The Poconos- One of THE TOP 10 PLACES TO BUY A HOME IN 2011

Last decade’s bipolar housing market is over. The ups, the downs, the thrills, the spills — largely behind us. Yes, prices and sales are stuck in neutral in large swaths of the country.

But let’s ring in the new decade optimistically, with Walletpop’s Top 10 List of the Best Places to Buy a Home in 2011. This mostly unscientific and partially biased list is based on a grab-bag of lifestyle priorities and, yes, thorough reporting.

Here we go, in no particular order:

Austin, Texas: Best all-around city
Population: 799,267
Median home price: $122,921

Why here: Texas’ capital and a great college town, Austin is beautiful and the 12th-most-affordable American metro area. Job growth from 2000 to 2010 was 14.1 percent, according to Trulia; unemployment currently is 7.1 percent, compared with 9.8 percent nationwide. The city’s population is growing too. These positive indicators are expected to continue in the coming decade. Fortune 500 companies abound here; it’s home to more than 2,000 tech companies. Home prices are reasonable for the $73,747 median family income and let’s face it, nobody does BBQ better than Texas.

Deerfield Beach, Fla.: Most affordable town with a view
Population: 74,584
Median home price: $89,400

Why here: There may be cities with lower median prices (not many), but I’m guessing you need a down coat to live there. This burg comes complete with year-round warm weather and beachfront properties that not too long ago cost a bundle ($400,000+). It’s close to Fort Lauderdale and Miami, where residents can go for professional sports and cultural events.

Broomfield County, Colo.: Best jobs
Population: 55,000
Median home price: $239,000

Why here: Jobs! It also doesn’t hurt that the county is tucked between Denver and Boulder, so the scenery is nice too. Job growth in this area exploded 50% during the last decade. High-tech giants Oracle, Ball Corporation and VMware employ lots of folks, and IBM and Avaya are nearby. If you’re college-educated, you’re in good company: About 38% of the county’s residents hold a bachelor’s or higher degree, according to the Broomfield Economic Development Corporation. If you ski and hike, we’re talkin’ bliss!

Durham, N.C.: Best city to retire in
Population: 223,284
Median home price: $174,900

Why here: Since we’re talking about retiring, first on the list of pluses is Duke University’s renowned medical center. Also, Duke’s popular senior learning program offers 100 courses every term, on campus. So if golf’s not your game, but mathematics is, there you go. If, however, golf is your game — you’ve got that too. Plus Broadway hit shows, concerts and lots of places to hike. Home prices are a steal for what you get.

Woodbury, Minn.: Best place to raise kids
Population: 58,515
Median home price: $245,000

Why here: There are so many great places to raise kids, but this suburb 10 miles from St. Paul has a lot going for it. Yes, winters are cold (not a small thing), but it’s Minnesota — we’re talking thousands of lakes. Woodbury has 100 miles of trails for hiking and biking, and is a stone’s throw from thousands of acres of parkland. The schools are great, including the Math & Science charter school. 3M employs multitudes, as does state government. What’s not to like? OK, the winters. Deal with it.

Warner Robins, Ga.: Best military town for the buck
Population: 53,629
Median home price: $124,900

Why here: Located midway between Atlanta and Savannah, Warner Robins’ housing affordability is the big draw. The median price of a home is $110,000, while the median family income is about $63,000. That leaves some extra dough to hit the local aviation museum, motor speedway and golf club. The city’s main employer is the military (home of Robins Air Force Base), bringing engineers and employees from around the globe, so the population is eclectic. The city fared well during the recession.

Madison, Wis.: Best college town
Population: 562,000
Median home price: $199,900

Why here: A gem of a city located between two lakes, Madison is where it’s happening in the Midwest. Home of the state’s capital, it’s got a top-rated, Big 10 university (with all the sports and cultural events that come with it); affordable housing; tons of eateries and shopping; smart people; friendly atmosphere. You don’t have to be a student or the parent of one to buy a home here. A never-ending supply of renters keeps your investment solid. You may end up living here yourself.

Pocono Mountains, Pa.: Best vacation-home location for the price
Population: 340,000 for the whole region
Median home price: $78,000 for Pocono Lake; prices vary throughout the region

Why here: Year-round playground, with skiing in winter, equestrian activities in spring, summertime sailing and hiking in autumn. You can get a two-bedroom home with 1,256 square feet for $99,999 in Mount Pocono; a three-bedroom cottage in 1,255 square feet is listed for $139,000 in Pocono Pines, according to HomeAwayRealEstate.com.

Portland, Ore.: Best city for Gen-Y
Population: 551,302
Median monthly rent: $1,200

Why here: It’s green (literally and figuratively) and it’s gorgeous. Rents are a bit higher, but some big companies pay well, such as Intel, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Legacy Health System, Fred Meyer Stores. The attitude is way-laid back and there are tons of venues for merry-making: music clubs, coffee shops and art galleries. When it’s not raining, you can bike through the city, hike Mt. Hood and hit the zillions of hiking trails nearby.

San Francisco: Best city, period, price be damned
Population: 815,358
Median home price: $682,800

Why here: If you have to ask … The Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, the Bay, the hills, the views, the museums, street cars, cable cars, clubs, nightlife, architecture, coffee houses, bookstores for bibliophiles (City Lights, anyone?), hiking and biking everywhere, Tony Bennett (OK, just in your head), famous hotels and restaurants. Yes, it’s foggy in summer, but who cares?

Sources, median home prices: trulia.com and zillow.com

Is A Housing Shortage Coming?

By Les Christie, CNN Money.com

The nation is simply not building enough homes to keep up with potential demand. Just 672,000 new homes were started in April, an annualized rate and less than half the long-term run rate needed to meet the nation’s natural population growth.

“It is ironic, but there is a growing consensus that there may be a new housing shortage coming,” said James Gaines, a real estate economist with Texas A&M.

So far, the shortfall has been masked by a weak economy that has put a damper on home buying. Once the job market rebounds, however, people will look to have their own homes again. This pent-up demand could get unleashed on unprepared markets, causing shortages and rising local prices.

Household formation — the technical term for people moving in together — has been on hold during the past few years as young people, especially, have been unable to find jobs. In the past, an average of more than 1.3 million households were formed each year, causing demand for 1.5 million new homes. (More homes than households are needed to replace those destroyed by fires, floods, teardowns and neglect.)

In 2009, only 398,000 new households were formed, according to the Census Bureau. That is much lower than average and a quarter of the number formed just two years earlier.

“The decline in household formation is artificial,” said Gaines. “The young are moving in with their parents. There’s even doubling up among working class people. There’s a pent-up demand coming if and when the economy recovers.”

Those doubting a new bubble is near point to a large inventory overhang. As many as 7 million homes are vacant but not for sale, according to the Census Bureau, which should provide cushion to offset increased demand.

“The housing market hasn’t been this way before,” said Nicolas Retsinas, director of Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. “The gravity of the problem is deeper and the challenges different. You have to get through that inventory.”

The inventory number, however, can be deceiving for two reasons: People may not want to live in hard-hit areas where the houses are (think: California exurbs and Detroit neighborhoods) or the homes may be beyond repair.

“Many of these vacant homes may not be habitable or are in locations where nobody wants to live,” Gaines said.

Ordinarily, the nation’s homebuilders can react quickly to meet surges in demand. But several factors are preventing them from being nimble. The biggest is the difficulty getting loans, according to Jerry Howard, CEO of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

“When we came out of past recessions, there wasn’t the difficulty of obtaining financing that there is now,” he said.

Many small builders have been unable to obtain construction loans or lost their financing in mid-project. That has prodded NAHB to support federal legislation that would make $15 billion in lending guarantees available for private builders.

Hard times also persuaded builders to postpone purchases of land they could prep for future development. It will take them that much longer to gear up production once the housing market improves.

Too, many builders went out of business in the bust, so there will be fewer companies out there to do the building. The survivors will confront a transformed regulatory environment, according to Howard, that will make new homes harder to build and more expensive.

“There is an increased focus on smart growth that will create regulatory barriers to the kind of sprawling development that has characterized a lot of recent building,” said Retsinas.

The regulations come under two categories, according to Susan Asmus, NAHB’s senior vice president for advocacy, covering where new homes are built and how they’re built.

One category is storm water runoff. The Environmental Protection Agency tightened requirement governing how builders handle that. Builders will have to install controls such as catchments or retaining ponds that slow the flow of storm runoff into the local watersheds.

“It could add as much as $15,000 to $30,000 an acre in extra costs, depending on the soil,” said Asmus.

Another proposed regulation mandates sprinkler systems in each new home. This is already state law, starting January 2011, in California, Maryland and New Jersey. That adds as much as $10,000 to the cost of construction.

Previous overbuilding one-time boom towns, such as Las Vegas and Miami, should provide enough inventory of like-new homes to counter any strong pent-up demand that breaks free.

It’s the more constrained markets, where it’s particularly hard to build — such as New York, San Francisco and Seattle — that will field the bulk of the new bubble problems, according to Retsinas. He, however, is less worried about the purchase market than about rentals, the usual entree for the young buyers expected to lead the new housing market charge.

“Nobody is building any rental inventory,” said Retsinas. 

Eagle Village at Tamiment Receives 2010 RCI Hospitality Award

If you are planning a vacation and want to get away from the craziness of your everyday life and spend quality time with your family, then I know the place for you. Eagle Village @ Tamiment is a quaint, rustic resort nestled in the Bushkill area of the Pocono Mountains. Eagle Village is a timeshare resort that offers activities that encourages family participation. There is a 90 acre lake with a beach and the use of paddleboats and rowboats, an indoor pool with glass doors that are opened to the outside during the summer, playground, and miniature golf. There are always activities planned by staff members that are genuinely eager to make sure that your family takes back wonderful memories of their time at Eagle Village. On my last trip up there, the staff was already planning this year’s summer activities.

The units have a fully equipped kitchen which allows you the ability to make and enjoy breakfast and plan the day’s family activities without the worry of running off to work, meetings and school. If you choose to go out for dinner, you can still whip up a late night snack.

In an addition to the amenities at Eagle Village, you are only a short drive to the Delaware Water Gap Recreational Area. Here will you find hiking, fishing, nature walks and other outdoor activities. Bushkill Falls…The Niagara of Pennsylvania is located right down the road from the resort.

Eagle Village @ Taminent is a proud recipient of the 2010 RCI Hospitality Award. This award is given to timeshare resorts that score a minimum of points in reviews that are completed by past guests and owners. The units are available for rent; minimum stay is 2 nights. For more information about Eagle Village you can go to www.eaglevillagepoa.webs.com. If you would like to book your vacation at Eagle Village please visit www.wilkins1.com/vacationrentals.com.

Happy Vacationing!

Patricia Blank Toombs, author of this article, is a Vice President with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Assocs. Toombs is in charge of the Vacation Rental Department where she supervisors a department of three.. She has been with the company for over 8 years and started as a salesperson with the company. Eagle Village is and has been a popular destination property rented weekly by BHGWA for a number of years.

Pocono Family Reunions…How Easy!

Pocono Mts. - Why should you go through the headaches of planning a family reunion in the Poconos? Well the answer to that is

It’s your family, someone has to do it!§
If it’s done correctly, it can§ be a whole lot of fun and the Poconos is just the place to do it.
If you§ really haven’t seen your cousin in 12 years, isn’t the time now?
Summertime in the Poconos is the perfect time for family members of all ages to have a good time and this summer is the time to do it.

Family reunions are great events; they’re special because they give relatives, young and old, a chance to get reacquainted and in some cases with new babies or smaller children, you may be meeting them for the first time. Who doesn’t like to share family stories and history and preserve memories; and to be truthful about the fact….family reunions are just a whole lot of fun!

The best way to plan your Pocono family reunion is to start by creating committees. Someone should be the Reunion chairperson, someone designated to take charge while others can be members of different committees to help organize all the events. The biggest challenge of all is when is it going to take place and of course, where.

At Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates we have town-home communities where you can rent 3 to 15 units, and most likely, next to one another. By being close to each other, it enables the kids to simply walk from unit to unit without the worry of crossing highways, being alone in an area that is not supervised and putting any of the children or older members in an unfamiliar spot. Or, if you do want single family homes, we have them too!

The second thing you want to do is make a list of who will come. Assuming family members are located in at least the tri-state area, the Pocono Mountains offers highway driving distances and is easy to get to from the New England

THE TOP “10″ BEST THINGS TO DO ON YOUR POCONO VACATION

Stroudsburg – For generations now, families have vacationed in the Pocono Mts and the summer of 2010 is no different. Referred to in the past as “Pocono Mountains, the Near Country” the Poconos are only an hour & a half from New York, two hours from Philadelphia, two hours from upstate New York and three hours from the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas.

And it’s not hard to get to the Poconos, in fact….it’s easy. Whether you are coming in off Interstate 81, Interstate 80, across I-84, the highway structure to get to the near country is very accessible.

And once you get here, rain or shine, summer-time offers the best for families of all ages and sizes. Whether you want to do a lot or do nothing at all, the Poconos has it.

CamelBeach Water Park – Touted one of the largest outdoor water parks in the East, Camelbeach has the Flow-Rider, the ultimate surfing ride, Kahauna Wave Pool, the Blue Nile Adventure River, mini golf and bumper boats. All the pools feature heated water. Groups of 15 or more area always welcome. CamelBeach is conveniently located in Tannersville.

• Callie’s Candy Kitchen and Pretzel Factory – For the past 20 plus years Callie’s Candy Kitchen and Pretzel Factory has made every variety of candy known including chocolates, brittle, hard candy, lollipops, fudge and mints. Open year round, candy and pretzels are made fresh on the premises every day. Taste fresh treats at both locations; a definite stop when you come to the Poconos. Callie’s Candy Kitchen is located in Mountainhome.

• Claws & Paws – Known as “a zoo in the woods” you can get a close look at over 120 species of wild animals. Feed the giraffe, the parrots and Claws and Paws touts one of the best petting zoos around. Claws & Paws is located in the Lake Wallenpaupack region.

• Country Junction – Known as the world’s largest general store, going there is a treat whether you buy anything or not. At the Country Junction in Lehighton, you can get hardware, house wares, lawn and garden items, patio, pets, specialty foods, toys, whimsical treasures and a whole lot more.

• Whitewater Rafting – Some of the best rafting around is located outside Jim Thorpe in the western part of the Pocono Mountains. Plan on spending the day, and don’t be afraid of you are a novice, because trips of different calibers are designed for each of those type rafters. You’ll work up an appetite which is good because having a box lunch along side the Lehigh River just can’t be beat. Pocono whitewater rafting is for every level of adventurer; and you can choose your own pace, from mild to wild rafting and kayaking trips, it’s all designed for you.

o In addition to whitewater rafting, why not enjoy a canoe or raft ride. There’s absolutely no better way to view the spectacular scenery than quietly moving down the Delaware River. See eagles, hawks, egrets, deer and a whole host of other animal life as you travel the spectacular Delaware River aboard your canoe, kayak or rafting tube. Guided or unguided tours are available. Get trip ideas, river maps and information on special events. Group rates are always welcome.

• Quiet Valley Living Historic Farms – Nestled in the hills of Northeast Pennsylvania, Quite Valley is a living museum and is just like stepping back in time. Call ahead, because sometime there are special events with period dressed “family” members reenacting the life of the original Pennsylvania German family who lived on the farm from 1760 to 1913. Quite Valley has got something for people of all ages. Reminisce about the “good old days” and walk among the fully dressed theme family living on the farm.

• Beltzville State Park – Located in Carbon County, the 2,972 Beltzville State Park features 949 acre Beltzville Lake touting a shoreline of 19.8 miles. Activities include picnicking in either of the open or wooded picnic areas featuring modern restrooms, drinking water, picnic tables, playing fields, playgrounds and pavilions for larger families. Boating, including motorized watercraft or the boat rental concession for paddle boats, canoes, row boats, pontoons and small or large motorboats. Swimming, a 525 foot sand beach is open from late May to mid-September. Lifeguards are on duty from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. A bathhouse with showers and a first aid building are near the beach. For hunting and fishing, Beltzville Lake is stocked with warm and cold water game fish and pan fish.

• Split Rock Lodge Resort – Split Rock Lodge Resort opened H2 0oh indoor water park which features 53,326 square foot of fun, featuring exciting water attractions for all ages. The park includes 5 exciting body, tube and raft slides, flow-rider, wave-pool, activity pool, fun-play structure, snack and Tiki bar.

• Pocono Indian Museum – Pocono Indian Museum, located in Bushkill is Northeast Pennsylvania’s premier site and is an excellent way for children to learn about the history of the Delaware Indians. It’ll show you the North American history of man in Northeast Pennsylvania from 1500 BC to the contact period with the European man prior to the American Revolution. It also shows the Delaware Indians peaceful co-existence with other Indians. The museum is packed full of displays of ancient artifacts, weapons and the tools that from a chronological commentary on life among the Indians for thousands of years. It’s gift shop is filled with artifacts that children can take home with them as remembrances of their visit to the museum.

• Shawnee Playhouse – Located in historic Shawnee-on-Delaware the Playhouse history began when C. C. Worthington built the playhouse in 1904 as the Worthington Hall. In 1943, Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians began to broadcast their famous radio programs from the Hall. Unfortunately, the Hall later fell into dis-use.

o The Kirkwood Family in 1978 began to restore Worthington Hall into what it is today, the Shawnee Playhouse. With contributions from the Kirkwood family, and generous donations from many individuals and friends, the Shawnee Playhouse today is a must-see destination. Matinee and evening shows are available; visit them online for a list of the summer play.

Well, that’s just a couple ideas of what you can do on your summer vacation in the Pocono Mountains. As you can tell, whether it’s raining, the sun is shining or whatever Mother Nature may bring, there’s always something to do.

The first thing you want to do is call Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates or visit us online at www.wilkins1.com to view the different privately owned vacation homes, condo or town-homes that you can rent for a weekend, a week or a seasonal stay. Ask us about our “stimulus week”, a vacation planned with the economic downturn in mind. It’s a 5 day, 4 night stay which will serve as a one week vacation at a very affordable price.

Hope to see you and your family in the River, at a play, at CamelBeach, Callie’s Candy Kitchen, Claws & Paws or any of the great sights here in the Poconos. Enjoy yourself!

Thomas R. Wilkins is CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates, the one of the largest real estate broker companies in the Pocono Mountains. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate rents furnished vacation condos, town-homes, and individual cabins throughout the greater Pocono region. Packages are available from 3 days, 2 nights to 8 days, 7nights.

Patricia Blank-Toombs, Vice President Sales and Vacation Rental Manager contributed to this article and is head of the Vacation Rental Department

Thinking about a summer family vacation in the Poconos, give us a call today or visit us online at www.wilkins1.com