Remember The Time Change

Remember to change your clocks!

It doesn’t seem that this should make a difference in the real estate market, but it does. This is the time to get your property on the market. Buyers have the time and light to now look at homes during the week. Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity before everyone else does. If you need to find out how much your home is worth today, call me now!

David Henke
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc – Devon, PA/Wilmington, DE
Office: 610-225-7400/Direct: 610-618-0808
www.DelawarePAHomes.com

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day!

& Congratulations to the Swarthmore College Class of 2012. Once again, it’s that time of year to relax, put up your feet, get together with family and friends, and look forward to a great Summer Season.

David Henke
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc – Bear, DE/Devon, PA
Office: 302-834-3431/Direct: 610-618-0808
www.DelawarePAHomes.com  

Local Delaware & Chester County Communities in the News

Local Chester & Delaware County communities continue to rank well in local best places to live categories!

The Philadelphia Magazine has just released their “15 Most Family Friendly Philly Suburbs” and Delaware and Chester County both rank well. The magazine looked at the schools, populations, crime, and all the intangibles that can make a great community.

The locations highlighted in our immediate area include:
Wayne PA
Upper Providence PA
Swarthmore PA
East Marlborough PA

Be sure to read the entire article for their complete descriptions and be sure to take a look at all their local neighborhood information.

David Henke
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc – Devon,PA/Bear, DE
Office: 610-225-7400/Direct: 610-618-0808
www.DelawarePAHomes.com  

Delaware County PA Real Estate Market Update

The Delaware County Real Estate Market continues into the fourth quarter at a leisurely pace.

As we close in on the end of September with only one quarter to go before 2011, this is a great time to assess the current market health.

As we noted before, the net effect of the First Time Home Buyer’s Tax credit was simply to move the timing of sales in 2010 with little apparent impact on increasing overall activity in the market.  This year to date in 2010, there have been 3525 recorded sales in the county compared to 3524 sales in 2009.

Through September 29, 2010:
.                                           2009              2010        Change
Year To Date Sales:             3524               3525        No Change
Pending Sales:                       818                 568        -31%
Active Homes For Sale:        3282              3903       +19%

Compared to my 8/17/2010 market update, the Pending Sales and Active Homes numbers continue to deteriorate. Pending sales have fallen an additional 11% (from 639 to 568) in the last month and a half.  The Active Homes for Sale inventory has climbed an additional 2.6% (from 3803 to 3903).  Both numbers indicate an increased desire to sell while buyers appear to be continuing to wait on the sidelines.

We have been seeing additional buyer activity both online and in Open House traffic but this has yet to be seen in increased homes under contract.  If the buyers do not return soon, we could see some further price deterioration as we move toward the end of the year.

This remains one of the best and most affordable times to buy a home in the area.  Anyone who is considering a move should be in the market today.  Very minor economic news could quickly be felt in increased interest rates and today’s deep inventory could quickly be gone.

As always, should you have any questions or be considering a move, please do not hesitate to contact me anytime.

David Henke
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc – Newtown Square,PA/Bear, DE
Office: 610-359-3853/Cell: 610-618-0808
www.DelawareCountyPennsylvaniaHomes.com

(All statistics per the TrendMLS System and believed accurate but not guaranteed)

Tree, Shrub, and Perrennials Identification Course – Swarthmore College PA

The Tree, Shrub, and Perennials ID Course arrives at the Scott Arboretum in Swarthmore PA.

Have you always wondered what kind of tree that was?  What kind of bush or plant is flowering like that?  Or even where will this plant fit into our landscape?

Now you have the opportunity to learn everything you wanted to know with the Tree, Shrub, and Perennials Identification class in Swarthmore PA.  This class is being offered through the Penn State Extension Green Industry Education Committee.  The Green Industry Education Committee (GEIC) is comprised of Extension educators that work with the Green Industry in Southeastern PA.  They offer a full calender of courses throughout the region including the Tree Tenders teaching programs.

Locally, they are offering the Tree, Shrub, and Perennials ID Course in June.  This course is being taught on three consecutive Tuesdays beginning June 8th through the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College in Swarthmore PA.  The course itself will cover 25 species per session with detailed species information and landscape use.

This is a great chance to get to know our local trees and plants and learn more about the environment surrounding us.  For more detailed information, you can contact Cheryl Bjornson.

David Henke
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc – Newtown Square,PA/Bear, DE
Office: 302-834-3431/Cell: 610-618-0808
www.DelawareCountyPennsylvaniaHomes.com

7 days and 43″ Later

For those that happened to see the pictures from the first storm, I went back Saturday morning to take the same pictures.  I know this is not that unusual for other parts of the country, but it was record breaking for this area.  A bit of a difference after a week and 43″ of snow:

View of Downtown Swarthmore – Sat Feb 13

Saturday’s View from the Warmth of Hobbs Coffee

The Swarthmore PA SEPTA R3 Regional Rail Station

Well – I was standing underneath this pile for the original so
this is the best I could do for now – you get the drift.

Not quite that calming atmosphere as seen last week (and actually a bit dreary), but this much snow is still quite extraordinary for this area.

Looking forward to Spring!

Swarthmore in Winter

Yes – We have snow here….

View of Downtown Swarthmore

The view from the warmth of Hobbs Coffee.

The Swarthmore PA SEPTA R3 Regional Rail Station

We don’t usually see drifts blowing through the station.

Finally just one more thought:  The most snow produced in a single snowstorm was 15.75 ft/ 189″ at the Mt Shasta Skibowl in California between February 13-19, 1959.  No problems here.

Enjoy and be safe!  And it continues to snow …..

David Henke
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc – Newtown Square,PA/Bear, DE
Office: 610-353-1199/Direct: 610-359-3853/Cell: 610-618-0808
www.DelawareCountyPennsylvaniaHomes.com

Happy July 4th!

Happy 4th of July!

To All:

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May you have a healthy and prosperous Summer!

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Now is the time to send a message to Obama and Washington to stop throwing away our money, stop federalizing energy, industry, and health care, and get out of our way so the country can once again thrive.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us ……  that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom .. and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.   (Abraham Lincoln)

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Weather Note

Well, so much for our beautiful fall weather as seen in the post from earlier this week.  Now you can see Swarthmore soaked in snow from earlier today – a bit of an unexpected change.

Also, I am currently completing the requirements for the National Association of Realtor’s GREEN designation.  One of the recommended websites to begin to learn about green home and building features is The Green Guide.  If you are just beginning to learn about Green issues, this could be a good place to start.