The “F.L. Suter Home” is an expansive 4,604 square foot Tudor Revival home nestled along Wheatland Avenue in the first phase of School Lane Hills (homes built in the first quarter of the 20th century).  The 5 huge bedrooms and 4 updated baths make the upper floors fully functional for any family, but it’s the first floor that truly delights.

Here’s a list of some of the features of 1112 Wheatland Avenue:

• Prestigious School Lane Hills neighborhood
• Wide street with light through traffic
• 2 blocks from President Buchanan’s Wheatland estate
• Close to vibrant Lancaster City downtown and F&M college campus

• Architecturally and period-sensitive kitchen remodel
• All new premium appliances
• Restored and expanded butler’s pantry
• Baths remodeled or restored
• Central staircase to all floors
• Large foyer and full-length central hall
• Huge living room and covered side veranda
• Dramatic 1927 great room extension
• Master suite with full dressing/laundry room/balcony
• Full third floor guest living capability
• Formal dining room with French doors
• Abundant closet space throughout
• Full basement with plenty of extra storage
• Flagstone walkways and patio
• Terraced rear yard with new privacy fencing

• Updated electric and mechanicals
• New high efficiency gas Boiler and Hot Water Heater
• Excellent exterior condition, no deferred maintenance
• Many upgrades and maintenance work completed – move right in!

This is a Coldwell Banker Previews Home in Lancaster County, PA so you can expect something wonderful… see the big photo tour and more property details at www.1112Wheatland.com.

Today we’re going to talk about the Arts & Crafts movement (also known as Craftsman Style homes) in Lancaster County and Central PA. Homes for sale that were built in the 1920’s and 1930’s can either be all Craftsman or use bits and pieces of the architectural style that was extremely popular at the time.

I shot this episode at my listing at 67 Valley Road in Neffsville, next door to Manheim Township Middle and High Schools. You can see the bright, big photos of this home at http://www.67valley.com

Craftsman homes in Lancaster PA or throughout Central PA were largely constructed out of masonry – that was the common base material at the time and while there are examples of stick-built Arts & Crafts homes in Lancaster County I would say they are few and far between. A major component of the style is the large covered front porch, allowing people to spend time outside in the environment. You can spot a craftsman home by the porch and also by the integrated square columns… no round columns. The column in this home I’m at are perfect craftsman columns.

Also, simplicity and staying true to the original materials (wood, block etc) was key to the craftsman home style. You’ll notice that this porch is very clean, with no extra details in the flooring or millwork. Arts & Crafts homes arose as a response to the overbearing european styling that was heavy on “fluff” in the design – therefore it follows that craftsman period home designers would keep it simple.

You can read more about the period online – it’s a favorite home style of mine and, interestingly, since these homes are a)older and b)smaller than most homes for sale in Lancaster, the price to buy a decent craftsman home can be very affordable! This home in Neffsvile is only $149,000. Keep an eye out for those big porches and square columns…

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(c) 2011 Jeff Geoghan

North Shippen Place condominiums are located at the corner of East Walnut and North Shippen in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania.  The address of the main building is 231 North Shippen Street, Lancaster PA 17602.  There are 4+ floors (they have a little “half floor” the way the building is constructed).  The building apparently was converted from a tobacco warehouse in a good example of adaptive re-use in Lancaster City.

The prices for condos in North Shippen Place range from the low $90,000’s to about $130,000.  It is possible to rerent them – units will show up on Craigslist from time to time.  The condo fee is fairly low – approximately $210 per month that covers most everything.  Owners don’t get any extra storage, but parking is wide open and nobody ever complains about not getting spaces.  Of course, city property taxes aren’t cheap but overall these condo homes are very affordable homes in Lancaster County.

The real cool stuff, though, is the proximity of North Shippen Place to the heart of Lancaster City.  It’s only a few blocks to Lancaster General Hospital’s main campus, and does qualify for the the Lancaster General “Home In The City” homebuyer incentive the hospital offers.  A couple of blocks further is North Queen Street with it’s shops and restaurants.  Another block and you’re right in the middle of downtown Lancaster City.

Search Lancaster City Condos For Sale

Today I’m downtown Lancaster City with Herb Ingram from Amerispec Home Inspections to talk about choosing an older home to purchase.

Herb encourages prospective home buyers to consider the character and charm of an older home such as those that grace many of Lancaster City’s streets. He also details a few common inspection issues with older homes like misfitting windows or doors, older sashes and wiring or plumbing peculiarities inherent to older homes in Lancaster City PA.

On balance, there’s a lot to say about owning a city home – community, a walkable commute if you are lucky enough to work downtown, smaller lots and a solidly-built structure that’s often a great starting point for improvements.

If you have any Lancaster County home inspection questions feel free to reach out to Herb at http://www,amerispec.com or call him at 877-591-4101. As always you can reach me at jeff@yourlancasterhome.com with your real estate questions.

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Today I give a few pointers about the need to control dampness in and around homes in Lancaster City. Was at a home inspection where dampness from a common alleyway had apparently infiltrated into the living room and the finished basement.

Given the fact that there isn’t much green space (none in some locations) to route rain runoff to, and uneven concrete surfaces in the older urban environment, it’s critical to be aware of where the water is going to around your Lancaster City PA home.

Especially important areas to watch are the common walkways between city homes. Some are at the main level and some actually step down to the basement level and back up again to the backyard. These areas don’t get much sunlight and can stay damp or even puddled long after a rain. These areas and poor downspout routing are the major troublemakers,

So, if you have a Lancaster City home be sure to watch your water runoff and try to avoid damp areas or water up against your foundation.

Questions? Email me at jeff@yourlancasterhome.com.
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(c) 2011 Jeff Geoghan

“Pre-Listing” home inspections and appraisals have risen in popularity in the last few years, with increasingly detailed negotiations and conservative appraisals happening our there in many areas. Since the buyer almost always elects to go with a home inspection and since the buyer’s bank will require an appraisal, the logic says “why not do them up front and remove those issues?“.

As far as pre-listing home inspections, I can’t say I feel very strongly about them, only because I’ve been faced with them before as a buyer’s agent only to have the buyer elect to do their own anyway – there’s even a sense in the room that the pre-listing inspection favors the seller somehow. In actuality, the seller in some cases may find themselves dealing with issues that otherwise wouldn’t have come up with a certain buyer, costing more money where it may not have been needed. And of course, any inspection results (whole home, termite, radon etc) that become known to the listing agent must be disclosed to potential buyers – our hands are pretty much tied there. So, there’s not a whole lot of upside and even some downsides to doing a pre-listing inspection. I have considered doing a stripped-down version (main systems, roof, structure) for my sales team with a local inspector but have not decided one way or the other yet.

As far as pre-listing appraisals, I think that it very well may be a good idea especially if the property is unique, has few comparable sales, is rural etc. As long as the appraisal is fresh – that’s the catch. The seller can pay up to $500 for a pre-listing appraisal and subsequently have it become out of date (6 months typically) or a close comparable may come on the market the day after the appraisal is complete that blows the conclusions… Still, a seller should seriously consider a pre-listing appraisal in certain situations.

I’d love to hear your comments and questions either on my Youtube channel (http://tv.yourlancasterhome) or at jeff@yourlancasterhome.com

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(c) 2011 Jeff Geoghan

Today I was in downtown Lancaster City, PA with a local interior designer named Heather Hough. We talked about designing for small spaces and rooms, something quite common in urban settings and in townhome communities.

Heather shared Three tips of hers for getting started with small spaces:

1) Think functionality – take the time to look at your spaces from a living perspective. What activities will be performed here, or there in a room? Breaking up a large open space into smaller workable spaces may be necessary.

2) Choose furnishings that complement the design idea – look for multipurpose items that can perform different tasks while looking good. An example would be using an ottoman with storage inside rather than a coffee table in the living space.

3) Don’t be afraid to decorate – use color (Heather’s a big fan of color as a style cue) and natural light in addition to textures to set off each space. Beware differing sheens, however as they tend to distract the eye. Have fun!

Heather is passionate about design and would love your comments here or at hdesignr@gmail.com to schedule a consultation. If you like our show please subscribe…as always comments welcome.

Visit our homepage for Lancaster PA Real Estate

Paul tells us about how the salt-based de-icers bleed off of the walkways, driveways and other hardscaping to effectively dehydrate the lawn. The recommendation is to avoid salt-based products in favor of calcium or magnesium-based products available locally.

Letting the pet urinate on the lawn through the snow will also cause significant yellowing (no pun intended) if allowed to concentrate, especially in visible areas near your walkways etc. Turns out that pet urine is a major salt contributor to the problem… Recommendation is to spread the “pit stops” around the snow-covered yard to dilute the salt damage, or off the grassed areas to be totally safe.

If you suspect that the grass is going to be have trouble staying alive, use a gypsum product available locally to “flush” the salt through the turf very early on in the Spring. With this product it takes significantly less time and water to cleanse the yard.

If you have any lawn or grass questions, be sure to visit www.wisegrass.com – They are  Central PA’s authority on the subject. Email me at jeff@yourlancasterhome.com with any comments or questions, thanks.

The basic idea is that the buyer and seller write up a contract that allows the buyer to rent the property for a specified period of time, after which the renter/buyer would qualify for a mortgage and close on the home.  During the rental period a portion of their rent payments may be allocated towards reducing the ultimate purchase price.

Positives for a potential home buyer are that they get the home they want now, and have the critical time needed to improve their credit and gather down money.  Positives for the seller are that they get their home “off the market” and can move on with their life.

Negatives – there are unfortunately a lot.  Just a couple I will mention:  The buyer is trusting that the seller won’t go into foreclosure or keep their upfront down money for some reason.  The seller is trusting that the buyer won’t trash the house (or any other rental nightmare scenario) during the rental period, then disappear before the purchase phase.  There can be a LOT of assumptions made in a lease purchase  (or “rent to own”) situation: the challenge is to get them all ironed out ahead of time!  I would almost recommend that a seller hire an attorney for review of the proposed contract, just to make sure as many possibilities are covered in the document.

If you are a potential Lancaster County Lease Purchase or “Rent to Own” customer, feel free to ask me a question at jeff@yourlancasterhome.com.  I’ll see what I can do to help you in your specific financial situation.  Thanks!

Post by Mike Blank, MBC Building & Remodeling

The EPA rule requires lead-safe work practices in pre-1978 homes, including posting warning signs; using disposable plastic drop cloths; cleaning the work area with HEPA vacuuming and wet washing; and individual certification through a training course. The full rule and brochures for consumers can be downloaded from the EPA’s Web site.

A 2006 NAHB study on lead-safe work practices showed that a home was better off after a remodel than before, as long as the work was performed by trained remodelers who clean the work area with HEPA-equipped vacuums, wet washing and use disposable drop cloths.

Summary of the Rule

1. Training and Certification

As of April 2010, remodeling firms working in pre-1978 homes need to be certified. In addition to firm certification, the company must employ a Certified Renovator. When hiring a remodeler, home owners should verify the firm is certified and employs a Certified Renovator to be sure the work is completed properly.

2. Work Practices

The Certified Renovator has a number of responsibilities. The remodeler must distribute the Renovate Right brochure to the homeowner and ask them to sign the pre-renovation form several days before work begins. They must also post warning signs outside the work area and supervise setting up containment to prevent spreading dust. The rule lists specific containment procedures for both interior and exterior projects. It forbids certain work practices including open flame or torch burning, use of a heat gun that exceeds 1100°F, and high-speed sanding and grinding unless the tool is equipped with a HEPA exhaust control. Once the work is completed, the regulation specifies cleaning and waste disposal procedures. Clean up procedures must be supervised by a Certified Renovator.

3. Verification and Record Keeping

After clean up is complete the Certified Renovator must verify by matching a cleaning cloth with an EPA verification card. If the cloth appears dirtier or darker than the card, the cleaning must be repeated.

A complete file of records on the project must be kept by the certified renovator for three years. These records include, but aren’t limited to: verification of owner/occupant receipt of the Renovate Right pamphlet or attempt to inform, documentation of work practices, Certified Renovator certification, and proof of worker training.

Starting in July 2010, remodeling firms are also required to share with home owners a copy of the records created under the rule within 30 days of completing the renovation.

4. Exemptions

It is important to note that these work practices may be waived under these conditions:

• The home or child occupied facility was built after 1978.
• The repairs are minor, with interior work disturbing less than six sq. ft. or exteriors disturbing less than 20 sq. ft.
• If the house or components test lead free by a Certified Risk Assessor, Lead Inspector, or Certified Renovator.
• The homeowner may also opt out by signing a waiver if there are no children under age six frequently visiting the property, no one in the home is pregnant, or the property is not a child-occupied facility. The EPA is revoking the opt-out waiver as of July 2010. This means all remodeling work conducted in pre-1978 housing must comply with the regulation after this date.

Learn more about EPA’s lead paint rule by visiting www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm.

Mike Blank, CGR CAPS, President

MBC Building & Remodeling, LLC

cell: (717) 371-5136