Susan Mangigian, Chester County Life

Clocktower Woods is nestled off of E. Boot Road and Line Road in East Goshen Township.   I believe the neighborhood was started in 1999 by the Hankin Group.  The average lot size is about 1/2 an acre and the homes are simply lovely.   I remember that when the builder first start building, several Bow Tree neighbors jumped ship and headed over to the newer development.  Bow Tree is another popular neighborhood in East Goshen Township.  Homestyles in Clocktower Woods are varied, but mostly consist of stucco, siding with some stone or brick fronts.  Some homes have lovely front porches, most have first floor offices/dens. There is one model that has a first floor master bedroom suite.

Clocktower Woods is part of the West Chester Area School District.

There is currently only one home for sale in the neighborhood, listed at $754,900.

Two sales within the last 12 months were $801,000, $807,500 and one pending sale of a home that was listed for $859,900 and is scheduled for closing on 2/16.

Looking for a Chester County home?  I'd love to help.

I still cannot believe that it's near the end of January in 2012!!  My life, it seems is whizzing by and I have lots to be thankful for.  I have only to think about my older son, who is scheduled to graduate from Kutztown in May to see how fast my life is whizzing.   It seems like yesterday that I tearfully hugged him goodbye.  He's doing well and I'm very proud of him and his little brother, who towers over me at 5'11"!  Don't tell him I said that though, because to his face I act as if he still isn't taller than I am!

I got a call yesterday from a man who volunteers with me at Meals on Wheels.  He is giving me two week's notice because due to health reasons and an impending operation, he will be unable to continue to volunteer.  I won't name him so that I do not embarrass him, but he's been volunteering since 2001.  He is 85 years old and every single Friday he delivers meals on wheels to home bound individuals.  Wow.  Wow.  Just wow.  I thanked him for his years of service and I pray his surgery goes well.   I can't even begin to convey how thankful I am for people like him.  

Anyone who is sitting around feeling sorry about getting a little older should think of him, at 85, delivering meals on wheels to some people who are probably a lot younger than he is.

I'm also thankful to the person who just called my cell phone, asking for me with the most imaginative pronunciation of my last name yet.  It always cracks me up.   Years ago, in the old days before computers, we real estate agents use to have to call each listing office to show properties.  I would have to spell my name to the duty agent who answered the phone and however they spelled it back; I used to say "that's right".  When the listing agent would them call me for feedback, and try to pronounce my name however the duty agent spelled it, this always gave me a chuckle.  Maztigiam?  That's right!   It's always the little things that make a day.

Enjoy your day and as always, Carpe Diem!  

I got a call yesterday from a man who is temporarily living with his in-laws.   He didn't seem particularly happy about this turn of events and likened it to being stuck between a rock and a hard place.   If you are looking for a soft place to land and aren't sure if you can buy or rent, and if you can buy, how much of a home you can afford, talk to a real estate agent.

A real estate agent will put you in contact with a mortgage person who will keep your business private and let you know where you stand.  If you need to rent right now, let your agent help you find a place.  Many rentals are listing on the MLS.  If you can buy, the mortgage person will share your price range with your real estate agent and prepare a pre-approval that you will pass on to the seller of the home you decide is "the house of your dreams".

Let me know if I can help.  I won't leave you stuck in a hard place!

I deliver meals on wheels every Thursday.  It's the best part of the week for me.  As Chairperson of the Goshen-Towne Chapter of Meals on Wheels, I am also responsible for drivers and one of my drivers needed a substitute for today.  I gladly volunteered to take her route as it's the same one I drive and it  takes me to my very favorite over 55 community, Hershey's Mill.

It was a very foggy day today and I took a minute to take a photo of one of my favorite parts of the community.

Currently, there are 61 homes for sale in Hershey's Mill ranging from $149,000 to $495,000.  That is up 6 since my last post about Hershey's Mill.   There are also 6 pending settlement.

There is quite a selection and there is a home in every size and with every amenity.

If you are looking for a home in an over 55 community, I'd love the opportunity to take you on a tour of the different villages in Hershey's Mill.  It's an active community with many fun things and groups.  It is also fully gated and guarded 24 hours a day.

My office is also  located in East Goshen Township.   I am never too busy to help with your real estate needs.

I had a busy weekend planned.  I had a listing appointment on Saturday in Springfield, Delaware County.  The client and I were going to discuss the market value of her home and also potential homes that she might consider retiring to.   There are many over 55 communities in the area and we were going to be spending time discussing them.

On Sunday, I had an open house planned.  1 to 3, to beat the football games.

The old saying when man plans, God laughs is never truer than in Real Estate!

My Saturday appointment called me to say that her driveway wasn't plowed and we would need to reschedule.  That's actually okay because I have another client I am going to call on in Springfield while I am there next week.

My open house at 718 Morgan Circle was simply not to be.  Because the weather forecast downplayed the snow somewhat, the seller did not have a chance to have the driveway shoveled or plowed.  I took a ride out there today and the driveway was a sheet of ice.  I didn't want folks tramping around this lovely home with snowy feet but I also didn't want anyone falling down and getting hurt so I made an executive decision to reschedule until next Sunday.   Please mark your calendars.... 1/29/12 from 2 to 4!  See you there!

230 Flagstone Road has been reduced to $199,900!  This is a fantastic price for a great home in Byers Station.

You'll love everything about this nicely decorated home, including no exterior maintenance, wonderful club house with great gym and a community pool!

Leave your snow shovel at the old place and move in to this lovely home now!

You've been online; you've been perusing the websites and looking at homes in your price range. 

What is your price range?   Many buyers have a solid idea of what price range they should be looking.  The best way to know would be to contact a buyer's agent and have them set up an interview with a mortgage person.  New restrictions and loan to value ratios may mean that the loan you thought you qualified for is not the loan you'll receive.  Interestingly enough, you may actually qualify for much more than you are comfortable taking on.  

After getting pre-approved, you and a trusted buyer's agent can decide within the parameters of your pre-approval a comfort zone, for price range.  You will need to decide what on your "wish list" is a must and want is simply a desire.  Do you absolutely have to have finished basement?  Do you need a 3 car garage, or can you make do with 2?    There may be a perfect house out there that has everything but that 5th bedroom you want.  Can you adjust your "wants" to get everything else you need?  Some trade-offs in your wants can really pay off when you go to resell!

There are many decisions to be made when you decide you want to buy a home.  Let a buyer's agent help you make the right decisions.

A good agent will be happy to sit down with you for a free consultation to see if you are a good fit to work together.

Hershey's Mill is my favorite over 55 community.  It may be because it is located in my hometown of East Goshen.  It's also one of the most beautifully landscaped and layed out developments that I've ever visited.

Currently, there are 54 homes for sale in Hershey's Mill ranging from $149,000 to $495,000.  As you might imagine, there is quite a selection and there is a home in every size and with every amenity.  

If you are looking for a home in an over 55 community, I'd love the opportunity to take you on a tour of the different villages in Hershey's Mill.  It's an active community with many fun things and groups.  It is also fully gated and guarded 24 hours a day.  

My office is located a stone's throw from the community and it would be a pleasure to show you around.

I have had a cough for the better part of a month and prior to Christmas the doctor ordered rest.  Really?  Rest, the week before Christmas for a full time Realtor, mother of two who was serving dinners on 12/23, 12/24, 12/25 and 12/26?  Well I got finished laughing, and then finished coughing because sadly when I laugh I cough, I told her rest would have to wait for another time.

So I did my thing, got through the holidays and the new year and well, still coughing.  About 10 days ago she prescribed the same thing.  Quiet rest.  Stay home, try not to talk on the phone, no gym time.  I tried it.  I followed orders,  I took all the medication.  I stayed off the phone as much as a real estate agent could and still get my work and business done.  I haven't been to the gym since the beginning of December.  The gym is my happy place and my best stress reducer so I was really missing it.

Still coughing.  Today I decided to resume my life, cough or not.  Back to they gym. Out to lunch with a friend. Blogging, Facebook, calls to clients.  Even tried to show a home but the listing company doesn't work on the weekends and they do not use an appointment center so I couldn't.  I can't imagine working for a company without an appointment center so that other agents could make arrangments to show my lisitngs when they needed to.

I'm still coughing but I am resuming my usually busy life.  I will continue to take care and take my meds.  This too shall pass.

I am proud to be a RE/MAX Agent and here is Dave Liniger, Chairman and Co-Founder of RE/MAX International with his top 10 predictions for real estate in 2012.  Dave is a smart man and I am inclined to believe he knows what he is talking about.  It's nice to hear some good news and some common sense solutions to some of the problems we are facing.