About Allegheny County, PA

Great News About The Pittsburgh Real Estate Market

03-13-12

Christa Ross: Real Estate Agent in Pittsburgh, PA

view my blog
Office: (724) 933-6300 x214

Mobile: (724) 309-1758
Secondary: (724) 779-1437

If you haven't heard the news then let me be the first to tell you that Pittsburgh is "IN". That is according to the Washington Post's 2012 in and out list. And in Austin they even named us as one of America's next hipster cities. That really should come as no surprise, as a city we had a very good 2011, ranking us in the Top 5 markets in the country, according to MSN.

All this praise is thanks to our affordable housing, lower than average unemployment, great art scene, a diverse and growing employment base and a whole list of other reasons. A recent reportplaced Pittsburgh in the top echelon of cities that have already recovered the jobs lost during the recession, and projects overall growth by the end of the year.

The buying and selling season seems to have come a bit early this year, thanks in part to mild weather and super low interest rates. Inventory is low and nice homes, ready to move-in and priced right are getting snapped up. We have even started to see multiple offers come in on homes. That is great news for sellers who have been waiting for the market to pick up.

Buying or selling in Pittsburgh? Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, at 724-933-6300 x214 (office) or 724-309-1758 (direct) or visit my website at www.bestpittsburghhomes.com.

0 Comments

www.PAPowerSwitch.com

03-09-12

Christa Ross

view my blog
Office: (724) 933-6300 x214

Mobile: (724) 309-1758
Secondary: (724) 779-1437

pa power switch Here is a good website to check out... Pennsylvania residents have the right to shop for their energy supplier. This means you can find a supplier that has a lower price or one that generates their power from green or renewable sources. www.PAPowerSwitch.com gives you the information you need to make the best choice.

Buying or selling in Pittsburgh? Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, at 724-933-6300 x214 (office) or 724-309-1758 (direct) or visit my website at www.bestpittsburghhomes.com.

0 Comments

Beginner To Intermediate Yoga

01-24-12

Steve Warrene Butler/Allegheny County Area Homes

view my blog
Office: (724) 933-8500 x8610

Mobile: (724) 968-2639

This program offers an ideal beginning to students was wants to learn about or re-visit the basics of yoga.

Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline that originated in ancient India, whose goal is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility. It is also a useful tool for simple exercise and general health improvement.

Warm-up exercises will be performed to improve flexibility and strength. For more information, call (724) 485-9556.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/events/#ixzz1kR8ggYi0

I did Yoga for years when I was big into martial arts and loved it. It truly improves the bodies strength and flexibility.

1 Comment

Don't Like Your New 2012 Allegheny County Assessment? Appeal It!

01-23-12

Christa Ross

view my blog
Office: (724) 933-6300 x214

Mobile: (724) 309-1758
Secondary: (724) 779-1437

If you recieved your Allegheny County assessment in the mail and found it to be flawed, then you need to appeal it. In fact, appeals are part of the system to get the values right. As most people would agree, it is practically impossible for a computer model, which was used for the new values, to be accurate all the time, and it is illegal for the assessors to do "spot assessments". So the only way to help make the model more accurate, and get your value correct, is through appeals.

Right now in Allegheny County there is a system of informal reviews and formal appeals. There are specific dates you need to meet for either of these processes. The RAMP website has a detailed list of the most current dates relating to the appeals here.

In order to appeal you will want to take evidence of comparable homes that support your belief that your assessment is too high. You need to find the closest matches in size, number of rooms, condition, age, parking, etc. More information on the appeal process can be found here.

Finally, it is important to note that a higher assessment does not necessarily mean your taxes are going up. The city, school district and county are required under Pennsylvania's anti-windfall law to readjusted property tax rates downward to remain revenue neutral in the year of the assessment. As a matter of fact, Chris Briem, a University of Pittsburgh economist, estimates that 6 out of 10 homeowners could see their taxes go down when all is finally revealed. Read more in a story from Brian O'Neill with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12008/1201780-155-0.stm#ixzz1kIAdUo00

Finally, if you are interested in the play-by-play on the twists and turns of the assessment process, check out the ongoing Reassessment Roulette blog on RAMP's website.

2 Comments

New Pittsburgh Home Buyer and Home Seller Guides

01-23-12

Christa Ross

view my blog
Office: (724) 933-6300 x214

Mobile: (724) 309-1758
Secondary: (724) 779-1437

Pittsburgh Home Buyer and Home Seller Guides I am excited to announce that I recently published my Home Buyer's Guide and Home Seller's Guide on my website. Both guides were intended to help Pittsburgh buyers and sellers understand the details and decisions of buying or selling a home. These are not generic guides, but instead something that I put together and includes great Pittsburgh area resources and information. Covering Allegheny, Butler and Westmoreland counties with links for more information on a variety of real estate subjects. You can download either guide, for free, from my website at www.bestpittsburghhomes.com, just click on the "Planning to Buy" or "Ready to Sell" links to get the guide. I hope you find the guides helpful and feel free to call me with any questions about buying or selling your home in the Pittsburgh area.