Lancaster PA Real Estate Blog

Today I listed a wonderful Reservoir Street home...

Visit 228NorthReservoir.com for tours, photos and details. The old world and the new mesh seamlessly in this completely remodeled Lancaster City townhome. Classic hardwood floor and ceramic tile blend with a fresh renovated kitchen with all appliances included. A second-floor laundry room with lots of space adds modern convenience, and special touches such as the copper hall skylight and mahogany front porch add an uptown flair to this warm & cozy home. Every detail has been attended to, so all you have to do is move right in.

If you are interested in selling your Reservoir Street home or shopping for a home along Reservoir Street (or anywhere in the city), visit my Reservoir Street homes for sale website.

Call me today at 717-799-0851 or email me to set up a private showing of this beautiful home!

Continuing in my fall series on preparing for a Lancaster County winter, I wanted to focus on Lancaster City and the boroughs such as Millersville, East Petersburg, Mountville, Columbia City, Quarryville, Elizabethtown, Denver, etc.  In these towns there is a concentration of older row homes, usually brick but sometimes stick built, that have unique challenges to and opportunities for energy efficiency. 

Row homes have the advantage of generally having one or both side (party walls adjoining another heated space.  Another advantage is the thicker masonry walls and tighter spaces that typify a city home.  Disadvantages are generally poor insulation, antiquated heat and hot water systems, and sub-par windows.  To make your row home "greener" you've got to maximize your home's advantages and minimize the disadvantages.  Here's a few ideas.

1. Low $$ idea - stop at Home Depot and pick up some insulating tape, caulking, window covering and sealant.  Then go over each exterior door and fill all gaps and seal the base of the door securely.  Drafts entering here account for a lot of heat loss.  Cover each uninsulated window with the shrink wrap carefully.  Another thing I see all the time is loose window panes and gaps between the window and sill.  Caulk or tape these to stop air leakage.
2. More $$ - buy storm windows right away, or better yet have the windows facing into the north/west winds with modern, Low-E double-pane units.  Again, be sure all gaps are sealed tight.
3. Check out your  radiators (if you have them) and get them bled at least once, or even twice during the cold season.  Poor radiator performance is a huge issue in the city and a real $$ eater.
4. If you're looking to really revamp your long-term energy usage, consider an upgrade to a high-efficiency gas furnace (gas is widely available in the urban areas).  Read how I upgraded my furnace this summer for $0 down and $60 a month with easily-available financing for energy-efficient upgrades. The old boilers and furnaces found in many urban homes are extremely inefficient - I say go for it!
5. Use the passive solar techniques I outlined in my previous article to maximize the heat-conducting masonry walls in your home, and the east-facing windows.  Lose the awnings, too.
   
6. Add attic insulation if you have one - try self-installing for cost savings.  Home Depot offers a rental of a blower to blow in insulation.  Here's my article on this subject.
   
7. Wrap your hot water heater - also available at stores is a simple insulation kit to wrap around your gas or electric hot water heater.  This will help with older units, not so much the newer ones.  Every little bit, though, saves money.  Wrapping allows the unit to retain the heat a bit longer, using less energy.  If you're replacing the heater, consider a tankless hot water unit - the pricing is now competitive and they're becoming more common.  They only run when hot water is called for, eliminating 90% of the energy usage to keep the water perpetually hot...
8. Fireplaces - they come in all sizes, shapes and designs in the row homes.  Follow the basic fireplace guidelines I wrote about recently.

That's it for today - insulate, service and replace as needed.  Now get cracking - and save yourself some energy dollars right away!

Series Part One - Fireplaces

Series Part Two - Using Passive Solar 

Last week Lancaster City and the state announced a project to bring a little country into the urban environment - by building "green" roofs on 6 city structures.  These roofs will consist of soil layers with plantings, giant flowerboxes that, when completed, will insulate the buildings beneath and interact with the sun's energy to respirate CO2 into the atmosphere - something most urban areas can't boast.

The total square footage of rooftop to be converted is 79,000, divided up between the following buildings slated for renovation:

• The New YMCA on Harrisburg Avenue.

• A Renovation of the Bare Building, (former police station), 202 N. Duke St.

• National Novelty Brush Co., 505 E. Fulton St.

• Penn Stone, 190 W. Ross St.

• Two Dudes Painting, 744 Poplar St.

• Box Company Flats, 225 E. Grant St.

Funding for the project is coming from the Energy Harvest program launched by Pennsylvania in 2003.  Gov. Ed Rendell announced the granting of funds on November 13th.  Mayor Rick Gray, in the meantime, has pledged to make the city greener and this program will move it in the right direction.  The energy grant to be shared by the 6 locations will be approximately $480,000, which is $80,000 on average per building.  No word on who exactly will administer the funds...

Soil roofs are nothing new, and the benefits have been well-known to alternative energy advocates and builders exploring the "green frontier".  The layer of soil above the structure keeps the living spaces beneath cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.  Living plants atop absorb toxins and improve the atmosphere in general, as well as curbed stormwater runoff to waste.  Urban areas such as Lancaster have an "heat island effect" from which inordinate amounts of heat radiate, and projects such as this will mitigate some of that (although to a minor degree, I imagine - it's a bit of an experiment).  Millersville University is assigned to monitor the results of the project and any benefits derived from it.

Also last week, Franklin & Marshall College received a $202,000 grant to install a 26.6 KW solar array on the roof of the Hackman Physical Sciences Lab.  Of course, an array of that size would only power 2 typical homes, which is a fraction of the energy usage of a college lab building.  Can I have a grant to put on my roof too?  Oops, nope, the state hasn't offered grants to residential citizens yet.  Hats off to F&M anyway, for bringing some PA money back to Lancaster.  Your tax dollars at work!  The total grant by the state was $5.4 million to 26 projects across PA, so I think Lancaster did OK by getting $682,000 of that.

I'll be interested in the progress of the "green roof" project.  Check back often...

This is the second in a series of articles on how to beat the cold this winter using "green" home performance techniques.  My first article was on FIREPLACES...

Today let's discuss using the Sun directly to heat your home.  Green Building pros call this PASSIVE SOLAR.

Passive solar is the intentional use of insulated windows to capture the sun's radiant heat throughout the daylight hours.  To a lesser degree, single-pane windows with storm windows can be used as well.  Openings to let the sunlight in are often combined with heat-retaining faces such as concrete/brick walls or floors or special heat-absorbing materials.  Since most of us won't be purchasing anything new, let's stick with using existing arrangements to maximize heat retention.  By utilizing the sun's power, you could save up to 50% in heating costs.

This is one of the easiest and cost-effective ways to help your heating system cope with winter weather.  Too often, many of us (in the name of privacy or simply habit) leave our shades and blinds closed when we bundle off to work in the morning.  Have you ever noticed how warm that east-facing bathroom can get in the morning?  

1. Aperture (the window or opening that light strikes)
2. Absorber (the surface that collects the heat energy)
3. Thermal Mass (fancy term for the heat-absorbing material, such as concrete)
4. Distribution (how the heat energy is transferred to the room, example would be by convection - heating the air creating air movement in the room that wasn't there before...)
5. Control (Using roof overhangs or electronic sensors to allow/restrict light entry)

Are you feeling smarter yet?  We'll make a green building expert out of you!

OK, how do these components work to heat your existing home?  

Start by assessing the direction of the sun's path over your home in the winter months.  Identify where the sun strikes your house first thing in the morning.  Since the sun travels across a lower arc in the winter sky, you have to start collecting the sunlight right at dawn.  Here are some ideas to get you thinking:

1. Maximize the Aperture - Remember to open your shades/blinds in the windows that will get the morning sun and do it before you go to bed.
2. Maximize the Absorption - If you have concrete floors, try to keep them uncovered where the sunlight strikes them directly.  They will warm up and retain the heat for hours.
3. Control - If you're home during the day, close the window blinds as they enter the shade.  Remove awnings (especially the large overhangs you see in the city) to open up new energy flow.
4. Distribution - install a small fan up high in a doorway or hall to encourage warmed-air flow to the interior of your home.  Or you could use that leftover portable fan near the window sill to direct the warmed air more forcefully through the room (works well in larger living rooms with multiple windows.

I think you're getting the idea...awareness is key!  Use the sun's massive power as it strikes your home throughout the winter months to help reduce those energy bills.

Part Three of the series - Focus on preparing urban homes for winter 

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For Lancaster PA homes for sale click here. Jeff Geoghan is a top real estate expert in Lancaster County, PA, and an involved community member. Jeff's work has been featured in the Lancaster Newspapers, WGAL Channel 8, PA Business Journal and Wall Street Journal. Jeff's blog on Lancaster County and its homes is nationally-featured. Contact Jeff for more help with your Lancaster PA Real Estate needs. Jeff is also a photographer - view some of his portfolio. Comments are welcome!

(Activerain Members Only May Subscribe. Non-members may request an RSS feed to receive the latest articles - click the orange RSS "subscribe" link at the top right.  For a subscription to my monthly email newsletter click here)

I'm going to be presenting a beautiful renovated home on North Reservoir Street in the next few days.  Here's some sneak preview photos...

This 4 bedroom, 1 bath townhome has a 2nd floor laundry and new hardwood floors and exquisite detail befitting it's turn of the century construction & style.  I'm proud to offer this fine home.  More details within a week!  If you're interested in a private preview give me a call at 717-799-0851 to discuss.  

Yesterday, November 14th marked the 2nd annual Lancaster County Housing Summit, held at the Eden Best Western in Manheim Township near Lancaster City.  The event ran from 8am to 3pm and featured 3 large-group sessions in the courtyard auditorium & 2 "break out" sessions in the ballrooms.  The event's primary focus was on the availability of affordable housing for Lancaster County and approximately 300 housing industry professionals attended.  I was one of them.  Here's my take on what transpired.

The emcee for the day was Mr. Michael Carper of HDC, a non-profit company in south-central PA that focuses on development and administration of rental projects.  He did a very good job of framing the day's focus at the breakfast session, and there was a large contingent of HDC logo'd shirts in the room (under orders to attend?).  The speaker at the morning session was Mr. John Bravacos, the new regional director for HUD out of Philly.  He came armed with statistics for the county, for example that out of the some 184,000 homes in Lancaster, 29% were rentals as of 2006.  One telling statistic was that the median income for the county was $61,000 while the average home price was $172,000 (now even more) - quite a disparity!  Mr. Bravacos was a good speaker who offered HUD's resources to projects focusing on developing more affordable home options here in Lancaster County.

Then we had an interesting session featuring the one & only "market rate builder" who showed up - Jeff Rutt of Keystone homes.  By the way, I was frankly blown away by the complete absence of recognizable builders!  These guys are the ones who will make or break the advance of affordable housing - I sure hope they got invited...the Building Industry Association (BIA) was a sponsor!  Come to think of it, there were only 3 or 4 realtors as well!  At least 2 were there under different auspices (such as myself, who went as an elected official of East Petersburg Borough).  Sort of shocking given the emphasis on new construction and sales of homes...

Anyway, Mr. Rutt was part of a panel that worked a scenario for the audience where Keystone would buy a 50 acre tract for development of 325 homes (a density of 6.5 homes per acre, a number I doubt Keystone has ever come close to - I looked through their developments in Lancaster/York/Chester - no townhomes available, only single families).   The other panelists were a land planner and his attorney, who set up "assumptions" that local municipalities would not go along with the development and that they would have to get the ordinances changed...the whole scenario bugged me and I'm sure many others in the room.  Thankfully, the last panel member was Mark Stivers of East Hempfield Township, who reasserted the public's right to decide what gets put in their backyard and the due process needed to reinvent the landscape...thanks Mark! 

One key concept that came out of that session was that it took nearly $87,000 per parcel to prepare the land to built upon, and that land costs are typically allowed as 25% of the home price, resulting in $350,000 homes - not exactly affordable...this only served to remind me that A) Market Rate Builders need a serious change of profit philosophy, and B) Land costs are a great reason to all the more pursue "adaptive reuse" of urban properties, something builders are loathe to approach.

OK, I attended 2 breakout sessions and one (on the future of financing) was marginal and I was disappointed that there were only "big bank" representatives on the panel up front.  A mortgage broker was sorely needed.  In my experience big bank loan officers rarely engage the community (individually) and have fairly restricted loan programs to offer.  A broker, on the other hand, is a mortgage generalist who is likely a sole practitioner who communicates with the public well.  I was glad to see a representative from Tabor Community Services up there.  Also, the wonderful Beth Schalk from LHOP was a welcome addition to the panel, with her wealth of knowledge on the consumer homebuying process.  I had a great offline talk with Beth on the future of LHOP after the event...

The other breakout I attended to was "Urban Housing Policy: Expanding Choices in the City & Borough".  I was excited to hear what the panelists had to say, since Lancaster City, Elizabethtown & Denver were represented.  Turns out that the fourth panelist was a lobbyist consultant of some sort who, though I'm sure well-meaning, monopolized much of the hour by standing up front and telling the group about some proposed legislation to fight blighted properties.  Despite the able moderation of Dan Whittle of LCPC (one of the most knowledgeable and well-spoken housing advocates in the county) the session was not what I'd hoped for.  Mayor Rick Gray as a panelist was great, and his input was appreciated.   I sat next to Michael Sprunger of Living Lancaster and we had a good chat afterwards - thanks Michael for your support!

Each breakout session reported back to the whole group with suggestions to drive the housing agenda in the coming year... 

The afternoon wound up with a (brief) keynote address from the Director of PHFA, and a very interesting  around-the-table session discussing the breakout session recommendations.  Some at my table were Mayor Rick Gray, Carlos Graupera of SACA, James Frederick of the East Side Improvement District, Randy Patterson and Carol McCoy from Lancaster City and Rod Hauser representing the "Downtowners" an interesting city living advocacy group.   Although the mayor and Carlos had to leave, we settled on a few key action points for 2008:

1. Require affordable units in every new housing project
2. Advocate with municipalities to adopt more flexible and unique developments and for quicker plan approvals.
3. Support the state and national housing trust funds.

One recommendation that did not get any support was "promote energy conservation and consciousness in affordable housing development".  Amazing...everyone knows my advocacy for green awareness and this (very knowledgeable) crowd ignored the pressing need here.  Maybe next year!

Overall, the effort was a strong one and the sponsors and creators should be commended from bringing the housing community together.  Lets see what the Housing Coalition can do in the coming year!

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For Lancaster PA homes for sale click here. Jeff Geoghan is a top real estate expert in Lancaster County, PA, and an involved community member. Jeff's work has been featured in the Lancaster Newspapers, WGAL Channel 8, PA Business Journal and Wall Street Journal. Jeff's blog on Lancaster County and its homes is nationally-featured. Contact Jeff for more help with your Lancaster PA Real Estate needs. Jeff is also a photographer - view some of his portfolio. Comments are welcome!

(Activerain Members Only May Subscribe. Non-members may request an RSS feed to receive the latest articles - click the RSS link at the top right.  For a Subscription to my monthly email newsletter click here)

If you appreciated this post please rate it below...comments welcome!

I've just posted a new gallery on Heritage-Photographic.com of my photo shoot at Harpers Ferry, WV this past weekend.  Take a few minutes to check it out and drop me a guestbook comment!

I took the boys down for the day and we also visited Antietam National Battlefield in the very late afternoon (no photo op there that day...boohoo).  It was a nice time away with the boys and I like the photos that resulted, especially considering that the sky was mostly overcast and the light was fairly poor.

Enjoy!

I thought I'd post a series of (short) articles on energy-efficiency now that our Northeast winter is just around the corner.

My first topic will be that of FIREPLACES.

Most buyers hope or ask for a fireplace when purchasing a home.  The Lancaster PA Real Estate market loves a fireplace!  Of course, most newer homes have the "direct vent" kind where the firebox (the place where the "logs" are behind glass) is sealed and there is no heat-loss issue.  The majority of homes in Lancaster County, though have the good old-fashioned chimney variety using either wood or gas logs.

Isn't it nice to snuggle up in front of a crackling fireplace?  Unfortunately, fireplaces are a key area of heat loss in the winter months and need to be dealt with to avoid losing lots of $$ up the chimney.  Basically, having a chimney flue cracked open is akin to leaving a window open in the cold - not a pretty picture.  Worse yet, a roaring fire exhausts hot air from your home up & away to the tune of 24,000 cubic feet per hour - air your heating system has worked to warm!  Of course, cold air needs to come in to replace the lost air and your thermostat will struggle to keep up with the demand for warm air across the first floor...

To minimize the the energy loss from your chimneyed fireplace think about the following:

1) Keep that flue damper closed tightly when not in use!  Most of us (myself included) tend to forget this - in fact, some older chimneys may even have a screw-on flue piece that holds it open constantly.  My house had one of the those when I bought it.  They do come off, however.

2) When you are using the fireplace, try to get the cold air source as close to the firebox as possible - if you have a bottom damper on the firebox, use it.  Otherwise crack a window close to the fireplace and close the doors to the rest of the house.  Chances are your fireplace doesn't heat much more than the room it's in anyway...

3) Purchase and install glass doors made for fireplaces - they are made with small air inlets at the floor level, which sucks up the coolest air in the room.  Some door systems have a heat-air exchange feature that blows warm air back into the room.   Be sure the glass door frame is sealed around the sides & top!

4) Make sure the flue damper seal is still good - bits of wood or other debris could impede a solid seal.  

5) Hey, if you never use your fireplace seal it up!  Plug the chimney and seal the flue tight. 

Using some common sense and preventative measures can save you lost heating $$ up in smoke this winter.  Enjoy your fireplace responsibly!

Click here to read part two - using the sun's energy to heat your home! 

Part Three of the series - Focus on preparing urban homes for winter 

The October report from the Lancaster County Association Of Realtors came out this past week, answering the question in many realtors and customer's minds - how will this fall season start out?  This year has been a depressed one in general, as the County home market fights off the incessant national malaise.  

October is the first full "fall" month where buyers are closing on homes after the start of the school year.  October is also the last "movers month" before the holidays set in and homeowners hunker down to wait for the spring thaw.

October 2007 was a truly disappointing month for home sales.  The most-reported figure is 24%, the amount the market fell in total from 2006 to 2007.  Some point to the $195,908 average home price as a positive offset to the drooping number of closings, but there's a lot more going on beneath the surface.

To get the full impact of the housing crunch in Lancaster County, one has to know where the key price points are that fuel the industry.  For Lancaster that would be the under $120,000 range, reflecting the bread-and-butter Lancaster City homes for sale, and the $180,000-$250,000 range, which straddles the county average and is where the vast majority of single family resale listings fall (your typical suburban neighborhood). 

Here's the breakout:

Under $120,000  - Down 46% from last year

$100,000 to $120,000 - Down 49% from last year 

$180,000 to $200,000  - Down 27% from last year

$200,000 to $250,000  - Down 41% from last year! 

I believe that the numbers indicate something really disturbing:

First, that the bulk of new construction that was planned out two years ago is now either stagnating on the market at $400,000 plus prices or being built by reluctant builders who've seen the handwriting on the wall, but who are committed to development plans and the resulting price points.  

Second, that as these homes do sell in small numbers and buyers list their homes, the average price is artificially driven up due to the "churning" effect of mid-upper end homeowners just trading up or laterally.  Sales between $250,000 and $400,000 were actually up 4% over last year.  Unfortunately, their first home is still on the market...

Third, the bread and butter Lancaster County single family resale home is priced beyond the average family's means, with list prices of $289,000 or even $299,000 where $229,000 was once the norm.  Forget about something spacious for $175,000 - you'll be lucky to get a 2 bedroom ranch for that price today.  First-timers are officially gone from this market segment.   

Fourth, that home prices are now squeezing buyers out even in Lancaster City, which in recent years has become a bastion for young couples and singles to purchase a home on a nice block and fix it up for under $120,000.  Now, because of many contributing factors, the "nicer" city home is being priced beyond $130,000 or even $150,000.  

So, where is the growth (if any)?

$160,000 to $180,000 saw a 6% bump over last year - and I'd wager that many of these were townhomes in various neighborhoods where prices have skyrocketed but remain more affordable than single family homes. $140,000 to $160,000 stayed flat to last year, which is a positive in this market.  If you've got a townhome to sell you're in a good spot.

Time will tell how the winter goes for Lancaster County - I fear it'll be a cold one...

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For Lancaster PA homes for sale click here. Jeff Geoghan is a top real estate expert in Lancaster County, PA, and an involved community member. Jeff's work has been featured in the Lancaster Newspapers, WGAL Channel 8, PA Business Journal and Wall Street Journal. Jeff's blog on Lancaster County and its homes is nationally-featured. Contact Jeff for more help with your Lancaster PA Real Estate needs. Jeff is also a photographer - view some of his portfolio. Comments are welcome!

(Activerain Members Only May Subscribe. For a Subscription to my monthly email newsletter click here)

If you appreciated this post please rate it...comments welcome

PP&L, one of our regional electric suppliers here in Lancaster County, PA has announced a free lightbulb giveaway including two "CFLs" or compact fluorescent lightbulbs.  These energy-efficient bulbs use up to 75% less energy than traditional (old-fashioned?) lightbulbs and last many years longer.  PP&L is promoting it's new website look and it's energy analyzer for residential customers through this promotion.

While being a nice concept, you can buy these bulbs for a couple of dollars each at Home Depot.  Prices have come way down and they're available everywhere. 

I'm not horribly impressed with the giveaway idea and of course I absolutely HATE being asked to give personal data about my home on the internet (secure or not).  On the other hand, there might be some internet-savvy customers out there who will benefit from the home analyzer and have 2 extra bulbs to use in their house.  It's certainly better than nothing. 

Since I'm well on my way to retrofitting my entire house to CFLs, I think I'll pass on PP&L's giveaway.  Now, if they promised to pay a month of my utility bill...