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/

24th Annual Great Media Garage Sale this Weekend!!

Two days to find great bargains in the Borough of Media! Come out this Saturday and Sunday, September 11th & 12th between the hours of 8 am and 4 pm for The Great Media Garage Sale. Hundreds of residents within the borders of Media Borough will settle on sidewalks, streets, and front yards to sell their treasures while buyers from around the region flock to find some good deals. Maps will be available as of Sept 10th at Quincy’s (State & Jackson) and Koffee Korner (Jackson & Jasper) for locations that are registered. Otherwise, cruise the streets to find the sales.

Back to School with Mr. Bean on Youtube

Check out this very funny back to school youtube video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghIoTW10qwc&feature=related

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?

"Chase Me Comrade" at the Hedgerow Theatre - last week!

Hedgerow Theatre, the oldest continually running American Repertory Theatre is minutes from the Borough of Media. The Ray Cooney farce, Chase Me Comrade is in its final week. The story is about a Russian ballet dancer who wants to defect to the west. Unfortunately, he ends up at the home of one of England's top Ministry of Defense officials - a man who would turn him in as a defector if he realized who he was.. Everyone including the Minister's daughter, Russian spies and even the local constable gets into the act. Confusion, innuendo, mix ups and misunderstandings all hit the stage at once! What starts sanely instantly ramps up to hyper speed and no one knows who is what or where. Shows are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm, Saturday matinee at 4 pm, Sunday matinee at 2 pm and Wednesday 9/8 at 1 pm. Get your tickets by going to the Hedgerow Theatre website. http://www.hedgerowtheatre.org/

What do buyers and sellers want in a Realtor?

Prudential Real Estate did an online survey of people who own homes and people who intended to buy a home within two years. It found that people are aware that today's real estate market is very complicated and requires greater sophistication. 

• 69% agree that buying a home is a much bigger decision than it used to be.
• 76% agree that buying or selling a home is more complicated than in the past
• 89% agree that previously "any home used to sell" but that marketing a home today must be much more sophisticated. 

Because of this it is no surprise to see that:

• 93% agree that finding an agent and real estate firm they can trust is more important than ever.

Many people are searching for their information online. Unfortunately not all information we see online is reliable, which can hurt buyers and sellers. That's why it is crucial to select a professional Realtor with the knowledge, experience and creativity to guide you through the process. When buying, it is important to have current information about what is on the market. When selling, it's important to understand that buyers are looking for value, and sellers who have their homes in great condition, have them priced right, and use staging techniques will experience success. Prudential Fox and Roach can assist in all of these areas. We are the market leader with a history of trust and integrity dating back to 1866. Our professionals are experts and the consultants of The Trident Group (mortgage, title, and insurance) will make the process easy and convenient while helping you settle on time, with great service and value.

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!