Pittsburgh Education

Moving with children can be very stressful-especially if your children are in school, or getting ready to go to school.  While most moves are for jobs or job relocation, you will still feel pressure to find the best schools in your new area and you may feel at a loss on where to start.

Schools in Pittsburgh

If you are moving to Pittsburgh with children though, you actually are very lucky; all of our schools are amazing, and the school districts consistently rank well for performance, test scores, graduation rates and percentage of students and go on to college. In fact, our schools are so highly coveted and desired by people relocating to Pittsburgh, that new schools and school renovations are currently going on so as to ensure our low classroom ratios of students/teachers and superior learning environments with access to the latest technology and after-school activities.

Pittsburgh Featured in Parenting Magazine

The very popular Parenting Magazine July issue has a feature on Best Cities for families-and Pittsburgh is ranked in the Top 10 for Education and number 50 overall for Best Cities for Families.

About The Pittsburgh Area

The cities were all ranked based on health, safety, education, economy and recreation and overall, Pittsburgh is a well rounded city in all categories-offering a wonderful lifestyle for families and singles.  Pittsburgh homes for sale vary from luxury downtown condos to beautiful single family homes; you are sure to find the perfect fit for your needs after browsing the Pittsburgh MLS.

Contact A Pittsburgh Realtor

To learn even more? Simply contact me, Jim Dolanch. I am here to answer anything and everything about our area and our wonderful Pittsburgh real estate neighborhoods .

Until next time,

Jim

Memorial Day In Pittsburgh

Of all the holidays, there is not one that moves me the way Memorial Day does. Just about everyone has someone they care about serving-or that has served-in our military services, and to those men and women, I forever feel a deep dept of gratitude for their sacrifice and bravery.

Regardless how you feel about the government, war, or any of the like, we have to tip our hats and say a huge “thank you” to all brave men and women who serve, protect, and sacrifice for all of us.

Pittsburgh Area Events

This weekend, the Pittsburgh area will be celebrating in style, with a full 3 day celebration in downtown Pittsburgh. There will be lights and parades all around town, with most starting at the local community VFW centers around 9am. The East Pittsburgh parade begins at 9am at the VFW center and ending at Churchill Cemetery with honors given to the Soldier’s Plot at 11am.

There are so many ceremonies and parades that will be taking place in all the Pittsburgh area neighborhood communities, that I can’t list everything here; however, if you want to check for your specific area’s celebration, browse here: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06146/693382-85.stm

Pittsburgh Area

Soldiers an Sailors Memorial Hall, at 4141 Fifth Ave will be open at 10am until 4pm, with special stations for visitors to get a more engaging and interactive look at the exhibits.

There will also be entertainment for the children, with Uncle Sam’s Kid Tent, where children can learn age appropriately and entertain tales and games of our patriotic history and the meaning of Memorial Day.

There will also be great patriotic prizes given out throughout the day as well as a “mess tent” where you can get a hot dog, soda, and US Flag for only $1.00 while a DJ plays music. A memorial service for Pennsylvania’s Fallen Soldiers in the War against Terrorism begins at 11, and at 2pm the Hall of Valor induction ceremony will start in the auditorium.

Pittsburgh Things To Do

Pittsburgh real estate communities offer abundant parks, green spaces, and recreation, as well, and they would make the perfect places to hold a family picnic or bbq before catching some of the community firework displays.

Should you have any questions about events for Memorial Day, simply contact me, your expert Pittsburgh area real estate agent.

Until next time,
Jim

Pittsburgh Featured Real Estate Listings

339 Catalina Drive is a four bedroom, 2 1/2 bath 2154 sqft home located near Bethel Park and the St. Clair Country Club, with convenient access to hwy 19. It is also priced to move at $279,900, so it probably won’t be on the market for long.

What truly sets this home apart from other homes for sale in Pittsburgh are the amazing updates. The kitchen has been completely transformed into a cook’s dream, with cherry cabinetry, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, and stylish finishes.

Entertain In Your Amazing Back Yard

If you enjoy entertaining, then you will fall in love with the back deck that is perfect for grilling out for a crowd just as well as for an intimate date night. You will also enjoy the lushly landscaped patio and fire pit that leads out to a level, private wooded lot.

Request A Pittsburgh Home Tour

Would you like to come see 339 Catalina Drive in person? Simply contact me, Jim Dolanch, your expert Pittsburgh Real Estate agent, to set up a tour.

Until next time,
Jim

Pittsburgh Real Estate For Sale

While everything isn’t all roses, there aren’t too many thorns, either. Our market could be -and has been-better, but on the flip side it could also be much worse, as we can see in other large city markets around the nation. Pittsburgh is lucky it has been able to stabilize all the fluctuation of the national market. Our wonderful area, businesses,schools and great communities have kept our real estate market strong and helped to make Pittsburgh a great place to raise a family.

If you are interested in learning more about how to buy Pittsburgh real estate,  what steps are needed to make an offer on a foreclosed property, browse the Pittsburgh MLS or just want to know more about the market report, simply contact me, Jim Dolanch, your expert Pittsburgh real estate agent.

Until next time,

Jim

Pittsburgh Area Events

On April 14, 2010, David and Ryta will be hosting “The Scotch Tasting with the Wild Scotsman”, where you can enjoy 3 uniquely hand-crafted high end Scotches with the only man who makes Scotch in Scotland but resides in Ohio! He learned his craft from the only living Scotch maker to make Scotch in every region of Scotland-so you are in for quite the treat.  Te event would be a perfect date night, and it is $30.00 per person. You will get to enjoy the Scotch tastings along with specially paired taste plates. Reservations aren’t needed, but highly suggested -to save your spot or learn more call The Naked Grape at 412-741-6420.

Relocate To Pittsburgh

If you find yourself falling in love with the beautiful area of Pittsburgh around The Naked Grape, and would like to learn more about buying Pittsburgh real estate there, then feel free to contact me, Jim Dolanch, your expert Pittsburgh real estate agent. I am here to make your real estate journey smooth and easy, so be sure to take advantage of my Pittsburgh Home Buying Guide.

Any other questions about Pittsburgh homes for sale? Ask away, I am at your service.

Until next time,
Jim

The tax credit is for first time home buyers only,  which the IRS defines  as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase. The credit does not have to be repaid unless the home is sold or ceases to be used as the buyer’s principal residence within three years after the initial purchase.

Pittsburgh Real Estate For Sale

What is also great? The tax credit can be taken for THIS YEAR, but simply submitting and amendment to your 2009 taxes, so you should get your tax credit before the end of the summer. The tax credit is for 10% of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000 on homes priced at $800,000 or less. That is quite a nice sum of money to put towards your house, decorating your house, or even saving for a rainy day or a new roof down the road.

For homes purchased on or before April 30, 2010, single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit. Additionally, so long as a binding contract is signed by April 30, 2010, the IRS will also grant the tax credit, so long as you close by June 30, 2010.

Relocate to Pittsburgh

So while I don’t want you to feel pressured or rushed into buying Pittsburgh homes for sale, if you are certain you will be buying a home in the next few months, it would be a shame to miss out on the tax credit by only a few days.  If you have questions, or want to put your Pittsburgh MLS home search into high gear, simply contact me, Jim Dolanch, your trusted Pittsburgh real estate agent, to learn more about Pittsburgh PA home buying and make sure you can get the Federal Housing Tax Credit.

Until next time,

Jim

For those of us here in Pittsburgh? We are weathering the storm quite nicely. In fact, Forbes Magazine just named Pittsburgh one of America’s Best Housing Markets.

Buying Pittsburgh Real Estate

If you are looking to relocate, here are some of the tings you should look for in the real estate market before you buy:

• Appreciating real estate prices-look at  6 month and 1 year figures, and remember that real estate can vary from neighborhood to neighborhood and even street to street.
• Affordable housing for middle-class, good credit families
• Very low foreclosures

Pittsburgh is a city with all three positive factors, so it is no surprise we were listed in Forbes. Pittsburgh suffered a decline when most of the big business manufacturing left; however, that ended up being a blessing. Since we had a bit of a slow start bouncing back from the manufacturing leaving, Pittsburgh actually avoided the huge jumps in home prices, that were artificially inflated by a seemingly endless supply of quick loans.

Pittsburgh real estate has come back stronger than ever from the small decline over a decade ago,  and Pittsburgh homes for sale have kept their great value, great prices, and steady market.

When you buy Pittsburgh real estate for sale, you know you are getting a strong and solid investment, because our home prices have not ever dropped they way they have in Phoenix, Miami, LA and NY, just to name a few.

Relocate to Pittsburgh

If you are ready to make a sound investment in one of the Best Housing Markets in America, then be sure to contact me, Jim Dolanch, your expert Pittsburgh real estate agent. I have a Pittsburgh Home Buying Guide and a Pittsburgh Relocation Guide that will help to make your real estate journey smooth and easy and as always, if you ever have any questions about real estate, the area, or anything at all, know that I am here to serve you.

Until next time.

Jim

Many of the orphans in Haiti are stuck in limbo because their paperwork, identification cards, and adoption process information was completely destroyed or lost during last weeks earthquake.

The rescue mission was in response to messages last week from orphanage caregivers pleading for help to get the orphans out, as there weren’t nearly enough caregivers or supplies to now care for the children, aged 1-6 years at the BRES orphanage in Port-Au-Prince.  Of the 143,  90 have been sent to places in Denmark and France and 53 have now been brought to our beautiful Pittsburgh area.

The mission, food, clothing and medical aid for the children once they reached their new Pittsburgh homes were all funded by  an anonymous donor and Catholic Charities has made arrangements for the orphans’ care until they can be adopted. Many organizations are coming forward to volunteer in helping the orphans settle into their Pittsburgh relocation.

Relocating to Pittsburgh

It is wonderful the Haitian orphans were able to get away from all of the chaos to get the medical attention, food, and care they need, as well as, the Pittsburgh real estate space to house them until forever families are found.

To see how you can help, contact the Red Cross at redcross.org or Catholic Charities at catholiccharitiesusa.org.

Buying Pittsburgh Real Estate

Should you be interested in learning more about Pittsburgh homes for sale, browsing the Pittsburgh MLS, or relocating to Pittsburgh, simply contact me, Jim Dolanch, your expert Pittsburgh real estate agent.

Until next time,
Jim

Pittsburgh Homes For Sale

If you know you will be moving in 2 years, then an Adjustable Rate Mortgage makes the most sense for you, as you will be able to get a very low introductory interest rate and low payment until you move. If you plan to be staying put for a long time, then you will want a Fixed Rate Mortgage.

Pittsburgh Home Mortgage

What is the point of buying if you’ll be moving in  2 years? For one, you get equity out of the home, and will most often be able to sell it for at least a little more than you bought it for, giving you more to put down on your next home purchase. Also, having been a home owner gives your credit score a huge boost and opens you up to better fixed mortgage rates on your next home.

Search Pittsburgh MLS

Ready to quit renting and start owning? Begin by browsing Pittsburgh area homes for sale, and contact me, Jim Dolanch, your expert Pittsburgh real estate agent, for answers to any and all questions you have about Pittsburgh and real estate.

Until next time,
Jim

Pittsburgh Relocation Tips

Get moving quotes and make reservations early. This is huge for cutting out stress. Holidays mean short staffs and reduced work time for many movers.  To make sure equipment and drivers are available when you need help moving, place your reservation as early as possible. It may cost more to move on some days than others, so for best prices, discuss holiday peak times with your movers. If you need to receive your shipment before the holidays, ask about guaranteed transit or expedited services. Also spend some time looking for discounts, coupons, or specials your movers might have the in local papers. ,

Consider moving help alternatives. Rather than only looking into truck rentals, consider moving containers with storage options and flexible load and unload schedules, like a Pack Rat. This is convenient when you want to reduce the pressure to load or unload quickly. In fact, if you need a break before unloading the entire shipment, you can start with holiday decorations and necessities and save the rest for later. If your budget allows, you can get more help moving by hiring labor to do all the packing and loading or just some of it. Combining moving labor with a self-move is often a money saving alternative to full service movers. If you are coming across a lot of items in your home you don’t want to move, but need to get rid of, you can save time by hiring a junk removing company, as opposed to taking everything to a charity or dump yourself.

Purchase gifts online and have them shipped directly to your friends and family. With the clutter of moving boxes, it might be tough to add a slew of gifts to the chaos and traveling to relative’s homes  might be out of the question. If so, consider purchasing gifts online and shipping them directly to a relative’s home or your new home – wherever you will be celebrating the holidays. Not only is this more convenient, it also means less moving boxes, which results in a money-saving opportunity. In most cases, the less you move, the less you pay.

Decorate with less. Although it is nice to have all of your decorations out for display, consider paring them down while in the midst of moving. Choose those decorations that hold the most tradition and meaning for your family, and pack the rest in moving boxes ready for the movers to ship to your new home. You could even consider doing “green” decorations, like with all evergreen boughs and wreaths, so that you an still decorate a lot, but none of it will need to be packed up and moved when the big day comes-it can be recycled into mulch by your town’s yard waste pick up.

Pack holiday essentials separately. Have everyone put their holiday “must haves” together in specially labeled boxes. Then load these boxes last. That way the decorations, fuzzy slippers, hot cocoa, cameras, holiday music and other special items are easy to locate right away on arrival. You won’t have to unload everything and dig through moving boxes to find just what you need. Wardrobe boxes are well suited for a small tree with trimming and traditional favorites. You can also have a huge decorating party with your family at your new house as you unpack all your holiday items.

Make it a fun family adventure. Incorporate your favorite traditions in new ways. Spend the day in your pajamas rather than unpacking clothing from the moving boxes. A tree in the corner of an otherwise empty room becomes even more special. Camp out in your new living room rather than moving the furniture in. It can wait until another day. Hang on to your traditions and maybe create some new ones. You may find that “different” can be special and memorable.

Pittsburgh Real Estate

Moving over the holidays may not be the best scenario but it can be an opportunity to embrace change and adventure together as family. Making the most of a potentially stressful situation can make this holiday season your best one yet and if you have questions about moving to Pittsburgh, would like to browse the Pittsburgh MLS or take advantage of the Jim Dolanch Relocation Guide, simply contact me. I am here to help make sure your holiday move is successful.

Until next time,

Jim