I have lived in the Collegeville, PA area for my entire life but never actually lived in the borough of Collegeville.....until August of this year. August is when my well planned life took an unexpected left turn and instead of moving into my new house (settlement fell through 3 weeks before closing) I ended up living in a 200 year old Trolley Power House in the heart of town and I AM LOVING IT! There's something about living right in town and being surrounded by the daily hustle and bustle that is so exciting.
Having lived rurally for most of my life this is a new experience and one that I, quite candidly, had snubbed my nose at for years. Give me peace and quiet of the country. I've always been a Green Acres kind of girl and now I've turned into Zsa Zsa Gabor. There was a "city" girl inside me all these years and I never knew it. I love that my commute to almost everything is now only 5 minutes vs. the 45-50 minutes I've been driving most of my life and this got me to thinking.....why aren't more of our towns set-up to create little "in-town" environments?
If we are going to deluge our planet with tract housing, why not have it co-exist with retail and professional spaces that will provide close at hand employment opportunities or, at the very least, shopping opportunities that will reduce all the running around most rural and suburban folks do? Just saying.
I am now a complete towny and total convert. There is something so cool about walking to most of your destinations. Don't get me wrong, Collegeville is not Manhatten, we are a small college town, home of Ursinus College, and a very happening place.
With the Perkiomen Trail, parks, and shopping! There is shopping galore between Providence Towne Center and the King of Prussia shopping meca, plus fine and casual dining. I am loving the town life and don't think I will be going rural again for awhile. I'm turning a new leaf for 2012 and it will include looking for a home in town! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks???
Happy new year!
I spent a Saturday showing homes to a client. I spent a Monday explaining to my Broker why my clients had made a lot of negative comments about one particular (outdated....think brown paneling, avocado green carpet, etc.) home.
Why was I having to explain this? Because the seller had called my Broker to complain about the negative comments my buyers had made while touring the home!! This was a lesson well learned in this day of technology.
It turns out the Sellers were next door listening to our every word on their baby monitor and when they didn't like the negative comments they called to tell my Broker how "unprofessional" I am! I was appalled to say the least. They felt no shame in eavesdropping and felt quite justified in lodging their complaint. Needless to say my buyers did not buy that house, nor have I ever shown it again. The last time I noticed it is still for sale.
The moral of this story: I now enter ever house I show under the assumption that I am being watched and/or listened to through the large variety of "spying" devices now available to the general public. Not that I needed this experience to be professional and do my job in an above board manner however, I am super sensitive now and remind my buyers that the possibility exists. I still feel my original buyers were more than entitled to voice their opinions about the "product" they were viewing, however, why borrow trouble? We can talk outside when the showing is over.
Debby Singleton, 610-496-9094
RE/MAX Results Realty, 610-489-7355
Collegeville PA
Licensed in PA since 1993
Living and working in Collegeville PA is getting better and better. In addition to Ursinus College http://www.ursinus.edu/netcommunity/page.aspx?pid=203
and all the great Phama companies (Pfizer, Glaxo Smith Kline, Quest) we now have the Providence Square Lifestyle center featuring Wegman's, Dicks Sporting Goods, Olive Garden, PF Changs, T-Mobile and loads of other great shopping stores. http://providencetowncenter.com/
New to Collegeville is the Collegeville Farmer's Market which is held every Saturday morning and features lots of local farmers and the music of local bands. http://www.collegevillefarmersmarket.org/
Next there's the on-line newspaper, The Perkiomen Valley Patch: http://perkiomenvalley.patch.com
Let's not forget my favorite, The Perkiomen Trail which is part of the Rails To Trails program: http://www.montcopa.org/parks/perkiomentrail/
The list of great Collegeville Things-To-Do goes on and on and will be continued....
Debby Singleton, 610-496-9094 - Licensed in PA since 1993
RE/MAX Results Realty, Collegeville PA 19426 - 610-489-7355
I don't know how it is in the rest of the great U.S. of A. but in the northeast we have had two years of dealing with STINK BUGS! If you are fortunate enough to live in a place free of these little armored warriors, consider yourself L-U-C-K-Y!
They are drawn to light and it is not uncommen to find the sunny side of your house covered with these prehistoric looking bugs. Unfortuantely they do not stay outside but find little nooks and crannies to crawl through and if you find them inside DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT SQUISH THEM. Otherwise you will learn, very quickly, from where the name STINK BUG was derived.
Well tonight I came across this newsfeed and I had to share it! Someone has come up with a very inexpensive trap and it works! Finally, there is a defense against these intrusive little invaders.
Take a look and gather your materials. The battle has begun!!
http://www.wjactv.com/video/28028425/index.html
I was blessed to have a very seasoned agent sit with me at a Chamber of Commerce meeting one morning, over 18 years ago.
I was fresh out of real estate school, newly licensed, and still shaking in my boots. Although my broker was doing a lot of old-school training I still had no clue what to do with this newly minted license or how to earn a living with it.
Lew, the seasoned agent, looked me in the eye and said "Debby, do you know what the most important thing is in real estate?"
I said "No, I don't."
He said, "It's not the postcards to farm areas, it's not the door knocking," and he reached over and took my hand and began patting it with his other hand and he said,
"It's this. It's the people. It's the human contact. You just take them by the hand, and get them through the process. You're there to help them make one of the biggest purchases they'll ever make in their life and they will be nervous. If you give people what they need most, comfort through your guidance and expertise, you will be successful."
That was over 18 years ago. Lew directed me down a path that was so comfortable for me that I stopped shaking in my boots and started connecting with PEOPLE...after all, I love helping people. I no longer felt like a "foot-in-the-door-salesperson," and, Lew was right!
I have sold houses to friends, family, business associates, friends of friends, neighbors, and so on. In my early days they were SO happy to support me in my new career, I think they got more joy from the experience then I did.
I have never forgotten Lew, nor the people who have supported me all these years. I just celebrated 18 years in a business that has many ups and downs and the thing that keeps me going is the people I so enjoy and appreciate.
So here's to Lew for his timely advice and here's to all the people who make this business worthwhile!
Debby Singleton, 610-496-9094 - Licensed in PA since 1993
RE/MAX Results Realty, Collegeville PA 19426 - Office 610-489-7355
In 2011 I celebrate 18 years in real estate. I was named by PHILADELPHIA MAGAZINE in the top 7% of REALTORS in Eastern PA and I'm a student of JJE Coaching Academy for excellence in real estate.
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