Jeff Geoghan MBA - Lancaster PA Real Estate Expert

Here in Lancaster County, PA we have a nice local paper called the Hempfield Suburban News. One of the contributors is Lisa Sandhaus, who is a local advocate and reporter. She penned a great article for the most recent issue of Hempfield Suburban News (March.April 2008), and since it's not online I thought I would reprint it here so she gets the propers recognition for her work. This sort of article should be written about every town, including yours!

Enjoy the article:

How Green is Hempfield?

By Lisa Sandhaus

We hear a lot of talk today about "going green." It's not a new concept, but perhaps new information on the effects of greenhouse gases on the ozone, coupled with the popularity of Al Gore's film "An Inconvenient Truth" (followed by his Nobel prize) have created a renewed enthusiasm toward saving our planet. Hybrid cars, organic foods, natural cleaning products, carbon footprints - these are the types of buzz words we hear every day. Even some of your favorite television programs joined the cause. Last November, NBC and their cable networks (Bravo, SciFi, USA, MSNBC) ran an entire week of green episodes. Programs ranging from The Biggest Loser to The Office had an eco-friendly twist. There was even a "green" wedding on The Days of Our Lives.

Being green can mean different things to different people, and green initiatives can involve a large range of commitment. It can be anything from recycling your newspapers and turning off lights when you leave the room, to driving an electric car, to living totally off the grid. The idea is to make less of an impact on the environment. One way to do this is to become less dependent on fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Utilizing renewable energies and recycled building products, and preserving our natural resources all help.

Simply putting out your recycling bin is a step in the right direction. Besides recycling newspapers, glass, cans and plastic, many communities also collect yard waste. Residents can now also recycle cardboard in three municipalities. East and West Hempfield Townships both have dumpsters at their municipal buildings. East Petersburg's dumpster is located at the fire hall on Pine Street. Each location accepts heavy, non-coated corrugated cardboard. Call your borough or township office if you have questions about what they accept.

In September, 2005, Hempfield School District teamed up with the Little Conestoga Watershed Alliance to install a riparian zone on the campus, along a tributary to Swarr Run. A total of 235 natural trees and shrubs were planted. LCWA also restored 2,000 feet of a stretch of Miller's Run in East Hempfield Township which included regrading banks and planting 775 trees and shrubs. In 2007 LCWA returned to East Hempfield to plant trees and another riparian zone in Jacobs Creek Park, across from the Lancaster Health Campus. Projects like this, and the restoration of Lake Grubb Nature Park in West Hempfield Township aid the environment by providing homes for wildlife and reducing erosion. In addition, trees can help slow the growth of greenhouse gases by removing CO2 from the air.

Hempfield School District operates many buildings throughout the district. They have recently completed a $3.1 million performance contract with Siemens electric control company. It took the company about one year to update buildings with state of the art controls for electric systems, says Rich Schrecengost, director of financial affairs. Work included upgrades to lighting and HVAC systems. New energy efficient light bulbs and ballasts were installed. In some cases, fewer lights were installed than were removed, because their output is so much better, he says. Upgrades to the HVAC systems include isolation valves and variable control pumps to help equipment run more efficiently. A self-monitoring CO2 air exchange system automatically balances air quality. The district expects the upgrade to save a minimum of $6 million in utility costs over the next 10-15 years, while using less energy.

Over several years, the district has also installed geothermal heating and air conditioning at Centerville, Rhorerstown and Mountville elementary schools, and Centerville middle school. These systems have a high up-cost, $800,000 - $950,000, but they pay for themselves in 6 - 7 years, Schrecengost says. And as natural gas and electric rates are deregulated, it could mean even greater energy savings in the future. As the district considers future renovations, it must be careful what types of products to include, he says. Some eco-friendly products are not tested for industry use and may not hold up well over time. Being economically aware, as well as cost aware, is "very much on our radar," he says.

Powl's Speedometer and Auto Repair Center on Dairy Road has a solar thermal hot air system on the roof of their building. The system dates back to the 1970's, says Steve Mellinger, owner of Blue Moon Enterprises. Blue Moon designs, installs and maintains solar electric, solar hot air and solar hot water systems. They recently installed a new fan in Powl's system, which consists of a black metal box with plexiglass-type material mounted on the front. The sun heats the air inside the box, and a fan and dampers bring the hot air into the building. Although it had not been used for some time, Mellinger says the system was in pretty good shape. He expects it will continue to work for another 30 years. Powl's has been at this location for about nine years, but owner Rob Keough says he was not aware the unit existed until recently. He figures since it is there, they might as well use it to heat the garage and pull in fresh air. He's excited to see what kind of energy savings he will experience.

Jeff Geoghan of Long & Foster Real Estate, focuses on green building opportunities. When working with clients, he points out the qualities each home has that make it more eco-friendly, and the ones that don't. He wants to help those looking to sell or buy a greener home to make more knowledgeable choices. But Jeff would like to see more green building in Hempfield. There are alternative building products available, he says, but we won't see them used in the mainstream until consumers demand it. When building and remodeling, homeowners can consider materials' recycled content and choose non-toxic paints and natural fiber carpets. Sustainable products like wheat board, cork and bamboo are examples of green building products. Unlike hard woods, these products are readily renewable.

If you're serious about making upgrades to your home, there is help available, Geoghan says. Keystone Help is a program sponsored by the Pennsylvania Treasury Department to provide low-cost loans to homeowners for making energy efficient upgrades. Geoghan obtained a Keystone Help loan last July when he replaced his old furnace with a new 2-stage, multi feature unit. The program provides up to 10 years financing at 8.99%, and some folks qualify for 6.99%. Geoghan says the process went smoothly, and his gas bills have decreased up to one third. The program might be just the thing for homeowners who are thinking about bigger-ticket upgrades, like PV solar, he says.

There are a few solar energy systems in Hempfield, Mellinger says. Blue Moon maintains a few systems which were implemented with state grants as part of a PPL initiative to help customers who were struggling to pay their electric bills. But Hempfield (and Pennsylvania in general) is behind the curve when it comes to utilizing renewable energy. Our state policy is to blame, he says. In other areas of the country, homeowners are given huge tax credits for making energy efficient upgrades. In Pennsylvania, residents can get a 30 % tax credit, but it is limited to $2,000, no matter how much the project costs. A typical solar electric system will run about $20,000. Solar hot air and solar hot water could run to $5,000 and $10,000, respectively. Homeowners looking to add solar energy can combine their 30 % tax credit with the Keystone Help loan to help make upgrades more affordable.

But Hempfield can be doing a lot more. Whereas the average homeowner may be limited by costs, Mellinger says larger retail, warehousing and banking venues in the area are perfect candidates for solar projects. Commercial businesses receive the same 30 % tax credit on upgrades as residents, but there is no limit to the amount of credit they can receive. In addition, businesses can write off a portion of their costs the year the system goes into service, for about 42% of credit for the total cost of the project. Mellinger says he is convinced we will see electricity rates double by the end of 2009. Using solar energy systems would not only affect large decreases in a business's energy costs, it would mean a great change in the effect that business has on our environment. And how would all that add up 10, 15, 20 years out, he says.

Mellinger says solar energy is a technology that is showing triple digit growth each year. Rather than living behind the curve, he suggests that Hempfield could be "a region wide leader in the renewable energy market." Our open land and low terrain make the area a good environment for utilizing solar energy systems, he says. Farmland being sold to developers could be used for commercial scale solar projects. "I would love to see some people with money in Hempfield put up solar farms." The energy could be sold back to PPL, or perhaps sold off to the community in some other way, he says.

There are many things we can do to improve our environment. Whether you are a home owner or business owner, it's up to you to choose your own course of action to help make Hempfield a greener place.

BelAir is a large Manheim Township community of single family homes nestled in alongside a busy stretch of offices, restaurants and stores in the heart of Manheim Township. Fruitville Pike, one of the main routes out of Lancaster City northbound, borders BelAir on it's eastern side. A second development nearby is called BelAir North; the divider is Delp Road.

Both areas of BelAir saw construction starting in the late 1960's with the larger community being built throughout the 70's and into the 80's. BelAir North is primarily late 1980's and even a couple of 90's homes, but not many.

Homestyles are typical 1980's bilevels, "two-stories", split levels and a sprinkling of ranchers. Square footage would range from 1300 to 2000 when first built. Since these homes are now approaching 25 years old, the roofs are gradually being replaced as in many period Lancaster County homes for sale. Fireplaces are common (of the wood-burning variety) as are early-generation double pane windows, usually double-hung.

BelAir is bordered on the west by a very large apartment community situated on a ridge overlooking Manheim Pike to the west. There are luxury townhomes and older units for rent. BelAir also hosts Bucher elementary school, which was built as part of the plan to accomodate the large number of families that moved in throughout BelAir's development phases. Bucher Elementary is part of Manheim Township School District.

Bucher Elementary's grounds serve double-duty as the park for BelAir residents. There is a large field to play in on a summer day, or fly a kite. A basic ballfield is accessible, as are nice tennis courts and a modern play area. It's known as Bucher Park.

Homes in Belair tend to sell quickly, mostly due to the strategic location of BelAir to the main shopping district along Fruitville and Manheim Pikes. Route 30 is only a minute away. Manheim Township Overlook Park is directly across Fruitville Pike. Click here for articles about Manheim Township Parks

Home prices in BelAir peaked at about $240,000 last year, and now are looking to be falling around $230,000. However, you can get a home there for under $200,000 if the square footage is on the low end. There is only one home on the market right now in BelAir, and it's in the southern portion and priced at $199,700. If you're interested in more information on this home or are interested in receiving notification when homes come on the market in this community, contact me at 799-0851 or at belairhomes@yourlancasterhome.com.

Don't forget to visit some other notable Lancaster County home communities such as Grandview Heights, Hamilton Park and Wetherburn (just to name a few)!

Some good news for Lancaster County homebuyers - FHA recently raised their top loan amount quite a bit, to $383,750. That means that first-time homebuyers can still access the better mortgage rates FHA offers while buying more home. In fact, $383,750 really is a big number for Lancaster County, PA. If you're a first-time homebuyer here, you can do quite well for that level of sale price!

Also going up was the two-family property top loan rate, to $491,250. Again, you can buy a pretty substantial property in Lancaster County for that level of sales price.

Read my recent article on the increasing dominance of FHA financing in the home market here. I predict we'll see FHA loans in Lancaster increase tremendously throughout this year.

Lancaster City Living, our local city living advocate and information source, released their Spring/Summer issue of Lancaster City Living Magazine last week. This magazine is unique in that it brings together many of the great things Lancaster City residents love in one place - the restaurants, galleries, attractions, theatres, neighborhoods and much more. I like this magazine because it puts the whole city down on paper for my homebuyer clients to study, which helps me immensely when I have to explain the different areas and markets within the city limits.

Lancaster City Living has had an eventful first year under the able leadership of Michael Sprunger. An offshoot of Tabor Community Services, Lancaster City Living has focused from the beginning on improving the home ownership situation as well as "revving up" the residents by showing them what's right at their fingertips. The print magazine serves as a guide or handbook for those interested in owning a Lancaster City home. For a more in-depth profile of Michael click here.

I met with Michael today at his office and we talked about the progress being made in virtually every corner of Lancaster City. He is excited about developing relationships with developers who want to take renovation of blocks of homes to the next level, restoring them and creating more vibrant communities on those blocks. Michael pointed out how Mayor Rick Gray is making himself available to residents if each segment of the city via townhall meetings, and how the response has been very positive with residents asking how they can help keep the momentum going in their neighborhoods. I was once again impressed with Michael's breadth of knowledge on the city (he's lived here for 20 years...and not on the west end) and his desire to see Lancaster City Living succeed.

If you get a chance, check out the new issue of Lancaster City Living magazine! It's also available online in an interactive version here. If you are working with me as your realtor, you can have a free copy - just give me a call. If you are interested in exploring home ownership in Lancaster City, I'd be happy to get you started on your search. My direct number is 717-799-0851.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

For Lancaster PA homes for sale click here. Jeff Geoghan is a top real estate expert in Lancaster County, PA, and an involved community member. Jeff's work has been featured in the Lancaster Newspapers, WGAL Channel 8, PA Business Journal and Wall Street Journal. Jeff's blog on Lancaster County and its homes is nationally-featured. Contact Jeff for more help with your Lancaster PA Real Estate needs. Jeff is also a photographer - view some of his portfolio. Comments are welcome!

Here it is, hot off the MLS data for February 2008. I've crunched the numbers for Lancaster County, PA for you!

Let's get right to it. Here's what the MLS had to say when comparing last month to February 2007:

For residential properties in Lancaster County, there was a 30% falloff in February sales versus 2007. Of course that's not great news and, as I've commented in previous articles, I believe that's a reflection of the large number of buyers who are staying out of the market while they watch the reports. Also, the 2007 numbers include sales to subprime buyers, which was still going on in February 2007 but stopped in fall 2008. Those buyers are out of luck. As Jim Crawford of Atlanta reviews in his article on "Alt-A" loans, stated income loans and no-doc loans are next on the chopping block (that's already happening). Conventional rates continue to be very attractive, despite the recent runup of about a percent from the lows in early February.

Homes going under agreement dropped as well, by %15 versus last February. Less homes closing, less homes finding a contract. If you're a seller you should be aggressively reviewing your agent's marketing plan and pricing vs. the competition in your neighborhood and home style...

New listings in February rose over last year by almost 10%. More pronounced was the tremendous increase in listings expiring, up to 210 from 139 last year. Overall, there were 23% more active listings during February '08 versus '07. Lots of homes on the market, fewer finding a buyer. Supply & demand in action!

OK, you're probably wondering if I'm going to trot out my list/sale price curve this month. Of course!

The average sale price in February was $177,281. That's another 6% down from January's average and the lowest in over a year. What about list prices for new listings? February's average was $220,683, down about 1% from January. The "gap" between the average list price and sale price was $43,402. That's up almost 20% from January! Not the right direction to be heading...what's all this mean? In my opinion, sellers continue to price hoping to catch a rare desperate buyer, and listing agents are still clinging to CMA numbers from a bygone era (last summer). The good news is that the average list price is coming down in 2008.

As I've said before, I believe that the price "gap" has to close for the local market to click into high gear again. In that respect, February was not a good month. However, rates continue to be attractive and, if you are moving, there's plenty of inventory for me to show you! Give me a call if you'd like more info on Lancaster County homes for sale or any real estate questions.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

For Lancaster PA homes for sale click here. Jeff Geoghan is a top real estate expert in Lancaster County, PA, and an involved community member. Jeff's work has been featured in the Lancaster Newspapers, WGAL Channel 8, PA Business Journal and Wall Street Journal. Jeff's blog on Lancaster County and its homes is nationally-featured. Contact Jeff for more help with your Lancaster PA Real Estate needs. Jeff is also a photographer - view some of his portfolio. Comments are welcome!