How to Find Your New Home

It's easy, right? You have a friend who has a sibling who is a Realtor. You call them and they say they'd be glad to help you find a home. You start getting automatic computer-generated emails everyday with lists of homes for sale.

This is all fine, but is it working for you? Ask your Realtor what their schedule is for helping Buyers find homes. This isn't a rude question --- you are counting on them to help you.

If I have an agreement with someone to help them find a home, I have their daily home search scheduled in my planner. It involves more than looking at the local Multi-List each morning.

Don't give up on your Realtor if they stumble at first. They may not understand your level of interest in purchasing a home. Make sure they understand if you are serious, or if you are just preparing for something a few months down the road. It's the fair thing to do.

You found the home before your Realtor did? Not unheard of in today's world. Your Realtor is still a valuable resource for you. Determining fair market value, negotiating, expert advice & more.

By the way, it really is a great time to buy. While people are not giving away their homes (who would?) --- your competition is minimal in the Central Pennsylvania wintertime.

Give me a call (717-215-0243), and we can discuss putting you on my schedule :-)

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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