Gettysburg, PA

Yesterday I wrote a blog about First Friday in Gettysburg, PA. I started searching for information online about the event and came up with very little, if anything about the event. Last night I went out in and effort to get to the bottom of what First Friday in Gettysburg was all about. The information online simply stated that First Friday was an opportunity for local businesses to have open houses, guest artists and writers, and light refreshments.

After my experiences last night I can tell you that First Friday in Gettysburg, PA is a fantastic event. It was as much a social event as it was an chance for Gettysburg's local businesses to share with the community. Many of the stores had discounts for that day only. Just Jennifer was 25% off for the whole store.

suit the mood of the establishment at any hour. Every now and then they'll stir things up with an old classic or some new hip hop. I've seen a friend of mine do the Carlton dance down the middle of the bar (See Fresh Prince of Bel Air if you don't know the Carlton).

At any rate that's my recap of First Friday. It's more than just a bunch of hype. The stores are friendly and welcoming. The social scene is fantastic. This was my first First Friday but certainly not my last. I had a great night from start to finish. From meeting new people, to making purchases to finishing the night off with some friends. I hope if you've been browsing the web looking for events in Gettysburg that you find this helpful. Come to Gettysburg and enjoy our rich history, and our evolving city like feel. We are a flourishing history town with a lot to offer. If you want to do nothing more than window shop First Friday might be a great night to do it. Most of the Stores have extended business hours, and heck they are giving away free wine so why not stop by and see if something peaks your interest.

A few Other Stores that were open were the Spirited Ladies, The Kunzler Gallery, and T&S Menswear. I'm sure there are more but I didn't have time to find them all.

The day after Thanksgiving each year, the Gettysburg square is decorated with a large Christmas tree. The nearby streets are decorated with wreathes with red bows and Christmas lights. Our quaint historic town looks very welcoming and festive this time of year. It's really a great time of year to enjoy Gettysburg. It's also a time of year where the town is free of tourist traffic and at some point college students. Our town thrives because of these two income sources, but everything slows down a bit around Christmas time. It's a great time to visit to enjoy the sites and all of what Gettysburg has to offer. The first picture is of the Pub restaurant which looks fantastic every single year. They really decorate it nicely. The second two shots are of the Christmas tree in the square. Behind the tree you can see the Gettysburg hotel. The hotel is home of McClellan's Tavern.

The First Friday of every month is an opportunity for Gettysburg's local businesses to host special open house receptions. The event is focused primarily in the Gettysburg's rich historic district. Typically about 25 different businesses participate. The participating businesses will be denoted with the First Friday flag.

Many of the businesses will have special guests like artists, authors, and so on. The open house style of this event also lends itself to refreshments to include wine and cheese in some venues. Many of the businesses will also extend their hours on First friday (until 8pm).

This weekend each month brings additional people into town to support local business. I hope to have a more in depth outlook on First Friday next month. There is little information or pictures available on the web. On top of the opportunities at the shops some of the local bars/restaurants are very crowded afterward to enjoy Gettysburg's social scene.

The Blue Parrot Bistro is certainly a favorite of the First Friday crowd. They feature art from various artists and are a participant of First Friday. Come to Gettysburg and check it out.

The Preserves at Cumberland Village by Summit Homes is located in Gettysburg, PA. The community is nestled about 2 miles outside of Gettysburg. It's situated very close to the many civil war attractions Gettysburg has to offer. Gettysburg also provides a large number of quality restaurants and activities for all ages. The community is tailored toward Active Adults. There are 12 different floor plans to choose from, each of which provides luxurious single family living. There is also a semi-detached villa that provides 1.5 story living but maintains a first floor master suite. Homes in this neighborhood having been moving fast. The quality craftsmanship and niche market have really contributed to the success of the Preserves at Cumberland Village.

If you are interested in purchasing in this development give me a call. My expertise combined with the sales representatives knowledge of the product are a win win situation for anyone looking to purchase in this development. I promise you won't find better craftsmanship at these prices. Some floor plans have recently been reduced as much as $45,000. If you've lived in your home for 5 of the last 8 years you may also qualify for the governments expanded first time buyer credit of 6500.00. This credit is rewarding home owners who decide to trade up or downsize in and effort to keep the real estate market on an upward path. This is a great opportunity if you've been considering the move but just haven't pulled the trigger. You only have until April 30, 2010 to be under contract, and July 1, 2010 to have settled so act now if this is something you're considering. The exteriors of these homes feature a combination of stone, brick, and siding to produce a unique look around the neighborhood.

This is one community where you don't have to worry about you're neighbors house looking just like yours. Each buyer will have a large list of potential upgrades to make their home stand out from the crowd.

The current dues for this development are $40 per month. Once the swimming pool and tennis courts are completed the monthly dues will increase to $50 per month. There will also be a community center available to everyone that lives in the development. Some of the included features include: ¤ 9' ceilings

¤ Energy Efficient Gas Water Heater

¤ Energy Efficient Gas Furnace

¤ Decorative Light fixtures

¤ Double Hung Insulated tilt windows with Grills and Screens

¤ Oversize Garage doors

The list goes on and on. Pricing starts at 241,000 and ranges up to about 500,000 depending on floor plan and options. Below are a few more pictures of homes that have already been built and are occupied by other members of the fantastic Summit Homes built community, The Preserves at Cumberland Village

With the market being a bit tricky these days and with all the new legislation it got me thinking about the CMA's I'm working on. I'm looking for comps that are less than 6 months old, which aren't always easy to find. Then I'm looking for properties that are actually similar besides sq footage, also a difficult task at times.

I would like to first say that I don't doubt my ability to do a CMA and price something correctly. I must however ask the question.

Would it be beneficial to Sellers to have an Appraisal done prior to listing?

I was looking at the price of an appraisal and just wondering how many problems an ACTIVE appraisal could potentially solve. Sometimes this appraisal can even be used by the buyers lending institution.

It would certainly decrease the time from contract to settlement (assuming the appraisal can be used).

It would put the seller at ease as far as price if they are to disagree with the number you gave them...you better have been pretty close.

It would take pressure of the Realtor if the property is extremely unique.

It would probably mess with our negociating some, but people still have the ability to accept, reject, or counter any offer.

What are you thoughts? I'd like to hear them.