Joy Daniels

Buyer Seminar - Seller Seminar
Wednesday, 22nd February, 2012 @ 7:00 pm

Are you thinking about buying or selling real estate in Central Pennsylvania in the next 6 months?
If so, you need to be at the upcoming Joy Daniels Real Estate Group Buyer/Seller Seminar on Wednesday, 22nd February, 2012

This complimentary seminar will cover:

* Strategies for buying and selling
* The state of the market and what is being forecasted for 2012
* The top 5 rules for understanding the real estate market
* Interest Rates and opportunity
* Strategies to beat the competition when selling
* How to be an expert at negotiation and control
* Why do I need a realtor anyway?

Lender available to provide mortgage pre-approval at seminar!

Don't miss becoming an expert about one of the most important investments you will ever make.

Thank you!

Click HERE to sign up!

Want to keep your real estate taxes down? - Move to Hampden Twp.

The Patriot News did extensive work on an area tax analysis and I want to share some of it. This information is available from our multi-list as well and offers additional formats.

The Cumberland County municipality had the lowest property tax rates in the Harrisburg area in 2011, according to the Patriot-News analysis. If you own a home worth about $100,000 there, you would pay $1,077 in school, county and municipal taxes, according to the analysis.

Compare that to Harrisburg City, where a $100,000 home would set you back $3,194 in taxes, or Highspire, where it would cost you $3,408. The older boroughs and cities such as Harrisburg, Steelton and Highspire have the hardest time keeping taxes down while raising enough revenue to make ends meet.

Hampden Twp. homes in general are worth a lot more than homes in Harrisburg City or Highspire — a median of $224,300, according to U.S. Census estimates. A median home in Harrisburg is worth around $78,400, one in Highspire, $88,400.

Even so, that $224,300 home in Hampden will cost you less in taxes than the $78,400 home in Harrisburg or the $88,400 home in Highspire.

Hampden Twp. doesn’t keep its taxes down by skimping on amenities. Hampden Twp. has not had a tax rate increase in 30 years.

The Cumberland Valley School District, which includes Hampden and three other townships, scores high in student achievement. Hampden’s police force has 21 officers. Its public works department employs 46. Its four parks include a pool, lighted tennis courts, baseball fields and soccer fields, and the township has its own highly rated golf course.

Cumberland County taxes are also the lowest in the midstate, and Hampden Twp.’s municipal rate means the owner of a $100,000 home would pay less than $16 to the township.

Hampden Twp. has a very large tax base with plenty of commercial and industrial properties. Its total tax assessment is more than $3.4 billion, the highest in Cumberland County.

While Hampden’s municipal rate is low, it is not the lowest in the midstate. That honor goes to Conewago Twp. in Dauphin County and North Annville Twp. in Lebanon County, which have no real estate taxes.

Camp Hill, located in the heart of Central Pennsylvania has a population with higher incomes and more expensive homes, but it shares the older boroughs’ problem of having nowhere to grow. That’s one reason its taxes are the highest on the West Shore.

Camp Hill has had the highest tax rates on the West Shore for many years, according to previous Patriot-News analyses, even though its median income the past few years is not much different than some of its cheaper neighbors, such as East Pennsboro Twp. and Lower Allen Twp. Camp Hill officials have complained they get less help from the state even though residents’ comparative incomes are not as high on average as they once were.

Here are the top 10 municipalities where residents pay the highest combined school, county and municipal taxes on a $100,000 home among the 61 communities surveyed:

1. Highspire: $3,408
2. Steelton: $3,386
3. Harrisburg City: $3,194*
4. Newberry Twp.: $2,491**
5. Middletown: $2,462
6. Paxtang: $2,339
7. Royalton: $2,295
8. Lower Swatara Twp.: $2,258
9. Annville Twp.: $2,251
10. Penbrook: $2,226

Here are the ten municipalities that have the lowest combined school, county and municipal taxes on a $100,000 home.

1. Hampden Twp.: $1,077
2. Monroe Twp.: $1,108
3. South Middleton Twp.: $1,114
4. Silver Spring Twp.: $1,141
5. Middlesex Twp.: $1,161
6. Lower Allen Twp.: $1,227
7. Lemoyne: $1,314
8. East Pennsboro Twp.: $1,331
9. New Cumberland: $1,394
10. Goldsboro: $1,401

HIGHEST MEDIAN HOME VALUE

1. Conewago Twp: $228,700
2. Derry Twp: $226,500
3. Carroll Twp: $225,600
4. Hampden Twp: $224,300
5. South Londonderry Twp: $209,000

LOWEST MEDIAN HOME VALUE

1. Harrisburg City: $78,400
2. Steelton: $78,600
3. Highspire: $88,400
4. Royalton: $97,900
5. Penbrook: $99,900

HIGHEST MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

1. South Hanover Twp: $87,050
2. Conewago Twp: $84,844
3. Hampden Twp: $81,498
4. Monroe Twp: $78,050
5. South Londonderry Twp: $78,105

LOWEST MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

1. Harrisburg City: $31,676
2. Steelton: $35,048
3. Penbrook: $36,545
4. Highspire: $37,038
5. Mount Holly Springs: $38,594

Chocolate-Covered February in Hershey Pennsylvania kicked off this week!

• Chocolate Dinner Extraordinaire at The Hotel Hershey
  Join us for this special dinner to kick off the month's events!

• Chocolate-Covered Tapas Party at Hershey Lodge
  Small plates and spirits to wrap up the month-long celebration!
  

• Chocolate Family Fun at Hershey's Chocolate World
  Parades, storytelling, dessert journeys and demonstrations!

• Truffles for Couples at The Hershey Story Museum
  Create your own confections!

• Chocolate Spa Sampler at The Spa At The Hotel Hershey

Check out the Chocolate-Covered February web site for more information and book your getaway today! ENJOY!

Chocolate-Covered February in Hershey Pennsylvania

When you are ready to buy or sell a Harrisburg PA Home call me at 717-695-3177 so we can discuss your options. As always, visit

Central PA Home Hunters to preview a complete list of Central PA homes for sale.