• Clear all leaves from gutters and downspouts, and make sure everything drains several feet from your house.  This will prevent in water damage to your foundation and basement.  If you don’t have the proper equipment, hire a professional.

• Have your air conditioning system and furnace inspected and tuned-up.  This will ensure everything is working properly, and prevent the units from unnecessary wear and tear, leading to an unexpected need for a replacement.

• Have your roof professionally sealed.  Professional sealers will be able to catch any possible problems before they lead to water damage.

• Take a look at your home’s exterior.  Patch cement cracks in sidewalks and consider resurfacing your driveway’s asphalt.  If your home has a fence, take a weekend to repair any problems, or give it a fresh coat of paint.  This will improve curb appeal as well.

If you are interested in selling your home, please contact your Prudential Fox & Roach agent, or visit the website at www.prufoxroach.com.

Philadelphia County

Median price of homes sold: $125,000

LOVE Park

This famous park and its iconic “LOVE” sign is great for photos this Valentine’s Day.  This is just one stop on a romantic walk around the city.  While you’re there, join the “Love Letter” tour of over 50 of the city’s murals with a Mural Arts Program tour guide.  Ticket information can be found here.

Valentine’s Cocktails

The Wine School of Philadelphia will showcase cocktails from the 1920’s on Valentine’s Day.  Classes will explain proper pouring techniques and crafting from the era.  For more information about tickets, visit the website, here.

Montgomery County

Median price of homes sold: $234,950

Conshohocken Cupid’s Crawl

This Friday, board a complimentary bus at Spamp’s Restaurant at 8:00 pm to enjoy drink specials and prizes at each stop along the way.  The ride ends at Gypsy Saloon at midnight.  Sales from Cupid’s Crawl t-shirts benefit Cradles to Crayons.

Feel the Love 5K in Bryn Mawr

Join the 6^th annual Feel the Love race, where scoring for the race will consist of a couple’s combined final times.  Couples run in different directions, but will pass their partners several times during the race. For more information, visit the website here.

Camden County

Median price of homes sold: $160,000

Valentine’s Speed Dating Party

Meet your Valentine at eight or more one on one mini-dates, sponsored by the Professional and Business Singles Network.  For more information, visit the event website, here.

Philadelphia County

Median Price of Homes Sold: $125,000*

McGillin’s Olde Ale House

1310 Drury Street, Philadelphia

Open since 1860, it is one of Philadelphia’s most well-known bars for drink specials and sports.

Iconic Philadelphia sports bar Chickies & Pete’s Crab House and Sports Bar is equipped with many TVs to watch the game.  Best known for their famous crab fries, any rowdy sports fan is bound to end up here at some point. This year they are offering a Super Bowl all you can eat special.

Percy Street Barbecue is offering 20% off take-out and catering on Super Bowl Sunday for those of you hosting your own party.

Camden County

Median Price of Homes Sold: $160,000*

Primo’s Hoagies

For those of you hosting Super Bowl parties at home, place an order for a Primo’s Hoagies tray. Primo’s has locations all around the region, including Cherry Hill, NJ.

Montgomery County

Median Price of Homes Sold: $234,950*

The Fireside Bar & Grille is rated by Comcast SportsNet and Philadelphia Magazine as one of the best bars to watch a game.  With 17 flat screen TVs, you will be sure to be able to watch the game.

Chester County

Median Price of Homes Sold: $282,056*

Exton Beverage has the largest selection of imported, craft-brewed and domestic beers in the county.  In addition, they carry the largest selection of kegs in stock in the region.  Check their website to make sure they have what you want in stock – they update it with their inventory count every 30 minutes.

*Data based on the Prudential Fox & Roach HomExpert Market Report for 2011.  Data is deemed accurate but not guaranteed.

We’re still tabulating the final results, but here is a snapshot of what’s trending in the Greater Philadelphia Area:

Other responses included “Location, location, location” and condition of the property.  Many agents emphasized the desire for home buyers to not have to spend money on vast home improvement projects.

What is the biggest mistake homeowners make when pricing a home?

Prudential Fox & Roach agents came to a general consensus that pricing your home too high or expecting to sell above the market was the main mistake when pricing your home.

Other responses include the fact that price and first time homebuyers will drive the market.

Given that predictions that the housing market will be stronger in one year (57 percent), 92.6 percent of responding agents said that it is now a good time to buy and that real estate is a good investment (71.4 percent.)

If you are interested in buying or selling your home, please contact a Prudential Fox & Roach agent, or visit the website at www.prufoxroach.com.  The full 2012 Prudential Fox & Roach Survey results can be found here.

The home sales data from the last six months of 2011 shows consistent gains, which is a good sign during a year when there was no tax credit to buoy sales. According to Steve Storti, Senior VP of Marketing at Prudential Fox & Roach, Realtors, continued job growth and increased consumer confidence will be key, the housing market looks to be steadily improving as the economy continues to grow.  Also, with mortgage rates at historic lows, now is actually a great time to buy.

Below are some housing market highlights from the region. For the full HomExpert analysis of the 12 County Region, including individual area reports, please click here.

Greater Philadelphia

• Pennsylvania led the tri-state region in highest median sale price in 2011 at $213,000 (-3.2 percent), followed by Delaware at $186,500 (-9.3 percent) and New Jersey at $185,900 (-5.6 percent).

• Princeton Township in Mercer County posted the highest median sales price in the Greater Philadelphia region at $781,000 (+4.1 percent), followed by Princeton Boro in Mercer County at $655,000 (-0.8 percent),Wrightstown Township in Bucks County at $625,000 (-20.9 percent)  and Solebury Township in Bucks County (+10.6 percent) and Easttown Township in Chester County (-1.7 percent), both at $575,000.

• Pennsylvania led the tri-state region in the number of homes sold in 2011 at 31,264 (-7.1 percent), followed by New Jersey at 11,915 (-7.6 percent) and Delaware at 5,825 (+2.9 percent).

Center City**

• Center City median home prices held steady at $325,000 for 2011. In 2011, Center City saw 1,080 homes sold, a 6.3 percent decrease from the 1,153 homes sold last year.

Main Line*

• Homes sales in the Main Line increased 3.5 percent to 2,212 homes sold in 2011, up from 2,137 homes sold in 2010.  Median home prices held relatively steady at $375,000 in 2011, compared to the median sale price of 2010, which stood at $380,000.

During the Revolutionary War, it was used as a burial ground for troops from the Colonial army and after the War, it was used for cattle markets and camp meetings.  After the square stopped functioning as a cemetery, a beautifying campaign was undertaken and the neighborhoods around the square were developed. In 1825, the Square was renamed in honor of George Washington, commander of many of the troops buried within it.

In the 1950s, a monument to all soldiers and sailors in the Revolutionary war was built, called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Attractions

Many of America’s firsts started in the Washington Square area.  The neighborhood boasts the nation’s oldest hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital which still operates today.  The district is also home to Philadelphia’s Antique Row on Pine Street and Jewelers’ Row on Sansom Street, the country’s first diamond district established in 1851.

Restaurants and Nightlife

Not only is Washington Square rich in American history, but there many things to do around the Square.  Farm-to-table restaurants such as Talula’s Garden, Vedge, and The Farmer’s Cabinet offer unique culinary experiences that highlight local fare and ingredients.  For desserts, Capogiro Gelateria on 14^th and Locust Streets is a popular destination, offering handcrafted gelato in an assortment of flavors.

Afterwards, have a drink at Washington Square’s many bars such as Varga Bar, or wine bar Tria known for its selection of wine, cheese and beer.

For more residential real estate information on Washington Square, Philadelphia, please visit prufoxroach.com.

*Data based on the Prudential Fox & Roach HomExpert Market Report for the first nine months of 2011.  Data is deemed accurate but not guaranteed.

1. Get a flu shot.  Two-thirds of Americans plan to get the flu vaccine this year, but following through on this pledge can be difficult.  Be sure to make an appointment and get your shot so you’re ready to take on the season.
2. Stop the spread of germs.  Common-sense germ precautions are one of the most powerful steps you can take to stop the flue in its tracks.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this means washing your hands frequently or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze; avoiding close contact with sick people; and limiting contact with healthy people if you fall ill.
3. Seek help if you are under the weather.  If you do become sick, it’s important to see your doctor right away.  Although many people think of the flue as just a nuisance illness, it can be very serious — especially for the very young, the elderly, and anyone with a weak immune system.  Every year, the flue is responsible for hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and countless hours of lost work.

For more information, visit www.ZocDoc.com.

Parents have a great deal of power with which to investigate a childcare service’s history and its true values.  doing this kind of work on the front end can ultimately minimize the risk of trouble down the road.

1. Pursue all possible avenues of research.  Do not only conduct online searches, but also ask family and friends for referrals or recommendations.
2. Call the manager and inquire about general policies and practices.  If possible, visit the facilities in person.
3. Interview other parents who use, or have used, a particular facility in the past.  Ask why they find it to be either acceptable or not.
4. Take your child to the facility and watch how he or she interacts with other kids.  If your child gives the impression that something is “off,” trust that instinct and keep looking.
5. Ensure that the childcare facility you are considering is licensed.  Also make certain that it is well-staffed and that the facilities are clean.

There is no such thing as being too thorough when investigating a childcare facility.  doing the proper research in advance is ultimately what keeps parents from unwelcome surprises.

For more information, visit thadpryorsite.org

The authors of “Assimilation Tomorrow” track the cohort of immigrants that arrived during the 1990s, a decade of robust levels of immigration.  Among the most important findings, the authors illustrate that while only 25.5 percent of immigrants from the cohort owned their own homes in 2000, by 2030 70.3 percent are projected to own their own homes, on par or slightly higher than the home ownership rate among the native-born.

Rather than hinder the economy, immigrants will increasingly become the future home buyers of America, helping to jump-start our housing market.

Hispanic immigrants as well are projected to make great strides.  Contrary to the assertions of some who argue that Hispanic immigrants are not assimilating and will not assimilate to American life, the authors find that these newcomers follow the same upward trajectory as immigrants overall, albeit from a lower starting point.  Home ownership, for example, jumps from 21 percent of the Hispanic immigrant population in 20000 to 67 percent in 2030.

Another indicator of interest from a political standpoint are immigrants’ naturalization rates that similarly rise from 13 percent to a substantial 70.6 percent by 2030.

For more information, visit www.americanprogress.org

Like find wine itself, a toast is an opportunity to savor.  Over the next few weeks, countless people will stand up and say a few words at holiday meals, office parties and various New Year’s festivities.  Delivering a toast is a classic form of public speaking.  It’s an easy way to make a connection with an audience, either formally or informally.  Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you are preparing to give a toast at your next social function:

Be Brief.  Keep your comments short and they’ll have a greater impact.  Talk for more than a couple of minutes and the guests will grow antsy.

Be Bold.  Step up and act confident.  Speak loudly and clearly.

Be Prepared.  Know what you want to say ahead of time.  Your words might inspire reflection or provide some much-needed laughter, so make the  most of the moment – don’t wing it.

Be Fresh.  Your drink shouldn’t be stale and neither should your words.  Cliches and platitudes mean little to listeners; be original and speak from the heart.

Be You.  Don’t try to hilarious if that’s not who you are.  Skip the serious message if it doesn’t feel right.  Just be yourself.

For more information, visit www.toastmasters.org.