Note: This is a reprint of a post originally published by Karen Rice, REALTOR on the Pike Wayne County PA Real Estate blog.

Wintering at Wallenpaupack!

Brrrrr! The air coming off Lake Wallenpaupack the other day felt as if it were coming directly from Antarctica! Even with no breeze to speak of, it was mighty cold! When I reluctantly crawled out of my warm nest of fleece and multiple quilts, the temperature outside was 3.4 degrees. The nip in the air INSIDE of my house hurt my nose!

I should not complain, for with the exception of our crazy October blizzard, we have had a pretty mild season so far.  The children and I have also been longing for some more snow (the Mr. of the house, however, has enjoyed the lack of white fluff.) This is a great disappointment to the snow bunnies as well; but the good news for them is that Ski Big Bear at Masthope is in operation! (Update: Since I drafted this post, we got about 5 - 6 inches of powdery snow to make everything look perty!)

While real estate showings during the winter may not be as numerous as in the warmer months, I do still show (and sell) homes all winter long.  Here are some things to keep in mind when searching for homes in Northeast PA while in the grip of Old Man Winter.

• DRESS WARMLY!  This may seem like a "duh" or a statement from Captain Obvious, but it is NO JOKE that our air here can be quite a bit colder than it is where the buyers are from!  Be sure to bring a hat, a scarf, and warm gloves.  Many of the homes we see will be "winterized" and therefore will NOT have the heat on and, on a side note... the bathrooms will be inoperable.  
   
• WEAR WINTER FOOTWEAR!  Right now we do not have much snow and no ice to speak of.  That is NOT the norm.  Please wear water resistant boots with GOOD TRACTION.  Some of the homes we visit may not have plowed driveways or walkways.  I usually have a shovel with me and some rock salt, but remember - even though the Poconos ain't exactly the Rockies (well, not even close), you are still coming to "the mountains."  Landscaping is "natural" and "rough."  :)
   
• PACK A LUNCH!  Depending on where we are, there may not be a convenient spot to grab a bite to eat. I usually bring my own lunch with me and nibble while driving in between houses.  (Besides, McDonald's is really bad for you!)  That said, I can get you a 10% discount for a delicious sit-down meal at Ehrhardt's Waterfront Restaurant on Lake Wallenpaupack!  
   
• BEWARE OF TOO MANY BEVERAGES! Remember my side note above - many of the homes are winterized and will not have operable bathrooms. Additionally, we may not be near a public restroom.
  That said, it might be a good idea to bring a thermos of hot coffee to warm you up between homes.
   
• FILL YOUR TANK.   Depending on the properties chosen, we may cover 200 miles or so in a day!  While this isn't a barren wasteland by any stretch of the imagination, certain areas do not have service stations right around the corner.  So make sure you have a full tank before we start out...we may be 15-20 minutes or so away from the nearest gas station!