Lancaster County PA Realty Check: July 2009

Coldwell Banker Select Professionals of Lancaster, York, Hershey and Lebanon, PA holds its annual company get-together.

                         The festivities take place on CEO Ryan Hess's grounds near East Petersburg.

                       The swimming pool keeps the kids (and some of the adults) happily occupied.

A custom red, white and blue cake puts us in a patriotic mood.  Nearby is an announcement of the upcoming "dunk the partners" contest...

                                    Down goes partner Quentin Miller...  "Good shot, Honey!"

       Some of these guys take the contest seriously!  Do we have some major pitching talent here?

                                                        A freshly soaked partner Ron Felpel...

                Teammate Jeff Geoghan with his family.

©BrianSchulman2009

If you've passed Lancaster PA's Buchanan Park, located on Lancaster's West End at Buchanan and Race Avenue, you may have wondered why the small historic building, of almost doll house proportions, is located close to the middle of the park.  I had originally guessed that it might have once been a small schoolhouse.

In fact, the building is a miniature reproduction of the old Lancaster Courthouse.  During World War I, war bonds were sold from this small edifice, at the time located on Penn Square.

In recent years, the building has sat unused, its paint peeling and and its cupola leaning unsteadily.

Now Lancaster City Parks and Recreation plans to straighten up the cupola, paint and make other repairs with the help of students from the Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.

Lancaster City Parks & Recreation will conduct a study toassess whether additional structural repairs may be needed to restore the building.

©BrianSchulman2009 

By now, many first time home buyers are aware of the $8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.  A first time home buyer is defined as a buyer who has not had an interest in a primary residence within the past three years.  The tax credit provides a credit of 10% of the purchase price of a home to the buyer, up to a sale price of $80,000; hence, first time home buyers are eligible to receive checks from the IRS in amounts up to $8,000!

The tax credit is only in effect for settlements which take place BEFORE December 1, 2009 - i.e., the settlement must take place no later than November 30, 2009.  The tax form with which to apply for the tax credit is IRS Form 5405.

Bear in mind that in today's credit atmosphere, it can take a minimum of 45 days to get a mortgage approved.  Therefore, it would be desirable for first time home buyers to have a home selected and under agreement no later than early October 2009.

What's going to happen as we get closer to the deadline fot the $8,000 tax credit?  All the first time buyers who haven't yet bought a house are going to be in a rush to get their purchase on the books in time to be eligible for the credit.

When is the latest allowable settlement date?  November 30, 2009, which happens to fall on a Monday.  That date is going to be the craziest date for settlements that anyone has ever seen!  It will be hard to reserve a time with a title company to hold the settlements, and there will be delays with financing packages from lenders due to the rush.

Some settlements will be delayed for one reason or another until the following day - and there goes $8,000 out the window.

My suggestion?  If you're a Lancaster County, PA first time home buyer, don't wait for the last minute to look for a home.  Leave plenty of time for your settlement - and don't schedule your settlement for the last day in November.

Cannons, a marching band and fireworks capped off the Fourth of July weekend in Lancaster, PA this year!

Long's Park was the focal point for an estimated 35,000 Lancastrians to celebrate our country's birthday!

The festivities were scheduled to officially start at 7:30 pm.  Knowing that the crowds would be large, we arrived an hour and a half early - only to be turned away at the lower entrance to the park, which was alread full.

We were guided into an upper meadow, where the overflow cars were parked.  Those who came too late to park inside Long's Park at all had to cross over into Park City Center.  There is a pedestrian tunnel which runs from Park City's parking lot, under Route 30 into Long's Park.

We brought a picnic dinner with us, along with folding chairs and a blanket, and set up our little space near the top of the hill overlooking the band shell.  

There were food concessions, from hot dogs and burgers to ice cream, funnel cakes and one stand with beautiful large blooming onions.  of course, if you wanted food from the concessions, you had to put up with the long lines...

The music was provided by the 257th Army Band - the same one that played at the inaugeration of Barack Obama.  They started out with a medley of Beatles tunes, then some WWII big band numbers, including "American Patrol".

 Then it was time for Lancaster ex-Mayor Charlie Smithgall's cannons, accompanied by the Army Band's rousing rendition of the 1812 Overture. 

                     As night fell, the fireworks started, to the accompaniment of patriotic marches... 

©2009BrianSchulman

Visitors to Lancaster County, PA are  aware of the popular Amish and tourist areas of the eastern part of the county.  Less well known is that there is some beautiful countryside up the Susquehanna River in the northwest corner of the county.

One point of interest that shouldn't be missed is the Nissley Vineyards and Winery Estate in Bainbridge, PA.  This is an operating vineyard and winery in a particularly scenic setting, with a stone barn and farmhouse surrounded by the rows of grapes clustered on their vines, shielding the estate from any sign of modern civilization.

The grounds are beautiful in the summer.  Every Saturday night through the summer, lawn concerts are held.  People bring their own picnic baskets, or gourmet sandwiches, wine and food are available from the concessions onsite.

Some folks bring small folding tables, tablecloths and even candelabras as they eat and await the start of the lawn concerts.  Programs run the gamut from soft rock to big band to oldies.  There is even an area where couples can get up and dance to the music if they wish!

Dancing under the stars to a big band or more modern music is a special experience not to be missed.