It belongs to The Nature Conservancy and they have released their 2021 Global Photo Contest Winners. There are some very interesting pictures that will make you think….
Low Income Energy Assistance
January 21, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Here’s how to get HELP if you or someone you know needs assistance to keep the heat on! The money comes as a cash grant (no need to repay) and goes directly to your heating company. Yes, there are forms that need to filled out. Click for details.
MORTGAGE RATES INCREASE
January 20, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Up, up and away we go. We all knew these HISTORIC LOW mortgage interest rates were not going to last forever. According to Mortgage News Daily 3.7% is now the average rate on popular 30 year mortgages. Last year around this time that percent was closer to 2.7%! What it means to YOU if buying, you’ll be paying more to borrow money for your forever home. Sellers are likely to see the beginning of fewer offers on their properties. The Federal Reseve Board meets next Wed to discuss next steps.
Fannie Mae Appraisal Changes
January 19, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Many of our resort and cabin properties have spaces with ceilings that slant, most of these are in upstairs bedrooms as pictured. Beginning April 1, if the buyer is financing through Fannie Mae the appraiser has to follow new rules. Check out the section in this link, How Well Do You Know ANSI which details measuring space and what counts as a basement. The MLS may have to revise rules on what is considered a bedroom….
PA WINTER DOG LAW
January 15, 2022 by Leave a Comment
A friendly reminder that our furry frineds have a PA law that protects them in our cold winter weather. Read it here under 2017 Act 10. Here’s the short version: ” an unattended dog may be tethered for no more than nine hours in a 24-hour period and must meet the following criteria:
The dog may not be tethered for longer than 30 minutes in temperatures below 32 degrees or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
The tether must be of a type commonly used for the size and breed of dog and at least three times the length of the dog or 10 feet, whichever is longer.
The tether must be secured to a well-fitted collar or harness by means of a swivel anchor, swivel latch or other mechanism designed to prevent the dog from becoming entangled.
The tethered dog must have access to water and an area of shade to escape the direct rays of the sun.
Penalties range from up to 90 days in jail and/or a $300 fine for neglect to seven years in jail and/or a $15,000 for aggravated cruelty.
Jan is RADON Action Month
January 13, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Take a test to be safe! Radon is both a color and odorless gas. That is WHY it can be so dangerous. Check out the information on the Environmental Protection Agency for more details!
PA Homeowners Assisstance Fund
January 13, 2022 by Leave a Comment
From the state weekly newsletter the PA Assistance Homeowner Fund, PAHAF, will begin taking applications Feb 1. PA was awarded more than $350 million in American Rescue Plan Act and supports Pennsylvania homeowners whose household income is at or below 150% of the area median income. See if you qualify!
Hidden Valley End of Year Market Update
January 12, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Another year with really big numbers! Take a look I’ve included the deed to Vail Resorts!
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Seven Springs End of Year Market Update
January 12, 2022 by Leave a Comment
It’s the last real estate market report for 2021! Lot’s of great numbers and news included! I’ve even included the Vail deed for you to see.
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Vail Resorts Closes Purchase of 7S, HV, and Laurel Mtn
January 10, 2022 by Leave a Comment
According to HospitalityNet, Vail announced on Jan 3 that they had closed the deal. Read the story here. Somerset Court house records indicate that 392 acres were purchased for $67,730,667. on the 7S side and 230 acres for $13,300,000 at HV. Watch for my next market update as I’ll link the deed transfers. Google Maps show the resorts below
MORE EXCITING NEWS!
January 5, 2022 by Leave a Comment
As of Jan 1st, I am an official associate of the Josh Crowe Team!
My extensive knowledge of the resort markets and his of the local market allows us to provide our clients with details into past, present and possible future real estate market conditions. He is a long time resident and is involved within the communtiy with a BA in Business from the University of Pittsburgh. We are able to offer buyers and sellers insight into this current competitive seller’s market ON or OFF of the mountain. Our clients include those who are looking for their 1st or 2nd home and those who are transitioning elsewhere.
Combining our years of experience of the resorts and local markets allows us to provide very unique services. These offerings have resulted in multiple 5 star ratings with local, state, and national awards. We may be reached by phone, text, email, and yes, the mail too.
We hope if you are looking to buy or sell property in the Laurel Highlands you’ll catch up with us!
Please request Abe or Josh
FLOOD RISKS INCREASE IN PA
January 2, 2022 by Leave a Comment
A study just released states that, “Most communities across Pennsylvania will likely face higher flood risks by the end of the century due to climate change, according to research from Penn State.” Check out the story by Rachel McDevitt I’ve shared many stories about flood insurance and our National Association of REALTORS active involvement with the changing rules. Best advice, check your POLICES!
HV Nov Market Update
December 27, 2021 by Leave a Comment
The year is almost over! Just one more month to see how 2021 compared to last year. Come take a look at what the market was up too!
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7S November Market Update
December 27, 2021 by Leave a Comment
WOW, just one more month to 2021! Come check out what the real estate market for 7S looked like in November!
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Nothern Light Show
December 26, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Capture the Atlas has announced the Nothern Lights Photographer of 2021. In the preamble to our REALTOR Code of Ethics the very first line states, “Underneath all is the land.” I think that it should include, and above the skies… As the majority of us don’t have the pleasure of seeing the Northern Lights I hope you will enjoy these captured moments of time.
HV Market Update OCT 2021
November 25, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Listing inventory is at an all time low. This will reduce the number of sales in the upcoming months. Come check out the numbers!
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7S Market Update OCT 2021
November 25, 2021 by Leave a Comment
With listing inventory still at ALL time lows sales are being reduced. Check out the Oct numbers.
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7S Market Update September 2021
October 30, 2021 by Leave a Comment
It is the end of the third quarter! Come see how the numbers look!
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HV Market Update Sept 2021
October 30, 2021 by Leave a Comment
It’s the end of the 3rd quarter! Come and check out the numbers!
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2022 Desktop APPRAISALS Become a PERMANENT OPTION
October 28, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Say What??? For the Federal Housing Finance Agencey appraisals conducted remotely (NO appraiser going through your property) will be accepted in 2022 for Qualifying Fannie and Freddie Loans. Read More
Loving Pittsburgh McCloskey
October 18, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Why I like Pittsburgh
From the best of http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com
Imagine if you will coming into the airport in Pittsburgh,Pa. and not knowing much about our fair city. The first two guys you see are shown above. One is George and one is Franco. Now George made a big splash here in 1753 as a surveyor and almost literally drowned in a big splash in the Allegheny River. But he went on to great notoriety as a British officer and helped to secure the cornerstone of our city’s early existence -Fort Pitt. He later made many trips to our region and Pittsburgh was near and dear to his heart. The other guy, Franco made a great catch in a football game against the hated Oakland Raiders that went down in gridiron history. If you ask most older Pittsburgers today, they will all tell you, in a friendly way, that they were at the game and saw the “Immaculate Reception.” Now if that were true, I would estimate that there were 600,000 people at that game. Wow- that must have been crowded. I don’t remember it being THAT crowded because I was there. ( Yea – sure you were Pat). But I was.
As you make your way through the tunnels, you are treated to a spectacular collage of buildings and 3 rivers that form the “Point”. You can see the most beautiful baseball field in the country( PNC Park), as well as Heinz Field that is the home of the Pitt Panthers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. But as you make your way to the Strip District and perhaps the South Side, you will begin to notice what makes Pittsburgh so special- the people. Pittsburghers are a friendly lot and will be glad to help you find your way even take you there if they have the time. In many larger cities, folks are in survivor mode and will hip check you to get a cab, or they will do whatever they can to get over on you just because there are so many people. It is survival in the bigger cities, but Pittsburgh is just small enough that the pressure of urban civilization has been lost a little bit on our community.
To go along with the friendliness of the city are the neighborhoods. Everyone thinks that Pittsburgh is all about Primanti sandwiches, but as good as they are (late at night), there are so many more eateries and establishments in Pittsburgh’s many neighborhoods that can be enjoyed.
Pittsburgh is an enthusiastic town. When the steel industry went in the tank in the 80s, Pittsburgh was resilient and vowed not to be a “rust belt” city. The city fathers welcomed construction of new residence communities to encourage surburbanites to think about living and working along the rivers and supporting the new life that was sprouting up out of the coal and dust of the industrial evacuation. Pittsburgh quickly became a white collar community with the UPMC Medical Facility expansion and the rise of the financial markets in town. Along with this entrepreneurial excitement and resiliency, was the spirit of our community in it’s tireless support of it’s sports teams. The Steelers are having a rough start, but that does not stop the Black and Gold faithful from attending in sell out conditions and having their beloved tailgates at every home game. The Penguins opened their season this week and Stanley Cup fever is in the air and Pittsburgh fans hang on every word that comes out of Sidney Crosby’s mouth.
We even had a 40 foot rubber duckie moored in the water!! Pittsburgh was the innaugural bathtub for the Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman’s duck and Pittsburghers lined the rivers and the point by the thousands welcoming this piece of inflated art that was here for a month. Shaundra Miles of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust says it best when she remarked that the duck was a “reminder with all that is going on in the world, that there is joy, and joy in simple things.” That is what defines a person living in the ‘burg. We have joy in our communities, our city, our sports teams, and in our lives in general. There is a spirit in Pittsburgh that is most evident in the happiness that a kielbassa sandwich brings at a football game, the micro-brews that are enjoyed at the many local establishments, the thrill of a home run in the post season, the visual bonus of fireworks over our three rivers, the colorful buildings, and the fellowship in the streets during a game or in the work place in anticipation of a win on the ice, field, or gridiron. That spirit is alive in me because of the many nights I sat up and listened to Bob Prince (The Gunner) broadcast a Pirate game and announcing after a victory that ” we had then alllllllll the way!!!” That red plaid sportcoat is etched forever in my memory.
Pittsburgh also has a vibrant outdoor community. Visit http://www.ventureoutdoors.org to see the many hikes, beer tasting hikes, bike rides, snowshoe events, and other outdoor instructional outings that this organization so aptly make available to visitors and locals alike. Janet and I like to use the many bike paths that wind their way through the city. You can park up river and ride to the games, leave your bike in the racks at Kayak Pittsburgh on the Allegheny River, and then return without having to worry about parking. Ride to the Red Fin on Herr’s Island and take in a good lunch while looking at folks enjoying the river on their boats and jet skis. Get involved with the rowing clubs on the island and get instruction on how to take part in a great activity on the river. You don’t have to go to an Ivy League school to learn to row. You can do it on the Allegheny River with a local club.
Well, I may have exhausted that visitor who first stepped off the plane and met George and Franco in the airport. But there sure is enough for him or her to do and maybe, just maybe, they will begin to have that great Pittsburgh spirit as they enjoy dahntahhn with a chipped ham sandwich and some Blend an at. Be glad that you have experienced the “Most Liveable City in America” Thanks for reading.
Haunted Houses
October 17, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Thanks to GO LAUREL HIGHLANDS for this compilation of scary places to visit for Halloween festivities. Some are family fun and some are for those with strong hearts! Enjoy! Image from Haunted Hollow
TREES
October 17, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Who doesn’t love trees and what they offer us! One of our favorite places to enjoy Mother Nature is Hemlock Trail in Laurel Hill State Park. Six acres of old growth natural hemocks run along Laurel Hill Creek, 1.2 miles. Here’s a link for some other eye cathing trees around the world.
Bear Season Opens Today
October 16, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Here’s some really good information if you have your license! Check out this release from the PA PRESS ROOM And something NEW for 2021 “hunters in 2021 will be able to harvest them on the opening weekend of deer season, both Saturday and Sunday.”
7S Aug 2021 Market Update
October 15, 2021 by Leave a Comment
You need to see the numbers yourself! Come take a look!
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HV August Market Update
October 15, 2021 by Leave a Comment
The numbers continue to impress! Come check out the update!
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Vail Update from Diane Meehan
October 13, 2021 by Leave a Comment
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7 Fixes to Avoid MAJOR Foundation Problems
October 12, 2021 by Leave a Comment
From my National REALTOR Association comes these tips on avoiding future fondation problems! There are tips to help you NOT to have expensive issues while you are residing there OR for when you go to sell! Click here for the story!
Fall Bike Riding YEAHHH McCloskey
October 4, 2021 by Leave a Comment
 I love the fall. So happy that the steamy, hot, humid weather has ended and the days are sunny, the nights cooler and the leaves are starting to change. Janet does a great job celebrating the season with decorating the house and we both feel the change coming. Love it. Hauling out the fleece, watching college football games, going to the farm markets teeming with pumpkins, cider, apples and people who are celebrating like we are. Did I say I love the fall? As I age, I also celebrate little things that I may not have paid much attention to in a younger day. Just appreciating what is around us. Little things like a cold beer after a mountain bike ride with my friends. The other night,( in a place which I dare not mention because the local residents would string me up if I gave away information on their beloved trail system,) we all sat around after the ride with our fleece, our camp chairs and various beverages relaxing in the cool temperatures. My friend Sandy McKee told us his daughter lives in Vermont and usually brings a couple of cases of Heady Topper beer from the Alchemist Brewery when she visits mom and dad. Sandy hauled a couple of these out at the ride, and I have to tell you, I was excited. It is not too often we get to sample Heady Topper here in Pa. A very popular beer in New England which almost never makes it out of there because of its popularity. To have a couple of cases make their way here is a real treat and Sandy just made the cool, evening post ride amazing! It’s hard to put into words the feeling you get when you drink in that first sip of a great beer after a ride. But sitting down in your camp chair, drinking in that first sip, looking at the changing leaves and talking about the ride with friends is really special. The post ride is almost as good as the ride itself.   I know I talk a lot about mountain biking in this blog but really, it is a great way to exercise and a wonderful way to take in the trails and scenery in wooded settings all around the country. This time of year in Pennsylvania, the weather is pretty cool and dry, and is actually our best weather in these parts. In my opinion, nothing better than taking it in on the seat of a bike. What makes it even more special is that I got a new bike recently which is light, fast, and enjoyable to ride. I have been riding a monster truck recently (a 29er plus) and although it is great on really rough terrain like we have in the mountains around here and in West Virginia, it is tough to haul that weight around as I grow older. The new light steed brings me back a little. A real gift as I start the fall riding season.  So taking that second sip of the Heady Topper, I looked around at my group and was thankful that I had good friends to share the experience of riding and reveling in the post ride. Bob K always brings snacks, and as we all sit around munching and sipping away, time stops for a moment or two if I allow myself to take it all in. I think sometimes that the fall also ushers in the final quarter of a year and as another one slips by, I think how important it is to grab every moment to enjoy what life has to offer. Simple things like trails, leaves, apple cider, and being with friends who value the same things. And of course – Heady Topper. Thanks Sandy. Thanks for reading.  patmccloskey | October 4, 2021 at 5:54 pm | Tags: Alchemist Beer, Transition Bikes | Categories: Bicycling, Cycling, Exercise, fall, Friendship, Mountain Biking, outdoor activities, outdoor sports, Outdoors, recreation, Seasons, trails | URL: https://wp.me/p31Q99-1qm
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Fall Foliage
September 29, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Pa has over 130 native tree species! “Beginning September 30, weekly fall foliage reports can be found online and will be updated every Thursday. Fall foliage typically peaks for several weeks near the beginning of October across Pennsylvania.” Check out the DCNR website for more details!
Connecting PA Trails
September 29, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Did you know, “One of the seven major recommendations of the State Outdoor Recreation Plan is to “Close priority trail gaps in Pennsylvania’s statewide land and water trail network with the overall goal of having a trail within 10 minutes of every Pennsylvanian.” Inside the Pennsylvania Land and Water Trail Network Strategic Plan (PDF). You’ll find a ” blueprint for state and local governments, trail providers, and other stakeholders to guide Pennsylvania’s trail stewardship and expansion for the next five years.” Read more
FLOOD INSURANCE RISK RATING 2.0
September 24, 2021 by Leave a Comment
October 1, 2021 Risk Rating 2.0 takes effect for NEW policy holders, APRIL 1, 2022 it takes effect for EXISTING policy holders. Check out the FEMA Flood Map Service Center web site for more details. At our state REALTOR Association meetings the presentation below shared some of the changes areound the corner.
PA Realtors_Flood Insurance Update_9.20.21
PA Digital Hunting License
September 23, 2021 by Leave a Comment
This year in PA, for certain species hunters may now carry a digital hunting license! Check it out here!
PA Redistricting
September 23, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Govern Wolf would like to hear from YOU on redistricting! Yes it is that time again! Here’s an opprotunity to let your voice be heard! Check it out here!
Map of Pennsylvania
Drought Monitor
September 23, 2021 by Leave a Comment
For every action there is a reaction…. One reason for some of the short supplies of food and everyday items is the drought that many of the states that grow our food are seeing. Take a look at the maps!
Beauty is Everywhere
September 22, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Check out the Drone 2021 Awards just make sure you open up when you have some time to enjoy the 9 catagories! They each have 19-20 photos within the catagory! ENJOY!
Park City Mc Closkey
September 13, 2021 by Leave a Comment
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Hidden Valley July Market Update
August 31, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Lowest listing inventory in years!
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Seven Springs July Market Update
August 31, 2021 by Leave a Comment
The sales numbers are still climbing! Check it out!
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Driven Notes on Olympic Mettle
July 26, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Driven
by patmccloskey
I love the Olympics. Have always been fascinated with them since I was a kid. Love to watch the summer and the winter games and try to see as much of it as I can. I even spent a week at the winter games in Lake Placid in 1980. Long time ago. There has been a lot of controversy around the Olympics especially in these times. Costs, political issues, Covid concerns, but the Olympic spirit in my mind, always remains no matter what. Even though the games have been compromised by outside issues, the fact of the matter is that they are still the visible pinnacle of sport to many around the world and also seem somehow to unite all of us under one athletic banner.
I was talking to a friend this weekend about a book that I am reading about Everest and what drives people to climb such a peak. The drive is the same there as it is in the Olympics or sports in general at a world class level. I am always amazed at the personal interest stories about how athletes make it to the Olympics under great personal hardships and sacrifice. If you ask any world class athlete, they will all have similar stories of practice, missing life events, growing up too fast, spending time in foreign countries in difficult conditions. Love to see the stories of the parents and their sacrifices too. But what does it take to make it to the top? Luck, passion, skill, drive, or a combination of all of these?
I have always been a competitive person. I dabbled in a lot of sports regionally but as I age, my get up and go for a lot of that has gone up and left. But I have always been a fan and when the Olympic theme comes on the TV, the hair stands up on my arms a bit because of my respect for the games and the athletes who have sacrificed so much to get there. I like watching a lot of events that I would not ordinarily have an interest in and the athletes all have one thing in common- drive. Listen to the interviews. You can see the passion and the one sided focus and the stories of personal sacrifice that make up the athletes persona. You can see the tears on their parent’s and coach’s faces as they compete to win the gold medal.
Lots of folks are negative on the Olympics these days because it has been so politicized but I always look at it from the athlete’s perspective. No matter what extraneous issues are presenting themselves, theirs is the story. Not the politics, not the pandemic, not the costs, –
for me, just the stories of the athletes and their passion to win with humility and lose with grace. Some of the stories are humorous at the world class level. Take Missy Giove here. She was not happy a few years ago at the NORBA Nationals Mountain Bike Championships when she was beaten in her semi final heat for dual slalom. Missy was always a character on the mountain bike circuit and I loved to hear her interviews and see her compete at the national level. She was tough as nails but when she lost, her humor took over and she gave the crowd a show they will never forget.
For me, again, it is always the stories. The GOATS. Katie Ledecky, Simone Biles, Allison Schmitt, Michael Grady ,Nino Schurter, and a host of other incredible athletes that make up the Olympic games. Weekend warriors like me will never truly understand the competitive drive and the level at which these athletes perform. But in my own way, I can remember what it feels like to have butterflies at the start of an event. The thrill of winning something and more often of losing something. But at the world class level, it is incomprehensible to the mere mortal. But the scenes presented at the Olympic Games are priceless in my book and I am always happy every four years when they come around for our enjoyment. Don’t get caught up in the politics. Just enjoy the games. Can’t wait until February for the winter games either. Ba da bup ba badda, budda bup baddup bup bup badda! Love that theme. It gets me excited. Thanks for reading.
patmccloskey | July 26, 2021 at 4:40 pm | Tags: Allison Schmitt, Katie Ledecky, Nino Schurter, Simone Biles, Tokyo Olympics | Categories: Aging, Exercise, Inspiration, Olympics, outdoor activities, outdoor sports, Outdoors, Uncategorized | URL: https://wp.me/s31Q99-driven
7S June & 1st Half Market Update
July 24, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Lowest interest rates, lowest listing inventory, COVID-19 mix them together for the most incrdible first half performance I have ever seen at the resort!
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HV June & 1st Half Market Update
July 24, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Factors that have created this once in a lifetime sellers market include, lowest iterest rates, lowest listing inventory, AND COVID-19. The picture tells the story!
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AUDUBON URGES REMOVAL OF BIRD FEEDERS
July 3, 2021 by Leave a Comment
So far no one has been able to figure out why birds are dying in at least 9 states. The PA game commission and Audubon Society of Westeren PA is recommending the removal of ALL bird feeders including those for humming birds. Image by Brent Connoly
Mountain Watershed Yough River Float Trip
July 1, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Enjoy a 4 hour float trip on the Yough River from Dawson to Layton July 11, 10 am. Find out more about the adventure,tickets, and more here! Picture from Sharon Speelman, Laurel Hill State Park
75% In PA Have Had 1st COVID-19 Vaccination
July 1, 2021 by Leave a Comment
From Governer Wolfs update today 75% of those 18 and older have had at least ONE COVID-19 vaccination. Check out the story.
HV Market Update May 2021
June 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Listing inventory continues to decline so expect multiple offers! Not seeing any signs of a slow down yet. Check out the update!
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7S Market Update May 2021
June 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Sellers are loving this fast paced, low inventory, crazy market! Buyers bring your check books! Check out the May numbers.
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Birding By Boat This Sat
June 10, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Laurel Hill State Park is offering a Birding By Boat experience, Sat 9am to 10:30am! YOU NEED TO REGISTER AND BRING YOUR OWN GEAR! Enjoy a morning paddle surrounded by birdsongs and meet some new friends!
TICK TIME
June 10, 2021 by Leave a Comment
The outdoors have many pests! Ticks are one of the worst! They are sooo small YOU have to really look for them or deal with the possibility of Lyme disease. Here’s more from the DCNR resource newsletter,
Be Prepared and Proactive to Avoid Ticks
DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell, and Pennsylvania Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam reminded Pennsylvanians that tick-borne diseases are present across the state, and encouraged residents to seek treatment if they have been bitten by a tick and provided tips to prevent tick bites from occurring.
Pennsylvania residents and visitors can take simple steps to reduce their chances of being bitten by ticks by:
“Taking these precautions and safeguards are important in ensuring an experience free of tick-borne diseases. DCNR remains committed to informing the public and equipping our employees with the necessary tools to address tick bites,” DCNR Secretary Dunn said.
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Greenlees Mountain Bikes
June 7, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Greenlees Mountain Bikes
From the Best of http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com
There is a statistic floating around out there that claims that 90 percent of all mountain bikes sold are never taken off road. Consider what percentage are utilized on rocky, rooty, muddy, eastern trails coupled with doing it at night with lights and you have a small percentage of bicycles and riders. Back in the 90s, I had the good fortune of becoming associated with a group of individuals that took the sport of mountain biking very seriously and became almost legendary in their victories in local mountain bike races in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Their use of these off road machines put the manufacturers to the test every time they had a training ride and some of the best riders and racers at the time belonged to a group started by Chuck Greenlee of Prospect Pa.
Chuck had a small shop and prided himself on carrying the best equipment that could be tested on the rocks of the terminal moraine. The frame to have at the time was either a Merlin titanium or a Yeti and Chuck quickly assembled a group of individuals who supported his shop and ultimately made up his race team. Jonathan Moran, Ricky Haas, Eric Sauereisen, Bob Anderson, E.J Sigety, Steve Wahlenmeyer,Frankie Ross, and Bill Alcorn were all incredibly good riders and the balance of the group were in the older category as veterans which included Chuck, Mike Reidinger, Tim Sweeney and yours truly – truly bringing up the rear. Diane Blackburn was our lone woman rider who could ride most guys into the ground. I first got to respect Diane when she gave me a real ration of grief for getting lost on a Month of Mud course. She was in our group at the time and I zigged instead of zagged and heard it from Diane for weeks. Jonathan and the boys rode the Pro Expert Division and their rides and routes taught me a lot about riding on the rocks. Of course, I was not able to keep up with this group but they all were kind enough to spend the time to teach me the finer points of riding in this treacherous terrain. Often there were several groups riding at Moraine State Park in those days that were associated with Chuck’s team and the fast guys were able to do their thing with the slower guys bringing up the rear and learning all along the way. I had many over the bars experiences much to the amusement of the “A” team but being part of that team of folks was not only an education, but immersing into a culture of ride or be left behind. ” What doesn’t kill you makes you strong” was certainly on display on those rides and the fruits of the work displayed itself in the podium finishes for the Expert Group. Our Vet group held our own and oftentimes won our divisions in races like the 24 Hours of Canaan( see May 15th, 2013 post). The NORBA Nationals, 24 Hour races, Hidden Valley Fat Tire Fallouts and Stampedes, Month of Mud races, WVMBA Series races, all had podium representation by the Greenlee crew in all age divisions. Even our older guys like Tim, Chuck and Mike were always competitive overall as well as winning in the Vet and Master division. Like a blind squirrel who finds an acorn once in a while, I even had some good finishes at the time that showed me that with a little hard work and keeping momentum on rocks and roots, even a schlubb like me can be successful. I was happy to be a Greenlee Mountain Bike Team member.
Besides the victories, the better part of being associated with Greenlee’s Mountain Bikes was the culture created by Chuck and also the team itself. E.J and his wife Sharon would always welcome us back to their home for cookouts after rides and races. Steve’s girlfriend Julie ( now his wife) would always get her parent’s motor home to be the base of support at the races and her immediate family was always welcoming with a great place to rest and have something to eat. The mechanics from the local shops would all set up outside the RV and if there were any issues at the races, it was a communal repair pit for anyone who needed it.
I loved traveling to the events in West Virginia with Chuck and perhaps some of the more harrowing rides in the country were with Chuck trying to catch Sam Dyke and the “Parrot Man” with his super suspended van on the back roads of the Monongahela National Forest. We made it to Davis, Slaty Fork, and other locations in record time. Chuck was always a pedal to the metal guy not only in his riding but in his driving. But the best part of hanging with Chuck was that if we needed anything by way of equipment, parts, etc, Chuck was always there at all times to provide and would work on broken bikes well into the night. When you are passionate about something, it becomes part of your life. You are not just someone who rides a bicycle, you are a mountain biker. It becomes part of your persona. It seems like a long time ago, but a lot of the skills and more importantly friendships have lasted to this day and my passion for riding a mountain bike was first fueled by a fun loving crew from the wilds of Butler County.
These days, my old Merlin hangs from a hook in my garage. If that bike could talk, it would certainly tell some great stories. There are many groups and teams like the old Greenlee’s Team and they all have several things in common- passion for a sport, camaraderie ,laughs, accountability, and great memories that last a lifetime. Unfortunately, Chuck is no longer with us. He was taken a couple of years ago with heart failure and he is sorely missed. Cherish your friends. Thanks for reading.
HV Market Update April 2021
May 19, 2021 by Leave a Comment
How long do you think this market is going to last?
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Women of Dupre breathe new life into an old Sole.
April 26, 2021 by Leave a Comment
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End of Year Market Review
January 12, 2021 by Leave a Comment
The numbers continued to climb in 2020. This will end being a year like no other. Check these out NOW as the year end numbers! The SELLERS MARKET continues at MOST price points at both resorts. With the population wanting some escape from dense urban living and record low interest rates we are seeing an unbelievable amount of transfers and VERY LIMITED listing inventory.
If you have a property you have been thinking of selling now is the time to MAXIMIZE YOUR BOTTOM LINE. Catch Up with Abe 412-897-8535! The end of 2020 market review will be like no other year we have seen in our lifetime.
Open the links below for the reports.
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Curiosity Stream
January 5, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Our niece home schools their 3 children (since before COVID-19) and is always searching for new educational tools. I found Curiosity Stream and sent her way for a holiday surprise. The site is available on multiple platforms and provides original documentaries and series. Topics range from science, history, mathematics, technology, robotics, and nature and yes there is a kid version. Check it out and see if you become as addicted as I have!
November Market Update
December 21, 2020 by Leave a Comment
This is the most recent real estate market report. This includes resort sales for last month. Just look at the numbers, you will not believe them. We checked everything twice so this is the actual sales recorded at the courthouse.
The SELLERS MARKET continues at certain price points at both resorts. With the population wanting some escape from dense urban living and record low interest rates we are seeing this sellers market continue. If you have a property you have been thinking of selling now is the time, I probably have a buyer for it. Contact me at 412-897-8535.
Agents within BHHS The Preferred Realty are still permitted to list and sell properties within the current guidelines for COVID-19! Sellers can still sell and buyers can still buy and YES we can get to a closing. Now there are even more factors added into the process, social distancing and using all safety protocols! These are some really good reasons WHY selling or buying with a REALTOR will help to make the transaction much more predictable. Catch up to find out more on how you can buy or sell property and meet all the COVID-19 protocols.
These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more detailed information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
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That Great Smell by Pat McClosky
November 3, 2020 by Leave a Comment
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October 2020 Real Estate Market Report
October 28, 2020 by Leave a Comment
This is the most recent real estate market report. This includes resort sales for September 2020 AND the third quarter of the year. Just look at the numbers, you will not believe them. We checked everything twice so this is the actual sales recorded at the courthouse.
The SELLERS MARKET continues at certain price points at both resorts. With the population wanting some escape from dense urban living and record low interest rates we are seeing this sellers market continue. If you have a property you have been thinking of selling now is the time, I probably have a buyer for it. Contact me at 412-897-8535.
Agents within BHHS The Preferred Realty are still permitted to list and sell properties within the current guidelines for COVID-19! Sellers can still sell and buyers can still buy and YES we can get to a closing. Now there are even more factors added into the process, social distancing and using all safety procedurals! These are some really good reasons WHY selling or buying with a REALTOR will help to make the transaction much more predictable. Catch up to find out more on how you can buy or sell property and meet all the COVID-19 protocols.
These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
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Anticipation Winter will be here soon by Pat McCloskey
October 28, 2020 by Leave a Comment
My local ski buddy and my western ski pal also got new boards this season and we are all excited to try them in hopefully a short month or two. New Lake Tahoe Stocklis New Heads for my local pal To me, a new pair of skis is like a jump start to the season. I get a little bummed at the end of the season when the last turns are made and I have to wait another 8 months to ski again. With a new pair of boards, the anticipation is increased among the changing leaves and the falling temperatures . It makes the 8 months seem to race quickly as I anticipate the first turns of the season, especially excited to try a new pair of skis. November comes quickly with You Tube Ski TV and vicariously I begin the season in advance of the first tracks around here. Wooden skis, cable bindings, leather tie boots. Back in the day My passion for this sport began when my folks first took me skiing. ( They didn’t ski but wanted my sister and I to get started). I will never forget my first pair of wooden skis , and my excitement then is no different than it is today embarking on my 59th season. Anyone who skis remembers his or her first pair and can probably name most of the skis that they have used since then. I remember my dad subsequently buying me my first season pass and also a pair of Head 360s for Christmas. My job was to earn the money for my first pair of buckle boots and boy was I excited when I first tried on my Koflachs. No more bloody knuckles tying ski boots. But the important thing was that my dad was teaching me to earn money so that I could buy what I wanted. It meant more to me and is a lesson that I carry with me today. Any trips, equipment, and lift tickets were my responsibility from that point on and I mowed a lot of lawns, shoveled a lot of driveways, hauled a lot of steamer trunks caddying at my dad’s club. Working in the box factory in college helped pay for a lot of things and the lesson was being ingrained with every pay check. It still is today when I budget for trips, ski equipment, and ski passes. I think a lot about my dad when ski season starts. Especially when I tune my skis on the bench that he built for me some 40+ years ago. Every time I add to my quiver of skis and get a new pair, I think of him and the message that he taught me to earn the skis that will earn my turns. So many memories of ski seasons past, but the anticipation of what is to come is only accentuated by the vision of a new pair of skis, waiting to be mounted. Think snow and think safety in the coming ski season. Wear your mask, wash your hands and make sure that skiing is there for all of us this season. Thanks for reading patmccloskey | October 26, 2020 at 6:18 pm | Tags: Head Skis, Stockli Skis | Categories: Exercise, Fatherhood, Inspiration, Motivation, outdoor activities, outdoor sports, Outdoors, recreation, Skiing, Uncategorized, Winter, winter sports | URL: https://wp.me/p31Q99-1db
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September 2020 Real Estate Market Report
October 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
This is the most recent real estate market report. The SELLERS MARKET continues at certain price points at both resorts. With the population wanting some escape from dense urban living and record low interest rates we are seeing this sellers market continue. If you have a property you have been thinking of selling now is the time, I probably have a buyer for it. Contact me at 412-897-8535.
Agents within BHHS The Preferred Realty are still permitted to list and sell properties within the current guidelines for COVID-19! Sellers can still sell and buyers can still buy and YES we can get to a closing. Now there are even more factors added into the process, social distancing and using all safety procedurals! These are some really good reasons WHY selling or buying with a REALTOR will help to make the transaction much more predictable. Catch up to find out more on how you can buy or sell property and meet all the COVID-19 protocols.
These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
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Photo is of Laurel Park, taken by Bob Wagner
Change by McCoskley
October 15, 2020 by Leave a Comment
So my wife and I were hiking the other day up in the Laurel Highlands and she said to me,” It took 32 years ,but I finally am hiking with you up in the mountains in the woods.” We both chuckled as I recounted all the times I told her how peaceful hiking is and how beautiful it is especially at this time of the year. The colors are vibrant as the changing of the leaves ushers in the fall season here in Western Pa. As empty nesters now, we are taking advantage of a lot of opportunities even in this restricted time.
As a byline, she also told me not to take her to any trails that might have rattlesnakes and I agreed seeing that I know ground zero up there for those sightings. But we did see bear scat and she was amazingly calm when we discussed black bear in the area. All in all, Janet is becoming an avid day hiker and when I approached the subject of possibly camping out and sleeping under the stars, she was not ready for that………..yet. But day hiking is relaxing and in this day of rapid fire change, it is nice to see a calm, peaceful changing of the leaves with a relaxing activity like hiking.
Interestingly, the outdoors has become a refuge for a lot of people in this Covid age. Many of my friends across the country are also making use of the time hiking, camping, and enjoying their native surroundings near their homes. From camping near the coastal mountains in California, to camping and riding mountain bikes up in the Bend, Oregon area, to hiking the Green Mountains of Vermont, my friends for the most part are staying close to home and enjoying nature at its finest. Recreation is becoming regional until things become a little more certain.
No matter where you live, there are opportunities to get outside and enjoy the change of seasons right in your own backyard. The fall is one of my favorite seasons and as I think about what has happened to all of us over the last several months, it is encouraging for me to see that active people are out and about. Even a lot of people who were not necessarily outdoors people, have taken the opportunity to buy a bike, a kayak, hiking boots, camping gear if they can get it. It’s nice to be in a remote place without a mask, right?
With change comes the knowledge that the winter season is approaching and people like me are looking forward to that change as well. Not sure exactly how the ski season will be in 2020-2021, but we are prepared with ski passes, trips planned, and a general positive feeling that being outdoors in the winter will be good for all of us. Keeping positive and hoping for the best. But at the very least, there are outdoor activities that can make winter fun and a lot of people might be trying snowshoeing, winter hiking and camping, and cross country skiing for the first time. We can all encourage them and join them to get through all of this together.
In this changing world, we have to stay positive and know that the only thing that is constant these days is change. When we see the colors fade and the leaves falling from the trees, we know that soon enough they will be green again and another season will be upon us. But in the meantime, enjoy each season near to your home and take advantage of spending time with friends and family in the outdoors. It does wonders for your physical and mental health. Thanks for reading.
” To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven”
– Ecclesiastes 3
June 2020 Real Estate Market Report
July 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Agents within BHHS The Preferred Realty are still permitted to list and sell properties within the current guidelines for COVID-19! Sellers can still sell and buyers can still buy and YES we can get to a closing. Now there are even more factors added into the process, social distancing and using all safety procedurals! These are some really good reasons WHY selling or buying with a REALTOR will help to make the transaction much more predictable. Catch up to find out more on how you can buy or sell property and meet all the COVID-19 protocols.
This is the most recent real estate market report. These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
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Harder Than It Looks
June 13, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Harder Than it Looks.
by patmccloskey
Janet and I had a nice bicycle ride this weekend up at Lake Arthur. As we sat on a bench and looked at the nice scene you see above, we admired the skill of the sailors who were piloting their sailboats, catamarans, and wind surfers. We observed some folks attempting to wind surf who had elementary skills and after a while, we realized that wind surfing is harder than it looks. Probably not unlike a lot of things with a steep learning curve until you get the hang of it. As my mind drifted in the hot sun and pleasant scenery, I went back to my earlier adventures in life, trying to pilot water craft. Not too successful.
Take whitewater rafting. Now I had always gone on whitewater rafting trips on the Yough and Gauley Rivers around here, but always had been a passenger and did what the guide told us to do. Kind of fun but basically along for the ride. One day, my father in law thought it would be a good idea to do the Youghiogheny River with my mother in law and my wife. He ended up in a raft with some other guys and I had my own raft with my mother in law and Janet. They looked at me skeptically when I said I knew what I was doing and we pushed off and paddled downstream with a look of excitement and wonder as the whitecaps began to lap up against the raft. We were doing fine until we came to the famous Dimple Rock which has been the demise of many canoes and water craft with a tough eddy current up against the rock and a designated route around it outlined by the outfitters at the beginning of the trip. I saw a bent canoe hanging from the rocks on the left bank and knew that we were approaching the challenge. I told my mother in law and my wife to keep paddling and I would try to steer us in the recommended direction of the current. Unfortunately, we zigged where we should have zagged and somehow I managed to get the raft out of the current and basically in the direction we wanted to go. And then the unthinkable for my MIL and my wife. I flipped out of the back of the raft and was on my back floating down “Swimmers Rapids” trying to hail them down. My wife apparently kept paddling with my MIL and then after a while of no response to questions like ” where do we go now?”, they realized that I was not in the raft. Janet screamed at her mom and said, ” He’s not here.” To which the MIL responded” Oh get out, you don’t know what you are talking about.” She then looked back and the two ladies were on their own. After a little while, I managed to float alongside the raft and after a barrage of questions, I said, ” I will see you in a mile at the end of these rapids.” I have no problem swimming but piloting a craft is not my strong suit. We all had a laugh about that one for years.
Another foray in into the world of water craft was when I decided one year that I would like to take up kayaking on the Yough. I took a continuing education class at Pitt with outings in a swimming pool trying to roll the kayak without getting out. A necessary skill when actually kayaking on a river or stream. I never was good at that and on the field trip to the Yough as our final outing, I put on a rain suit to try to keep myself dry. Little did I know that was a worthless endeavor seeing that I was out of the kayak more than I was in it and to make matters worse, the outing was in October and it was snowing on the river. Cold is not the word for it. Something much worse, and I was never so glad to rid myself of that kayak and tell myself that the idea of being a river rat or a granola crunching paddler hanging out in Ohiopyle, Pa was not my fate. My old ski buddy, Mark Singleton, who is now the Executive Director of American Whitewater, would not be proud of me and maybe welcome me back on the river for some lessons and maybe some redemption. But any trip to North Carolina to visit him would be on two knobby tires on trails and not on the river rapids of the south.
I had a few close calls on the water that were not my fault. One was on a boat offshore at Martha’s Vineyard where a friend of my in-laws, piloting the boat, went down into the hold to get some nautical maps I believe, and we were drifting precariously close to a large buoy. I was just about to grab the wheel when the guy came up, screamed, ” Holy S@#$”, and then just avoided what would have been a bad collision seeing that the base of the buoy was made of concrete. I can just see it now, all of us hanging on the buoy waiting for the Coast Guard as the boat would have surely sunk. The second was on the river here on a party boat with a bunch of ex football players. The weight in that boat had us very close to the water surface and I looked at my one friend and said, ” make sure you have your wallet and car keys within reach because when this thing sinks, we need to be ready to swim to shore and have our belongings” Fortunately, we were able to get off the boat before a collision with another boat and a close call with the walls of a lock on the river.
My mind drifted back as Janet said, ” time to go.” As we mounted our bikes, I took a final look at the sailboats, wind surfers, and other pilots of the water and said to myself, ” that is not for me, but it is nice to watch.” I will be a spectator for sure. Thanks for reading but don’t let me dismay you. If you want to try something new, go for it. It would be cool to know how to do it.
patmccloskey | June 8, 2020 at 5:30 pm | Tags: American Whitewater, Youghiogheny River | Categories: Exercise, Humor, kayaking, outdoor activities, outdoor sports, recreation, Uncategorized, White water rafting | URL: https://wp.me/p31Q99-17D
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Thank you Pat for sharing your water memories. Wags
In Memory of Herman K. Dupre
May 3, 2020 by Leave a Comment
During my time as the Broker of Record for Kettler Forlines Inc the developer of Swiss Mountain and the Villages at Seven Springs (18 years) I met many exceptional people. None matched the insightful Herman K Dupre.
A Tribute to Herman K Dupre Aug 13, 1932 – April 20, 2020
Thank you for sharing Seven Springs Mountain Resort. For always thinking about how to make the future better, whether it was the next 20 years or the next two generations. For caring and protecting our environment. For always asking, “What IF, How can we, Maybe if, How about.” For your generosity and guidance to future learners, adventurers, nature lovers, and inventors. For your free spirit. But most of all for your life inspiring story.
For those of you who have yet to discover the wonderful sanctuary of Seven Springs Mountain Resort in the Laurel Highlands of PA, I’d like to share a story with you. During our current turbulent times of uncertainty it is a story that will inspire you and give you hope.
A story of a life well lived, starting with his parents. Adolph and Helen married in 1928 just three months after meeting! They were the parents of Philip, Herman, and Lutigard. Their journey began with a modest cabin in the woods, a mere 2 acres that they purchased at a tax sale for $13.00, which slowly grew into 8,700 acres. A Redbook magazine 1949 story by Myron M Stearns featured them in a series “of families who have achieved the combination of security, independence, and happiness which we all seek.” It was called Seven Springs Farm back then.
The farm produced maple syrup, lumber, cottage rentals, club-style hotel, a ski lodge and the farm. Real estate was a fundamental building block for growth. Starting out with 12 cottages ($600 to $1,200 per year in rent) there are now single family homes, condominiums, and town homes throughout the year round resort facilities.
In a story by Christopher Foster in SKI-TIME 1962 interviewing both Herman and brother Philip they predicted the future, “In 20 years we will have the world’s finest year-round resort, with accommodations for 800 to 1000 persons in all 4 seasons.” When Herman was asked “Have you abundant financing from banks or such” his reply, “We expand as we accumulate reserves year by year. We have not and will not borrow a penny. We are our own bankers.” Just two years later when the decision was made to build the 70 room main lodge the brothers financed $250,000.
Son Herman became president of the board and CEO, was an engineer with industrial training and the visionary. Growing up he had done it all, farming, building cabins, cleaning sewers, running bulldozers, being the chef, he was a man who was repeatedly mistaken for an employee. He had earned a scholarship to Dartmouth but Adolph convinced him to attend St Vincent’s in Latrobe.
From “Seven Springs Goes its own way to Achieve Success” by Sally Clark, “In 1960 when he was 27 he oversaw the addition of a double chair lift and snow-maker to the skiing facilities. New rooms were built to accommodate the growing crowds of skiers from the city, and Ski Director Lars Skylling began a weekly report on skiing conditions for a Pittsburgh radio Station.”
From TECNOTIMES, Snow-making When The Snow Flies at Seven Springs by Rose Mary Surgent 1987 you see the genius of Herman exposed. Back then the snow-making at Seven Springs “could empty an Olympic sized pool in half an hour. The Resort’s snow-making system could pump 15,000 gallons of water PER MINUTE through 900 plus onsite snow towers… that’s 21.6 MILLION GALLONS in 24 hours!” Herman’s “patented system is one of the world’s fastest producing snow-making systems for its size. Back then “the water from 12 ponds on the property were pumped into the 22 acre Lake Tahoe that holds 152 million gallons of water. Thirty-five miles of 7 inch pipe feed the 900 plus snow towers that are situated alongside the ski trails. Back then he estimated that $5 of the price of a ski ticket went towards making snow.”
From The Pittsburgh Region’s Business Magazine EXECUTIVE REPORT Dec 1988 by Jeff Sewald, “Seven Springs Eternal” then “revenue came from 55% of visiting conventions and conference groups, only 30% comes from ski visits, the rest from tourists.” This time when asked about the future the response was, “We’re in the business for the long haul. We’re thinking two generations down the road.”
Indeed, Herman was a visionary but he will also be remembered as a philanthropist. In 2009 the Sis and Herman Dupre Science Pavilion was dedicated at St Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. It is an educational facility that provides classrooms, laboratories and offices for the Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing. The family donated 7.6 million dollars to the project.
Wags and I will miss seeing him on the grounds in his Subaru or on his trail bike. Days that he spent checking on Mother Nature, observing new construction, and wondering….. In his memory the family has requested that you plant a tree, here’s a link to his obituary and instructions.
https://obituaries.tribdem.com/obituary/herman-dupre-1079080316
March 2020 Real Estate Market Report
March 26, 2020 by Leave a Comment
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Agents within BHHS The Preferred Realty are still permitted to list and sell properties! Sellers can still sell and buyers can still buy and YES we can get to a closing. Although it may take longer depending upon whom else in the transaction is working! And now there are even more factors added into the process, social distancing and using all safety procedurals! These are some really good reasons WHY selling or buying with a REALTOR (like me) will help to make the transaction much more predictable. Catch up to find out more!
This is the March 2020 real estate market report. These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
February 2020 Real Estate Market Report
March 1, 2020 by Leave a Comment
This is the February 2020 real estate market report. These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
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Warm thoughts about climate change.
February 29, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Webmasters Note: Over 20 years ago I sold my Pittsburgh home and rental properties and moved to the foothills of a speedbump to the Rockies, 7 Springs. In the following years I gained a life partner “Abe” and a ski partner Jim “Kapper” Kapp both who lived the winter life with me in the Laurel Highlands and mountains through the world. How many MLK and Presidents weekends Kapper and I danced down the edge of corkscrew and Avalanche or bombed the Gunar chair line in fresh POW? Night excursions along the LH Trail in snowshoes or just post holing in our yard or faceplanting off the deck into feet of snow satisfied my appetite for winter. As I look out of my office window today at the brown field and blooming Roaring Run forest across from the house those snowy days are just memories from a guy that has been looking out that window nearly every day for over 20 years. The “LET IT SNOW” sign came down this year, although it was greatly needed. I concur with Pats observations. R. Wagner
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The Global Warming/Climate Change Disappointment.
by patmccloskey
So far this winter season, I have had to chase the snow. From skiing and hiking in the rain, to heading west earlier this month, and later next month, to actually ski in some honest to goodness snow. But like I always say, I can’t be out west all of the time so I need to maximize my winters right here at home. Recent meteorological history suggests that climate change is a reality around these parts. Here in Southwest Pa, we are right on the borderline of the snow/rain events. So you really need to head north of Interstate 80 to get to snow country that so far has eluded the climate change issue. At least for now. We had that opportunity this past weekend when Janet and I ventured north to Bradford, Pa. The Icebox of Pennsylvania. I love winter and have posted about that love many times. But when you are standing on a pair of snowshoes and stopping to view and hear the gurgling of a winter mountain stream, it takes your breath away. There is complete silence in the wilds of Pennsylvania save the running water under the ice laden streams. One of the cool things about snowshoeing is that you can easily manage the trails by staying on top of the snow instead of post holing with your hiking boots. We use ski poles as well to aid in our balance and the movement among the snow covered pines and over the bridges of the streams. And if you want to go off trail and bushwhack to get to another stream or point of interest, the drifts are no match for snowshoes. I love bounding over drifts and off trail to enjoy all that the woods have to offer this time of year.
I always struggle to get the most ski days, schlepp equipment to the airport and to the ski areas, get some snowshoe days, look for snow, and in general get what I once had as a regular thing. I never had to search for winter. I grew up with it. Sled riding in the neighborhood with snow all winter. My dad built a skating rink for us in the backyard. We never had issues with weather. Winter was winter. Now we fight the weather, the rain, the sleet, and try to make the most of it outdoors. Sometimes we just have to go on the search for winter because this issue of climate change is affecting our weather down here in the banana belt and it is frankly discouraging to a winter guy like me. At the end of the season, I almost breathe a sigh of relief that the tension I put on myself is over for another year. I get mad at the forecasts, I constantly look at ski reports, I DVR ski races to ease my pain. I can vicariously root for Mikaela Shiffrin or Tommy Ford on the TV after a rain soaked ski day here in the changing weather scene. I will do whatever to enjoy the winter and that includes making things as easy as possible for my wife whose passion for the winter is not as keen as mine.
Please note that my wife calls me the Sherpa. Ang McCloskey Sherpa. Two pair of skis, two pair of boots in the pack, two helmets and goggles. She handles the poles. Full disclosure, not that she won’t carry her own stuff, she is perfectly willing. I just do it to make life easy for her and encourage her to chase the snow like me. So bottom line, I am discouraged at the local winters anymore and kind of bummed at climate change and global warming. I do what I can to help the environment in my own small way. I am a contributing member of POW ( Protect our Winters), the Jeremy Jones endeavor to lobby Washington to heed the call on climate change. I know that weather and climate have cycles over the centuries but there is something to be said about what we do to our atmosphere by way of CO2 emissions . I get it. Other countries better get it too!! Otherwise, our winter scenes, mountain streams, ski slopes, and snow clad peaks will be a distant memory for many folks. Support POW. http://www.protectourwinters.org Thanks for reading folks.
patmccloskey | February 24, 2020 at 4:34 pm | Tags: Protect our Winters.org | Categories: Exercise, Hiking, outdoor activities, outdoor sports, Outdoors, Skiing, Snowshoeing, Weather, Winter, winter sports | URL: https://wp.me/p31Q99-12P
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The Global Warming/Climate Change Disappointment.
Robert “Wags” Wagner Retiring
February 8, 2020 by Leave a Comment
After a long military career, requested piano tuner and technician, and licensed real estate agent since 2002, Robert “Wags” Wagner has decided to retire! He will still be helping Abe on the marketing and social media programs that they have built over the past 17 years. Look for the new solo; Adrienne “Abe” Wagner platform to be rolling out this month!
September 2019 Real Estate Market Report
February 8, 2020 by Leave a Comment
This is the September 2019 real estate market report. These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
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August 2019 Real Estate Market Report
October 9, 2019 by Leave a Comment
This is the August 2019 real estate market report. These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
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July 2019 Real Estate Market Report
September 14, 2019 by Leave a Comment
This is the July 2019 real estate market report. These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports
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May 2019 Real Estate Market Report
June 15, 2019 by Leave a Comment
This is the May 2019 real estate market report. These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
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Possible Association Fees Deduction!
June 13, 2019 by Leave a Comment
You may want to check out SB 539 in text! 
April 2019 Real Estate Market Report
May 12, 2019 by Leave a Comment
This is the April 2019 real estate market report. These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
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COUNTY LINE BRIDGE WORK BEGINS MAY 6th!
April 26, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Jeff Himlar of the Trib Live posted that on MAY 6 the County Line Bridge by Somerset Trust will be undergoing renovations. If you’ve traveled to 7Springs you had to have noticed that one lane of the second Rapid Bridge Replacement was higher than the other. Read his story here
March 2019 Real Estate Market Report
April 17, 2019 by Leave a Comment
This is the March 2019 real estate market report. These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
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