Poconos Real Estate Blog

I Suppose You Expect Mail Delivery?

There are a few little things about the Pocono area that most of us locals have learned to accept as normal but may seem strange to newbies coming in.

One of these anomalies, for instance, involves having work done around your house. Most of us who live in these parts have accepted the fact that contractors around here don't need work. They don't call you back. They don't show up. They don't CARE if you tell all your friends that they didn't finish the job or do what they were supposed to do. They are a different breed, these Pocono Contractors. It is just a basic fact of life. Most of us have learned to adapt and by trial and error have found one contractor or handyman that is worth his weight in gold. (Yes, I have one but can't tell you his name, else I'd have to kill you) Some people have even resorted to bringing in help from their old neighborhood in New York or New Jersey, willing to pay the travel premium, give the dude free room, board and beer for the duration of the job, and/or wait for months 'til they can be scheduled in. Want to have some work done this summer? If you didn't line someone up around Thanksgiving last year, forget it.

Similarly, mail service up here is not like it is in other places. Sure, some homes in town or in a handful of other areas actually have a mailbox at the end of the driveway. And some actually have a normal looking mailing address like 1313 Mockingbird Lane. However, the likelihood that the house you are buying in the Poconos is thusly endowed is slim. MORE likely, you will end up with a mailing address like RR 5 Box 1234, or HC 88 Box 666, if mail is delivered to the house. MOST likely, you will end up with mail delivery at some location within your neighborhood with an address number not even closely related to the street address of the house you purchased.

Don't be alarmed, once you get used to it, you will actually receive your stuff if you follow these few simple Rules:

Rule # 1: If you buy a house in a community, your mailing address is not going to be the property address.

Learn this rule and learn it fast. Do not tell the utility company that your address is XXX SuchNSuch Lane, cuz it's not. Don't make up cute little change of address cards and mail them to all your friends before you move, because your housewarming gifts will arrive very late if at all. And please, don't tell the IRS to mail your refund check there either cuz it will be returned undeliverable. I know you want to get everything done and lined up before moving day, but you can't, because...

Rule #2: It is very likely that you won't get to know your mailing address until after closing.

Yes, this is very inconvenient but it will all work out, I promise. After you close on your new home you will go to the post office and show your closing documents as proof that you are entitled to a mail box. They will then assign you a number and tell you what your address will be. You do not get to pick your number, nor will it match your physical address. Heck, it won't even match the mailing address that the previous owner had.

Rule #3: Some of the folks helping you with your home purchase here in the Poconos may not know these rules.

Tell your attorney, the title company, your agent (if it's not me!), everyone, to read this article. Those folks who handle your closing are most important, though, because they will be the ones putting your mailing address on the deed to the property, which will then trigger the tax collector to update her records. So, let the closing agent know that you will call her/him with new mailing address. You don't even want to know what happens if you don't receive your real estate tax bills in a timely manner!

Rule #4: If you are getting a delivery from FedEx, UPS, the florist, etc, disregard Rules 1-3.

I know, it's confusing. But if you get deliveries from companies other than the United States Postal Service, use the property address. If you are ordering stuff online or from catalogs, carefully review their shipping procedures so you know which address to give them. There is nothing more heartbreaking than receiving that hot new Victoria's Secret bikini after the first frost.

If you are unsure about the mail situation on the property you are buying, contact the post office responsible for the zip code your new place is located in. They may be able to help you out. Or not. Many of the post offices have hired retired Pocono Contractors and serving the customer is not exactly high on the priority list.

(If you are reading this and happen to work in the post office where I get my mail, I don't mean you ;) xo)

Edit: I happened upon this interesting series of photos done by a way-kewl real estate agent in Florida - check 'em out.

Just the Facts, M'am : Market Statistics for Monroe County, Poconos, PA

There are a lot of opinions out there about the real estate market and most of them, unfortunately, are based on the national news stories which do not nearly illustrate local intricacies. I am not here to paint a rosy picture where one may not exist, but I am offering some facts for folks to generate their own opinions about our market here in Monroe County.

I will, of course, offer my opinion about these statistics near the end of this article, but all the numbers are factual and not distorted in any way.

To clarify what these numbers represent: I gathered statistics from the Pocono Mountains Association of REALTORS Multiple Listing Service (MLS) on June 3, 2008. The information, while deemed accurate, is not guaranteed, as the MLS system relies upon information being inputted by many different individual users, and does not include statistics for non-MLS sales. The statistics cover single family residential home sales for the time period of January 1 to June 3 of each year specified, only in Monroe County.

Our MLS overlaps over several counties but I felt that the data would be skewed by including them because of the changing dynamic of MLS coverage. More real estate companies are opting to join nearby MLS's in order to expand their marketing reach across regions. So today, for example, there are more listings from Lehigh, Carbon or Pike County than there were a few years ago. To keep it simple, and to make the comparisons fair, I limited the area.

Market Statistics for Monroe County, Poconos

* Info not available

For those of you for whom this basic data is not enough, I encourage you to download the latest Supply and Demand Report which offers more in-depth figures for all of the different municipalities in the County. For each municipality you will find details such as current active listings, under contract listings, year to date closed sales, and list and sale price averages. This info is very useful in determining what the local markets look like - realistically. After all, markets ARE local and even the statistics posted in the above chart will not accurately reflect what is going on in your neighborhood.

So What Does It All Mean?

There is no denying that we are experiencing a slow down. Fewer homes are being sold (although if you add the current Pending Sale inventory of 302 homes to the # of sales this year, things look a lot better), and the higher price ranges are feeling this particularly so. Buyers are bargain hunting and they are buying up the foreclosures and homes that are priced and marketed correctly. I have sold several homes in the past few weeks to savvy buyers who shopped the market and found the houses that are fair buys. They are out there. But there is a lot of inventory out there that is NOT priced and marketed correctly, unfortunately, and of course that is not selling.

What impact does THIS have on our market? The glut of under-marketed and over-priced inventory? I don't know for certain but my guess is that Buyers (and others who choose to focus on the negatives ;) ) see all this excess inventory and make the assumption that they are going to steal a home. This couldn't be further from the truth as I do not see many sellers being desperate enough to accept low-ball offers. I see banks choosing from multiple offers on foreclosure listings, and I hear 'regular sellers' threaten to take their properties off the market and wait until Buyers get off the fence about making a move.

Honestly, I wish they would do just that. The inflated inventory of unrealistic listings is not helping matters any.

Overall, though, we are doing ok: No drastic price decines, a foreclosure rate that is nowhere near that of some other areas of the country, and a market that continues to attract commuters, vacationers and second-home buyers, retirees, and investors.

Slow and steady wins the race!

Further Reading:

The Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS published an article about the PA housing market in it's latest issue of PA REALTOR Magazine.

Minimizing Risk & Reducing Stress While Buying a Foreclosure in the Poconos

Bank foreclosures are old hat for us here in the Poconos. Long before the recent rash of foreclosures experienced across the country, we have had a steady supply. (The reasons for this are a whole 'nother article.) Fortunately for our market here, we have had a steady supply of investors and bargain-hunters coming in to the area, too, so these homes have always sold at a decent pace.

So I do have some experience in helping buyers navigate through the process of buying a foreclosure as an investment or as their home. Furthermore, my first house was a foreclosure sale, so I have first-hand knowledge of the experience from the side of a buyer. To summarize, yes, a root canal is almost as fun as buying a foreclosed home, but once the immediate effects wear off, the reward is usually pain-free.

(As clarification, the term foreclosure in this article refers to bank-owned listings being sold through the MLS - other areas call these REO or Real Estate Owned properties)

Buying a bank foreclosure is not for the faint-hearted. For first-time buyers, the process of buying a home is, under the best of situations, stressful and confusing. But even for those who have some experience with previous home purchases, buying a bank foreclosure can be scary.

You are dealing with properties which are usually in need of repair, have no Seller Disclosure or representation with regard to condition and maintenance history, and have been abandoned. Do not discount this last fact, the idea of abandonment, as there is a subconscious effect from this fact for many of us. Why would someone let this house go? What's wrong with it? What did they know that I don't know? No one wants to feel like they are picking through someone else's trash!

But once a purchaser works through all of these emotions, weighs the market facts and finally comes to the realization that there is a huge opportunity to maximize equity by buying a foreclosed property, good decisions can begin to be made. Once a buyer firms up in their mind what kind of repairs they are willing to undertake and shops for and locates the appropriate property, they can approach a transaction armed with the information they need, minimizing their risks and anticipating & addressing possible stress points along the way.

So, what's the big deal? How is buying a bank foreclosure different from buying a property from a 'regular' seller?

THE DREADED BANK ADDENDUM
The banks have their own rules when it comes to selling property. While they do have to comply with real estate law as it exists in the particular state they are selling in, they have gone through this process hundreds or thousands of times and these experiences have caused them to streamline their process. They have corporate attorneys who analyze the risks the banks expose themselves to by virtue of being a seller in a highly regulated industry, and oftentimes have been involved in lawsuits, justified or not. In response to this, most of these banks have come up with a lengthy list of requirements and policies which they spell out on the dreaded Bank Addendum. This Addendum is <usually> a requirement of any offer they entertain, is non-negotiable, and can seem very one-sided and unfair to a purchaser. But the banks are well versed in CYA, so learn about the requirements and cover your own appropriately! Here are some of the more commonly questioned clauses included in these addenda. A discussion with your real estate attorney about their implications may be in order:

• Per Diem Penalty: A penalty for not closing when you say you will. Sure, the bank will extend the contract for you but will often charge you around $100 per day. Remember, time is money to the bank!
• Inspections: Yes, you can inspect. Usually the addendum states that it is for your information only and that they will not make any repairs. The buyer usually retains the right to cancel the contract if there are problems they aren't able to accept. Many times the purchaser is responsible for dewinterizing the property and turning on the utilities for the inspection, but not always. Also, the bank usually requires a fast turn-around on the inspection, often mandating that it be done in as little as 7 days from the time the bank accepts the offer. This is sometimes tricky for an out-of-town purchaser to pull off, but it is not impossible.
• Title Work: Sometimes the bank will pay for the title work on behalf of the buyer. This can be a big savings for a purchaser and, as long as your attorney reviews the policy, should be welcomed. However, be aware that title issues are not uncommon in foreclosure transactions. If the foreclosure proceeding was done sloppily, it will sometimes create a cloud on the title that can take some time to clear. Sometimes it is a simple fix, but other times, like when a Quiet Title Action is necessary, it can delay a closing for months. In these situations a buyer has the option of waiting or cancelling the sale.

Of course, every bank has their own Addendum and the document can vary in length from one page to eight pages or more. One other little tidbit of info: most banks provide the addendum up front so you can review it before making your offer, but sometimes the bank will provide the addendum as part of the counter-offer. Having an idea of what to expect is especially useful in this scenario.

MAKING AN OFFER
Just like with any other listing, an offer on a bank foreclosure is done in writing and utilizes a full Agreement of Sale (AOS). I use the standard Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS® form which is very thorough yet easy to understand. Of course, the Addenda described above would be attached to this form, and if there are conflicting clauses on the AOS and the Addendum, the Addendum takes precedence, unless State Law requires otherwise. Having an attorney help you navigate these nuances is important.

Normal contingencies like mortgage financing and inspections are acceptable to the banks. However, a sale contingent upon the sale of another property usually is not. They prefer to have the contract as clean and unencumbered as possible, thus reducing the risk of the transaction failing to close.

The bank will want to see a pre-approval letter before accepting an offer contingent on financing. Because pre-approval letters are not always a guarantee that a borrower is qualified, they sometimes require the prospective purchaser to fill out a Buyer's Financial Information form in lieu of or in addition to the pre-approval. This is to satisfy themselves that you are, indeed, a good prospect for the mortgage you are applying for. Again, risk reduction in action.

If you are paying cash for the purchase, or even if you are financing the purchase, expect to be required to provide 'proof of funds.' This can be in the form of a bank statement or a letter from your accountant. The bank needs to know that you have enough money to complete the transaction.

GETTING YOUR OFFER ACCEPTED
Keep in mind that the bank is evaluating your offer based on money, timing and risk so, besides carefully evaluating the price you are willing to pay, think hard about the other terms of your offer. The bank wants the transaction to close as soon as possible in order to minimize their carrying costs, and usually require a closing date within 30 days of acceptance. If you want to sweeten the deal, make it two weeks if at all possible. And keep the contingencies to a minimum. No 'Sale is contingent upon seller having the chimney cleaned' or the like. Simple mortgage contingencies and inspection contingencies are expected.

Of course you need to protect yourself and there may be unusual circumstances that require an odd contingency, but try to keep it as simple and as clean as possible.

Another caveat: While banks do value the cost of time and risk, they also have balance sheets to worry about. So keep in mind that your offer is mostly about the price. Cash offers are, very often, favored over those involving financing, but they don't always translate in to huge reductions in price. Buyers who need to get mortgages will often make their offer a little more desirable by raising the sale price. A few thousand dollars more in their offer translates in to small monthly payments for them, while giving the bank the needed plus signs in their ledgers.

Evaluate your position keeping in mind that it is all dollars and cents to the bank.

THE BANK'S COUNTER-OFFER
It is very likely that, if you like a property enough to make an offer on it, other Buyers do too. Even in the slow-ish market we are experiencing right now, multiple offers are very common on bank-owned homes.

When the bank gets more than one offer in on a property, they will usually counter-offer all of the prospective purchasers with a request for their Highest & Best offers.

This means that your offer was not accepted and that they are giving you an opportunity to revise it if you wish. They are letting you know that they have another (or multiple) offer on the table, but will not disclose the amount or terms of competing bids. They want to get the most for the house that they can so this is often the way they go about it. You do not get to know what the other offers are. At this point your choices are: 1-leave your offer the same 2-change your offer 3-withdraw your offer.

Once you go back to the bank with your highest and best offer, they will make a decision. This decision could include accepting one of the offers, negotiating with one or more of the potential buyers, or rejecting all of them. They are not under any obligation to accept anything, and are free to accept any other offers that come in in the meantime.

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT & GET IT!
Do not think that because the real estate market is a bit slower than normal that you are going to steal a foreclosure listing. Banks are well prepared to compete in this market and know what many sellers do not: that pricing a property well will generate offers quickly, in any market. They are not in business to own real estate and do what it takes to sell quickly and for top dollar, which is to price the listings slightly or drastically under market value to generate lots of interest and competition between buyers. This is why Buyers often find themselves in this 'highest and best' scenario - the banks plan it that way!

Moral of the story? Don't mess around. If you want the house and see the value in it, chances are someone else does too. Ask your agent for advice on the value of the property...as-is and as-fixed...to determine how high you should go. And, although the average foreclosure has sold for 96% of the asking price in 89 days this year**, these situations often generate fairly quick, full-price-or-higher sales. If the property is not worth that to you, fine. But don't lose a property you love because you think you SHOULD be able to negotiate it down.

This is not to say, of course, that every foreclosure listing is one you should fight for, but once you and your agent see a few homes in the neighborhood and analyze comparable sales, you will know good value when you see it. If you have analyzed the market properly, you should feel comfortable making an aggressive offer that will win you the sale.

For expert Buyer Representation in your foreclosure purchase, contact me today via email at info@lisasanderson.com or toll free phone 888.794.5589 !

**Information gathered from the Pocono Mountains Association of REALTORS MLS system on 5/12/08.

Buying a Penn Estates Home - FAQ #3 Safety, Security & Quality of Life

It may come as a surprise to some of my neighbors that not everyone has the same high opinion of Penn Estates as we do. Let's face it: A quick search of the internet for information about Penn Estates, as well as about life in the Poconos in general, reveals some not-so-flattering accounts of life here. As a matter of fact, I will admit to being a bit distressed at the one-sided information I found when researching what potential buyers might come across when they search certain topics. So, lest everyone out there get the wrong idea about us, let me try to balance the perspective a bit and tell you what I know. As a Mom, as a community volunteer & self-appointed advocate, a homeowner, and as a REALTOR(r), I feel I have to.

Penn Estates is home to over 6,000 people and compares in size to a small town. There are twenty-six miles of roads that serve 1700 properties. We contract with a private security firm to provide us with staff and services to manage the 24/7 safety needs of the community: guest registration & access control, patrols, traffic monitoring, emergency assistance, complaints, etc.

We are served by regional police departments, Stroud and Pocono Mountain, which cover a huge area of our county and are under-funded and under-staffed, just like most police departments that serve high-growth areas of the country. They rely heavily on and cooperate greatly with our private force to serve Penn Estates along with all of the other communities and towns in the areas they serve, and they are excellent in their response to 911 calls and crime investigation.

So my answer to the question "Is the community safe?" is 'Yes.' Is it perfect and crime-free? Of course not. Am I comfortable raising my teenage daughters here? Absolutely.

However, I think a better question is, what is Penn Estates, or any other area one might considering buying a home in, doing to address growth problems related to crime? How are these neighborhoods countering the negative effects of the continued population explosion our area is experiencing? IMHO, this is very important because as growth continues (which it will because it is a great place to live!), crime inevitably will too.

"What are areas doing to prepare themselves for that?" is a question that potential homebuyers should be asking when they research places to live.

Here in Penn Estates, we have been fortunate to have the support, guidance and cooperation of the Stroud Regional Police Department in establishing a model Neighborhood Watch Program, which we hope will be an example that the 'Burgs (the Boroughs of Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg) and other communities in the Poconos follow. We have already held the training session for the first group of volunteers and look forward to the grand opening of 'watch central' in the Community Center building at the main amenity complex (stay tuned for more info on that).

The areas that acknowledge the inevitability of issues and address potential issues proactively are the areas that will keep crime rates low and continue to grow property values.

Yes, the Poconos has its share of troubles, as would be expected in an area which is expanding so quickly. Undoubtedly, when you search for information on the area in general or particular communities, news articles and reports of specific crimes will come up. Robberies, grafitti, gangs, domestic violence, arson...no doubt you have come across stories about any of these things occurring in different parts of Monroe County...Brodheadsville, Saylorsburg, Bushkill, Effort, downtown Stroudsburg and, yes, Penn Estates have been affected at one time or another.

An unfortunate fact about bad news is, it always makes headlines...don't even get me started on THAT, as I could go on and on about the unbalanced reporting and fact-less accounts that make it to print.

But remember that the good things that happen every single day in neighborhoods and communities across Monroe County don't make headlines. And ask yourself, is paying attention to headlines going to give you a clear picture of what life is like here?

It is difficult to know what information to believe and whose stories are accurate. I know that even my claims will be scrutinized and perhaps even written off as a sales pitch. To be sure, no matter who you ask, they will say that THEIR neighborhood is the best =) Everyone has an opinion and bad news is plentiful, especially in someone ELSE's neighborhood!!

So my advice to you is, do your homework and seek out a balance in sources and in perspectives. Then, make the decisions that are best for you and your family.  Who knows, buying a home in Penn Estates or other areas of the Poconos just might be the best move you ever made!

• For specific questions related to crime in Penn Estates, feel free to email me, contact the Stroud Area Regional Police Department or the Pocono Mountain P.D. For information on State Police and other police departments and private forces in Monroe County, visit the Monroe County Control Center site.
  

• 2007 Crime Rates in the Monroe County Poconos This link has crime rates broken down by type of crime and jurisdiction. Penn Estates is located mostly in Stroud Regional, with a small portion of the community being part of Pocono Township.

Buying in the Poconos - Real Estate Links

• Communities & Developments Not all areas are link-able. Email me for info on specific areas you are looking at.
• Is the Time Right to Invest in Real Estate? Chicken Little vs. PollyAnna
• Are you being ripped off by your mortgage lender? Read: The Good Faith Estimate (part1)
• Pocono Mountains Maps & Transportation Info  is a good starting point for those thinking of commuting from Monroe County. Also check out my Transportation Page.
• Looking for a local real estate agent? Be sure to ask for references!

The Vacation Home as an Investment Strategy

The Poconos is a unique area for many reasons but, fortunately for those of us who buy, sell, own, and make our living from real estate, property remains uniquely in demand despite major market meltdowns elsewhere. This is not to say that things haven't slowed down this past year, but I consider this a mere blip in the overall picture of a vibrant real estate market.

There are three key factors which feed the market here: 1) The proximity to New York and New Jersey via I 80 and I 78 attracts commuters looking for a better, more affordable quality of life; 2) The population growth of the area, especially Monroe County, has beckoned to investors from far and wide bringing lots of commercial development; and 3) The time-honored tradition of the Poconos as a year-round resort area, recently rejuvenated by new attractions like Great Wolf Lodge and the Mount Airy Casino.

It is this last sector of the market that my favorite mortgage broker has chosen to address in his latest guest post. ~L

From the Desk of:

Andrew Williams

President

Abacus Regional Mortgage

It may not have occurred to the regular Pocono resort visitor that their yearly vacations here could be making them money, or to the real estate investor that a vacation home can be a lucrative way to round out their portfolio.

Because the Poconos is classified as a resort area, the purchase of a vacation home or second home and renting it out for weekend and weekly rentals has more than just the obvious financial benefits. Yes, cash flow is maximized by structuring your offering as a short term rental rather than  as a long term (monthly or yearly) lease, but there are two major advantages to purchasing your investment as a second home as opposed to the more common investment property scenario:

• The purchaser qualifies for a mortgage as a 2nd-home buyer rather than as an investor, allowing her to qualify for a better interest rate. Investor rates are normally 1/2% higher or more.
• If the investor spends two weeks but only two weeks in the property annually, he gains numerous financial advantages. The two week occupancy allows the owner to write off all the expenses on their Schedule E, which takes advantage of deductions like depreciation and mortgage interest in order to save on the investor’s income taxes. If the property shows a loss, and the investor earns less than $ 150,000 in income, they can write it off as a loss on their income tax returns.

DISCLAIMER: I am not an accountant and this is only my understanding of the tax advantages. Always seek professional advice from an accountant to fully weigh the advantages or disadvantages of this kind of scenario.

The ability to treat the property as a rental for income and tax purposes, while still getting the best available interest rate to finance the purchase, makes buying a vacation home in the Poconos a no-brainer. The 2nd home market in any of the many amenity communities in the Poconos is perfect for weekly rentals, and you can have your very own getaway spot reserved for your favorite weeks of the year.

For information on the best rates and programs available for your vacation home purchase, please call me at 610.837.1600. I will provide a complimentary consultation and mortgage advice you can count on!

Finding the Perfect Home ... or Husband

Face it, finding the perfect house is tough. Even with all of the choices out there today, it can be hard to find the one that is 'just right.' My famous line to buyers is this: Finding the perfect house is kind of like a woman looking for the perfect husband...if you could take a little piece of each one and put it all together then, voila, perfection.

But let's be realistic, honey...that ain't happenin' !

So what is today's cultivated woman to do? Lower her standards? Never!

My advice is, figure out what faults you can live with and then TRAIN HIM.  ( =) c'mon guys, stay with me here)

Finding the perfect house can be approached in the same way. Find that one that has the best combination of must-have features and lack of fatal flaws, and then fix it to your liking.

Better still, save your cash and finance the alterations!

Enter the FHA 203(k) Streamlined Mortgage.

This  program has been around for a couple of years but has been very under-utilized. Recent changes in the loan limits, guidelines and processes for FHA loans in general have made it a much more desirable program, especially in today's lending environment. What makes the Streamlined(k) mortgage so special is its ability to facilitate 'simple' repairs or improvements to a home...up to $35,000 worth.

Eligible improvements include some of the most common home repair issues we encounter here in the Poconos like:

•  Repair/Replacement of roofs, gutters and downspouts
•  Repair/Replacement of flooring, kitchens & appliances
•  Painting, both exterior and interior
• Septic system and/or well repair or replacement
•  Repair/replace/add exterior decks
•   Basement finishing and remodeling, which does not involve structural repairs

Other improvements which could be financed include:

• Basement waterproofing
• Window and door replacements and exterior wall re-siding
• Weatherization, including storm windows and doors, insulation, weather stripping, etc
•   Accessibility improvements for persons with disabilities
•   Lead-based paint stabilization or abatement of lead-based paint hazards

Basically the rule of thumb is, as long as there are no structural changes or proposals that require engineering or architect reports, they are probably finance-able under this program. Simply providing bids, estimates or projected invoices is all the additional documentation required for this loan. An appraisal will be done to ensure the as-fixed value of the property, and the program allows up to six months after closing to complete the work.

There ya have it, the solution to your house-hunting dilemma...it's easier than teaching your husband to put his socks in to the hamper!

For more information on the FHA Streamlined(k), please contact Bill Cullen at Hometown Security Mortgage (570)424.1289.

Is Now a Good Time to Buy a House in the Poconos?

Some may doubt my answer. It is, after all, given by a real estate agent whose income arguably depends upon her ALWAYS responding with a resounding 'YES!' when asked this question.

However, I have not earned the status of Trusted Agent by so many of my clients and neighbors by giving out self-serving advice. So, even though my answer is, indeed, 'yes,' please keep reading as you just might a) learn something about the real estate market, and/or b) find that even an evil, money-hungry agent can tell it like it is.

Either way, I've achieved my goal :)

So, yes, now is a good time to buy a house in the Poconos. And here is why:

1. Pennsylvania is not one of the 5 states driving the media's hysterical headlines about the housing crisis, the subprime mess or whatever other base topics threatening our confidence in real estate investment anywhere. Simply put, real estate markets are local and national news coverage must be ignored in favor of facts, statistics and anecdotal evidence from your target area. PA has never been and is not currently a volatile market.
2. The big-money investors are still investing here. A drive around Monroe County will reveal an incredible amount of money being spent on development and commercial projects all over the place. This kind of investing does not get done without feasibility studies, projections, etc. So what do they know that you don't know? That this is a desirable area and that the demand-well is not drying up.
3. There are plenty of choices out there. Hey, it is springtime so listing inventory is up. Better still, the 'passive-sellers' (those non-urgent owners who listed while the market was hot and were testing the market) are just about weeded out as contracts expire and these dreamers and their agents come back to reality. So you should now be seeing more homes available at the right prices.
4. Dan Green says, "Stop asking your real estate agent if now is a good time to buy." and offers some advice from the mortgage advisor's point of view that makes a lot of sense and has nothing to do with local real estate market conditions. The changing mortgage lending environment should be enough to encourage prospective home buyers to finally take the plunge...this year, before the pendulum swings completely the other way and mortgages get increasingly trickier to obtain (in other words, lenders' CYA policies become buyers' PIA!).

And if you are still skeptical...scared...worried or whatever, check out this article which explains the psychology of a real estate market and how one should evaluate the one that they are in.

Finally, if you have questions or need some information, just email me...I promise I will respond quickly!

Preparing for the Annual Invasion

No, this article is not about tourists =)

Many of us Pocono residents live in the woods, so bugs and critters are a way of life.  Below find some common-sense advice from one of my favorite home inspectors, Jeff Remas, who happens to be quite the expert on the subject of the creepy-crawlies. As you might expect, Jeff tells us that when it comes to Carpenter Ants prevention is the best medicine. Read on....

From the Desk of:
Jeffrey A. Remas, President
REMAS Inspections, Inc.
www.PAinspector.com
1-877-223-4462

Carpenter Ants are native to Pennsylvania, are here to stay, and can be a problem for your home. It would be a good idea to know a few basic facts about this voracious insect and what you can do to control them. 

For those who like to know the class, order and family (science geeks like me) they are: Insecta – Hymenoptera - Formicidae. You may need to brush to dust off your old text books. The Carpenter Ant gets its name from hollowing out galleries in pieces of wood for nesting purposes. They excavate the wood, they do not eat it. If you look closely at the scientific name “Camponotus pennsylvanicus” you can see we are in the trenches of the carpenter ant war.

Carpenter Ants are relatively easy to identify. They are polymorphic which in a basic sense means that they are of different sizes. We typically see the large black ant and assume they are the Carpenter Ant and 99.9% of the time you are probably right. The queens are about 1/2 – 5/8+” long and the workers are approximately 1/8 – 1/2” in length. The Carpenter Ant has three sections that make up its body. They are the head, thorax & abdomen from front to back. One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Carpenter Ant is a single node that sticks up between the thorax and abdomen. You will probably need a magnifying glass to see it. Although most Carpenter Ants are black in color, you will also find some with black & red or completely red or brown.

Has your home been invaded? 

The only external indication of infestation other than actually seeing the ants or swarmers is the appearance of small openings on the surface of the wood. Through these openings the workers expel debris with consists of sawdust like shavings and/or fragments of insulation or insect body parts including parts of Carpenter Ants. Did I mention they are cannibals? The accumulation of such debris is an indication of infestation. Unlike termites and powder post beetles whose galleries are filled with frass and excrement, the galleries of the Carpenter Ant are smooth and clean. They prefer to attack wood softened by moisture and fungus so let’s all keep our basements and crawlspaces drier. Soft, moisture-laden, unprotected wood is a prime target for the Carpenter Ant. If you find Carpenter Ants with wings inside your home, especially during the spring and early summer you can be pretty sure that they have set up a colony inside your home. This is not a good situation by any stretch of the imagination. 

What is their plan of attack in our area of the Poconos?

 Carpenter Ants set up camp or “colonies” in trees and stumps. In the early spring they are waking from a long winter’s nap and are in search of carbohydrates to get some quick energy and begin their plight to drive all Pocono residents crazy. A dry, clean home that is well maintained will not be a target for the ants. They may forage for food and when they can’t find any food or shelter to set up a “satellite colony” they will leave. In the summer they are building their colony, feeding, breeding and creating trails from the main colony to the food source. At the end of summer they are in search of protein to help them through their long winter hibernation period.

Defending your position.

There are several things you can to to protect your home and control an infestation. The first thing to do would be to reduce the moisture and humidity in the crawlspace or basement.

Next, make sure that all exterior openings and cracks are repaired and caulked, and keep a good finish on the exterior walls (ie keep up with the painting/staining) will help to keep the ants out. 

One of the biggest causes of infestation is lack of landscaping maintenance. Keep all trees and plants trimmed away from the home. This will help promote air flow, too, keeping the house drier.

And of course, keep all food and condiments in airtight containers.

All of this will reduce the chance of infestation. This is not an all-inclusive list but you will be well on your way to safeguarding your position.

Regaining the upper hand.

If your home already has signs of Carpenter Ants the best solution is a professional pest service. The market is flooded with home solutions. Just go to Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. and you will see plenty of products for you to use. If these products are not applied correctly you can make the situation worse. One of the common mistakes is for homeowners to apply a repellent to the exterior of the home as a barrier. Good idea, right? Not if you are trapping the interior infestation inside of the home.

Proper pest control of the Carpenter Ant includes the application of several different products (each for their own reason) and the identification of the colony and/or trail that they take. Professional pest control services have access to newer, safer, ecologically friendly chemicals with a long residual. Some chemicals are repellents, some are not and they all have their place. Some are rated for interior use and some for exterior only.

Remember, Carpenter Ant prevention or treatment is not a one time occurrence; it is a constant battle. 

Real Estate Investment Blog

I've been a semi-faithful reader of the BiggerPockets Blog for a few months...meaning, when I have time I check it out. It has been on my list of to-write-abouts for about the same length of time. This morning this video came into my feed reader and moved it to the top of my list immediately. Anything that can get ME to giggle before 10am is golden!

Some examples of the info you will find on BiggerPockets:

Managing Tenants Part 3: Written Criteria For Tenant Selection
Getting Started In Rehab Real Estate
The Mortgage Crisis Has A Silver Lining (...and other truths you won't hear on cable news this week)

For advice and information on investing in real estate here in the Poconos, stay tuned to the Poconos Real Estate Blog or email your favorite local real estate expert!

Zoning: A Beginner's Guide

From the Desk of:
Richard A Hetzel
Architect (NY) & Home Designer (PA)
 

Zoning is simply the regulation of what can be done with land. It regulates land uses in categories such as Residential, Commercial, and Industrial, separating a town or municipality into various zones for those purposes. 

Residential zones may be subdivided into areas with varying minimum lot sizes, and areas where uses are limited to single-family homes, and others to development such as condominiums and townhouses. 

Commercial zones may be subdivided into local or regional shopping uses, and zones where office buildings are permitted. 

Industrial zones may permit factories and warehouses and the like. 

A typical zoning map of a municipality accompanies this article. On it, each individual lot in the town can be seen, as well as the various zones and their boundaries.

Within each zone is a set of regulations that might govern:

§ Minimum lot area

§ Minimum street frontage

§ Front, side and rear setbacks

§ Minimum and/or maximum floor area

§ Building height 

Why are these things regulated? Primarily to protect each owner’s property values, but also to mitigate against property disputes, and often to control growth or for environmental reasons. For example, a lot with a well and a septic system requires much more than a 50 foot by 100 foot area, and may require an acre or more. Areas having steep slopes are often zoned with large lot area requirements. Areas in town with sewers and city water can easily accommodate small lots. 

What happens if you want to put an addition on your house, and the addition would extend into a required side or rear yard? You may have to seek a zoning variance, and to get one, you may be asked to demonstrate that you have no other way to achieve what you’d lie to do. Zoning variances are granted by Zoning Boards, which hear your arguments, hear objections or messages of approval from neighbors, and consider the impact of what you propose on surrounding properties and the neighborhood in general. There are some guidelines that these boards must follow, and they won’t grant you a variance just because they like you. 

How does zoning affect your property? It can regulate how close to the front, side and rear property lines you can build, and it can regulate the minimum and/or maximum floor area of your home, and its maximum height. Often the size of your home is limited by Floor Area Ratio, which is the total gross floor area of your home divided by the lot area. If you have a 3,000 square foot home on one acre (43,560 square feet), the Floor Area Ratio would be 3,000 / 43,560 or a ratio of 0.068. The limit might be something like 0.150. 

As lot sizes get bigger, the required setback distances also become greater, and the Floor Area Ratio maximum tends to get smaller. 

You can find the zoning requirements for your property by asking the local building department, or you can purchase a Zoning Ordinance, which will give you all the requirements for the entire municipality. Zoning Ordinances can cost anywhere from $5 to $50, and I’ve seen one that was $200! Usually for a residential property, asking the building department will get you sufficient information. 

Of course, you need a property survey map in order to determine your setback dimensions and lot area, and the size of your house. 

Zoning is a two-edged sword. On one hand, it protects you against uncontrolled development on adjacent properties, and on the other hand, it limits to a small degree how you can use your own property.

Here is a handy list of links to the Townships and Boroughs in Monroe County, PA. Many of them have zoning regulations and information posted on their websites.

Do I Need To Get A Survey?

From the Desk of:
Richard A Hetzel
Architect (NY) & Home Designer (PA)

Often, home buyers ask “do I need a property survey“? and they get various advice. Frequently, it is decided to use an existing survey, thus apparently saving the cost of a new one. If you look at a survey map, it will probably have a note saying “Certified to John and Mary Smith to be correct and accurate”, the Smiths being previous owners of the property, and perhaps the sellers. That statement gives the Smiths some recourse against the surveyor, should a property issue arise in the future. 

When Fred and Norma Jones buy the property from the Smiths, that certification is null and void, and “let the buyer beware” becomes the governing factor. What happens if it turns out that there is an error somewhere in the survey which affects the property size or shape? The answer is that the Joneses are stuck with no recourse, unless they can claim and prove fraud.

What does a surveyor do?

A surveyor will draw what is spelled out in the “metes and bounds” description of the property contained in a deed, a verbal representation of the property boundaries. If you do have a survey map, you should be able to follow the description on the survey. Metes and bounds usually consist of bearings and distances. The bearing is an angle, measured from an arbitrary north, expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds: N 15° 45’ 30” E means “face north, then turn 15 degrees 45 minutes 30 seconds toward the east”. That establishes a direction. The bearing is followed by a distance, such as 155.67 feet, so now your instructions are to turn at the angle given, and proceed 155 and 67/100ths feet. The description may now say “to a point”, or “to an iron pipe”, or to some other property marker. 

When you “arrive” there, the deed description will give you the next instruction, and will keep doing so until you arrive back at “the point or place of beginning”. If you arrive at the exact point of beginning, the description is said to “close”, meaning it describes a geometric shape which has no gaps in its boundaries. A surveyor will make certain that the property boundaries close within a certain very small tolerance. The smaller the property, the smaller that tolerance will be.

What can go wrong?

In one community in the Poconos, almost no one owns what they think they own. Their lots are delineated on subdivision maps filed with the county, but along the way people built houses and driveways and cleared land and, in doing so, established possession of a certain piece of land. This may or may not coincide with the boundaries shown on the subdivision map…unfortunately it often does not. Now what happens? 

If the buyers had retained the services of a land surveyor, the map he produced might have shown two completely different sets of boundaries. One set would coincide with the subdivision map and perhaps also the deed to the property. The other set of boundaries will be marked “as in possession”, and will be based on what land the owner actually appears to possess.

It is not the surveyor’s job to decide which are the proper boundaries, but only to show on a map the boundaries which he found in the field, and in his research into land ownership records, such as deeds and subdivision maps. The differences in boundaries are left to be settled between neighbors, and possibly in court. 

Why does any of this matter? Well, suppose the buyer is planning to add an attached garage to one side of the house, thinking there is just enough room for it between the house and the setback line dictated by local zoning law. Now he begins the construction, and his neighbor claims the garage will be too close to his property line. If there had been no survey, probably both parties would retain surveyors to determine the location of the property line. Let’s say it turns out that the neighbor is correct…now we have a problem. 

Money well spent!

And that’s why it pays to have a survey done and certified to you when you buy property. If there is a problem, it will arise before the sale is finalized, and can be resolved before the closing. Also, if you think you are buying an acre, the surveyor will determine the boundaries and calculate the exact area, and you will know that the acre actually exists. Sometimes, a considerable difference in the area of the property can affect the price. 

Yes, a survey costs money, but it can save horrible headaches later on. Most buyers are making the single biggest investment they will ever make in their lives. Why not be sure that what you are investing in actually exists?

Free Foreclosure Prevention Advice

The Hope Now Alliance is a program which offers free counseling to homeowners in jeopardy of defaulting on their mortgages. Whether the borrower is already behind in payments, is facing problems when the adjustable mortgage rate resets, or is able to stay current once the rate resets, help and advice is available.

The first step is to call the 24/7 hotline at 888.995.HOPE (888.995.4673).

HUD-approved counselors are on hand to gather information on the homeowner's situation and to determine eligibility for various options. The call will take around 45 minutes and the caller can expect the counselor to recommend action steps if the information gathering goes well, or a follow-up call if income and debt information is not readily available.

Recommendations vary based on individual circumstances, but options include refinancing, temporary rate freezes, and loss mitigation strategies such as a short sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure. Most often, the best advice is to be pro-active and not avoid the situation because of fear or anxiety.

When homeowners call they will NOT be judged or even billed for the service...it really is intended as a free resource for troubled borrowers to get the help they need, as it is in everyone's interest to rectify these problems quickly.

My best advice to you is MAKE THE CALL.

Further reading:

Avoiding Foreclosure in PA

FHA Refinancing

Representative Kanjorski's 2/4/08 Announcement Re: Fed Funding For Counseling

Mind in the Gutter? Here are 5 Good Reasons Why It Should Be!

From the Desk of:
Jeff Remas, President
REMAS Inspections
West Pittston, PA
877-223-4462

Many of the homes that I inspect in the Poconos do not have gutters and I am very often asked if they are even necessary. Since there are differing opinions out there, let me tell give you my perspective.

The most common excuse for not installing gutters is fear of ice dams, but gutters are not to blame. Ice dams are primarily caused by faulty, inadequate or poor insulation and ventilation of attic or roof space, and often combined with poor roofing techniques. The purpose of this article, though, is to focus on why gutters are important.

A quality, professionally installed gutter system that keeps debris out of the gutter would be my first choice. They are more expensive than traditional gutters but worth their weight in gold if you do not have the time or ability to clean out your own gutters. If you don't keep them clean, it is often worse than not having them at all. Gutters can become blocked and weighted down with leaves and debris which makes them useless. The added weight of the overflowing water along with the water soaked debris pulls on the gutter hangars and damage the roof or fascia. Good gutter maintenance and cleaning is needed for them to function. The trimming of trees overhanging the roof would be a great start to decrease the amount of debris in gutters. 

Here are a few problems associated with the lack of or damaged gutters:

Basement water problems Damaged or missing gutters can dump gallons of water directly onto the ground next to the foundation of the house. This water sometimes leaks through the foundation wall and can create water problems in the basement or crawl space.

Landscape washout Many homeowners have experienced damaged landscaping caused by problems with gutters.

Undermined driveways, patios, and walkways Excess water flowing into the ground near the house can erode the dirt directly beneath driveways, patios, and walkways. As the dirt is washed away, the driveway, patio, or walkway is no longer fully supported and can settle, crack, or even collapse. If you have already experienced this type of damage, fix the gutter or downspout problem before replacing or repairing the driveway, patio, or walkway.

Damaged fascia, soffit, or outside wall Problem gutters can cause damage to a house's structural integrity by allowing water to damage the fascia, soffit, or wood framing of the house.

Wood Destroying Insects Because wood destroying insects, such as carpenter ants and termites need water to reproduce and thrive, gutters which dump excess water near the house encourage insect infestation.

The bottom line is that gutters ARE needed and deserve your attention.  Any questions?

 

How To Create Your Dream Kitchen

Many homes in the Poconos were built during the boom years of the 1980's and many owners, like myself, have kitchens that could use a lift. For those who desire a complete makeover, Home Designer Richard Hetzel provides an excellent incentive to get started.  As he shows us below, achieving your dream of a new kitchen could be easier than you think!-L

From the Desk of:
Richard Hetzel
Architect (NY) & Home Designer (PA)

So you’d like to re-do your kitchen? Let’s assume you have the usual contemporary goals: more counter space, modern features, a better layout, more cabinet space.

Sometimes, a good way to start is to ignore the existing kitchen layout, and begin with a clean sheet of paper, on which we have drawn the outline of your kitchen…all the walls, doors and windows. On this paper, next we draw some three-foot wide swaths which represent the traffic flow of people through the kitchen. Then…grin…we put the cabinets and appliances in the spaces that are left!

Well, it’s seldom exactly that easy, but the principle is sound. If there is too much traffic flow, perhaps closing off or moving a doorway will help, and create more space. Occasionally we see a small kitchen with four or five doors in it, and we architects pull our hair out, too. The key is to simplify if possible.

Next we consider the “work triangle”, which is a triangle of straight lines connecting refrigerator, sink and range, preferably in that order. The work triangle should be as compact as possible, and should be arranged so that other family members can pop in and out to the refrigerator without getting into the work triangle and disturbing the cook.

Once we have the work triangle established, we can spot in other appliances…microwave, trash compactor, etc. It’s also nice to have a small desk area in the kitchen, with cookbook storage, telephone, note pad, and a place to collect the mail and other such papers.

People like pantries, if there is space for one, and if not, perhaps a full-height pantry cabinet is possible, with drawers behind doors. You’d be amazed at what can be stored that way in a three-foot space and still have easy access. If there is more space available, perhaps a broom closet can be combined with the pantry cabinet.

Islands and peninsulas are popular and can provide casual eating space and additional storage below. A kitchen space should be at least 14 feet wide for an island to be practical. A nice touch is to provide cabinet doors on both sides of the island, so that things like platters and roasting pans can be stored and retrieved without having to move something else to get at them.

Cabinet styles are a matter of taste and budget. If your budget can accommodate better cabinets that the big-box store variety, then you might consider having them custom-made to fit your wishes and your kitchen. It won’t cost that much more.

Counter tops range from the ever-popular (once) boomerang formica to exotic stones to concrete, with budgets to match.

Other touches that can make a kitchen more useful are recycling cabinets, where your standard recycling containers can be stored, and “appliance garages”, where various appliances such as coffee makers, toasters, mixers, etc. are stored out of sight behind a rolling door.

Here’s a view of a kitchen which incorporates a commercial range (not recommended), an island, a hutch, and a wine cooler, plus three doors and a stairway.

Commercial ranges are not recommended for residential use because of their very high heat output, and the requirement for a huge mushroom-type exhaust fan. Many commercial range manufacturers make residential models which are far more suitable for home use, and still have that utilitarian look. The refrigerator in the illustration is to the right of the sink, and is a counter-depth type with door panels which match the cabinets. This kitchen was designed in “craftsman” or “Stickley” style.

Kitchens afford wide latitude for creativity in layout and design, and if the principles given here are kept in mind, success is almost assured. Establish your budget early, and keep it in mind also. Once you have priced your cabinets, flooring and appliances, assume that labor will be anywhere from half to two-thirds of the total budget, and that would include electrical and plumbing work. So, for example, if those items came to $10,000, you can assume that labor would range from $10,000 to $15,000, and you would be close to reality.

Okay, you’re educated! Now go for it...what will your dream kitchen look like? Please click on the 'comment' button below and share your ideas!

Replacement Windows-A Primer

From the Desk of:
Richard A Hetzel
Architect (NY) & Home Designer (PA) 

Many older houses have lesser-quality builders-level single pane windows, and new owners often wish to replace the windows in their home to reduce energy consumption. Here are some replacement-window basics to consider. 

The difference between “new construction” windows and “replacement” windows is chiefly the method of attachment. Modern new construction windows are usually attached beneath the siding by means of a nailing fin.  This method cannot be used for replacement windows without removing siding. Replacement windows are usually installed by fastening through their jambs laterally into the wall, with screws.

It is a principle that a house will always look best with windows that are nearly identical with the original windows. If the original windows had divided lights, in most cases that is how the house will look best. Occasionally a house might look better with different types of windows, but this is rare.

Replacement windows are available in wood, aluminum, vinyl, fiberglass and vinyl-clad wood. Often homeowners avoid wood to eliminate periodic maintenance. Aluminum windows should be factory enameled or hard-coat anodized, and should incorporate a thermal break between outer and inner parts of their frames. Vinyl windows can be either quite poor or excellent in quality; it is usually a case of “you get what you pay for”. Fiberglass and vinyl-clad wood windows are excellent choices. The windows are available in all types and styles, since most are manufactured to order to fit the openings exactly. 

The new windows should be manufactured to fit the existing openings exactly. The use of filler panels to adapt smaller windows to existing openings usually seriously cheapen the appearance of the house, so that method should be avoided. 

Double-hung windows might be replaced with windows that tilt in for easy washing from inside the house, eliminating the need for ladder-climbing and tangling with the likes of rosebushes. 

Glass should be Low-E for its heat-reflecting quailities…the glass reflects heat back into the space in winter, and reflects heat back away from the outside of the window in summer, thus reducing energy consumption in both seasons. The glass should be, of course, double-pane insulating glass. 

Windows are available with grilles on the interior only, removable for easy washing, and with removable grilles inside and permanently applied grilles outside. Some come with matching fillers between the two glass panes to complete the illusion of real divided lights. The cheapest version of grilles has grilles permanently installed between the glass panes. And of course, there are true divided light windows available, but often their dividers are heavier than normal to carry the insulating glass. 

A final option, and a money-saving one, is to replace only the sash, the parts of the window that move. These must, of course, be manufactured to exact measurements, but are relatively easy to install, and come with new adjustable friction tracks which replace old-fashioned window weights, ropes and pulleys. 

A good carpenter is probably best for installing replacement windows, or a talented handyman. It is not beyond the skill of an experienced and capable homeowner, either. When installing the windows, you might use a spray foam insulation around the perimeter to prevent drafts, or pack the gaps with fiberglass insulation, but not too tightly. 

So, lots of choices are available. Some will be eliminated by the style of your house and its existing windows. Others might be eliminated by budget considerations. Of the rest, as long as they aren’t the really cheap ones, any will make a big improvement in the comfort and energy consumption of your home, so you can’t really go wrong.

Please use the comment button immediately following this article to post questions!

Pocono Area Window & Glass Retailers:

Cramer's Home Building Centers
320 N. Courtland St.
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
Michael Carmella
570-421-0574
Fax 570-421-1005
www.cramers.com

Mesko Glass
314 Washington St
East Stroudsburg, PA , 18301-2822
Phone: 570-421-5260
FAX: 570-421-2354

Pella Products, Inc.
Scotrun Plaza, Box 309
Scotrun, PA 18355
570-629-3700
Fax 570-629-3702
www.pella.com

Stroudsburg Door & Trim
128 N. First Street
Stroudsburg PA 18360
570-424-2645
570-424-0406


Further reading:

http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/article.asp?article_id=60193
http://www.rd.com/familyhandyman/content/17723/

 

What is Radon?

RADON
From the desk of Jeff Remas, President
REMAS Inspections

877-223-4462

If you live in Pennsylvania or are thinking about it, I'm sure by now you have heard about Radon.  Pennsylvania is a  class 1 radon state due to it's higher than average levels of Radon gas. Everyone knows that Radon is a colorless, odorless gas, but where does it come from and what can it do to us?

It all starts with Uranium in our soil. That's right, radioactive Uranium! The Uranium eventually decays and starts to break down into Radium, another radioactive element in our soil. Both Uranium and Radium are solid and metallic. The "half-life" or the time it takes an element to lose half of its strength of Uranium is 4.5 billion years. The "half-life" of Radium is 1,620 years. So as you can see, it is going to be here for quite a long time. When the Radium in the soil starts to break down, it forms a gas as a bi-product called Radon which is what all the fuss is about. By the way, the "half-life" of Radon is only 3.82 days so it does not last very long, but it does pack a punch. Because radon is a gas, it can move about and enter homes. Pretty "geeky" stuff here so far but as long as you are still reading, I will have no choice but to continue on our little Pocono science class. Now we know that Radon loses half of i