data, it doesn't take a lot of money to get into the best school district in the area.

If you have any questions about buying or selling in the Tredyffrin-Easttown School District I would be happy to help you.

Krista Fuchs, Realtor. Giving You The Attention You Deserve.

I can always be reached directly at 484-459-8025.

Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors

484-875-2600

Buying and Selling Homes in Great Valley School District

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:20:47 -0500

Homes are still selling in the Great Valley School District and a good variety of them as well. Take a look at the list below to see what has sold in February 2009.

Address	Beds	Baths	Sale Price
27 N. Cedar Hollow Rd	3	1	$139,900
287 Valley View Rd	3	1.5	$195,000
66 Kelmar Ave	3	2	$195,000
44 Markel Rd	3	2.5	$208,500
1108 Wellesley Ter	3	2.5	$235,000
503 Brookfield Way	3	2.5	$235,000
17 Hillbrook Cir	3	2.5	$279,000
617 Monument Ave	3	1.5	$290,000
201 Cohasset Ln.	3	2.5	$333,000
19 Greentree Ln	3	1.5	$335,000
146 Old Lincoln Hwy	4	2.5	$382,500
10 Ridgewood Rd	4	3	$445,900
15 Ridings Way	4	3.2	$470,000
31 Wistar Rd	4	2.2	$560,000
20 Broad Leaf Trl	3	3.5	$575,000
111 Charlestown Hunt Dr	4	2.2	$592,000
31 Wispering Woods Ln	4	3.5	$595,000
23 Craig Ln	4	4	$715,000

As with most questions about real estate the answer is "It Depends" and that is still true today. Homes are still selling but it depends on price, condition, location and amenities. Ultimately it is price because if the Buyer doesn't see the value they are not going to buy, especially in today's market.

If you need a consultation on buying or selling a home I would be happy to help you!

Krista Fuchs, Realtor. Giving You The Attention You Deserve.

I can always be reached directly at 484-459-8025

Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors 484-875-2600

Open House Extravaganza! March 22!

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:41:53 -0500

Prudential Fox & Roach is having an Open House Extravaganza on March 22!

So far there are over 1700 homes that are going to be open to the public on Sunday.

Go to www.prufoxroach.com and click on the red open houses box.

Next you will get instructions on how to search for only the homes that are open this Sunday.

After you find the homes you want to see on Sunday, Prudential's Home Tour Planner will create turn by turn directions for you. It's a pretty cool feature!

And don't forget to visit me on Sunday at 808 Montbard Dr. in West Chester from 12-2. I would love to meet you!

Beautifully Updated Home in West Chester

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:30:07 -0500

Krista Fuchs | Prudential Fox & Roach | krista.fuchs@prufoxroach.com | 484.459.8025

808 Montbard Dr., West Chester, PA

Updated Home with Flat Lot!

3BR/2.5BA Single Family House

offered at $389,000

Year Built	1985
Sq Footage	Unspecified
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	1
Parking	1 Car garage
Lot Size	25,947 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Don’t let the outside fool you, this home is spacious and updated! This home has over 2700sqft of living space and is on 0.6 acres! It boasts an updated eat-in kitchen with new cabinets, appliances (REFRIGERATOR INCLUDED), GRANITE countertops and pantry. The remainder of the main level is all neutral, SUPER CLEAN and includes a large foyer with coat closet, dining room, family room, master suite(large enough for king bed) with two closets one being a walk-in and two extra bedrooms with a hall full bath to share. The full, finished basement is over 1300 sqft and includes a large laundry room (WASHER AND DRYER INCLUDED), large workshop and huge finished area plus it’s a WALK-OUT TO A FLAT YARD! The wonderful surprises about this home are the SUPER LOW TAXES, Rustin High School, cul-de-sac location and in the past five years NEW ROOF, heat pump, SIDING, hot water tank and COMPOSITE DECK (HUGE)! All that’s left to do is move in!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Family room
Bonus/Rec room	Dining room	Dishwasher
Refrigerator	Stove/Oven	Microwave
Granite countertop	Attic	Basement
Washer	Dryer	Laundry area - inside
Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Update Eat-In Kitchen with New Cabinets, Appliances and Granite

Private Location but Minutes from West Chester

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Front View	Kitchen
Breakfast area	Finished Basement
Workshop	Family Room

Contact info:

Krista Fuchs

Prudential Fox & Roach

krista.fuchs@prufoxroach.com

484.459.8025

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Mar 16, 2009, 11:12am PDT

$8000 Home Buyer Credit Explained

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 22:15:57 -0500

The $8000 First Time Home Buyer Credit has the potential to help a lot of people. It can help first time homebuyers get their first home and understand what it means to have pride in ownership. It will also help homeowners that want to buy their next home because now they have a larger pool of people able to buy the home they are trying to sell.

There are a lot of facets to the credit and ultimately you should consult with your accountant to answer your questions. There are rules regarding your salary, marital status, price of the home purchased, and more.

A friend of mine, Jason Crouch who is a Realtor in Austin Texas, found this video that gives a good explanation of the $8000 first time home buyer credit.

Click here to view the video now!

If you are a first time home buyer looking in the Philadelphia suburbs you have many options. There are very affordable condos, townhomes and even single family homes in all the counties surrounding Philadelphia. So far, in 2009, I have helped two first time home buyers buy a homes in Chester and Montgomery Counties. Both homes were in good school districts, in excellent condition and were great investments for my clients.

If you think you could benefit from the $8000 Home Buyer Credit I would be happy to help you!

You can click here to search for homes (for free!) on my website. Or if you'd like you can send me an email with your questions at Krista.Fuchs@prufoxroach.com or just give me a call at (484) 459-8025, I look forward to speaking with you!

Krista Fuchs, Realtor. Giving You The Attention You Deserve.

I can always be reached directly at 484-459-8025.

Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors

484-875-2600

February Homes Sold in Downingtown School District

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:02:58 -0500

Homes are selling in the Downingtown School District, although this February 23 sold and last February 37 sold.

We are still in a Buyer's Market for the Downingtown School District. If you need to sell your house it absolutely need to be priced right, presented properly (aka staged) and marketed heavily. And if you don't need to move you should stay in your home!

Address	Bed	Bath
335 E. Lancaster Ave.	1	1	$96,000
315 Village Walk	2	1.5	$149,500
300 William St.	3	1.5	$182,000
412 Creek Rd.	2	1	$206,000
7 Forrest Ave.	3	1	$217,000
105 Granite Ln.	3	2.5	$228,000
1894 Berue Dr.	3	2	$242,000
2049 Fawn Ln.	4	2.5	$250,000
72 Yellowwood Dr.	3	2	$255,000
723 Jacques Cir.	3	2.5	$260,000
40 May Apple Dr.	3	2.5	$262,000
1300 Broadview	4	2.5	$305,000
865 Peck Rd.	4	3	$325,000
812 Mount Rose Rd	3	2.5	$340,000
12 Kiloran Wynd	4	2.5	$351,000
405 Pierce Dr.	4	3.5	$375,000
485 Little Conestoga Rd.	4	2.5	$390,000
535 Emerson Cir.	4	2.5	$395,000
508 Langford Dr.	3	2.5	$396,900
212 Woodward Dr.	4	2.5	$425,000
1294 Colts Neck Rd.	4	2.5	$436,000
207 Hockley Dr.	5	3.5	$499,000
17 Downing Cir.	4	3.5	$550,000

If you'd like to search for homes in the Downingtown School District you can do so on my website for free!

Krista Fuchs, Realtor. Giving You The Attention You Deserve. I can always be reached directly at 484-459-8025. Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors 484-875-2600

Are Homes Selling in West Chester School District?

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 23:35:31 -0500

Never Fear Homes will Sell in West Chester School District This Year!

And look what has sold in February of this year...a lot! And a few of more than last year-three to be exact. Even though homes are selling, it is still a Buyers market so your home needs to be priced appropriately, staged and marketed properly. And if you don't have to move you should stay in your home.

Beds Baths

1523 Valley Dr.	2	1	$137,000
1408 Valley Dr.	2	1	$137,500
2219 Eagle Rd.	2	1	$138,000
605 W. Market St.	2	1	$164,000
1618 Valley Dr.	2	1.5	$168,000
296 Summit House	2	1.5	$179,000
199 Stirling Ct.	3	2	$204,500
946 Railway Sq	2	2	$205,000
137 Chandler Dr.	2	2	$205,000
522 S. Matlack St.	3	1	$212,500
129 W. Union St.	2	1.5	$225,000
9 Rose Ln	2	1	$237,000
630 Grubbs Mill Rd	4	2.5	$250,000
1219 Green Hill Ave	4	2.5	$250,000
115 W. Hilltop Rd	3	1.5	$250,000
862 Durant Ct.	3	2.5	$254,900
227 Fox Run	3	2.5	$258,800
1211 Thistlewood Ln.	3	1	$263,000
820 Amber Ln	3	2.5	$270,000
289 Yorkminster Rd.	3	2.5	$274,000
861 Jefferson Way	2	2	$275,000
140 Birchwood Dr.	3	2.5	$286,000
723 Hillside Dr.	4	1	$288,000
503 S. Church St.	5	1.5	$297,500
25 Timber Ln.	4	2.5	$300,000
205 Birchwood Dr.	3	2.5	$306,000
203 Debaptiste Ln.	3	2.5	$313,000
1271 Delmar Ave.	3	2	$315,000
981 Hershey Mill Rd	4	2.5	$340,000
1040 Squires Pl	5	2.5	$350,000
306 S. Balderston Dr.	3	2.5	$356,300
1154 Mallard Rd	4	2.2	$362,500
337 Mackenzie Dr	4	2.5	$363,000
74 Wharton Dr.	3	2.5	$364,000
1388 Station Pl.	5	2.5	$389,000
42 Dorset Rd.	3	2.5	$390,000
17 Forest Hills Dr.	3	2.5	$390,000
922 Baylowell Dr.	4	2.5	$395,500
2 Newberry Ct.	3	2.5	$399,900
13 W. Biddle St.	4	2.5	$400,000
613 Spring Line Dr.	4	2.5	$408,000
56 Portsmouth Cir	3	2.5	$415,000
123 Greenbriar Dr.	3	2.5	$427,500
108 Side Saddle Pl	4	2.5	$430,000
207 Silverbell Ct.	3	2.5	$446,500
300 N. Cote Cir.	4	2.5	$457,500
959 Harmony Hill Rd.	4	2.2	$515,000
8 Heatherstone Way	4	3.5	$520,000
1146 Newbury Ln.	3	3	$555,000
1014 Regimental Dr.	4	4.5	$660,000

If you would like to search for homes in the West Chester School District I would be happy to help you! Search for homes for free on my website!

Krista Fuchs, Realtor. Giving You The Attention You Deserve. I can always be reached directly at 484-459-8025. Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors 484-875-2600

Philadelphia Flower Show 2009 + A Super Sweet Freebie!

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:25:02 -0600

The theme to the Philadelphia Flower Show 2009 (March 1-8) is Bella Italia and boy did they deliver! The show is FABULOUS! Drama, Drama, Drama, and I loved it! A friend of mine went the first day and when I saw her pictures I was floored. #1-She's a great photographer and #2- the show is amazing, it speaks to me. I'm Italien and definitely have a bit of dramatic flair in me and when I saw her pictures I actually thought I would need to dress up this year and wear special jewelry!

**And wait until you hear about my freebie! Sweet! Sweet! Sweet!**

This year besides the normal, but fabulous, displays they also had a floral fashion theme. They had evening dresses out of flower parts, hats and shoes out of flower parts and jewelry too. The dresses were amazing, the amount of work and focus that must have been put into them is unimaginable to me. The hats, ah! the hats, were fabulous! The hats made me wish we lived in a society that would accept a lady wearing them on a regular basis. The shoes were spectacular and the jewelry was so inventive, truly amazing.

The only disappointment was how crowded the show was. I went on a weekday and arrived around 10:30am. I believe the website says the best viewing time is after 4pm and they are probably right. Most of pictures are a result of me sticking my arm out and taking whatever I could get and it shows. I go to the show every year, around the same time of day during the week, and it's never been this crowded. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Societyhit the sweetspot this year with their choice of theme because it really drew in the crowd.

**Thank goodness there were refreshment stands, mmmm, with sweet sweet yummies!**

The other side of the flower show is the abundance of vendors this year. I honestly don't remember this many vendors in other years. There were the typical vendors selling plants and garden accessories and then this year I noticed many more artists, potters, jewelers, and more. When I go to the flower show I try to go two days, one to look and one to shop. The first visit I try to make a mental note of what I love and figure if it's there the last day (when you can get the best deals!) than it was meant to be. This year I bought a big, bright basket that was made in Ghana. I couldn't resist it, it drew me in and I had to have it.

This year there are so many good vendors I think I need to bring a shopping buddy with me! I originally was going to take the train but now I'm thinking I may need to drive so I can take multiple trips to the car and continue shopping. And I don't have tons of money to spend but the stories of friends going to the show the last day and walking out with 200 roses for $20 makes me salivate!

Even if you are not a shopper you should go to the show it is truly amazing! Please don't let my blurry pictures deter you!

OK...onto my Super Sweet Freebie! Sweet Street Desserts has given me a voucher to pass onto my wonderful readers! Sweet Street Desserts has a cafe at the flower show where they serve their amazing desserts. Their website is even mouth watering! Sweet Street Desserts has given me a voucher to pass onto you! The first 100 people that hand in this voucher to Sweet Street at the Philadelphia flower show will get one free dessert. No other purchase necessary and you can choose ANYTHING! Oh, how I hope I can get a free dessert even though I'm not going until Sunday! So have fun at the show and don't forget your voucher!

Indoor Family Fun in Chester County

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:09:57 -0600

When the weather isn't cooperating, whether it's snow, rain or wind, and the family is getting a touch of cabin fever it's important to have options to keep everyone happy. Here are a few indoor activity entries for your Rolodex of fun in Chester County.

If the weather is not fit for man or beast here are some of your options.

Indoor Activity Centers

This type of activity center may have indoor golf courses, laser tag, large inflatable bouncers, arcades, and soft gyms.

Moonbounce Adventures- Moonbounce Adventures is a party rental business supplying interactive bouncers and carnival games but when the weather is bad (or good!) you can go to them and have a carnival indoors! They are open seven days a week and offer open play for a very reasonable price. Moonbounce Adventures has locations in West Chester, Kennett Square and Boothwyn and you can find them at www.moonbounceadventures.com .

Boomers - Boomers offers an extensive array of indoor activities for all ages. You can choose from mini golf courses, batting range, driving range, soft playground, arcade, laser tag and sport court offering soccer, dodgeball, kickball, basketball and more. Open seven days a week, Boomers is in Avondale and can be found online at www.boomersfamilyfun.com

Pump It Up - Pump It Up offers many over-sized interactive inflatables and a rock climbing wall. They offer children's parties, fundraisers and open play. They are located in West Chester and you can find their open play times by calling them at (610) 918-9180.

There are also many other places besides indoor activity centers that the entire family can enjoy.

Ice Line - Ice Line skating rink offers ice hockey, public skate, figure skating and more! They have a pro shop, arcade, free wifi and a restaurant. They are located in West Chester and you can find them online here - http://www.iceline.info/

Power Play Rinks - Power Play is an ice skating rink in Exton offering ice hockey, public skate, figure skating, camps and clinics. Check them out online at http://www.skatepowerplay.com/ to see when they have public skate.

Palace Bowling - Palace Bowling in Downingtown is an awesome bowling alley with arcade and snack bar! Palace has birthday parties, rock-n-bowl, leagues, group parties and family specials. They are located on Lancaster Ave. in Downingtown or you can find them online at http://www.palacebowling.com.

Movie Theatres - Don't forget about catching a movie with the family! The Colonial Theatrein Phoenixville at 227 Bridge Street, 610-917-0223, has movies and sometimes special events for children. You can find them online at http://www.thecolonialtheatre.com. You can find all the Regal cinemas in Chester County at www.regmovies.com. And you can find all the AMC theatres in Chester County at http://www.amctheatres.com.

This is just a sampling of what Chester County has to offer in family entertainment when the weather is not cooperating. Don't forget about all the restaurants and shopping centers in the area that cover all tastes and budgets as well. Chester County has plenty to keep you busy inside until it's easier to get outside!

Krista Fuchs, Realtor. Giving You The Attention You Deserve.

I can always be reached directly at 484-459-8025.

Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors 484-875-2600

Home Buying 101 Part 3

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:12:00 -0600

Click Here for Part 1

Click Here for Part 2

At this point you have a Realtor to advise you and lead the way and you've signed a Consumer Notice and Exclusive Buyer's Agent Contract for your protection and that of your agent. The next two steps can be done simultaneously. It's time to get pre-approved for your mortgage and discuss what your needs are for your new home.

A good Realtor will have a good team for support. The first person on this team that you should meet should be the mortgage consultant for a pre-approval. You may think you have good credit or know what the going rates are but the mortgage consultant will tell you the real deal. Also, there are many things that go into a mortgage payment besides just paying for the home like real estate taxes, home owners insurance, and possibly mortgage insurance, flood insurance and Home Owner's Association (HOA) fees. The mortgage consultant can also give you a Good Faith Estimate (GFE). This will tell you all the fees that will be charged in relation to the loan.

Besides learning the truth about what you can afford having a pre-approval from a reputable source is power. When you submit your offer the pre-approval goes along with it. When the pre-approval is from a reputable source in Chester County, one that has closed many deals with other Chester County Realtors, it adds weight to the offer and in this market a lot of weight.

Once you are aware of what you can afford it's time to talk with your Realtor about what you want in a home. The options are endless!

Condo?-Townhouse?-Carriage home?-Single family home?-Are schools a priority to you?-Do you want acreage?-# of bedrooms?-# of bathrooms?-# of garage spots?-square footage?-HOA?-Finished basement?-Pool?-Fireplace?-Waterfront?

and it goes on and on!

Now that your Realtor has a good idea of what you want they can search the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for homes that fit your criteria. And at the end of our conversation about your needs your pre-approval shouldn't be too far behind. Once that magic number comes in I (yes me, you picked me as your Realtor, it's still my blog!) can quickly tell you if your needs are in line with reality. I can tell you this because I'm not an armchair Realtor. I'm out working in my field. I know what homes are for sale in West Chester for $300,000 and how that compares to homes for sale in Glenmoore for $300,000.

Well, that's all for now folks! Stay tuned for part four!

Krista Fuchs, Realtor. Giving You The Attention You Deserve.

I can always be reached directly at 484-459-8025

Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors 484-875-2600

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License

Home Buying 101 Part 2

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:48:41 -0600

Click Here to Read Part 1

Ok, so you've found a great Chester County Realtor and you would like to buy a house. Hopefully, at this point, we are working together! (This is my blog, what did you think I was going to say!) And if you are working with me you are signing a Consumer Notice and a Buyer Agency Contract for your protection and mine.

The Consumer Notice is NOT a contract! This is a notice to consumers so they can make an informed decision about their business relationships with real estate brokers and salespersons. The Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act (RELRA) requires that consumers be given this notice at the initial interview. The notice explains the different relationships you can have with a real estate professional;Seller Agent, Buyer Agent; Dual Agent, Designated Agent and Transaction Licensee. Besides those points the notice also tells the consumer what basic duties the professional has towards them and what is negotiable. If you'd like to see a copy of the consumer notice just click here and then click on the Contact link.

The Buyer Agency Contract IS a contract-hence the name! The contract states that you will be appointing me your exclusive Buyer's Agent and that means I will be assisting you throughout the transaction and at all times will be acting in your best interest. All negotiations and offers will be done through me as well. This protects the Buyer because Agency relationships should not be assumed.

Let's say a Buyer goes into a Chester Springs open house and starts talking to the Agent hosting, that Agent can use what the Buyer has to say against them. Buying a home is such an emotional process it's best to have someone in your corner that is not emotionally attached.

The contract protects me because it ensures that I get paid and it ensures that you are only working with me. It's important that you are only working with me so I can get the whole picture. I ask a lot of questions so I can find you the best house in the shortest amount of time. Also, I don't get paid until you settle (go to closing) on a home. I get nothing if you don't buy. Nada

There are other parts to the Buyer's Contract, like:

Durations of Contract
Compensation
Dual Agency (if I have an Exton home for sale you you would like to purchase it I would represent both sides of the transaction if I choose to and you agree)
Brokers Role
Services to the Seller
Equal Opportunity
Pennsylvania Recovery Fund...among other things

Again, if you'd like to see a blank contract just click here and then click on the contact link.

Some agents feel uneasy asking clients to sign this contract but I disagree. I care and respect my clients and expect the same in return. I understand that I'm helping them purchase what is probably the largest investment they have and I understand their time is valuable. Because I know the value I bring to them I expect them to treat me as a professional and understanding that I don't work for free. The Exclusive Buyer's Agent Contract basically lets them know how I feel about them and what I expect from them in return for my services.

The next part of the journey involves finding out what you'd like in a home but I'm going to save that for part 3! Click here if you'd like to read on!

Krista Fuchs, Realtor. Giving You The Attention You Deserve.

I can always be reached directly at 484-459-8025.

Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors, 484-875-2600

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License

Helping Kids 10 Inches At A Time.

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:37:56 -0600

I have a real soft spot for kids. When I was younger I wanted to be a pediatrician but my mom told me it would be too hard to see kids sick all the time. I'm so glad she said that because now that I am a mom I can understand it and I know it wouldn't be a good fit for me. I still enjoyed science so I went into the research side of it and did cancer research (prostate and melanoma). While very interesting the lab wasn't for me.

Perhaps because people knew I was in that field, I tend to be told when a friend of a friend has cancer. I still have an awesome network of cancer docs so I can find out who the best in the country is in a particular type of cancer. So cancer is always in the back of my mind and to be honest whenever a new family member or anyone I know gets cancer I do feel guilty that I am no longer in that field helping the cause.

There are many different ways you can help sick kiddos. Cancer research is really amazing these days with the drugs coming out that are only targeting the cancer cells unlike chemo which targets everything. I usually try and donate to St. Jude's since it helps out the kiddos. But there are many other diseases that affect children of course.

This year I was able to help out in another way. This year I cut off my hair, 10 inches of my hair! 10 inches is the minimum they will accept and I didn't have much more so that's what I gave. I give it to an organization called Locks of Love. They use the hair to make wigs for financially disadvantaged children (under 18) with any medical condition that has caused hair loss. Their website say it takes 6-10 ponytails to make one wig. The retail value of these wigs range from $3500-$6000. The majority of kids that receive the wigs of natural hair are ones that suffer from alopecia areata an autoimmune disorder which causes the hair follicles to shut down. In addition to the loss of scalp hair, many also lose their eyelashes, eyebrows and all body hair. This hair loss is permanent in most cases, and there is no known cause or cure. Other recipients have been victim to severe burns, endured radiation treatment to the brain stem as a treatment for cancer, or suffer from any number of skin disorders that cause permanent hair loss.

Locks of Love also supplies synthetic wigs to financially disadvantaged kids that have short term hair loss as well. Anything to help the kiddos is fine by me! This is the third time I've been able to give my hair and it feels so great when you get the thank you card in the mail from the charity group.

So when you feel like you have nothing to give, think again, you'd be surprised at what you can give!

Krista Fuchs Realtor. Giving You The Attention You Deserve.

I can always be reached directly at 484-459-8025. Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors 484-875-2600.

Pupdate

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 21:53:29 -0600

I have a puppy update for ya! My family made the trip to meet the puppy today. The breeder is only 90 minutes away but with a 6 yr old and two 2 1/2 yr old little divas it can seem like an eternity. So I was prepared. I had drinks, sweet and salty snacks, candy and of course many wipes and diapers, toys and movies.

So we head out (west of course so the sun is in our eyes!) and the kids are screaming and bouncing all over the place and my husband is getting irritated so I hand out the first snack (salty). That lasts about 15 mins and this continues until I finally get a movie going and the sun goes down a little. Starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel...

Everything is going smoothly and then we hit a Detour. We don't know where we are and it's not like a detour in the city this is farmland so if you're on a road there's no close street to turn around. Anywho..

We get there and we are all sooooooooooo excited, so excited, so excited, so excited! The owner/breeder opens the door and invites us in and seems very friendly and down to earth, thank goodness! We get a quick introduction and go to see the dogs. The dogs were in a little kennel and they had two grown females and then the 8 puppies.

OMGooooooooooodness they were all so adorable! Like 8 little stuffed animals running all over and you just wanted to hug them all! As usual Vanessa was a little afraid and Anna just jumped into the mix. Marcus was very excited, I was thrilled but worried about the kids trampling the pups and Eric had a million questions and his lists of course.

I was very happy to see the grown females were not as big as I thought they'd be. The breed is Bullmastiff so I was worried.

One of the goals of the visit was to pick a puppy to take home in two weeks. We wanted a female and we really wanted to try to get a feel for their personalities to find a good fit for the family. The puppies were all over the place playing with each other so it was really hard to figure out which ones were even female especially since the entire time I was mostly concerned with the kids getting into trouble or trouncing on a poor puppy!

Then the wonderful breeder picked up a puppy and told us she thought this one would be best for us. She brought to us a beautiful fawn female that was laid back, just like us! This little puppy is sooo pretty and we immediately all fell in love with her as she let us rub her belly and licked us all! So then the breeder put the other puppies away and we spent some time with our soon to be new addition!

So we're gonna have a fawn laid back little lady in the house soon and we need a name! My husband likes Jazz but there is nothing jazzy about this dog. This dog is a snuggler, a lover, a sweetie, a huggie-bear.... I'm starting to warm up to the name Honey. So now my strategy is to get my babies to start saying Honey and then I think we can overtake my better half! Can't wait! Thanks for reading!

Home Buying 101

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 11:32:02 -0600

Have you heard "now's a good time to buy a home"? Well it may be a good time to buy a Malvern Home but not a Downingtown home and to be sure the first thing you should do is contact a reputable Realtor in your immediate area.

If you live in Chester County PA I would be happy to help you! Even if that help is just answering questions about the current housing market. And I don't profess to know everything but am pretty positive that I can find an answer for all your questions.

So the first thing I think you should do is talk to a Realtor you trust. And if you don't know a Realtor you can trust the next best thing would be a mortgage consultant you trust and if you don't have that either ask people you know if they can refer a Realtor for you. And if you don't have that you should find a Realtor that will take the time to answer your questions.

If you are a first time home buyer you should have a lot of questions. And don't feel bad if you know so little you don't even know what to ask. Just say I don't even know where to begin.

There are a lot of things to consider when buying a home.

What is the market like for buying in my specific area?
How much home can you afford?
What are the closing costs of buying?
How long do you plan on living in the residence?

A good Realtor will have a good team behind them to guide you throughout the entire transaction.

So the first thing to do is get a Good Realtor!

Click Here for Part Two!

Krista Fuchs, Realtor Giving You The Attention You Deserve. I can always be reached directly at (484)459-8025. Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors (484) 875-2600

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Downingtown Homes Sold Report for all of Downingtown School District in January 2009

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:22:40 -0600

Downingtown homes are still selling in all of the Downingtown School District, and a good variety of them too! The sold price range was $215,000 to $760,000. Here is the list below of all homes that sold in January 2009.

Address	Beds	Baths	Sold Price
2595 West Chester Rd	3	1.5	$215,000
1899 Berue Dr	4	2.5	$304,000
529 Summercroft Dr	3	2.5	$342,000
817 Hawthorne St	4	2.5	$365,000
203 Allen Dr	4	2.5	$369,900
19 Grovehill Ct	4	2.5	$370,000
238 Ferndale Ln	4	2.5	$401,000
811 Quail Way	4	2F2H	$425,000
826 Williamsburg Blvd	4	3.5	$435,000
303 Prescott Dr	4	2.5	$455,000
14 Rolling Glenn Ln	4	2.5	$485,000
222 Prescott Dr	4	2.5	$500,000
1431 Hampton Dr	4	3.5	$525,000
1522 High Country Rd	4	3.5	$542,000
116 Bolero Dr	4	3.5	$544,900
41 Founders Way	5	3.5	$566,000
33 Founders Way	5	3.5	$580,000
Lot 4 Taylor Rd	4	4.5	$590,000
1830 Poplar Hill Dr	5	3F2H	$760,000

If you need more housing information on Downingtown homes or any home in the Downingtown School District I would be happy to help! Krista.Fuchs@prufoxroach.com

Krista Fuchs Realtor. Giving You the Attention You Deserve. I can always be reached directly at 484-459-8025. Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors 484-875-2600

West Chester Homes Sold Market Report for West Chester School District

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:29:49 -0600

Yes, homes are still selling even in January! There was a wide variety of solds too, ranging from $140,000 to $1,279,215.

Here are the West Chester Homes that sold in January 2009 in the entire West Chester School District.

Address	Beds	Baths	Sold Price
1115 Pottstown Pike	3	1	$140,000
719 S Bradford Ave	3	1	$150,000
716 W Market St	3	1F2H	$232,500
1201 School House Ln	3	2.5	$235,000
304 Beechwood Rd	3	2	$240,000
801 W Miner St	3	2	$285,000
153 Locksley Rd	3	3	$310,000
341 Wrights Ln	3	2.5	$335,000
115 Magnolia St	5	2	$348,500
325 Caswallen Dr	4	2.5	$400,000
937 Baylowell Dr	4	2.5	$440,000
71 Sweetwater Rd	4	2.5	$460,000
902 Elk Ln	5	2.5	$485,000
8 Country Run	4	2.5	$525,000
1115 Wilnor Dr	4	2.5	$565,000
1028 Edgemill Way	5	4.5	$580,000
14 Woods Edge Rd	4	3.5	$675,000
58 Rose Ln	4	4.5	$740,000
133 Hidden Pond Way	4	3.5	$822,423
13 Blantyre Cir	5	4F2H	$1,279,215

If you are looking to buy or sell a West Chester Home anywhere in the school district you can call me directly for more information on how to price your home or where to find a good deal. I can also be reached via email at krista.fuchs@prufoxroach.com

Krista Fuchs Realtor. Giving You the Attention You Deserve. I can always be reached directly at 484-459-8025. Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors 484-875-2600.

What Came First, The Name Or The Dog??

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:26:13 -0600

Our family is going to be welcoming a new member soon, a little bullmastiff puppy, most likely a girl. We've wanted a dog for quite some time but wanted to wait until we had all the kids we wanted so the dog would know what the family unit was. We also wanted to have a bigger back yard and preferably fenced in too.

Now all the pieces seem to be in place. We're done with the kiddos (if I get pregnant because I said I'm done with kids on AR then I'm selling AR juice to fertility clinics!)

and we have the fenced in back yard...

At first my husband wanted a Rottweiler and that just scared me to death. Everyone we talked to that had them said they are the biggest sweethearts and you just need to get them trained but that bark really got to me. At the same time he said he'd also get a Dachshund and I don't know why I said no to that because that would be my last time I had the chance to get a small dog.

I was able to push off getting a dog because I told him I wanted to be done with having children so the dog knew what the family unit was. So once the twins were born we knew we were done. And now that the twins are getting easier the dog conversation came back up. So we started talking about breeds.

The first breed my husband brought up was a Boxer. After doing the research on the breed I was ok with them. The only point that semi-bothered me was the high energy part. We're not high energy. The kids are high energy and that's where our energy goes. And since our kids are not old enough to be left alone with a Boxer and properly exercise them I was apprehensive.

Nevertheless, we started looking into breeders and rescues. I was stunned at the prices the breeders were charging and what they go through to keep the breed going with good dogs. They have sperm banks! After talking to breeders I decided we were going with a rescue and get a puppy.

I guess my husband didn't like this idea because he soon came up with getting a Bullmastiff. When I started researching the breed I totally fell in love! totally! They just look more snuggly than the boxer and I really wanted more of a snuggly dog than one that looked strong and lean like the boxer.

So back to researching the breeders and the rescues. I really couldn't find any rescues nearby that had puppies but I found a breeder. I was worried because the breeder lives near an area that is known for it's puppy mills. But after I talked with her I knew she didn't run a mill and felt very comfortable with her.

So here are the puppies!

We want a female but the male pup on his back cracks us up!

Here's the mom. She a red fawn.

Here's the dad. He's a fawn

We get to visit the pups on 2/14 and pick ours up on 2/28. So now we're thinking of names..... My 6 yr old son likes Jasmin, I like honey and my husband likes xena. But I wonder, should we get the dog home and feel out the personality before we name her? What comes first?

I would love to know what you think we should name the dog!!!!

Thanks for reading! And check out my Pupdate!