Looking for Lebanon PA Restaurants?  Here's a great list we've compiled just for you!

Mount Gretna, PA

Mount Gretna is a borough in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. The population was 242 at the 2000 census. It is a popular place in the summer, for it has a nationally-ranked juried Mt Gretna art show (third weekend in August), jazz and chamber music concerts, lectures, book reviews, and an annual tour of historic homes and cottages (1st Saturday in August). You can see the annual Mt Gretna arts calendar online.  You can visit the Mount Gretna Arts Council online as well.The community also has a roller rink, lake, open-air Mount Gretna Theater, miniature golf course, several restaurants, playgrounds, and an award-winning ice cream parlor known as the Jigger Shop. The surrounding area, which includes seven distinct neighborhoods, has a year-round population estimated at 1,500 persons. Summertime population increases to about 2,500.  There's also the popular Mount Gretna Lake recreation area.

Visitors to the center of Mount Gretna will notice something quite unusual: no lawns. The area around Mount Gretna is rolling and wooded, and this extends to the "yards" of the houses and other buildings. As one tourist noted: "it's sort of an elf village." Indeed, as one drives along the highway toward Mount Gretna, the woods stay the same, it's just that there are more and more buildings in the forest. According to many of the original deeds for houses, one could build over the property line if the area was used for a porch, and many of the lawns were sacrificed for porches.

Created in 1889 as a summer colony by Robert Habersham Coleman, an iron processing and railroad industrialist whose Cornwall Iron Furnace still stands nearby and is open to the public, the community was a pleasure stop on what was then Coleman's Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad. Between 1889 and 1916, when it was shut down, Mount Gretna was the terminus of the C&L RR line known as the Mount Gretna Narrow Gauge Railway, a tourist railway to the top of Governor Dick Mountain nearby.

In the Campmeeting areas, some of the streets are no more than footpaths. The area was laid out long before automobiles became publicly accessible, and public parking is hard to come by. The cottages are in either the "gingerbread", late Victorian, or art deco style.  The Mount Gretna Inn is also a lodging option.

The Mount Gretna Playhouse showcases a series of plays, musicals, and other special events throughout the summer season. It is also the summer performance venue for Music at Gretna, a notable chamber music and jazz series, as well as for Gretna Theater and the week-long Cicada Festival of family entertainment. The Gretna Playhouse has been under the artistic direction of professionals such as Will Stutts and showcases a series of plays, musicals, and other special events throughou the summer season. Past employees include Kris Valentine, Becca Landis, Robert Campbell, Amy Kellett, Duffey Westlake, Rick Voight, Joe Borkovich, Dallas Mease, and Aubrey Boyd.

Mount Gretna's "Hideaway Cafe" restaurant and bar is a popular spot for lunch or dinner, and a favorite late-night gathering spot for locals. The Timbers Dinner Theater and Restaurant offers summer musical revues and is open for dining year-round. Le Sorelle Cafe is open on weekends in winter and Tuesdays through Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  There's also Rebecca Bridy's Chef On The Go for busy folks.

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Coldwell Banker Select Professionals, based at 1000 North Prince Street in Lancaster and with additional offices in Lebanon, Hershey & York can be reached at 717-735-8400 or at www.cbselectpros.com. Coldwell Banker Select Professionals serves the Lancaster PA real estate, York PA real estate, Hershey PA real estate, Lebanon PA real estate markets with local offices and agents.

Here's a look at Home Sales & Prices in Harrisburg PA.  Homes for sale in this area largely include Harrisburg City and the Pennsylvania Capital area.  These statistics are from 2004-2008 of residential homes listed on the Central Penn Multi-List, which covers Dauphin, Perry, Cumberland Counties:

Notice how the sales peaked in 2006, but the listings peaked in 2007.  2008 Home Sales dropped to 2003 levels.

Here's a look at the average prices of Harrisburg PA Homes during the 2004-2008 period:

Note that the average list price of Harrisburg Homes that actually sold (the dark blue line) corresponds closely to the average sold price.  There's a bunch of reasons for that.  What's really interesting, though, is the average listing price of homes that did not sell.  Take a look at the green line - it's rapidly climbing!  So, the Harrisburg home seller looking to get $100K in 2008 would have had to settle for $75K?  Hmmm.  After a low period, expired listings came roaring back to 22% of listings in 2008. 

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Coldwell Banker Select Professionals, based at 1000 North Prince Street in Lancaster and with additional offices in Lebanon, Hershey & York can be reached at 717-735-8400 or at www.cbselectpros.com. Coldwell Banker Select Professionals serves the Lancaster PA real estate, York PA real estate, Hershey PA real estate, Harrisburg PA Real Estate, Lebanon PA real estate markets with local offices and agents.

Wrightsville, PA History

Wrightsville is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania. The population was 2,223 at the 2000 census. Wrightsville borough has a police department, historic society, and a volunteer fire company.

According to a plaque at Samuel S. Lewis State Park, which overlooks Wrightsville and the Susquehanna River, Wrightsville was George Washington's first choice as location of the Capital of the United States.

The world's longest covered bridge (5,960 ft) once spanned the Susquehanna from Wrightsville to neighboring Columbia in Lancaster County. Built in 1814, it was destroyed by high water and ice in 1832. A replacement bridge was burned in June 1863 by state militia during the Gettysburg Campaign in the American Civil War. Confederate troops under John Brown Gordon formed a bucket brigade to save the town from fire. Yet another replacement covered bridge was destroyed by a windstorm a few years later. The final bridge, the Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge, was a steel open-air bridge constructed in 1896 and razed in the early 1960s.

Wrightsville was the northern terminus of the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal.

In 2007, Wrightsville was the chosen location for the rekindling of the War of the Roses between the York Revolution and the Lancaster Barnstormers baseball teams. Wrightsville was chosen for its location on the Susquehanna River, the boundary between York and Lancaster counties.

York County, Pennsylvania

York County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2004, the estimated population was 401,613. York County is located in the Susquehanna Valley, a large fertile agricultural region in South Central Pennsylvania.

York County was created on August 19, 1749, from part of Lancaster County and named either for the Duke of York, an early patron of the Penn family, or for the city and shire of York in England. Its county seat is the city of York.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 910 square miles, of which, 904 square miles of it is land and 6 square miles of it (0.64%) is water. The county is bound to its eastern border by the Susquehanna River. Its southern border is the Mason-Dixon Line, which separates Pennsylvania and Maryland.

The York-Hanover Metropolitan Statistical Area is the fastest-growing metro area in the Northeast region, and is ranked nationally among the fastest-growing in the nation, according to the "2006 Population Estimates for Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas" (U.S. Census Bureau). The estimates listed York-Hanover as the 95th fastest-growing metro area in the nation, increasing 9.1 percent between 2000 and 2006.

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Coldwell Banker Select Professionals, based at 1000 North Prince Street in Lancaster and with additional offices in Lebanon, Hershey & York can be reached at 717-735-8400 or at www.cbselectpros.com. Coldwell Banker Select Professionals serves the Lancaster PA real estate, York PA real estate, Hershey PA real estate, Lebanon PA real estate markets with local offices and agents.

The National Trust For Historic Preservation this month named our very own Lititz PA as one of their top 12 distinctive vacation destinations, joining other noteworthy locales across the country.  Here's the list with links to their pages on the Historic Trust website:

• Santa Barbara, California
• Athens, Georgia
• Saugatuck-Douglas, Michigan
• Virginia City, Nevada
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Buffalo, New York
• Lititz, Pennsylvania
• Bristol, Rhode Island.
• Hot Springs, South Dakota
• Franklin, Tennessee
• Fort Worth, Texas
• Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Some names are more well-known than others, but it's clearly an honor for Lititz to be included on this list.  If you're interested in homes for sale in Lititz PA or anywhere in Lancaster County PA, visit www.cbselectpros.com for the latest listings and the best Realtors.

Coldwell Banker Select Professionals, based at 1000 North Prince Street in Lancaster and with additional offices in Lebanon, Hershey & York can be reached at 717-735-8400 or at www.cbselectpros.com. Coldwell Banker Select Professionals serves the Lancaster PA real estate, York PA real estate, Hershey PA real estate, Lebanon PA real estate markets with local offices and agents.

Wondering about the detais behind the 2009 "Stimulus" Law and what affects the real estate market in Central Pennsylvania?  Here's a summary of the details:

BACKGROUND

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1) was approved and signed into law on February 17, 2009.  The Act is a $780 billion package.

Many elements of the National Association of Realtors® legislative housing agenda were incorporated into the Act.  The President and congressional leaders have indicated that housing issues will be further addressed in upcoming legislation.

DETAILS

Homebuyer Tax Credit – The Act provides an $8,000 tax credit available to Lancaster County first-time homebuyers for the purchase of a principal residence between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.  This credit does not need to be repaid and may be claimed on a consumers 2008 or 2009 tax return.  If any credit amount remains unused, then the unused amount is refunded as a check to the purchaser. 

FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Loan Limits – The Act reinstates the 2008 loan limits for FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  These limits were equal to the greater of 125 percent of the 2008 local area median home price or $271,050 for FHA and $417,000 for Fannie and Freddie, with an overall maximum cap of $729,750.  In 2008, the median sale price for homes in Lancaster County was $173,000.

Neighborhood Stabilization – The Act provides $2 billion in funding for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, which funnels grants to local and state governments to assist neighborhoods facing a large number of foreclosures.  The funds may be used to purchase, manage, repair and resell foreclosed and abandoned properties.  After purchase, the homes must be used to assist individuals and families with incomes at or below 120 percent of the area’s median income.  25 percent of funds must be used for households with incomes at or below 50 percent of area median income. 

Commercial Real Estate – The Act provides funding for state energy programs used to support commercial property owners’ investments in energy efficiency upgrades.  Commercial property owners seeking to invest in alternate energy systems for onsite power generation will benefit from the U.S. Department of Energy Renewable Energy Loan Guarantees Program.  Small businesses receive tax relief in the area of bonus depreciation and capital expenditures as well as the five-year carry back of net operating losses.

Rural Housing Service – The Act provides $500 million to existing USDA rural housing programs.  The RHS maintains a guaranteed loan program and a direct housing loan program for those meeting the eligibility criteria.  $270 million is allocated to the direct loan program and $230 million is allocated for unsubsidized guaranteed loans.  This level of funding will provide for 192,000 additional homeowners.

Low Income Housing Grants – The Act allows states to trade in a portion of their 2009 low-income housing tax credits for Treasury grants to finance the construction or acquisition and rehabilitation of low-income housing.

Energy Efficient Housing Tax Credits and Grants – The Act provides $6 billion in energy efficiency and conservation grants to local and state governments.  Through 2010 homeowners will be able to claim a 30 percent tax credit for purchases of new furnaces, windows and insulation.  The Act provides an additional $5 billion to modernize America’s electricity grid and install smart meters on homes that help save consumers money.  The Act also provides $5 billion for weatherization assistance for low-income households and $2 billion for federally assisted housing (Section 8) efficiency programs.

Transportation Investments – The Act provides $46.7 billion to local and state governments for surface transportation projects such as highways, bridges, transit and rail.  The Lancaster County Planning Commission estimates $34 million in funding for bridges and highways and $21 million for transit programs will be directed to projects in Lancaster County.  LCAR supports increased spending on transportation infrastructure as a means of promoting smart growth, lessening traffic congestion and improving the quality of life, and thus the value of real estate, in Lancaster County.

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Coldwell Banker Select Professionals, based at 1000 North Prince Street in Lancaster and with additional offices in Lebanon, Hershey & York can be reached at 717-735-8400 or at www.cbselectpros.com. Coldwell Banker Select Professionals serves the Lancaster PA real estate, York PA real estate, Hershey PA real estate, Harrisburg PA Real Estate, Lebanon PA real estate markets with local offices and agents. 

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Jim Gillespie, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, participated in a discussion about the state of the housing market live from the New York Stock Exchange on CNBC last friday. Mr. Gillespie participated on the "Roadmap to Rebound" segment hosted by Maria Bartiromo. Yale economist Dr. Robert Schiller and Sanjiy Das, CEO of CitiMortgage, also participated. Here's the conversation, which was very enlightening:

Mr. Gillespie called upon government leaders to enact a $15,000 non-refundable tax credit to ALL buyers and also a mortgage buy down that would bring rates to the 4-4.5% range which NAR reports could generate an additional 840,000 home sales over 12 months. This home buying activity would have major implications in stimulating the overall US economy since NAR also reports that each home sold generates more than $60,000 in economic activity. The proposal would also have a greater impact on foreclosures than the current stimulus package.

We’re excited to be hosting Rick Deluca, a nationally-respected real estate speaker and coach, right here in Central Pennsylvania!  The seminar topic will be “Achieving Success in A Changed Market”, and it will be held at the Holiday Inn at York, PA on April 29th, 2009.

Learn more about Rick at www.RickDeluca.com.  Since his start in 1976, he has been a top producing agent, company owner and sought-after sales trainer offering real-world, practical tips for growing your business and staying productive.

Continental Breakfast:    8:30

Rick DeLuca:   9:00-Noon

Cost:  Free!

Vendors, Door Prizes will also be available...if you're interested in growing your business in 2009 this is a great opportunity to get motivated and

Sponsored by:  Coldwell Banker Select Professionals, Home National Mortgage and Guardian Transfer, your Perfect Partners