Highland Orchards

Highland Orchards, Inc.

1000 Marshallton-Thorndale Road
West Chester, PA 19380
Phone: 610-269-3494

You can pick your own with over 200 acres of crops ! LittleOne5 has had two field trips here, and they are really good to the kids in the school groups. They have a learning station where they get to see inside a large refrigerator, have a treat of Apple Cider and the famous Apple Cider Donut, and get to press apples into cider themselves!

They also went on a hayride into the rows of Apple Trees and got to chose their very own three apples from the tree! “Find the right one. Hold it tight and twist three times until it comes off with a small pull.”

I remember going here as a child with my grandmother, DeeDee who lived down the road. It was always a treat to come and pick out some penny candy.

Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month – which I have renamed Cancer Awareness month.  Many people have gone “pink” with their avatars to raise awareness and remind followers of the importance of the fight.

My daughter, AChrome, got some of the gals in the family to join in and walk for the American Cancer Society 5-mile walk in Philadelphia this past weekend. She and her friend even made us all t-shirts to wear for the team, “Save the Ta-Tas”.

The walk was filled with different emotions – my thoughts heavy for two friends who lost their fathers last year, a friend who is a survivor, a friend fighting the fight – and also for so many that I don’t personally know with stories.

Blog Action Day – Poverty

You can make a difference.
One by One.

I’m back. It’s a two post (at least so far) day today. Why? It’s Blog Action Day today – where approximately 10,000 people have agreed to talk about Poverty in their blogs today.

There are just so many things to talk about! I started the last post quite a few times. Thankfully a friend rescued me in from my total scatterbrained mode to get a direction talking about some people that stretch so far buying a new house they get caught in a poverty state racking up debt.

I’m back because the topic is still on my mind, and I wanted to talk about so many different things. Doing something about Poverty on a local or global level isn’t always about giving money, like some people think. It can be helping to raise awareness, devoting your time (labor, web design, phone calls, etc), donating items, feeding someone a meal, and so on.

How can you help beat Poverty?

• Write a blog post on Poverty today
• Go shopping. Underwear shopping! There is a very special lady in California, Rocky, who has a huge heart for the children living in poverty. She founded Mothers Fighting for Others whose mission explains it best, “Mothers Fighting For Others is dedicated to providing these children with the basic necessities that we provide for our own children. We will give them a roof over their heads, safe food and clean water, and a chance to learn, to grow and to thrive.”
• Make a commitment to help serve at your local soup kitchen, shelter, or holiday dinner.
• Send your thoughts, prayers, vibes, energy whatever you believe in to the people living in Poverty.
• Go through the closets especially as winter is among us. There are many without coats or blankets to keep warm. Find them or donate.
• The food banks in Chester County are low on food. Pick up some extra non-perishable foods every time you visit the store. (There are collection boxes in our three offices of RE/MAX Main Line).
• Be aware. If you can fill a need, suck it up and get to it. Do you know what a blessing you could be if you jumped in and paid part/all of the grocery bill of the person in front of you in line? You’ll know when it’s right. Just listen.

It has saddened my heart as I’ve just opened my eyes to what is around me … whether it’s the homeless person sleeping on a bench, a structure of cardboard for living in Jamaica, children physically noted to be malnourished in Turkey, or a single mother in need of some groceries or gas money. Just open your eyes – then do something about it. You can make difference.

Image Credit

Blog Action Day: Poverty

Can Buying a Home Put You into Poverty?

It depends on what your definition is. If you are carrying a significant amount of debt and add a hefty mortgage to it with barely money left at the end of the paycheck to buy groceries – you could be. Buying a Home in Chester County or elsewhere should be an advancement, not a struggle and step backwards.

Most people who purchase a new home, have succeeded and are most happy with their decision.

Unfortunately, there are also people who come see me with hopes they can buy a home that is way out of their comfort zone – be it a starter home, an upgrade, or even a downgrade. From the cash home buyer to the buyers qualified to carry two mortgages with no deposit money; consulting with a financial advisor is strongly recommended.

You can not plan too much. Work the numbers. Then work them again. Look at all the scenarios… what if you lose your income for a certain period of time? What if the economy goes haywire? Plan, plan, plan.

Dave Ramsey says,

“Debt is dumb. Most normal people are just plain broke because they are in debt up to their eyeballs with no hope of help.”

Don’t be that guy/gal.

The lending institutions have tightened up the qualification levels to obtain a mortgage not too soon! So it might be a little bit more difficult to get yourself into the situation of stretching to make the house payment every month. But don’t depend on someone else to tell you what you can and can not afford. Work the scenarios. .

Poverty can strike at many different levels. It can strike in your neighborhood, town, state, and globally. Pass the word…. let’s raise awareness together on a global level.

Buy House First or Sell House First?

Sell House? Buy House? What First?

This is a common question that is presented to me more than I can count. It is important to gather research before making any conclusion. It’s sort of like getting together all of the pieces to a puzzle first; then putting the pieces together to make the master plan.

Some of the pieces to the puzzle you should investigate are:

• What is the current housing market?
• What does the future look like for the housing market?
• What is the hyper-local activity and competition around you?
• What funds do you have available to use? (And what would happen if you got stuck with two mortgages?
• If you plan on carrying two mortgage on your houses, are you prequalified to do so?
• Do you have temporary housing (or options available) if you sell first?

It can be done, but it’s sometimes tricky to have your settlements (sell and buy) on the same day. You have to coordinate moving company, be confident there won’t be any hiccups, and have impeccable timing procuring a Buyer & a new house you’d love to buy.

I can hear you now, “Aren’t there sale of home contingencies?” Yes, there are, and those could work to help with the timing issue.

There are many pieces to fit together. It can be overwhelming and sometimes painful. I won’t tell it how I think you want to hear it, I’ll give you my opinion, even if it might be painful for you – like wait and don’t buy or sell your house right now.

It is important to sit down with the experts that can help to guide you in making the decision to sell or buy first. If you are contemplating this Real Estate question around Chester County, I’d be happy to talk with you and help gather your pieces to help you make the best decision. Whether you listen is totally up to you!

Kim is a Genius at Agent Genius

“I would really love to be able to write with Agent Genius,” I told my friend Missy of Ann Arbor, MI on her back deck in September.
“Kim! I would too,” Missy answered.

Just a few weeks after that conversation I received a SKYPE message asking if I would like to join the ranks of Geniusness and be a writer at Agent Genius, a national community of Real Estate Industry leaders. I was honored to be asked to join such a highly respectable group of people. Not only was I able to ::clink:: to myself, but Missy was also asked at the same time! Benn & Lani of A.G. had no clue of our conversation – so it was one of those “meant to be things”.

Chester County, PA is now represented among the writers, readers, and fans of Agent Genius. If you have any interest in the real estate industry – or you wanna be a fan for other reasons – come read, we’d love to have you! And leave your comment now and then so we get some fuel to keep writing!

Top 10 Tips: Sell Chester County House

Tips to Get your Home Sold in Chester County

There are a lot of homes for sale in Chester County; what can you do to stand out as the favorite of the home buyers?

1. The REALTOR(R)- Make sure you have hired a professional real estate agent that will guide you in getting your home dressed up and in shape for the best opportunity to get your home sold!  I am not afraid to give you a “Client Do List” that I believe will help in bringing you the most money and highest potential for a sale.

2. Price it Right- Yeah, yeah, yeah you’re tired of hearing about it. But it is very important to price your home better than the competition.

3. De-clutter- One of the near impossible things as a REALTOR(R) to teach a buyer is how to envision a home in a different condition. That is a hard thing to learn – Some people have it and some don’t. So go get a storage unit – and fill it up! All surfaces should be bare.

4. Go Away- Most buyers will agree it is a lot more comfortable when sellers are not present during home showings. They are more free to look and it’s easier for them to come away with the feeling of House Love.

5. No Pets- Dogs can be the friendliest of creatures and quickly turn into very good guard dogs when owners are not around. Some buyers have fear of both dogs and cats… I’ve even had some people not enter a home if they know a dog or cat is there.  Take them out for a walk/ride – everyone will be happy. (And clean the cages, litterboxes, and grass !)

6. Neutralize- Both odor and overbearing smells are offensive. Ask a close friend or agent if your house smells, you usually won’t be able to tell yourself. Air fresheners & candles that are overwhelming end up being a negative.

7. Color Splash- Setting the stage is important. It makes a ‘house’ warm and inviting so more apt to be thought of as a possible ‘home’. I can give you some helpful hints and there are also professional stagers you can hire.

8. Bright- Natural light is best so open those blinds & curtains! In addition, turn on all the lights to maximize the brightness.

9. Curb Appeal- The outside welcome of the property is important. The first impression. Trim the bushes, weed the flower beds, add some potted plants of color, touch up the door & mailbox, put away the trash cans and go pressure wash happy!

10. Clean- On the days of showings or an Open House, go around with the bottle of glass cleaner and clean all mirrors, sliders/doors, and faucets; vacuum; dust; and clean bathrooms.

These are all helpful tips in getting your home sold in Chester County or elsewhere. Of course nothing can be summed up in 10 points – but it’s a start. I’m happy to meet with you and discuss different options and timing on getting your home sold for the most money!