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

Trails and Parks: Do They "Upgrade" Your Home?

I have a vested interest in the community where I work and live . When hearing about plans for a park or trail, I listen. Not only do I use them, I have seen the positive impact public outdoor space can have in local communities. Honest. Work experience influences how I think parks and walking trails affect a community. A deeper dive into the historical data complements my opinion. Being in the real estate business, I'm often (almost always) thinking about home values . There are many items that affect market value. Negatives may include: Deferred or neglected maintenance Shoddy workmanship Outdated kitchens and bathrooms Crime rate Proven positives: Smart home improvements Updated kitchens and bathrooms Professional landscaping Parks and trails Speaking of crime , the National Association of Realtors reports: " ....recent studies have confirmed living near trails and greenways will likely raise your property value an average of 3-5% and sometimes even as high as 15%. There

When Is The Market Going To Change?

I get asked the "when is the market going to change" question about twice a day. In fact, I think I've been asked that almost every day since I got into this business about 20 years ago. While I help people all over the globe, I'm hands-on in the area within about 90 minutes of Harrisburg. The thing with this location is that people * like living here *. Looking over my past client list - I am seeing some trends that (in my opinion) prove just how well-liked the 717 area code is. A number of my clients grew up in Pennsylvania. Then - they moved away, only to return. Their reasons are many but popular answers are the cost of living, community, and employment. This is a big reason we have a low inventory of homes. People want to live here. Do I think there is going to be a shift? Yep! But nothing so drastic as seeing whole neighborhoods for sale like we saw in other parts of the country a few years ago. The reality is that the sellers I represent are able to take ad

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