Lancaster County PA Realty Check: June 2008

Summer time in Lancaster County, there is always something interesting scheduled!

Friday evening June 27 at the Greenfield Industrial Park, off Greenfield Road, is Oldies Night and a free concert.  Gary Lewis and the Playboys will be playing.  The first set starts at 6:30 pm.  There will be a half hour intermission from 7:15 - 7:45, and a second set from 7:45 to 8:30.  Weather permitting, there will be classic cars on display.

The concert goes on rain or shine.  Turn off Greenfield on William Penn Way and follow the signs.  There will be parking attendants directing.  Plan to come early to leave time to park and get something to eat.  Bring lawn chairs or blankets.

Saturday June 28 at the Pennsylvania Academy of Music, 42 N. Prince Street, Lancaster, will feature Cabaret Night.  See the website for ticket prices.

Sunday June 29 at Long's Park , 1401 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster, at 7:30 pm, the Hiram Bullock Band will be performing a free concert, featuring Randy Brecker.  The band features trumpet, guitar, and a funky R&B mix.  Again, leave enough time to park and try some of the specialty foods at the concessions.

Have a great weekend!

©BrianSchulman2008

In Pennsylvania there is a Seller Disclosure law that requires sellers to provide prospective buyers with fairly extensive information about the home they are selling.  Among the types of information required:

How long you have owned the properrty

Whether you live in the property

Whether pets have lived in the property

Condition of the roof, whether there has been any leaking, repairs or replacement, and if you have documentation of such repairs or replacement

Condition of the heating, plumbing and electrical systems

Whether there has been any water, mold or mildew in the basement

If there are underground tanks, settling or fill in the yard

Any zoning violations, or notices of public assessments or real estate tax increase notices

Whether there are any liens or legal problems that would prevent you from conveying clear title.

Many sellers have asked me over the years if one particular minor problem or another is worth the trouble of reporting on the disclosure.  My answer?  DISCLOSE EVERYTHING! 

This is the right answer on several levels.  First, it's the honest thing to do.

Second, it's the law.  Proper reporting of problems protects you from later liability for non-disclosure.

Third, from a totally pragmatic point of view, if buyers see that you've disclosed everything that they can observe for themselves, and that you've also disclosed a few things that they can't see for themselves, they're going to feel a lot more comfortable about your credibility.

Of course, buyers also have the right to require an independent home inspection as part of their purchase offer. If the inspection turns up things that you have already disclosed, you have a much better chance of the transaction going to settlement without further disputes.

Good disclosure helps everyone.  It gives buyers useful information, protects sellers from non-disclosure issues, and helps agents do their jobs with fewer distractions.

If you would like more information about Seller Disclosures, please feel free to call Brian Schulman at (717) 951-5552, or email brian@findlancasterhomes.com .

©BrianSchulman2008

Yesterday the world lost one of the iconic comedic observers of the boomer generation of the 1960s.  George Denis Patrick Carlin passed away of heart failure at the age of 71.

Carlin was perhaps most famous for his routine, "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television", protesting censorship.  A lawsuit against Carlin went all the way up to the Supreme Court, which upheld the FCC's right to regulate the content on the air waves.

Carlin's hippie clothing and pony tail kept him from getting many bookings in the early days, but eventually became accepted as his signature look.  One of his popular characters was "Al Sleet, the Hippie Dippie Weather Man" ("Widespread darkness tonight, giving way to gradual lightening towards morning...")

George Carlin was a prolific writer, putting his observations on radio, TV, books, movies and live performances.  Example:  "Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways?"

He will be missed.

In a previous post, I wrote about sellers who inadvertently blew their chances for a sale by following showing agents and their buyers around the home.  In this post I want to discuss what really motivates buyers, and how you as a seller can make the most of it.

Too many sellers, (and too many real estate agents for that matter), don't really understand what motivates buyers to make a purchase.  The results of this misunderstanding can easily be seen in classified ads that merely recite a laundry list of features - beds, baths, square feet, gas heat.

Buyers don't buy features - they buy benefits.  This is illustrated in an adage I heard long ago:  "A hardware store customer isn't buying  a quarter inch drill - he's buying a quarter inch hole!"  Therefore, if you want to connect with buyers, you need to show them the benefits of living in your particular house.

Buyers will tell you of all the logical reasons which caused them to buy a particular home - but when the actual decision is made, it will be made for emotional reasons.  Buyers buy homes for the lifestyle they can picture living in those homes.

How does all this tie back to the protocol of showing a house to buyers?  Buyers need to put themselves in the mental position of feeling like they are the potential owners of the home they are viewing.  Indeed, how can a buyer pretend that they are entertaining in the family room, or relaxing on the deck, or enjoying the Jacuzzi, when the seller is following them around, pointing out how efficient the new water heater is?

Sellers, for your own self interests, leave the showing agent and the buyers alone when they come to view your home!  If at all possible, don't even be present during the showing.  No good can come from interaction at this point with the buyers, and any questions that the buyers may have can be asked later of the listing agent, who can in turn get the information from you.

In addition, you should be represented by a REALTOR who understands the difference between creating a laundry list of features, and creating a marketing plan that paints emotional reasons why a buyer would love to live in your property!

©2008BrianSchulman

There's lots to do in lancaster, PA this weekend!

In Long's Park this Sunday, June 22, 2008, there will be a free concert by Blue Highway, a Grammy nominated bluegrass band.  Long's Park is located at 1401 Harrisburg Pike, just up from Park City Shopping Center.

The concert starts at 7:00 pm, but come early to find parking and get something to eat at the concessions!  Bring blankets or lawn chairs.

Sunday June 22, 7:00 pm, Musser Park, 135 N. Lime Street, will feature an American Wind Symphony Orchestra concert.

Friday night June 20 from 5:00 -9:00 pm is Music Friday in the 200 and 300 blocks of North Queen Street.  Live music, art, antiques and performers will all be on display!

©BrianSchulman2008

Right now the United Sates is reaping the very predictable rewards of our misguided energy policy for the last 30 years.  This should be no surprise.  Why are we dependent on foreign oil for 60% of our needs? 

Let's look at what we've been doing.  It has all the ingredients of a perfect storm...

1)  Environmentalists have forbidden drilling in the Alaskan National Wildlife Reserve (ANWAR) even though present technology can explore ANWAR, which has 19 Million acres, with a footprint of only 2,000 acres.  This is the equivalent of the size of one letter on the page of a full size newspaper!

2)  Drilling on the outer continental shelf (OCS) has been forbidden for decades.

3)  China has been allowed to buy drilling leases 40 miles off the Gulf of Mexico, from Cuba - a location that is forbidden to American companies - while we wring our hands about carbon footprints.

4)  We haven't built a nuclear reactor for 3 decades because of the agonizing, expensive and complex years-long regulatory permit requirements.

5)  Because of our lax border security, tens of millions of illegal immigrants have swelled our population, adding to the energy requirements of the nation.

6)  The was againt terror has cost over $600 Billion.  Not only has it drained our treasury, but by borrowing from foreign countries to pay for it, the very value of the dollar continues to decrease, making everything - including gasoline - cost more in dollars.  In addition, some the money that we pay to the oil producing countries ends up in the hands of peope friendly to the terrorists - prolonging the war and making it even more expensive and dangerous.

7)  In the western states we have oil shale and oil sands with reserves estimated to be three times the reserves of the total middle east countries.  Even though technology exists right now that could extract this oil in an environmentally safe manner, Congress is not allowing us to do so.

8)  Congress is posturing once again for "windfall profits" taxes.  Let's think about this.  If you tax something, you get less of it.  If we tax oil more, is it going to get cheaper?  DUH.

And now, some are actually calling for the nationalization of the refineries!  Of course, they know better than to call it that.  They call it "ownership by the American people".  Remember, this is the same government that so well handles the problems of Social Security, health care, Medicare, entitlements, immigration and the Katrina flood...

How well does nationalization of industries work for the people?  Why don't we ask the citizens of Cuba, Venezuela and Russia how much benefit they got from the government's confiscation of assets from their rightful owners?  In Cuba, drivers are holding their 1952 Chevrolets and Fords together with baling wire and duct tape. 

Alternate energy solutions are all very well, but at the moment they're a drop in the bucket.  The public doesn't have any concept of the huge amounts of oil needed to keep our economy running.  Who can visualize 85 million barrels a day?

Just the statement by the U.S. that we were serious about recovering our own resources, would immediately drive down the price of oil.   Speculators have been bidding the world price up due to fears of shortages.

We haven't seen the worst of this yet.  If we don't start responsibly developing our own vast proven oil and shale reserves, our economy is going to come to a grinding halt like we haven't seen since the Great Depression...

As of today, over 1,000,000 people have signed Newt Gingrich's American Solutions Petition:  Drill Here, Drill Now, Save Money!

©BrianSchulman2008

Here's a true story of how a "helpful" seller lost a serious buyer because they didn't leave me alone to do my job!

I was showing a nice 1950s vintage ranch house to my buyers.  The house was in good condition, with an average size rear yard.  However, behind the house, with no fence separating it, was the vast rear lawn of an adjacent church.

My buyers were a young couple, both of whom were employed.  They had no children.  They were looking for a home with low maintaince to match their lifestyle.

The seller, who should have been absent for the showing, was not only home but followed us around to make sure we missed no detail - which of course also prohibited my buyers from having an uninhibited conversation about the house as we toured it.

As we went out to the back yard, the seller said, proudly, "You can mow the lawn for the church and make use of all that area for yourself!"  I could see the change of expression on the faces of my buyers, who up until then had seemed interested in the house.  It was the kiss of death.

The moral of the story for sellers is, don't be present for showings if at all possible.  If you must be home, keep a low profile, and let your listing agent or the cooperating buyers agent do their job.  It takes more training than you may realize.  There's no question that you know your house better than anyone else - but the agent knows the BUYER better than you do.

©BrianSchulman2008             

By the time the new Lancaster, PA Convention Cention Center and Marriott Hotel is finished in 2009, Lancaster's historic Penn Square will be getting a bit of a face lift as well.

Plans include new trees and plantings.  New lighting will be standardized.  Chairs and tables with protective umbrellas will be placed in the square, giving the area an outdoor cafe atmosphere!

New transportation routes are being planned in and out of the city, and the many art galleries, cafes and restaurants in the neighborhood are gearing up for the increasing number of visitors.    The First Friday of each month is a great time to see what's happening!  

Above to the left can be seen the 1798 Heritage Museum, once the old court house. 

The Victorian building houses the Central Farmer's Market, and to the right is the art nouveau Greist Building, the tallest building in Lancaster until the new Marriott Hotel and Convention Center surpasses it.

©BrianSchulman2008

At the tender age of seven, I was sent away to a summer camp in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts.  It was the first time I had been without my parents for any extended period of time.

Every Wednesday was hike day.  Our bunk, consisting of six or seven campers plus our counselor, would usually go for a hike in the mountains, or farmland, or spelunking in a cave.  However, one hike day it was decided that we should be taken into Pittsfield, the largest local city in the area. for a shopping excursion.

We all piled into the ancient olive green Chevy Suburban camp vehicle with a metal floor and no seat belts (no one had seat belts at that time), and bounced out to town, about a half hour drive.  I believe we had gone into a drug store together, and I got involved looking at some shelves. 

When I looked up, no one else was around!  I looked through the store, but there were no familiar faces.  I went out to the sidewalk, but saw none of my bunk mates.  Getting a little worried, I looked up and down the street to decide which way to go.

I decided to turn right, and passed a record store with speakers that could be heard outside.  On the record player inside, a popular song of the day, "Volare", blared out.  I passed by, seeing no one familiar.  I went all the way down the block.  On my way back, "Volare" (Italian , "to fly") was still playing.

Now I went back, to the left of the drug store, and still I couldn't find my bunk mates or my counselor.  I couldn't remember where we had parked.  I didn't have any money for a phone call, and I wouldn't have known where to call even if I'd had a dime.

All afternoon (or so it seemed), I walked up and down that street looking for my group.  Every time I passed that record store, the same song was playing over and over. I began to hate "Volare" more and more.  "Nel blu di pinto di blu" - what the heck did that mean?  I didn't know, and I didn't care! The song became synonymous in my mind with being lost in a strange town.

For years afterward I had nightmares about being lost, with "Volare" as the theme song.  It still plays out from my subconscious mind every once in a while.

Here is a video of Domenico Modugno singing "Volare", the song that made his career, in 1958.

Lancaster's Amtrak Train Station is an architectural gem.  Built in 1929, it is a familiar and dignified landmark in the city of Lancaster, PA.

Its Art Deco marble interior is reminiscent, on a small scale, of Grand Central Station in New York City.  Lancaster is the third busiest train station in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia and Harrisburg.

The main lobby features a soaring ceiling with art deco lighting fixtures and a magnificent glass paned ceiling insert.

Over the past decade, restoration has been ongoing, including painting and improvements to the heating system. 

The building will now be air conditioned.  Shops and restaurants will be built, and the parking lot enlarged.

        Ridership at the Amtrak Station is up 17% just since May due to the increased cost of driving!

            The current $12 Million renovation is scheduled to be completed by June of 2010.

©BrianSchulman2008