Brigita's Blog: September 2009

Yesterday the Bethlehem planners unanimously approved the SteelStacks Performing Arts Center to be built at the former Bethlehem Steel plant site.

Construction is set to begin this fall on the $25 million four-story performing arts center.  It will sit just south of the old blast furnaces.

The arts center will include a two-screen cinema that will show independent films, a bistro and an area called the PodZone.  The PodZone will feature furniture arranged around flat-screened televisions, which will allow patrons to do everything from sharing Powerpoint presentations to playing Guitar Hero.

The building will also include a cabaret-type Musikfest Cafe, which will host community and educational events. 

There will basically be something for everyone. 

The performing arts center, and the broadcast center, are expected to open by spring of 2011.

The other parts of the project are to be a festival center, a music pavilion, an outdoor plaza and space for community events.  It will provide space for artists and farmers markets and festivals run by ArtsQuest.

The project is part of the redevelopment of the former Steel plant and will have a view of the blast furnaces. 

I saw a news story on television the other day that I thought I would share with all.  It sounds like a great idea, but do you think it will catch on??  Read on: 

In Luzerne County, located in the Poconos in Pennsylvania, a builder built an unusual home.  From the outside it looks like a typical rancher.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  Now, inside, is a completely different story.

As you enter the home, you notice that everything is placed lower than usual.  The light switches are placed lower and the counters in the kitchen a lower.  Even the refrigerator with a freezer on the top portion is accessible for someone shorter. 

Why is everything built so low?  Is this home built for short people?  This home is specifically designed for a handicapped person, specifically a handicapped Veteran.  Even the shower and bath are designed for easy access for a handicapped person.

There seems to be one problem, though.  Even though the home is priced low to sell, it is not selling.  It is a great idea!  No one can seem to figure out why there is no interest in purchasing it. 

Do you think the idea is just premature? 

The 22nd Annual Celtic Classic Highland Games Festival is once again in full swing in Bethlehem, PA.  This FREE event features 6 stages of continous entertainment with over 20 international, nationals and regional artists.

Here are some of the events that are included:

-  The Celtic Classic Invitational Pipe Band Competition

-  US National Highland Athletic Championships

-  The "Showing of the Tartan" Parade

-  The 13th Annual Celtic Classic Fiddle Competition

-  Haggis Eating Competition

-  Celtic Dancers

-  Celtic crafts, merchandise and collectibles

Click here for more details.

The festival runs this weekend from 5 - 11PM Friday, Saturday 9AM - 11PM and Sunday 9AM - 8PM.

It is lots of fun for all and its FREE.

Feel like doing something different this weekend?  How about a good old fashioned Western weekend?

Shawnee Mountain Ski Area, in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, is hosting a chili cook-off on Saturday, from 11:30AM - 1:30PM.  Everyone can line up to sample the assorted chilis.  It will be a bit like gathering around the chuchwagon.  The chilis will vary from mild to hot and vegetarian to white. 

After the chili cook-off comes the rodeo at 2PM.  Professional cowboys will compete in saddle bronc riding, bull riding, bareback bronc riding, team roping, calf roping and bull dogging. 

The event will also be held on Sunday.

Tickets will be sold at the gate or in advance.  Click here for more information.  The tickets include the chili cook-off/tasting and the rodeo.

Shawnee Mountain Ski Area is only about 30 - 45 minutes from the Lehigh Valley (depending on which area).  Bring a blanket or a lawn chair to sit on the slope and enjoy a good old rodeo.  YEEHAA!!

There is no best time to purchase a home.  Homes are on the market year round.  You may have heard that winter is a bad time to purchase a home.  I don't understand why. Homes are still being sold in the winter.  During the winter months the motivated buyers are searching, which gives the sellers a better chance to sell their home if all the right factors are in place.  When the nice weather rolls around, that's when the unmotivated home buyers begin looking for homes.  The only exception is when it is a family searching and they do not want to interupt the school year for their kids.

Looking for a home should not be a long drawn out process.  A real estate professional should sit down with you and find out exactly, in detail, what you are looking for in a home.  The more details the agent has, the better chances of finding a home for you.

Start by making 2 lists.  List 5 MUST HAVES in your dream home on the first and then on the second, list your WANTS.  The "wants list" includes items that would be nice to have in your home, but can live without if it is not included.  For example, it would be nice to have a pool, but you can live without it.  Your "must haves" list will include things that you definitely require in a home, such as 3 bedrooms.

These lists will make searching for a home so much easier and less frustrating.  Chances are greater in finding a home you like if this list is followed.

Compare this to grocery shopping.  Let's say you are searching for cereal.  There are hundreds of different cereals on the market.  How do you find one to buy?  I'm sure you have an idea what ingredients the cereal must have, which narrows down your search.  Home buying is no different.

Remember one thing: there is NO PERFECT home.  If it has your 5 MUST HAVE items, you absolutely like the home and you feel comfortable in it, then it must be right, no matter what time of year it is.

Last week I finally settled on a horse property for my sellers.  The property showed well and had a lot of interest in it.  At first, we did not receive any offers because an acre was being subdivided from it.  Therefore, no one wanted to place an offer thinking the subdivision would take a long time. 

Well, the subdivision was completed mid-June.  By the end of July, there were 2 offers on the property.  Both offers came in lower than the seller wanted, but at the same price range with a few differences in contingencies.  After extensive discussion with the sellers about the offers (they at first did not want to accept either of them) they realized the market is what it is: it is out of our control, and counter-offered the one and it was accepted.

Things were moving along with inspections, mortgage commitments, etc.  Little did I know what I was going to face. 

After the inspection report, the buyers wanted many things done to the home.  Now, I do want to add that the home was maintained and was in good condition.  Of course, the septic needed to be pumped and a smoke alarm installed in the basement, which the sellers understood.  What the sellers were getting frustrated with was the buyers were asking them to do little things, which included: sending photos of the chandelier that was to be replaced before they initialed the changes on the Agreement of Sale, repair the squeak on the ceiling fan, install 3 GFI's, etc.  Petty stuff. 

My sellers co-operated fully, even though the buyers kept coming back with more. 

Next, upon receiving the appraisal report, I noticed there were errors on it.  It was brought to the attention of the lender.  They did not wish to have another appraisal done, that they were typographical errors.  A foreclosure is a typographical error?  I know large properties are not easy to find comps for in this area, but a foreclosure??  I came up with comps and did not use the foreclosure. 

I was informed that if I was able to find another one to replace the foreclosure, they would accept it.  Well, I did and it was not accepted.  I was informed it was too old.  This one went back as far as the one the appraiser used.  Then he informed me I need to find 3 more comps.  Wait a minute!  Some of these comps will be the same.  It makes no sense.

Anyway with all this aggravation, the seller asked the buyer to come up slightly in their offer.  The buyers did, but it was very little.  At this point the seller decided to opt out.  The buyer's agent couldn't understand why.  For $7500 difference, and just days away from settlement, they would opt out?  Yep!  It was way too frustrating.  There was another offer waiting in the wings.

Long story short, the second offer went smoothly and settled on the home within a couple of weeks. 

When negotiating, make sure both parties give.  It is not fair to have only one side keep taking and the other giving.  When negotiating, it should be a win - win situation, where both parties walk away from the settlement table happy.  If either party is unhappy, the negotiations did not go well.

Hurry!  Hurry!  Hurry!  Time is running out!!  Step right up before it is too late.

The first-time home buyers tax credit is ending soon.  The home MUST be SOLD by November 30th to take advantage of it.  This means that it needs to be under contract by September 30th, at the latest, to allow for inspections, mortgage commitments, appraisals, etc.

What are the basics about the first-time home buyers credit? 

The credit is 10% of the purchase price of the home with a maximum of $8,000.  Vacation homes and rental property do not qualify, only your primary residence and only to taxpayers who have not owned another principal residence at any time during the 3 years prior to the date of purchase.

There are income limits.  The credit is reduced or eliminated for high-income taxpayers.  The credit is phased out based on your modified adjusted gross income.  For a married couple filing jointly, the range is $150,000 - $170,000.  For other taxpayers filing individually, it is $75,000 - $95,000.  What this means is that the full credit is available for married couples filing jointly earning $150,000 or less and for individuals earning $75,000 or less.

Take advantage of this tax credit before it is too late.  This opportunity may pass you by forever!

There is a very important meesage in this post by Kristin Johnston.  I wanted to share this video with all of you.  It is a very powerful message.

Brigita

The Northampton County, Pennsylvania 2009 Annual Open Gate Farm Tour is coming up.  This year it will be held the second weekend of October instead of the first weekend, October 10th & 11th, from noon until 4PM.  It is presented by the Northampton county Co-operative Extension Office and is an educational, and fun, program of Penn State Extension Northampton county.

What is an Open Gate Farm Tour?  It is very similar to an open house.  The public is invited to visit participating local farms.  While visiting, the public is able to speak with the farmers and learn about each farm they visit.

The farms that will be participating this year, and there are many of them, will be:

Graver Farms - a family operated grain farm in Danielsville, PA.  Here the visitors will be able to walk through their 6-acre corn maze, see fall decorations and pick your own pumpkins.  An educational hayride will explain grain drying system, different crops grown, no-till planting, and precision farming.

Smith Krekk Alpacas - is a family run Alpaca farm located in Bangor, PA.  This farm has over 50 alpacas and offer boarding services, alpaca fiber processing, breeding stock and pet quality alpacas for sale.  Demonstrations will include spinning, fiber processing and discussions on alpaca herd management.  A discussion on benefits of running a small family farm will also be held.

Clear Spring Farm -a family owned and operated vegetable farm in Forks Twp.  They have a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.  Their farm stand will be open and you will be able to pick your own pumpkins and work your way through their corn maze.  They will also show and describe their high tunnel greenhouse at 1PM & 3PM each day.

Amore Farms - in Nazareth, PA will offer fresh fruits and vegetables, hay rides to the pumpkin patch,corn maze, puzzle woods, vineyard and winery.  Here all will learn about the Stadium Style Straw Bale Food Pyramid.

Purple Haze Alpacas - in Bangor, PA.  Here you will see spinning demonstrations and crafters.  The owners will answer any questions about alpacas and show their benefits.  You will also see baby alpacas born in September.

Burnside Plantation - (Sunday only) - a 6 1/2 acre farm museum located in Bethlehem, PA.  The museum interprets farm life from the mid 18th to the mid 19th centuries.  It includes a farm house, gardens and heritage apple orchard.  Tours of the garden, house and barn will be given along with a demonstration of the high horse wheel.

Buzas Greenhouse - a family owned business in Easton, PA.  They have 17 greenhouses open year round, growing holiday spring bedding & vegetable plants.  Fresh vegetables, sweet corn and fruit are grown and sold at their own vegetable stand on the property.  Learn how integrated pet management keeps plants healthy and thier participation in the big backyard program.

Graver Farmstead - in Bath PA.  A Pennsylvania Bicentennial farm raising natural and grass-fed beef, pork, poultry and eggs.  See how grass is turned into winter feed balage.  Learn what rotational grazing means and visit with their animals.  Kids can play in their corn box and look at the farm's treasure chest of old tools.

Northampton County 4H Center - located in Bushkill Twp. outside of Nazareth, PA.  This is the site of the Annual 4H Fair and other 4H youth events and activities.  Their kitchen will be open and come get their yummy chicken barbeque.  There will be a horse show and a live farm animal exhibit.

Point Phillip Perennials - has 2 acres of gardens composed of many unusual plants and perennials, trees and shrubs.  Guided garden walks will be given throughout the day.  Emphasis will be given on late season care of plants.  Many very rare and unusual plants will be discussed.

Windmill Horse Farm - in Easton, PA is a full service horse boarding facility with 60 stalls with large indoor and outdoor riding arenas for year round enjoyment.  Open to the public for riding lessons, show training and horse camps.  The Pony Express 4H Club will have information regarding horse care and feeding requirements, health, safety, and horse grooming.  Mini riding lessons and trail rides will be offered.

Seiple Farms -is a 5th generation farm celebrating 120 years.  They are located in Bath, PA and have pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, farm animals and a haunted house.  They also have concession stands, hayrides to the pumplin patch and a corn maze for family fun.

Klein Farms - in Easton, PA, is a working dairy with an onsite store, selling their own raw milk, cheeses and yogurt.  Enjoy hayrides to the pumplin patch, and a free corn maze.  Listen to Blue Grass music on Sunday afternoon.  Tours of the Dairy Barn will be available throughout both days, as will the tours of the Creamery.  Animal nutrition will be featured in the barn and 4H members will demonstrate showing dairy cows.

Keepsake Farm & Dairy - in Northampton, PA is a grass based dairy farm that specializes in raw mild, artisan cheese , yogurts and ice cream.  They also have beef, pork, chicken and eggs.  Tours will be offered focusing on grass based farming.

Juniperdale Farms - (Saturday only) - is a 1000 acre dairy, field crops and vegetable farm located in Nazareth, PA.  Hay rides will be offered to pick your own pumpkin patch along with tours during the hay rides.

Reeder Farms, LLC - is a "natural"/"organic" farm producing fresh chickens, eggs, flowers and herbs, located in Easton, PA.  You will be able to view the "Sunflower Fence" that was planted by all the Northampton Area School District 2008 First Grade Classes.  Each of the schools planted sunflowers around their pasture for the poultry to act as a fence to help stimulate their bee population.

As you can see, there are many area farms participating in this event.  It's a good thing it is held for 2 days.  It might just take you that long to tour the farms.

Click here for more information.