Missing!
In
the Poconos..
by USA Realty - Pocono Office 570-517-2428
you do not just "buy a home"
you purchase a state of mind. A lakefront,
a state cabin retreat, a golf or ski
home, a refuge for your family, or
a home for ease of commute to work
in the city..... You purchase a lifestyle.
PoconosBest.com
will help you find the "Best of The Poconos."
When
looking for a new lifestyle - think of USA
Realty, we would love to, and will work
hard to, help you find a new home in the
Poconos!
USA Realty
570 517 2428 - Local Service - National Exposure
Most
often, Poconos home buyers start with
finding the right neighborhood
or community. Since there are over
250 communities from which to choose,
and it can be confusing, you might
get some suggestions, on which ones
to consider, from an experienced Poconos
real estate agent at USA Realty. Call
570 517 2428 with a short description
of your ideal home and lifestyle.
One
of our agents will help narrow your
choice of community or neighborhood.
See
Lakefront Home buying tips. You
might, also, consider reading about
the style or use of a home in the
Poconos first.
Some
Quick Home Searches:
Ski
Homes ---- Retirement ---- Lakefront ---- Lakeview
On our web site you will discover
insider information on many Poconos
neighborhoods and communities designed
to give you an idea of the local market
and current MLS listings.
Reading
about the Best
Places to Live in the Poconos
is also a good place to start your
search.
We
understand that your time is precious.
Get your Poconos real estate research
done right here, in one place. We
want to make navigating the Pocono
real estate world as easy as possible
for you. You will see this on our
site, and you will see it in our service.
Need Help? Call USA Realty 570-517-2428.
More
Poconos Home for Sale Searches:
Log
Cabins -- Home
Inspections Info
If
you would like more information about
relocation, luxury real estate, waterfront
homes, or vacation properties in the
Poconos, please don't hesitate to
contact us. We are happy to answer
all questions, big or small.
Don't
Forget to Factor in These Extra
Costs of Owning a Pocono Home
Paying
for the mortgage isn't the only
expense that you will need to
consider when you are buying
a Poconos home. There are many
other costs that you will have
to think about and these can
come as a shock if you haven't
planned ahead for them. Some
very enthusiastic first-time
homeowners will gloss over these
costs and later find out that
their budget and paycheck is
overwhelmed.
Here
are a few of the costs that
you should consider when you
are becoming a homeowner for
the first time:
Moving
Costs
Once
a home purchase is complete,
you will have a whole new series
of additional costs concerned
with moving into your
new home. You might
be able to ask your friends
for a favor, but you may have
to spend thousands on a moving
company to get all of your things
to your new home. You will also
have to pay for gas to drive
back and forth to your new home
during the purchase and move
in process and perhaps also
cover the cost of a hotel stay
on the way if you are moving
across the country.
Real
Estate Taxes
The
amount of real estate taxes
that you pay will vary depending
on the state that you live in.
In Pennsylvania taxes are generally
in the 2.5% to 3% of value per
year range. In the Poconos,
it will depend upon the county
or school district in which
you are buying, with those counties
and districts further away from
the Delaware Water Gap being
the lowest cost.
Utilities
Don't
forget that you will also need
to pay for your heating costs
in winter, air conditioning
in summer and your lights and
Internet all year round. Your
utilities can really
add up, so if you don't
factor them into your budget
you will be in for a surprise.
Electric rates in PA can be
shopped for and tend to be lower
than those in NY or NJ... so
many people choose to heat by
electric. Though most have a
back up of propane, wood or
wood pellets for the coldest
part of the year.
Home
Maintenance
You
will also need to factor in
the costs of repairing your
home, such as when an appliance
needs to be replaced or something
needs fixing. A general rule
of thumb is that every homeowner
should budget at least 1% of
the purchase value of the home
to cover remodeling and home
maintenance.
Also,
don't forget about landscaping
and lawn care. If you pay a
landscaping company to take
care of your property it could
cost around $30-$50 per week.
If you do it yourself
the costs will be
lower, but you will need to
pay for the equipment and supplies
and spend a lot of your valuable
time.
The
good thing about purchasing
in the Poconos is that there
are neighborhoods where maintenance
is included in your monthly
community fees.
Places
like:
Northridge
at Camelback ---- Snow
Ridge Village ---- Pinecrest
Lake and Golf Club ---- LaBar
Village ----Stones
Throw Townhomes
Plus.....
Crystal Park In
East Stroudsburg and a few other
include some or all of the exterior
maintenance in their monthly
fees.
Mortgages
When
shopping for a home it is important
you be prepared with proof of
ability to buy. This may include
either a bank statement (if
paying cash) or a pre qualification
letter from a mortgage lender
(usually, a bank.) Pre qualification
statements can easily be obtained
from most lender
mortgage departments over
the phone or with a quick visit.
When
you are considering your budget
for home ownership, you will
also need to factor in the amount
that you will pay in mortgage
interest over the duration of
the home loan. The interest
rate on your mortgage will of
course change over time, depending
on the mortgage that you select.
These
are just a few of the extra
expenses that homeowners need
to factor into their budget
when buying a Poconos area home.
If you have any more questions
about home ownership, call us
at 570-517-2428 or e-mail us
at usarealty@usarealty.net.