About Allegheny County, PA

Beginner To Intermediate Yoga

01-24-12

Steve Warrene Butler/Allegheny County Area Homes

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Office: (724) 933-8500 x8610

Mobile: (724) 968-2639

This program offers an ideal beginning to students was wants to learn about or re-visit the basics of yoga.

Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline that originated in ancient India, whose goal is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility. It is also a useful tool for simple exercise and general health improvement.

Warm-up exercises will be performed to improve flexibility and strength. For more information, call (724) 485-9556.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/events/#ixzz1kR8ggYi0

I did Yoga for years when I was big into martial arts and loved it. It truly improves the bodies strength and flexibility.

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Don't Like Your New 2012 Allegheny County Assessment? Appeal It!

01-23-12

Christa Ross

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Office: (724) 933-6300 x214

Mobile: (724) 309-1758
Secondary: (724) 779-1437

If you recieved your Allegheny County assessment in the mail and found it to be flawed, then you need to appeal it. In fact, appeals are part of the system to get the values right. As most people would agree, it is practically impossible for a computer model, which was used for the new values, to be accurate all the time, and it is illegal for the assessors to do "spot assessments". So the only way to help make the model more accurate, and get your value correct, is through appeals.

Right now in Allegheny County there is a system of informal reviews and formal appeals. There are specific dates you need to meet for either of these processes. The RAMP website has a detailed list of the most current dates relating to the appeals here.

In order to appeal you will want to take evidence of comparable homes that support your belief that your assessment is too high. You need to find the closest matches in size, number of rooms, condition, age, parking, etc. More information on the appeal process can be found here.

Finally, it is important to note that a higher assessment does not necessarily mean your taxes are going up. The city, school district and county are required under Pennsylvania's anti-windfall law to readjusted property tax rates downward to remain revenue neutral in the year of the assessment. As a matter of fact, Chris Briem, a University of Pittsburgh economist, estimates that 6 out of 10 homeowners could see their taxes go down when all is finally revealed. Read more in a story from Brian O'Neill with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12008/1201780-155-0.stm#ixzz1kIAdUo00

Finally, if you are interested in the play-by-play on the twists and turns of the assessment process, check out the ongoing Reassessment Roulette blog on RAMP's website.

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New Pittsburgh Home Buyer and Home Seller Guides

01-23-12

Christa Ross

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Office: (724) 933-6300 x214

Mobile: (724) 309-1758
Secondary: (724) 779-1437

Pittsburgh Home Buyer and Home Seller Guides I am excited to announce that I recently published my Home Buyer's Guide and Home Seller's Guide on my website. Both guides were intended to help Pittsburgh buyers and sellers understand the details and decisions of buying or selling a home. These are not generic guides, but instead something that I put together and includes great Pittsburgh area resources and information. Covering Allegheny, Butler and Westmoreland counties with links for more information on a variety of real estate subjects. You can download either guide, for free, from my website at www.bestpittsburghhomes.com, just click on the "Planning to Buy" or "Ready to Sell" links to get the guide. I hope you find the guides helpful and feel free to call me with any questions about buying or selling your home in the Pittsburgh area.

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Starving Artists Convention

01-07-12

Steve Warrene Butler/Allegheny County Area Homes

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Office: (724) 933-8500 x8610

Mobile: (724) 968-2639

Every year there is a Starving Artists Convention at three different locations here in the Pittsburgh PA area. Last year was the first year I went and it was three Saturdays in a row. Well this year it was only one Saturday and that Saturday was today. There are not paintings over $69. I picked up three paintings. Two big ones and a small one. It was well worth the $167.99.

Starving Artists Convention

The first two are for me and the last one is for my mom and dad.

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I told my manager that if I don't reach my goals... To Fire Me !?!?

12-27-11

Steve Warrene Butler/Allegheny County Area Homes

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Office: (724) 933-8500 x8610

Mobile: (724) 968-2639

I told my manager that if I don't reach my goals... To Fire Me !?!? I have set very high goals for 2012 and need to go all out to reach them. I have the knowledge, team, desire and ability so I decided to push myself and reach out of my comfort zone and help as many people as I can in the field of real estate. People looking to sell on a normal bases, people in divorce (I deal with a lot of divorce situations now), short sales, relocation's, etc...

I told my manager that if I don't reach my goals... To Fire Me !?!?