Lehigh Valley Real Estate Blog, Home Buying & Selling Information

Staging Your Lehigh Valley Home to Sell!

Does Staging Your Lehigh Valley home help to sell it?

100% Yes!

Typically a Lehigh Valley Home Seller has 4 situations (with many varying differences between all 4):

1 - Home is currently occupied and occupants have clutter or home is not being kept up-to-date and clean. Home may need noticeable repairs without even getting to the property inspection part of the purchase.

2 - Home is vacant - There is nothing in any rooms to inspire imagination, nothing to give perspective (will my couch fit here?), may show more signs of needed updates or repairs since nothing catches the buyer's attention. All of the bones are visible.

3 - Home is occupied but very clean, not cluttered, shows well.

4 - Home is vacant but has furniture and other items to show each room in it's best.

A home typically fits into one of the above 4 categories but it is up to the Lehigh Valley Home Seller how much they want to do to make sure the home is in category 3 or 4.

A Home For Sale that is completely staged is the best but typically it is unrealistic to have every room staged.

With that in mind, when Staging Your Lehigh Valley Home you should concentrate on the 4 main rooms in a home that are the most important to a Home Buyer.

• Kitchen
• Family/Living Room
• Master Bedroom
• Bathroom

Lehigh Valley Home Buyers walk into a home and want to feel welcome and can they live comfortably in the home. Do they see themselves cooking in the kitchen and hanging around in the family room or living room. 

The kitchen should have as much counter-space as possible. Remove everything except the necessary essentials. Make sure the appliances are clean. Buyers WILL open the oven door.

Make sure the family room or living room has a cozy lived in look and is free of clutter. You may need to remove that big old chair that you like to use to watch tv.

The Master Bedroom should be clean. Make sure clean or dirty clothes are put away. If small, can any furniture be removed?

For the bathroom remove as many items as possible from the counter, the sink and toilet are clean, and if maintenance is necessary (typically caulking or grout repair) it is done before showings. 

If pets are living in the home make sure there is not an odor. Nothing is worse then walking into a home and smelling a dog or cat odor. Ask someone who doesn't live in the home for their opinion. As home owners we get immune to the smell of our family pet members. I have two cats and a dog and have asked my guests if they notice an odor and I'm not selling my home.

For all of your Lehigh Valley Real Estate information, visit www.lehighvalleyhomesonline.com

Lehigh Valley Homes are Being Sold As-Is - Home Buyer Beware!

The Lehigh Valley has had a very low inventory of homes for sale over the past two years.

The lack of Homes for Sale in the Lehigh Valley has caused the market to get tilted towards the home seller and they may be taking advantage of it.

This is what I am seeing as I show Lehigh Valley homes and look through Lehigh Valley Home Listings.

* Lehigh Valley Home being Sold As-Is

What exactly does this mean? A home purchase can require multiple instances where the buyer gets stopped dead in their tracks by a problem with a house. What type of financing are they going to allow? Is it a cash purchase only? Does only the home buyer have the ability to ignore any issues? (i.e. roof should be replaced in 1-2 years, buyer is okay with that, mortgage company believes roof should be replaced now...before closing).

* Home Buyer WILL BE RESPONSIBLE for any updates/repairs required by the Lehigh Valley Municipality (Certificate of Occupancy, Buyer Notification Inspection...etc).

The PA Agreement of Sale states if a municipal inspection is required the home owner must order it and provide the report to the buyer. The seller will fix or negotiate with the home buyer about repairs. These items are required by the municipality and MUST be Done. One party has to agree to do them and if getting a mortgage it may create a problem. If the report isn't available when you make the offer should you agree to this beforehand? Municipal inspections can involve permit issues and other potential illegal uses of the property.

Lehigh Valley Home Seller will not do any FHA/VA/USDA Mortgage Required Repairs

This one can be a show stopper. If the Lehigh Valley Home Buyer is getting a mortgage an appraisal will need to be done to ensure the home is worth the price. As part of the appraisal, the appraiser will look at the condition of the home. They may be looking for safety issues as well as general condition of the home. If they tag any issues with the property those items must be addressed or the home buyer will not be able to get the mortgage and the closing cannot occur.

As a Lehigh Valley Home Buyer, you should fully do your research on a property with specific conditions that limit your ability to walk away from a property that may need more work than you originally anticipated.

Home Buyer Beware!

For all of your Lehigh Valley Real Estate Information, visit www.lehighvalleyhomesonline.com.

Lehigh Valley Homes Buyers Still Dealing with Low Inventory of Homes for Sale

For over two years, Lehigh Valley Home Buyers have been suffering from a Low Inventory of Homes for Sale.

Currently (September 8th, 2019), according to the Lehigh Valley MLS, there are 1740 residential homes for sale in Lehigh and Northampton Counties.

A couple of years ago, at any given time, there were 4,000 to 6,000 homes for sale in the valley.

The low home inventory has caused a pent up buyer demand and as a result price increases are occurring.

Home Buyers are making offers on homes that are hard to believe.

When someone purchases a used car they may have a mechanic check it out before completing the purchase.

Lehigh Valley Home Buyers are waiving property inspections in order to win out in a multiple offer situation. A home buyer may spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and not even know if there are any problems with the property. I cannot advise a home buyer to do this!

I had a Home Buyer lose a house because the seller told us they would go forward if we paid $5,000 over the list price, waived all inspections and removed the appraisal contingency from the mortgage. The seller had another offer with these terms. The buyer would be purchasing a house and would not know if there were any problems until they moved in and if the house didn't appraise they would have to make up the difference in "cash". The home buyer would have absolutely NO protections on the purchase of a $185,000 home. What?

Home Buyer Beware!

The low inventory is also affecting investors/contractors looking to flip properties. 

Out of the 1740 homes for sale in Lehigh Valley, 41 are Bank Owned (Foreclosures) and 16 are Short Sales. A far cry from the couple of hundred distressed properties we had a few years ago. Finding the good deal has gotten very hard to find.

For more information about Lehigh Valley Real Estate, visit www.lehighvalleyhomesonline.com

55+ Active Adult New Construction in Lehigh Valley PA

The Lehigh Valley PA has 27 55+ Active Adult Communities including many Resale Communities plus New Construction.

Currently, Toll Brothers, Kay Builders, Ryan Homes and Traditions of America are all building newly constructed 55+ homes throughout the Lehigh Valley.

These 55+ Communities are:

Traditions of America at Green Pond - Bethlehem PA
Taylor Villas - Ryan Homes - Whitehall PA
Regency at South Whitehall - Toll Brothers - South Whitehall PA
Regency at Creekside Meadows - Toll Brothers - East Allen Township PA
Fields at Indian Creek - Kay Builders - Upper Milford PA

The purchase price to buy into a new 55+ community in Lehigh Valley is trending upwards and to purchase in any of the above communities you probably are looking at a minimum of $280,000 and a build time of 5 plus months. 

I can assist Lehigh Valley Home Buyers with any 55+ community but a lot of home buyer's don't realize THEY CAN HAVE AN AGENT REPRESENT THEM for new construction AND the agent is paid for by the commission offered on the home by the Home Builder. The commission is built into the purchase price of the home.

I would be happy to answer any questions about our 55+ communities. Just send me an email at joe.finnerty@foxroach.com.

You can view more information about Lehigh Valley 55+ Communities at www.lehighvalley55plus.com.

55+ Ranch Home For Sale in Traditions of America at Hanover in the Lehigh Valley

Welcome to this 55+ home for sale at Traditions of America at Hanover. Located in the Lehigh Valley, this 2 BR, 2 BA home features one floor "ranch" style living with an open concept.. Enjoy day-to-day easy living with everything on the same floor. On a nice day, barbecue on your deck or visit the clubhouse to participate in many of the weekly activities. All of the exterior work is done for you! Grass and snow are no longer your problem! Schedule your showing today!

View More Details!

More information about 55+ Communities in Lehigh Valley is available at www.lehighvalley55plus.com.

55+ Homes for Sale in the Lehigh Valley including Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton

As the baby boomers retire, it is getting more difficult to find affordable 55+ Housing in the Lehigh Valley. Even though many 55+ Home Buyers are interested in Allentown, Bethlehem or Easton, almost all of the 55+ Communities are located in the surrounding municipalities. Turnberry Mews and Villages at Monocacy Creek are the only exceptions. They are located in North Bethlehem. 

The Lehigh Valley has limited 55+ communities below the $200,000 price range. All of these communities are leasehold ownership. You don't own the land. It is not part of a condo. You must pay a monthly rental fee for the land. The community may or may not have a clubhouse and it may or may not include grass and snow removal.

These 55+ communities are:

Lockwood Congress - Forks Township
Jacob's Farm - Forks Township
Village at Fox Crossing - Forks Township
Village at Upstream Farm - Forks Township
Evergreen Village - Upper Mt Bethel

Out of the 5 above communities, the only 55+ community offering "new" homes is Village at Fox Crossing and currently that project is on-hold and there is NOTHING For Sale! 

The other 4 communities only have resales available and that is dependent on when a seller decides to sell or has to sell their current home. The monthly land rent plus HOA tends to run in the $425.00 to $575.00 price range with yearly taxes anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000/year. Price ranges on these homes run from about $20,000 to $200,000.

Above the $200,000 price range, you tend to skip above to the $250,000 price range. Every once in a while you may find something lower than $250,000 at Millbrook Chase in Lower Macungie. (getting more difficult over the past year as the low inventory causes price increases).

The bulk of 55+ communities in the Lehigh Valley range in the $260,000 and up price range (as high as in the $600,000 and $700,000 price range). 

The Lehigh Valley has 7 55+ Communities that offer New Construction:

Briarwood Commons - Whitehall Township
Fields at Indian Creek - Upper Milford Township 
Regency at South Whitehall - Allentown
Riverview Estates - Forks Township
Taylor Villas - Northampton
Tradtions of America at Greenpond - Bethlehem Township (this community is still in the works, no homes yet)
Village at Monocacy Creek - Bethlehem

Many 55+ Home Buyers tend to look at the resale market. They feel that they can possibly get more bang for their buck or would prefer not to deal with new construction or months of having to wait for a home to be built. 

Here is a list of Lehigh Valley 55+ communities that may have resales available (some of the new construction, listed above, may also have resales available):

Country Classics at Legacy - Williams Township
Four Seasons at Farmington - Lower Macungie
Four Seasons at Saucon Valley - Lower Saucon Township
Glenmoor - Palmer Township
Highlands of Glenmoor - Palmer Township
Legacy Oaks - Lower Macungie
Wild Cherry Knoll - Lower Macungie
Willow Green - Northampton
Traditions of America at Bridlepath - Hanover Township
Traditions of America at Hanover - Hanover Township

I'm here to help you with all of your 55+ Real Estate and questions. Give me a call.

Visit www.lehighvalley55Plus.com for all of our Lehigh Valley 55+ Community information.

The Mortgage Company Said the Lehigh Valley Home Didn't Appraise for the Purchase Price

As we go into the spring market in the Lehigh Valley, we are running into Appraisal problems with Home Sales and the agreed upon Purchase Price. 

The buyer agreed to pay X amount for the house but the appraisal came in lower. This is the same problem that occurred last spring. 

A low home inventory over the past two years and a pent up demand by home buyers is causing problems with what a buyer is willing to pay and what a Bank or Mortgage Company is willing to lend based on the Appraisal of the home.

When a Lehigh Valley Home Buyer purchases a home using a Mortgage, the bank orders an Appraisal on the home. An Appraisal is used as the eyes and ears for the bank. What condition is the house in? Does it need any repairs? What is the home worth? Is it worth the Purchase Price?

The appraiser visits the home, checks square footage and condition and then looks at recently sold properties to determine the value of the home. In an ideal world, the appraiser will look at sold properties in the same school district, within 1 mile of the home and homes that sold within the past few months. The home types should match. For instance, if the appraiser is determining the value of a ranch home then they should look at recently sold ranch homes.

The problem with the current market is that the appraisals don't keep up with the demand by home buyers. A home buyer that has lost out on getting a few homes may be willing to pay the asking price and possibly more than the asking price. Just because a home buyer believes the house is worth more doesn't mean the "sold properties" will justify the higher price and the bank will lend them the higher amount. 

Home values go up a little at a time. If a Lehigh Valley Home sold a block away last month for a certain price it makes it harder to sell the same exact home for $10,000 more weeks later just because 5 buyers want it. 

If a home Doesn't Appraise for the Purchase Price, the appraisal can be contested but in order to change the appraisal additional sold properties must be found or a blatant mistake in the appraisal must be identified. For instance, the appraiser didn't include the additional full bath or used ranch homes to compare to a two story colonial.

When a Lehigh Valley Home Buyer and Seller are faced with a low Appraised value there are 4 options:

- the seller takes the lower value
- the buyer agrees to make up the difference with out-of-pocket cash (the mortgage won't go higher than the appraised value)
- the buyer and seller split the difference
- the deal falls apart and the seller puts the home back on the market with hopes of getting the same higher price and a higher appraisal

If a home buyer is paying cash they may or may not make the purchase contingent on an appraisal. As a cash buyer they may decide they feel the home is worth the purchase price they are paying and since they aren't getting a mortgage an appraisal isn't required. A cash buyer can over-pay if they want to.

For all of your Lehigh Valley Real Estate information, visit www.lehighvalleyhomesonline.com 

Getting a Mortgage to Buy a Home in Lehigh Valley

The first step in Buying a Home in the Lehigh Valley is to get pre-approved for a Mortgage. That way you are an educated home buyer that knows their finances and what they can afford.

In addition, if you wish to make an offer on a home the seller is going to expect to see that you have been Pre-Approved for a Mortgage. If the offer is for cash, the seller is going to want to see proof of funds (something in writing showing you have the cash). If the offer has a mortgage contingency they are going to want to see the pre-approval from your mortgage company.

A pre-approval typically means you have spoken to a mortgage company, they have pulled your credit, reviewed your income/debt and determined you should be able to borrow "x" amount of dollars towards a home purchase.

There are multiple Mortgage types available to Purchase a Home in the Lehigh Valley.

FHA Mortgage - 3.5% down payment

Conventional Mortgage - 3, 5, 10, 15, 20% down payment (options vary per buyer)

USDA Mortgage - 100% financing but house must be in a "rural" area - no down payment required - income limits apply

VA Mortgage - 100% financing - no down payment required - buyer must be an eligible veteran of the US Military

PHFHA Mortgage - similar to FHA but includes option to help offset the 3.5% required down payment

Once the home buyer gets pre-approved for a mortgage, they are considered a grade A home buyer that is ready to view homes and make an offer to purchase a home.

If you need a mortgage rep with expertise in all of the above mortgage types let me know.

For all of your Lehigh Valley Real Estate information, visit www.lehighvalleyhomesonline.com

Buying a Home in Lehigh Valley with Well Water

As a Lehigh Valley Home Buyer pursues a home, they may be interested in one that has Well Water as the water source (versus public water).

There are many homes in the Lehigh Valley that have a Well as the source of the Water for a home. The further you go from the major cities (Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton) the more prominent Wells become as the on-site water source. 

Having a Well for your water source may not be a bad thing. It is possible that the water may actually be better than public water.

When you purchase a home with a well, the PA Agreement of Sale has a contingency a buyer can elect to have the water tested. This option and the purchase should be contingent on testing of the water.

Some concerns with a Well:

Is the water potable (drinkable)?

Has the Well ever run dry?

How deep is the well?

How old is the pump?

How old is the ballister tank (typically in the basement of the home)? This can affect the water pressure in the home.

How far is the Well from the septic system (if the property is not on public sewer)? 

When you purchase a Lehigh Valley Home with a Well the water should be sampled and sent to a lab for testing. There are multiple tests that can be done on water but the minimum is Ecoli and Coliform. Is sewerage getting into the water? In addition, Nitrates, Metals and even Pesticides can be checked. Is there lead? Was the land used for farming and pesticides are present? Depending on your mortgage type you may have to test for some of these even if "you" don't care. For instance,a VA mortgage wants a test for "metals" (i.e. lead).

The PA Property Disclosure asks the seller if the well has ever run dry. Hopefully, the seller answers this truthfully. You don't want to purchase a property and run out of water when 3 people take a shower on a Saturday morning.

If the Home Buyer is doing an FHA, VA, or USDA mortgage and there is a septic system on the property there could be an issue if the well and septic aren't the proper distances apart from each other. The Well and the Septic Tank should be at least 50 feet apart and the Well and Sand Mound or Absorption Field should be at least 100 feet apart. When the appraisal is done on the home these distances WILL be looked at.

Although this may seem like a lot to take in, many Lehigh Valley Homes are purchased with wells and septic systems with no issues. 

For all of your Lehigh Valley Real Estate information, visit www.lehighvalleyhomesonline.com

Buying a Lehigh Valley Home with a Septic System

If you are considering Buying a Home in the Lehigh Valley there is a possibility that it may have a Septic System instead of public sewer. 

A septic system is an on-site sewage disposal system. Rather than the home sewage going into a public system it goes into a system that is contained on the property.

The sinks, toilets, laundry...etc all empty into a tank on the property. The solids stay in the tank and the fluids go out to a sand mound or absorption field where they are filtered and go into the ground.

Every few years, the septic tank should be pumped to remove the solids.

If the system is working correctly, the fluids are getting filtered and going into the ground. 

Some Lehigh Valley Home Buyers don't want anything to do with a Septic System. Although you won't get a sewer bill, if the septic has issues it can get expensive. 

If the home buyer wants a house "not" in the city or on a larger lot or in the country it may have a septic system.

As part of the purchase, the Lehigh Valley Home Buyer should elect to get a Septic Inspection done. This inspection is scheduled and paid for by the future home buyer.

The septic system should get flooded with water and the absorption field/sand mound checked to make sure the "earth" is accepting the fluids and the tank is correctly releasing the fluids.

The baffles (filters) in the septic tank should be checked.

The septic tank should be emptied (paid for by the home owner) and checked for cracks and integrity.

If the house has been vacant for more than 30 days a Hydraulic Load Test should be done. This is typically a 2-day test.

Many buyers purchase a home with a septic system but you should definitely make sure the purchase is contingent on the inspection.

For all of your Lehigh Valley Real Estate information, visit www.lehighvalleyhomesonline.com