Vacation Home Sales On Record Rise

According to an April 2007 news release from The National Association of REALTORS, vacation home sales rose 4.7% in 2006, while investment sales and primary residence sales fell. 14% of all homes purchased in 2006 were vacation homes, up from 12% in 2005.

The NAR article goes on to report that typical vacation home buyer in 2006 had a median income of slightly over $100,000 was about 44 years old. Many of these vacation homes were approximately 200 miles from home, though 32% of the purchases were 500 or more miles away from their primary residence.

44.7 million people nationwide are now in their 40s and are expected to be "driving the market" in the years to come. 29% of vacation homes were purchased in rural areas, while 24% were resort areas.

What does this mean for investors, and what does it have to do with northeastern PA?

Wayne County and Pike County in northeastern Pennsylvania are just on the outskirts of what is known as "BoshWash" or the "Urban Corridor" - a 500+ mile strip of land starting in Boston and ending near Washington D.C. BosWash contains 3 world cities (Boston, New York, and Philadelphia) and 4 of the world's largest metro areas (Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore-Washington.) 16% of the nation's population lives and works in this Urban Corridor.

Pennsylvania has the 17th largest economy in the world, and as an incentive for builders/developers, the PA Economic Stimulus Plan has a special program titled Building PA, which provides mezzanine capital for builders/developers.

Since 1960, Pike County has experienced a 400% population growth - much of which consists of retirees and vacationers seeking an affordable place to invest in.

Together, Wayne and Pike County are extremely desirable for vacationers, retirees, and commuters alike, partly because of the proximity to New York City and Philadelphia, but mainly because of the beautiful landscape and affordable way of life. The Pocono Mountains are a desirable and popular vacation destination, and a wise investor will see that vacation homes in Northeast PA will become more and more in demand in the days to come.

 Find out the scoop on the latest homes for sale in Pike and Wayne Counties by signing up and having listings delivered directly to your email box.

I can also send commercial properties for sale for entrepreneurs!

 

 

Wallenpaupack Vacation Home Sales Rising, ©Copyright 2009 by Karen E. Rice. All rights reserved.

CraigsList: Don't Exploit a Great Tool

CraigsList.org can be a goldmine for REALTORS - a popular website that allows free advertising to a targeted audience! What could be better for our sellers than a free place (that people actually know about and use) to advertise their listings?

Be careful though - don't exploit a good thing and end up making it worthless for everyone.

• Don't spam the board! CraigsList users, like the rest of us, do not like spam, and multiple posts from the same user in one day can certainly appear to be spam. Great way to have users annoyed not only with you, but all REALTORS in general. See CraigsList FAQ on How Often You Can Post on CraigsList
  

• Avoid "ALL CAPS!!!!!" in the titles. It does not get as much positive attention as you think. It is annoying. A personal pet-peeve of mine is the  MiXeD  cAsE  tItLeS and the  eBay-esque  LQQK! or other nonsense.  Just post like a professional, okay?
  
  
• Reposting repeatedly to keep on top of the list is a surefire way to get flagged as spam and eventually get yourself blocked.
  
  Believe it or not, I have seen hits on our website coming from CraigsList postings that are several days old. If it's there, people will find it! According to CraigsList, you may post to one category per city once every 48 hours or so.
  
  See CraigsList.org Terms of Use: Point 7, subsection v): [you agree] not to post non-local or otherwise irrelevant Content, repeatedly post the same or similar Content or otherwise impose an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure
  
  
• "Professional Postings" may be a turn-off! Consider that CraigsList users may not be impressed with "professional" looking postings...not to mention the fact that use of "Posting Agents" (third party services that automatically post content onto craigslist) is in direct violation of CraigsList Terms of Use Section 7 Subsection Y and Section #8:
  
  Sec. 7, Sub y)[you agree not to] use any form of automated device or computer program that enables the submission of postings on craigslist without each posting being manually entered by the author thereof (an "automated posting device"), including without limitation, the use of any such automated posting device to submit postings in bulk, or for automatic submission of postings at regular intervals.
  
  8. POSTING AGENTS A "Posting Agent" is a third-party agent, service, or intermediary that offers to post Content to the Service on behalf of others. To moderate demands on craigslist's resources, you may not use a Posting Agent to post Content to the Service without express permission or license from craigslist. Correspondingly, Posting Agents are not permitted to post Content on behalf of others, to cause content to be so posted, or otherwise access the Service to facilitate posting content on behalf of others, except with express permission or license from craigslist.
  

Perhaps a low key but cleverly written ad will be more fruitful than automatic template postings from Point2Agent, Postlets, or Vflyer. Remember - part of the beauty and success of CraigList has been its simplicity. 

And seriously - don't you think that if people wanted to see fancy, high-tech real estate ads, they would be able to find them?

I have been unsuccessful in finding online documentation that shows that Postlets has permission from CraigsList to auto post listings.  If anyone has a link to such documentation, please post a comment! 

UPDATE:  vFlyer Blog commented below that vFlyer has spent time with CraigsList admins in order to provide a template that is acceptable for use with CraigsList. vFlyers are manually added by the author.

UPDATE # 2 - vFlyer rep. Aaron has given me a link to the vFlyer FAQ regarding CraigsList.  Thanks Aaron!!!

I really would hate to see postings from REALTORS restricted or forbidden - but if agents habitually abuse a good thing and turn it into just another commercial wasteland, it may very well come to that.

More Artilces on CraigsList

What I Learned About CraigsList - blog by Teresa Boardman 

Why Craigs List Works - blog by Jim Cronin

Professional Ads May Get Nixed by CraigsList? - Bonnie Erikson

Promised Land State Park in Pike County covers nearly 3000 acres is probably one of northeastern Pennsylvania's best places to spend the day (or a weekend, or a week!).

Located on Route 390, a few miles south of I-84's Exit 26, it is easy to find.

Our family visits Promised Land State Park several times a year. The kids love to swim in the clean waters of the lake and play on the sandy beach. Lots of shade trees are nearby for those of us who do not worship the sun. Picnic spots are plentiful...and please do not feed the ducks, however cute they may be! Reserve a picnic pavilion for a large gathering, and have electricity and a private bathroom along with protection from sudden rain or hot sun!

There are hiking trails, camping areas, cabins, bike trails, snowmobile trails, and access to equestrian trails...it's probably the best investment of time anyone can spend.

Rent a boat, kayak, canoe, or paddleboat and take a leisurely ride along the shores of beautiful 442 acre Promised Land Lake or 173 acre Lower Lake.

One client of mine recently commented about the religious theme for the park's name. Originally the hunting lands of the Minsi Tribe (Wolf Clan) of the Lenni-Lenape Delaware Indians, these grounds were purchased by the Shakers, a religious sect seeking to build a farming community (or so one story goes). The legend continues that the Shakers found this rocky land most unsuitable for farming - and sarcastically dubbed it "The Promised Land."

 

 

Eventually the Shakers sold the land for timber and left the area. In 1902, after the land had been repeatedly cleared and timbered, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania purchased the tract to become the state's 4th state park, opening it to the public in 1905. During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt started the Civilian Conservation Corps to help relieve unemployment; much of the CCC's handiwork can be seen in Promised Land State Park today.

 

While it may not have been "The Promised Land" for the Shakers, it most certainly is the "Promised Land" for nature lovers visiting and living in the Poconos!

 

Maybe it's time to think about purchasing your own cabin near Promised Land.  Most of the cabins are on state owned ground and only available to PA residents, but there are others for  non- PA residents as well.  One of them might just have your name on it.  Contact me today - or search Promised Land listings on your own (no registration required).

 

Search PROMISED LAND Listings

---------------------------------------------------

Do you have a home in Pike or Wayne County PA to sell? Email me and learn about my innovative marketing plan which will be personalized specifically for your home. Are you interested in Pike or Wayne County PA homes for sale? Visit my real estate website to see all the property for sale in Hawley, Honesdale, Greentown, Lackawaxen, Hamlin, Lake Ariel, and the entire Lake Wallenpaupack region of Northeast PA's Pocono Mountains. You may create an account to save your searches and keep track of your favorite listings but registration is not required.

Karen E. Rice is a real estate agent working in Pike & Wayne County of Northeastern PA in the Poconos. Lake Wallenpaupack is one of Pennsylvania's most popular destinations for vacations, retirement, and purchasing a home.

Promised Land State Park, ©Copyright 2007 by Karen E. Rice. All rights reserved.

Lake Wallenpaupack is the hub of tourism and recreation for Wayne and Pike County in the Poconos of Northeast Pennsylvania.

Lake Wallenpaupack was created by PPL in 1926 as a hydroelectric power project. Lake Wallenpaupack is a vital part of the local economy as well as an important electric-generating facility when demand for electricity is high. (PPL = Pennsylvania Power and Light Co.).

Because Lake Wallenpaupack is a reasonable drive from Philadelphia and many parts of New York and New Jersey, it is one of the most popular recreational destinations in Northeast PA and in the Pocono Mountains.

 

Lake Wallenpaupack Stats

• Pronounced "Wall-en-paw-pack"
• 5700 Acres
• Approximately 13 miles long
• Maximum depth of about 60 feet
• 52 miles of shoreline

Lake Wallenpaupack Activities

(Some restrictions may apply)

• Camping
• Ledgedale Natural Area; also Shuman Point Hiking Trail
• Fishing
• Boating
• Water-skiing
• Jet-Skis
• Kite Skiing / Para sailing
  
• Tour/Cruise Rides
• Lake Wallenpaupack Geocaching
• Other Things to Do By Wallenpaupack

 

Several homeowner communities have been created around Lake Wallenpaupack, including (but not limited to) Wallenpaupack Lake Estates, Indian Rocks, Lake Wallenpaupack Estates, Pennwood, Tanglwood Lakes, Rockledge, Capri Estates, and many more, demonstrating that the lake is desirable for residential use as well as recreational.

PPL, which owns most of shoreline of Lake Wallenpaupack, strives to exist in harmony with the environment. Providing education and awareness opportunities, as well as creating an environmental learning center has given teachers and students alike new opportunities to discover the natural resources around Lake Wallenpaupack.

 

Search Lake Wallenpaupack Real Estate Listings

• Wallenpaupack Lakefronts
• Wallenpaupack Lake Estates
• Briar Hill
• Indian Rocks on Lake Wallenpaupack
• Lakeland Colony
• Sandy Shore
• Spinnler Point
• Tanglwood Lakes Homes
• Woodland Hills

Map of Lake Wallenpaupack Communities!



View Larger Map

Lake Wallenpaupack Resources/Information

• Lake Wallenpaupack News (PDF Document)
• Lake Wallenpaupack / Hawley History

 

 

 

 

Lake Wallenpaupack, Pike and Wayne County Info, ©Copyright 2007 by Karen E. Rice. All rights reserved.

Walker Lake Estates in Shohola is a small, quiet homeowner community only fifteen minutes from Milford PA, about 2 hours from the GWB and Lincoln Tunnel. About 1 hour and 40 minutes from Tappan Zee.

Walker Lake is a great fishing lake. (I caught a few bass there myself, back in the day...) If you want peaceful, this is it!  Only 5hp motors are allowed on this lake, so no peace and serenity disrupted by wave runners, water skiing, or speedboaters!

Walker Lake is in Pike County and the homes are in the Delaware Valley School District.

(This post originally referenced a cabin that was listed for sale - rather than delete the post, I kept the parts about Walker Lake for general info purposes.)

 

Search All Delaware Valley School District Homes for Sale 

Pike County PA Real Estate: Walker Lake ©Copyright 2007 by Karen E. Rice. All rights reserved.

Staging Your Pike and Wayne County PA Home To Sell

 

I am watching an old episode of Designed to Sell, one of my favorite shows.  Sometimes though, I think they pick weird things to change.

For instance, how about a very plain, ordinary ceiling fan.  It was not ugly and hideous, just plain.  The critic was going on and on about that ugly, dated ceiling fan.  I guess ugly is in the eye of the beholder; it just looked ordinary to me.  Is something like that REALLY going to stop someone from buying the home? 

I wondered if they went through the house and decided they needed one more "flaw" and figured the ceiling fan was a good one because replacing it would be cheap.

In my opinion, some things are worth changing, and some things simply are not.  Reupholstering a couch - or even buying all new furniture seems ridiculous to me.  What if your new furniture doesn't go with your new house? 

Updating the kitchen floor and counters seems important...updating little fixtures like drawer pulls and ugly faucets are great ideas.

Do buyers really care if you have computer desk in your bedroom, especially if it's clean and uncluttered?  Are they going to say "Oh, I can't imagine myself sleeping in this room with that computer in it! Is this a bedroom or an office?" 

Somehow, I think that these shows presume that buyers are stooopid and need others to do all their thinking for them.  

Clive Pearse says "Putting up crown molding is sure to drum up buyer interest." Is it really? 

Have any buyers said "I want a home with crown molding?

It is certainly nice, but I think saying that it will drum up buyer interest is an overstatement.  It will appeal to buyers who notice such things, but overall, if the house doesn't grab them, the crown moulding certainly won't.

I believe in decluttering, I believe in updating curtains, putting slipcovers on ugly furniture, and rearranging furniture to showcase the room in the most positive light. 

I just don't get spending the money to replace a perfectly fine, neutral fixture like a plain ceiling fan with a more "stylish" one that may put off as many buyers as it turns on.

To me, the first priority should be the curb appeal, then a clean, clutter free interior.  Believe it or not, people do buy houses with outdated ugly kitchens; I see it all the time.  I also see beautiful, "showcase" homes sit on the market for a year or more.  The crown molding (moulding is also a correct spelling!) in that house certainly didn't "drum up buyer interest" that much. 

They probably had an ugly ceiling fan.  That must be it...   

 

 

Staging Your Pike and Wayne County Home to Sell, ©Copyright 2007 by Karen E. Rice. All rights reserved.

Previously, I wrote a blog article on Lackawaxen - a quiet and secluded area in Pike County, by the Delaware and Lackawaxen Rivers. Similar villages nearby are Rowland, Shohola, and Greeley.

Lackawaxen and the surrounding area has a lot of appeal for those wanting to "get away", with a bit of rustic mountain charm of days gone by. Fishing and hunting enthusiasts find the areas around Lackawaxen to be a paradise.

There are several homeowner communities in Lackawaxen - two of the more popular ones are Fawn Lake Forest and Masthope. Both of these developments are built up around Lake Westcolang, a 250-acre lake that allows jet-skis and powerboats for lots of summer fun.

Two additional developments are Riverview Acres and Bear Ridge Estates. These are more quiet and low-key than Fawn Lake Forest or Masthope.

Did I mention that Masthope is home to a popular ski area? Yes! Ski-Big Bear, formerly known as Masthope Mountain, has been keeping the snowbunnies happy for decades...lest anyone think the appeal of Lackawaxen is limited to the summer months.

Get more Lackawaxen / Pike County PA Real Estate Info:

Homes for Sale in Fawn Lake Forest

Homes for Sale in Masthope

Lackawaxen PA Real Estate Info, ©Copyright 2009 by Karen E. Rice. All rights reserved.