Susan Mangigian, Chester County Realtor

Women Mean Business Seminar... Register Now!

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:14:19 -0600

As a former member of the Chester County Women's Commission, I am happy to promote this worthwhile day of information and empowerment for the women in our area. The Chester County Women's Commission is devoted to empowering the women of Chester County. The members are a great, strong, intelligent group of women and it was a pleasure serving on the board with them.

Click here to register.

CHESTER COUNTY WOMEN'S COMMISSION*

Dedicated to Empowering The Women of Chester County

Have you ever dreamed of starting your own business?

Have you ever considered working for yourself?

Are you envisioning yourself in a new career?

Would you like to network with like-minded people?

Join the Chester County Women's Commission for a program devoted to providing practical advice and guidance for potential entrepreneurs

WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009
9:30 AM - 3:00 PM
at the
CHESTER COUNTY GOVERNMENT SERVICES CENTER
601 WESTTOWN ROAD
WEST CHESTER, PA

FEATURING: JOYCE EVANS OF FOX CHANNEL 29
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: ANNE BEILER, FOUNDER OF AUNTIE ANNE'S PRETZEL
CLOSING SPEAKER: JOANI REISEN, CO-FOUNDER MOMSPACE MAGAZINE

Get advice and professional information from a panel of local Entrepreneurs

Visit informational Workshops and Exhibits

Learn how to take your business to the next level

Learn how to take your idea from thought to reality

For further details and registration information please go to www.chestercountywomenscommission.org/rsvp
Seating Limited - Pre-Registration Encouraged
Door Prizes

*Chester County Women's Commission was created by the Commissioners of Chester County on December 13, 1993 to identify and advance the diverse needs and interests of the women of Chester County.

New Listing in Brandywine @ Thornbury!

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:57:28 -0600

I just listed a terrific townhouse in Brandywine @ Thornbury. It's a great 3 bedroom home with a finished, walk-out basement, a one car attached garage, an enlarged deck overlooking open space and it's move-in condition! Here are the details:

So much to Offer!

137 Stirrup Circle, West Chester, PA 19382 View Map

Charming, comfortable and cozy townhouse in popular Brandywine @ Thornbury. Entry foyer with hardwood flooring, living room with fireplace, dining room, eat-in kitchen with sliders to over-sized deck overlooking woods, finished walk-out basement, attached garage, spacious bedrooms which include the master bedroom suite with private bath and walk-in closet! Sellers are even including the washer, dryer and refrigerator! Great home for a great price!

Details

Asking Price:

329,900

MLS:

5619560

Bedrooms:

Bathrooms:

2 1/2

Subdivision:

Brandywine @ Thornbury

Contact Info

Susan C. Mangigian
Realtor

Main 610-719-1700
Cell 610-299-6237
Dir 484-356-2965
Email | Website

Carl E. Williams
Home Loan Officer-Acct Exec
Chase New
120 Gibraltar Road
Horsham, PA 19044
610-325-1500
Email

All information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Thankful Thursday, 11/5/09, JJ and Major, The original Mutt and Jeff

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:31:55 -0600

Over the course of the past few weeks, a very large dog has been roaming our neighborhood. He looks like a greyhound and he is huge. He is also not neutered, which is obvious because, as I mentioned, the dog is huge!

I have been bitten by big dogs before, so at first, I was a little leery of this one.

Yesterday, JJ was going crazy. He wanted to go outside and play.

I called the police yesterday, just to report that this lovely animal has been running the neighborhood and eventually, and very sadly, would be hit by a car if his owners didn't start behaving more responsibly. The officer that came by wasn't able to catch the dog but later that day, he was back on my deck, salivating on the sliding glass door (that would be the big dog and not the policeman) and JJ wanted outside .

After making sure that Major would play nicely, I ran and got my camera. Looking at my cute little fluffernutter staring into the eyes of this huge dog almost made me drop the camera! I was able to get close enough to the dog to get his name and telephone number. His owner was at work and apparently he has someone who is supposed to let Major out on a dog lead rather than just let him out. He lives on a busy street near our neighborhood and I suggested to him that it would be a damn shame if this sweet dog was hit by a car because he was let out to roam the area. Hopefully he will be more careful in the future.

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone played nicely, regardless of our differences? Wouldn't it be nice if our skin colors and our size and shapes were not a factor in how we treat each other? There are a lot of things we can learn from animals. This lesson is huge.

Today, 11/5/09, I am thankful as always for JJ. I am thankful that the Phillies made it to the World Series 2 years in a row! I am thankful they didn't lose in the first 4 games and, in my opinion, gave us an exciting season. I am thankful the sun is shining, my children are safe and well and that life is good.

Carpe Diem!

West Chester Borough, Halloween Parade, 10/29/09

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:19:11 -0500

West Chester Borough is a college town and a wonderful place to visit. Thursday night was the annual Halloween Parade. Words just can't do this town justice as a place for families and friends to gather to celebrate life. I'll let the pictures do the talking!

The marching bands from all 3 high schools and West Chester University were in attendance!!

Various color guards and cheerleaders...

Adults and children alike were in costume... Santa even made an appearance, although he looked a bit peaked.

State Senator Dinniman along with his dog and Representative (my all time favorite) McIlvaine Smith were also in attendance!

My son Max and his friends enjoyed it immensely!

I always enjoy going to events in West Chester borough. If you have never been there, it's worth the trip!

Thankful Thursday, 10/29/09

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:12:30 -0500

What a great day it was today, if you don't count having to be up, dressed, hair done and make-up on by 7:30 AM. I am not a morning person so this kind of rushing around tends to stress me out. We were car pooling to Philadelphia today to attend the RE/MAX Demand Success, Today and Tomorrow seminar hosted by none other than Dave Liniger! Dave did not disappoint and gave us tips on prospering in today's economy and in the market ahead. Then, as my bosses are prone to do, the agents in the office who attended were treated to a great lunch at Maggiano's Little Italy on 12th Street. Twelve Schstreet as someone from my hometown would probably say! Lunch was great, the company and laughs wonderful. I can't say enough good things about both of my brokers, Mike Santoleri and Mike D'Adamo. Two great men who treat us wonderfully and provide the latest in learning and technology so we can all be our best.

After lunch and the ride back to Chester County, I was treated to a hero's welcome from none other than my beloved JJ.

This little fella throws me a wiggle parade every time I come home. His entire body shakes with the sheer joy of seeing me again! The best part is, he will do the same thing if I am gone for 5 minutes or if I am gone for the day! I almost can't bear to leave him early next year when I go to my first RE/MAX convention! Weighing a week away with my best female friends at a convention in Orlando and missing JJ is a tough choice. I will miss him, but I am going!

Tonight, I am taking my son Max and his best buddy Alex to the West Chester Halloween Parade, where I am sure a good time will be had by all! Our 3 high school marching bands, representatives from the local fire departments, antique cars and lots of kids in costume will float past us as we cheer from the sidelines. Maybe that will be me cheering and Max and his friend pretending they don't know me!

This past weekend, I got a visit from my first born, home from college for the day. He left with a full tank of gas, a full trunk of food, including my homemade gravy (sauce for you non-Italians) and we were left with warm hugs and emptier wallets! It's always great to see him, he's a great young man.

Today, 10/29/09 I am thankful, as always for my sons Mike and Max, my little love JJ, my family, my friends, my bosses, Mike and Mike and for life in general. So many things to make a person smile every day. You just have to look for them sometimes!

Carpe Diem!

919 Nathaniel Drive, East Goshen Township - Reduced. This is no trick, it will be a treat to see this home!

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:23:27 -0500

The sellers and I have just reduced this absolutely gorgeous home in East Goshen! This is no trick! You will want to treat yourself this Halloween to seeing one of the nicest homes on the market at this time!

Want Breathing Space?

919 Nathaniel Drive, Wentworth, East Goshen Township, West Chester, , PA 19380 View Map

Reduced! Don't miss this gorgeous home!

If you've been dreaming about a larger home but don't want to give up location, your dreams are about to come true! This gorgeous home at the end of a cul-de-sac in Wentworth is a must see. New ultra kitchen and master bath, gorgeous flooring, every upgrade, in absolute move-in condition. Don't wait to see it!

Wordless Wednesday, The Eyes Definitely Have it

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:42:36 -0500

E + R = O

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:30:59 -0500

Hey! This is a great first post written by Eileen Burns. Pop over to her post and add a comment, I'm sure she'd appreciate it! Carpe Diem friends!

Via Eileen Burns (Become a Pro LLC):

You may be thinking E + R = O looks like some kind of algebra problem or something and may even be bringing you some nasty math class flash backs, but not to worry... ;)

E + R = O is ‘formula.'

...A formula to create whatever kind of outcome or result you want from your life. BUT, only useful if you're ready to accept responsibility for every outcome in your life up until this point, both personal and professional.

...Meaning, you're willing to give up all blaming, complaining, justifying and finger pointing. You'll need to surrender now to the "If only __________ , I would be better off" type of talk otherwise you'll keep getting the same outcome over and over and over again and again and again.

Want a different outcome? Feeling stuck in certain areas?

If so, then let's take a trip down the hallways of E + R = O, shall we?

I learned about this formula from Jack Canfield, author of the world famous, best seller: "Chicken Soup For The Soul." It goes like this...

Event + Response = Outcome

You ‘respond' to a particular ‘event' in your life, which then creates your ‘outcome.' The event itself does not cause the outcome; YOUR response to the event causes the outcome. Events are emotionless. They are not people. They are not controlled by anyone, they just happen, and they will continue to "just happen" to you, me, all of us...

Here's an example:

Let's say I give you $1,000, and you ‘respond' by spending it all shopping. Let's say I give that same $1,000 to someone else and they ‘respond' by investing the money for a year. A year later the $1,000 is now worth $1,200, meaning they earned 20% on the money...

The first person ‘responded' by spending the money, the second ‘responded' by investing the money. Same $1000, two different outcomes, right?

Here's a better demonstration of E + R = O that I did in a live seminar I hosted recently here in South Florida...

As a demonstration ONLY, I role-played with a young woman in the audience by saying to her: "What if I told you that you may be one of the stupidest people I've ever met." I asked the audience to raise their hands if they felt this would lift the young woman's self-esteem. No hands went up. I then asked if they felt it would lower her self-esteem. Almost every hand went up...

...which meant they missed the message. They missed E + R + O.

In the demonstration, when I said "You may be one of the stupidest people I've ever met," the young woman could have ‘responded' in two ways:

She may have been thinking: "Oh my goodness, Andrew's only known me a few minutes, how does he know?" That would no doubt lower her self-esteem.

Or...

She may have been thinking: "How could Andrew possibly think I'm stupid? He doesn't even know me. I am well educated, have a successful career, good relationships. I am confident in myself, have a strong self-image, I'm happy, plus, I'm one of the more attractive women in the room, he probably can't keep his eyes off me anyways." That wouldn't damage her self-esteem a bit, now would it?

You see, it's not what Andrew said to the young woman, it's what the young woman said to the young woman after Andrew was done talking that will ultimately create HER outcome...

Same ‘event,' different ‘response' = YOUR desired ‘outcome'

Don't take this formula lightly. It works every time without fail. So if you want a different ‘outcome,' create a different ‘response.' Easier said than done, I know, but try it on and watch what happens. You may surprised by the ‘outcome'...

Sure beats algebra, huh?

Take action.

Eileen Burns

USA Maverick Entrepreneur

Thankful Thursday, 10/22/09, Sing a Song!!

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:39:29 -0500

I cannot sing. It is pretty much unanimous among the people who know and love me that I cannot sing. I don't care what those people say, I love to sing. I sing all day, all night and every time I am in the car. Max, my 13 year old has a request. That I do not sing in the car. Pffttt. Too bad, I say. I try to refrain when he has his friends in the car, but sometimes, it just pops out. I can think of a song for almost anything my kids say to me. The latest conversation with Max was whether or not 13 is too young to have a girlfriend. I think so. He disagrees. Next thing I know I am singing "they try to tell us we're too young".

My own mother regularly turns off her hearing aides when I sing. Seriously. I do have a few loyal friends that insist that I sing well, but frankly, I think they are lying! The other problem is that I am hearing impaired. This is a two part problem. The one part is that I can honestly not hear how bad I am and the other part is I rarely get the words right, because I didn't hear them correctly in the first place. Lyrics.com is one of my favorite places!

When I look at my dog, I burst into " who loves you pretty JJ, who's always there to make it right, who loves pretty doggie, who's gonna help you through the night, who loves you....., who's gonna love you love you...".

I also love to sing happy birthday to my friends on their birthday. This is generally greeted with either a groan or laugh but always with the words, "you don't have to sing the entire song". I ignore this. I am making joyful noise!

When I am particularly exasperated with my life, I sing the song from Moulin Rouge... "One Day I'll fly away, leave all this to yesterday".

On the first day of school in September, when "mom held hostage" is over, I can be heard belting out Barbra Streisand's "Free again"!

I love Broadway musicals and have been known to sing all of the parts! Not well, but hey... if the only songs you heard in the forest were from the birds that sang well, it would be a pretty damn quiet forest! There's a quote from someone in there, but for the moment, I can't remember who said it. My favorite musical is They're Playing our Song!

Sing, sing a song. Sing out loud. Sing out strong. Sing of good things, not bad..... Sing of happy, not sad! Sing, sing a song. Make it simple to last your who life long. don't worry that it's not good enough, for anyone else to hear, just sing... sing a song!!!

So, for today, 10/22/09, I am thankful for music. It makes our souls soar, it lightens our load, it brings us together. In my case, it makes people laugh! So sing! Sing a song!

Carpe Diem!

Here's what's going on in my neck of the woods. A Market Report, East Goshen, Chester County

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:53:09 -0500

I live and work in East Goshen, Chester County. It's a lovely township, some liken to the suburbs of Delaware County, as East Goshen is sometimes as far West of the city of Philadelphia as some buyers would like to be. The mission statement of the township, as per their website is as follows:

           Endeavor to be one of the premier communities in Chester County by continually
          improving the quality of life while, at the same time, managing growth and development
           in a manner consistent with the protection of our environment and preservation of our
          natural and historic resources.

I can speak to my experience here as a convenient, clean and welcoming township that boasts two gorgeous parks, with great walking paths, a responsive township, some decent pizza places and a place to get one of the best Italian hoagies and cheese-steaks this side of the river!

East Goshen is part of the West Chester area School District. My college aged son, now at Kutztown, had a very nice education going through the school system and my younger son is having a successful time in middle school.

The following are market statistics form the past year, October 2008 to the present time. All numbers are compliments of TREND MLS. The numbers show that East Goshen is quite a diverse township with homes ranging from modest condominiums to large executive homes.

There are currently 141 active listings in the township with the current average list price of $500,194.

During the past year:

Minimum Prices are $112,000 Original List Price and $110,000 Sold Price.

Maximum Prices are $1,595,000 Original List Price and $1,500,000 Sold Price.

Average Prices are $362,731 Original List Price and $334,241 Sold Price.

Average days on the market for the past year is 89! Not too bad considering what is going on in other parts of our country. Average days on the market so far for October, 2009 is 47 days!

I am the marketing agent for two of the homes currently on the market.

426 Eaton Way is a lovely one bedroom condominium located in the popular over 55 community of Hersheys Mill, listed at $193,900.

919 Nathaniel Drive, a gorgeous colonial that sits at the end of a cul-de-sac street and has a new kitchen and master bath, listed at $698,800.

If you are interested in knowing more about East Goshen, or any part of Chester County, or if you just want to know where to get a decent Italian Hoagie, call me or email me. I'm happy to help.

What does it take for you to be happy? I'd really like to know. A Discussion.

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:44:46 -0500

While perusing a diet book called The Full Plate Diet, I came across a quote from Albert Einstein. "A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy?"

This got me thinking. I am a fairly optimistic person prone to occasional fits of deep blue that don't usually last very long. What do I need to be happy? The first that popped into my head was JJ, my dog.

Of course my children make me very happy, but there's nothing quite like the uncomplicated, undemanding and totally no strings attached love that you get from a dog. Having spent my entire life yearning for a dog and finally getting JJ last summer, I honestly can't believe I lived this long without him.

Another thing that makes me happy is quietly reading a book. If I have to picture my happy place in my mind, it would be on the porch of the house we rent every summer at the beach. My feet up, my hair being stirred by a soft ocean breeze, a full glass of my home made ice-tea on the end table and my JJ right next to me. One hand turning the pages, one had stroking my best friend in the world. Yes. That's it.

The smell of a baby's warm head is another of my happy places. I can so remember my babies as babies and the feelings that welled up in me when I held them in my arms to nurse them. Surely there is nothing quite like it.

The warmth of a cat and the contented sound of it's purring. I had a cat from around aged 9 until I was about 22 or 23. Cleo was her name and she slept on my bed, right next to my pillow. Cleo had a loud purr and she would start to purr the minute she walked into my bedroom. She purred as I fell asleep and for a long while after she died, I simply couldn't fall asleep without the sound of her steady rumbling in my ear. Animals have always been a big part of what makes me happy.

Having been away from church for many years, it's been a pleasure to be back in the fold, so to speak. After every service, they now sing a song called Bind us Together. We sing this while facing each other across the aisle. It's a lovely song and I find myself singing it for most of the day afterward, thinking of my sons and how bound we are to each other in love. My mom and I are very close and we talk almost daily. She is another of my happy places and I am so grateful to have been raised by such a warm and strong woman. She's very funny too and says just about whatever pops into her Italian head. I love that little woman!

What else does a woman, or a man need to be happy? The knowledge that your children are safe and well and happy, a warm animal by your side, a good book, a nice glass of wine, laughter with friends, contented fullness from a good meal shared with people you love. There's not a thing here that requires a lot of money. But these are things that this woman needs to be happy, and how lucky and blessed, that these are the things I have.

So, what does it take for you to be happy? I'd really like to know.

Thankful Thursday, 10/15/09, Why Worry?

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:41:09 -0500

It's a gray and gloomy day in West Chester today. This kind of reminds me of when I was a kid and my best friend and I decided to try to write a story and of course, it started out with, "It was a dark and stormy night"! If weather reports can be believed, we are heading for some bad weather this weekend. Plans are shifting left and right due to the weather forecast. Mind you, I never listen to the weather. Never. So far, due to the forecast, our neighborhood block party for tomorrow evening has been canceled and an appointment to show houses on Saturday morning has been postponed by the buyer. There is supposed to be a lunch and football game after church on Sunday, one my 13 year old is looking forward to. Our Pastor says we will play in the rain and my son is thrilled by this. I will not be playing football, but if it does rain, it looks like I'll be doing mud stained laundry later in the day! I'm not sure if cooler heads will prevail, but I'm kind of hoping not because it will be fun for all involved.

Why do we spend so much time worrying about things that may not come to be? I can't tell you how many times I've spent a sleepless night worrying over something that didn't happen. I spent most of my childhood trying to quell the fear that I would lose my mom. I could work myself up to actually crying at the thought of it. When I had children, I would do the same thing. Lay in bed, while the world was asleep and worry about all of the things that could befall them. I talked to a friend about it once, assuming that everyone does this. Apparently not. The expression "Let Go and Let God" is a lovely one. I have a hard time letting go of the things I worry about. Somehow, in my mind, I am holding the world together by worrying about it.

But I do learn things from time to time and one of things I've learned is that most of what I've worried about over the years hasn't happened. I just lost precious time and peace of mind worrying over them. I still have the worrying thoughts, but I am getting better at letting them go. I can't stop bad things from happening, so I tell myself to think of something else.

I can across some great quotes about worrying. This is attributed to Nancy Drew, one of my favorite heroines from childhood:

"If worry were an effective weight-loss program, women would be invisible."

This is an unknown author and is so true:

"Worry doesn't help tomorrow's troubles, but it does ruin today's happiness."

This one hits home too:

"We worry about what a child will be tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today."

When I think about all of the worrying I did over my quiet and shy older son. If you saw him now, surrounded by friends in college, tall, handsome, you'd wonder what the heck I was worrying about. He's more than fine and he makes me very proud. I've worried myself sick over my younger son's vision. I can't predict the future so I have to trust that this child, so full of life and potential, will be just fine.

So today, 10/15/09, as I head out to start a busy day, including delivering meals on wheels, I am thankful that so many of the scary things I worried over, did not happen. I am grateful to realize I have a choice about what I think about. I am thankful for my family, my friends, my home, my dog and cat (of course) and the new friendships being made every day.

Carpe Diem!

Columbus Day,

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:40:36 -0500

As an Italian American, I always felt very proud that Christoper Columbus discovered America. There's usually a big parade in South Philadelphia, where I grew up, and there's even a park named after the famous explorer. The public school system where I live now does not give the kids a day off and Max has often come home to tell me that they do not teach that Columbus discovered America anymore, I think Leif Ericson is given this honor and rightly so.. Max is half Italian and is affronted by this fact, if only because he doesn't get the day off! According to Wikipedia, Columbus day became an official federal holiday in 1934. although it says the Americans have celebrated this day since the Colonial period.

According to Wikipeida, the influx of Catholics in the mid-nineteen century induced discrimination from activists against immigration such as the Ku Klux Klan. There's a shocker. The KKK was against immigration... I wonder if they stopped to think where their parents had been born? But I digress. To help struggling immigrants, Catholics developed organizations to fight discrimination with groups like the Knights of Columbus, a name chosen in part because it saw Christopher Columbus as a fitting symbol of a Catholic immigrant's right to citizenship.

While doing some reading to write this post, I came across disturbing facts about Christopher Columbus, most shocking to me is that it's claimed that he is the founder of slavery in the Americas.

According to this article, Columbus, in his log, noted:

"They brought us barrels of cotton thread and parrots and other little things which it would be tedious to list, and exchanged everything for whatever we offered them...I kept my eyes open and tried to find out if there was any gold, and I saw that some of them had a little piece hanging from a hole in their nose. I gathered from their signs that if one goes south, or around the south side of the island, there is a king with great jars full of it, enormous amounts. I tried to persuade them to go there, but I saw that the idea was not to their liking...They would make fine servants... With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want."

Well, this is kind of a kick in the head to me and further proof that ignorance is certainly bliss. They certainly didn't teach this part of the life of Christopher Columbus to little Italian school children was I was growing up.

Living and learning is part of growing up, I suppose. As a 50 year old woman, I also suppose it's time I grew up. But rather than be serious, I'd rather tell you something funny. When I was younger, Dean Martin used to host celebrity roasts. I loved them, and loved all of that silly humor. Red Buttons did a skit and I've always remembered it and laughed. He said that Christoper Columbus, while trying to convince Queen Isabella to let him explore said... "the world is round, you're the only one who's flat"!

Rather than enslaving the indigenous people Columbus came across, I would have much rather he'd left them laughing. And free.

Thankful Thursday, 10/8/09

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:51:48 -0500

Life has been working lately! I am working hard, and things are working with me, which is a marked change from earlier in the year. I have a home inspection this afternoon and I am feeling confident about it. My family room window was just replaced this morning... Jack hit a golf ball with the lawn mower a while back. It's a double pane window and only one side got broken, so there was no urgency except to get it done before the cold weather hit. One more thing checked off the "to do" list.

My favorite tree on the property, a Bradford Pear lost a huge chunk of itself the other day during a rain storm and we hired a tree guy that a friend of my husband knows to try to save it. When they were finished making a lot of noise yesterday, they left without knocking. When I went outside, this is what I saw!

Here it is from the other side. Does one side look significantly taller than the rest of the tree?

I am not a very picky person, but this tree looks like Larry, Moe and Curly had a hand in the pruning! I was trying to save the tree, not set it up for public ridicule! When Max came home from school the first thing he said was "Mom! We're not going to keep that tree out there, are we??" I called Jack and asked him to kindly call the tree guy. He suggested he call the tree guy and have the tree guy call me back. There is definitely a disconnect somewhere between the way men and women think. If I wanted to talk to the tree guy again, wouldn't I just call him myself?? I had already called him once after he left because I couldn't believe they were really finished, what with all the debris left in the yard. The other reason I called was because when I went out the back door, the other tree I hired him to prune still had a huge tree limb hanging from it. Neatly sawed off, but hanging off the tree! I tried to pull it down, but it was firmly stuck! I didn't go out front yet! I suppose I should have walked out front before that first phone call, but I didn't. After I saw the mess they made out of my poor Pear, I wanted Jack to step in. And by stepping in, I surely didn't mean for him to call the tree guy and ask the tree guy to call me. Is anyone following this logic??

By now, I'm sure my friend Rob is wondering where the thankful part is!!! Every now and again on a Thursday, I come to it slowly! Here it is!

I am thankful to be alive and kicking and actually living in a country where I can have the beauty of nature around me and the freedom to enjoy it. I am thankful to have a little extra money to actually hire the 3 stooges to trim my trees. I am thankful for the health and well being of my children and my family. I am thankful for this little guy, that keeps me smiling, even though he had me up at 3:30 AM this morning, barking at imaginary things in the night.

Life is Grand. Make the most of it!

Carpe Diem!

Wordless Wednesday, There's a Change a Comin...Autumn in East Goshen, Chester County

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:53:24 -0500

Who in the world is Jose, and why do I want to be part of his Mafia Family? A Twitter conversation.

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:48:39 -0500

I got an email from Twitter this morning, listed as a direct message from a man named Jose. He's a Realtor in Mexico and he sent me this direct message: Hey, I just added you to my Mafia family. You should accept my invitation! :)

I'd like to reply to Jose, the way I reply to all of my facebook friends when they invite me to be in their Mafia. As a full blooded Italian, I don't believe I should play Mafia games. I have an unfair advantage. It just wouldn't be right! But I have this niggling feeling that Jose is making me an offer I can't refuse!

But honestly, I still don't get Twitter. I stop by. I sometimes say hello. But each and every time I stop by, I feel like I walked into a party and everyone looked at me and just shut up. It's like they were all laughing at a joke but I walked in about 2 seconds after the laughter died.

Can anyone explain to me why I would want to be part of Jose's Mafia family on Twitter??

How can Twitter expand my business, if I pop over there now and again to say I'm standing in line at the bank? Or if I say I am listing a home tomorrow? Or if I say I am heading out to the gym? I can understand why people who know me might be amused if I twittered something silly, but why would anyone else care where I am or what I am planning to do, unless they were planning an abduction?

Help!

Thankful Thursday, 10/1/09

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:00:10 -0500

During the past year or so, we as Realtors have experienced, first hand, how quickly life can change. You can be sitting on top of the world financially, and then boom, you are flat on your back. Even if a Realtor was one of the lucky ones who's business didn't skip a beat, you'd have to be completely insensitive not to see how the downturn in the market has affected other Realtors and the people who were trying to buy and sell real estate.

We've all at one time or another been hit by some kind of illness, be it a normal cold that lays you low, or something more serious, that takes many months to recover from. You are sailing along and life is good, and then wham! If you are lucky enough to have family and friends nearby to turn to for help, you are lucky indeed. Not everyone has this safety net.

I've been thinking a lot about this during the week. I signed Max, my 13 year old up, to serve at the Salvation Army this week. As part of his earning his confirmation into our church, he needs to do 15 hours of volunteer service at church, or one of the various organizations they support. I was thrilled when I heard about this! I have always felt that we all have an obligation to help where we can. When Max found out I signed him up, he wasn't exactly pleased. Upon learning that this is something I've been wanting to do for a long time, he exclaimed that it wasn't something he's been wanting to do for a long time! The kid has a comeback for everything! I shushed him and told him it would be good for him.

This Tuesday, Max and I, along with several other kids from his Youth Group at church and our Pastor's wife, Mrs. Trish Jurkowski (Mrs. Skee to the kids), cooked and served at our local Salvation Army. There was a big crowd of people to serve that day, and the folks that run the place say they've never seen it so crowded. It was the end of the month, someone noted, and lots of times, folks run out of money toward the end of the month, making the crowd bigger. When we got there, someone greeted us and told us the rules. The children were not allowed to let people help themselves as some of the recipients had "communicable diseases". That made us all take a quick step back, but we quickly recovered. All of the kids had a job and just before they served, I whispered in Max's ear to make sure he looked everyone directly in their eyes and smile. I probably didn't need to remind Max as he is one of the nicest people I have the pleasure of knowing and very much a people person.

When it was over, the Pastor's wife asked the kids what they thought of it. Someone admitted to being afraid of the people at first. Max came over to tell me that he did make eye contact and smile at everyone. Max doesn't realize that I see him. I see how good he is with people, and I see his large caring heart, and I see how innately good he is, even as he is heading very full steam ahead into puberty. I see him and I am so proud of him.

In the van heading back, I asked the kids if we could all take a minute and just thank God we were on our side of the serving table. I reminded them that often, people are just a circumstance or two away from being on the other side of that table and that we should be thankful for all we have.

So today, the very first day of October, I am thankful for this and so much much more.

Carpe Diem!

Smokey and the Bandit, Part 2.... The Rest of the Story

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:37:29 -0500

My friend Denise lost her beloved beagle, Buddy this year. As luck would have it, her loving cat Pepper passed away a few days before Denise and Chip, her husband, were taking their only child Matt to college! Talk about an empty nest. I wrote about how good things happen to good people, and that Denise, a very good person, had adopted a lovely little kitty named Bandit. Denise strongly felt that Bandit needed a playmate, and while taking Bandit for an emergency veterinary appointment, she found out that they had a kitten who would shortly be ready for adoption.

Well, Smokey is now living with Denise and Chip, and these two kittens are providing hours of endless entertainment, rolling around wrestling with each other! These two are just what the doctor would have ordered for my friends, who, like all good moms and dads are missing their son as he goes off into the world.

Friends, I give you......... (drum roll)......... Smokey and the Bandit!

Our pets enrich our lives, bring joy and laughter and add warmth to our homes.

Back to Church, The Prodigal Church Family

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:19:27 -0500

This is a long one. No worries if you don't want to take the time. I warn you, this has nothing to do with real estate.

The prodigal church family. Yes, that's us. To say we have drifted from our church would be a gross understatement. It's been years since we've attended a Sunday service and this morning, upon entering the building, I saw more than one person look at me and then look up at the ceiling, as if to see if the sky was falling! It's not that we didn't like the people at our church, they are wonderfully sincere. We drifted mostly out of sheer laziness, and for me, an overwhelming feeling of doubt about organized religion in general.

The church we attend is a wonderful small Lutheran church, filled with kind and generous souls. We were greeted better than the prodigal son, with hugs and laughter and many welcome backs. It was actually kind of wonderful, and it was so genuine. They seemed so happy to see us.

We started attending this church when I was expecting my second child, Max. I was very pregnant, and my older son who had attended nursery school at the church was attending Vacation Bible School. I had gotten somewhat friendly with the pastor but hadn't seen him since Mike left nursery school. The entire church had been praying for this pregnancy as they knew that I had had 3 miscarriages. On family night, I leaned my considerable bulk against Pastor John's office door and coughed. He looked up, then leaped up to hug me, laughing at the size of me! Since we didn't attend church anywhere at this point, and I didn't want to travel 45 minutes one way to go to Jack's church, an Armenian Orthodox Church, and Jack was adamant against attending the local Catholic church (long story), I agreed to talk to Pastor John about baptizing the new baby on the condition that Jack agreed to attend church. I wasn't going to just use the church for a baptism. After the family show, Pastor John was sitting at a table with me and I asked him if we could talk business for a second. I asked him if he would consider baptizing our new baby, and he said he would be honored. We were welcomed into the Christ Memorial Family with open arms, and attended pretty regulary for more than a few years.

Things change. Pastor John became District President and was off to bigger things. There was an interim Pastor, then a new Pastor, and Mike made his confirmation. Summer came, we got to skipping service, and, as these things happen, we drifted away. The new Pastor (who I had become quite fond of) and I had a misunderstanding of sorts that I won't get into. He left our church to pastor a church in a different state, and with him, after the misunderstanding, went any inclination that I had to become friendly with another Pastor. My Elder, a wonderful man, never stopped trying. He kept us in his prayers, he sent me emails, invited us to all of the special things the church planned. I told him a little bit about the misunderstanding I had and my disappointment and he let me know that while people might disappoint, God never does. He let us know that the church has another new pastor, a wonderful man with young children and a great wife. I wasn't ready.

Fast forward some years. Max is now a 7th grader and it's time to decide if we are going to have him make his confirmation. I received a letter from the new Pastor inviting Max to attend. I put it aside to think on it, it's a huge time commitment - two years. Then my elder emailed me. He really wanted Max to attend. I feel that kids need some kind of religious background. If they then grow up and have their doubts, like me, they can make their own decisions. I felt strongly that Max should have the opportunity to learn about the church and Jesus, and then go out into the world and do with that knowledge what he would.

On the first night at the introduction to the confirmation classes, our new Pastor, informed the group that if we thought this was something we could do by simply dropping our children off and then leaving, then we should probably leave now. Well crap! There I was, sitting in the front row, with an overwhelming desire to cut and run! I even reached for my purse before I realized that it would be too obvious! The pastor looked at me, and said "I saw that"! We laughed. I was honest with him. I really had grown out of the desire to attend church. I wanted to do this for Max. He asked for a compromise. He asked me to try baby steps. He asked me to commit to twice a month services. I agreed to do my best. Ever the Realtor, I negotiated with my pastor. He seems like a sweet, engaging and dedicated servant of the Lord and I really don't want to let him down. I will try.

Today was the first day, and the best part of the day was that our old pastor, Pastor John, was in town visiting and his sermons are some of the best around. After the service, I hugged him in the receiving line and said that his sermon was wonderful, as always, and that I got choked up. He gave me a bear hug and said, "wow, that's a surprise, emotion coming from you"! Of course, he was being sarcastic. I'm a known crier. I cry when I am sad, happy, mad, moved, hurt, you name it

There you have it. Back in the fold. The prodigal family returns.

Speechless Sunday, My Brown Eyed Boy

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:39:16 -0500

Thankful Thursday, 9/24/09-An Active Rain Pay Day!!

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:10:50 -0500

I have a lot to be thankful for. I have my health, a warm house, plenty of food, two lovely boys, my mom is still alive, my husband and I have jobs, we live in a safe neighborhood, I have a loving little dog and an ornery fat cat, wonderful friends .... I really could go on and on. I like the idea of writing it down, at least once a week.

This week, I'd like to dedicate my Thankful Thursday post to Active Rain. While I was on vacation this year, I got an email from a prospective seller. She said she was interviewing Realtors and wondered if I would visit with her so that I could be included in the interview. I do not have internet access at the beach house that I rent, so every morning, I ride my bike to the library and check my email. I responded to her email and told her the truth. That I was on vacation with my family, but that I expected to be back in town on Tuesday and would be happy to see her that evening. I went on to say that in the meantime, if she wanted, she could go to my real estate blog on Active Rain and read a little bit about me.

She wrote back, "that's how I found you, I was on Active Rain"!!

How exciting! Long story short, I went on the interview. I was one of 3 Realtors to be interviewed. I got the job! The house sold and it is now closed and the money is in the bank!

This is my first transaction from a client, a total stranger, because she read my blog! How cool is that?

So, today, 9/24/09, I'd like to thank my broker, Mike Santoleri for having a short interoffice seminar on blogging a long while ago. (Mike Santoleri and Mike D'Adamo, my brokers continually strive to educate us and help us with our business). That is where I first heard about Active Rain. My hearing being what it is, I actually asked the person next to me what the heck was all this "acid rain" the people in the seminar were talking about?? What does acid rain have to do with real estate? Lol! I would like to thank the powers that be at Active Rain for their support and generosity. I am very thankful for the friends I have made here. This is one of my happy places, and I am thankful!

Carpe Diem!

ACAC Helps support West Chester Food Cupboard, West Chester, PA

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:22:00 -0500

ACAC Fitness and Wellness Center is my favorite hang out and one of my passions is making sure that everyone has enough to eat. So, I think it's fitting that ACAC is hosting a food drive to support the West Chester Food Cupboard.

The West Chester Food Cupboard came into existence on March 1, 2009, one day after the Cares Food Network went out of business. It is run by a small group of volunteers to keep a food cupboard within the borough to provide assistance for low income families. Just last month, 333 families were served. That's over 1100 people, the largest number of families ever.

They have seen about a 30% increase in the need for assistance while experiencing a 25% decrease in the level of donations. Due to the budget crisis in Harrisburg, they currently have no state funds to purchase food and must rely solely on donations and a federal food program.

Needs

Canned meats: stew, spam, salmon, sardines, ham.
Soups: Chicken noodle, chicken rice, vegetable, tomato, Progresso types.
Peanut Butter and Jelly, Spaghetti sauce, and tomato products.
Cereal: Store brand of Cheerios, Raisin Bran, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies. etc/
Juices (family sized).
Holiday Food: Stuffing Mix, Gravy, Instant Potatoes, Cake Mixes, Cookie Mix, Oil, Sugar
Personal Care Products: Toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, shampoos, soap, toothpaste, detergent (these items are vital to healthy living.

You can drop off your items at ACAC Fitness and Wellness Center, located on McDermott Drive in West Goshen. The Chester County Food Cupboard is located at 545 E. Gay Street, West Chester, PA 610-344-3175

Hersheys Mill Listing, East Goshen Township, Chester County

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:23:56 -0500

I love Hersheys Mill. The landscaping in this neighborhood is second to none. I love driving around and looking at the landscaping, the golf course, the architecture. If I was looking for an over 55 community, I would be very happy living in this lovely neighborhood. If you are thinking about a move to an over 55 community, consider previewing this lovely listing. It's the perfect place for someone who wants a second home in Pennsylvania or someone who just wants to scale down their lifestyle. Move-in condition with a one car garage. Just lovely.

A New Way of Life

426 Eaton Way, West Chester, PA 19380 View Map

Welcome to a new way of life in the Village of Eaton, Hersheys Mill. Located in lovely East Goshen, Chester County, PA, this home will feel just right to you. New HVAC, freshly painted, newer carpeting, you will be able to simply move in! If you are looking to scale down or simply keep a second home in PA, please consider viewing this lovely home.

Details

Asking Price:

193,900

MLS:

5594441

Bedrooms:

Bathrooms:

1.1

# of Floors:

Garage Size:

Subdivision:

Hersheys Mill

Property Amenities

Community Amenities

Contact Info

Susan C. Mangigian
Realtor

Main 610-719-1700
Cell 610-299-6237
Dir 484-356-2965
Email | Website

Carl E. Williams
Home Loan Officer-Acct Exec
Chase New
120 Gibraltar Road
Horsham, PA 19044
610-325-1500
Email

All information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Thankful Thursday, 9/17/09

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:25:43 -0500

I have a dear friend named Denise. Denise and I have been friends since my 20 year old was 2 and her 19 year old was 1. Denise was transferring here from Rochester, New York and I was her agent. We hit it off and Denise has been a part of my family ever since. Her heart is as big as the great outdoors and her hobby is people. She loves to collect people and her home is often the gathering place for a diverse group of people and we sit around and eat and laugh quite a bit. Denise lost both her dog and cat this summer. Her dog, an incorrigible beagle named Buddy, left a huge whole in her heart. He was famous for stealing anything he deemed edible that wasn't nailed down. He once pinned Max to the floor as a toddler to steal the cookie right out of his mouth. He had a loud, baying bark and while we all found him humorous, no one loved him as much as Denise did.

She lost her cat, a sweet black cat named Pepper, a few days before driving her only child off to college! Pepper was extremely overweight and had very short legs. I always said that if she had tassels on either end, she'd look like a foot stool. She was often found laying on her back on the kitchen floor with all four feet up in the air looking like road kill!

Now that Matt, Denise's son was off to college, Max and I wanted desperately to get her a pair of kittens. Denise agonized, she wanted to get two grown cats that no one else would want so that she could save a pair of lives. I wanted her to have babies, so they would fill her up and make her laugh and cheer her up.

Into all of our lives came a little kitten with a white face and a striped back. He had a little mask on his face of tabby stripes and he was adorable. Terry, a friend of Denise, came home from a college hunting trip and heard crying in her yard. There he was, all 6 weeks of kitten, yowling away. She called Denise, Denise called us and another close family friend and soon a crowd had gathered over Denise's home. Everyone picked names and I am happy to say that my name is the one that stuck. Denise calls him Bandit.

We took JJ over to visit Bandit the other night. JJ's only interaction with cats is with our perpetually disgruntled, gender conflicated and quite nasty cat, Scat. When Bandit hissed at JJ, he ran behind me! He was actuallyy afraid of this little kitten. Here's a picture showing you just how small Bandit is. JJ looks like a St. Bernard next to this kitten!

Since adopting Bandit, Denise has learned of a 5 week old smokey gray tabby in need of adoption, being cared for at the local animal hospital. Denise has first dibs and he will be joining Bandit as early as this weekend, if possible. Denise intends to call him Smokey! Smokey and the Bandit!

So, today, Thursday, 9/16/09, I am thankful for Denise and her big heart. I am also thankful for our animal family. They warm our hearts, they fill us up, and they make life so much more wonderful!

Carpe Diem!

Home of the Free, America Remembers 9/11/01

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:51:23 -0500

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families touched by the tragedy of 9/11/01. Also to the brave men and women in the police departments and fire departments across this brave country as they mourn, once again, the loss of their comrades. And to our armed forces around the world, may God bless you and keep you. I thank you for the sacrifices you all have made for our country and continue to make, each and every day.

God Bless America, on this day, and every day.