1. The Laurel
Highlands encompasses three
different counties and three
different Multiple Listing Systems (
MLS ). The best way to see what is
on the market in these different MLS
systems is to use Realtor.com, which
picks up all active listings in all
three MLS systems. Search by zip and
price for the properties you are
interested in. Narrow your search by
bedrooms and baths if necessary. The
most common search areas by zip are
Champion/ 7 Springs, 15622, Hidden
Valley, 15502, Somerset, 15501,
Donegal, 15628, Ligonier, 15658,
Rector, 15677, Acme/ Bear Rocks,
15610, and Mt. Pleasant, 15666.
2. Get on our e-flash
which will e-mail you every time a
new property you are interested in
comes on the market. Also, subscribe
to our market reports and area
updates which will give you a
current feel for the market in
general, timing, buyer activity, and
new events which will affect real
estate in the area. E-mail us to get
on our e-list or check out the
market reports on Realtor.com in the
above zips. Our current market
report is on this site. Just e-mail
rwagner@topproducer.com for
these valuable and FREE REPORTS.
3. Align yourself
with a working buyers or listing
agent that knows the area. If I were
buying in this area my buyers agent
would have the ABR (Accredited
Buyers Representive), have been in
the market place for at least 2
years, and transact at least 10
resort properties per year. If you
are a buyer I do not
suggest dealing with a sellers
agent, who will not be representing
you but will represent the seller,
or a dual agent, who is a listing agent
who is trying to sell their own
listing. An agent in dual agency
cannot represent you fully but can
only transact the deal. A good
buyers agent will know the past
solds for properties that you are
interested in and also know the FSBO's in the area and will know the
pitfalls and problems with certain
properties and advise you of such.
If I were listing my property my agent would
have a CRS (Certified Real-estate
Specialists) designation, have been
in the market place for at least 2
years, have an enhanced
Realtor.com package, do visual tours
as most resort buyers are shopping
the internet first, and sold at
least 10 resort properties per year.
I would not suggest agents who are
locked into just selling one resort,
as their buyer pool is limited to
that resort. Get someone who sells
the area with a greater buyer pool.
4. Know exactly what
you want and need. Don't say you are
interested in property in the Laurel
Highlands, as the range goes from
$60K cabins that need help to $1M
multi home estates. Know how many
bedrooms, baths, location,
availability, and work you will
tolerate for your second home. Pay a
premium for a resort condo and
everything is taken care of for you.
Get a better deal off the hill and
cut grass on the weekend. It is all
up to you, but you should know
before you shop.
5.Research, research,
and research until you know this
market as good as the pros who work
it. Pick an established Realtor who
is successful in the market and
stick with them. When the right time
for you to buy or sell comes, act
decisively and go for it fully.
1. Do your homework
and know the market. Read above in
researching and preparing to sell in
this market. Realtor.com will only
give you the asking price and what
is listed on the market. A good
listing agent will know all past
solds, sold price, their condition,
days on market, current inventory,
and how long on market and at what
price you should expect. Notice I
say best net return in this column.
Buyers will run inspections and
there can be remedial expenses. To
date, the highest has been $26,000.00
on a 6BR off the resorts, which we
negotiated down to $4000.00 in
repairs. Remember as a seller it is
not what the buyers pay, but what
you get that counts. A good listing
agent will start to minimize your
exposure to repair cost for radon,
mold, plumbing, electrical, water
and septic from day one. If they
don't, get another agent.
2. Top Condition =
Quick Offers = Best Price. The
shiniest penny sells first here.
With most second home buyers looking
for turn key homes having current
paint, properly prepared, and ready
to be occupied this is key to selling at
best price. The buyer who is willing
to replace your fogged windows,
change over the worn out carpet,
install new appliances, and repaint
the place is going to grind you into
the ground on price. Do these
updates yourself and go for the high
end buyers who are too busy making
money to do this stuff and will
stroke the check for a ready to go
house. If you have no design talent,
get a good designer and give them a
$1000 to fluff up your place and
give it some interior appeal.
3, Select a
designated sellers agent only. Look
your agent in the eye and ask, "are
you a designated sellers agent?" If
they don't say "that is all we do"
then go shop. Why? If they do not
exclusively represent the seller
then they are not representing you.
Exclusive sellers agents will be the
top agents in the market. They have
to be. Remember, all commissions are
split, at closing half goes to the
listing broker and half to the
selling broker. The broker then
compensates the agent with about
half of their half of the
commission. An exclusive listing
agent only makes 25% of the total
commission, so they must be
aggressive sellers in the market.
Another reason to go with the
designated listing agent is buyers agents love
them! Listing agents only get paid
when the property sells, so they
will list at the right price,
good condition, and property ready
to close. You want to be in this
position in the market place.
4 Don't test the
market, price right and get in it.
Most second home owner don't have to
sell, but don't use this as an
excuse to overprice your home. In
this area there are about 10 agents
who continually work the market.
They know that your floor plan with
that age carpet and appliances and
this access to the slopes or pool
sold for this amount. Go much over
that amount without clear added
value and these agents will be
telling their buyers that there is
more home for less money someplace
else. Once these agents have been
through a property, they know where
it should be and won't be back
unless something changes.
If you keep lowering the price they
will wait you out to see how low you
will go. Not a good strategy.
5. Know what a good
deal is and take it when it comes.
Discuss with your listing agent the
balance between offers and terms and
what will be your " best net" result.
For example, radon mitigation
usually cost an average of $1000.00.
New paint in a 3 BR $2000.00. New
appliances $2000.00. New carpet
$3-$5000.00. Not having to repair or
replace these items could mean that a lower offer with less inspections
or contingencies will be a better
'net' for you than the higher offer
with more expected from you to
close.
1. Know the market
and do your research. When you have
a market place with tight inventory
you must be ready to act decisively
and with confidence if you are even
going to have a chance. Your best
way to research the market in this
area is to watch Realtor.com for
what is new on the market, use their
market reports for updated feel, and
use our market reports for
comparables and activity.
2. Get a buyers
agent, now. A good buyers agent will
know the market, know floor plans,
know past solds and comparables, and
have the technology to set you up on
flashes and market reports. Some
people think it is better to have
several agents looking for property
for them. This strategy acts in
reverse. In a sellers market a good
buyers agent will know all the
inventory available, and when they
find out you are working with
several agents they will give you
less of a priority because of your
lack of commitment to them and in
reality you have no one really
working hard and exclusively for
you. Pick one agent and stick with
them.
3. Know what you
want. What area, in the woods or on
the resort? How many bedrooms,
baths, game room, first floor
access, location on the resort,
ski-in or at the golf course. Will
you or your guest require handicap
access? Will you need ground level
entry and first floor bedroom and
bath? Do your kids entertain their
friends? Will having a game room,
bed and bath downstairs, living
areas and kitchen on the the ground
floor, and your bedroom on the top
floor work best for you? Knowing
this up front makes it so much
easier to recognize the "right"
place for you and to know this will
meet your needs.
4. Get your money
ready upfront. With the rates and
competition in the mortgage
industry, you want to research your
financing and get it in line early.
You can't be an aggressive buyer
unless you got the bucks ready.
There are so many home equity plans
and ARMS in the market, along with
conventional financing, that we could
build a web site just on financing.
Stick with a major player who works
the resort market. Ask your agent
who has been good on financing and
closing in their area. In the Laurel
Highlands the top national companies
are Countrywide, Washington Mutual,
and Wells Fargo. Good local sources
are National City, PNC, First
National, and Prudential. We have
numbers and contacts for all of
these financing sources. Stay away
from internet financing at this
time. For most part many of these
sites do not provide the actual
financing but just refer you to
another party who will for a
commission. Also, these out of
market companies do not have a ready
pool of appraisers, inspectors, and
other people to complete the
financing and seem to be behind the
curve in putting the package
together, especially if you are
going for a hot property and want to
close fast.
4. Want to have a
successful offer on a prime
property? Be ready to present a
cash, no contingencies or
inspections, close in 3 weeks offer
with a 5% deposit and you will get
any sellers attention. On a hot
property you need to offer a clean
deal to be considered best, even at
a lower price. As a sellers agent,
having your financing approved and
presenting without a mortgage
contingency will always improve your
offer. If you are pre approved or
have a ready equity line then
consider making a "cash" offer.
Minimizing your inspections is the
second way to improve your offer. Is
radon a big problem in the area? A
good buyers agent will know. Do you
really care? If you are going to be
in the house 6 days a month and half
of that day will be on the slopes or
trails is it that big of an issue?
Do you need a home inspection? If
you are buying a condo where the
association has to repair the
structure, do you need to have an
inspection when you can spend a hour
and check the icemaker, test the
plugs, and turn on the stove. Now if
you are buying off resort, in the
woods, older or add on construction,
well and septic, we definitely
recommend all inspections, along
with a survey.
If you are not going
to offer the seller the top price,
offer them the best terms. Don't let
a buyers agent check off every
inspection because "they are for
your protection" and get you blown
out of the competition. Know your
inspections and options, and decide
before the offer which ones you
really need, based on the property to
feel right and be protected.
6. Think resale when
you buy. Someday you will be selling
your second home so think ahead to
make it the right time and at a
gain. You should have a feel for how
long you will be in this property
and what the market will be when you
are done. Most of our sellers are on
the market because life has changed
and they no longer use the property.
The kids are in college, parents are
gone, they are more summer oriented
than winter directed, their life has
changed to a point it no longer
brings them to the mountain but away
from the area. There will be a time
to sell, and if thought out, at a
gain. Look ahead and plan for this
day when you buy.
One of the services we provide our
clients is national and
international referrals for buying
and selling property. Here is how we
qualify agents.
1. We already have
strategic alliances with top agents
at resorts from Maine to Florida,
all major ski areas in the US and
Canada, and all European countries
using the Euro. If we need services
in an area we have not referred to
we first seek out the top listing
agent in that area. You can do this
by using your major home search
engines such as Realtor.com. We also
use our Prudential network and
association with the CRB (Certified
Broker/ Managers Association) and
CRS (Certified Real Estate
Specialists) Associations. Members
of these associations are
consistently at the top of the
profession. Top listing agents are
setting the market by establishing
prices, closing transactions, and
working with buyers agents. They
will know the market and the top
players in it. Once we have
identified these agents we call and
interview them.
2. We want to know
how long they have been in the
market, what is their experience,
how many transactions they do per
year, do they have the technology
and communication systems to keep an
out of town client current in the
market, and are they willing to work
with an out of town client and do
they have the ability to transact
for out of town clients?
3. A top listing
agent will have been in the market
over 4 years, be doing consistently
over 10 transactions or $5M per
year, be an associate broker or CRB,
have their CRS designation, and be
operating with a team or staff. A
top buyers agent will have the same
time and production, have their CRS
and ABR designation, and be in the
top 10% of agents in the area. Now,
these are stiff requirements and few
agents will have them all, and there
are agents without these
qualifications that will do a very
fine job. It is just our experience
that someone with this presence and
education has built a practice that
consistently services the client
correctly and fairly.
4. Last but most
important we have to feel right with
this person. Do they presents
themselves as a knowledgeable and
professional person? Do they convey
themselves as a professional
practicing at the highest ethical
standards? Can they give us top
client and industry referrals. After
20 years in the resort market you
get a feel who really has a hold on
the market and knows how to service
the client at the highest level
consistently.
5. If you can't find
a person you feel right, with call us
at 800-419-7653 and we will find
that person for you. You pay no fee
to us for this service.
Referred agent compensates us for
our effort from their commission on
business closed.
Hiking these
trails often, we always have a
rescue plan in place. NEVER GO OUT
on a hike without a rescue mission
to look for you unless you cancel
it. Said again, let someone know
that if you do not call them by XXX
that means you need a rescue and
this is where you went. Do not end
up stranded on a hike without the
knowledge that someone will call the
alarm if you do not call it off.
These woods are just as cold and dangerous as they were
250 years ago.
Here are a few of our favorite hikes
and biking routes. Except for the
Laurel Highlands Trail you can do
either, hiking only on the Laurel
Highlands Trail. Thanks for your
inquiry, have a great and safe hike
or bike, and let us know what you
think about our trails. Some of
these hikes may be restricted,
please respect the wishes of the
property owners if posted.
Champion Rail to
Trail
Easy Up to 5 miles one way or 10
round trip
From Route 711 turn east on County
Line at the Star Market going to 7
Springs. Just go 100 yards, turn
left on the first road and park
behind the old post office or
Champion Station. Trail starts on
the south or right side of County
Line Road. We usually bike down to
Indian Head ( Grocery store there
for a break) and return or hike
however long we have the time for.
Great trail on hot days as most of
it is shaded and is along the
stream.
Firetower Road/
Laurel Highlands Trail.
Moderate 2-3 Hours
From the main gate of Seven Springs
turn left, go .7 miles, turn right
on Firetower Road and park there. Go
about 100 yards and go left or north
on the Laurel Highlands Trail and
climb to the Transmission tower for
a picnic with a view or pass the
trail and continue along Firetower
to the Seasons View Development for
a great south and east view. If you
want to extend your hike on the
Laurel Highlands Trail drive a
second car to the north end of
Firetower off of Route 31 at the
summit and park in the trailhead
lot. Then hike the trail back to
your car on the south end of
Firetower. This hike takes about 3
hours with a picnic at the tower.
Laurel Hill Park
From 7 Springs Main gate turn right
and go to Laurel Hill. Drive to the
ranger station for a map. Our
favorite short hike is the Hemlock
trail that follows the stream north
through some of the last original
forest and hugh hemlocks in the area
or for a longer hike the Lake Trail.
Their number is 814-445-7725
Roaring Run Natural
Area
While at the Ranger Station get a
map of this area as it has more
trails and single track than we can
go into in this letter. One tip, if
you are biking the Painter Rock loop
a trail going west could take you
down a series of stair step
descents.This is a one way trip to
the bottom of the hill and you will
come out on Tannery Road in Champion
with a 6 mile climb to the top on
County Line if you have the legs for
it. There are ups and downs on this
loop but if you loose more than 150
feet of elevation you are off the
trail.
Kate Henry/ Trout Run
Advanced/ 3 hours
From Main Gate of 7 Springs turn
left and go about 2 miles and turn
left on Indian Head Road at the
water tower. Go to the bottom of the
hill, cross the bridge and turn left
on the dirt road before going
uphill. Park where available. A long
and steep climb will bring you past
an old local cemetery and out onto
the slopes. Cross the slopes and
descend to the bottom on Lost Boy.
Ride along the bottom of the slopes
to your left and ride past Gunnar
Chair and bear right on the dirt
road. Follow this road, which makes
a moderate decent, past a lake to
your right, and through Trout Run
several times. After descending, you
will cross the stream and come into
an open area about the size of a
baseball diamond. You will see a
dirt road to your front right, which
will climb up to Indian Head Road.
In season there should be great
blackberries. Turn left on Indian
Head Road and go down to your car.
7 Springs and Hidden
Valley Race Courses
Advanced/ 2-24 Hours
Contact the resorts for the maps of
their race courses for a great day of
technical riding. We also like to
hike the 7 Springs segment that
winds through the woods at the top
of Stowe (the rock garden) and goes
back towards Lake Herman. If hiking
be on the alert for bikers ripping
up the course. This is also the 24 hour race course at 7
Springs.
This is just a sampler, as we could
write a book on all the trails in
this area.
Our day trip-packing list:
Charged cell phone for emergency or
bragging about the great time you
are having.
1 Quart of water per hour per
person. Hydrate hard before
leaving. You cannot have too much
water.
Band-Aids and moleskin for blisters.
Simple or gourmet picnic lunch,
power bars or what ever artificial
stuff you like to eat.
Insect repellent, Sun Screen, Hats,
walking sticks, sunglasses,
binoculars, compass, map, let
someone know you are out here,
and good hiking shoes.
If biking, add 2 tubes and change kit
for flats with your basic tools as
some of these rides are hard on
rider and equipment There is a lot
of debris on the trails from the ice
storms so thanks for moving what you
can off the trails. If everyone just
moved one branch the trails would be
clear. Have fun; be safe, and stop
by when you are in the area.
