Changing the Locks – Key to a Safe Home
Are you shopping the Yardley, Newtown or Lower Makefield homes for sale in search of a new home? Or are you a current owner of Bucks County real estate? Here’s just another little safety tip for new and seasoned home owners…Change your locks!
There are times when you need to change the locks on your home to protect your family and possessions. The most important times are when you move into a new home; when keys are lost, stolen or unreturned; or a cleaning or other service provider hasn’t returned the key.
You could replace the entire lockset, which would give you a totally new mechanism that should work better. If you use the same manufacturer, you can probably avoid any carpentry changes to the door. You can order the locks online and have them all work with the same key at no extra charge.
Another alternative is to have a locksmith rekey the current lockset. The locksmith can also easily make all of the locks work with the same key. Compare the cost and decide which would be a better expenditure. If the lock change needs to happen quickly for safety reasons, a locksmith may be your best bet.
While you’re considering your security, a key safe might be a very convenient addition. The cost is reasonable and you can attach it to your exterior wall. Generally, they’re combination locks that would allow you access if you or another family member forgot their key. It’s also convenient to give a house keeper the combination and can be easily changed if necessary. There is no need to have multiple keys floating around with service providers.
Here’s to safe and happy home ownership in Bucks County! Contact me if you are looking to purchase a home. There are many great opportunities in our local real estate market during this holiday season!
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |Enjoy the Warm Weekend – Bucks County Events for November 10 – 11, 2012
Hello to my friends in Yardley, Newtown and all of Bucks County! It looks to be a wonderful fall weekend, and we certainly could use one after a challenging few weeks of weather. No snow, no high winds and no flooding are in the forecast, so grab your family and friends and enjoy! Have a great Veteran’s Day weekend, remembering those who have served to protect our great country!
Through Saturday, November 10, 2012 at dusk
Rivermawr Green, Historic Yardley
Canal-O-Ween was postponed due to Hurricane Sandy, so you can still enjoy it through this Saturday. Take the stroll, enjoy the weather and see the talent of the local Yardley residents.
Sunday November 11, 2012 2:00pm
Newtown Library Company
The Newtown Library Company will be holding a Veteran’s Day event. First Sergeant Larry Kerwood will be the guest speaker. Bring an old cell phone to donate to soldiers. RSVP to reserve your spot! (215) 968- 7659
Saturday November 10, 2012 9:00am – 1:00pm
Wrightstown Twp. Municipal Bldg
Enjoy the nice weather this weekend and support local Bucks County producers.
Bucks County Country Gentlemen Barbershop Chorus
Saturday November 10, 2012 1:30pm and 7:30pm
Lenape Middle School, Doylestown
Great music and great fun for the entire family! Enjoy “Guys and Gals in Harmony”, featuring the Jersey Sound Chorus. Tickets are $18 at the door.
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |The Weekend after Hurricane Sandy – Yardley, Newtown, Bucks County
This has been a hard week for residents of Yardley, Newtown and all of Bucks County, with many of us recovering from the damage and/or inconvenience of Hurricane Sandy. I hope that you, your family and friends have weathered the storm safely and that you have the support and resources to get “back to normal”. That’s what we are trying to do here at the Millner household.
If you are looking to take a break from the drama of this week, there are a few events still on schedule that I recommend.
2012 Apple Festival
Saturday, November 3 & Sunday, November 4, 2012
10:00am – 6:00pm
Peddler’s Village, Lahaska
Relax with others in the Bucks County community and enjoy the harvest season at the Apple Festival at Peddler’s Village. Try apples prepared in every way imaginable, along with fresh apples from the orchard, apple pie-eating contests and live entertainment. Free admission.
Lower Makefield Veterans Day Parade
Sunday, Nov. 4, 1:00pm
Edgewood Road
Get a head start on honoring the people who have protected our great country at the Veterans Day parade in Lower Makefield this Sunday. Parade starts and the corner of Edgewood Road and Long Acre Lane, and will proceed down Edgewood to Veterans Square. Ceremonies at Veterans Square are to follow.
Look for future information on my blog about post-storm house cleanup tips, and more about the effects on the housing market in Bucks County. But hopefully you can take a break this weekend, even if for just a few hours, and enjoy the company of family and friends. And don’t forget to turn your clocks back this Saturday night!
Best regards,
Marty
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |
Spacious 4 Bedroom Home in Lower Makefield Twp – 632 Kings Road
Introducing 632 Kings Road
If you are looking to purchase real estate in Lower Makefield Township or anywhere in Bucks County, this one is definitely worth the visit! Contact me to see this beautiful home that is convenient to I-95 and within walking distance of community amenities.
Here is a video tour:
We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # 6036171 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |August 2012 Bucks County Real Estate Market Update – Martin Millner
I want to take a look today at our market conditions, as we enter the fall market season.
I started noticing as early as January of this year that I could sense that my primary market areas, Yardley, Newtown, Richboro, Upper Makefield, Solebury, etc, was changing. Buyers were starting to complain that there wasn’t enough inventory, and my own listings started selling quickly and at prices closer to asking.
If you look at the accompanying charts (links below), that track the Bucks County real estate market, as well as the Lower Makefield Township (Yardley) market, you can see what has happened over the past 7 months.
The number of homes sold in Bucks County, through July this year was 2822. That represents an increase of 13% from what sold through July of last year.
In Lower Makefield Township, there were 175 homes sold through July of 2012 compared with 155 last year at the same time. That represents an increase of 12.9% for Lower Makefield Township.
Inventory of homes for sale is 10.3% lower at the end of July this year, compared with last July, for all of Bucks County.
In Lower Makefield Township, there were 249 houses on the market at the end of July, 2011. At the end of July this year, there were 202 homes for sale! That represents a decrease of 18.9% compared with the same time last year.
At the end of the day, taking all of the emotion out of residential real estate, the real estate market really is a function of supply and demand. Basically, supply has decreased and demand seems to have increased.
Interestingly, the average sold price of a house in Bucks County has actually decreased by 1.9% compared with the end of July last year.
The average price of a home sold in Yardley, is virtually the same as it was last year at the same time.
Average discounts from the asking price, both for Bucks County as a whole, and for Lower Makefield Township, has remained about 8%.
In Yardley, there is currently about an 8 month supply of homes on the market. While this has improved over the past couple of years, that still represents conditions that favor buyers. We consider a real estate market to be balanced when there is about a 6 month supply.
Finally, both for Bucks County and Lower Makefield Township specifically, pending sales at the end of July this year, are better than they were last year at the same time.
I believe that we will continue to see these trends continue, for the remainder of the year.
What this means to you if you are considering selling in the Yardley area: If you price your house competitively, and if it is exposed properly to the market, you have a great chance of getting your house sold. You still need to be realistic about price, but it does appear as though the real estate market in Yardley, and Bucks County, is improving.
Contact me if you have any questions about the current real estate market in Bucks County.
Links to current market statistics:
MarketAppreciationChartBucksJuly2012
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |Bucks County Labor Day Events – 2012
This year’s weather for Labor Day weekend in Bucks County looks to be promising, so get those grills fired up and the potato salad ready! When not relaxing or celebrating with family and friends, there are many other Labor Day activities to enjoy in Yardley, Newtown and all of Bucks County. Here are a few:
Labor Day Concert and Family Day
Monday, September 3, 2012 1 – 5pm
Veterans Square Park (“Pocket Park”), Lower Makefield Township
Enjoy crafts, local foods and a live concert while supporting the building of the new veteran’s monument in Lower Makefield Township. Visit the monument information website for details.
Soberstock 2012
Saturday September 1, 2012 10am – 8pm
Snipes Farm, Morrisville
Support the “How to Save a Life Foundation” at this all-day music festival, featuring local bands and kids’ activities in a family-friendly environment. Bring a lawn chair or blanket! Visit the Snipes Farm website for more information and directions.
Labor Day BBQ & Fireworks
Sunday September 2, 2012 5 – 8:30pm
Sesame Place, Langhorne
If you are planning to spend your last summer weekend having fun at Sesame Place, be sure to check out Sunday’s BBQ buffet and fireworks. Meet the Sesame Street characters at dinner, and celebrate back-to-school with a blast of nighttime fireworks. Visit Sesame Place website for more information.
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |Martin Millner Talks About Sellers Disclosure – Bucks County, PA, Yardley, Newtown
About a year ago, I asked a home inspector friend, Vince Tecce, to write a post for my blog about the importance of the sellers disclosure. I speak about it in the video below. Click to watch.
The topic of Vince’s guest post is still significant today. He gives real life examples of disclosure related issues that can arise.
How the sellers disclosure affects us in Yardley, Newtown or Bucks County, PA
Pennsylvania law requires that sellers disclose any know material facts about their property to every potential buyer.
If there is a failure to disclose an issue that results in damage or financial loss after the settlement, the buyer can use the failure to disclose to hold the seller responsible for the loss. This can happen even years after the settlement.
Contact me if you have any questions about the sellers disclosures or other real estate questions that may affect the purchase or sale of your home.
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |New Listing – Walk to the Makefield Township Golf Club
Golf Lovers in Lower Makefield Township:
Introducing….
This is a beautifully appointed home on a large one acre lot with golf course views!
This 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 4364 Sq Ft home in Lower Makefield Township has many upgrades and features, including custom wainscoting in the formal living room, airy den that could be used for office or playroom, two-story great room with extravagant riverstone hearth, bright kitchen with granit counters, stainless steel appliances and a freestanding island with barstool seating.
Upstairs, the spacious master suite offers a separate sitting room, jetted tub, separate shower and double vanity with makeup area. All other bedrooms are on the second floor, and are spacious and bright.
The professionally finished basement is well lit and offers a separate office, ample storage space and endless space that can be used as a play or game room.
This home won’t last long with its great location, features and price of $688,000. Contact me to see this home, or any other great homes for sale in Yardley, Newtown or other areas of Bucks County.
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |
Yardley, PA real estate market update
So what is happening in real estate in Bucks County, and Yardley?
First quarter real estate market results are in, so lets take a look at what is happening.
First, looking at Bucks County real estate, what is really striking, is that the number of houses for sale, was more than 7% lower at the end of March this year, than last year at the same time.
I have blogged a couple of times recently, about the changing dynamics in the market. It seems as though more houses are selling faster than they were last year, and based on the decrease in inventory levels, that makes sense.
The other extremely striking statistic, in the Bucks County real estate market, is in pending sales. Pending sales represent homes where the seller has accepted an offer, but the house is waiting for closing. Pending sales in Bucks County were up by an incredible 26% at the end of March, compared with last year.
I am not quite sure what to make of that number, yet. I sense that buyers are more motivated, and more buyers are coming to the realization that 4% interest rates will not be around forever.
Check the chart, for Bucks County real estate details.
Bucks County real estate market in a shapshot
Yardley Real Estate
In the Yardley, Lower Makefield Township real estate market, the number of homes on the market is actually about 2% higher at the end of March than it was last year at the same time.
Inventory was up by almost 12% from the end of February, which is to be expected, as we entered the spring market.
I think that there are still an abundance of houses in Yardley that have been on the market for a long time, because they are overpriced, given current market conditions. Even though inventory levels are higher, there is definitely more activity in the real estate market right now.
It is also interesting to note that the average price of a house on the market in Lower Makefield Township was $476,000 thie year, compared with $481,000 last year.
In addition to that, it may surprise people to know that the average price of a home sold in 2011, increased slightly in 2011, and is up by 5% this year, so far.
In Lower Makefield Township, there still is about an 8 month inventory supply, which indicates that factors are still favorable for buyers. We consider the real estate market to be balanced, when there is about a 6 month supply of homes on the market.
Yardley real estate appreciation chart
In summary, the real estate market in Bucks County, and especially in the Yardley-Newtown areas, is showing the most encouraging signs that I have seen in about 4 years. There are still homes that have been on the market for months and months, because they are overpriced. However, homes that come on the market that are priced realistically, based on current market conditions, are selling much fast than they have at any point in the past 4 years. If you are getting ready to put your house on the market, please ask me for a copy of my ebook, 450 ideas to help get your home sold quickly. Send me your email, and I will email it to you. My email is: Marty@MartinMillner.com.
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |Selling real estate in Yardley or Newtown; listing photo disaster?
When you’re thinking about hiring an agent to help you market and sell your home, it’s probably a good idea to ask to see listing photos of homes they’ve represented in the past. A true real estate professional will go the extra mile to make sure there are plenty of high-quality, detailed photos to help market your home online. This is true when doing video, as well. That is why I hire a professional photographer & videographer to ensure that my listings images are as good as they can possibly be.
At the minimum, the photos should be well-lit, the homes should be tastefully presented, and the photographs should appear to be taken by a professional. Less than that, and you might want to consider looking for a new agent. I have seen some pretty funny house photos, and the price of the house often does not matter. There are, of course, major red flags you’ll want to look for in sample listing photos.
Consider some of the following:
- No owners sunbathing in the pool in Speedos.
- No attic rooms cluttered with personal massagers and ashes/dust.
- No master bedrooms with lingerie models lounging in a red velvet four-poster bed.
- No bathroom shots in which the photographer appears in her bra in the mirror.
- No pics featuring the owners engaged in questionable activities in the background.
- No creepy dolls by the fire place.
- Seriously, no creepy dolls anywhere, not even in the living room!
- No stains of murdered bodies on the bare floors.
Now, it may sound like I’m joking, but I’m being 100% honest when I say these are flaws seen in actual listing photos represented by real agents. What’s more, I can prove it.
See every single one of the above listing photo disasters in this slide show:
Incredible, isn’t it?
Please, whatever you do, be sure to hire an agent who takes their listing photos seriously. After all, you home is your largest investment! I’d be glad to treat it with the respect it deserves. Let me help you market your home the right way: Marty@MartinMillner.com 215-519-1399
Chat With Marty
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