12 Warren Circle, Glenmoore, PA 19343 Comments Off
View home for sale at 12 Warren Circle, Glenmoore, Pa 19343
- 3 Bedrooms and 2 full baths
- 1464 interior square feet of living space, PLUS full basement
- More than 1 acre lot
- Customer home designed by an architect
- Located in Picturesque West Brandywine Twp
- HUGE master suite on the second floor
Get more details, Take a Video Tour, set up a showing!
Real Estate News for Chester County: April 12th, 2010 Comments Off
Oxford Borough Council to consider ordinance regarding disruptive renters
At a public meeting scheduled for April 19, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the Borough Building, 401 East Market Street, Oxford Borough Council will conduct a public hearing to consider an amendment that would regulate disruptive conduct in rental properties. The ordinance prohibits an owner of residential rental property from engaging in, tolerating or permitting tenants and guests to engage in disruptive conduct on, in or adjacent to the residential rental property. It also requires all tenants and guests on residential rental property to conduct themselves in a manner that will not disturb the peaceful enjoyment of the premises and of adjacent or nearby dwellings. The ordinance describes a procedure for reporting incidents of disruptive conduct by the Borough Police and the Borough Code Enforcement Officer. This includes requirements for a disruptive conduct report and submission of the report to the Borough Code Enforcement Officer when completed by a Borough Police Officer within 24 hours of the occurrence of the alleged disruptive conduct. The Borough Code Enforcement Officer must mail a copy of the report to the owner within 3 business days of the incident, as well as notice alternatives for the owner in the event the report is returned by the postal authorities. The ordinance provides a criminal penalty provision for tenants and/or guests who violate the ordinance pursuant to the provisions of §6-112, as well as civil and criminal penalty provisions for owners who violate the ordinance. Email sra@suburbanrealtorsalliance.com with any questions or concerns.
Source: Daily Local; 4/05/10
South Coatesville Borough planners target blighted area
South Coatesville Borough planning officials Tuesday night discussed plans to revitalize their community, and especially blighted areas along South First Avenue. Members of the planning commission began discussing the borough’s comprehensive land-use plan in March 2008 after attending a Chester County 2020 meeting. The plan sets overall policies for development, preservation and revitalization of the borough over the next 15 years. The plan is in preliminary stages. The plan will be reviewed by the Chester County Planning Commission, the Coatesville Area School District and five neighboring municipalities, including Caln, Coatesville, East Fallowfield, Modena and Valley. The borough’s planning commission will then make final revisions to the plan before presenting a recommendation to Borough Council. About 60 people, including many local, county and state officials, attended Tuesday night’s meeting with borough residents.
Source: Daily Local; 4/3/10
Study: Chesco agricultural resources slipping away
Agricultural resources are being lost as the region continues to develop farmland, reports the Greater Philadelphia Food System Study, released last week by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. The study examines a broad range of food supply issues such as agricultural production trends, natural resource constraints, the origins and destination of food imports and exports, and the significance of the food economy. The full study is available at www.dvrpc.org/food.
Source: Pottstown Mercury; 4/3/10
Spring-Ford Area School District hurt by assessment appeals
The Spring-Ford Area School District is faced with the prospect of losing millions of dollars in revenue due to challenges to commercial property assessments within the district. There are currently 12 challenges on appeal in county court and at least 50 other properties in some stage of the assessment appeal process. The resulting reduction in property taxes could mean a $3 to $4 million loss in revenue for the school district. The proposed 2010-11 budget is 7.1 percent higher than the previous year and has been posted on the school district website.
Source: Daily Local News; 4/7/10
Chester County Real Estate Statistics: March 2010 Comments Off
Click to Enlarge
Chris’s Assessment
March ended up being fairly predictable. I had said in last month that the Tax Credit was going to have an affect on sales and it certainly is. If you look at the “DEMAND” chart, you can see that the number of closed sales are up around the 5 year trend line, not last years low numbers. That’s good and predictable. In fact 56% of the closed sales in March were in the “First time home buyers” market of $300k or under. In fact 60% of those sales were in the $200k-$300k price range, and that is why the average sale price is very low again.
Another positive and predictable sign is the PENDING sales or what I call “intended demand”. In February that number was lower than 2009, but we also had a TON of snow, which can arguably be said to have affected that number. That number is back up above 2009 levels. I expect and predict that the Pendings for April will be even higher due to the tax credit. One sign that could be negative, at least for sellers, is that the supply is on track to be at record high levels again. When supply is high and demand is not meeting that supply, prices will come down. Economics 101.
I actually feel the prices are still a bit on the high side and do need to come down. That is why I am also counting the days until the tax credit expires. And no, there is absolutely no news or rumors of it being extended. So, for-real for-real, if you want and can take advantage of it, you better get your butt in gear and call me. So what does all this mean? Let’s find out. . .
For Seller’s: At this point, if you are looking to sell your home, you have all but missed the window of opportunity. If you call me today, and I mean TODAY, we could get you up and running to see if we can get you on the “Tax credit wave”. We have only 3 weekends left before the tax credit, as we know it, is gone. That isn’t much time. In my opinion, your home is worth more now for the next three weeks than it could be for the next 18 – 24 months. So if you need to sell or are considering a move in the next 18 – 24 months, we need to act now.
Need to sell? We love helping homeowners in the Chester County area prepare to sell their home. Contact us now to get our list of the 5 most common ways that Home Seller’s leave money on the table. We’d be happy to help you get the most for your home.
For Buyer’s: You only have 3 more weeks left to take advantage of the $8000 tax credit. If this is important to you then you need to act now. In addition, mortgage rates have been inching up. At the last update, rates were around 4.875% for a 30 yr conventional loan. Now they are at 5.25% and climbing. Every 0.5% increase will increase your monthly payment by about $50. There is no telling where they will be at the end of this year, but it is safe to say not as low as they are now.
Right now, as a buyer, your purchasing power is at a high point. If you have some cash set aside and you qualify for a good mortgage, then you have the power to buy. That puts you in a VERY good position. I highly recommend you take steps to become a home owner. If that is you, please contact me, as I can help you put together a plan to get there.
Active Listings (Supply)
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- As predicted, supply is on the rise.
- Demand has increased which is good
- It would be better if the increase in supply were to ease off a bit creating less inventory and therefore a more centrist market.
- Next month will probably follow a similar pattern by increasing. I’d like to see it not increase as much as last year and have the tax credit eat into a bunch of that supply.
Sales Closed By Month (Demand)
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- Big increase in March in closed sales. It appears as though the good weather brought out all those deterred by the snow.
- The increase is bigger than seasonally expected, I believe, clearly due to the tax credit.
- Hopefully this level of demand is sustainable over the next several months to help decrease the amount of inventory.
- I predict that the demand levels for April and May will be higher than the 5 year trend line, strictly due to the tax credit.
Pending Home Sales by Month (Intended Demand)
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- Last month I said that March’s pending number was important and one to watch. It didn’t disappoint. It made a big jump that made up for the big decrease in february.
- I believe April is going to be a huge month for Pendings. There are a lot buyers looking to cash in on the credit and April is the last month to do that.
Average Sale Price
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- As it was from September to November of 2009, the average sale price is once again flirting with record low numbers.
- 56% of activity in March was in the under $300k price range due to the tax credit.
- This number DOES NOT reflect home values in Chester County, only sale price.
Offers of Help
- What Is My Home Worth? Want to get a good idea of what your home is worth? Complete my Home Value Survey and find out what your Chester County Home is worth. . .
- What Is That Home Selling For? “Stop the car, honey … look at that house. I wonder what it’s selling for” Does this ever happen to you? Ever wonder what that house is selling for? Search and view all homes for sale in the Chester County area
- What do I need to know before I sell? Typically when a home does not sell, there is one reason…and it isn’t price. Please contact me to discuss what you need to know before you sell!
BTW, We do have very specific data for every price range and area of town. Want specific data pertaining to your neighborhood or your own home? We have it! Please let me know if you would like a neighborhood-specific analysis by contacting me!
Chester County Real Estate News: March 29th, 2010 Comments Off
West Brandywine supervisors vote to review budget
West Brandywine Township supervisors agreed Thursday to authorize the township manager to “initiate a top-to-bottom evaluation” of the township’s various departments to look for ways to cut costs and streamline operations. Reading from a statement, Supervisor Josef Obernier Sr. cited the recession and concerns about declining revenue for the 2011 fiscal year as reasons for undertaking the evaluation. In a unanimously approved motion, the supervisors authorized the township manager to start an internal analysis of operations of various departments, including but not limited to, reviewing the department budget and the township’s Act 600 plan (the police pension plan for full-time officers). The township expects the internal review to take four to six months. According to the 2010 budget, the township expects revenue this year to fall about 10.5 percent below 2009 levels. The township expects real estate transfer taxes to shrink 55 percent this year compared to last year.
Source: Daily Local; 3/19/10
Riverwalk a ‘great addition’ to Coatesville revitalization
In the words of many local leaders, Coatesville’s future revitalization began last Friday with the groundbreaking ceremony for Riverwalk — a 10-foot-wide walking path with benches and landscaping that will wind along the West Branch of the Brandywine Creek. The trail will be built with a $1 million county grant and a $250,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The trail will extend some 250 feet into Valley Township. Original plans were to extend the Riverwalk deeper into the township, but Valley officials were uncomfortable having pedestrians cross Glencrest Road Bridge with vehicles, so Coatesville ultimately lopped off the trail before it reached the bridge. The Riverwalk is not a part of any larger developments, but private developers are seeking to use the trail as an integral part of their plans. The developers hope to put residential and retail buildings on the Flats, a 26-acre site along which Riverwalk passes. Recent attempts to sell the Flats have fallen through, and development plans remain in flux. Chetty Builders had reached an agreement of sale near the end of last year for the Flats, but the meeting during which the agreement of sale was approved was voided by City Council in January, also voiding the Chetty agreement.
Source: Daily Local; 3/20/10
More than 100 attend Spring-Ford town meeting
Administrators and school board members fielded questions and comments from community members attending a town meeting Wednesday night about the Spring-Ford Area School District’s proposed 2010-11 budget. In February, the school board adopted a $129.4 million proposed preliminary budget for 2010-11, which would mean an increase of $8.56 million, or 7.1 percent, over the current year’s $120.8 million budget. The board will consider a proposed final budget in May, with final adoption to take place by June 30. Over 100 people showed up for the town meeting, held in the auditorium of the Ninth Grade Center on Lewis Road. School board Vice President Thomas DiBello told the audience that the 7.1 percent budget reflected rising costs for contracted services, such as salaries. He added that the district’s medical insurance costs were going up by 20 percent. Meanwhile, DiBello said, a number of other factors confronted the district. Next year, the employer contribution rate to the Public School Employees’ Retirement System will rise from 4.78 percent to 8.22 percent, which would equate to a cost of $2.3 million, and a 1.9 percent tax increase, in Spring-Ford.
Source: Daily Local; 3/26/10
Efforts underway to bring affordable senior housing to Kennett area
A presentation at the Kennett Area Senior Center highlighted the need for more low-income senior housing, as well as the importance of leadership and commitment from the community to overcome the hurdles that stand in the way of developing this kind of housing. Lou Wonderly, building expansion consultant for the Luther Foundation of Southern Chester County, noted that there is a need for lower income senior housing in the southern area of the county.
Source: Chester County Press; 3/24/10
Chester County Real Estate News for March 22nd, 2010 Comments Off
Groundbreaking set for Coatesville Riverwalk Project
The eagerly-anticipated Riverwalk Project in Coatesville moved closer to reality with a ground-breaking ceremony. The project – on and off the drawing board since at least 2003 – has been viewed as a step toward revitalization for the struggling former steel mecca. Home to about 11,600 residents, Coatesville has battled multiple obstacles to a turnaround in recent years. Funds for the walking/biking trail along the banks of the Brandywine Creek were obtained from county and state grants. The $1.25 million project will be constructed in three phases. Phase One, which has been bid to James R. Kenney Excavating and Paving, Inc. of Collegeville, consists of two parts. The first part will cover the area from Lincoln Highway north to the Valley Township border; the second part, which lies within Valley Township, will continue to Glencrest Avenue. In the next two phases, officials hope to extend the walkway to Route 340, a goal that will require easements and additional funding.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 3/19/10
Chester County Commissioners warn of 2011 budgetary obstacles
Chester County Commissioners warned that the county faces a set of budgetary obstacles in 2011 that may result in cuts in essential services or an increase in taxes. Commissioner Terence Farrell told those gathered at a recent forum that “our budget for 2011 will be even more challenging than the budget we’re in for 2010.” Commissioner Kathi Cozzone said that the coming budget will be “probably far more difficult than last year.” Chairwoman Carol Aichele, in her remarks, generally took stock of the county’s accomplishments in the past year, and left the discussion of the financial outlook for the future to her colleagues. But she did allude to the cuts the county has made in the past.
Source: Daily Local; 3/18/10
West Pikeland moving ahead with sewer plan
West Pikeland Township officials met with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) a few weeks ago and will now move ahead with an Act 537 plan to install public sewer lines in parts of the township. The need for a public sewer alternative stems from outdated septic systems being utilized in the Pickering Estates area located east of Route 113 and south of route 401. There are about 18 homes in dire need and about 80 overall that would gain public sewer as a result of the project. The plan will likely include expanding the current sewage plant located in the Twin Hills community as well as adding a drip irrigation system in the Pickering Meadows development. The estimated costs of the project will be between $20,000 and $22,500 per home and will require each home to have an individual grinder pump installed, township Manager Stephen Ross said in September.
Source: Daily Local; 3/17/10
South Coatesville to hold public meeting on draft revitalization plan
South Coatesville’s Planning Commission will hold a public meeting on a draft comprehensive community revitalization plan for the borough. The meeting will be held at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, March 30 at the Arcelor Mittal ARC building A/V room, located at 139 Modena Rd., South Coatesville, PA 19320. The plan sets overall policies for the development, preservation and revitalization of the Borough over the next 15 years. A copy of the draft plan is available for review at the South Coatesville Borough Hall (136 Modena Rd., South Coatesville, PA) during regular business hours.
Source: Daily Local; 3/12/10
Home for Sale: 409 Barnsgate Dr, Cochranville, PA 19330 Comments Off
View home for sale at 409 Barnsgate Dr., Cochranville, PA 19330, set in the countryside community of Barnsgate
- 5 bedroom, 3 full baths, 2 half baths
- Full inlaw suite, with kitchen and living room
- More than 3600 Sq Ft above Grade, More than 5000 when including the basement
- Located in scenic Londonderry Township
- Built in 2001
- Almost 1.5 acres
- Award winning Octorara Schools
Get more details or set up a showing!
Chester County Real Estate News: March 15 Comments Off
Oxford reviews new law aimed at disruptive renters
Oxford Borough Council is waiting a week to gather additional information from the borough’s solicitor before deciding to advertise a new ordinance concerning rental properties. As the ordinance stands, any tenant, guest or owner of a residential rental who is loud or offensive or who disturbs other people to the point where their disturbance is reported to the police or to the borough’s code enforcement officer may be in violation. Tenants and guests may be subject to criminal prosecution, with fines up to $1,000. Owners who permit or tolerate the disruptive conduct are subject to civil action and fines. A first offense generates a warning. Second offenses can carry fines of $300, and a third offense can bring a $500 fine to the owner. Conviction of three or more offenses can result in the revocation of the owner’s rental permit. The borough has been working on the ordinance since December 2008 and changes have been made along the way. The definition of “disruptive behavior” was compiled from several similar ordinances in other municipalities. The ordinance is expected to come before council on March 15 for authorization to advertise in preparation for approval.
Source: Daily Local; 3/10/2010
New map of East Nottingham and Oxford approved
Oxford Borough Council members approved the creation of an up-to-date map of the area and its businesses. East Nottingham is already busy compiling a map of their area. About 4,000 copies of the maps will be mailed to residents in the coming months. Fifty extra copies will be made available at the borough office. The maps will be paid for by the advertisements contained therein and will be free of cost to both municipalities. Copies will also be sent to new homeowners.
Source: Chester County Press; 3/10/2010
Oxford reviews new law aimed at disruptive renters
Oxford Borough Council is waiting a week to gather additional information from the borough’s solicitor before deciding to advertise a new ordinance concerning rental properties. As the ordinance stands, any tenant, guest or owner of a residential rental who is loud or offensive or who disturbs other people to the point where their disturbance is reported to the police or to the borough’s code enforcement officer may be in violation. Tenants and guests may be subject to criminal prosecution, with fines up to $1,000. Owners who permit or tolerate the disruptive conduct are subject to civil action and fines. A first offense generates a warning. Second offenses can carry fines of $300, and a third offense can bring a $500 fine to the owner. Conviction of three or more offenses can result in the revocation of the owner’s rental permit. The borough has been working on the ordinance since December 2008 and changes have been made along the way. The definition of “disruptive behavior” was compiled from several similar ordinances in other municipalities. The ordinance is expected to come before council on March 15 for authorization to advertise in preparation for approval.
Source: Daily Local; 3/10/2010
New map of East Nottingham and Oxford approved
Oxford Borough Council members approved the creation of an up-to-date map of the area and its businesses. East Nottingham is already busy compiling a map of their area. About 4,000 copies of the maps will be mailed to residents in the coming months. Fifty extra copies will be made available at the borough office. The maps will be paid for by the advertisements contained therein and will be free of cost to both municipalities. Copies will also be sent to new homeowners.
Source: Chester County Press; 3/10/2010
Tredyffrin implements sidewalk plan
To prepare for sidewalk construction in Tredyffrin, set to start Tuesday, certain early action items such as tree removal and the installation of a retaining wall, have begun. According to township engineer Stephen Burgo, these items must be completed ahead of the sidewalk project. That project, which is expected to be completed by October of this year, involves laying down sidewalks on four roads around Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School and Conestoga High School — Old Lancaster Road, Conestoga Road, Howellville Road and Irish Road — to enhance public safety and pedestrian mobility. The sidewalks are being built as a series and as part of an extensive transportation economic-recovery project. These sidewalks also will connect to other local schools, rail stations, parks and libraries to provide a safer route for students to walk to and from school as well as to local commuter rail stations and business districts.
Source: Daily Local; 3/12/10
Developer updates Marriott Hotel and office project in Coatesville
An attorney for the developer of Coatesville’s Marriott Hotel and office building project Monday night updated City Council on plans for the development. Attorney Ross Weiss said the developer plans to seek preliminary and final land development approval of the project from City Council in two weeks. The city’s Redevelopment Authority sold a 22-acre site off Route 82 and the Route 30 Bypass to Pulver for the hotel and office building project site last August. The city’s planning commission reviewed the plan and recommended its approval on Feb. 17, Weiss said. The city’s Zoning Hearing Board granted a special exception for shared parking of the hotel and office tower on Feb. 23.
Source: Daily Local; 3/12/10
Home For Sale: 515 Pebble Ln, Coatesville, PA 19320 Comments Off
View home for sale at 515 Pebble Ln, Coatesville, PA 19320 in the countryside community of Quarry Ridge.
- Built in 2002
- 3 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths
- 14 x 12 Living room with granite surround Fireplace
- 21 x 15 Kitchen with pantry and recessed lighting
- 20 x 11 Morning room with tons of light and recessed lighting
- 12 x 12 Dining room
- Bonus room currently used as an office.
- 20 x 12 Master Suite with walk in closet and vaulted ceiling
- Brand new, beautiful, patio and deck, fantastic for entertaining and grilling on a summer evening
- Within a 5 minute drive to shopping and groceries, Rt 30 by-pass
- 25 minutes to the center of West Chester, 15 to Exton.
Get more details or set up a showing!
