Archive for Altoona PA
Housing is Back!
Posted by: | Comments
We aren’t saying it though…Fortune Magazine is. And in a big way.
Not only does the magazine go out on a limb and predict a housing comeback during 2011, but it actually projects that a housing shortage may be in our near future. After 4 years of downward pricing trends and constant headlines about doom and gloom in the real estate market, it is encouraging (dare we say exciting?) to hear that downward pressures will soon be easing.
The author of ‘Real Estate: It’s Time to Buy Again’, Shawn Tully, along with Fortune Magazine was one of the first to predict the housing bubble burst, all the way back in 2004. By analyzing supply, credit standards, and the cost of renting vs. owning, Tully stated that the price appreciation at that time far exceeded the normal zone and that the housing market was in for a rude awakening. Read More→
FHA Changes Just 18 Days Away
Posted by: | Comments
It isn’t often that we get technical here at the S&A Homes blog, but some things are too important to ignore, and the upcoming changes to FHA Financing definitely falls in that category. If you are even considering purchasing a home and utilizing the many benefits of FHA loans to do so, then you need to be aware of the additional expenses that will be associated with those loans starting April 18th.
Here are the changes in a nutshell:
-Those with less than 10% down will see an annual increase of 50 basis points on their Mortgage Insurance Premium. Those with more than 10% down will see an annual increase of 25 basis points. (Read below for more on what this really means)
-Maximum Seller’s Contributions will be reduced from 6% to 3%. If you are one of those folks hoping to take advantage of no closing costs, then this definitely affects you as the seller will no longer be allowed to contribute more than 3% of the purchase price on behalf of the buyer.
-Credit standards will tighten up – Those with credit scores less than 580 MUST put at least 10% down. This means very little, considering most lenders require 620 to issue a loan in the first place. Read More→
Homes, iPads, Facebook…Oh My!
Posted by: | Comments
There aren’t many places where you can see life-size soup can displays of household items, talk with home builders and register for a free iPad just for jumping on Facebook! But this weekend and next, homeowners and renters living throughout Blair and Centre Counties will have an opportunity to do just that.
This Friday, March 4th kicks off the Blair County Home and Garden Show at the Jaffa Shrine in Altoona, Pennsylvania and S&A Homes will be there with bells on! The show runs for three days, from March 4th – March 6th, and is the perfect place for the kiddos to burn off some steam while the “older” kids learn more about every possible housing option they can think of. Read More→
Home Ownership = Pride
Posted by: | Comments
Are you renting and a little nervous to take the plunge into home ownership for the first time? What’s holding you back? Sure, there’s more responsibility, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Trust us, there is a lot to look forward to when you can kick your rental to the curb!
First, you get all the traditional perks of owning a home. You know… the ones you’ve heard time and again about tax benefits, equity and security. However, there are several intangible benefits that you may or may not have thought of.
- Consider Fido’s needs. When you own a home, you can have any type of pet that you’d like and a yard for your furry friend to roam in. No worries about hefty security deposits or ridiculous weight requirements! Read More→
Operation Organize Simplify Contest Winners Announced
Posted by: | Comments
S&A Homes’ Operation Organize Simplify contest has come to a close and the results are in. Congratulations to contest winner Chelsea Bester, who will receive a $150 Home Depot gift card and $500 (on top of the normal Realtor commission) with the next home she sells in one of our communities. Contest participants answered this question, If you could build your dream home, what is the one organizational item that you would incorporate into every home?
Bester’s idea for Operation Organize Simplify is to put a classic mudroom in every home. Her ideal mudroom would have at least one window and plenty of light. It would have a nice, cozy bench with storage space underneath for storing boots. There would also be a counter space for groceries, a center for taking care of the family pets and various storage options for clothing. For important news, a message board would be available for family members as soon as they entered the house. And finally there would be a tiled floor for easy cleaning because, well, who likes cleaning?
Suzy Alexander with Keller Williams Advantage Realty and Darla DeLaney with Coldwell Banker Town and Country were the runners-up. Each of them Read More→
Things Are Looking Up for Creating Storage Space in the Garage
Posted by: | Comments
Operation Organize Simplify is ready to tackle the space that rarely sees middle ground. It’s either a clean, carefully organized room with every spare tool and nail in its place or it’s, in a word, not.
And when the garage is a mess, other messes seem to get bigger. Need to fix the something fast? If only you could find the right screwdriver, that might be possible. Ready to hang the holiday lights? First you have to pull out half of boxes in the garage to reach the lights, the ladder, the hammer and the hooks. Anticipating that Santa may bring a bike, a scooter and a four-wheeler that will need a permanent home? It looks like you’ll need to find a spot in the bedroom.
For many homebuyers, the garage is an afterthought to home organization. It’s only after most of the boxes are unpacked that they realize they need Read More→
Help the Salvation Army by Fanning the S&A Homes Facebook Page
Posted by: | Comments
You can donate to the Salvation Army just by visiting the S&A Homes Facebook page. Isn’t that easier than braving the cold temperatures, dodging through crowds of shoppers and digging in your pocket for coins to drop in a red kettle? Visit our page and “like” it, and we’ll donate $1 to the charity. While you are visiting our Facebook page, please consider making an additional donation directly to the cause on the Salvation Army tab.
Already a Facebook fan of S&A Homes? Then let’s take this thing viral! We encourage you to invite your friends to join the cause. Just copy and paste the message below:
S&A Homes of Pennsylvania will donate $1 to the Salvation Army for every new fan on their Facebook http://www.facebook.com/sahomes page now through Christmas. It will take just a few seconds and is such an easy way to give! “Everyone deserves a second chance. Not to mention a first.”
Just think…a few moments of your time could yield hundreds of dollars for the Salvation Army, where they’re all about “Doing the Most Good.”
We at S&A Homes thank you for helping us help others and for allowing us to serve you. Whether you are a homeowner, a home buyer, a friend or a passer-by to our blog, please visit often. You’re always welcome here!
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Marks Beginning of Energy-Savings Research
Posted by: | Comments
The pomp and circumstance that took place on November 11th at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the nation’s first net-zero energy lab home was an appropriate way to celebrate the accomplishments of both S&A Homes and IBACOS during 2010. The two companies have worked closely over the course of this past year to build a real-life ‘research project’, so to speak, that will continue to push the envelope to develop affordable, cutting-edge technologies for new home builders for years to come.
The home features a multitude of different energy-saving technologies, each of which will be closely monitored over the next two years, thanks to on-site computer-based testing that will not only simulate the ‘typical’ energy consumption of today’s modern family, but more importantly, use that data to see what works and what doesn’t.
What does this mean for you and me? It means that the information collected from this home will be used to help implement relatively unknown (or unused) technologies into all new homes at an affordable price. After all, we have to Read More→
Building on Your Land? 5 Things You Need to Know
Posted by: | Comments
Driving through the mountains of Pennsylvania and West Virginia over the last two weeks has felt more like taking in a painted landscape, thanks to the brilliant autumn colors that seem to glow against the blue sky. It isn’t uncommon to daydream about having your own dramatic backdrop for your new home in lieu of the more traditional neighborhood that most new homes are built in.
But to most, the thought of purchasing a piece of ground and then taking the steps to build on that land seems daunting and overwhelming. After all, where do you start? Do you have blueprints drafted? Do you hire an inspector to look at your ground? Who is going to walk you through that process?
More than 30 years of working with our customers to build on their own piece of land has taught us a few things about what works and what doesn’t work. Here are a few tips for any of you thinking about before you build on your lot in Pennsylvania:
- Go with a builder that can give you a quote with guaranteed pricing. That’s right! After all, estimates that may or may not shift by 20 or 30% are NOT going to give you peace of mind about sticking to your budget.
- A reputable builder should be willing to conduct a thorough lot review with you to come up accurate pricing and estimate of work required FREE OF CHARGE. Beware of builders that want to charge you for the same service. Read More→
S&A Gives Buyers Organizational Options
Posted by: | Comments
Is your home a mess? Leave your clutter behind! Clean up the mess and put everything in its place. Home buyers of Central Pennsylvania Builder, S&A Homes can now get organized easily! S&A is giving buyers who close by the end of the year organizational items. All you have to do is ‘like’ the S&A Homes Facebook fan page and click on the $1,500 tab to download the coupon good for an ADDITIONAL $1,500 toward organizational upgrades on top of any advertised incentive. Finally, just purchase your S&A Home between now and November 30, 2010 to claim your incentive.
Of course, you’ll want visit the S&A Homes website to explore all of our communities and learn more about our Design Center. Home buyers meet one-on-one with Design Center representatives to choose organizational elements from pull out shelves and pantry organization systems to mud room cabinetry and organization systems. Of course you can also choose upgraded carpet, light fixtures, tile, hardwoods, cabinetry and much more.
S&A Homes builds quality, energy efficient homes in more than 60 communities throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland. We are Read More→
Equal Housing Opportunity