Bobbie Smith, Realtor, 570-242-1891 PoconoHmz.com,The Poconos

Sold homes in the Poconos for the 4^th quarter of 2011show that the number of Pocono homes sold for the 4^th quarter of 2011 were about the same as they were a year ago however, the average sold price for Pocono homes sold during the 4^th quarter were down 10% from where they were a year ago.

Of the 362 homes sold for the quarter 107 of them were foreclosures, approx.. 30% of the sales. This brings our average sold price to approx. $134,000 with a statistic of 190 Cumulative days on the market.

If we look at the 4^th quarter in comparison to the 3^rd quarter of 2011 we see that in the 3^rd quarter homes sales were up by about 17% and sold prices were down by 6%. Click here to see ** the details on the 3^rd quarter.

POCONO MARKET TRENDS 2ND QTR 2011 -

*All stats above are for Monroe Country residential sales and are obtained from our MLS and are deemed reliable*

Pocono Real Estate Market Trends for December 2011 were below anticipated levels, I do believe.

The number of homes sold for the Month was down 17% from December 2010.

The average sold price for the homes sold during December of 2011 was down 11% from December 2010.

The good news in Pocono Real Estate for the month was that our Absorption rate dropped to 17.85, due mainly to the number of homes that have expired.

Of the 122 homes that sold for the Month, 34 of them or 27.5% were Foreclosures.

The average cumulative days on the market for these same homes was 201 days.

CLICK HERE to see the stats for November 2011

CLICK HERE to see the stats for October 2011

*Stats stated above were taken from the Pocono MLS and are deemed reliable. They reflect residential home sales for Monroe County.

Can you really afford not to sell your home NOW?

When you look closely at THE POCONO MARKET TRENDS for the last 10 years you will notice that we have been on a down trend for several years now. Forecasters anticipate this trend to continue. How long for? Who knows. Now is the time to sell your Pocono home and for the Current Market Value!

(Sorry, in chart above numbers equal years as follows: 1 = 2000; 2 = 2001; . . . . . . 12 = 2011)

Let’s look at an Example, let’s say you really wanted to sell your home back in 2009 however:

You did not want to lower your asking price to meet the market in 2009. Then 2010 came along and our prices dropped even lower and then 2011 came along and our prices dropped more.

So now you have had to hang onto your home for an additional two years WAITING FOR THE MARKET to “spring” back. Can you really afford not to sell your home NOW?

Over those two years WHAT EXPENSES HAVE YOU INCURRED while staying in your Pocono home?

WHAT DREAMS DID YOU NOT GET TO FOLLOW while waiting for the market to turn around in Pocono Real Estate?

Take a total of your Annual Expenses of Home Ownership:

Mortgage + Home Owners Insurance + Taxes + Electricity + Heating + Homeowners Association dues + Maintenance costs of maintaining the home = $??,???.

To continue the Example: let’s use our average value in Pocono Real Estate - $150,000, and your mortgage payment is around $1200/month, that would make your annual payout about $14,400.

THIS AMOUNT ALONE IS GREATER THAN THE PRICE REDUCTION YOU WERE REQUESTED TO GIVE TO BRING YOUR HOUSE DOWN TO THE MARKET VALUE OR THE PRICE YOU WERE ASKED TO LIST AT. (and that’s just your mortgage, doesn’t include the rest of the costs)

THE POINT IS that while you are waiting for the Market to “turn around” you continue to lose money, LOTS OF MONEY - a much larger percentage than the price reduction you were asked to give to GET YOUR HOME TO SOLD OR THE PRICE YOU WERE ASKED TO LIST YOUR HOME AT TO GET IT TO SOLD! Can you really afford not to sell your home NOW?

Do the numbers . . . . . . You will see . . . . . . Your best advantage to get the BEST VALUE for your home IS TO SELL YOUR HOME, AND TO SELL YOUR HOME AT THE CURRENT MARKET VALUE NOW!

It will take more than a year or two to recoup our price losses and get our prices back up, EVEN to where they were in 2009. Cut your losses, SELL NOW - STOP LOSING MONEY!

*Stats are for Monroe County, PA

When shopping for FORECLOSURE DEALS IN THE POCONOS 2 homes you may want to consider are these two located in POCONO FARMS COUNTRY CLUB.

7310 Lake Road, Pocono Farms Country Club, Tobyhanna, PA 18466

1600 square feet finished living space, freshly painted, new carpeting, new roof, 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, .90 of an acre of property, Amenity filled community, Country Club, championship golf course. All this for $62,900.00 YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING! MLS# 11-8640

102 Acorn Lane, Pocono Farms Country Club, Tobyhanna, PA 18466

1400 square feet finished living space, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, .27 of an acre and a 1 car Garage too, amenity filled Community, Championship Golf Course, Country Club and all for $77,500.00. MLS#11-10090

Pictures are courtesy of Connie Foland.

Be sure to check out some of the details on Pocono Farms Country Club here

or here

Our black Lab, Abby, is a much loved member of our family. She loves cardboard and paper therefore we could not put any presents underneath our tree before Christmas.

As we brought each present out Christmas morning she tried to remove the bows off of each package. Such a challenge she was! Once we began to open gifts she wanted to be right in there helping with each gift.

Now our son just absolutely adores this dog, and she knows it. So as he opened his first gift she came right over to join in on the fun and he actually got her to take the paper off the gift for him. It was soooo cute, and funny.

She really did a great job and seemed to know, just to remove the paper and not destroy the present.

Needless to say, once she got through the first present as a helper she proceeded to help with many others. It actually made for a very amuzing and special Christmas morning. One I am sure we will not forget for years to come.

The best part for her was when the BIG presents got opened and she got huge cardboard boxes. She breaks them down into small pieces in no time flat (very helpful for adding them to the recycling bin - LOL)

After all the gifts were opened then it was time for her to get some outside fun and running in and some special Christmas hugs.

Our pets, a special part of family traditions!