If you’re in the market for a hot tub or looking for tips on home repairs, you might want to stop by the York Expo’s Toyota Arena this weekend.
American Consumer Shows is hosting a the York Fall Home and Hot Tub Show 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Admission to the show is free.
Hey, everyone that lives in the York Suburban School District, listen up.
I know that median sale price of house in your district sits at about $140,000.
No, I’m not combing through deeds or listening in on private conversations between real estate agents and their clients.
Instead, I checked out an online list of housing stats that, thanks to data collected they Realtors Association of York & Adams Counties, includes information on sale prices and the number of homes sold.
Check it out and let me know if the stats match what you’re seeing in the market.
Last week, the local tax bureau sent me a letter letting me know that $3,000 had been added to my property’s assessed value. The reason for the hike came from a deck that I installed on the back of my house earlier this year.
Not to go too off course, but I installed the deck so that it would not be attached to the house and not be considered a permanent structure. In that case, I shouldn’t have to pay more taxes on something that is not attached to the house.
Anyhow, a few quick calculations later, I found that the new assessment adds about $85 a year to my tax bill.
Should I appeal to get out of paying $85 per year? Is it worth the risk of the county assessing my house even higher?
Depending on how fast you want to sell your property, you might need to lower the asking price.
Between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, the median sale price of York County home fell 5 percent from $152,500 in 2010 to $144,900 this year, according to data released Tuesday by the Realtors Association of York & Adams Counties.
During that same time frame, the number of homes sold also took a hit. Last year, 2,943 homes were sold in York County compared 2,655 properties sold this year— a 10 percent drop.
“Although our economic growth is expected to remain positive, uncertainty about the world’s economy is creating some consumer hesitation,” said Marty Sowa, president of the association, in a news release. “We need to remove any road blocks to the housing recovery so people who are trying to take advantage of excellent housing affordability conditions can purchase a home.”
However, when compared year-over-year, the month of September did post positive results, especially in terms of the number of homes sold.
In September 2010, 263 local homes were sold. A year later, 291 homes were sold across the county, according to the association.
Last week, just like I do the first day of every month, I replaced my furnace filter.
Usually, I go with a filter that blocks pet dander and other allergens from flowing freely throughout my house.
But, how reliable is the filter that I bought?
A quick walk down the plumbing aisle of most home improvement stores can confuse even the most experienced do-it-yourselfer.
You could go with an inexpensive blue filter that may or may not do the best job, or you could invest in a more than $20 filter that promise to promises to removed all but the smallest of pollutants.
Also, how often should a filter be replaced? I swap mine out every month, but some people wait as long as three months.
Any advice?
Lauren Boyer's basement, post floodpocalypse. Earlier, there was a foot of water coating the carpet. She's glad she isn't responsible for cleaning this up.
I spent most of last week whining to my dad, my financial adviser, about how much I want to buy a house in York city … or anywhere really. I have been saving for the occasion since high school. “It’s time,” I told him. “I’m sick of dumping money into rent.”
My dad yelled at me. Told me to hold my horses. He said that it’s not a money issue — that I, at 23 years old, am not ready for that kind of responsibility, yet.
This morning, when I found the Codorus Creek running through the basement of my rental house on West Philadelphia Street, I understood his argument.
A foot of standing, stinking water. A basement swimming pool. I had no idea what to do, except call the emergency maintenance number for my realtor.
And don’t get me wrong. I LOVE this house — all four floors of it. It’s the best living arrangement I’ve ever had, and I don’t intend to move in the near future, come hell or high water.
It’s kind of nice, when something needs repaired — or sump pumped — that it’s somebody else’s problem. On that note, I think I’ll hold off on house hunting — at least for a little while.
Two real estate organizations have canceled a home ownership conference that had been slated for 10 a.m. Friday at the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg.
The conference, to be hosted by the National Association of Realtors and the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors, would have discussed how public policy issues could affect Pennsylvanians’ abilities to buy, sell and own homes.
Last year, Pennsylvania homeowners who benefited from the mortgage interest deduction took an average of nearly $10,000 in deductions on mortgage interest, according to a news release regarding the conference.
The money they saved as a result of this benefit could be put into savings, applied toward college tuitions, or simply used to pay down other bills.
Lawmakers are currently discussing changes to the Federal Housing Administration that could reduce current FHA loan limits from 125 percent to 115 percent of the local area median home price.
In some parts of the state, reverting to lower loan limits would mean a reduction of over $150,000, from $425,000 to $271,050 after September 30, when the loan limits are set to expire.
The conference has not yet been rescheduled.
I’m not going to waste your time with which type or brand of sump pump is the best to buy.
By now, most hardware stores and big-box retailers have few, if any, sump pumps left on their shelves. If you are one of the lucky ones that has a pump, your main job should be to make sure that it remains in good working order.
Here are some tips to ensure that your pump keeps making that stress-reducing hum as it rids your basement of water:
– Go outside to check that the pump is actually discharging water (sometimes the pump will run but it won’t pump any water out).
– Check that the operation of the float is not restricted.
– Clean the air hole in the discharge line.
– Listen for any strange noises coming from the motor.
– Replace the battery on the back-up sump pump every second or third year.
Source: www.sump-pump-info.com
The Housing Alliance of York will offer a free workshop for local residents having difficulty paying their mortgages at 6 p.m. Tuesday at 35 S. Duke St. in York.
Alliance officials will help qualified homeowners apply for the Emergency Home Loan Program, which offers bridge loans of up to $50,000 to pay mortgage balances delinquent by at least three months.
Homeowners who have had a 15 percent reduction in income due to underemployment, loss of employment or a medical issue are eligible to apply.
Applications are due by Sept. 8. For details; 854-1541.
From buildings shaped like shoes to antique barns, the York County Sunday driver has much to marvel at while traveling the local byways. However, most scenic adventurers tend to overlook one of the areas most prevalent markers: the real estate for-sale sign. York Daily Record/Sunday News business writer Sean Adkins has covered the county's real estate market for nearly 10 years and reports on the latest trends, ranging from home improvement tips to how to avoid foreclosure.
