Improve chances of selling your home quicker...

Improve your home appearance for a quicker sale

How to keep an organized home - More than a table...

http://www.bhg.com/videos/m/32064136/flex-furniture.htm

Where do you stand on homeownership?

NAR reports that most homeowner love having a home, where do you stand?

Stink Bug Invasion hits our local area!

The Halyomorpha halys, otherwise known as the stink bug, is rearing its ugly head in great quantity in many local areas.  The down side, there is no chemical to get rid of them. The good news is the population will decrease after the first frost.  For more information about the stink bug problem, read Gretchen Metz's article in the Main Line Media News site.
http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2010/09/29/main_line_suburban_life/life/doc4ca264019cbc0775493498.txt

How to reach municipalities in Delaware County

Lansdowne Borough
12 E. Baltimore Ave.
Lansdowne, PA 19050
Phone: 610-623-7300
Fax: 610-623-5533
Web: http://www.lansdowneborough.com/

East Lansdowne Borough
155 Lexington Avenue
East Lansdowne, PA 19050
Phone: 610-623-7131
Fax: 610-259-2636
Police Fax: 610-622-5403
Web: http://www.eastlansdowne.org/
 
Upper Darby Township
100 Garrett Road
Upper Darby, PA 19082
Phone: 610-352-4100
Fax: 610-734-7709
Web: www.upperdarby.org/

Norwood Borough
10 W. Cleveland Ave.
P.O. Box 65
Norwood, PA 19074
Phone: 610-586-5800
Fax: 610-586-5802
Web: www.norwoodpa.org

To find contact information for other municipalities in the county, go to http://www.co.delaware.pa.us/towns/index.html

Study shows postive affects of owning a home!

According to a new report from the National Association of Realtors®, there are many positive affects that result from owning a home including:

1. Homeowners are more active in their communities.

• Homeowners move far less frequently than renters, and therefore are involved in the same neighborhood and community for longer. People become more connected socially and strong communities are beneficial to all individuals.
• Homeowners are proven to be more politically active and are more likely to vote in local elections compared to renters. In addition, homeowners have a higher membership in voluntary organizations.

2. Homeowners benefit from improved education opportunities.

• The decision by teenage students to stay in school is higher for those raised by parents who are homeowners compared to those whose parents are renters. Access to economic and educational opportunities are also more prevalent in neighborhoods with high rates of homeownership. Furthermore, studies have shown that changing schools frequently due to moving impacts negatively a child’s educational outcome.

3. Homeowners report higher levels of self-esteem and happiness when compared to renters.

• Studies have shown that homeowners say they are more healthy physically and are more likely to believe that they can do things as well as anyone else. The study says that homeoners report higher self-esteem and happiness than renters, which increases their overall health.

Enjoy the long term financial benefit of owning a home and at the same time develop a great sense of community and social ties! Be part of the American dream and buy a home!
 

7 REASONS WHY ACTIVE ADULTS MOVE

1. Move for Lifestyle
2. Move for Work
3. Move to Flee Dissatisfaction
4. Turn Second Home into First
5. Move for Health Reasons
6. Move to simplify life
7. Move for Family

Swarthmore Historic House Tour on Sunday, September 26th

The Swarthmore House tour which takes place every other year is scheduled for Sunday, September 26th from 1 to 5 pm. This year’s tour will showcase some of Swarthmore’s finest homes including four Victorian homes on Park Avenue. Also on the tour is the Courtney C. Smith house, a grand, 3-story Second Empire Style house which is also the home of the Swarthmore College president. It is an example of modern architecture in the Bauhaus tradition. Wister Center, the newest building on the college campus is on the tour as well. Tour tickets are $20.00 before Sept 26th and $22 the day of the tour. They can be purchased at various Swarthmore town center locations. Visit the Swarthmore Historical Society website for more information. http://www.swarthmorehistoricalsociety.org/

Could your home have been purchased from a Sears catalog?

Can you imagine buying your home from a catalog?  From 1908 – 1940 Sears Modern Homes program offered over 500 ready to assemble “designs” from bungalows to mansions.  A quaint, three-room and no-bath summer cottage called the Goldenrod could also be purchased. The outhouse was sold separately. The details of construction and completion of the home was enclosed with a shipping schedule and mailed to the customer. The pre-fab houses were sent by rail and arrived pre-cut with a set of specifications and instructions on how to put it together.
There is a large collection of Sears Modern Catalog Homes still in existence. The Crescent Hills section of Hopewell VA has 44 homes. Elgin, Illinois has the largest known collection of over 200 homes. There are some homes in Pennsylvania as well.
If you want to learn more about these homes go to the Sears Archives website. Sears no longer has records but has suggestions on how to find out if your home might be from Sears. Rosemary Thornton, the author of The Houses That Sears Built offers this “How to Identify a Sears Home Kit” at wikihow.com.

So how's that for some fancy catalog shopping?

Branka's September 2010 Real Estate Market Update

Here is a link to my "September Real Estate Update":
http://realtytimes.com/142/BrankaDoych
August Real Estate Newsletter is full of interesting and useful information that I think you will enjoy whether you are a buyer, seller, homeowner, or renter. 

This month's issue includes topics such as:

"Priced to Sell";

"Most Homebuyers Have No Regrets";

"Staging a Photo Ready Home";

"Handling Neighborly Disputes";

"Social Benefits of Housing";


Plus a roundup of August real estate activity as well as much more advice and information
I hope you enjoy this monthly newsletter. If you have any comments, please e-mail them to me. Or, if you would like to see a certain topic covered in future months, let me know that too!