Nick & Trudy Vandekar

The Villages at Hillview a 55+ community is nestled in a setting that captures the charm and feeling of the area while offering the conveniences of a contemporary lifestyle. Located in Valley Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania a short drive from Philadelphia's Main Line there are many shopping centers, restaurants, golf clubs, major roadways and medical facilities within easy reach.

209 Gilmer Road a recent listing in The Villages at Hillview offers the convenience of a first floor master suite, three full baths, secondary bedroom generous enough to comfortably accommodate guests, large combined living and dining room, spacious kitchen and breakfast room open to family room with fireplace, den, sun room, large deck, ample closets, and a fully finished walk out basement with space that can be used for a bedroom nook with a full third bathroom.

Efficient gas heat, central air conditioning, insulated windows, smoke detectors, advanced phone/cable wiring, virtually maintenance free exteriors all contribute to your comfort and peace of mind.

At the Villages of Hillview you will have more time to do what you enjoy, see The Lodge above, just one of the community locations. Check out the home owners' association website for all the recent events. All of the amenities of an exclusive resort, blended with the warmth and convenience of a newer home await you in this most scenic setting. Start a fitness program that includes swimming indoors or out, working out in the gym, playing tennis or walk through the acres of open space. Meet friends for a game of pool. Take up bridge, or try your hand at ceramics, painting or woodworking in the art studios. Invite friends over for a barbecue. Watch the spectacular sunsets from the deck. Whatever your style, you'll find that all of your desires are met at this friendly community.

An extraordinary setting only minutes from King of Prussia and the Main Line that can only be described as pastoral with magnificent views across the valley, quality construction, and facilities to improve your lifestyle, combine to offer you a great place for new beginnings. Experience 209 Gilmer Rd at the Villages of Hillview. There's nothing quite like it! Welcome home.

The Easttown Township supervisors meeting scheduled for November 2nd is to be held at Beaumont Elementary School starting at 8 PM with a working session beginning at 7.15 PM. On the agenda will be a combination of the expenses and revenue for the township budget, including discussion of additional taxes including an earned income tax.

The last supervisors meeting was also held at the school across the road from the township building and there was spirited discussion on the subject of the earned income tax. Whilst the township is proposing a 1% earned income tax to increase revenues due to the drop in the budget from Real Estate Transfer Taxes due to a sharp decrease in real estate sales, many of those residents speaking pointed out this would produce a much bigger increase in revenus than was needed and that what needed to be addressed was cuts to the budget. Obviously an earned income tax will affect both residents and those working on the township. Many townships already have have earned income taxes in their budgets. How this has or would affect property values is a question that has been put forward but to which there are no statistics to prove one way or another that the writer knows about.

This meeting on November 2nd will be to bring together projections and suggestions on both sides of the budget with a final meeting proposed for November 19th to decide on final budget. Easttown Township furloghed their office staff this year.

THe Easttown Township Supervisors meeting to consider Earned Income Tax held October 19th at Beaumont School across from the township building the discussion was all about the budget and the proposal from the Supervisors to consider implementing an Earned Income Tax or other taxes, such as an amusement tax, per capita tax, and several other options.

There was some confusion among residents as this was the second of several meetings on the budget discussing the hole in the budget that needs to be filled, either through cuts or increased revenue. At the previous meeting the discussion was on the expenses side and this meeting was to deal with revenue options. However it quickly becasme clear from residents comments they felt the Board of Supervisors needed to consider cuts to the budget before considering increased revenue streams.

Whilst it was a pretty vocal meeting with a lot of passion, the board of Supervisors did vote to continue to keep all their options open for increasing revenue. As was explained by Mr Rau the Township Attorney, legal issues require them to begin advertising these possible tax increases to be able to implement them for the next fiscal year, as the state needs to be notified so employers are aware that they need to collect these taxes on behalf of the township.

The next meeting will be held November 2nd advertised last night to be at Hilltop House, although this may need to moved to accomodate the numbers of people who will turn up. This meeting will combine the proposed expenses and the proposed revenue to agree upon a way forward.

One of the parties to speak last night was a residents advisory group who have been and will continue to meet with the township employees to see where savings can be made as opposed to increasing revenue. So save the date November 2nd 8.00 PM Easttown Township Supervisors Meeting at Hilltop House, Berwyn.

Easttown township is considering a potential earned income tax to balance the budget that has been affected so dramtically by the drop in home sales in the township. Already staff do not work Fridays having been furloughed several months ago to save costs but the dramatic drop in home sales has still left the budget with big holes.

The Borad of Supervisors has announed recently their intention to levy an earned income tax following a public meeting on October 19th at 8 PM at Beaumont Elementary School. Many residents at the October 5th Board of Supervisors meeting voiced their concern that the township has yet to consider all the alternatives, exploring other revenue streams and cutting expesnes further.

So, if you have any interest in Easttown Township as a businessman or resident you will want to be present at the meeting on the 19th of October.

Time is running out rapidly if you want to take advantage of the First Time buyers Tax Credit. All our mortgage providers have been telling and warning us to get our buyers under contract by this week to make sure that their settlements can be completed no later than November 30th.

You cannot afford delays with settlement to get the credit. You must settle on or before November 30th. It is a little misleading when people talk about December 1st as that is too late and you will not qualify for the credit.

Will it be extended? Who knows, there is talk coming out of Washington this week that it will be extended and maybe even expanded to all buyers, but the safest option is to act now, get out with your buyers agent and look at properties, make sure your mortgage application documents are all in order and act now.