Home Buyer Incentives for Lancaster Pa Homes for Sale

Welcome Back Readers!   Today we’re talking about Buyer Incentives.  You’ve seen them, buy this house and seller will pay selling agent bonus, seller will include new Cadillac, enter contest to win a Cruise to Bahamas.  Now, not many sellers have been offering these types of incentives in Lancaster, but in new construction we have seen No Mortgage Payments for a Year, $40,000 in Builder Upgrades, buy our home and if yours doesn’t sell we buy yours, etc.  On... Read More

Avoid Pet Odors When Selling Lancaster Pa Home!

Welcome Back Readers!  Today we are going to talk a little about the subject many home buyers complain about, Pet Odors.  Pet Odors can be a big problem when selling, many pet phobic buyers who catch the slightest whiff of Fido or Fluffy the Kitty turn around an walk right back out the door. That doesn’t mean you have to get rid of Fido and Fluffy, we know they are part of the family and you love them.  It does mean that you have to take some steps to address the issue.  ... Read More

Is There a National Real Estate Transfer Tax On All Homes Sold After 2012?

Image courtesy of Alan Cleaver via Flickr Welcome Back Readers!  Thanks for stopping by again!  There’s alot of emails that circulate during an election year, one of the most common ones this year relates to a real estate is that the federal health care legislation (affectionately called Obama-care) passed in March 2010 contains a 4.0% transfer tax on all real estate sold after 2012.  You might be wondering if this is true or not.  Well, in short the answer is no. ... Read More

Craigslist Rental Scams

Welcome Back Readers!  Thanks for stopping by, I wanted to pass on a little info about a scam that has been happening across the internet, as always if something sounds to good to be true it probably is. If you think Nigerian Bankers are the only ones out there scamming people, I have news of a new (well not new but it’s becoming more widely used) scam involving craigslist and real estate rentals. (read on to find out more) Read More  Read More

Did You Know That We Can Blame it All on Snow?

Welcome Back Readers!  Or should I say viewers?  This is the first of many video blog posts on www.TheLancasterConnection.com .  I’m excited about being able to bring you this content in a way that is relevant and timely but don’t worry, there will be more than just video posts to keep you up to date on what’s happening in real estate and the rest of Lancaster County, as we’ll still have all of your favorite guest authors as well! This week, I wanted... Read More

A FEW FORECLOSURE SOLUTIONS SIMPLIFIED, HELP FOR DISTRESSED HOMEOWNERS IN PA

Welcome Back Readers!   I wrote this article a little over a year ago and thought it would be worthwhile to refresh it and repost.  Why?  Well, here in Lancaster Pennsylvania we are in much better shape than many other areas, we do not have, and should not expect, a flood of foreclosures.  That being said, foreclosure is the reality many homeowners are currently facing and the majority of them do not understand the process. First and foremost, this article is not in any... Read More

The New Age of Social Media and Blogging – An Ethics Minefield?

Social networking sites such as Facebook, Activerain, RealTown, Trulia Voices, etc. provide a myriad of ways to connect consumers and colleagues alike with real estate info.  Blogs have proliferated in the last few years, people are writing them reading them and commenting all over the internet.  These formats allows for a free and open exchange of info, sometimes a little too free and open as commenter’s/authors occasionally forget that we, as Realtors, have numerous regulations... Read More

Fannie Mae Offers Closing Cost Assistance and Appliance Incentive

Welcome Back Readers!   It’s been a busy month in real estate, so many things happening both locally and nationally it seems everyday there is something new!  That’s actually the becoming the normal state of affairs nowadays and I don’t mind as it gives me lots of things to write about! I wanted to let you know about a program announced today by Fannie Mae.  Fannie Mae has a little problem, namely 50,000 homes they now own through the foreclosure process... Read More