Robert Wagner

PROPERTIES ON THE MARKET 3rd Quarter 2009

Here's a first for our resorts! Hidden Valley has teamed up with Touchstone Center for Crafts to bring us this celebration. According to the web site "November 7 and 8 will feature interactive art demonstrations, arts and fine crafts exhibitors, children's workshops, live music, and great food."

What makes this different than a regular "craft show" is the input from Touchstone Center for Crafts. When originally founded in 1972 their mission was to ‘foster interest in the preservation of traditional mountain crafts." That's where the demonstrations including metal working, blacksmithing, pottery, and painting come into the event. They have expanded their class offerings to include more modern arts and crafts. Check out their class schedules.

Kelly, a good friend of ours is very excited to be demonstrating and hopefully selling her hand made glass bead jewelry. Here's a picture of her working the glass! Check out the Hidden Valley site for a list of artists and crafters.

This should be an awesome weekend to enjoy the mountain activities especially with the Steelers playing on Monday! There will be chairlift, pony, and horse-drawn wagon rides for all to enjoy! Food wise you'll have a great selection! The open fire pit will offer smoked beef brisket, Mountain Jambalaya, oyster stew, grilled bourbon barbecue salmon and barbequed turkey legs.

See you there and remember to post about your experience!

One of our dear friends is a devoted fan of this Halloween tradition. We never really considered making an evening of this adventure until we were challenged to do so! The plan was met at 6:30 for a quick dinner, drive out, get in line, while he purchased tickets!

The line was Disney style with everyone following the serpentine ropes. We arrived around 7:30 and meandered for at least 30 minutes until we got to the front gate. Fifty foot towering pines earily cast shadows while swaying back and forth over the high wooden fence. No, there are NO peep holes to give us any indication of what's yet to come on the other side. Our only clues are the shouts and screams of those that have gone before us.

There are three parts to this evening. You begin making your way through the haunted house, and then you're loaded into a hay wagon and taken into the dark woods where you are dropped off for a stroll through the haunted woods. If you make it though, the hay wagon will pick you up and again take you to the corn field where you get to find your way back to base camp. Of course there are strict directions to follow and the object is to get your heart pounding! Safe back at base camp you'll find a band, food, drinks, and of course survivors!

It was an enjoyable evening for all of the senses! Certainly not recommended for the little ones or people with heart conditions! What we found most interesting is the ingenuity of the owners that turned part of the farm into a cash cow. We heard that there are roughly 60,000 visitors through that gate every October. They have one more weekend to go, try it out and see what you think!

For the locals on the Seven Springs side the "old post office" located across from the ICV Trail has had its share of residents. Ski and sandwich shops never seemed to be able to make a go of their business models there. Now we are very excited to WELCOME locally owned, Somerset Trust as our newest mountain neighbor!

We have great faith that they will be here for a very long time. For over a century they've been serving Somerset County. They currently have 13 offices along with 49 ATM's. You'll find them in Somerset, Cambria, Fayette, and Westmoreland counties! Here's their story!

September 2, 1889 the doors were open to the First National Bank of Somerset. During it's first year of operation it showed earnings of $4,002.12 Two years later their first dividend was declared and every year there after too!

In 1900 Somerset Trust Company was founded as a Pennsylvania chartered bank. This allowed them to undertake fiduciary and bonding activities which at the time national banks were generally prohibited. In 1953 the two banks merged as regulations and laws had changed.

Two families have lead with steady hands through challenging times including the great depression, double digit interest rates, and the current can of worms! Edward, George, John, and Lucy Scull along with Ernest Cook (married to Lucy), George S., and now George Henry Cook have provided steadfast leadership. Henry is the fifth generation of his family to head up this institution.

Henry's official title is President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board. He's not one for pomp and circumstance though and has been out with several employees meeting the neighbors and inviting folks to the local chamber mixer. Here he is with Abe visiting the Prudential Preferred Realty office!

Take a look at their web site and see if you have a need for any of their services! You can follow the progress of the Champion office there too!

116 Southwind $580,000

4607 Swiss Mtn $151,000

We keep a multitude of statistical information and welcome the opportunity to share our market knowledge with motivated parties.

Recorded sales transfers for the resorts are acquired electronically from records inputted at the Somerset County Court House, Office of the Recorder of Deeds. We review sales in Jefferson (Hidden Valley) and Middlecreek (Seven Springs) Townships on a weekly basis.

Prices do not reflect bill of sales and other out of settlement transfers. Furnishings, which are included in the majority of sales are assigned no monetary value. We do not post transfers that carry $1.00 values.