lancaster county pa: Six-Pack of My Favorite Blogs
- 06/12/08 09:38 AM
It's been a while since I've seen anyone do a "Six-Pack" blog of their favorite posts. Since I've posted well over 200 blogs, it's hard to pick favorites, but many of my blogs do bring back pleasant memories of the days I visited and photographed them. These six blogs were picked because they contain some of my favorite photos, taken on beautiful days... Chickies Rock County Park shows some of the natural beauty of Lancaster County, not much changed since the days that Native American tribes lived in the Susquehanna Valley. Lititz Springs Park has been the site of art shows, parades and fireworks for … (3 comments)
lancaster county pa: The Focus of Lancaster County Tourism Is Changing
- 06/11/08 06:47 AM
Years ago, when I was a child, my family used to vacation to Lancaster County for the country scenery and the hearty Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. To be sure, Lancaster County today has one of the more enlightened agricultural preservation policies in the country. There is still much beautiful farm land in Lancaster County. The Amish community is still a healthy and vital one. Still, when farms go up for sale, the buyers competing for them are not only farm families, but residential and commercial developers. If you look at the hotel and restaurant parking lots on routes 30 East and 340, many … (7 comments)
lancaster county pa: Open House "Tire Kickers"
- 06/08/08 03:00 AM
I haven't been a big proponent of open houses for a long time. It seems to me that open houses have become less and less effective as a marketing tool. However, when I did do open houses - and for a while I used to hold open houses fifty Sundays a year - I noticed a very consistent phenominon. The very first and the very last visitors were invariably not serious buyers! The very first visitor would be waiting on the doorstep before the house was even open. They would be wanting to get in before I was even set up. … (22 comments)
On October 15, 2007 I posted an article about the major expansion of the Weis Market at the Manor Shopping Center, Route 999, Lancaster, PA. Construction had just begun.
Now, finally, the supermarket is ready for a grand re-opening this weekend!
The supermarket has been expanded to 52,000 square feet from its former 46,000 square feet. There has been a major upgrading inside, too, with an exceptionately nice salad bar, and expanded meat market, seafood department and bakery. This weekend (June 7 & 8) there will be 48-hour sales, and some free giveaways. Check it out - you'll appreciate … (6 comments)
lancaster county pa: Serving as "Dutch Uncle" for First Time Home Buyers
- 06/02/08 12:54 PM
Years ago when I was a young sales engineer for an energy corporation, there was an older engineer who had a great "bedside manner" with both our corporate customers and the newer sales people. When problems arose, he would come out from the regional office to our areas, and counsel us as to the best ways to handle any situation. He would joke that he was playing "Dutch Uncle" as he listened to our problems and suggested solutions. As a young employee, I always enjoyed Bill's visits because of his vast knowledge and his understanding ways. In my career as a REALTOR, I have … (6 comments)
lancaster county pa: New Pedestrian Crossing at Lancaster General Hospital
- 06/02/08 10:33 AM
Hospital personnel will soon have an easier time crossing busy North Duke Street to get to Lancaster General Hospital. Additionally, traffic on North Duke Street will no longer have to be delayed by crossing guards.
A new pedestrian crossing is about to connect the hospital to Lancaster General's new Outpatient Services building, now under construction to the right of his photo, taken on North Duke Street facing south.
The pedestrian crossing will connect two levels of the Outpatient Services building directly to the Hospital, at left, which is itself undergoing major improvements. The emergency room and main entrance have been moved around the corner … (6 comments)
The tower emerges from behind the original art nouveau facade of the Watt & Shand building it is preserving.
The front entrance of the Convention Center is taking shape.
One of the new parking garages under construction.
From the side of the historic block, the new tower has reached the 12th floor! The yellow loader sits where Reifsnyder Pianos once stood. That building was lost in a fire. The 200-year-old building to the left will be preserved.
… (14 comments)
lancaster county pa: Lancaster County, PA Home Sales Price Update
- 05/30/08 09:28 AM
For a long time Lancaster County, PA home sales had been slowing, but with increased median prices. However, for the latest available report from the Lancaster County Association of REALTORS, the average sales price in April was $181,510, down 8.9% from the average price of $199,250 in April 2007. In addition to the weakened average price, only 388 homes sold in April, a whopping 20.9% decrease from the 490 homes settled in April 2007. On the positive side, new residential listings were actually down to 894, from 906 last April. This indicates that excess inventory is not getting worse. What does … (4 comments)
lancaster county pa: Mortgage Insurance Underwriting Change
- 05/30/08 07:38 AM
Mortgage insurance will be harder to get after June 1, 2008, now that MGIC, the Mortgage Guarantee Insurance Corporation, will stop insuring certain classes of loans. Underwriting changes mean that the following classes of applications will no longer be eligible for mortgage insurance after June 1: Reduced Documentation/No Documentation loans Investment properties Cash-out refinances 3- to 4-unit properties Loans with potential negative amortization What is the likely result of this underwriting change? Home loans for owner occupants with good credit and documented income will not be affected. Since MGIC is the most influential mortgage insurance institution, other mortgage insurance companies are likely to … (0 comments)
lancaster county pa: Bucher Elementary School Green Project
- 05/28/08 11:59 AM
Bucher Elementary School, 450 Candlewyck Rd. in Manheim Township, is planning a major renovation in order to bring the school up to a LEED Silver Rating. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a non-profit organization which developed the rating system to encourage environmentally responsible, energy efficient, healthy living and work places. LEED was created by the U.S. Green Building Council, made up of influential members of the United States building industry. Among the improvements planned for Bucher will be a white roof to reduce heat absorption into the building, which will reduce air conditioning power use. A geothermal heat pump system, similar to the one … (2 comments)
Although the park is located between Route 340 and the outlets area of Route 30, it's off Hobson Road, a country road, and it has a quiet, private atmosphere.
There's a well-equipped playground for the kids.
There are beautiful picnic groves.
A baseball diamonds sits in the middle of the spacious park.
Several well-equipped picnic pavillions are available for reservations. All have electric outlets and charcoal grills. The largest pavillion even has a gas … (4 comments)
lancaster county pa: Be Aware of "Buyers Remorse"
- 05/22/08 11:27 AM
Purchasing a home, especially for the first time, is an exciting experience - but it can be stressful, too! Buyers often worry that they will make the wrong choice of houses, or that they will pay too much, or that something will be wrong with the house that they don't yet know about. Sometimes, right after the purchase, buyers will suddenly realize the magnitude of what they have committed to - and fearful of a mistake, wish that they had never made the commitment to buy. This phenomenon is known as "Buyers Remorse". Buyers remorse can occur even when the buyers … (11 comments)
lancaster county pa: I Don't "Sell" Houses
- 05/20/08 09:47 AM
Don't misunderstand me! I come from a sales background, and I believe that honest sales is a noble, useful and necessary profession. Having said that, buying or selling a home is one of the most complex transactions that most individuals get involved with. It's not comparable to a barker selling the latest slice-and-dice kitchen tool at a fair. What we as REALTORS do, is consistently more than selling. In fact, "selling" houses sounds manipulative, and may be one of the reasons that real estate agents are regarded with some wariness by buyers, who may feel that they have to keep their guards up … (12 comments)
lancaster county pa: "How Much Will the Sellers Take?"
- 05/19/08 11:17 AM
Periodically I get this question from buyers: "How much do you think the sellers will take for this house?" It's a legitimate question, but not one that necessarily can be answered precisely by a REALTOR. The short, flip answer is: "Well, the seller has already made public that they will accept the asking price for the home!" To understand the deeper answer, you must know a little more about agency relationships. If the real estate agent is representing the seller, he or she is obligated to keep certain information confidential. The reason the seller is selling, may be one of those pieces … (6 comments)
lancaster county pa: Maurice Sendak Exhibit
- 05/15/08 10:43 AM
The Lancaster Museum of Art is currently presenting a wonderful exhibit: "Where the Wild Things Are: Maurice Sendak in His Own Words and Pictures".
The Sendak eshibit was brought to the museum through a cooperative effort of the museum and the Library System of Lancaster County, courtesy of the Maurice Sendak Archive, Rosenbach Museum and Library, Philadelphia, PA. Early manuscripts and rare early edition of Maurice Sedak's books are on display, as will as dramatic room sized posters! There is an interactive area for kids to play in, as well as a TV muaical show from the 1970s of … (4 comments)
lancaster county pa: Historic Log House Update
- 05/14/08 01:11 PM
On March 19 I wrote a blog about an eighteenth century log cabin in Lancaster, PA that had been slated for demolition, but was now to be dismantled and preserved on another site. If there is any doubt about the exposure that Active Rain blogs get, this should put it to rest. I was contacted by a man over a thousand miles away in Minnesota, who had spent the first fifteen years of his life in that very house! Not only was Steve Landis kind enough to fill in some of the details of when he and his family lived there, … (16 comments)
lancaster county pa: Caring Singles Open House a Rousing Success!
- 05/10/08 01:03 PM
On May 6, 2008, Caring Singles of Lancaster, PA celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary with an Open House, open to all single, divorced, separated and widowed members of the public.
The event was held at the Quality Inn of Lancaster, PA, 2363 Oregon Pike. Although the festivities officially were to start at 7:30 pm, by 7:05 there was already a line at the door!
Refreshments provided included coffee, sodas, sparkling grape, veggies & dip. home made cookies, brownies, and a beautiful sheet cake!
As more and more singles streamed in, it became evident that the Open House was … (8 comments)
lancaster county pa: Caring Singles To Celebrate 25th Anniversary With Open House
- 05/06/08 07:26 AM
In May of 1983, Caring Singles was formed in Lancaster, PA as a support group for single, separated, divorced and widowed persons. Tuesday, May 6, 2008 marks our 25th anniversary, and we're celebrating with an Open House to which all singles are invited! The Open House will be held at the Quality Inn, 2363 Oregon Pike, Lancaster, PA. Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 7:30 pm. There's NO CHARGE for first-time guests! If you're single, please come and join us for refreshments, and to meet new single friends! For more information about the Red Rose Singles group, call Brian Schulman at 717-951-5552. Red Rose Singles is a … (11 comments)
It's been a while since I've seen anyone do a "Six-Pack" blog of their favorite posts. Since I've posted well over 200 blogs, it's hard to pick favorites, but many of my blogs do bring back pleasant memories of the days I visited and photographed them. These six blogs were picked because they contain some of my favorite photos, taken on beautiful days...
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