Harleysville-Lansdale Real Estate and More

What’s the real estate market been doing over the last three months (not counting January, of course)? 

Well, according to the statistics compiled by Trend, the Multiple Listing Service, Montgomery County as a whole had more sales in the last quarter of 2011 than it did a year ago during the same time period. 

To be exact, there were 1,633 homes sold from October to December 2011. That’s a 7.2 percent increase. 

The supply of homes on the market decreased by 12.3 percent during the last quarter compared to the previous year, and it took on average 127 days to sell a home.  The time it took to sell increased by 11.3 percent.  

So the last quarter of 2010, homes were on the market for an average of 15 days less than 2011.  That’s not so bad.  The median sales price for all types of homes was $239,900 for all of Montgomery County while the average sales price was $283,963. 

Both of these figures are down slightly from the previous year.  Some of this decrease is due to the number of pre-foreclosure (short sale) or bank owned properties sold that influence the market since they typically sell for under market value. 

Here is the latest real estate information for the Lansdale area, which is reported by ZIP code.

For Hatfield (19440): The median sales price was $254,500 and remained unchanged from one year ago.  The average number of days a house was on the market before it sold was 97 (which was less than the county average).  During the time period of October-December, there were 21 homes sold, which is slightly down from last quarter of 2010 by 4.5 percent.

For the Lansdale area (19446): The median sales price was $235,000; down just 7.8 percent.   The average number of days a house was on the market was 130 which was an increase from the previous year by 30 days.  There were a total of 79 homes sold which is less than the previous year by 34 percent.

For the North Wales area (19454):  The median sales price was $250,000; down by 13 percent.  There were 76 homes sold in this zip code which was an increase from the previous year by 15 percent.  The average number of days it took for a home to sell was 112, again under the county average. 

If you take the average of all three areas, the days on market was 113.  With a healthy supply of homes for sale, these statistics for length of time a home is on the market are relatively good. 

~Gina

Market Report for 4th Quarter 2011 originally appeared in the Montgomeryville-Lansdale Patch.

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 of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Market Report for 4th Quarter 2011 - North Penn Area, Lansdale PA 19446, 19440, 19454 - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

1404 Oak Circle, Lansdale, PA 19446

A terrific townhouse in the Bethel Grant development in Worcester Township, Methacton School District

MLS #:  5992987

Asking Price:  $189,000

For a virtual tour of 1404 Oak Circle.

Affordable easy living in the award winning Methacton School District!

A fantastic opportunity to move into an immaculate and lovingly maintained townhouse in the Methacton School District for under $200,000!

Methacton schools and many recent upgrades place this 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home at the top of the list!

Beautifully cared for by the long-time owner, this immaculate Worcester Township home boasts new carpeting and has been freshly painted throughout.

The many other features include two elegantly remodeled baths with ceramic tile, recently updated interior doors & newer sliding doors, vinyl replacement windows, added attic insulation and newer electric panel. The roomy eat-in kitchen has solid wood cabinets, a breakfast nook, a breakfast bar, new stove, new dishwasher, and a full pantry.

Easy access from the kitchen to new rear patio with a very pleasant view of the common area.  A nicely sized living room and adjoining dining room complete the first floor.

Spacious master bedroom has updated master bath and plenty of closet space.  Two more bedrooms round out the 2nd floor, one with large walk-in closet & sliders to a small deck - not to be missed!

Full, professionally water-proofed basement with transferable warranty. The oil tank and lines have been replaced.

Great location for commuting in all directions with the added plus of the quiet community of Bethel Grant. Easy commute to Merck's West Point and North Wales facilities and Septa's R-5 regional rail connecting Doylestown to Center City Philadelphia.

Community pool, clubhouse, snow removal, trash removal, lawn maintenance, and exterior building maintenance included with association dues.

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 of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Townhouse for Sale in Methacton School District, Lansdale PA - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

COMING SOON! An exceptional Hatfield home for sale on Hawthorne Lane in Hatfield, PA 19440

Stunning professionally decorated 3 BR/ 2.5 BA colonial is a quiet neighborhood in Hatfield Township with an incredible home office ideal for a home occupation.

Large well-designed home office area with separate entrance.  Bright and cheerful.  Perfect for a home occupation as the home office area is only a few steps off the kitchen but is exceptionally designed to offer great functionality and ultra quiet privacy from the rest of the home.  The separate entrance from the front of the home to the home office allows visitors (employees, vendors, clients, customers, deliveries, etc.) access without intruding on your home and family. 

Other features include:

>>> Gorgeous kitchen completely remodeled with high end upgrades. 

>>> Large rear deck backing to open fields.

>>> Originally a four bedroom home, this home was converted to a three bedroom with a large master suite including a sitting room, large walk-in closet and a spacious master bathroom.

>>> Over 2,800 square feet of living/working space professionally decorated from throughout.

>>> Award winning North Penn School District.

>>> Easy access to schools, shopping, parks, recreation, and commuter routes such as Route 309, the PA Turnpike and Septa's R-5 commuter rail line connecting to Doylestown and Center City Philadelphia.

This Hatfield home for sale is a MUST SEE for anyone desiring a home office or home occupation!

Why waste time commuting?  Start your home occupation today!

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 of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Hatfield Home for Sale, Ideal for Home Occupation, Home Office in Hatfield Township PA - Copyright © 2012, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

There are a lot of things that affect real estate:  the overall economy, how people feel about their personal situations, interest rates, the willingness of banks to lend money, and housing prices to name a few.

The good news is right now is the most affordable houses have been in the last decade.  Consider these facts:

>  Housing prices in Montgomery County:  In January 2011, 356 homes sold for an average price of $291,870.  In November 2011 (final numbers are not out for December), 516 homes sold for an average price of $290,130.  Sales are up without a significant drop in values.

>  Interest rates: January 2011, interest rates were 4.75% – 5.25%.  In December 2011, interest rates are 4.0% – 4.25%.  (Even back in the boom years, 4% was the rate for a 5-year ARM, never a 30 year fixed.)

>  The historical impact of price vs interest rates: The average price of a home in November of 2001 was about $206,000, but interest rates were right around 7.0%. 

When our market peaked in August of 2007, the average price was just about $368,000 and interest rates were still up around 6.5%. 

Now at the end of 2011, the average price is down around $290,000 and the interest rates are about 4.0%.  

So, a monthly principal/interest payment assuming FHA minimum of 3.5% down would be:

November 2001 - $1,323

August 2007 - $2,245

November 2011 - $1,385

>  Rentals in the North Penn School District: In Q1 2011, 35 units were rented for an average rent of $1,368 per month.  In Q4 2011, 62 units were rented for an average rent of $1,513.

What does this tell us? 

Home prices and interest rates are the lowest they have been in years.  This combination has resulted in the most affordable housing prices in the last decade.  We are essentially down to a monthly payment roughly equivalent to that which was seen back in 2001.  As a result, people ARE seeing value in the housing market and purchasing homes. 

Take as another example, a buyer who purchased in January at $291,000 at a 5% 30-year fixed rate and put 20% down has a monthly mortgage payment of $1,254.  Whereas, a buyer now of that $291,000 home at 4.125% 30-year fixed and put 20% down has a monthly mortgage payment of $1,132.  That is $122 per month difference.

Investors are also out in force right now buying some great deals out there and seeing better returns on their investments as the costs to purchase are lower and the rents are higher.

What can we expect in 2012?

The Fed announced recently that it intends to keep policies in place to keep the Fed Fund Rate low and stable through mid-2013.  The only caveat is the uncertainty in the foreign markets (namely the European debt crisis) and global reactions may cause interest rates to rise.  So for the time being, consumers can expect low rates but there is a “wild card” element as to when and how fast rates may change.

Housing prices are expected to bottom out in early to mid-2012 (of course in any market, the “bottom” is always seen in the “rear view mirror” and not declared until prices have definitively rebounded). 

There are still a significant number of houses that are short sales and foreclosures.  Some area employers are rumored to make layoffs in 2012.  These factors will continue to chip away at the already low housing prices.  But the recent influx of buyers (especially investors seeing solid ROI’s) to the market will help to stabilize those prices.

There is talk of “frugal fatigue” in the overall economy and consumers who have cut costs and deferred purchases are starting to shop.  The same is likely to be seen in the housing market. 

Many sellers have deferred their moves in the last couple of years because of the market.  However, those sellers are realizing that even though they may take a loss (or not realize the “paper profit” they once had) on the home they are selling, they can make a move in the current market and get the house they really want at a better price and interest rate.  The “pain” they may experience on the selling side will be made up for on the buying side.

Plus life factors such as growing families, marriages, divorces, retirement, and job changes always dictate that a certain level of moving will occur in any market.  Some moves can only be deferred for so long; there is a pent up level of consumers who do want to make a move.

What about housing prices in the future? 

Predicting future prices is like reading tea leaves.  Our expectation is that prices will bottom out in 2012 and growth in prices will be slow to moderate and more in keeping with inflation.  Americans are still hungover from the housing bubble of 2007 and we wouldn’t expect them to go on another wild ride, just yet.

Real Estate: 2011 in Review, Predictions for 2012 originally appeared in the Montgomeryville-Lansdale Patch.

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 of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Real Estate: 2011 in Review, Predictions for 2012 - Copyright © 2011, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

Have you been curious about the commercial development in Towamencin Township, specifically near the Pennsylvania Turnpike Lansdale Interchange?

Demolition, lane changes, new road signs, and construction vehicles are at every turn in the vicinity of Sumneytown Pike and Towamencin Avenue.  

It’s hard not to notice the changes going on there.  Have you often wondered what is being planned for land surrounding this intersection and Forty Foot and Bustard Roads?  

I spoke with Joe Leis, Towamencin Township’s Director of Community Development earlier today to find out the plans.  In a nutshell, there’s more going on than meets the eye. 

>>>>>  In Phase 1 along Towamencin Avenue, known as Town Square One, an apartment building consisting of 240 apartments is being built by Philadelphia Suburban Development Corporation.  These apartments will be called the Residences at Town Square. 

Additionally, a Courtyard by Marriot, which will be a full service hotel, is being built facing Towamencin Avenue.  Also in the plans on the Marriot building site is a stand-alone restaurant of about 3000 square feet.  However, this small scale restaurant will not be built until a year after the hotel opens.

>>>>>  In Phase 2, also known as Town Square II, a two-story culinary arts school will be built at the proposed intersection of Washington Street and Forty Foot Rd.  Washington Street is a proposed new street to be located next to the current Univest Bank parking lot.  Another hotel is being proposed for the land located at Franklin Street and Bustard Road, adjacent to the existing Holiday Inn hotel.  This will be a smaller hotel, not a full-service one like the Marriot or Holiday Inn. 

There are road changes ahead too.  With the plans in place for the PA Turnpike expansion along the northeast extension, a northbound only exit will be created.  So if you are traveling northbound on the turnpike approaching the Lansdale exit, you will be able to exit without crossing over Sumneytown Pike, with E-Z pass only device, onto a lane that will blend into a right turn onto Sumneytown Pike. The new exit ramp will be along side the Exxon Station this is currently on site. 

Another new link in the roadways will be access from Old Forty Foot Road onto a southbound entrance to the PA turnpike. 

The PA Turnpike/309 Connector project is also well underway.  This will directly connect the Lansdale exit of the PA turnpike to Route 309 easing traffic on secondary township roads.

I don’t know how you feel about all the development and improvement, but I’m excited to see fresh buildings and better traffic patterns.  As a long-time resident of Towamencin, I think the road improvements will have the greatest initial positive impact, followed by attracting new businesses to the area. 

This type of commercial construction, improved accessibility, and infrastructure will bring more jobs and more revenue to our area which will only help the residential housing market in Lansdale and Harleysville.

~Gina

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 of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Towamencin Township Construction - Update on Commercial Construction Around the PA Turnpike - Copyright © 2011, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

Congratulations to the North Penn Knights Football team from Lansdale PA for making it all the way to the PIAA State Championship game to be held this Saturday in Hershey, PA.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

PIAA State Championship AAAA Football Game

North Penn vs Central Dauphin

Hershey Park Stadium – 6:00 p.m.

Admission $8

Go Knights!

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 of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

North Penn Knights Football Go for the State Championship - Copyright © 2011, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

North Penn School District in Lansdale PA is extremely fortunate to have the North Penn International Friendship Committee (IFC).  The IFC is a group of citizens from the community that independently raise money to fund a student exchange program at North Penn High School. 

Their goal is to promote international understanding and goodwill among the people of the world through participation in non-profit exchange programs at North Penn High School.

"The North Penn International Friendship Committee is an official US government approved exchange student sponsor. We are designated by the United States Department of State as the official organization for the Exchange Visitor Program for the North Penn School District."

Every year the IFC awards scholarships to North Penn students to spend a year abroad at host schools that have "sistered" with North Penn.  North Penn has sister schools in Toulouse, France, Salzgitter, Germany, Aalen, Germany, and most recently Madrid, Spain.  In turn, the IFC brings a student from each of these schools to North Penn for the year - a true one-for-one exchange. 

The IFC covers all the expenses of the North Penn students participating in the exchange program including airfare, the cost of school sponsored field trips, and even spending money.  The IFC is positively meticulous about every detail of the exchange program and the selection of the students and the host families to ensure the students have an exceptional and safe experience.

Additionally, the IFC will use funds they have raised to help sponsor other North Penn students to participate in exchange programs through national organizations such as the AFS (American Field Services), YFU (Youth for Understanding), and IFE (International Friendship Exchange). 

Their goal is to get as many students abroad as they possibly can.

Funds are raised through two craft fairs held at North Penn High School - one in the fall just before Thanksgiving and another one in the spring.  These craft fairs are HUGE undertakings with over 100 vendors per fair (carefully selected by the IFC to ensure a high quality shopping experience for the community). 

We can speak from personal experience with the IFC.  Our daughter Caroline is currently spending her junior year of high school at the sister school in Toulouse, France.  She left at the end of August and won't be home until June.  Her experience has been unbelievably positive and life-changing. 

Caroline is living with a wonderful family in an apartment in downtown Toulouse; the family has really taken her in as "one of their own."  Caroline has made wonderful friends at school and has an adviser Valerie who takes her out to lunch once a week to check in and makes sure all her needs are met.  Valerie then reports directly back to the IFC. 

Caroline is participating in a Middle Eastern orchestra and joined a rowing club for extracurricular activities. 

Caroline's host family has already taken her on vacation to Istanbul and Biarritz and plans to take her to Paris, Lyon, and St. Etienne over Christmas and skiing in the Alps in February.  The school (and her adviser Valerie) has planned trips to Madrid, Paris and Ireland for Caroline.  She is practically fluent in French already and loving every aspect of the exchange program.

How could we or any parent offer their child this type of experience? 

What the IFC has given Caroline is truly a gift that will change and shape the rest of her life.

The IFC has tirelessly been sponsoring this program for 49 years.  They are passionate about what they do and how they serve the North Penn community.  Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the IFC!

Here are photos from the recent Holiday Craft Fair (one of two events that makes all this possible):

Here are links to a blog Caroline has been keeping about her experience:

A North Penn Student Moves to France

The Life of the Student in France

Saturday Nights, Sunday Mornings in Toulouse

The Culinary World of France

Free Time - Keeping Busy

Holiday in Istanbul, Turkey

Thanksgiving in France

  ~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 of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

An Attitude of Gratitude - The International Friendship Committee - Copyright © 2011, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

To see more photos of the parade, go to the Scott Loper Team Business Page on Facebook.

Or to 'LIKE' the Scott Loper Team.

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 of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Photos of Lansdale's 61st Annual Mardi Gras Parade 2011, Lansdale PA - Copyright © 2011, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

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 of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

The Beauty of Old Barns and Scenes in Lower Salford Township, Harleysville PA - Copyright © 2011, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.

The Perkiomen Trail spans a 19 mile corridor from Green Lane Park in northern Montgomery County PA to Valley Forge National Historic Park.  From there, you can pick up the Schuylkill River Trail which goes all the way to the Philadelphia Art Museum.

It is a wonderful multi-use trail adjacent to the Perkiomen Creek and is intended for year round recreational activities.

One of our favorites, Scott and I could run or bike for miles on this trail and never tire of the scenery.  These photos were taken today around the Spring Mountain Trail Head.

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 of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Fall Photos at the Perkiomen Trail, Spring Mount, PA - Copyright © 2011, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.