first time buyers

8 Simmons Road, Tobyhanna

TOBYHANNA HOME FOR SALE ~ RECENTLY REDUCE TO $224,000 was $247,000

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STYLE YES, DUES NO! Well appointed 4 bedroom home on a wooded acre just 8 min from the Mt. Pocono Park & Ride and 10 min from Mt. Airy Casino. Sunny open floorplan, big master suite w/walk-in closet, corner whirlpool and oversized shower. Two-car garage, spacious deck, paved circular drive. Easy to add even more sq ft — full basement has drywall, ceilings & plumbing for 4th bath! Call Karen Wagner 570-972-0112 and ask about MLS# 10-2618.

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Karen Wagner, ePro
REALTOR
Commonwealth Real Estate YOUR WAY, LLC
Direct: 570-972-0112
Office: 570-839-0411
Fax: 866-534-0815
About Karen: http://bit.ly/aboutKaren

first time buyers

Spring is in the Air and we in the Poconos are getting ready.

March is always the time of year when we get those few warmer days and everyone starts to get excited and ready for the coming beautiful weather. It is also a time when more buyers come out to look at homes and when sellers list their homes in anticipation of the onslaught of buyers. This year because of the extended tax credit which expires on April 15, the next 30 days will be super-busy with buyers wanting to close before the expiration and sellers who want to showcase their home to those excited buyers.

With the spring season close at hand and the anticipation of the tax credit coming to an end, it’s a great time to share some home ideas for spring cleaning and prepping and staging a home for sale.

The agents at Commonwealth Real Estate Your Way pooled their ideas learned over decades of real estate selling along with some Pocono area home staging experts for our three-part series to help you clean and fix your home, inside and out.

CLEAN UP THE DIRTY
The first step and the best way to prepare a home to sell is a thorough cleaning.
• De-clutter, purge and organize first
• Clean rooms to spotless
• Empty and wipe closets
• Shine Appliances
• De-clutter counter tops in kitchen and bathrooms
• Clean leather furniture to remove scratches
• Polish wood furniture
• Clean windows to sparkle
• Find the dust in places you have forgotten – refrigerators tops, under sofas, inside bookshelves
• De-gunk kitchen cabinets, microwave, oven, tile, inside refrigerator
• Dust drapes, mattresses and bed frames
• Dust framed art and ceiling fan blades
• Wipe window panes and home baseboards
The whole house presents better when wiped, vacuumed and mopped.
Some projects will require a little more time but will have big impact especially cosmetic touch ups:
• Professional carpeting cleaning (or, in high-impact area, a new, neutral carpet
• Wipe and touch up paint throughout the home (or put a full fresh coat everywhere)
• Install crown molding
• Install a new kitchen or bathroom countertop
•

THE QUICK FIX
Other items that might not bother you but would indicate poor home maintenance to a potential buyer are the little maintenance problems that you always want to get to, but never do. Now is the time to really pay attention to those little annoyances.
• Fix leaky faucets
• Lubricate windows and doors
• Fix loose handles
• Repair nail pops in dry wall
• Fix weather stripping in doors and windows
• Re-caulk tile near tubs and sinks, windows and doors

GET OUTSIDE
You’ve heard the saying “Curb Appeal” – well, you never get a second chance to make a first impression and that impression starts outside of your home.
In early spring:
• Throw the windows open to get the spring smell indoors
• Neaten and trim any damaged winter landscaping
• Add fresh mulch
• Plant some pretty spring flowers already in bloom
• Clean up and arrange patio furniture
• Spray paint chipping planters (even if empty)
• Spray down driveways
• Sweep and clean cement pathways
• Clean and stain decking
• Clean gutters

Now take an objective walk in and around your home. Be a potential buyer. What would you think of this home?

first time buyers

First-Time Homebuyers Need Guidance, Expertise

Just two weeks into the Chinese Year of the Tiger — many are wondering…Will this be the year that First-Time Home Buyers ROAR and purchase their first homes.

According to Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com, the answer is Yes, Yes, Yes. He says there will be 1.84 million homes sold to first-time home buyers in 2010, compared with 1.73 million in 2009. That’s good news for the economy and good news for buyers.

A few tips to those new to real estate who want to purchase a home:

1) From the National Association of RELATORS:
a. In order to take advantage of the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, you need to close by April 30, 2010. You can apply the credit to your 2009 taxes if you close and file your taxes on or before April 15 or you can file an amended 2009 return or apply the credit to 2010.

2) From the REALTORS at Commonwealth Real Estate Your Way with offices in Mt. Pocono and Stroudsburg, PA:
a. Find a REALTOR to work with. Do not try to purchase a home without the expertise, knowledge and guidance of a REALTOR. Using a REALTOR makes sense when its time to buy (or sell) a home. Particularly with the deadline for a major tax credit looming, many new to real estate will rush to judgment and make mistakes. For first time home buyers, REALTORS can look out for your interests and have experience negotiating and walking those in a real estate transaction for the first time through the process. REALTORS adhere to a strict code of ethics, they are constantly updating their skills, and they understand the marketplace.

It’s time to buy. There’s no doubt about it. The inventory is high, the prices are right and it you qualify as a first-time home buyer, the tax incentives are incredible.

Let this Year of the Tiger be your time to ROAR!

first time buyers

1824 Fairhaven Drive, Tobyhanna

Raised Ranch with a new facelift! 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, 1 Car Garage, Fresh Paint, New Carpet. Call Connie Foland 570-972-0140 and ask about MLS# 10-1375.

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first time buyers

20 Lake Drive, Swiftwater

Swiftwater real estate ~ 20 Lake Drive – On the Lake and less than 5 miles to Rt. 80, Mount Airy Casino, Skiing and all Pocono Attractions. Well maintained home nestled along the lake in a quaint neighborhood that’s tucked away yet in the heart of the Poconos. This cozy charmer features sunken living room, toasty fireplace, central air, 2 car garage, full semi finished basement. Don’t wait, call now! Jeff Peterson 570-972-0139 and ask about MLS# 10-1141.

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Jeffrey L Peterson, REALTOR
Commonwealth Real Estate Your Way, LLC
Direct: 570-972-0139
Office: 570-972-0155
Fax: 866-534-0815

first time buyers

104 Bear Swamp Road, East Stroudsburg

East Stroudsburg real estate ~ 104 Bear Swamp Road – 3 Bedroom 2.5 Bath Colonial in Good Condition. 2 Car Garage, Full Basement, Attic for storage or for finishing. Large porch, rear deck, central air. Call Connie Foland at 570-972-0140 and ask about MLS# 10-327.

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first time buyers

59A Woodchip Lane, East Stroudsburg

East Stroudsburg home for sale ~ 59A Woodchip Lane – Three story contemporary on oversize cul-de-sac lot. Large deck over looking your wooded back yard. Also offers screen porch, separate jacuzzi rm, family rm with wet bar. Great for entertaining. Call Connie Foland 570-972-0140 and ask about MLS# 09-11230.

first time buyers

405 Zeman Street, Portland PA

Idyllic, Charming Beauty in the Country for Large or Extended Family, yet Minutes to Town and 80. Be Captivated and Fall in Love with this Amazing Home that will Exceed Your Expectations: Meticulous, Move-In Condition, Acreage on Cul-de-Sac, Privacy, Beauty, Quality Workmanship Throughout, Inviting Landscaping, Flat Yard. Relax on the Deck or choice of 2 Patios. 3 Propane Fireplaces Heat Entire house. $229,900. Ask Kris Collis for more information.

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first time buyers

1140 Cherry Drive, Tobyhanna PA

**FITS THE BUDGET** This charming chalet is sure to please your budget and your taste buds. Plenty of room, lovely lot and the owner says ”she loves her neighborhood.” Cathedral ceilings, double french doors, skylights and lots more to love. Pocono Farms offers plenty of fun things to do too, lake, olympic size pool, golf course, tennis and more.

Come and fall in love today!

Ask Bobbie Smith about MLS# 09-6722
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