Chester County PA and Beyond » Keeping you Informed

Purple Bug Boxes Hang in Chester County

Kim Wood — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:19:52 +0000

Have you seen them yet ? I first noticed the hanging purple box on Rt. 322 near Downingtown a few months ago and it’s been bugging me since to know what they are being used for. I figured a bug trap of some sort and I was hopeful it was for the Stink Bugs that have infiltrated Chester County the last couple of years.

They are actually being used by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to survey the area for the destructive Emerald Ash Borer. They are placing about 2,000 of the purple hanging boxes in the Eastern part of the state hoping to determine if the Emerald Ash Borer is present in the area. So far, they have been found in 20 counties including Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Centre, Clarion, Cumberland, Fulton, Indiana, Juniata, Lawrence, Lycoming, Mercer, Mifflin, Somerset, Union, Washington and Westmoreland.

What can we do to help ? The Department of Agriculture is urging people not to transport firewood more than 50 miles from where it is cut. You can download a document with pictures from the Ag Department of the Emerald Ash Borer and its damage here. If you have any suspicions of the bug, you are asked to contact Sven Spichiger, Entomology Program Manager at (717) 772-5229.

Thanks for the use of your photo, David Hecker.

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We’ve done some Spring cleaning!

John Lauber — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 19:46:39 +0000

Notice something a little different? We hope you do as we’ve done a little remodeling on the site and we hope you enjoy the new look. We also hope it helps you find the information you need more quickly.

Old Home Page

As you can see in the old home page the buttons were’t quite the same size and the page seemed a cluttered to us. We also felt there was a bit too much red. The search was there, but not as obvious.

New Home page

So, we decided to make the change to what you see today. Hopefully a little cleaner looking with not so much red. The most used items are easier to find from all pages, and there’s more room to read on post pages. We’ve made the quick search for homes more obvious and we just think everything looks a little cleaner.

We’d love to hear how you like the new look. Let us know in the comments below!

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Hardwood Flooring Protector

Kim Wood — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:52:33 +0000

I saw this interesting idea in the Ladies Room at Kimberton Golf Club the other day – thought it would be fun to share it with you.

Certainly is a creative and lively way to protect your hardwood flooring !

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It’s Time to Change the Time !

Kim Wood — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 23:40:35 +0000

Once again, it’s time to Spring Forward and set your clocks ahead for Daylight Savings time ! Officially the change happens at 2:00 AM on Sunday morning, but if you are like most people, setting the clocks an hour forward on Saturday night seems like the easiest way.

Of course, with my cell phone, computer, and other gadgets, for a little while I find myself trying to remember if the clock changed automatically or do I need to add an hour ?

We’ll have daylight later in the day, so more time to see houses in the evenings Happy Time Change Day, my friends !

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Pennsylvania State Holidays

Kim Wood — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:03:34 +0000

Have you ever wondered when PA State offices would be closed?

While you might be planning for 2011 and updating your calendars, here is a list of Official Pennsylvania Closures for State Holidays in 2011:

January 17: Martin Luther King Day
February 21: Presidents’ Day
May 30: Memorial Day
July 4: Independence Day
September 5: Labor Day
October 10: Columbus Day
November 11: Veterans Day
November 24: Thanksgiving Day
November 25: Day after Thanksgiving Day
December 26: Christmas Day

Legal Bank holiday closures for Pennsylvania are mandated by the Banking Code of 1965 and advised by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking as follows: (Dates are fixed closures unless noted optional)

January 1: New Year’s Day
January 17: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February 12: Lincoln’s Birthday (optional)
February 21: Washington’s Birthday (optional)
April 22: Good Friday (optional)
May 30: Memorial Day
June 14: Flag Day (optional)
July 4: Independence Day
September 5: Labor Day
October 10: Columbus Day (optional)
November 8: Election Day (optional)
November 11: Veteran’s Day (optional)
November 24: Thanksgiving Day
December 25: Christmas Day
When a fixed bank holiday falls on a Sunday, it shall be observed on Monday. If it’s on a Saturday, it’s optional to be observed on that following Monday.

Hope that helps with your planning in 2011 Take some time off, why dontcha ?
Happy New Year !

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Who’s the agent on that internet listing?

John Lauber — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:02:35 +0000

You’ve decided it’s time to find a home to purchase and like many people the first place turn is the internet. Let’s say you even saw that house on “Main Street”, so you decide to start your search specifically for that property…

BOOM, instantly pages of links show up for that listing. As many do, you click the first link in the list and up pops a beautiful page with pictures, room sizes, maps and more information than you an shake a stick. Since they’re first in the search, you figure they must be the listing agent and click the link for “request a showing”. After all, you’re just looking right now anyway, right?

After a quick contact with the agent on the other end of the request, and meeting the agent quickly at the house (even that day, perhaps), you discover through conversation that they are in fact, NOT the listing agent. You’re confused. How could they be the first listing and not the listing agent? It’s called “broker reciprocity.”

Here’s the definition:

A business program where brokers grant each other permission to display their listings on each others’ web sites. Brokers who participate in the program can display all active listings of all participating members of the program. If a broker chooses not to participate, no other broker will be permitted to display that brokers listings. A broker can include their listings in the IDX / Broker Reciprocity database without having a web site of their own.

This site, and members of The Kim Wood Team, as well as most agents in the area, participate in this program because it gives listings broader exposure and the chance to be sold. As a seller, I can’t see why you want your broker to opt-out of this program. As a service, we have a home search on our site for buyers who may be looking for homes, as our agent system does not have a public facing search site. Yes, admittedly, we do get buyers who decide to work with us after using our search product. We do think it works pretty well. One of the benefits of the technology we use is search performance. We rank highly for listings in our area and take pride in our service. Because we’re required to by PA law, we make sure to inform potential buyer’s of our relationship for a listing request. We like to use the required document that explains it, called the PA Consumer Notice. It’s not a contract, but explains how the real estate agent/consumer relationships work in PA and your rights as a consumer.

On the buyer side, how can you tell who the listing broker is? See the picture below.

That is just one example of how it may look, depending on the system used by the agent, but it is required to be shown as a disclosure to you the non-agent on all listings. Also, if you do have a working relationship with an agent already, may we suggest forwarding the MLS# or address to that agent so they can schedule the appointment. It lessons any confusion about who’s working with whom among agents, also. As agents, our sites should also have an indication of our broker name, as well.

We work for RE/MAX Main Line, and if you’re not working with an agent, and you’re interested in viewing homes from our search, we would be happy help you. Feel free to contact us via phone (610-692-6823) or email (TheTeam (at) TheKimWoodTeam.com).

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Day 35: Septa Trains (Paoli, PA)

John Lauber — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 03:08:30 +0000

While we believe Chester County is a super place to work and play, and really no reason to leave the County, there are times when you just want to head to the big city. In this case, Philadelphia. Whether it’s one of their award winning restaurants or traveling Broadway shows, don’t bother driving when you can take advantage of the numerous SEPTA stations utilizing the R5 line into the city. Save yourself the headache (and parking cost). Check out if the train is right for you. This video is from the Paoli Station, but their are many other stations to begin your journey. Check the train schedule to see what works for you.

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Time Changing in Chester County

Kim Wood — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:35:45 +0000

I’m sure you’ve heard we have to give back an hour …. if you haven’t, consider yourself informed.
I hope you at least you found out before you arrived an hour late for an appointment on Sunday. If you want all the details you may have never heard, check out the Daylight Savings Time Rules on the website by The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department.

Kim Signature

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Race for the Cure

SandyShealy — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:20:42 +0000

Mother’s Day, May 9, 2010, the Susan G. Komen Philadelphia Race for the Cure celebrates its milestone 20th anniversary! The Kim Wood Team is proud to participate in this important event. Kim, Tom and Sandy will be running as part of the team, Bodacious Ta-Tas 2, formed in memory of Sandy’s friend, Bonnie, who lost her valiant and inspiring struggle with breast cancer April 13, 2009.

The Promise
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. Suzy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1978. Before she died at the age of 36, Suzy asked her sister to do everything possible to bring an end to breast cancer. Susan G. Komen for the Cure was established in 1982. The promise between two sisters has become the promise of millions.
Fortunately, the movement against breast cancer is led here at home by the Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Up to 75% of net proceeds generated by the Komen Philadelphia Affiliate stay in our 13-county service area. The remaining 25% goes to the Komen for the Cure Grants Program. For the 2009-2010 season, the Affliliate invested $2.1 million in the form of grants to local organizations for their breast health and breast cancer awareness projects. As part of the world’s largest breast cancer organization, the Komen Philadelphia Affiliate embraces hundreds of thousands of people in our community in the Komen vision to end breast cancer forever… working every day to empower all men and women from all walks of life… in all generations.

The Roaring 20’s Roar in Philly is:
“Bring it on breast cancer… we’ve got the passion and the power to take you down!”

One in eight women will be stricken with breast cancer in her lifetime. We encourage you to attend this event and invite you to join our team. Bodacious Ta-Tas 2 Facebook Fan Page.

If you are unable to attend, as stated in Bonnie’s obituary:

“Please consider a generous donation so this scourge of womankind may one day be conquered.”

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Happy Presidents’ Day

Kim Wood — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:07:40 +0000

“My failures have been errors of judgment, not of intent.”
~Ulysses Simpson Grant (18th President of the USA, 1869-1977)

“We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers.”
~Thomas Woodrow Wilson (28th President of the USA, 1913-1921)

“”Peace is not made at the Council table or by treaties, but in the hearts of men.”
~Herbert Clark Hoover (31st President of the USA, 1929-1933)

“If anyone tells you that America’s best days are behind her, they’re looking the wrong way.”
~George Herbert Walker Bush (41st President of the USA, 1989-1993)

“”You ain’t learnin’ nothin’ when you’re talkin’.”
~Lyndon Baines Johnson (36th President of the USA, 1963-1969)

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