Real Estate Information

These days’ houses are selling like hot cakes!  If you have ever thought about selling your house, now is the time to do so!  The only “issue” you are likely to run into is that you may end up with multiple offers.  While multiple offers may be a good thing, you still should know how to choose the best offer   in the event this happens to you. Below you will find a few ideas on how to best handle this particular situation. 

1.  Finding out which of the potential buyers have the best financing available to them is a great way to help you choose which offer you would be best to go with.  If you pick someone who hasn’t got the financial side of it all worked out for themselves you will likely end up spending more time than you would like getting all the kinks worked out.  Choosing someone who has a reputable lender on the other hand and has already been pre approved will make the transactions go nice and smoothly for all involved.   
2. Another way to choose the best offer  when you have multiple offers is if the closing date is good for you.  You may have one person that wants to buy your home that has to wait on their home to sell first while another person is ready to go right away.  If you want to and are ready to move out quickly you may want to go with the latter however if you are not quite ready to move that fast you may want to go with the folks that need to wait a while.  Choose the offer that best suits your own personal needs.
3. Yet another way to choose the best offer on your house when you have been given multiple offers is to make a checklist of the pros and cons of each offer.  This will make sorting out the details a bit easier for you. 
4. Be sure that you have peace about each offer and if you don’t feel a peace about a certain offer, take that one off the list of who to choose from. 

It is a good idea to go through all scenarios that may arise with each offer that is given before deciding which one to go with.  Once you choose the right offer, you can look forward to moving into a new chapter of your life! 

Courtesy of Chester County PA Realtor Scott Darling.

What a beautiful setting and such a beautiful home. This 3 bedroom 2 bath home has plenty to offer and you can tell the current homeowners really have maintained it well. There is a very large and updated kitchen right off the living area with a pass through and access to the patio, so you can be a part of either area as you choose, all with plenty of recessed lighting. The solid construction of the 1960's is evident throughout the home. You'll find hardwood flooring from the living room to the bedrooms. A generator panel and security system are just a few extra features included with this home. Enjoy a cozy fire in the sunroom during the cold winter months, then a cool beverage on a hot summer day. The central air and modern windows will keep you comfortable no matter what the season. The formal dining room has room to expand for those large family gatherings. The lower level is finished for additional relaxing or play. Three ample sized bedrooms and a full bath are all located on the upper level. The outside of this home is very appealing with a slate patio and picnic deck with a fish pond in site. You'll love the landscaping with all the beautiful gardens, room for a swing set, and flat yard for a soccer match. The detached garage with electric and heat is a one car garage with room for two. So bring your wood shop, lawn equipment, and motorcycle, there's plenty of room for all. This is one home you'll want to see right away.

Chester County PA Real Estate Market Trends for February 2017

Chester County PA single family homes saw pending sales increase by 3.6% in February 2017 when compared to February 2016. 270 homes sold in February with a median sales price of $300,000, a 9.1% increase from February 2016.  The average sales price increased by 2.4%, and homes were on the market 5 days less.

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Decorating your home can be fun but no other room is more fun than decorating the nursery for the arrival of a new little one.  Nothing brings more happiness than welcoming a new baby into the world and what better way to welcome your new bundle of joy into your home than by fixing the nursery up for them.  Below are a few nursery decorating ideas to welcome your new little one. 

1. A little baby is nothing more than a miracle from above so why not decorate your new baby’s room like the royalty that they are.  Decorating the nursery  in a royal theme is a perfect idea whether you are welcoming a tiny prince or a princess.  You can keep the décor unisex by adding some rich colors to the wall or adding a chandelier to the ceiling.  Adding a few decorative pillows maybe in the shape of a crown might be a good idea as well. 
2. Another cool idea for decorating your nursery is to make it extremely colorful with balloon décor.  This type of room can be unisex as well if you stick to the primary colors of yellow, blue, green and red.  If you want to get really creative you could paint a balloon mural on the wall and perhaps an outdoor scene to go along with it. 
3. If you like country décor you could use painted pallets to add a touch of southern sass to the room.  This type of country décor can be unisex if you want or you can make it more of a cowboy feel or a cowgirl feel depending on which you have been blessed with. 
4. Yet another great decorating idea to welcome your new little one into their new room is a Hollywood glitz and glam room.  Sheer curtains hung throughout the room with walls painted pink is a great way to get this particular look and feel.  Yet again, a chandelier may be appropriate for this type of room. 
5. If you want another gender neutral idea for your baby's room  you can use colors such as grey and yellow.  These colors are not only unisex they are timeless as well.  

Courtesy of Chester County PA Realtor Scott Darling.

513 Hodgson Circle is ready for you to move right into! What a great floor plan. Nice and open so everyone can be a part of the action. Hardwood floors greet you as you enter the foyer and off to the left is a large second bath and second bedroom with vaulted ceilings. Following the hardwood floors to the right brings you into the spacious open kitchen with 9’ ceilings and plenty of cabinet and counter space. There’s even a panty. From the kitchen, you can see over the breakfast bar and into the dining area and large open living room. The living room has soaring vaulted ceiling, skylights, a ceiling fan and sliding glass door to a lovely patio overlooking open space. The master bedroom is joined by the sitting room (also with a door to the patio) and very large master bath with whirlpool tub, separate sinks and vanities, a large shower stall and two closets, one of them being a walk-in closet. There’s also a bright and cheery laundry/mud room off of the 2-car garage, with an opener to make it easy to get in and out. Upstairs is a gigantic loft that can be used for additional bedroom space, a kids play area, a craft area or maybe an office. The community offers quite a bit as well. It includes a clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis courts, bocce, horseshoes, shuffleboard and tons of comradery amongst the neighbors. You’ll love the home, community and the life style that Ovations at Elk View has to offer. 

Now is the time, now is the best time, now is the best time to purchase a home.  Do yourself a favor; don’t wait to purchase your dream home until the end of 2017.  If you have even given a small thought that you might want to move in the next year or so, go ahead and begin looking now so that you might be able to make that purchase today instead of tomorrow.   A few of the reasons why you should purchase your home before the end of the year are listed below for you. 

1.  One of the many reasons you should go ahead and purchase a home   before the end of 2017 is because interest rates are already beginning to rise.  The current average interest rate is a little above 4 percent but that rate could reach 6 percent by 2019.  Begin looking for the home of your dreams now so that you can purchase one and get moved in while the market is in your favor.
2. Fewer homes are available as the years go on.  Just a few short years ago there were plenty of homes to choose from; however this list is getting a bit smaller yearly.   Buyers of today will have many more homes to choose from than buyers of tomorrow so get out and get house shopping now!  Call your Realtor today if purchasing a home is on your mind. 
3. House prices are rising and will continue to rise in the future.  If there ever was a reason to go ahead and purchase a home before the end of the year, this is the one!  You just might be able to get more of a house for your money now than if you waited until later to purchase. 

Again, if purchasing a home has even been on your mind at all and you think you might want to move in the next year or so, get a jump start on your search by starting today.  It can’t hurt to start looking now because you just may be more likely to find it now than later.   Buying a home is a big deal and can cost quite a bit of money so it’s best to start looking now to find the home you have always dreamed of.  

Courtesy of Chester County PA Realtor Scott Darling.

If you have recently purchased a new house and you would like to fill it up with new furniture you have likely found that it can be quite the overwhelming task and an expensive one as well.  There are a few money saving ideas for furniture shopping that can help you out quite a bit in your search for new furniture and those have been listed below.

1.  One good thing you can do to help you save a bit of money when furniture shopping is to call a few of the stores you are going to be visiting ahead of time.  This way you can find out if they have prices you can afford and also if they have brand names that you are interested in.  This can save you a little bit of time and money so that you don’t waste it traveling long distances.
2.  Another money saving idea for furniture shopping  is to make sure to look at every piece of furniture that the store has by walking the entire shop.  Many times there are clearance items or items that perhaps are slightly damaged in the store but they are not out for all to see.  Do your due diligence and walk the entire space so you don’t lose out on any good deals. 
3. Yet another good way to save money when furniture shopping is to purchase consignment furniture.  You can find lots of really nice pieces by shopping consignment. 
4. If you find a piece of furniture that you have your heart set on do your best to bargain with the seller.  You never know unless you ask.
5. Shopping estate sales is another way to get good prices on furniture.  Many times you can get pieces at estate sales that are worth much more than you pay for them so you can make your home look very nice. 
6. Lastly if you want to save a good amount of money on furniture  why not refinish what you already have!  Old furniture can become new again if you are able to successfully refinish it.  

Hopefully this list of money saving ideas on furniture buying has gotten you thinking in the right direction before you begin making your purchases.   Now get out there and save some money and furnish your home with beautiful new furniture.  

Courtesy of Chester County PA Realtor Scott Darling.

Nobody enjoys thinking about the possibility of a family emergency or natural disaster, but taking steps to prepare for those possibilities should be a priority.   While not lessening the shock and anguish of an unexpected, tragic situation, being prepared will help you to get your life back in order faster and easier.

One thing to consider is having important paper work organized in an emergency binder .  The binder should contain all the important information about your life.  Think about any paperwork or vital information you would need access to in an emergency, such as:

• Vital Records

• copies of birth certificates, adoption records
• copies of marriage licenses, driver’s licenses and passports
• copies of all property and auto records – deeds, leases, titles, etc.
• copies of all property/umbrella insurance policies
• a list of where off-site and original documents are stored

• Financial Information

• list of all bank account numbers
• copies of front and back of all credit cards
• list of all investment account numbers
• list of all retirement/pension account numbers
• detailed information about current income/benefits
• detailed information about mortgages/loans

• Medical Information

• copies of health/life/disability insurance cards and policies
• medical history for each family member
• list of medications and prescriptions, including dose and pharmacy
• details about any ongoing medical conditions/treatments

• Contact Information

• friends and family to reach in case of emergency
• neighbors who have access to your house
• financial institutions, insurance companies, legal advisors
• physicians, specialists, hospitals and other healthcare providers
• employers and benefit administrators

• Family Emergency Plan

• including a family emergency plan in your binder will help you to keep yourself calm and organized during what may be a stressful time

Make sure that your emergency binder is kept in a place where it is easy to get to and that it is easy to carry and that family members are aware of its location.

Secondly, it is a good idea to have a safety deposit box or lock box in which to store your original documents.  This can also be used for storing important computer files and passwords, priceless family photos and valuable jewelry and memorabilia. Include a photo of each member of your family along with fingerprints and dental records.  A home inventory list is also a useful item to have in storage.  Remember that most of the documents in your “Emergency Binder” will be copies.  Originals should be placed in a safety deposit box or lock box for safekeeping.

Whether it’s a family emergency or a natural disaster, tragic events almost always leave people feeling blindsided.  Preparing in advance will help ease the feelings of being overwhelmed and panicked as you put your life back in order.  So, set aside a day to put together your emergency binder to help protect your family now!

Have a Super Fantastic Day! 

Oh, and by the way, I'm never too busy for your referrals.

Springhill Farm is your new address… as soon as you walk thru the door, you’ll know this is the place you now will call home. Park right in front of your front door and enter into this well-appointed townhome. The spacious living room, enhanced by the laminate floors provides a warm and comfortable place to relax. The beautiful floors carry through the hall back to the giant eat in kitchen area and dining room. This space is large enough to even add a small couch or a couple chairs. The bright and open kitchen is large enough for a number of your friends to help out or just to congregate. The powder room completes the first floor. Off the back are the French doors to the deck and steps down to the yard. There’s great privacy and views in the back. Upstairs are two very large bedrooms. The master bedroom includes a master bath and a large lighted closet with mirrored doors. The second bedroom is large enough to actually hold two beds. Laundry facilities are also located on this level. Lastly, the lower level is finished with a bar, two large storage closets and an outside entrance to a patio. This is a great area to entertain and watch the big game. Come by for a visit. You’ll be happy you did.

Chester County PA Real Estate Market Trends for January 2017

Chester County PA single family homes saw pending sales increase by 38.05% in January 2017 when compared to January 2016. 363 homes sold in January with a median sales price of $296,000, a 1.99% decrease from January 2016.  The average sales price decreased by 6.23%, and homes were on the market 5 days more.

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