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Tag Archive money

Ask The Property Manager: What is Lancaster Pa Property Management?

Welcome Back Readers!    This week we have the beginning of our guest columns from Sam Gorgone, Property Manager/Owner of Hometown Property Management Services.  Sam gets alot of questions, from landlords looking for help renting to tenants looking for apartments or homes to rent in Lancaster Pa.  We thought it would be helpful to you to put these questions out there one the blog, lets start with the biggest one, what exactly is property management?   Read on after the jump to find out!

Remodeling Lancaster – 8 Things to Consider Before Replacing Your Windows

Welcome Back Readers!  Thanks for stopping back for this edition of Remodeling Lancaster with MBC Building and Remodeling!  This week, we have some great tips on replacing windows!  Old, drafty windows are not only unattractive, but they let your dollars literally fly right out the window with all the heat they lose in the winter time.  Replacing windows can save you hundreds of dollars a year in wasted energy, they’ll pay for themselves in no time at all with the savings!  There are lots of things to consider before you buy new windows and you can read about after the jump!

Craigslist Rental Scams

Scam Check, http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafemama/3638263765/Welcome Back Readers!  Thanks for stopping by, I wanted to pass on a little info about a scam that has been happening across the internet, as always if something sounds to good to be true it probably is a scam.

If you think Nigerian Bankers are the only ones out there scamming people, I have news of a new (well not new but it’s becoming more widely used) scam involving craigslist and real estate rentals. (read on to find out more)

Fannie Mae EXTENDS Popular Closing Cost Assistance Program!

Welcome Back Readers!  It’s been a hugely busy month for me in real estate, with the end of the Federal Tax Credit for Homebuyers the Lancaster County real estate market has warmed up with the spring!  Even as we close the door on the tax credit, there are many, many other incentives still available for buyers though as we proceed through summer.

For example, I wrote a post a few months ago about Fannie Mae offering  3.5% closing costs assistance/appliance credits for buyers.  Due to the popularity of this program (according to Fannie Mae that is), they have extended the program through June! 

Click through the “Read More” link after the jump for all the details!

It’s Not Easy Bein Green …. or Is It ?

Welcome Back Viewers!   Happy Earth Day, it’s time for another installment of our Green Tip Video Series with Matt Blank from MBC Building and Remodeling!  This week Matt has some easy tips to reduce your electric consumption and save you money!

Click the “read more”  link to check out the video after the jump!

The Numbers are In – February was Pretty Good!

Welcome Back Readers!   It’s time for a Market Update, The Lancaster County Association of Realtors® (LCAR) just  released their monthly recap of real estate market activity in February 2010 and there were a few good things to point out.

I’ll tell you what those are after the jump, but in the meantime just a note, March was busier than February, April will most likely be too.  As a reminder, if you are buying a home, as a first time buyer or a repeat buyer, you have 29 days left to place a home under agreement to ensure that you qualify.  Buyers who want to claim the credit must have a home under agreement by 4-30-10 and must settle by 6-30-10.  Call me if you’d like more details, now on the the market report!

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.

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!

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

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