Lancaster PA Real Estate Blog

People keep asking me "what's the latest?" for the local southeast PA real estate market.  I've been mulling this over in the wee hours of the morning and come up with my first "top ten" list (I've always wanted one of my own - goes back to my old Letterman days).  This is a list of the words or phrases that either the pubic or my fellow industry pros are "buzzing" about.  So here goes:

10) Convention Center - the Lancaster city wrangle over the convention center continues to tantalize the real estate speculators.

9) Water in the basement - we are still seeing fallout from the heavy rains last year that messed up so many basements...3 ft of water, anyone?  Buyers are still dealing with this.

8) Manheim Township - still the #1 location for out-of-towners who contact me.  It's the schools.  Hempfield is a close 2nd in the minds of relocators.

7) Density - or compact development - or smart growth (take your pick).  Groups are making a concerted push to woo developers away from suburban sprawl.  A good thing IF green building practices are included...

6) F&M's pullout of the student renters from the NW end of Lancaster City - mostly into the "College Row" dorm complex under construction along Harrisburg Pike.  See my article on this.

5) Radon - the longtime issue is now becoming a common sticking point in transactions, as it should: it's a serious indoor air quality challenge.

4) Property Tax reform - still the politicians' buzzword that has yet to materialize. 

3) Green - close to my heart, this is a growing buzzword which will hit RE hard in the next year.  Hey, I'm ahead of the curve!

2) The "bubble" - yep, this is still one of the most common subjects that comes up anytime I'm talking to someone.  "Aren't the prices going way down?" or "when's the bottom going to fall out?".  Don't hold your breath.

And the number one thing is....

1) The subprime mortgage mess!  EVERYONE is talking about this and how it will cause floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters for the RE market. See my quote in the Lancaster Sunday News about this

Continued from Part 1:

Be familiar with the most common issues found during an inspection:

1) Improper Surface Grading and Drainage. By far the most frequent problem. It is responsible for the most common household aggravations, including water penetration into the basement or crawlspace. Water is the home’s biggest enemy! Make sure all spouting is present and draining away from the home. Ensure that the area around the home slopes away from the foundation. Replace any water-damaged items and be prepared to explain any water stains or other signs of water infiltration.

2) Electrical Issues. This includes such situations as insufficient electrical service, inadequate or improper overload protection, use of extension cords for permanent wiring, open wiring connections, and amateur (often dangerous) wiring connections. In addition, not only does the inspector open the electrical system panel door, but they will also remove the panel cover. Make sure that you or a contractor have not built-in or otherwise blocked the panel so that cannot be accomplished.

3) Roof Damage. Leaking roofs are a frequent problem. This is generally caused by old or damaged shingles or improper flashing and drainage. Repair and/or replace any damaged areas and ensure that your flashings are properly sealed. If possible, enter the attic and look for any damaged roof deck material or signs of leaking.

4) Heating / Cooling Systems. Has your heating and cooling system been regularly serviced? If it has not been, have a professional review the system, clean and tune it prior to an inspection. Show the inspector and buyers the maintenance record by placing it at the unit. Common problems in this category include broken or malfunctioning controls, power or fuel off to the unit and unsafe exhaust disposal.

5) Poor Overall Maintenance. A common problem with all homeowners. Signs of poor maintenance include cracked, peeling or dirty painted surfaces; crumbling masonry; makeshift wiring or plumbing; and broken fixtures and appliances. Inspectors know that sellers, who do not take care of the little inexpensive items, often treat larger items of the home the same!

6) Structurally Related Problems. As a result of problems in one or more other categories, damage is sustained by such structural components as foundation walls, floor joists, rafters and window and door headers. If your home shows any signs or symptoms of a structural issue, have them reviewed and corrected.

7) Plumbing. Leaks, loose toilets, poor drainage, old or incompatible piping materials, as well as faulty or corroded fixtures and waste lines.

8) Exteriors. Flaws in this category, such as windows, doors and wall surfaces, rarely have structural significance but may pose discomfort to the occupants due to water and air penetration. Look for inadequate caulking and/or weather-stripping, damaged trim, missing siding, etc. Ensure that all windows and doors operate properly.

9) Health and Safety. Ensure that there are working smoke detectors in each level of the home, in each bedroom and in the hall leading to the bedrooms. Check with your local municipality to see if they require detector placement when a home is sold. Repair or replace handrails on stairs if they are damaged or missing. Replace burned out light bulbs to ensure adequate lighting in and outside the home.

A home inspection need not be a scary or upsetting part of the moving process. process. Preparing the home shows the buyers that you care about them and the home, making your home even more attractive to them. By the way, you can also consider a professional pre-listing home inspection to help you prepare for the sale. Either way you go about it, preparing your home for an inspection will be well worth it.

Herb Ingram of Amerispec Home Inspections (397-7047).

For more info on Lancaster County PA Real Estate click here

Continued from part 1, history of East Petersburg, PA:

From 1812 through the end of the century, Petersburg continued to develop as more residents moved in and set up shop as businesses, churches and other ventures primarily geared around supporting the many farms in the area.  In comparing the 1853 and 1875 Atlas maps of the town to the original plan of Daniel Wolf, though, not much had changed.  Daniel and his wife, however, had left town in 1814.

Not surprisingly given the early “frontier” status of the area, two of the main products of the early town were tobacco and whiskey.  Petersburg was known for its handling of tobacco and the cigars produced here were said to be in great demand.  Several local stores also sold these cigars, and two of the tobacco warehouses used are still standing today.  The tobacco trade brought many employees into the area to work in the warehouses and other stages in the production process.  Four of the better-known tobacco men were Tobias Hershey, A.C. Dietrich, D.W. Graybill and Henry H. Landis.  Distilled products were also in great demand and Henry Imhoff was the key business owner in that regard.  He operated at least two distilleries in town, one right alongside the main square using the water from the “common” spring located just southwest (you’ll visit the site on your tour).   This one was notable as it used a dog-powered treadmill to move the water from the well to the distillery.  It was a custom of townfolks to take a kettle every Thursday and get yeast at the distillery for their weekly baking.  Once a week a trip was made to York to deliver the product, and it took a day to go and one to return.

During the Civil War, locals enlisted in the Union army and a scare was thrown into the local populace when Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army pushed to the Susquehanna River in 1863.  After the war, the Reading Railroad put in a spur which ran along the line at the west of town, and by 1882 a station was located there at Columbia Avenue (now State) and the town began to grow westward from Lemon.

The streets were still dirt and, at least to one local resident, at times treacherous.  On one occasion Mrs. Sarah Burg was walking down State Street to Carpenter Street, which was opened in 1878. She became stuck in the mud.  In fact, she was so trapped that she had to wait until someone came along to help her get out.  From that time on, she took no chances and carried a lantern when she went out walking!

East Petersburg as a name came into being in 1882 under postmaster Levi H. Gochnauer after years of wrangling with the statewide postal system over confusion arising from other towns in the state with the same name of Petersburg.   Since Daniel Wolf’s town was most eastward, the addition of “East” was the eventual and official solution. 

I'll post the final installment tomorrow.  Remember, you can get a copy of my book "Walking Tour of Historis East Petersburg" by calling my anytime at 717-799-0851.  Thanks and hope you are enjoying this series.

Continue to Part 3 

Today I talked to another homebuyer who got sucked into working with the listing agent for a property he really liked.  I'm constantly amazed at the lack of solid buyer education that's out there.  Buyers in Pennsylvania need to know about buyer agency!  If you as a buyer are working with the listing agent, you are not getting the best that the real estate process can do fo you.  At best, you'll get the house on the sellers terms.  At worst, you'll get...You need to know that the agent on the sign has a pre-existing relationship with the SELLER, which they will honor (in deed, if not in writing).

Don't get me wrong, if a buyer calls me from my listing sign I will try to get them to visit my listing and will definitely sell the home as the seller expects me to.  However, I would not allow myself to pretend to represent the buyer's interests while doing so - of course I'd be representing the seller.  I would refer this buyer to a qualified agent in my office to complete the transaction.  Our office frowns on "dual agency" relationships - everyone knows they're not feasible unless both parties know each other and/or have a deal struck before the agent comes into the picture.

Ask an agent to help you at the beginning of your search.  Meet with them and communicate your goals and wishes.  As buyer's agents they will be loyal to you and work stricly on your behalf.  Agents attempting dual agency (and subagency even more so - this is when the listing agent does not even remotely represent you) with unrelated parties is just plain trouble.  If you are looking to buy a home, watch out!  PLEASE don't just shop by calling off the signs you see.  Retain a professional buyer's agent to help you find, secure, negotiate and close your dream home.

As a resident and councilman in "East Pete", and as a history buff, I became interested in the history of this small Pennsylvania town with deep roots.  So, in 2006 I authored a book entitled "Walking Tour of Historic East Petersburg" with a committee of local residents.  Carole Wilson of Lancaster County was invaluable as a resource, and the county GIS department put together a great tour map.  I thought I'd share some excerpts here so readers can get a sense of the history and legacy of one (of many) small Pennsylvania towns.  Here is part one of the story:

As with many small American towns, East Petersburg developed through a combination of entrepreneurial skill and the demands of the times.  Three main periods of time can be identified in the town’s history: prior to 1812, from 1812 to 1929, and from 1929 to the present day.  Let’s take a quick look at the people and events who shaped first Petersburg, then East Petersburg.

Homes were present as early as just prior to the American Revolution in 1774.  A local man, Benjamin Hershey, was a large land owner who provided space for a log school to be built.  From about 1794 until 1812, the schoolmaster was a former Hessian (Germans who fought with the British) soldier named Christian Strenge, who had been captured in Trenton NJ on December 26th, 1776 in George Washington’s famous raid.  He settled here to raise a family.  He is known for the art style called “Fraktur” with which he created pieces for locals.  The school site was later moved and enlarged to function both as a church and a school, again through the backing of Mr. Hershey, who was a Mennonite but encouraged different forms of Christian worship in his church building.  Other landowners in the vicinity were Andrew Hershey, Philip Albert and Peter Gotshall, from whom the name Petersburg is believed to have been derived.

 Beginning on April 1, 1791 John Wolf began buying up parcels of land.  In 1806 he and his wife sold them to his nephew, Daniel Wolf.  By 1812 Daniel had acquired approximately 30 acres in the immediate area on and near what is now State Street.  Also, in 1805 Samuel Miller had bought 10 acres along State Street from Samuel Swarr.  By 1809 Mr. Miller had begun selling off parcels from his acreage, but the event that is remembered as the official birth date of Petersburg is December 12th, 1812.  Six months into the War of 1812 (with the British again), James Madison was President and the nation was still in the early phase of growth and expansion.  In October, Pennsylvania had just moved its capital from Lancaster (where it had been since 1799) to Harrisburg.  At this time Mr. Wolf turned 14 of his acres into 79 parcels to be sold by lottery.  His filing in Lancaster of the deed is noted as “A Plan of Petersburg as Laid Off by Daniel Wolf”.  For $150 each, these lots were sold off beginning that December day.

The town plan was bounded on the west by Lemon Street, on the east by Cherry Street (what is now Pine Street), on the north by an alley known as Tank Road and on the south by Ann Street, which is the alley that runs from Lemon to the present Firehouse at Pine Street.  Wolf’s plan indicated that the Main Square was the intersection of what is now Broad & Main Streets (see map on page 2).  On the plan the streets radiating outwards from this square were North, South, East & West Streets, respectively.  With no major thruway as there is today, the newly-minted town was likely a relatively quiet one to live in. 

I hope you enjoy this first installment of the history of East Petersburg!  Check back for  more, or to order a copy of the book  for $7.00 call me at (717) 799-0851.  For info on Lancaster PA  real estate or  homes for sale click here.

Part Two  Part Three 

This article is courtesy of Herb Ingram of Amerispec Home Inspections of Lancaster: 

Most likely, when an offer is presented to you for your home, it will contain some type of contingency related to the findings of a professional home inspection. In order for that process to go as smoothly as possible, you should have a good understanding of what the inspector will be evaluating, common problems that are found, and what you can do before the inspection to prepare your home.

First and foremost, make sure the inspector can get to the areas, systems and components of the home. Many people have trash, personal property, boxes, or other items blocking access to the water heater, electrical panel, heating system, plumbing lines, windows, entire rooms, even bathtubs filled with personal items.

Remember, an inspector is not permitted to move personal items or furniture, due to the risk of damage. This included items on windowsills, the toilet tank, counters, boxes, etc. Move items to the center of the room, if they must be there. When an inspector must return to a property to re-inspect a previously inaccessible area or areas, it delays the sales process and sellers may foot the bill for a re-inspection.

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