Real Estate

The Continuing Education Division at Hagerstown Community College will offer a course called “Seniors Real Estate Specialist Designation” on March 13 and 14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the HCC Valley Mall Center. The course helps real estate professionals develop the business-building skills and resources for specialization in the 50-plus real estate market, by expanding knowledge of how life stages impact real estate choices, connecting to a network of resources, and fostering empathy with clients and customers.

The Hagerstown area might not be at the housing market bottom, but it is close, a national wealth and real estate expert said this week. "I can't say you are at the bottom, but I will say you are not at the top, and you are probably close to the bottom," said Robert Shemin, a nationally recognized real estate expert and New York Times best-selling author. "You are kind of like everyone else, the majority of the country," he said. "What's happened is you had a tremendous drop in the market, a run up and a run down.

After a lengthy public discussion with an outside group of real estate development officials Tuesday night, Hagerstown Mayor David S. Gysberts and city council members spoke positively about the opportunities the group could present in terms of redeveloping various parts of the city. Represented by local attorney D. Bruce Poole, the group of officials consisted of Tim Elliott of the real estate development company Sora Development, Dane Bauer of the engineering firm Daft, McCune and Walker Inc., and Chuck Brawley of Skanska, a multi-national construction company.

Name of business: Keystone Real Estate Settlement Services Inc. Owners: Tracy A. White and Heather E. Miller Address: 19 Fifth Ave., Chambersburg, Pa. Opening date: January 2012 Products and services: Residential and commercial real estate transactions, including purchases and refinances, and title-searching services Target market: Real estate agents and lenders Previous business experience: We have...

What ever happened to those dire predictions about a bubble bursting in the real estate industry? Apparently, it's dissipating into the air. Real estate values are maintaining their strength and in most areas, are continuing to grow, but at a slower pace than experienced in recent years. In California, for example, the median price of homes during March increased 15.7 percent over the same month last year. And the number of sales increased by 7.5 percent. Real estate values are still within rational norms despite the huge run-up over the past few years, it was noted by Lewis Feldman, a prominent real estate attorney and consultant.

The president of the Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority board last week defended the agency's real estate moves in recent years, countering recent claims of mismanagement that "fall just short of malfeasance. " In prepared remarks made to Berkeley County Council Thursday, Charles R. Hall III refuted charges made earlier this month by Rick Trenary, who was critical of how the ambulance authority had been spending money on facilities. The council will hold a public hearing on April 7 to consider response from the community on the ambulance authority's request to increase its household fee by $15 a year.

Hagerstown Community College Center for Continuing Education will conduct a series of seminars for real estate investors in Washington County. The seminar series includes: · Landlord Crash Course - Wednesday, March 12, 6 to 9 p.m. This is an introductory course on being a landlord in Washington County. Topics include leases, lead paint laws, evictions and code enforcement. Cost is $40. · Successful Real Estate Investing - Tuesday, March 25, 6 to 9 p.m. Find out how to create wealth by investing in real estate.

Today, the real estate market is often described as "hot" - and the idea of a career in real estate sales has attracted many thousands of people across the country recently. Hagerstown, which qualifies as a "boom town" according to MSN, seems to offer lucrative possiblities. But what does it really take to build a successful real estate career? To start with, the requirements to obtain licensing and professional accreditation in the field are demanding, and there are financial costs as well.

Hagerstown Community College Center for Continuing Education is conducting a series of seminars for real estate investors in Washington County. The seminar series includes: · Landlord Crash Course - Monday, March 19, 6 to 9 p.m. This popular course is co-sponsored by the Hagerstown Neighborhood Development Partnership Inc. Topics include leases, lead-paint laws, evictions and code enforcement. Cost is $40. · Successful Real Estate Investing - Wednesday, April 11, 6 to 9 p.m. Steve Powell, a local investor and Realtor, shares valuable tips on making successful investment decisions.

laurae@herald-mail.com Nine years ago, Cynthia Moler watched as her business, an indoor tennis club, literally collapsed in a lightning storm. The blower that kept the fabric cover inflated over the four tennis courts at the Hagerstown Tennis Club stopped working. Then the backup generator failed. "My bubble actually was bursting," said Moler, who can joke about that night now. At the time, it was a devastating blow for Moler, who was dealing with personal issues as a newly single woman trying to make it on her own. But Moler, 51, was determined to turn around her situation.

Tuscarora School District property owners could face a tax increase to support the district's preliminary 2013-14 budget. On Monday, the school board approved a preliminary budget that calls for a three-fourths of a mill real estate tax increase. A mill represents $1 of every $1,000 assessed property value. The proposed increase would cost the average property owner $14, according to Business Administrator Eric Holtzman. The school board must pass a final budget by June 30. Even with the proposed tax increase, the school board would not be able to balance its revenues and expenditures without dipping into savings.

A training session for real estate professionals on how to guide potential buyers of historic properties will be held Saturday in Martinsburg, the West Virginia Division of Culture and History State Historic Preservation Office announced. Myths and facts about historic buildings, typical architectural styles found throughout the state, sustainability and green energy in historic buildings and financial incentives available to historic property owners will be among the topics discussed in the eight-hour training session, the state agency said in a news release.

Garden Club says thanks for Art in Bloom's success To the editor: On behalf of the Hagerstown Garden Club, the sponsors of Art in Bloom, I would like to thank the entire community for its enthusiastic support of this event, specifically for the preview party. We are pleased to share that in its 11th year its popularity continues to grow and the event is sold out. The purpose of Art in Bloom and the preview party is to continue to broaden the exposure of our community to the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts and to raise money for the museum.

The first gathering of a new church will take place at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 18, at Cancun Cantina West, 901 Dual Highway, Hagerstown. The church is called The Watering Hole, a Biker Church, and will meet weekly on Mondays. For more information, call Cancun Cantina at 301-797-4422 or Bill Kleckner at 301-582-9073.   Potpie dinner Ringgold Ruritan will hold a turkey and ham potpie dinner Saturday, March 9, from 2 to 7 p.m. at the Ringgold Ruritan Building (old schoolhouse)

The Continuing Education Division at Hagerstown Community College will offer a course called “Seniors Real Estate Specialist Designation” on March 13 and 14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the HCC Valley Mall Center. The course helps real estate professionals develop the business-building skills and resources for specialization in the 50-plus real estate market, by expanding knowledge of how life stages impact real estate choices, connecting to a network of resources, and fostering empathy with clients and customers.

Chambersburg Country Club SCOTLAND, Pa. -   Jenna Spencer is the new event coordinator and bar manager at the Chambersburg Country Club. Spencer joins the management team at the club after previous positions with Mack Hospitality, The Caddy Shack, the Gettysburg Hotel and Fiddler's Restaurant at Mayapple. She has an associate degree in hospitality management from Harrisburg Area Community College. In her new job, Spencer will coordinated the more than 100 annual banquets, weddings, charity functions and other events held at the clubhouse.

After a lengthy public discussion with an outside group of real estate development officials Tuesday night, Hagerstown Mayor David S. Gysberts and city council members spoke positively about the opportunities the group could present in terms of redeveloping various parts of the city. Represented by local attorney D. Bruce Poole, the group of officials consisted of Tim Elliott of the real estate development company Sora Development, Dane Bauer of the engineering firm Daft, McCune and Walker Inc., and Chuck Brawley of Skanska, a multi-national construction company.

About 74 cents of each tax dollar paid to the Franklin County, Pa., government general fund this year will be spent on the county's criminal justice system. The county commissioners unanimously approved a final 2013 budget last week. The plan calls for $112.9 million in spending for all operations and services, with $42.7 million targeted for the general fund that supports the probation department, courts, the Day Reporting Center, the jail, elections, veterans affairs and row offices such as the clerk of courts and prothonotary.

Tax bills across Franklin County, Pa., are going up in 2013. This week, the county commissioners approved a slight property tax increase to support library services. They also passed a preliminary budget that calls for a tax increase county officials say will cost the average homeowner $9. The commissioners have been reviewing a $112.9 million spending plan for all operations and services, with $42.7 million of that targeted for the fund that includes elected officials, probation, courts, the Day Reporting Center, the jail, elections and veterans affairs.

Having sold their previous house, Michael and Kanda Betson and their teenage son are living in a 30-foot camper while Michael oversees construction of their new home in Brownsville. Paul Plume and his wife, Courtney, have fulfilled his lifelong dream of buying a farm, but their plans of building a new home on its Indian Springs acreage have hit an economic snag they hope is only temporary. Charlie and Lorena Sanbower have taken a loan on their current house to finance construction of their new one near Hagerstown while hoping to sell their old one soon.