Red Lion, PA

Pick yourself back up if you fall - I received by Associate Brokers license in 1990 after 3 years in the business after meeting all the guidelines. I really just wanted to get the credentials under my hat just in case I wanted to eventually open up my own office.

After 23 years I had the opportunity to do just that. So in December 2007 I made the commitment to buy into a regional franchise in our area of Red Lion, Pennsylvania. After obtaining a great location and getting the line of credit in place, completing the renovation and purchasing all the necessary equipment and getting approved by the Real Estate Commission, I opened my doors in April 2008, just before the major down turn in our industry.

I had 6 licensed agents working for me and felt that things were really going to get rolling and KABOOM, the Real Estate market took a major hit. Not only did I deplete the line of credit, but I depleted my life savings. In July 2009 I had to make a major decision to stop the bleeding and close my doors as homes for sale in Red Lion, PA and homes for sale in York, PA just weren't there for the taking.

Obviously this was a very emotional thing for me as I take a lot of pride in what I do, as all of us, and to have something this devastating happen really could have put me out of this business entirely. I felt I left everyone down including myself. I had to convince myself that it wasn't what I did or didn't do, timing was everything, and I could not have projected the market falling off the edge of the map.

I picked myself up and convinced myself it wasn't me and started back in the sales force. I have done decently well, but it has been challenging since I had put the majority of resale on the back burner getting my office running.

Those of you out there that are thinking about hanging it up after all these years, look back at what I experienced and hopefully you feel that you are not the only one out there with major challenges. Stay positive and let the negative things dwell on you and move on.

Pick yourself back up if you fall

This business is very challenging, but so rewarding. I cannot picture myself every punching a time clock again. Best wishes.

The Red Lion Area Business Association is a non-profit organization created to support community improvement, encourage business relationships, promote local business and increase member sales.

I am the Vice President of the Association and have found how beneficial this can be not only to the community but also for your business networking and social events.

"Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress working together is success" - Henry Ford

The Red Lion Area Business Association, like all associations, receives all its strength from its members. With this unity the RLABA has the ability to make sure that its member's voices are heard. We are able to address local concerns to ensure that they are dealt with as efficiently as typical business persons are accustomed. We are very pleased to find so many business persons taking pride in their community and participating in the growth of their community.

As a member of the Red Lion Area Business Association you are entitled to:

· Discount on your space at the annual Street Fair which is held on the second or third Saturday of August.

· Special advertising opportunities for members from local media groups

· Networking with the member-businesses

· Regular meetings and updates with municipal and local leaders.

· Opportunity to be involved in community development projects

· Opportunity to aid in selection of scholarship recipients and community grants

· Assistance with growing your business - contacts for Federal, State and Local grants, loans, aid, assistance and education

The Red Lion community has embarked on a revitalization project to take advantage of the population growth in the South Central PA region. Beginning in the 1970s and 1980s the car culture and the growth of large department and discount stores made Red Lion, Dallastown and other small towns into bedroom communities with little economic verve. However, population growth and traffic troubles have revived interest in downtown living giving Red Lion and similar urban areas a chance to revive themselves.

The RLABA is aiming to create an outdoor mall-like atmosphere along its central business districts. The process is already under way with beautification projects. State grants helped the Red Lion Borough finish a sidewalk and lighting enhancement project. The local community is working on the Red Lion Mile rail trail (which will eventually be connected to York's Heritage Trail along the old MA & PA Rail line). The Red Lion Area Business Association and its members are sponsoring greenery, banners, and signage for parking and locations of interest.

Our goal has a two phases. First, we aim to make the four blocks from the square in Red Lion a downtown mall where people can walk and enjoy themselves. But we have to start on block one before we can get to the others. We cannot have a piecemeal or inconsistent look. It has to look planned and clean. This is easier to handle with a small start than a large one.

Secondly, once we have those blocks set up as a visual example of what our community can be we can expand the project to encompass Red Lion, Dallastown and the Cape Horn area so that the whole community benefits from our efforts for revitalization. This is not a short term project. This is a long term goal that requires commitment and support from all members of the community and the RLABA.

We want you, a Red Lion Area business, to benefit and take part in this revitalization

Our meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 11:30am at Handy Concepts Art Gallery 20 East Broadway in Red Lion. We hope you will consider being a member of the Red Lion Business Association. We are looking forward to the upcoming year.

For more information, please contact me at COUNTRY HOME REAL ESTATE, Attn: Don Spera, Office 717-755-1800 or my cell at 717-577-8981. You may also email me at DonSpera@comcast.net

Condominiums in York County, Red Lion, PA is a 55 and older Adult condo community consisting of approximately 260 units. Construction began in the year 2000. Equine Meadows is a gated private community with sidewalks, public water and sewer. It boasts a very large club house with an indoor heated pool, community room, library, kitchen, exercise room, covered patio. Many events go on throughout the year to benefit the residents of this fine community. The condo fees take care of maintaining the clubhouse, snow removal, lawn care and trash pickup and master insurance policy.

Condominiums in Red Lion, PA have been very popular, and have all the conveniences you need with one floor living, first floor laundry and handicap accessibility. The exterior of the condos are vinyl siding with decorative shutters and each unit has architectural roof shingles. This affords great curb appeal.

The smaller condo units in Equine Meadows consist of a little over 1,000 square foot of living space with no basement. They feature 2 Bedrooms and 2 baths, kitchen with breakfast bar, dining area and living room, attic storage, covered front porch, patio, one car garage with garage door opener, gas forced air heat and central air conditioning, overhead lights in each room and cable tv.

The above condo mentioned in some units have a full basement (some are finished) with a walkout onto the patio and a deck off one of the bedrooms.

The larger units consist of approximately 1,500 square foot of living space. The added extra space affords you a first floor family room and a 2 car garage.

This above unit mentioned also in some units have a full basement (some are finished) with a walkout onto the patio and a deck off of the family room.

Each new owner that buys a condo in Equine Meadows receives a remote control and two swipe cards for the gate access entrance. They also receive two cards to access the clubhouse.

If you are looking for a place to retire and kickback, take a look into this fine community of Equine Meadows, located in York County, Red Lion, PA

http://equinemeadows.org (Equine Meadows Website)

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Red+Lion+PA&ie=UTF8&z=14 (Red Lion, PA Area Map)