You are on the private e-group of Adrienne "Abe" Wagner and Robert "Wags" Wagner, REALTORS of Prudential Preferred Realty, Laurel Highlands Office, Donegal PA, in the Laurel Highlands of SW PA, USA. If this message comes to you in error our apologies. Please let us know and we will clear you from this group. This update is not an attempt to solicit the offerings of other brokers and is for informational purposes only. All opinions are ours alone.

Thank you to all who enjoy our updates! Always know that we do post these updates on our Newsletters Page on our website so if in the future we may seem to be late please check our site, your spam system may be blocking our message.

1. Overall Local Market - There is a buffet of commercial properties available right now. Why NOW? Whether it's just attrition, no slots coming to our area, owners tired of the snow (impossible), the selection is there. Unfortunately lack of city sewage is a big concern for prospective buyers. Lower price tags would certainly help to move the inventory. Make sure you are working with a DESIGNATED BUYERS AGENT who will dig up past sales and help negotiate all of the contingencies you will have to consider.

2. Seven Springs - Happy FIRST Anniversary (and a Diamond one at that) to the Nutting family, owners of the resort. One year later and the changes just keep coming. Inside and out if you haven't been around for awhile you're going to see many new and improved facilities and prices. Much work has been done on increasing the amenities for the under 18 years of age. Check out the eurobunge video and pictures of the new chair on Gunnar!

ORVIS is coming to the mountain. For those of you unfamiliar with the name this family is what many call the ultimate fishing resource. Fly and trout fishers have known for years that our cold water streams and ponds around the mountain offer excellent native and stocked fishing. It's a niche that Nemacolin and Bedford Springs are heavily promoting and 7 Springs is following. Looks like coveted secret water holes may be more hard to find in the near future.

Shooting Range - Mike Mohr, world known shooter and Former Director of the Nemacolin Shooting Academy has reportedly been convinced to move his position to Seven Springs. The Nuttings experience with trading baseball players will come in handy as bidding for the best and brightest employees is going to get competitive.

Point of Interest - Most recent acquisition by the resort, an 8 acre parcel know as "Rock Garden Storage" (on the left hand side of Village Drive going up across from the WoodRidge community). This parcel has storage units, a few apartments, and a steep slope. As avid market watchers, our question is what made it worth $1,100,000?? Is the Rock Garden parcel the key to some future development/amenity/facility to capture that price OR was it purchased to PREVENT something happening that didn't fit into the overall strategic plan. We'll see if appraisers will use it as a comparable.

SOUTHWIND - As the initial excitement slows down Seven Springs has begun its marketing campaign to turn over these townhomes. Phase 1 and 2 sold out almost immediately by word of mouth and their awesome web page. With Phase 3 still carrying 14 properties for sale it is now being featured in prime ad space. Check out the Pittsburgh Whirl Magazine and the full page color ad. ( No link available)

There are only two resales in Southwind that are on the market. If you want to be in this year CHECK out our slopeside property! Although homeowners were told their community center would be done this year as of now it sure doesn't look that way.

When you take the new properties out of the mix the sold resale numbers are very similar to last year. But inventory continues to climb, properties are staying on the market longer, and we're seeing price reductions. Buyers are beginning to have some room for negotiating. Right now there are 43 active listings, 5 under $200K, 13 up to $300K, leaving 58% (25) over $300K. Compare that to Hidden Valley's inventory! Check with Abe 412.897.8535 or Abe@AbeAndWags.com to see how your property stacks up in this market!

3. Hidden Valley - Never in our wildest scenarios would we have predicted that both resorts would have new owners within a year. Everyone on the mountain is very excited to unofficially WELCOME the Buncher Group. Even though the transfer hasn't been recorded and "THEY" have refused to comment on the acquisition, read between the lines. Keith James, spokesman for Hidden Valley, has publicly acknowledged to Michele Ganassi, writer for the Daily American, that the resort is off the market and that the Buncher group “has reached an agreement in principle with Hidden Valley officials for the transfer of the resort and its assets.” Strong indicators are in place that this is VERY CLOSE to being a done deal.

HOWEVER, we would just like to repeat to you that as yet the transfer has not been recorded!! Meteoroids still strike the earth. Things can change. Unlike the Seven Springs transaction this deal would be a sale of taxable assets. We are rooting for this company as they are already a welcomed good neighbor with the locals, township, and county. From their land acquisition 3 years ago, Buncher has PREMIUM FRONTAGE on Rt 31. Hmmm...... we still might see slots in the Laurel Highlands.

We do believe that there is a perfect storm brewing out there when it comes to finding and retaining top notch employees. Seven Springs has always carried between 800 to 1,300 depending upon the season and Hidden Valley has seen more people leave than stay for the long term. Given that housing is currently only affordable outside of both resorts (and there isn't much available) we think there is going to be major competition and better compensation packages being offered for hard workers.

It's very possible and highly likely that with an upgraded functioning resort more buyers will be spending their money on this side of the mountain. Here's what's happening so far this year.

Yes these numbers sting but we believe it's just a cycle! Current inventory is at 55 with 22 under $200K, 12 up to $300K, leaving 38% (21) at a stagnant $300K plus price point. As we have been reporting, the Hidden Valley Foundation is well maintained, financially stable, and the BUY in the Laurel Highlands. We see housing values coming close to Seven Springs in the future. DO THE MATH!! E-mail Abe at ABE@ABEandWAGS.com to find out how your property fits into this market or call her at 412-897-8535.

4. July 23 Golf outing SUPPORTS OUR TROOPS: As President of the Westmoreland Realtors Association Wags has chosen to send support packages to our local Military serving overseas as his charitable effort. This SCRAMBLE golf outing at Hannastown Country Club will raise funds to send personal items to our troops. Come join us for a great day and cause. Contact Erin Mikolich, coordinator, at 800-419-7653 to reserve your tee time. Great course, great food, great time. Thanks for your support.

5. Local - Trips for Kids With everyone trying to be more environmentally conscious how about exposing the kids to mother nature! Our Mountain Watershed Association offers bike rides that do just that! Actually they host trips year round, weather permitting. Discover aquatic life, learn about watersheds, source water protection, pollution, and experience the beauty of the Indian Creek Valley. They can even earn scout merit badges! Rides are lead by experienced cyclists trained in First Aid and CPR. Lessons are written in accordance with the PA Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology but don't tell the kids that!! Donations are always appreciated but never required! Call today to schedule your trip 724.455.4200

Snakes - Granted, living on the mountain allows us to take advantage of the woods more often than our week end counterparts. Twice now this year we have come upon rattlesnakes in our adventures and YES they are poisonous. It's not unusual to go for years without coming across one so when two crossed our paths in the space of a few months we wanted to extend a heightened sense of awareness to our fellow nature lovers. Most often they are out sunning themselves and are fairly dormant. HOWEVER if you're on a bike and you mistake it for a stick, things could get very interesting!! Always be aware of your surroundings whether you are in the woods or the city!!

6. State - Bedford Springs Resort Grand ($120,000,000 renewal and expansion) Re-opening July 12th. According to Mapquest it's 53.58 miles from Seven Springs so we can't really call it Local and it's not a part of the Laurel Highlands BUT it will be another choice for consumers to spend their hard earned dollars. Especially those coming in from the east coast. Our good friend Nellie Over will be an honored guest at their kick off this Thursday. She worked there in her high schools days and has the black and white photos to prove it!

What makes this resort so endearing is it's 200 year history with 10 United States Presidents! It is a National Historic Land Mark with 216 guest rooms and suites, 30,000 square feet of Springs Eternal Spa, a restored 18 hole golf course, trout fishing, state of the art IACC conference center, and weddings to knock your socks off (starting at $149.00 a person).

Let's take a look at how these 4 resorts are strategically positioning themselves for the consumer. Highest on the totem pole (so far) is Nemacolin with the most extravagant and pricey options. Then Seven Springs with many more options and rising prices, Bedford Springs appears to be trying to get somewhere in between these two (check out their wedding, spa, and conference pricing!). Hidden Valley, for now, is the gem in the rough with low pricing and few amenities.

7. NATIONAL - SOS LIVE EARTH. It is amazing how much we can do to help clean up our planet! Take a look at the solution section (check out the rest of the site while you're there)! It's filled with tons of tips on how we can be proactive in our attempt to correct our past environmental mistakes. The third tip is about changing light bulbs and how if 1,000,000 people would change just 4 bulbs we could save 9,000,000 tons of green house gas. We've changed nine, how about YOU? PS.. these bulbs last up to 5 years.

8. Local tips and tricks: Ohio Pyle is a great place to bike and hike on weekdays, but the crowds keep us away on the weekend. We go to the closer rails to trails in Rockwood and Champion for great stream side trails, less traffic, and just as much fun. To get to Rockwood from Seven Springs TR on County Line going east, stay on the road and go 11 miles to Rockwood, cross the river and park on the right. Pittsburgh to the right, DC to the left. Rent Trek bikes at the local shop, call Lynn at 814-926-4524 to reserve a bike. For Champion, TL or west from Seven Springs, go 6 miles to bottom of hill, cross 1 bridge, park behind brick building. Trail is on the left, 5 miles to Indianhead. The first mile of this trail is an excellent walk for wildflowers, especially in the spring.

Did you have a local butcher shop in your neighborhood when you were a kid?? We do here, and it is G & D grocery in Melcroft. Call Glenn at 724.455.2720 and have fresh cut great steaks ready when you get here. Chomp into one of these super steaks and you will never buy a big box saran wrapped chunk of meat again. From RT 31 and 711, go south on 711 for about 6 miles, store on left.

9. Vail vs Laurel Highlands: RESORT REALTOR SYMPOSIUM, VAIL, CO What an amazing place in the summer! Before we get to the symposium if you have property out there make sure your fire insurance is CURRENT. The pine beetle has killed MILLIONS of pine trees and reduced them to matchsticks just waiting for a lightning strike. Miles of mountains are brown instead of green because of this uncontrolled infestation.

As for a comparison, the advantages of the Laurel Highlands are obvious, winner by no contest. Take any LH properteries and multiply by almost 10X$$ to own the same in Vail. YEH, we are not as big but I am not sucking high altitude air to buckle my boots, and breakfast at Champion Station is $5.00 and not $25.00 at Pepes. Plus, we are a 1 hour drive, not a 1 day effort to get to Vail. Now, I know we are biased, but every time we go to one of these "premium" resort areas we come back here recognizing what a GEM and BARGAIN the Laurel Highlands are.

Our goal is to expose our resort area to the International Market where our prices are more like pocket change. We had a session on Luxury Homes and the spending habits of the rich and famous. Let's just say a $45,000 purse is not considered expensive! We market to the world. People think the big bucks are in DC and NYC. The big money is in the Pacific Rim, Persia, and Eastern Europe. We mean BIG BUCK$$$.

10. Tek Tip As a member of the Real Estate Cyber Society we have a Monthly Newsletter with really neat Internet tips and tricks. This months newsletter features links on a busy office background soundtrack for your home office, a look at tools and future computing, and Tube technology, a FREE program what allows you to send information to other computers you choose instantly.

We appreciate your feedback or questions. Please ask for Abe or Wags personally. Feel free to forward this newsletter in entirety to any other interested parties.

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