Scranton, PA

Buying a home can certainly become a daunting task. It sure helps if you have some information before jumping in. You should always create a structured plan before beginning your home search.

Consumer Credit Counseling Services (CCCS) is a local not-for-profit firm that is dedicated to educating buyers about the home-buying process.

If you plan to buy a home in the near future, your first step is attending this free course at their NEPA office in Pittston, PA. It's going to be held Wednesday, September 17 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. You can click here to enroll in the course to ensure you have a spot.

Of course, you should also meet with a Credit Specialist if you fear you may have issues with your credit report. CCCS is a very good company for debt management programs and education, but they will not perform "Credit Repair Services". Credit Repair Consultants, LLC. does perform these services, like deleting negative information from your report if it is found to be unverifiable.

We live in America, the land of choice. We can choose our elected officials. We can choose whether to use a small mom-and-pop shop or a big store like Walmart. What we haven't had here in Scranton is a choice of newspapers.

One person, one company, one organization could never fill all our needs in NEPA. There are too many of us and our population is diverse. Could you imagine having one grocery store in town? One hardware store? One news show on TV? There are people who are ademant about their news shows, whether it's 16, 22, or 28. There's no reason to not have that excitement about our city's newspapers.

When I first heard about it, I thought what some of you may be thinking. What's the big deal? The news is the news. You either read it or don't, no matter who wrote it. It's factual so there can't be much difference between two newspapers.

Ted Brunelle put me at ease. He explained that The Scranton Post will have a different viewpoint. They are going for a more local feel and staying away from content that you can see anywhere. The Associated Press releases stories for local news media to use. The Scranton Post is going to get a locally written article about this content so that we can share our views, not the views of a national news service.

They also encourage readers to submit your own stories and announcements. The tagline of The Post is "The People Of Scranton's Newspaper" and I believe that is what it will be based on my conversation with Ted.

You may want to pay special attention to a certain section of the paper. There seems to be a section with a Q&A about Mortgage and Credit Issues. Brilliant! It's about time someone answered the concerns that have affected people's lives so much lately. Oh, wait. That person is me! Ted and Barbara have been kind enough to allow me to lend my thoughts to their newspaper.

I think the Scranton Times is a good paper. I'm just glad that there will be another option in town. I, personally, will be reading both. I suggest everyone do this to give a new viewpoint a try. It promises not to be too political while offering plenty of local content.

And don't forget about the guy giving free mortgage and credit advice! Email me to see your question in the paper.

Here we go! Scranton is transforming.

I can still remember watching "The Implosion". A long row of businesses on Lackawanna Ave were blown up from the inside. My brother and I watched as the buildings folded into themselves and came crashing to the ground. In what felt like a moment, the Steamtown Mall was upon us. The transformation of Downtown Scranton was in full swing.

Here we are again. We're back on Lackawanna Ave, but this time there are no explosions. Just celebration for the ongoing renovation project. You can expect to see restaurants with inside and outside seating along the street. The area will be inviting for pedestrians that can stop for a bite during some shopping or after a movie.

Perhaps the more important aspect of the new buildings are the condominium units above. To turn the city around, we need to bring people Downtown. If they live here, they will work here, shop here, and eat here.

So let's toast the improvements here in Scranton. The accolades from national media, the medical school, the train line to NYC... these are all reasons to believe that Scranton is improving and will only become a more desirable place to live as time goes by.

Check out Scranton's good news from Money Magazine

What can it be???

Maybe it is because Scranton is home to The Office.

Maybe it is because the cost of living is relatively cheap.

Maybe it is because of our many universities.

Maybe it is because Scranton residents aren't buying in to the national media's negative outlook on real estate. I bet this wonderful news will barely make the media spotlight. That is why I feel compelled to share it with all of you.

If you live in Scranton or the surrounding areas, now is the time to buy and sell. The market is doing great. Homes are affordable and people are buying them.

Todd Jones - Realtor, ABR, SRS, OA - Your Scranton, Clarks Summit Realtor

Serving all of Lackawanna County

www.realestatebytodd.com

The job of a Realtor can be quite difficult. There are many facts and figures you've got to keep at the top of mind at all times. A talented and successful Realtor is a person with an outward personality. Most of your day is spent talking to all kinds of people. You've got to relate to buyers, relate to sellers, and then be skilled enough to bounce between the two to create an agreement that satisfies everyone. A Realtor's day can be truly exhausting!

Relating to people isn't the only skill you need. A thorough knowledge of your market area is a must. You'll memorize, not only your own inventory of homes, but also the ever-changing inventory on the MLS for Scranton and all of NEPA. You'll need to keep Real Estate laws and regulations in your mind at all times. Clients will also expect you to stay on top of both national and local news regarding the Real Estate Industry.

There's one big piece of the Realtor puzzle missing here. It may be the MOST important piece not yet mentioned! You must constantly market your listings.

This may be done for you by your Broker to a limited degree. You may get some exposure on newspaper inserts and magazine ads. You may use your own ideas to market, like postcards or working your farm face-to-face. What many agents are missing in this mix is the use of Internet Marketing.

Your Broker may be taking care of you here as well. They may have a website with a link to the MLS or to the company's listings. They may even have pleasing virtual tours set up. Unfortunately, many Real Estate Brokers do not have just these simple things.

I have spent much time and energy trying to find ways to bring attention from internet users to NEPA Realtors. I believe I've found a winning method. No matter who you work for and what they do for you, your listings can ALWAYS use more exposure. I will market your listings online for free.

Well, they say that there's no such thing as a "free lunch", so I'll put a very small price on it. I will agree to market your listings online in multiple ways at no cost. I'm in the business of meeting Realtors and creating profitable relationships. Allow me at least 10 minutes of your time at your office to explain the system and to introduce myself.

That's it. Free marketing for any and all of your listings. Ten minutes of your time. Sound good? I'll be patiently awaiting your call or email. In the meantime you can check out our NEPA Mortgage website and feel free to read the rest of my blog.

Best of luck to everyone!