Housing Predictions for 2012

In a couple of days, millions of Americans will uncork the champagne and toast to the prospect of a rosy new year, full of fresh possibilities. Your New Year’s resolution may be as simple as cleaning the hall closet in your PA new homes, or as daunting as burning the calories from the holiday binge eating we all seem to indulge in this time of year.

Here at S&A Homes, our resolutions tend to be a bit different. Our job is to make sure we keep our customers happy during 2012 by building the homes people are looking for and building enough of them! So, how exactly do we forecast projected housing starts and settlements? Well, here on Main Street, we tend to look at Wall Street first and then factor in for our local economies, job growth in addition to intangibles that can drive housing markets up or down.

So what is on the horizon in 2012? First, looks like (hold breath and cross fingers) 2012 may just be the pivotal year that housing has been hoping for the last several years. Let’s first look to Wall Street. On Dec. 20, good news broke in the housing sector, and we are optimistic that the trends will continue to hold their weight throughout 2012. Read More

Pittsburgh Named in Top Five Housing Markets in USA

Buyers looking for Pittsburgh new homes know the power of Zillow. It houses (pardon the pun) all pricing data for listings, pending sales and sold homes throughout the nation, and is one of the most powerful websites out there to help buyers sort through homes and get a feel of what price is right for their next new home.

Zillow also crunches the numbers on all of that data to see which housing markets are faring well and what others need a little TLC. So the numbers are out this year and Pittsburgh, once again, makes the list for one of the top 5 housing markets with the best home price increases during 2011. This is no small feat, considering the nation’s housing prices are down 4.1% overall as a whole.

So, what are the top 5 housing markets experiencing price growth? Read More

S&A Recognized at 2012 BAMP Awards

S&A Homes, one of area’s largest Pittsburgh builders, walked away with yet another Housing Excellence Award at the 2012 Builder’s Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh. The hugely popular Hawthorne model home was the recipient of the Best Single Family Home in the Pittsburgh Region from $251,000 – $450,000.

The home is more than deserving of the award. Its family friendly layout features ample living space in all of the right areas and the ever popular craftsman-style exterior that buyers are seeking today.

The home is a big hit in terms of energy efficiency too. Featuring a dramatically low HERS Score of 63, the Hawthrone home offers home buyers nearly twice the energy efficiency of the typical new construction home built today, and saves them hundreds of dollars a month in utility savings. Read More

Gift Ideas for PA New Homeowners

The holidays are in full swing and Christmas is just 9 days away! For all of you last minute shoppers, trying to think of great gifts on top of baking cookies, wrapping and finishing shopping can be almost impossible. Trying to customize those gifts for those on your list who recently moved in to PA new homes can be an even tougher task.

Well, don’t worry! We have taken all of the guess work out of this year’s holiday madness. If a new homeowner is on your holiday list, then all the answers you need are below. Here are the Top 5 Gifts for New Homeowners:

5 – Is your gift recipient a first time homebuyer? Nothing will welcome a former renter to homeownership more than a new tool set! Fun for those fixer upper types and practical at the same time!

4 – Gift card to a local restaurant. The hassle of moving, unloading boxes and getting little ones adjusted to a new home is more than a little overwhelming. A night out at a sit down restaurant is the perfect way to recharge those batteries. Read More

Positive News for PA New Homes

Home sellers and PA new home purchasers alike are looking for positive trends in the housing market. At times, it can be difficult to sort the fact from fiction. This person says it looks bad – that person says it looks good. How do you really know? Outside of some very credible sources (we have quoted the Wall Street Journal a few times this year), the only way to really know is to look at the data. Sometimes digging into the numbers and analyzing them to figure out which way is up and which way is down is the only way.

Last week, HousingZone.com did just that and bundled up all of the relevant housing statistics, including an analysis of the national employment situation, to come up with a heads or tails of the housing market.

Some of the key takeaways? Read More

Save on Upgrades with Online Consultant Appointment

You’ve seen us post a few times about our brand new website, but we haven’t had a chance to brag about some of the things that truly set it apart and make YOUR life easier. You can peruse our available quick-delivery homes, see pictures of our homes, learn all about the building process and even view our entire portfolio of floor plans in one place.

Perhaps the most helpful feature of all, however, is our Online Assistant that is available to chat with you, real time, 7 days a week. Our Online Assistants are not service call representatives. They are former field sales consultants that used to work with our buyers of PA new homes in person and know our company inside and out. That means you have access to the most up-to-date, accurate information from the experts 7 days a week before you ever need to step foot into one of our communities. Read More

Santa is Coming to Town

Anyone who was brave enough to venture out of their WV new homes this past week to fight for a parking spot and stand in long lines at the shopping mall is probably dreading the next trip out. But, the kids can’t miss a chance to see Santa and get their picture taken, right? Right! Except this year, head over to Worthington Village in Bridgeport, WV and you can skip the crowds you would normally be fighting off this time of year. Read More

Cyber Monday Deals Extend to PA New Homes this Weekend at S&A Homes

Cyber Monday isn’t just about picking up a great deal on a TV or E-Reader…at S&A Homes, we want to extend savings to our buyers PA new homes as well! Those looking for a mega deal need to visit us at our Deatrick Village community this weekend, Dec. 3 and 4 to tour our brand new Charlotte model home and to take advantage of a year’s worth of free HOA dues.

Here’s how it works. If you purchase a home in Deatrick Village during 2011, you can lock into one of the few remaining home sites and move in stress-free, knowing you can enjoy all of the community amenities like the clubhouse, fitness center and maintenance-free living absolutely free for an entire year.

Deatrick Village is located just outside of downtown Gettysburg and offers scenic views of the Gettysburg battlefields. The neighborhood of Gettysburg new homes boasts the benefits of condominium living with a first-floor master single-family home so that buyers can enjoy the space and privacy of their own home without worrying about the hassle of snow removal, maintenance or the other mundane tasks that normally go along with home ownership. Read More

Pittsburgh Builder Offers Early Holiday Treats for Realtors

As a top Pittsburgh builder, we know that many families try to stretch their budgets as far as possible this time of year. It begins as we start to haul out the decorations and think about the “must have” items we will add to this year’s holiday list. This causes many of us to reexamine that wish list and think about how it works with our budgets. Luckily, if you are a Realtor in the Pittsburgh area, we have a way for you to reach for the stars without worrying about your budget.

Any Realtor that brings in a customer to our Burwood Acres community, located in Robinson Township, PA to purchase our only remaining quick delivery home by December 31, 2011, will get an added bonus of $2,500 on top of our normal 3 percent co-broke fee.

The home is situated in an estate-home community just minutes from all of the main commuting routes, not to mention shopping and great schools. But what sets this particular house apart are its numerous upgrades. This Energy Star® certified home, The Hawthorne, features hardwood flooring, granite countertops, upgraded stainless steel appliances, a morning room and much more for just $439,900. Read More

Celebrate Gettysburg’s Anniversary Events with S&A Homes

With only one weekend left until the holiday madness starts around your PA new homes, why not spend your time in Gettysburg where tourists and locals alike can enjoy the weekend events scheduled for this Saturday? This weekend marks a series of anniversary events in Gettysburg, including the 148^th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address, 9^th Annual Remembrance Illumination and even a Remembrance Day Parade complete with the pomp and circumstance you would expect from such an event.

The rich traditions of this area come together in what is considered one of the most event-filled weekends of the year. For those making the trip, or who already live in the area, we can suggest a few ways for you to make the most of your day. This Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. we will be playing host to all who wish to show their Gettysburg pride at S&A Homes’ Deatrick Village community in our brand new Charlotte Model, which showcases first-floor living at its finest. Read More