Real Estate Information

Buyer and Sellers are on different Calendars....

Phoenixville by the numbers... For years, people have listened to theory and opinion, and this year... it is time to reflect on the numbers.  The housing market is one of highs and lows and it often moves with the seasons. Even in today’s market of media fear and the unknown, these seasons are in place.  One of the issues at hand is that the Buyers and Sellers are not always functioning on the same calendar. 
 
Sellers are often eager to have the grass mowed perfect, the bushes manicured, a few birds making music in the back ground, and the sun high in the clouds.  This is the picture book idea of listing their home for sale.  It makes sense to them and, conveniently fits into their busy schedules.  In our town of Phoenixville, the listings over the last year have varied from a high of 170 active homes in January 2011, to a low of 128 active homes in December 2011, with the average of 155 homes active in the middle.  Outside of a few highs and lows, the market has stayed somewhat constant.  What have varied considerably have been the buyers and their activity levels.  As a seller, your goal is not to fit the process to your personal schedule, but to hit when the iron is hot and make your home available when the buyers are most interested in purchasing it. 
 
       

 
If you reflect on the numbers listed above, you see that buyers are actively purchasing homes when its cold, snowy, and uncomfortable right into the cherished Spring market. So when many sellers are holding tight and hoping to time the market in the Spring, they are restricting themselves to a very short selling season, and in some cases setting themselves up for defeat. 
 
Certainly we would all love to see the fresh mulch and spring flowers, but the Phoenixville housing market is not one of picture books, it is one of realities. The longer you wait, the more opportunity you miss out on.  2012 is not going to be much different and actually I believe it will be much stronger in this early market because of the moderate weather and extremely low interest rates.  Consumers are taking interest and are looking to capitalize on the opportunity currently presenting itself.  The housing market likes predictability, and although none of us are certain about our future, I feel there is one safe bet for now.  The Democrats can not afford to allow the market to get worse and the Republicans can not afford to allow the market to get better, so in this election year, we have a stale mate that lends its self to both buyer and seller.... Predictability!

So what should you take from this, Phoenixville? Now is the time to sell if that is on your agenda for 2012.  Buyers, there is a market available to you right now that you may never see again in your lifetime, and it is without question a time that many will look back with regret for not capitalizing on this opportunity.
 
I pride myself on professionally serving the Phoenixville community, with the customer service that many have forgotten about, and the technology that most have never heard of.  I welcome the opportunity to assist you with any and all of your real estate needs!
 
As I sit in Artisan Cafe & Gallery on Bridge Street and write this, I reflect on how much I enjoy being a part of the Phoenixville community.  I am thrilled to introduce others to our community and allow you to continue and grow with in it!
 
 

Michael Richter

Re/Max Achiever, Inc.

Cell: 215-919-1445 Best Contact Number

Office: 610-489-5900

MikeRichterRealtor@Gmail.com

www.HomeFinderPA.com

Facebook @ “Suburban Philadelphia Real Estate”

The Hunt for the perfect tree, found so much more!

For years, my family and I have made the annual trek out to purchase a Christmas tree.  For the last 3 years we have gone to the same location to purchase the tree.  We have always gotten a great tree, but the event itself has always left me wanting.  It was boring; there was nothing fun or exciting about the process. So this year I really wanted something different.

This past Sunday we loaded up the family including Tucker, our Boxer, and we hit the road.  We headed west out Rt. 23 from Phoenixville until we started seeing signs for Christmas tree farms. No pre-cut tree for us this year!  We made a right, then a left...we were up hills and down hills...all over the place.  We found what we thought was the ideal place and I pulled into the main entrance, only to be greeted by a sign saying "Please leave your Pets in your car".  Well it’s amazing how fast I can do a u-turn in a SUV!  If Tucker wasn't welcome on the farm, then I needed to find another farm.  So we headed back down the road only to find a place called Wade's Christmas trees.

I pulled down a small country lane that turned through the woods, went across a stunning covered bridge, and we werer greeted by a friend of the Wade family. He was a super nice guy and welcomed us and Tucker to the farm.  The place was incredible!  Over 130 acres of preserved land dedicated to growing Christmas trees.  It was like heaven.  There were fields as far as the eye can see, stone walls separating the fields, a wind mill in the distance, and people strolling where ever they wanted.  We took our time walking the fields looking for the perfect tree, admiring the property, and taking photos.  As we hiked, you could hear kids in the distance yelling, "Mommy...Daddy, I found it"!   Eventually we found our perfect tree and within a few moments, we had the chance to meet Biff, the owner's son.  Biff cut the tree to the perfect height, handed us a ticket, told us to enjoy the farm, and when we were ready the tree would be waiting for us at the bottom of the hill.

When we were done hiking, we headed down to claim our prized tree.  As we walked down the hill, we met a family with a 12 week old silver lab.  I had never even heard of a silver lab, but it was a stunning dog.  They told us that the owner of the farm was the breeder and that they had just recently purchased him.  With this knowledge in hand, I went on the hunt for the kennel, and very quickly found it.  There was one last silver puppy calling my name...

I took the time to speak with the Owner of the Farm and Kennel, T.D. Wade III. What a great guy!  I learned some history of the farm, as well as a good bit about his 45 years of breeding labs.  I walked away knowing that it wasn't the right time for me to purchase a puppy.  I did however, learn that this Farm was the perfect place for us to purchase our tree this year and for years to come.  It was a real family operation; Biff was cutting trees, T.D.'s daughter was making Wreaths and running the Christmas store, and his son-in-law was wrapping the trees and securing them to the vehicles.  Everyone was working hard to insure that each guest was welcomed and that they had the chance to enjoy the place they call home!

In this day and age, we often think that if it’s not on the internet, it doesn't exist.  Well Wade's Christmas Trees "isn't on that internet thing" as T.D. told me, but I assure you they exist.  If you’re looking to add to your line-up of family traditions, this is one I look forward to having for years to come.  Take some time to slow down, get away from the stress that is often found during the holidays, and enjoy this secluded gem in the Chester County countryside...you may end up with a tree and maybe, just maybe, the perfect little puppy.

You can find Wade's Christmas Tree Farm at 462 Trythal Road, Elverson, PA 19520, 610-469-6019

The Firebird Festival is Coming!!

The eighth annual Firebird Festival is going to be December 10th from 3-10pm.  This is a great event, and one with a great deal of meaning for Phoenixville.  Phoenixville has a rich history as steel town, a place where its residents either worked for the Steel plant, or in some fashion supported it.  There was a time that you could find things manufactured in Phoenixville all over the world.  In the early 80's that era came to an end with the closing of Phoenix Iron & Steel.  The town was hit hard by its closing; Phoenixville along with its residents fell on hard times and remained there for a close to 20 years.

Through a combined effort of local government, residents, and key investors Phoenixville has literally pulled itself from the ashes of the steel plant if you will.  This town has grown so much over the last 10 years, and has truly become one of the prized gems of Chester County.  We have become a destination, a place to gather, and place to celebrate, and of many of us.... A place to live.  There is a since of pride to be able to say “I live in Phoenixville”.

Saturday the 10th, from 3-10pm there will be a celebration.  One separate from all of our holidays and personal beliefs. It’s an event that I feel ignites a huge since of pride for local residence.  It’s a great reason to come downtown and show your pride, and to invite your friends and family to WOW them with an event unlike any other event.  I don't know any town that yearly constructs a massive Phoenix with such detail to be considered art, and brings its community together to ignite our pride, and move us into the next year with a since of urgency and excitement to see that new things will come to our town of Phoenixville.

I hope you can make it to this event, and I ask that you tell as many people as possible about this event.  This is a place for all to gather, celebrate, and enjoy!

I'm Proud to serve Phoenixville as your local professional Realtor!

Michael Richter,

Cell: 215-919-1445 Office: 610-489-5900 Facebook @ "Suburban Philadelphia Real Estate"  www.HomeFinderPA.com

Friday, November 4, 2010 - 4 pm to 9 pm

The Covered Bridge Room at Kimberton Fire Company

2276 Kimberton Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460

Please join us for a simple meal of soup and bread —
and help fight hunger in our community.

Each participant selects a hand crafted bowl created by area artists and students.  Keep your bowl as a reminder of the need to end hunger locally and globally.

Tickets $20  -  Dine in and take out available

Empty Bowls...A grassroots movement to
help end hunger and food insecurity

In 1990, a high school art teacher in Michigan helped his students search for a way to raise funds to support a food drive to feed hungry residents of their community.  What evolved was a class project with students crafting ceramic bowls for a fund raising meal.  Guests were served a simple meal of soup and bread.  They were invited to keep their bowls as a reminder of hunger in their midst and throughout the world.

What one group of students began in their art class was the seed for changing many lives.  By the following year, the originators had developed this concept into Empty Bowls - a project to provide support for food banks, soup kitchens, and other organizations that fight hunger.  Since then, Empty Bowls events have been held throughout the world, and millions of dollars have been raised to combat hunger (www.emptybowls.net).

The Phoenixville area’s tradition with Empty Bowls began in November, 2007.  The Holck family, owners of Artisans Gallery & Café, planned and hosted the event.  Phoenixville Area Community Services (PACS) was the charity chosen to benefit from funds raised.  The first year's event was a huge success in turnout of supporters and in funds contributed to fight hunger locally.  But the added value has been the enormous enthusiasm of Empty Bowls participants and donors.

Each year, the number of sponsors, supporters and contributors has grown as has the list of professional and budding artists that craft the bowls.  Popular pottery workshops have been offered by both Phoenix Village Art Center and Chester Springs Studio to teach novice potters how to create bowls which are then donated to help raise funds for PACS.   An estimated 700 donated bowls are anticipated for the 2011 event!  What an amazing outpouring of caring from all of our partners and supporters!!

The number of our neighbors who are hungry is continuing to grow:

• An average of 190 households receive food each month - up 7% over last year.

• The number of hungry children averages 125 each month - 11% higher than the prior year.

• The increase in senior adults needing food rose by 18% over last year.

• Thanks to generous donors, PACS' emergency pantry also supplies the hungry with toiletry items, paper products, diapers and other essential supplies. 

Without the emergency pantry - and the support of our caring community of donors - approximately 413 Phoenixville area residents would go hungry every month.  Your support of Empty Bowls and PACS makes a meaningful difference, not just in providing essential food and supplies, but in giving people hope.  

This past weekend my wife and I decided to treat ourselves to a dinner out with some great friends.  Many people in the suburbs feel they need to travel into Philadelphia to have a great meal. We're very fortunate to have some of the best restaurants in the region right in downtown Phoenixville.  We are blessed with a wide variety of options to tickle almost any pallet. 

Prior to reaching our final destination, we made a little side trip to TASTE.  Taste is one of the newest additions to the downtown area offering one of our favorite regional vinegars from artisans and small batch producers worldwide.  Honestly...we could have spent the entire evening enjoying all these items Taste had to offer.  Keep this in mind for the holidays...they have some great stuff for anyone that enjoys great wine and high quality foods.  We agreed on an bottle of Cab Sav to enjoy at dinner, and headed out.

We decided to partake in Andrew Deery's "Majolica" one of the jewels of Bridge Street.  Majolica is not just a place to eat, it's a dining experience.  A place where the food travels a delicate balance between incredible nurishment and art work.  Majolica has received great reviews from several of the major magazines in the area, but often the write-ups don't mirror the experience.  In this case, it was quite the contrary. We enjoyed fresh seasonal soups and incredible cheeses for our opening courses and I had braised short ribs as my main dish that was a real treat. We enjoyed some great company, great food, and great atmosphere.

I always have a great deal of respect for any chef that is confident enough to offer a Chef tasting menu.  During this visit I didn't partake, but I have in the past.  If you have an adventurous taste for foods and a true appreciation for the skill it takes to create them, I highly recommend this option.  Chef Deery offers a 6 & 8 course tasing menu, of which he will bring you the highlights of his menu and some options that are not on the menu; all you need to do is sit back and enjoy. 

The restaurant prides itself on its ever changing seasonal menu and obtains much of the ingredients from local outlets. If you are looking for a unique dinning experience and want a special place for a date, birthday, evening with fiends, or any other excuse you can come up with, I highly recommend you treat yourself to dinner at Majolica!

Michael Richter
Phoenixvilles Resident Realtor!
Re/Max Achievers, Inc.
Cell: 215-919-1445
Office: 610-489-5900
MikeRichterRealtor@Gmail.com
www.HomeFinderPA.com
Now on Facebook @ "Suburban Philadelphia Real Estate"

Andrew Deery Interview

Get Well Gabby, A celebration of Life October 9th, 2011, Phoenixville Boro comes together....

Many of you that read these words, know me.... But I'm posting these thoughts on my Blog in hopes for these words to resonate with many of you who do not.

On October 9th from 5-8pm, in Reeves Park (what I feel is the heart of Phoenixville Boro) there will be a Celebration of Life. The Celebration of Gabby's Life will take place on her birthday for all to attend.  There will certainly be family and friends, but I think more than anything, a gathering of strangers.  People that have crossed paths at the Dogwood Festival, Kimberton Fair, First Fridays, or perhaps every morning while dropping off your children at school.... strangers none the less.

When your parents were born, your grandparents were young.  They most likely had their family, friends, church members, co-workers, neighbors, and a community that was there to help, watch over, and protect them, and help your entire family.    A protection that today's modern family may not comprehend. Unfortunately, the stressors and values of modern life have caused us to focus on our work, our immediate family and on a few chosen friends.  Our lives are often confined to the walls around us.  These stressors have forced our  generation to forget those around us including our neighbors and the strangers you may see every day.

I didn't know Gabby personally and I have never met the Vogel family.  Yet, I know many that have.  I have heard about her struggles and I have praised Gabby's fight.  I was hurt by her passing and have thought of her and her family often during the fight, especially after her death on Sept. 11th.   I was pulled mentally and emotionally into her fight, by more than just Gabby's struggle, or what the family has endured, but by a collection of strangers reaching out in a way that I have never seen.  The outreach and generosity of complete strangers, out of concern for a beautiful child and her family, in my mind was the gathering of a community. Much like the community our grandparents were blessed with years ago, and one that I feel my generation has been starved of. 

So on October 9, 2011 a little girl will be remembered and her family will be supported.  Her fight will be admired and her life will be celebrated.  This child's story started years ago for the friends and family, but only months ago for us strangers. A beautiful healthy little girl was hit with something we can't imagine, a Cancer that we cannot begin to understand, a fight we cannot comprehend.  A little girl has died, but somehow in my mind, a community far beyond my understanding has been born.  So, when you show up Sunday, and you see those strangers... push yourself to shake their hand, say hello, introduce yourself, and welcome the community that was born out of Gabby's fight.   I am proud to be part of this new community, and I think we owe it to Gabby, her family, and ourselves to insure that this community stays strong.  

Vogel family, I certainly will never grasp everything you have been through, or everything you have lost, but I am proud to say that I am part of the Phoenixville Community that I feel you and your daughter may not have created, but certainly strengthened well beyond anything I have ever seen.  I wish you all the best as you attempt to recover from your lose.

October 9th, 2011, Reeves Park, 5pm-8pm

follow this links for more details: GetWellGabby

Where did this come from:                                                                                                                        For those of you who know me... These are not words that I would often express, and it's certainly the first time I have ever thought to write them down or share them for that matter. I felt for some reason, I needed to.  Joseph is the same age as Gabby and Nathan shares her birthday. After the loss of our home last year,  I got to experience compassion and empathy from not only my friends and family, but from complete strangers as well.  It was far beyond anything that I had ever seen.  What I have observed from afar through Gabby's fight was a local community reaching out in an incredible way, and that's something I feel is sorely missing in many of our lives.   

Mike Richter, Realtor

     Cell: 215-919-1445         www.HomeFinderPA.com         Office:610-489-5900

Life isn't always about business, and I decided that this blog doesn't need to be either.  This past weekend, my family and I decided to take advantage of the great weather, and one of the local treasures of Northern Chester County.  We visited French Creek State Park, with the desire to ride our bikes and to end the day by picking Apples in the orchard at Hopewell Furnace Historic Site.

On our trek out Rt 23, we made a little detour and drove thru the Village of Saint Pete's.  If you have never been there, I highly recommend a visit.  My wife and I have actually stayed overnight at the St. Peters Inn so that we could take our time and truly enjoy everything this town has to offer.  The inn has a great restaurant, with outside dinning on a massive deck overlooking the French Creek. We made our detour for one simple reason, the Saint Peters Bakery.  They are, without question, one of the best bakeries I have had the pleasure of setting foot in.  I always get the Ham and Cheese Croissants, but my wife and kids could fill a box with their pastries in a matter of seconds. We could have spent the entire day in town, and hiking the trails around the creek and been happy, but we headed off to check out French Creek State Park and do some apple picking.
 
Now, I have visited French Creek State Park myself, but never with the time to poke around and be nosey.  This visit was with the family and we had time on our side.  I was shocked not only by its size at over 7000 acres, but also to find all the things that were available in the park.  For the day trippers like ourselves, there were 2 large lakes Hopewell & Scotts Run both of which have a healthy fish population, 40 miles of marked hiking trails, large play grounds, a large swimming pool near the HopeWell lake, boat rentals, and plenty of places to relax and enjoy a great picnic. For those of you who enjoy the great outdoors for longer periods of time, like my family does on occasion, we were delighted to find a large campground with some nice private camp sites. They had large group sites and, for the people that don't want to rough it to hard, they even have large family cabins that can be rented for a moderate cost.

We spent a good bit of time simply driving around and taking in the sights and taking inventory of the activities that are available for future visits.  We were delighted with our finds and  honestly spent some time looking around... the bikes never came out of the car.  We decided to head of to Hopewell Furnace, which is a 800 acre National Historic Site. The facility dates back to the 1770's and is certainly an interesting place for the history buffs, or anyone who wants to know how things are made.  You can do a tour of the entire facility and learn tons of info.  Now... my kids at 4 & 6, so there were there for one reason, and history wasn't it.  They wanted to run around with the big stick and knock apples out of the trees!  What kind, how many, and what condition. They could have cared less about the history.  They were having a good time pulling apples to the best of their ability! It was a great time and a important lesson for the kids to realize that all food doesn't come from a grocery store in a plastic bag.  We brought our apples home with big intentions of making an apple pie...but the pie has not come together just yet.  Our apple inventory is slowly being depleted by little hands wanting to eat there harvest. 

The nuts and bolts of this.... many of us in the Philadelphia Suburbs think to have a good time, we need to hop in a car and drive 2 hours to the Jersey Shore, Delaware Beaches, or the Poconos.  These options or we feel limited to the crowded Philadelphia parks and Valley Forge, But we have TONS of underutilized jewels sitting just a short distance from out homes that would provide plenty of fun and enjoyment for the adventures to the cars packed to the gills with kids.  Take a moment... plan a trip, and enjoy what our area has to offer.

I hope you take the time to enjoy these location!

Michael Richter,  Re/Max Achievers, Inc.

Cell: 215-919-1445         Office: 610-489-5900      Web: www.HomeFinderPA.com

To say its been a bit wet over the last few weeks in south east Pennsylvania would be an understatement!  I have been closely observing my own basement, and fielding calls from friends, family, and past clients with the canned question.... "Did you get water in your basement?"

To be honest, I was very luck, I never lost my power....oh but had I.... I would have been in a lot of trouble.  That trouble is what drove me to make this blog post.  Not to many of us have an unlimited source of luck, and if you have made it thru an earthquake, hurricane, and tons of rain with no damage.... odds are you have used up all of your luck for the month.

So now the call to action.... what do we do to ensure we are never in this scary compromised position ever again.  We learn from our lessens and take action.  You should be walking your home and finding your weak points.  You should have gutter extensions stored, you should have a battery back up sump system, you should have a back up electric sump pump,and this may sound a little like over kill.... you should own a generator. 

This may sound a bit alarmist, but its the truth.  You should have that battery back up to keep you protected for the short emergency, or to buy you time as you fire up the generator.  You should have a back up pump with enough hose to run it outside in the case that you burn out your existing pump. You should be prepared for this emergency, because may if your with out these back ups you could lose your finished basements, personal belongings, heating & air conditioning systems, and your homes electrical panel.  I you will be so happy that you took these protective actions now, if this situation presents itself again in the future. 

I would be happy to answer questions, and even tour your home to help give you a few ideas, and if you need a Plumber to help you with Sump systems, or and electrician to discuss alternative ways to run your home on a generator please give me a call or drop me an e-mail, I would be happy to refer you to a qualified professional.

Michael Richter, Re/Max Achievers, Inc.

Cell: 215-919-1445 Office: 610-489-5900 MikeRichterRealtor@Gmail.com

Montgomery & Chester Country Tax Assessments

I think it's safe to say that in this economy we are all looking for creative means to save money, and make what we have go further.  Our mortgage payments are often thought of as a fixed cost, and the only way to reduce the payment is to attempt a refinance.  That is in some cases not possible any longer due to  your home's value, but because of that reduction in value, you may now have a new alternative.  You can contest your homes assessed value with your county.  Tax assessments are based on a percentage of your homes market value.  In the current market, many homes market value has come down considerably, but in most cases there tax assessments have not budged.

The process can be done on your own, or if you choose to, you can also have an attorney address the process on your behalf.  Every county has a different procedure and different forms, but all of them will need material to determine what the fair market value of your home. That is where I am willing and able to assist. I would be more then happy to work with you to provide recent comparable sold homes from your community to help you document your case for the assessment.

At the end of the day, you may be able to reduce your yearly tax burden by hundreds or possibly thousands.

For more information, or to discuss the process, feel free to e-mail or call Mike Richter at MIkeRichterReator@Gmail.com or 215-919-1445 cell & 610-489-5900.

I'm often asked if this is a good time to buy a home. Some clients are concerned that home prices may fall further than they have already. They are assuming that the best course of action is to wait for the bottom in the market and then buy. The problem with this approach is that you don't know where the bottom is until you see it in the rear view mirror, meaning until you've missed it!

Home prices are one factor in determining your cost of ownership, but so are interest rates and financing availability. Even though interest rates have gone up in the last six months, they are still near historic lows. Since your monthly mortgage payment is a combination of paying down your principal and paying the interest owed, if home prices come down a little further but interest rates up, it could cost you even more to service a mortgage on an identical home!

While a home is a major investment, it is also the center of your personal life. It's important to live in a home that reflects your taste and values, yet is within your financial "comfort zone." To that end, it may be more important to lock in today's relatively low interest rates and low home prices, rather than to hope for a further break in prices in the future.

Please give me a call if I can be of any assistance in determining how much home you can afford in today's market.