Live in the City, Preserve the Wilderness

One of my goals is to help get some prime Real Estate *off the market*, out of the hands of developers, and into a nature conservancy status.

I know what you're thinking.

I make a living getting people into homes and selling them when they want to move. Sometimes it's in a city where you can walk to everything (smart move!).

I find myself in the suburbs much of the time. It's where I grew up for most of my childhood.

Then there are the farms. The wooded lots on the creek. The chalets on top of the mountain. Those are fun too -- and I have some great stories about many crazy homes!

But to be honest --- nature is what keeps me going. It's not as easy to absorb myself in the natural world as it used to be. I blame smart phones --- but it's my own fault.

So when I heard about 353 acres just outside of Harrisburg that The Nature Conservancy purchased I was ecstatic. Honest.

I hope people use it. Lightly, please.

Bring your kids. Don't forget your Peterson Field Guide to the Birds. You'll need it, because the birds are there. And the trees. I suspect some of this has been logged over the years, and it will be interesting to see how much old growth forest remains on Cove Mountain.

The trails will stretch for 10 miles or more. There are views of the Rockville Bridge. My goal is to find the endangered Allegheny Woodrat. The what? Yeah, I never heard of it either!

I'll see you there in the fall.

More information on the Cove Mountain Preserve on ABC TV 27 News here.

The Reluctant Real Estate Recruiter: Me?

The phone rings and it is the daughter of a friend. Or maybe an old highschool acquaintance. Neighbor. Past client. They are interested in doing what I do. Full of energy. Almost all of them tell me they watch most of the HGTV house buying/selling/flipping/designing shows. They love looking at houses. I have to pause and remember what I promised myself a few years ago. When I first got into this business it wasn't long until my old brokerage asked me to mentor new real estate agents. The same demeanor that helps me form successful working relationships with clients today led to a thought that I would be a great ambassador for new Realtors 20+ years ago. Think again. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced that in 2023 they lost over 26,000* members. How does that happen? While there are some other factors (ie, selling real estate without being under the NAR umbrella, retirement, etc .. ) a reasonable assumption is an overwhelming majority of Realtors left the business...

Let's Go For A Walk: Meet the Wurbles

When's the last time you opened your front door and walked down the street for a cup of joe or to hit the gym? A number of people, especially those in the "717", can't do that. We live in the suburbs. The country. We drive to work, shop, and play. Some stats and news reports the last two years would have you believe that everyone is moving to the sticks. The truth is, I've never had so many people tell me they want to live in a community where they can walk or bike for shopping, exercise, work, school, etc ... Some things to consider if you find it appealing to be using your car less. This goes for both buying a home or renting. - Flirt with living in town . A novel idea! Take your pick, almost all of them have housing options that allow you to do a number of things on foot or two wheels. If sustainability is important to you, this is a homerun - Live near public transportation . The "717" doesn't have a subway, but options include the CAT bus, ...

92 Months

It has been 92+ months in a row that the median price of homes in the 717 area code have increased. The difference in median sales price from just one year ago is +8%. On the flipside, buyers in the 717 area do have *more* choices than they did last year. There are more homes available. Prices going up, but more homes available. This is not the same in other areas in the Mid-Atlantic region. What does all this mean? I started helping people buy and sell real estate over 20 years ago. There have been highs and lows for buyers and sellers - but generally speaking they haven't been as high or low in Central Pennsylvania as they are in many other parts of the country and even within our own state. Make a move when you want to, not when the talking heads on the TV tell you it is time. *statistics courtesy of BrightMLS report Nov 13, 2023

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