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Harrisburg, PA Real Estate News

By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
How to Buy a House - Step 6 - Planning For Home Maintenance Costs   You don't think about future maintenance costs when considering how to buy a house, but you should. Whether buying an older home or a newly constructed home, equipment can be faulty and costly to repair. When learning how to buy a house, usually a home's purchase price can be used to project maintenance costs. The recommendations for annual maintenance costs range from 1.5 to 4 percent of the home's original cost. While this is not always true, especially when the purchase price of a home is three-quarters of a million dollars, it is a good rule of thumb for the average home buyer when contemplating how to buy a house.    Since most home buyers are focusing on making the down payment and not saving for future repairs, a...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
Selling a House in Harrisburg PA - Green Tips for Your Home    When it comes to selling a house in an environmentally friendly way, Kermit the Frog had it wrong. It is easy being green.                 With so many homebuyers seeking green features in the homes they consider, selling a house while creating an eco-friendly atmosphere for the buyer doesn't always mean costly fixes.             It's always nice for a homebuyer who's been touring houses all day to find water or a snack waiting for them in your kitchen. Instead of leaving the customary bottled water, go the eco-friendly route and have a pitcher of filtered tap water at the ready. Add some organic fruits and vegetables and keep trash minimized. Also, use glassware and plates instead of plastic cups and paper plates. This prac...
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By Glenn Freezman
(Nucazza LLP & Home Buying Evolution, & Family Abstract, Inc)
The following came to me through an E-mail.  I have a bunch of very good friends that share their jokes back and forth, but this is not a joke, you just can't make this stuff up.  Next week, maybe we can stage a sit-in for Real Estate... Will you join them?? ·          If all the brightest minds in Harrisburg’s government can’t solve the city’s financial problems, maybe God can. That seems to be the thinking in Pennsylvania’s capital city, where Mayor Linda Thompson and a host of other religious leaders are about to embark on a three-day fast and prayer campaign to cure the city’s daunting money woes. Maybe Greece should have thought of this. “Things that are above and beyond my control, I need God,” Thompson told WHTM TV, the region’s ABC news affiliate. “I depend on Him for guidance. ...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
Buyer's Agent in Harrisburg PA: What to Expect from a Buyer's Agent Here is what you should expect from your buyer agent: A Buyer's Agent will be 100% loyal to the buyer's interests at all times throughout every stage of the transaction Prompt response to phone calls and emails - before, during and after representation A Buyer's Agent  provides Explanation/discussion prior to the home search of what to expect during a home search and what services the buyer's agent will provide to the buyer Assistance with mortgage preapproval - whether that means referral to a qualified mortgage lender or assistance with answering questions about the mortgage preapproval process A Buyer's Agent will Show properties that the buyer requests or that the agent recommends would fit within the criteria that ...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
How to Buy a House in Harrisburg PA: Using a Buyer's Agent   Over the past couple of weeks, I have seen news reports about home buyers who are considering how to buy a house, who seem to think they will save money by not using a Buyer's Agent.  It is a myth and I thought it was time to set the record straight. The Commission Is Not Dependent on the Number of Agents Involved. Listing Agents reach an agreement with their clients - the Sellers - as to how much commission is to be earned upon the sale of the home.  It is negotiated between them and is part of the Listing Agreement.  The Listing Agent  then determines how much he is going to offer a Buyer's Agent for bringing a buyer to the table.  If the Listing Agent procures the buyer himself, the total commission is the same - he just do...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
How to Buy a House: Homeowners Associations in Harrisburg    If you want to learn an important step in how to buy a house around Harrisburg PA, you need to know that Homeowners Associations (HOA) are prevalent in our part of the country. We usually see Homeowners Associations in newer developments and townhome communities. However, many of our neighborhoods and homes are pretty old, with some dating back to the 1800's; and you would not find Homeowners Associations in older neighborhoods such as these. Learning how to buy a house includes learning about HOAs. Some buyers consider Homeowners Associations (HOA) to be a "deal-breaker" when considering how to buy a house. There are some pros and cons to having Homeowners Associations (HOA), and you should be aware of them before making any ...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
   When considering selling a house, a home warranty is something that many buyers feel is a plus. It is a service contract, normally for one year, which helps protect home owners against the cost of unexpected covered repairs or replacement on their major systems and appliances that break down due to normal wear and tear. Home Warranty Coverage is for systems and appliances in good working order at the start of the contract. If you are thinking of selling a house, include this in your considerations.   Check your home warranty policy to see which of the following items are covered. Also find out if the home warranty policy covers the full replacement cost of an item.   •·         Plumbing •·         Electrical systems                                                         •·         F...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
Selling a House in Harrisburg PA: Keeping the Kids at Bay When Selling Your Home...  Homeowners with young children face a common challenge when faced with selling a house: How do you keep the home clean and ready for prospective buyers while maintaining a kid-friendly and safe environment?             Keeping that "staged look" as the kids create instant messes can be overwhelming.  Your primary focus when selling a house should be the kids' bedrooms, according to two home stagers.            "Children's bedrooms are often problematic when selling a house," said Külli Yee, founder and president of Ilus Design Home Staging and Re-design, Port Coquitlam, B.C., Canada. "They tend to have more clutter than most rooms in the form of toys and activities, and out-of-season and hand-me-down cl...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
Selling A House in Harrisburg PA: You Are Responsible, Too! Selling a house - your house - is not just your Agent's responsibility. You have as much responsibility as your Agent does! When I help Sellers get started in selling a house, I ask them to organize and clean the rooms of their house as if they are preparing for a visit by a disapproving mother-in-law, or demanding drill sergeant. Your mother-in-law is probably not like that, but you can relate, I'm sure.   Here are some of the keys to making your home show - ready, and to get started selling a house: Most American homes have stuff that is not used on a regular basis. Showing your house in its best light, (which is the path to selling a house), will require reducing items in each room. Furniture, collectibles, books, magazines,...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
How to Get Rid of Stinkbugs in Harrisburg PA   The on-going question from Sellers and Buyers - (which has nothing to do with Real Estate!) - is how to get get rid of stinkbugs! As soon as the weather gets warm, these pesky guys invade our homes, and even the pest control companies cannot combat these stinkbugs!       It seems they were accidentally introduced in PA, can you believe it? They have become horrible nuisances, appearing in all parts of our homes during spring, summer and fall. So many things have been tried to get rid of these stinkbugs, but to date nothing has worked.       Check out this video on how to get rid of stinkbugs. Some brilliant guy from western PA got fed up, and swears he has found a way to get rid of stinkbugs!     Now, I can only share this video on how to g...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
 Bradford Estates Harrisburg PA Market Update for June 2011   Currently there are 7 non-garage style townhomes for sale in Bradford Estates.  Market time continues to climb as the demand for garage-style homes continues to prevail. But even so, the sales both in Bradford Estates and throughout Harrisburg have come painfully slow with few exceptions.   Only 1 in the last 5 townhomes sold since January in Bradford Estates has been a Camden - a townhome without a garage.  The two homes currently sold and pending in Bradford Estates (under contract moving towards settlement) are both my listings and are garage style homes. The one Camden that did go under contract, as reported in my last market update, sold for $141,250 with the sellers paying $5551 in closing cost for the buyers.  Difficul...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
Selling a House in Harrisburg PA: Say it with Pictures!  They say a picture paints a thousand words, and when it comes to selling a house you want those words to end with "sold." It's no secret that better-presented homes get more traffic and more buyer interest, therefore you'll end up selling a house faster.             According to the National Association of REALTORS®, nearly 90% of all homebuyers begin shopping for homes online. Many flip through photos of the homes and send a list of those they want to see to their Agent. Any Agent that would consider selling a house with only a few photos, will learn all too soon that homes with few or no photos are often passed over simply for that reason, even if the home's description matches a buyer's ideal listing.             Many Agents be...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
Oh Dear, Would You Look at My Baby! This was taken today at one of my listings - a mountainside home in Harrisburg, PA! Here's what the Seller wrote: "I just didn't have the heart to shoo this hours-old baby off our front yard.  It was born behind the transformer just across the street-I'm thinking sometime early this morning or this afternoon".  If you'd like to have a home with neighbors like this in Mountaindale, and only $336,000, contact me immediately at 717 514-1793! I'll be happy to make those dear dreams of yours come true... ..presented by KensHomesales.com    
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
Selling a House in Harrisburg PA: Bringing the Generations Together  Although your home may have been housing a traditional family of a mom, dad and two kids, savvy real estate agents will tell you that when selling a house, staging your home as one fit for multi-generations is the way to go.             More parents and grandparents are finding a need to move in with family, as many can no longer afford the increasing rates of the adult communities where they once lived. Furthermore, the economic climate is forcing many kids to return home once their schooling is done.                   You must always consider market trends when selling a house. A recent multi-generational study conducted by the Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C., revealed that multigenerational living has been on ...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
Selling a House in Harrisburg PA: A Deck May Make the Difference!  With summer in the air, the exterior of a home becomes even more important when selling your house because buyers now will spend more time outside looking at your property and envisioning what their summer barbeques and family playtime will look like.             When selling a house, the addition of any amount of usable real estate to a property increases value. Customized decks and personalized outdoor living areas are a hot trend in home improvement upgrades as well as selling a house, and a great-looking deck may entice more people to come see your home.             Building or updating an existing deck isn't simply a great investment; it also provides opportunities to personalize your backyard and customize the look...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
Real Estate Market Predictions for Harrisburg PA for 2011: Wonder what the real estate market will do in 2011? Only time will tell, but we can examine some trends from the past and look at what is happening today to get a pretty good idea of what this year will mean for home buyers and home sellers. Here are 8 things I predict will happen in 2011's real estate market:1. "Recovery" is the Hot Buzz Word.In a market that appears as if it can do nothing but go up, a majority of everyone's focus this coming year will be on recovery. The not so great news is that recovery is around the corner, but not necessarily the immediate proverbial corner. The better news is that recovery is in sight. Home prices may fluctuate a little, moving up or down just a bit, but they should remain relatively fla...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
IS IT A GOOD TIME TO BUY A HOUSE IN HARRISBURG PA? If you're wondering if it is a good time to buy a house right now, consider this: Waiting for a good time to buy a house may cost you more in the long run. Interest rates could begin to climb and that, my friends, could cost you thousands over the life of the loan. This occurrence is what I refer to as the "Cost vs. Price" principal. So, waiting any longer for prices to hit bottom sounds a little risky, doesn't it? I find it more than interesting that so many leading experts from around the country also agree. A Gallup Poll study revealed 69% of the people polled believed now is a good time to buy a house. Respected real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran put it best, "We have a regular real estate miracle happening. We not only have record ...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
How to Buy a House in Harrisburg PA - Step 4 -  What to Look For in a Home.  Since you began the process of how to buy a house, and we determined what your price range is, I can advise you of available properties within that price range. At our first meeting we can review the MLS listing information for all of the qualifying properties. At that time you can decide what to look for in a home, and which properties are desirable for you. Things to consider when you're learning how to buy a house : What to Look for in a Home! Are you interested in a Townhouse or a Single-family home? Townhomes offer you maintenance -free living...no yard work!  But remember, you also cannot put up a swing-set, or basketball hoop. Examine the rooms you spend the most time in - your bedroom or master suite, t...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
How to Buy a House in Harrisburg PA - Step 3 - The Credit Process. When orchestrating how to buy a house, and you have already obtained your Pre-Approval from Step 2, any changes to your credit (additional accounts, closing accounts, fluctuating credit card balances) can result in the lowering of your credit score. If your credit score changes, that can affect your interest rate and even the loan approval itself. Therefore, it is imperative when considering how to buy a house that there are no major changes to your credit and information provided, during this process. In order to consider how to buy a house, and for your loan to reach final approval and fund, you'll want to adhere to the following: Do's and Don'ts with Credit   1.      DO NOT charge any new items on your charge cards (h...
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By Ken and Leslye Huebsch, Realtors - Harrisburg Homes for Sale 717.514.1793
(3x Individual Agent of the Year, Luxury Homes, First-Time Buyers, Residential Resales, New Construction)
How to Buy a House in Harrisburg PA - Step 2 - Get a Pre-Approval!    Get Qualified! May I suggest you contact a mortgage lender. I highly recommend  Chris Blouch with GMH Mortgage @ 717 813-9668. I have been working with Chris for over 7 years, and he has proven to have great rates, but more importantly a trust-worthy attitude. In order to consider how to buy a house, you must first determine how much you can spend. You can be qualified over the phone in 5 minutes and approved within 24 hours with a written mortgage commitment. You then can act as a "cash buyer".   A short conversation with our lender will give you your exact price range parameters, which will knock out your second step in how to buy a house. He can explain the mortgage programs available to you, and give a very precis...
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