• +717-371-0557 direct or 717-207-8093 office

Tag Archive Lancaster Pa

Did You Know That We Can Blame it All on Snow?

Welcome Back Readers!  Or should I say viewers?  This is the first of many video blog posts on www.TheLancasterConnection.com .  I’m excited about being able to bring you this content in a way that is relevant and timely but don’t worry, there will be more than just video posts to keep you up to date on what’s happening in real estate and the rest of Lancaster County, as we’ll still have all of your favorite guest authors as well!

This week, I wanted to talk to you about snow and ice.  Not just any snow, but huge amounts of snow and ice we had that according to NAR is bringing the national housing market to a halt.  Or is it?

Watch the video after the jump to see what I am talking about and why the thought that snow is stopping home sales anywhere in the nation is just WRONG!  Oh, and that italian ice there in the picture?  You’ll see why that’s there in the video too.

A FEW FORECLOSURE SOLUTIONS SIMPLIFIED, HELP FOR DISTRESSED HOMEOWNERS IN PA

Welcome Back Readers!   I wrote this article a little over a year ago and thought it would be worthwhile to refresh it and repost.  Why?  Well, here in Lancaster Pennsylvania we are in much better shape than many other areas, we do not have, and should not expect, a flood of foreclosures.  That being said, foreclosure is the reality many homeowners are currently facing and the majority of them do not understand the process. First and foremost, this article is not in any way considered to be, or offered as, legal advice.  I am not an attorney and all  homeowners with specific questions about the foreclosure process should consult with an attorney.  With that being said, I am going to lay out in simple terms just what to expect in the process.  Let’s get started, read on after the jump for more! 

Lancaster Inspector’s Corner – Saving Energy in Lancaster Pa Part 2

Energy Efficiency in Lancaster PAWelcome Back Readers!  This post wraps up the two part series on energy efficiency from Matt Steger with WIN Home Inspection !   As we began discussing last time. electricity costs in Lancaster PA have skyrocketed due to the deregulation of electric companies here in PA.  One of the ways to combat this is to take steps to make sure your home is as energy efficient as possible, so this week Matt has some specific steps you can take, so read on after the jump to find out what they are!

Lancaster Inspectors Corner – Saving Energy in Lancaster Pa

Welcome Back Readers!  It’s time once again for another installment of The Lancaster  Inspector’s Corner with Matt Steger of WIN Home Inspection.  This week, we address an issue that matters alot to the folks of Lancaster Pa lately, energy efficiency.  With the recent de-regulation of electricity rates causing some people’s electric bills to double, energy efficiency is a growing concern for home buyers.  Matt has some explanation of how those kilowatts affect you, read on after the jump for more!

Fannie Mae Offers Closing Cost Assistance and Appliance Incentive

Welcome Back Readers!   It’s been a busy month in real estate, so many things happening both locally and nationally it seems everyday there is something new!  That’s actually the becoming the normal state of affairs nowadays and I don’t mind as it gives me lots of things to write about!

I wanted to let you know about a program announced today by Fannie Mae.  Fannie Mae has a little problem, namely 50,000 homes they now own through the foreclosure process and they are looking to move them.  You can see a list of what’s there at www.homepath.com (there are 19 Fannie Mae Foreclosures in Lancaster County Pa as of today).

That’s not the announcement though, the announcement is that Fannie Mae is now offering 3.5 % of the home’s purchase price as an incentive to buyers!  Read on after the jump to find out more!

The Lancaster Inspector’s Corner – How to Fix a Radon Problem

  Welcome Back Readers!  Thanks for stopping in, you’ve arrived at the last installement of our Radon series with Matt Steger of WIN Home Inspection.  This week Matt tells you how to go about fixing your Radon problem, read on after the jump for all the details!

Before I forget, you know I tell you this every week but it needs repeating, when it comes time for me to recommend an expert to protect my home buyers, I always recommend Matt.  Call Matt Steger at 717-361-9467 when you need any home purchase related inspections.

The Trouble with Tribbles or Why Loan Modifications are Failing to Solve the Foreclosure Problem

Welcome Back Readers!  I put up a post the yesterday about how FHA has recently changed their policies to allow loan modifications for qualifying borrowers before they miss a payment .  This is a great policy and I sincerely hope it will help more people stay in their homes.  The problem though is that in many cases it won’t.  Loan modifications nationwide are failing to help avoid foreclosures.  Why is that?  What does it have to do with Tribbles again?  Read on after the jump to find out!

Remodeling Lancaster – Homeowner Tax Credits You Can Claim this Year!

Welcome Back Readers!   This is the first in our new Remodeling Lancaster Columns by Guest Columnist Mike Blank with MBC Building and Remodeling, LLC !

If you live in Central PA and you have ever wondered who you could trust to provide quality remodeling and handyman repair services, look no farther than Mike Blank.  From Decks to Kitchens, Additions to Painting, repairs needed to sell a home, if it needs done at your house Mike can either make it happen or find you someone who can.  Call Mike at 717-371-5136 for the best service for your contracting needs. 

This week Mike brings you tips on how you can claim Tax Credits for making repairs and improvements to your home.  Read on after the jump to find out more!

FHA Allows for Loan Modifications for Homeowners Who Haven’t Yet Missed a Payment

Welcome Back Readers!  It was a busy week last week in the real estate world, the Lancaster County PA Real Estate Market is moving quickly.  I apologize for the shortage of posts recently due to this but you can expect a little more consistency in the coming weeks.  I wanted to start of  this week with a nice change announced by HUD last Friday.

Until HUD made this change to the rules for FHA loans, in order to qualify for a loan modification, struggling homeowners had to actually MISS payments.  So, if you knew you were going to be in torouble, you had to let it happen before you were eligible for loss mitigation.  Check out the release from HUD on the details of the program.

The complete press release from HUD is after the jump

Monday Lancaster Fit Bit – You Can’t Turn Fat into Muscle

Welcome Back Readers!  It’s time once again for another Monday Lancaster Fit Bit from Mickey Glick at Body and Soul Fitness Studio!  This week Mickey wants to dispel a common myth, you’ll have to wait to see what she has to say though because I want to point out that Mickey is not just the expert we turn to at TheLancasterConnection.com, she is also an expert the local media turns to. 

Check out this article from our local newspaper featuring  Mickey:  http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/247539

Now, read on to find out what she has to say about turning fat into muscle!