Erica Ramus-Broker/Owner

Please Join Us on Thursday, September 4 - starting at 4 pm

Lake Wynonah Broker Open Tour Showcasing 2 Lake Properties!

1. Start at a roomy, almost brand new ranch at 1593 Stag Drive - $269,000 MLS# R36057A

2. Then over to an exquisite Lakefront Dream Property 2615 Wynonah Drive - $995,000 MLS# R35768A

Afternoon Appetizers & Drinks Served + we'll be giving away Sheetz Gas Cards & a special door prize!

RSVP requested via email to enter your name in a special drawing.

Come for the food & drinks - the special prizes - and to preview a million dollar home!

Michelle Moraski, mmoraski@realtyexecutives.com

Erica Ramus, eramus@realtyexecutives.com

www.move2pennsylvania.com

"Savor the Flavors of the World" in Shenandoah Sponsored by Downtown Shenandoah, Inc.

Enjoy the old world charm of Shenandoah while you savor food and music from around the world. Dine indoors or al fresco while listening to your favorite ethnic music. Have an entire meal at one of our featured restaurants or visit several for appetizers, entrees or dessert.

then move on over to “Cork, Fork, and Barrel” Sponsored by Girardville PRIDE. Come out and mingle with your friends and neighbors while enjoying live soothing smooth jazz and cocktail music. Kick back and enjoy beer, wines, cheeses, savory appetizers like crab and artichoke dip, shrimp, mushroom tartlets and desserts. The event is from 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm at St. Joseph’s School Hall. Tickets are $20 each. Only 150 tickets will be sold.

Contact Upper Schuylkill at 570-773-1688 for more information or visit our website www.upperschuylkill.com

Looking for MUMS this time of year? Check out two of my favorite places to buy plants/flowers in Schuylkill County:

Lessie's Garden & Gift Shop is operated by trained individuals who are either physically or mentally challenged. These individuals learn all types of planting skills through a greenhouse coordinator, supervisors, and program specialist. Lessie's Garden & Gift Shop offers a variety of plants and gift items. They have beautiful plants, and also sell balloon bouquets, snack baskets planters, seasonal items, seasonal flowers, dried arrangements and many other creative items.

2 Park Street, Agricultural Park, Pottsville, PA 17901

Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturdays 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in April, June, Sept., Oct. and Nov. 570-622-7368

Trail Gardens 154 Gordon Nagle Trail Pottsville, PA 17901 PHONE (570) 385-1277

STORE HOURS Mon. - Sat. 9 am - 8 pm - Sun. 10 am - 6 pm

www.move2pennsylvania.com

Pennsylvania has some of the nation’s oldest housing stock, but new estimates released today by the Census Bureau show that the state continues to add new houses, apartments and mobile homes.

According to the new estimates, the total number of Pennsylvania’s housing units grew to 5,477,864 in 2007, ranking the Commonwealth 5th among all states in number of housing units.

Read more about this recent release in the PaSDC’s Research Brief, available online at:

http://pasdc.hbg.psu.edu/pasdc/data_and_information/briefs/RB082108.pdf.

With the current economic conditions, it'll be interesting to see what 2008 numbers are, compared to 2006 & 2007. Here in Schuylkill County, we saw a very slight increase in new housing, but nothing phenomenal (254 units between the studied years) for a 0.4% increase.

http://www.move2pennsylvania.com

I ran the numbers for January-July 2008, and compared the stats to 2007 for how our residential property sales are doing here in Schuylkill County. We're about 20% off in number of properties sold, to date.

A year ago, we averaged 100 transactions a month. So far, we're at 80/month in 2008.

Interestingly, in 2007 our average sale price was $94,000 and we've edged up over $100,000 this year.

So property sales are down, it's taking longer to sell this year, and the inventory is very high (we're listing 3 properties for every 1 we're selling). But values are holding steady, at least for now.

We see some pockets doing better than others. Pottsville, Minersville and northern Schuylkill are in a slump.

Schuylkill Haven, Blue Mountain, and Pine Grove aren't so bad. Or at least aren't as bad as the other parts of our area!

www.move2pennsylvania.com