York PA 2012 Real Estate Forecast

Looks like things are starting to stabilize here in York County after nearly four years of depreciation in the housing market locally. Looks like on average a 12% drop in prices have hit is this year. The silver lining in this cloud isthat prices have come down enough the the locally employed population can now afford to buy a home, especially with interest rates as low as 4%. For years as people from Maryland migrated here along with the higher wages they earned in Maryland they continued to push up the prices of homes. That trend has all but come to a halt. Maryland buyers use to make up nearly 80% of purchasers back in the pre-bubble days. It appears they are now around 12%.


Now is the time as a buyer to have a broad choice of homes to choose from at very reasonable prices and low mortgage payments. Lenders are loaning out money with as little as no money down with a USDA mortgage, or 3.5% total down paymentfor a FHA mortgage with help coming form the home seller in the form of a cash contribution. There are plenty of programs out there to choose from.

I expect 2012 to provide us with home price stabilization and even possible a slight tick up on prices. If you have been on the fence about buying a home now is the time to jump into the market.

Call the Pilgrim Team of Professional Realty Associates will we will help you to either buy or sell a home in a stress free way.

2320 Addison Ct York Pa 17404

New to the market in Manchester Meadows. This 4 bedroom 3.5 bath with over 3500 square feet of living space is competitively priced at 289,900. There is a 3 car garage and open space throughout the community. Located in Central York Schools and convenient to many popular York County shopping destinations and restaurants. Mike Rudacille with The Pilgrim Team can set up a private tour of this home at your convenience. There are many homes for sale in York PA but this one is special.

Most homes for sale, or sold in Central York Schools have held their value more than other areas in York County Pennsylvania. The Pilgrim Team can help you buying or selling a home in York PA. Contact Mike Rudacille at 757-5955 or 318-0991 for further information.

Listing provided courtesy of: Century 21 Heritage Realty

3185 Balsa Street York PA 17404

This home in the Central York School District has just been lowered

10,000 dollars down to 249,900

The home features 4 bedrooms with 2 full baths and 2 half baths and over 2000 square feet. The home sits on almost a half acre lot and there is a private rear yard with a maintenance free deck and a POOL!

For more information contact Mike Rudacille with The Pilgrim Team at Professional Realty Associates 717-757-5955 or MRudacille@PilgrimTeam.com

Listing courtesy of: Country Home Real Estate

1664 Guildford Lane York PA 17404

This bank owned home in Brittany II located in Central York Schools has just been lowered 30,000 down to 264,900
The home has 4 bedrooms 2.5 baths sits on over a half acre lot and is almost 3000 square feet. The home is in good condition for being a bank owned home.
If you would like more information just contact me at mrudacille@pilgrimteam.com
use the subject line "Guildford"






Listing provided courtesy of: Coldewll Banker Select Professionals

618 S Maurice St. York PA 17404

This home in Central York School District just sold.
Penn State Estates is the neighborhood where it is located.
The home was originally listed at 215,000 on July 15, 2010
The price was lowered to 209,000 on 8/13/10 and then again down to 204,000 on 9/2/10
The home went under contract on 9/14/10 and settled on 12/14/10
It was sold for 194,750
The Cape Cod style home has 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms and just under 1700 square feet. The lot is .28 of an acre.
Location is convenient with easy access to Route 30 and Interstate 83

2120 Phillip Court in Aslan Heights

This home sold on November 10, 2010
It sold for 284,900 but the seller did pay 14,245 towards the buyers closing costs making it a "net" sale of 270,655
The home has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and is 2700 square feet. The lot is .28 of an acre.
Some of the many features of this home are 9 foot ceilings, stainless steel appliances, and wood floors.

York PA Charities

Thanks in large part to the still-struggling economy, need in the York area has been great this year. New users fueled part of that increase. Many more children have been eating at Our Daily Bread as more middle-class families have been relying on the kitchen.
More people have lost their jobs, they have to keep a roof over their heads, and they need a car. If they can find food, that's a huge expense off their back.
At Our Daily Bread, they've served about 67,000 meals in 2010. That's the most in more than a decade.
While the recent cold snap has driven additional people indoors to the warmth of the soup kitchen and other charities, the good news is there's a lot of help available during the holiday season because more people take the time to volunteer or donate this time of the year.
Our Daily Bread accepts food donations, but money is most needed to help pay for utilities. Call Paula Koch at 848-1674.
York Rescue Mission is collecting nonperishable food items, including pastas, spaghetti sauce, canned vegetables, soups and meats, oatmeal and grits. Call Ada Hite at 812-1692.
The United Way of York County is collecting money to be used for service programs at 73 partner agencies. Call executive director Robert Woods at 843-0957 or go to unitedway-york.org.

Aslan Heights/Bentley Croft

Most of the homes in this development were built in the late 1990’s to early 2000’s by
E Treffinger General Contractors Inc. This area is located in Central York Schools which consistently ranks as one of the top schools in York County. Roundtown Elementary is the elementary school which serves this neighborhood.
There is a homeowners association, click here to view the websites Aslan Heights HOA Bentley Croft
The average home here is a 3 or 4 bedroom with 2.5 baths and a 2 car garage. Lot size is around .25 acres give or take. The entire neighborhood consists of around 250 lots. There is also about 15 acres of open space and preserved wetlands owned by the Homeowners Associations throughout the development.

There are currently only (4) homes for sale in the neighborhood which are listed between 189,900 and 275,000. There have been (5) homes sold in Aslan Heights/Bentley Croft sine 8/1/2010 with the lowest one selling for 212,000 and the highest selling at 275,000
* as of 12/7/2010

Nearby attractions include 106 acre Cousler Park which has miles of walking trails, numerous athletic fields, pavilions, a concert area, pond, and handicap accessible playground equipment. Nearby shopping includes stores such as Weis Markets, Giant, Target, Wal-Mart, Kohls, Macys, as well as the West Manchester Mall, Galleria Mall, and Delco Plaza.
There are numerous restaurants and eating establishments to satisfy any pallet within a few minutes drive of the neighborhood.
The area hospitals are York Hospital and also Memorial Hospital which will be moving to within minutes of the neighborhood to their new location off of Roosevelt Avenue.
York County Pennsylvania residents also enjoy an easy commute to Baltimore, Lancaster and Harrisburg.

For specific details or to arrange a private viewing of this property contact The Pilgrim Team at Professional Realty Associates 717-757-5955

Second Mortgage Modification

Although the media is reporting that the recession is getting better, the economy is still in recovery. There are still thousands of homeowners who are struggling to make mortgage and ends meet. Many homeowners have had not only modify their first mortgage but also take a second mortgage in order to make ends meet, but now making that payment on top of all the other growing expenses can leave many struggling. There may be some help for those homeowners who are in this situation.

The 2nd Lien Modification Program (2MP) may be just what you need. A few large institutions have already signed on to the 2MP program: Bank of America (and Countrywide), CitiMortgage, Chase (with EMC and WaMu), and Wells Fargo (and Wachovia). More are expected to join this growing list.

Below are some of the eligibility requirements:

• You have a second mortgage on your home and:
• Your first mortgage has been modified under HAMP
• Your second mortgage provider is one of the participating banks
• Your second lien was originated on January 1, 2009, or earlier
• Your second lien has an unpaid principal balance of $5,000 or more and a monthly payment of $100 or more
• The second lien servicer has a 2MP modification agreement or trial period plan in place for you by December 31, 2012

Interest rates are reduced to 1-2%, depending on the type of second lien you have. The term of the loan can be extended to 40 years. Even better, a 2MP servicer can even forgive all or part of the second lien, which means your debt is reduced or removed.

There are some restrictions. You can’t participate if your mortgage is subordinate to a second lien, or if it is a home equity loan in first lien position. 2MP is also not for you if you don’t have to make payments on your second lien or interest is charged until the first is paid in full. Liens insured, guaranteed or held by a Federal agency like FHA, HUD, VA, or Rural Development aren’t covered under 2MP.

If you qualify, however, it can be a financial lifesaver. To learn more, contact your mortgage provider or a housing counselor through HUD.

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Is A Fixed Rate Mortgage Right For You?

If you are planning on purchasing a new home and will be obtaining mortgage financing, you will have many different mortgage loan programs to choose from. It can be confusing to decide which will be best for your situation with all the different choices on the market today. However, the vast majority of them are fixed rate mortgages with a 15 year or 30 year term. These traditional mortgages are amortizing, which means that you pay off the entire loan amount by the end of the term of the loan. While these are still the most common type of loan, there are advantages and drawbacks to these mortgages. Depending on your financial situation, and the prospects of changes in your financial future, a fixed rate mortgage may or may not be the best product for you.

Below are some of the pro's and con's of fixed rate mortgages:

PROS

Interest rate on your mortgage cannot be increased for the life of your loan

Monthly payment will remain the same for the life of the loan

Loan will be completely paid off by the end of the term

Fixed Rate mortgages are very common and standard and finding a lender who offers this loan will be easy.

CONS

Fixed monthly payment amount may be difficult to make at the start of the loan

Large percentage of payment goes to interest payment in first years of the loan

Usually has a higher interest rate than a variable rate loan initiated at the same time

Interest rate cannot be reduced as in some variable rate programs

Maybe harder to qualify for, as higher income may be required

Depending on your financial situation, a fixed rate mortgage may be the best solution for you. If you can afford the monthly payment required to obtain the loan, then the fact that your interest rate and monthly payments will stay the same for the life of the loan while give you peace of mind and make monthly budgeting easier.

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Improving Indoor Air Quality

Breathing fresh clean air is vital for health and avoiding polluntants makes sense. However, it has been shown in some studies of air quality in the home, that the air we breathe in our homes is often more polluted than the air breather outside. This is of course an alarming realization especially if you have children or family members who have asthma or a fragile immune system. The good news is that are a number of things that can be done to improve air quality in our homes.

•Ventilate your home regularly
•Vacuum weekly
•Use a good quality air filter on your furnace and replace it regularly
•Maintain ventilation systems (If your home has one) and dehumidifiers
•Run exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens
•If you're considering an air purifier, avoid devices that generate ozone, as these can make lung problems and asthma worse.

In addition to these tips, you should also pay close to attention to the indoor chemicals that you may be using. The two more commonly identified chemicals in our homes include formaldehyde which is present in home renovation products and solvents from fresh paint and phthalates which are used in soft plastics and synthetic fragrances such as air fresheners and dryer sheets. Even common cleaning items used such as bleach and ammonia result in poor air quality. There are many alternatives on the market today that offer bio-degradable and safe to use cleaning products for the home

Tips For Making A Small Room Look Larger

The current real estate market can make selling your home can be challenging. It may make it more difficult if you have some rooms that may be on the small side.

Small rooms can feel confining and uncomfortable, but you don't need to do a total remodel to make your rooms feel larger. By utilizing certain design concepts that fool the eye and the rooms seem much bigger and spacious. Below are some simple tips you can take to help make these rooms appear more spacious and inviting to prospective buyers.


1.Painting the room with light colors such as pastels, neutrals and white are a better alternative to “bright” or dark colors.

2. Avoid all clutter. Even on the walls it is best to use one larger painting rather than several small decorative paintings or pictures.

3. Any room will look larger if it's well-lit, either by natural light or artificial lighting. Get rid of heavy draperies and open up the windows to let the light of the outdoors into the space.

4. Mirrors are a must as they add dimension to the room by reflecting images, light and colors. Mirrors provide a “see through” feel to the room.

5. Be mindful of the furniture you select for the room. Large and bulky pieces of furniture should be removed. Using just a few smaller pieces in the middle of the room will improve the appearnce of space.

6. If possible choose glass tables, they open up the room and help to establish a larger room feel.
Use vertical space for storage. Add a hutch or floor-to-ceiling bookcases as a storage solution to reduce the amount of floor space taken.

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What is Private Mortgage Insurance?

Once a home has been purchased and you go to closing you may be required to purchase private mortgage insurance (PMI) . This insurance is payable to a lender and is specifically to offset losses in the case where a mortgagor is not able to repay the loan and the lender is not able to recover its costs after foreclosure and sale of the mortgaged property.

PMI insurance protects the lender, not the homeowner and it is typically required by lenders due to the higher level of default risk that's associated with low down payment loans. This type of insurance is usually only required if the downpayment is less than 20% of the sales price or appraised value (in other words, if the loan-to-value ratio (LTV) is 80% or more)

The cost of PMI premiums vary, but typically they fall between one-half and one percent of the loan amount, depending on the size of the down payment and loan specifics. These costs are in addition to your mortgage payment and not usually tax deductible. The PMI may be payable up front, or it may be capitalized onto the loan.


Many homebuyers want to know how long they will be required to have this insurance. If you are currently paying PMI, you will need to continue paying your premiums until you pay down your mortgage to the point that it equals 80 percent of the original purchase price or appraised value of your home at the time the loan was obtained, whichever is less.

You have another option where the lender will automatically cancel the payments but they wont do this until you 22% equity in the home rather than 20%. Keep in mind you do have the right to cancel PMI at the 20% mark a lender won't automatically cancel it for another 2 percent

Home Purchase Agreements

During the homebuying process, you will be required to submit what is known as a real estate purchase agreement to the seller. This agreement will be between you and the builder if the home you are buying is a new construction. The purpose of this agreement is a legal document between the buyer and the seller and will outline certain to aspects of the sale, including the purchase price.

The real estate purchase agreement also indicates specifics of the sale such as the time frame for the sale and any conditions or contingencies relating to the sale, and other things you should be aware of.

As with any other legal contract, a real estate contract may be formed by one party making an offer and another party accepting the offer. Typically, the party making the offer prepares a written real estate contract, signs it, and transmits it to the other party who would accept the offer by signing the contract. At this point, the other party may accept the offer, reject it or make a counteroffer. To be enforceable, a real estate contract must possess original signatures by the parties and any alterations to the contract must be initialed by all the parties involved.

Because these agreements can be confusing, it is always a good idea to work with a real estate professional when dealing with legal forms before signing if you have any questions or are confused with any of the terms.