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Erie PA News and Events for Monday May 21, 2007
Posted by Dennis on May 21, 2007
Location, location, location. The real estate prices in one City of Erie neighborhood have skyrocketed. Why? The homes have a view of the water - Presque Isle Bay.
In mid March I got a call from a law firm in Indiana that needed to sell a home in Erie on West Front Street. (I’m a real estate agent.) The owner was going through a bankruptcy. It needed to be done quick. I came up with a sales figure of $59,900 using comparable sales from other homes that were sold in the area. I even added a bit because it did have a view of the water. I go to the home to put the For Sale sign in the yard. I couldn’t get on the block because there were fire trucks, police cars, the coroner and everything else with a flashing light had the street blocked. The house next door to the one I’m selling caught on fire. Apparently the neighbor did a Richard Prior and died. Shit. Wondering if the house will ever sell now with the house next door in ruins and police tape around everything.
I talk to the next door neighbor on the other side of the property. He says he’ll buy it and let me sell his house. Cool. But I need to actually list it and see if anyone else is interested. I have a duty to get the most money I can for the property.
And I haven’t even been inside the house. There is someone living there. He knows nothing about the bankruptcy. He’s a bit uncooperative. Guess I would be too.
Soooooo, I list the house and explain to everyone we can’t get inside. Got 4 offers for it that day. That’s 5 total. I make arrangements with the person living in the home to let everyone see the interior. That time comes and the guy is nowhere to be found. There are 2 dozen people milling around on the sidewalk. Crap. He was sitting at an attorneys office trying to prevent the sale. The neighbor, who wants to buy it, put a for sale sign in his window. One of the people who wants to see the house I’m selling buys that one. Crap. I lose a buyer and the one I would have been selling. That house was purchased a couple of years ago for $53,500. It was remodeled. The only one on the block that was fixed up. The sales price? $140,000.
So, I’ve got 4 offers for the place sight unseen. Another one comes in before anyone can get inside. Finally get access to the place. It needs work. A lot of work. But it’s solid. I tell everyone to submit their best and final offer. It sells for $80,500. With $40,000 worth of updates I think it would sell for $130,000.
Every house in the area with a view of the water is now worth, at least on paper, about 50 percent more than 2 months ago.
Dan Desrochers, Director of Marketing and Community Relations at the Community Blood Bank, reminded me that the final performance of “Dancing with Erie Celebrities” is on WJET-TV this morning. Voting takes place now through Tuesday at 6 pm. Dan, Debbie DeAngelo of Hamot and the FOX 66 health expert, Scott Mitchell the Zoo Guy from the Erie Zoo, and Star 104 Morning Show Host Jessica Curry are taking part in the contest.
Congrats to Cory on his graduation from Behrend. I know he wants to go to the left coast to get a job but when he starts his own company I hope locates it in the Erie area.
Polly Bukta, Speaker Pro Tempore, and State Representative for the State of Iowa, has been named Cambridge Who’s Who Executive of the Year in Government. While inclusion in Cambridge Who’s Who Registry is an honor, only one member in each discipline is named the Cambridge Who’s Who Executive of the Year. Bukta received her Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and French from Mercyhurst College in Erie PA in 1962.
Akron relievers gave up home runs in the bottom of the ninth and tenth innings in a 2-1 loss to the host Erie SeaWolves. First baseman Jeff Larish tied the score with a home run to left-center field. Then the SeaWolves took control of the series, as well as the game, with a home run to right-center field from Steve Torrealba. The ‘Wovles will be back in action tonight in Harrisburg.
Gannon University will host a free seminar designed to help veterans interested in starting their own businesses. The seminar, From Service to Success, will run from 7:30 am to 3 pm. Thursday, May 24 in the Yehl Room of the Waldron Campus Center, 124 West Seventh Street. It also is targeted at veterans who already own a business, and is sponsored by the Gannon Small Business Development Center and Paulsen Productions. With a focus on veterans, the seminar is being held in recognition of Memorial Day so that those who served their country can learn more about the resources available to help them succeed in business. Richard Ramirez, president and founding director of the United States Association of Veterans in Business, will give the keynote address. The event includes a free continental breakfast and free lunch. Pre-registration is encouraged. For more information or to register, call 814-871-7232 or 877-258-6648. The Gannon University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) serves clients in Erie, Crawford, Mercer, and Warren counties. Its consultants offer expertise in areas like accounting, finance, marketing, research, banking, international business, environmental issues, and small business ownership.
Lake Erie Speedway and the Erie Runners Club are teaming up to host the 6k Run and Walk and 1/2 Mile Youth Race on June 2, 2007 to benefit the St Martins Center. This highly charged event will begin with a 1/2 mile youth race, which will take place around the oval racetrack. Immediately after the youth race, the 6k race will begin at the entrance of Lake Erie Speedway on Delmas Drive. The first leg of the race will be run on a hard packed dirt road. Runners will then make a square loop around the Speedway property on paved roads making their way back onto the oval and ending at the track’s start/finish line. This event will mark the first time the Erie Runners Club comes to the speedway. While there, runners can visit exhibit booths from Saint Vincent Hospital, St Martin Center, Erie Federal Credit Union, Point Click Learn and more. Runners will also get to stay at Lake Erie Speedway that night, for a full night of NASCAR Whelen Championship Racing. Prices are $20 for the 6k run, $10 for the youth ½ mile run, and $10 for a non-race participant.
Camp Notre Dame is holding an open house on Sunday June 3 from 1-4 pm. Camp Notre Dame offers day and overnight camping for ages 4-16.
Penn State Behrend’s popular College for Kids returns this summer with over 150 weeklong classes to educate, entertain, and inspire young people ages 6 to 18. College for Kids courses begin June 11 and continue through August 10, with the exception of Fourth of July week. Classes are organized by age and held during morning or afternoon sessions, with before- and after-care available for an additional fee. Returning classes include past favorites in guitar, golf, knitting, word processing, PowerPoint, model rocketry, acting, sign language, and scrap booking instruction; World War II history, “Engineering MythBusters,” and “Dinosaur Discovery.” New courses this year: “Storm Chasing 101” taught by WJET-TV meteorologist Tom Atkins; two finance classes, “Kids and Money” for the younger student and “Show Me the Money” for teens; “Let’s Cheer,” “Conversational Spanish,” “Introduction to Chess,” “Star Wars and the Roman Empire,” “Crafts from the Beach,” “Space Camp: Return to the Moon,” and an investigation of the paranormal called “X-Files.” “We also have a very special opportunity this year for kids ages 12 to 18—a chance to paint a mural on the fountain in Perry Square under the direction of local artist AJ Noyes,” Mary Trott, College for Kids program coordinator, noted. “Because of the significance of this community service project, this will be one of the rare College for Kids classes that meets for a full day.” Perry Square fountain painting will take place the week of July 23. For artists not old enough to participate in the mural project or unable to commit to a full-day class, Noyes also will teach College for Kids courses in hand-sewing and beading, craft painting, nature drawing and painting, and portrait drawing. Costs vary by course but start at $70 per weeklong class. Before- or after-class supervision is available for an additional $10 per week. Schedule and registration information will be distributed through area schools and also is available by calling 814-898-6212 or clicking here. Mail and online registration will begin in early May. Participants are encouraged to register early for best class selection.
The Counting Crows, Live and Collective Soul will play a concert at Jerry Uht Park in Erie, PA on July 31 as part of “The Rock ‘n’ Roll Triple Play Ballpark Tour.” Tickets go on sale June 2 at 10 am. Tickets can be purchased at the SeaWolves box office at Jerry Uht Park and on SeaWolves.com. Children under 12 get in FREE with each paid adult ticket holder.
Posted by Dennis at May 21, 2007 6:58 AM
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