If you are a Realtor in the Martinsburg, WV area, mark your calendars for a fun event this Thursday evening from 4 to 7 p.m. Join us at our North Ridge model home for a wine and cheese Realtor-only event. If you think this evening is just about the food and drinks, though, you are sorely mistaken.

Realtors attending will have a chance to get a sneak preview of some brand new, luxurious floor plans that will soon be offered in our North Ridge communities. When we say sneak peek, we really mean it. We will have floor plans, exterior renderings and interior photos of our brand new plans on display for you to view. Read More

Last week, our team at S&A Homes was proud to walk away with five Pyramid Awards from the Harrisburg Home Builders Association (HBA).  The annual event is actually part of a nationally recognized program that is administered through local HBA chapters to honor the best of the best when it comes to home builders, remodelers and industry leaders in marketing and advertising.

Our Harrisburg region submitted photographs and examples of work for each category in addition to a written narrative outlining the goals for each program and submitted their work earlier in the month to the Harrisburg Home Builders Association.  Afterwards, a third-party panel of judges combed through the submissions to make a determination of who won best of the best for work done in 2013. Read More

When we all picture retirement, we may envision ourselves in a sunny place like Arizona or Florida, soaking in the rays, hanging out with our ultra-friendly neighbors in a monstrous clubhouse and swimming ever day in an Olympic sized pool. The reality is, however, that more and more retiring baby boomers are choosing to live in locations close to their kids (and more importantly, grandkids) and are choosing an active, hands-on family lifestyle that often has very little to do with the mega resort community we usually envision for baby boomers.

That doesn’t mean 55 and uppers don’t seek many of the luxuries that those resort-style communities offer, though. They just want to be close to their family, and, frankly, most don’t want to spend nearly $1,000 a month on HOA fees to maintain those types of amenities. So, what does today’s retiring baby boomer seek? According to studies conducted by AARP, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, National Association of Realtors and the NAHB there are many items Baby Boomers have on their wish list. These few stood out: Read More

Those looking for unrivaled luxury, location and convenience better not miss out on our open house event at The Woods of Sewickley Hills this Sunday, April 27. This fast-selling community is located in the heart of Sewickley, known for its premium location close to Pittsburgh, it’s charming downtown, scores of gorgeous homes and its award-winning Quaker Valley School District, which is the 4-time recipient of the Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence in addition to recently being recognized as the #14 high school out of 687 Pennsylvania Schools in U.S. News last year.

A great location shouldn’t mean that you need to sacrifice on space and amenities. With just one quick-delivery home available in The Woods of Sewickley Hills and only one home site left to build on, those interested better act quickly if they want to live in one of the area’s most sought-after communities.  Read More

What is pre-construction pricing? Those looking for a new home have heard the term, but not everyone is aware of what it means.  The truth is that it can mean different things depending on the circumstances surrounding it.

A builder that touts pre-construction pricing in a slow selling community may simply be using the terminology as a sales gimmick. A builder that legitimately offers buyers a discounted chance to get into a community before many of the “perks” are in such as landscaping, a finished streetscape or a model home may offer new construction purchasers a chance to save big up front.

So, how can you tell if you are getting a true bargain or not? Two words: sales volume. Communities selling quickly will also tend to be the ones that offer big returns for early investors. Of course, if you are striving to be the FIRST buyer in a community, that type of information certainly won’t be available to you. Relying on market comps in the surrounding area will be your best bet to determining if a community is a true bargain or not. Read More

Everyone from Happy Valley is well aware of the Blue-White Game tradition that serves as the University’s unofficial spring reunion. This year’s game is especially important since it is James Franklin’s debut as the new head coach for the Nittany Lions. Plus, since attendance and parking is completely free AND the forecast for Saturday is 68 degrees and sunny, we wouldn’t be surprised if attendance this year breaks the 70,000 number, making this one of the most attended spring football games in the nation.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the weekend’s biggest events:

Saturday, April 12

9:00 a.m.: Blue-White FanFest kicks off on Curtain Road and features vendors, games, snacks and fun activities for the entire family. Read More

Thinking of small town living typically evokes images of places far from civilization. Pennsylvania, however, with its historic towns, country views and lovely main streets is unique because most of these idyllic small towns are located close to some of the nation’s largest and most cosmopolitan cities.

Waynesboro, PA is no different. Old Victorian homes, historic barns and ornate churches dot the landscape of this close-knit community. But looks can be deceiving.  Waynesboro offers the ultimate in commuting convenience to Hagerstown, MD and Frederick, MD in addition to award-winning schools. And now…brand new homes in Martin’s Ridge starting from the $180,000s.  Read More