Robert Wagner

In support of the Laurel Mountain Volunteer Group's (LMVG) first of three 2010 trail care days, PTAG (Pittsburgh Trails Advocacy Group) will be hosting a "Laurel Mountain Work and Roll Weekend", June 19-20th, 2010.

This is a great opportunity for everyone who enjoys the beautiful trails at Laurel Mountain to kick something back, break a sweat and make the trails even better and more enjoyable!

After a hard day's work, PTAG will be providing cold, tasty, FREE Penn Brewery Craft beer!

The DCNR will be providing FREE camping on Laurel Mountain Saturday night!

On Sunday we FREE-ride and enjoy the fruits of our labor!

Details:
* When: Saturday, June 19th - Sunday, June 20th

* Work: Saturday, 9:30am - 2:30pm. Meet at the Warming Hut parking lot on Summit Road near the entrance to the Laurel Mt. Ski Resort.

* Camp: The DCNR has generously granted us permission to camp over for free Saturday night. PTAG will be providing free beer after Saturday's work session at the camp area. BYO Everything. Bring telescopes too as this site offers a tremendous skyline view. Camping will be located at "Motorized Site #1. Directions: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/camping/forbes.aspx

* Ride: Sunday, 10am. Both brisk and casual-paced rides will be offered with multiple bail points. Everyone rides!

For additional information contact: Frank@dirtragmag.com, 724 433 4486

What a shame! This once to be, multi-million dollar property will be up for Sheriff Sale Friday May 21, 2010. The sale will be held in the main lobby of the Somerset County Courthouse, 300 North Center Avenue, Somerset, PA 15501 at 1:30 PM.

This 5.95 acre parcel was purchased in 2004 for $255,000. It's lot #5 known as 154 Ptarmagin Way. The building process began quickly and according to the sellers disclosure the roof was installed in 2005. However, the house itself has never been completed and has weathered several winters without heat.

This two story dwelling has 5 bedrooms, 6 baths, 5 fireplaces, and a 3 car integral garage. The deed book number is 1788 page 14. We see someone with their own construction company being the successful bidder of this one!

According to the sheriff's department all interested parties should do a lien search PRIOR to bidding to see who is in the first lien position. If you are the successful bidder you will need to have 10% down (cash or certified funds) and the remaining balance paid before the following Friday.

This is a rare occurrence at Seven Springs! One reason for that is that since real estate development began at Seven Springs there has NEVER been a case of overbuilding! It's all about supply and demand.

Pheasant Run is a gated community with 31 parcels ranging from 3 to 12 acres. There are still 8 parcels offered for sale according to the Seven Springs web site.

Seven Springs had a booth at the 2010 Home and Garden Show in Pittsburgh last month. They had a sign promoting a new community. Locally we haven't heard any new marketing concerning the newest offerings across the street from the Villages.

But when a home owner shared that there is to be a model open by this Thanksgiving we dug out the original materials. This community was first pitched back in 2008 and tagged "The next Premier Property at Seven Springs Mountain Resort." It's in Middlecreek Township, Somerset County.

According to the Feb 19, 2008 article by Kirk Swauger in the Somerset Tribune Democrat the "The townhomes and cottages were designed by renowned resort architect Jack Johnson Co. of Park City Utah. They will have 9-foot ceiling with vaulted family rooms, private patios, and decks."

Prices then were to range from the high $400,000s into the half million dollar arena. Two to four bedroom properties were in the plans, many with garages. With only a few Southwind properties undelivered the process of another community appears to be underway. The hand out we have has the following disclosure, "The material presented herein is conceptual only, for general information and does not constitute an offer to sell real estate. All details are subject to change at any time. Any decision to proceed with this or any other real estate project is subject to regulatory requirements, including but not limited to a Public Offering Statement and required municipal and State approvals."

A month or so ago we blogged about Nemacolin Woodlands Resort resubmitting an application for the last of the Category 3 (Resort) Slot Licenses. We just had an update from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board sharing that there are NOW a total of 5 resorts that have submitted applications.

Below are some links to the 5 resorts and how the local newspapers are reporting on what it would mean to snag that last license! Here's a map so you can see where they are hail from in Pennsylvania.

Mason-Dixon Resorts, LP
Eisenhower Hotel, Conference Center and Resort, 2634 Emmitsburg Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Cumberland Township, Adams County,

Woodlands Fayette, LLC
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Most recent Pittsburgh Tribune Review 1001 Lafayette Drive, Farmington, PA Wharton Township, Fayette County

Penn Harris Gaming, LP
Holiday Inn Harrisburg West, from the Pennsylvania Local News 5401 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg, PA Hampden Township, Cumberland County

Bushkill Group, Inc.
Fernwood Hotel and Resort, East Stroudsburg, PA Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County

Wyo Gaming, LP
Crown Plaza Reading, Wyomissing, PA Wyomissing Borough, Berks County

The vetting of the applicants and their paper work has no time constraints! We'll keep you updated!

Back in October of 2008 at our State Association of REALTOR (PAR) meetings we had a session on gas leases. The power point was provided by Greevy & Associates, 1460 Washington Blvd., Williamsport, Pa, 17701. ( 570-326-6561). Attorneys Lester Greevy and Dale Tice presented a great over view of what's happening in Pennsylvania and across the nation. They are located in Tioga County which has been a hot area for tapping into Marcellus Shale.

Our biggest lesson learned then was that sub-surface rights (under ground) always trump surface rights. Next biggest was that title searches are only required to go back 60 years and that most gas leases were recorded in the 1800's!! Buyers always take a property SUBJECT to the lease.

It's very safe to say that trying to negotiate a lease without representation is not going to optimize your real estate portfolio. Terms of lease were reviewed and include cash bonus, royalties - 1/8 is state minimum, length of usually 5 years (watch out for the option to extend), and modifying by an addenda. Pricing revolves around several factors including how much land and how many bidders. Throw in the tax ramifications too and it's time to contact these fellows or an attorney that specializes in gas leases!

The big caveat for agents, buyers and sellers, came out to understanding the consequences if there is a lease in place. Another issue that is currently being tested is the Clean and Green programs and whether a gas well leased by a separate party should jeopardize the owner of the property by being subject to removal from the program. This is currently left up to the county! Our State PAR NOW has a Google Group for Oil and Gas issues that our members are running into!

Within the past few months we're hearing more discussions concerning the leasing of gas rights in our state FORESTS. On Tuesday the local Somerset Daily American paper had a story by Bruce Siwy concerning Ohiopyle, Laurel Ridge, Kooser, and Laurel Hill State PARKS. It appears all of the mineral rights are NOT owned by the state.

In January the Republican Herald ran this story by Robert Swift concerning state FOREST land. According to the article "Pennsylvania will realize $128 million in revenue from leasing drilling rights on 32,000 acres of forest in north-central Pennsylvania based on high bids submitted earlier this week by five companies."

Here's an editorial page from PennLive.com by the Patriot-News Editorial Board in February recommending a severance tax to be enacted on Marcellus Shale. We have been watching the oil and gas pages on the Department of Environment (DEP) web site. There's a ton of information including updated maps of areas that have signed leases.

We bring this to your attention so you too can be a concerned citizen and begin to follow what is happening in our back yards!!