Harleysville-Lansdale Real Estate and More: April 2010

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Wordless Wednesday - The Big League - Every Boy's Dream Copyright © 2010, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

Following our blog last week on the Revitalization of Lansdale, the North Penn Community website has updated the themes for all the First Fridays until the end of 2010.  Mark your calendars now.

First Fridays Monthly Themes

Friday, May 7th-Green First Friday

Idea-Promote recycling in the community

Business Currently involved:  Horizon Waste, Ritcher Drafting, & Gonzo cell phone

Friday, June 4th-Live United-United Way

Idea-Promote community volunteering programs, promote the Disney Give a Day Get a Day First Friday

Suggested businesses-Disney store, Crayola Factory, Kinder Music

Other ideas-YMCA will provide Winnie Pooh & Tigger, and have Kinder Music sing some Disney songs.

Friday, July 2-Back in Time First Friday

Idea-Promote the 40s and 50s era as well as the History on Lansdale

Businesses-Historical Society

Other Ideas-Bring back the YMCA Amazing race community scavenger hunt

Friday, August 6th-Back to School First Friday

Idea-Promote fun activities around "Back to School"

Organizations: North Penn School District, Lansdale Catholic, and Christopher Dock

Other Ideas:  Little People Shop Fashion Show, Principal Challenge-Unique events

Friday, September 3rd-International First Friday

Idea-promote cultural diversity during the event. 

Organizations: Connect with Dr. Jeyaraj about getting involved

Businesses-Molly Maguire's-St. Patty's Day in September

Friday, October 1st-Autumn First Friday

Idea-Promoting fall ideas.  Have a scarecrow contest that has all of the businesses dress up a

scarecrow and then decorate their windows for Autumn.

Organizations: Manna on Main Street-First Friday Food Drive

Friday, November 5th-Family Fit First Friday

Idea- Promote healthy living, eating right, exercising regularly, de-stressing

Organizations: Abington Hospital, Weight Watchers, Visiting Nurses Association, YMCA

Other Ideas: Promote Green Street Luxuries, Massages, and De-stressing activities.

Friday, December 3rd-Holiday First Friday

Idea-in connection with the tree lighting ceremony, create human luminaries and line the entire main street of Lansdale with people and provide each person with a candle

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Calendar Update on Lansdale Revitalization - First Fridays - Lansdale, PA Copyright © 2010, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

Adopted in 1992, Energy Star is an EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) program to rate the energy efficiency of consumer products such as appliances, electronics, lighting, and building materials.  The ratings are designed to help consumers navigate their choices in the marketplace and motivate them to purchase highly efficient products to help conserve energy, save money and protect the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  Any product with an Energy Star rating is supposed to be 10-25% more efficient than government standards for similar products.

However, according to a March 2010 report by ABC News, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) set up several "fake" companies and applied for the Energy Star rating for several fictitious consumer products.  The investigation revealed that it is quite easy to obtain the rating because there is little to no verification of the manufacturers' claims of energy efficiency.  Several products that were granted the Energy Star rating during this investigation were not only bogus but bordering on ridiculous (such as an "air purifier" which was basically a space heater with a feather duster attached to it). 

"It is a self-certification process," an official from the GAO told ABC News.

What are consumers to do?  In reaction to the investigation by the GAO, the EPA and Department of Energy have promised to develop independent testing and thorough review before awarding the coveted Energy Star rating on consumer products.  Until reforms are in place to confirm a manufacturers' claims of energy efficiency, consumers will have to be wary of the posted claims.  The Nature Conservancy doesn't advocate buying just any old appliance.  It is a general opinion that an Energy Star rating is better than no rating until better verification methods are developed.

Stick with more trusted manufacturers and technologies that are known to be better (such as front loading washing machines versus top loading washers and compact fluorescent bulbs versus incandescent light bulbs).  Consider pricing of an appliance too.  Unfortunately, energy efficiency usually comes at a cost.  If a product is priced low and claims outstanding efficiency, beware, it is probably too good to be true.

~Lisa

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Energy Star Ratings - Can You Trust Them? Copyright © 2010, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

My daughter and I are taking Spanish classes together.  Why?  Many reasons. 

• We have a growing population of Spanish speaking people in our area and we would love to have them as clients.  Dave Liniger suggested such a wild idea at a Re/Max seminar Scott and I attended earlier this year. 
• My daughter is also studying French in school and cannot fit Spanish into her curriculum.  But she really wants to learn Spanish.  So we thought it would be fun and beneficial to take it together.
• We love to travel and love to learn. 
• We have a great interest in other cultures (especially their food).
• We hate that language barriers exist.
• And although we believe that immigrants to the US should learn English (Scott's mom was a right off the boat German immigrant at age 14 and had to adapt quickly to the English language), we are open to learning other languages too.

Can I just say....  Learning a new language is INCREDIBLY difficult.  Take for example:

Yo estoy casada - it means, "I am married."

Yo estoy cansada - it means, "I am tired."

One little N changes everything!  You go from being married to tired.

But then if you say,

Yo estoy casado - it means "I am married," but also I am a male.

So one little O for an A changes my gender from female to male!

Richard Strahm wrote a blog the other day called, "I am not a bigot, but."  In it, he talked about how some Realtors may not want to work with clients who have heavy accents or don't speak English well.  Richard has done very well for himself taking care of these types of clients.  He has gained their trust and loyalty, and as a result, they have referred him much more business.

So to reiterate from Richard's blog and my personal experience trying to learn a new language as an adult, have patience with those who don't speak English well.  They may be working on it.  I know for me, it will be a long long time if ever before I am fluent in Spanish.  I may have to move to Mexico to do it!

I do know how to say, Mi gato esta perdido (My cat is lost).  I don't know how handy that phrase will be but you never know....  The trick with becoming fluent is you need to know how to say EVERYTHING!

Buena suerte!  ~Lisa

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Casada y Cansada - Married & Tired - Learning a New Language Copyright © 2010, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

The Lopers love to fish!   Fishing is a life-long passion for Scott which he is passing on to our kids.  Scott grew up on Clarks Pond in Bridgeton, NJ.  Everyday he would come home from school, drop his backpack and head out on the pond with his fishing rod in hand.  He still loves to fish and has caught everything from a 2oz Sunny to a 110# Striped Marlin (still hoping for the 800# Marlin). 

Scott took 2nd place in a striped bass tournament in Martha's Vineyard with a 36# striped bass.  When our daughter was only 8 years old, she won the $80 prize catching the most flounder on a party boat (the adults onboard were amazed).  Many of our vacations have revolved around fishing - Outer Banks, NC, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and the British Virgin Islands - all for the love of fishing. 

Fishing is a great family pastime.  Whether in a boat or on the shore, it takes you to beautiful, peaceful locations with plenty of times to sit, talk and bond. 

There is always something wonderous to see (other wildlife, the scenery, sunrises/sunsets).  Then there is the thrill and skill of the catch and if you're lucky, food for a bountiful meal.  The kids soak in every aspect of the sport.  Once or twice a year, our son "skips" school to spend the day surf fishing at Island Beach State Park with his father.

If you live in Southeastern PA and want to expose your kids or grandkids to the sport of fishing, there is a place that we recommend taking them, Moyer's Lake in Coopersburg, PA.  It is a private fishing area, so no licenses are required (good for those who just want to give it a try). 

There is a charge but you can fish for as long as you like:

Under 8 - free

8-12 - $3

Over 12 - $4.25

Moyer's Lake in Coopersburg, PA has two lakes.  One is catch and release and is full of sunnies, bluegills, bass, carp, even some trout.  The other lake is stocked with rainbow trout and "no release."  So you keep the trout that you catch (it costs $3 per trout and an additional 25 cents to have them cleaned).  Take them home for dinner; kids who don't like fish will like it when it is this fresh!

We have taken our kids to Moyer's Lake and start at the trout pond.  Once we have enough trout for dinner, we move to the other pond for catch and release.  It is so easy to catch fish at Moyer's Lake that Scott calls it, "...like shooting fish in a barrel."  But that is exactly why it is a great place to take kids to expose them to fishing.  They are almost guaranteed to catch something at Moyer's Lake in Coopersburg, PA! 

Who knows?  Maybe you will spark a passion in them.

~Lisa

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Gone Fishin' in Coopersburg, PA - Moyer's Lake Copyright © 2010, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

The North Penn Community Network, Lansdale Center for the Performing Arts, and Lansdale Business Association have all been working together to bring the community together and promote the businesses on and around Main Street of Lansdale.

April 2, 2010 was the first of the First Fridays and it was a great success!  There were 11 performance sites and more than 85 businesses that came together for a fun and high energy evening.  The schedule and themes for the next couple First Fridays are as follows:

Friday, May 7th-Green First Friday

Idea-Promote recycling in the community

Business Currently involved:  Horizon Waste, Ritcher Drafting, & Gonzo Cell Phone

Music entertainment: The Dirk Quinn Band, Morgan Ashley, and the Cellar Brothers Band

Friday, June 4th-Live United-United Way First Friday

Idea-Promote community volunteering programs and the Disney Give a Day, Get a Day

Suggested businesses:  Disney store, Crayola Factory, Kinder Music

*YMCA will provide Winnie Pooh & Tigger characters to meet and Kinder Music will have Disney sing-a-longs.

Click here for a Calendar Update for the remainder of 2010.

FARMERS MARKET STARTS UP JUNE 12TH
The Lansdale Farmers Market begins its 2010 Season on June 12th, 2010 from 9:00AM to 1:00PM and runs each Saturday.

NEW LOCATION: Railroad Avenue between Main and Broad streets.

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Lansdale Revitalization - First Fridays in Lansdale, PA Copyright © 2010, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

Our kids are home from school today.  It is Day 2 of a teachers' strike in the North Penn School District.  We live and work in this school district; we pay the property taxes and reap the benefits of an excellent public school system with a child in high school and another in middle school.

We have always liked, respected and admired our kids' teachers.  They are a wonderful, energetic group of professionals that helped our children thrive in school.  They deserve good pay and the support of the community.  Well almost all are good... there are a handful of teachers that I personally would like to see get thrown out of the district - but we can't get rid of them, they are tenured.

The threat of a strike was looming at the beginning of the school year but the teachers agreed to work without a contract in place.  Then the teachers' union and the school board agreed to non-binding arbitration which took several months.  So now it is late April and the 3 person arbitration panel unanimously agreed on a proposal.  The teachers' union agreed to the proposal.  Yeah!  Go Teachers!

However, the school board unanimously rejected the arbitration proposal.  The school board says it will cause a 24% increase in school taxes for the residents of the district.  Like most self-employed people we know, we took a pay "cut" in 2009 compared to previous years and have had to tighten our budgets.  For us personally, the estimated cost of this contract would be an extra $100 per month in school taxes.  Ouch!  Go School Board!

There is a lot of anger and frustration over this deadlock between the union and the school board.  Many are furious at the teachers and many are furious at the school board.  Let's be clear, no one is happy about the strike.  We had been in the midst of PSSA (PA state mandated testing), seniors will be taking their Advanced Placement tests in a few weeks and are losing valuable class time, spring sports and spring formals are all on hold or up in the air.  The school year will go until the end of June.  Graduation however is still on schedule, for now.

This is a tough one.  As Realtors, we see a lot of hardship out there, people who have lost their jobs, worried about losing their jobs, struggling with their mortgages, facing foreclosure in a real estate market that no one would characterize as robust.  Higher end homes with high enough property taxes are already in quicksand. 

BUT, compensation is what attracts and keeps great teachers, and great teachers make great schools.  And great schools attract professional working families.  Right?  But someone has to pay for all this greatness.

A few years back, a neighboring school district had a strike over the same issues - pay increases, benefits, pension plans....  AND they built a new high school (cha-ching!).  That district now has property taxes that are substantially higher than ours.  They always had a terrific reputation but the rise in taxes has not been matched by an equal rise in reputation.  So now, we see buyers steering away from that district because of the high property taxes.  It is not considered "better" than the other neighboring districts with lower property taxes.

There are so many top notch school districts in the Philadelphia suburbs (several districts are among the best in Pennsylvania and among the highest paid teachers), why would a buyer pick the one whose reputation does not match the taxes? 

We hope and pray the strike ends soon and the good teachers will be happy with the outcome and stay with North Penn.  But as we worry about our property taxes, we also worry about North Penn's reputation.  Will North Penn's reputation change for the better or worse? 

 ~Lisa

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Teacher Strikes, Property Taxes and Arbitration - Oh My!  Copyright © 2010, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

We put an offer in for a buyer yesterday; the seller has asked that we reduce the inspection period from 10 days to 7 days.  Why?  If the deal falls through, he wants time to sell his house again before April 30th.  Hmmm...... Guess you can't blame a seller for hedging his bets.

We seem to have encountered a strange twist now that we are late in April, sellers are taking advantage of the tax credit deadline and holding "firm" on price and home inspection issues.  They seem to think that buyers will pay a little more these days and overlook obvious material defects in a home because they are getting desperate to get under contract by April 30th. 

We get that sellers have been beat up by the market downturn of the last two years, and they now can negotiate from some position of power.  But it seems to us that some sellers are flexing their muscles a little too hard to the point of foolishness.

Would you pay $10,000 more than the comps support to get $8,000 or $6,500 back from the government? 

Would you accept a home that needs $10,000 in repairs to get $8,000 or $6,500 back from the government?

Do sellers understand there are thousands of homes on the market?

Whose tax credit is it anyway?

The old adage, "A bird in hand is worth two in the bush" seems like worthy advice to sellers these days. 

Sellers seem to think with certainty that a better buyer will come along before the end of the month.  That is only 12 days away!  We believe that come May, when the tax credit is no longer available, most if not all of the sellers currently playing "chicken" with the market will end up on the losing end.  Buyers who have not purchased yet may also do better in May. 

Time will tell!

~Lisa

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

With the Tax Credit Deadline Looming - A Game of Chicken is Erupting, Copyright © 2010, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

Conventional wisdom says to buy the worst house on the best street.  Let's ponder that philosophy for a moment...

In theory, it sounds like a good plan.  Move into the least expensive home in a really high end neighborhood and allow your neighbors to "pull up" the value of your home.  However, in this little corner of Pennsylvania, the worst or smallest home on the street is having issues even selling in today's market.

In reality, buying the worst home on the best street may not necessarily work out that well.  Your best bet is to move into a nice home in a nice neighborhood and live comfortably within or below your means. 

The "worst" house that you buy at a discount will have to be eventually sold at a similar discount unless you put in the time and expense to bring it on par with the neighboring homes.  And the more expensive the neighborhood, the more cost involved to bring your house up to standard. 

Resale aside, there is another factor that needs to be seriously considered.  Living in an expensive neighborhood can lead to an expensive lifestyle.  Many homeowners cannot help but get drawn into the competition of "keeping up with the Joneses."  If your neighbors have lawn services, custom decorators, cleaning ladies, new cars, and in-ground pools, you may feel pressure to spend beyond your means to fit in and save face with them.

Socially, your children will want what their friends have.  If the neighbors' kids go to an expensive private school, you may be inclined to send your children also.  As their neighborhood friends get new clothes, new toys, all the latest technology gadgets, expensive vacations, and deluxe birthday parties, you will feel pressure to do the same for your children.

In his new book Stop Acting Rich, Dr. Thomas Stanley (author of The Millionaire Mind and The Millionaire Next Door) studies the wealth accumulated by families compared to the value of the homes they live in.  Interestingly, as the value of the home goes up, so does the percentage of people who are living beyond their means and accumulating virtually no wealth.  They are spending too much money on material possessions and luxuries they really cannot afford.

There is nothing wrong with striving to own a beautiful home.  It is a good thing to move to a safer neighborhood or a better school district.  It is also okay to get a bigger home for your growing family, a yard for the dog, a patio for entertaining.  Home is the all-important place where the family's heart is, traditions are made, and memories are cherished. 

You should always love your home and take pride in it.  But temper your desire to impress your friends and move to a home that will provide long-term stability and roots for your family.  Buying into a neighborhood you really cannot afford may only take you to the poor house.

~Lisa

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Should You Buy The Worst Home On The Best Street??? Copyright © 2010, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

We don't know the exact statistics, but it would seem that most Realtors will place open house directionals on people's lawn's without asking.  It is a God-given right in a free market society, isn't it?

And what's the harm?   

•  
  • • The signs will only be there a couple hours to a couple days. 
    • The signs won't harm the lawn. 
    • I need these signs to direct traffic to my open house. 
    • Everybody does it.

And then the rationalization...

• I don't have time, my open house starts in five minutes. 
• I wouldn't want a stranger knocking on my door on a Sunday morning. 
• It would be better to quietly and discreetly place the signs where I need them. 
• The homeowner doesn't want to be bothered.  
• Maybe the homeowners won't even notice. 
• Homeowners have come to expect it. 
• Everybody does it.

Well Scott and I have tried and succeeded on the less traveled path - a path that would make Brian Buffini proud.  We put together several small "gifts" with very corny tags and our business card (such as a chip clip, "For easy closings, call the Scott Loper Team" or a seasonal offering such as a gourd in the fall, "You'd be out of your gourd not to list with Scott Loper" or a potted herb in spring or summer, "In a pinch, call Scott Loper."  You get the idea. 

We then knock on every door where we want to place a sign and ask permission to do so - it may be the day before or the day of - it depends on our schedule and township codes as to how early we can place the directionals.  We allow enough time to engage the owner in conversation about their neighbor's listing, the market or the weather (whatever they want to talk about - you would be surprised how often they seem interested in talking).  We give our gift as a small token of thanks, shake hands and leave.  If it is a very positive encounter or we find they too have intentions of moving soon, we add them to our mailing list.

We don't think the gifts are always necessary, it is more important just to ask for the permission.  But we use the gifts to make it more fun and somehow, it feels more comfortable for us when we are standing in a stranger's doorway, needing a favor to have something to offer as thanks.

And the reaction?  ALWAYS POSITIVE - and are you ready for this?  Most homeowners have said, "Sure, of course."  But we have occasionally gotten, "Your the first person to ever ask, but I really would prefer you not.  I hate it when people put signs there."  Or a, "I am glad you asked but we are having a party today and don't want a sign on the lawn."  And of course, we respect their request and they seem appreciative.  We'll leave them with the gift anyway, a smile and a breezy, "Well, call us when you are ready to move!"

The most memorable response, imagine a larger man with a booming voice almost yelling, "I've lived here for 15 years and every stinking Sunday someone sticks a sign on that corner of my property and no one has EVER asked permission until YOU.  Give me your card, when I need a Realtor, I am going with you!" 

If the homeowner is not home?  We leave the gift with a handwritten note stating our intentions to leave the directional from X time/date to X time/date with a phone number to call us if not acceptable.  Sometimes we'll get a call thanking us and "Yeah, it's fine."

This past Sunday (April 11th), I did an open house in a beautiful neighborhood.  My last stop to place an open house directional was two doors away from our listing.  I had just talked with the homeowners (they were outside tending to their pool and their flowers - so it was an easy stop).  Another agent who was also doing an open house on the same street (we coordinated ahead of time to maximize traffic/advertising) zips up in his car, hops out and puts his directional down.  I say to him, "Oh, I just talked with the homeowners, they are okay with these signs."  He gives me a queer look and says, "Who cares?  They don't own the first 10 feet of their property anyway.  That's common use."  Jumps in his car and zips away.  The homeowners and I exchange puzzled looks, they smile and wave as I drive off to my listing.

Bottom line: We don't like doing open houses.  We prefer to spend Sunday afternoons with our kids.  But if we are going to do them, we want to get the most we can out of them.  With a little planning, you might pick up a few sellers or advocates of your business - not just the buyers coming through the open house.

~Lisa

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Open House Etiquette - Win More Than New Buyers, Copyright © 2010, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.