Today we’re in the Bloomingdale Neighborhood of Manheim Township, an established suburban community in Lancaster County, PA with established landscaping everywhere you look. I “get down and dirty” with Andrew Landis of Showcase Landscape Services to discuss planting now, in late fall, for spring color.

Andrew brought along a bag of Tulip bulbs and the preferred hand tools for planting them. He talked about how to organize your plantings by color, type and locations within your yard. Since we’re having an unseasonably warm late fall, it’s still possible to get out there and do some digging while the temps are over 50 degrees. Andrew mentioned that you can get many bulbs planted in a half hour, so it’s not a big time commitment.

If you want to see a colorful landscape once spring springs in Lancaster County, take the time to “sow the seeds” of color before Christmas!

Read more at http://www.showcasegroup.biz or reach out to Andrew Landis at info@ showcasegroup.biz.

“Prudential Financial is ending a more than two decade foray into the residential real estate business with yesterday’s sale of its realty brokerage and relocation services unit to a Toronto-based company.”

Prudential Financial, an insurance driven company based out of Newark NJ, bought into the real estate market in 1987.  I guess time was up on that experiment.  What really amazes me is how little the Canadian company (Brookfield Residential Property Services) paid for the concern; a measly $110 million.  Wow.

The word spread quickly among Prudential Homesale Services Group and Prudential Lancaster Real Estate agents here in Lancaster County.  I saw a memo that said succinctly;

“Prudential Financial Inc’s sale of its real estate brokerage and relocation services should not have an immediate impact on companies that carry its brand”

Yeah, that helps a lot.  It’s like being tied to the railroad tracks and told that the train will be coming a bit later…you think.  I’ll wager that the Prudential name will be gone from Lancaster by summer.

If you cast you eye across the area in PA from the Main Line out to Carlisle, you see a largely similar landscape of small cities (Lancaster, York, Lebanon, Reading and Harrisburg as examples) connected by a network of boroughs (Strasburg, Lititz, Millersville, Hummelstown, Camp Hill, Carlisle etc). In between are townships of suburban or rural character. With the economic malaise development of raw land in these last areas has become problematic from a profit/marketing standpoint, edging out all but the largest concerns.

For the next phase of growth that will bring small and mid-cap players into the mix, look to the first two categories – urban and borough level opportunities. The chatter about “second story development” in the cities and borough rezoning for economic opportunity areas has been ongoing in recent years, but I think we have not yet seen the municipal/business/developer cooperation truly needed to jumpstart this movement in real estate.

As a Mayor, I am opening lines of communication with our Lancaster County agencies to explore ways of creating a bundle of benefits we can offer prospective businesses in our downtown district. As a real estate professional, I’m looking explicitly at how we can cater to the free market to make our “product” – a vibrant borough with incentives to develop there – the most attractive in the area.

Regionally, this interplay of governmental/non-profit collaboration and the real estate sales/lease community is critical… we can’t work separately or worse, at cross-purposes. Catering to large developers isn’t the answer either – it’s the small business looking to grow who will be most open to expanding in urban areas and small class A spaces.

It’s my opinion that the counties of Central PA need to focus energy on their boroughs and cities very soon if they really want to see a turnaround in property values (and tax revenues). And it can’t happen soon enough.

Hello and welcome! Today we’re talking about “seller help” – you hear about it but what is it? “Seller Help”, “Seller Assist”, “Closing Cost Assistance” all refer to the same financial concept – moving some of the seller’s proceeds over into the buyer’s side of the settlement sheet. So, if a seller is expecting to receive $20,000 in proceeds at a certain price point, they can offer $5,000 to the buyer as an incentive as part of the agreement. Naturally they would then net only $15,000. Normally, the buyer initiates the proposal to add seller help.

(note that the name doesn’t much sense – most people think it should be “buyer help” or “buyer assist”. Sorry, I didn’t make it up!)

In this buyers market a great number of offers are made including seller help. Generally, if there is equity to be used, a seller is wise in considering these offers. With the general scarcity of qualified buyers even an offer with large (6% plus) amounts of seller assist included are worth considering. By the way, the typical range of seller help is 3%-6% per mortgage guidelines, but it can be more.

Now you know all about “seller help”!

Monthly Rent:           $1,900.00

NOTE:                        This home is located in an Active Adult Community.  One resident must be at least 55 years old.

Rent includes:            Exterior Maintenance, lawn care, snow removal, trash removal, use of pool, community clubhouse, fitness center, tennis court & putting green.

Tenant pays:              All utilities including gas, electric, water & sewer.

Description:                2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage, rear patio, large eat in kitchen with ceramic tile floor, backsplash and granite countertops.  Formal living room, Vaulted ceilings, All appliances, gas heat, & hot water, central air, stereo system throughout, gas fireplace.

Security Deposit:       One full month’s rent

Pets:                            Dog with pet deposit may be permitted.  No cats.

Term of Lease:          1 year then renewing month to month

Availability:                Immediately

Home includes:          Refrigerator, range, washer, dryer, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave, garage door opener, professional window treatments.

Application fee of $30.00 per person is required for credit report and is non-refundable.

Credit check and references required.

Email address is needed to apply.

The “F.L. Suter Home” is an expansive 4,604 square foot Tudor Revival home nestled along Wheatland Avenue in the first phase of School Lane Hills (homes built in the first quarter of the 20th century).  The 5 huge bedrooms and 4 updated baths make the upper floors fully functional for any family, but it’s the first floor that truly delights.

Here’s a list of some of the features of 1112 Wheatland Avenue:

• Prestigious School Lane Hills neighborhood
• Wide street with light through traffic
• 2 blocks from President Buchanan’s Wheatland estate
• Close to vibrant Lancaster City downtown and F&M college campus

• Architecturally and period-sensitive kitchen remodel
• All new premium appliances
• Restored and expanded butler’s pantry
• Baths remodeled or restored
• Central staircase to all floors
• Large foyer and full-length central hall
• Huge living room and covered side veranda
• Dramatic 1927 great room extension
• Master suite with full dressing/laundry room/balcony
• Full third floor guest living capability
• Formal dining room with French doors
• Abundant closet space throughout
• Full basement with plenty of extra storage
• Flagstone walkways and patio
• Terraced rear yard with new privacy fencing

• Updated electric and mechanicals
• New high efficiency gas Boiler and Hot Water Heater
• Excellent exterior condition, no deferred maintenance
• Many upgrades and maintenance work completed – move right in!

This is a Coldwell Banker Previews Home in Lancaster County, PA so you can expect something wonderful… see the big photo tour and more property details at www.1112Wheatland.com.

Are you looking to sell your home, or is your home on the market and you’re wondering if everything that can be done is being done? Look to the “Three P’s” for your answer…

Never mind what the market’s doing – how can you control that? Everyone chases their tail around trying to blame the market for houses not selling, but what good does that do? The listing agent’s job is to make sure the “three P’s” are handled – not perform miracles.

1 – Preparation

2 – Price

3 – Promotion

Watch the video episode (a whole 1 1/2 minutes) for the executive summary!

Today we’re with Josephine Stoltzfus of Sprama Design to talk about getting into décor in your home or apartment. Josephine is an experienced Lancaster PA home designer and talks about layering techniques and using color & patterns to pull things together.

While some aspects of design and decoration are best left to a professional in the field, Josephine was enthusiastic about the possibilities that can be explored even on a tight budget using relatively inexpensive pieces. Creative groupings, offsetting pattern sizes and color schemes that can be replaced as your taste changes are some of the ways she lays out in this video episode.

If you are interested in professional home design services (from décor choices to actual CAD layouts and working with your contractor) reach out to Josephine or her partner Harmony Boore at http://www.Sprama.com or 717-238-1001 anytime.

For tips on desgning for small spaces, check out this episode filmed in Lancaster City:http://www.youtube.com/user/yourlancasterhome#p/f/65/wFbE4TYK7jw
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Choose Jeff Geoghan for you next home sale or purchase in Lancaster! Thanks.

(c) 2011 Jeff Geoghan

Great Lancaster location just outside of Lancaster City - Two buildings on well-established corridor.  Buy both for $279,900 or lease the 1,496 square foot building for only $1,500 per month NNN…

• 2 small dental offices just off Columbia Avenue and Rt. 741(Rohrerstown Rd.)

• Each on its own deeded lot, and sold as package of two, or available to lease (larger building only)

• Total of 2,346 square feet – Main building is 1,496 SF + basement, smaller building is 850 SF

• Larger building had 4 operatories; occupant has re-located and dental equipment has been removed

but all plumbing and electrical hook ups are still in place.

• Smaller building has one operatory; is currently leased and tenant, who is a dentist, wishes to stay 5 yrs.

• Either building could be utilized for dental practice, medical practice or converted to standard office

use by removing fixtures. Also great for a salon, day spa, or retail shop.

• Both buildings have a waiting area, reception counter, private office, rest rooms and lab area

• Larger building also has a partially finished basement with lunchroom and additional rest room

• Great west end, 17603 location for new start up or satellite office

• 15 – 19 parking spaces, depending on how you utilize paved areas

• Less than 2 miles to LGH Health Campus

• Buy at $279,900 for both buildings as a package. Potential rental income of $30k/yr as investment.

• Or, occupy one building yourself and enjoy income on the second one; (ideal for future expansion plans!)

• Interested in leasing one space only? Rent the 1,496 SF building alone for $1,500/mo + all operating expenses

Call Christine Sable at 399-9361 at Sable & Associates to see this attractive business location!