Consumer Info — Laurel Highlands Living

End of Year Market Review

January 12, 2021 by Adrienne Abe 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.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, market report, Market Update, real estate, Seven Springs, 7 SPRINGS

Curiosity Stream

January 5, 2021 by Adrienne Abe 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!

Filed Under: Consumer Info

November Market Update

December 21, 2020 by Adrienne Abe 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.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, market report, Market Update, real estate, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

That Great Smell by Pat McClosky

November 3, 2020 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

The Mountain TV

You know, my mother started me on my love for fires. We had a huge fireplace in our house growing up and at the first sign of cold weather, my mom would ask my dad to build a fire as she decorated the house for fall. My mom was the ultimate entertainer and to her, the house was a stage. My dad used to get firewood cut to 36″ to match the large fireplace and grate. He had some real blazes in that house.

Going forward, I had that appreciation for fires as I made my way through ski lodges, and anytime I had a moment to stand by a fire, I would do it, and take in the warmth and the great smell of wood smoke. In Colonial Williamsburg, one of my favorite destinations, they build fires on the street corners in the winter and the period actors discuss the merits of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness warming themselves in front of those ” army stacked” blazes.

I took matters into my own hands when we built our last house and had Teddy Hall come down from the mountains and build a 30’retainer wall, fireplace and bench all out of stone from the mountains. I learned what a shiner was. It is the flat facing stone that is strategically placed amid the dry stack of the stones that give some texture to the stacked stone. Teddy deposited 18 ton of stone in our yard and began his magic culminating in what I always thought was a spectacular fireplace.

My son Jack and I would scour for deadfall with my chainsaw and load up my Jeep with free firewood. He was a bit concerned as a young kid about my sources but I explained that we were doing a favor to the environment. At least that is what I told him. LOL!! Anytime I saw wood that was available, I grabbed it and did whatever I needed to do to get it cut and split. All part of the process of building a great fire in a great fireplace. We had fires all year long as it is a great bug zapper in the summer and a warm place in the winter. Many nights I spent in front of that fireplace contemplating what was next in our lives. When my folks passed, I used to sit out back and look up at the stars wondering where exactly they had gone. I saw heaven in those stars and planets and thought about what my folks saw now? Did they see me looking for them? I drifted off to sleep many nights in front of that fireplace. My brother in law, Duke, called it the Mountain TV as it provided entertainment for many guests to our house for many years.

The suspect Christmas wreath.

Duke would build fires so large in our fireplace that he would catch the Christmas wreath on fire many a night. The remnants of that wreath were a reminder of Christmas and a tradition that lasted many years. If the wreath didn’t catch fire, Duke didn’t build it big enough and Christmas was not complete. We had some other funny times in front of that fireplace. Like when my friend Dean melted the soles of his shoes onto the hearth. I peeled them off the next day and mailed them back to him. I have seen some other amazing things at other fireplaces. Like ski boot shells melting or gloves smoking as they hung to dry with the owners frantically trying to salvage the boots and gloves. People don’t realize how hot a fireplace can get.

The other day, I was riding my mountain bike and I smelled wood smoke coming from the house in the valley below. I can pick up that smell from far away and it always brings a smile to my face and a reminder that my favorite time of the year approaches- the fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas and winter. Probably one of the things I miss the most in moving from my former house to our current one is the fact that I had to leave my fireplace. No more wood smoke, no more sitting out back, but my neighbor Tim has a nice fireplace and when I smell the wood smoke drifting my way, I am thankful that he invites us to come up and enjoy. Don’t get me wrong, I like where we live but it was tough to leave the Teddy Hall masterpiece.

Laurel Mountain Outdoor Fireplace

If you have a nice fireplace- use it. And if you visit ski areas, lodges, or other places where fireplaces are lit during the season, take the time to sit and take in the smell, the warmth, and the quiet time reflecting in front of a roaring fire. Thanks for reading and RIP Teddy Hall. You made our life rich indeed. Thanks for reading.

patmccloskey | November 2, 2020 at 6:25 pm | Categories: Christmas, fall, outdoor activities, Outdoors, Seasons, Thanksgiving, Winter | URL: https://wp.me/p31Q99-1dr

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Filed Under: McCloskey, Dining, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, real estate, Seven Springs, 7 SPRINGS

October 2020 Real Estate Market Report

October 28, 2020 by Adrienne Abe 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.

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.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, market report, Market Update, real estate, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

Anticipation Winter will be here soon by Pat McCloskey

October 28, 2020 by Adrienne Abe 1 Comment

Anticipation!

by patmccloskey

I have posted on it before, but it takes a real enthusiasm to be a skier in the mid- Atlantic region of the country. We have to fight the continuing cycle of snow, ice, and rain events along with increasingly milder temperatures. If it were not for snowmaking, and good grooming, we would be in a world of hurt around these parts. We do our best to get our ski days in locally and then plan trips for the west and New England. Covid will offer some challenges but I am undaunted in my quest for the target 30 days which is fairly decent for a guy who is still employed, lives in Pennsylvania, and yearns for the first turns of the season. Nothing does my heart more good than a new pair of boards.

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

#head-skis, #stockli-skis

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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Filed Under: McCloskey, Seven Springs, Biking and Hiking, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Wild Flowers, 7 SPRINGS

September 2020 Real Estate Market Report

October 19, 2020 by Adrienne Abe 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.

Photo is of Laurel Park, taken by Bob Wagner

Change by McCoskley

October 15, 2020 by Adrienne Abe 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

Filed Under: McCloskey, Biking and Hiking, Consumer Info, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Wild Flowers, Mountain Biking

June 2020 Real Estate Market Report

July 19, 2020 by Adrienne Abe 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.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: LAUREL HIGHLANDS, market report, Market Update, real estate, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

Harder Than It Looks

June 13, 2020 by Adrienne Abe 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

Filed Under: Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Fishing, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, state parks, Water Sports, 7 SPRINGS

In Memory of Herman K. Dupre

May 3, 2020 by Adrienne Abe 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

Filed Under: Seven Springs, Consumer Info, LAUREL HIGHLANDS

March 2020 Real Estate Market Report

March 26, 2020 by Adrienne Abe 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 Adrienne Abe 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.

Warm thoughts about climate change.

February 29, 2020 by Adrienne Abe 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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New post on chroniclesofmccloskey

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.

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Ski Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Seven Springs, ski conditions, Ski Report, 7 SPRINGS

Robert “Wags” Wagner Retiring

February 8, 2020 by Adrienne Abe 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!

Filed Under: TEAM Info, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

September 2019 Real Estate Market Report

February 8, 2020 by Adrienne Abe 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.

August 2019 Real Estate Market Report

October 9, 2019 by Adrienne Abe 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.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Uncategorized, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, market report, Market Update, real estate, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

July 2019 Real Estate Market Report

September 14, 2019 by Adrienne Abe 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

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY

May 2019 Real Estate Market Report

June 15, 2019 by Adrienne Abe 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.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: market report, Market Update, real estate, Consumer Info

Possible Association Fees Deduction!

June 13, 2019 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

You may want to check out SB 539 in text!

Filed Under: SB539, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS

April 2019 Real Estate Market Report

May 12, 2019 by Adrienne Abe 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.

COUNTY LINE BRIDGE WORK BEGINS MAY 6th!

April 26, 2019 by Adrienne Abe 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

Filed Under: Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

March 2019 Real Estate Market Report

April 17, 2019 by Adrienne Abe 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.

February 2019 Laurel Highlands Update

March 13, 2019 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the February 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.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: market report, Market Update, real estate, Consumer Info

Home Selling Tips!

February 23, 2019 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

House Selling Tips: Why You Won’t Get Your Asking Price

A few small updates, which can be done on a budget, can increase your home’s value — and selling price. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Filed Under: Consumer Info Tagged With: Consumer Info

Tax Deductions for Home Owners

February 23, 2019 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Tax Deductions for Homeowners: How the New Tax Law Affects Mortgage Interest

Tax changes for 2019 change the landscape for homeowners. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Filed Under: Taxes, Consumer Info Tagged With: Consumer Info, Taxes

January 2019 Laurel Highlands Market Update

February 18, 2019 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the January 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.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, market report, Market Update, real estate, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

New Deck Ideas

February 6, 2019 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Evaluate Your House For Deck Construction

Here’s how to plan a new deck that suits your property, meets your budget, and offers the best return on your investment. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Filed Under: Construction, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

Climate Change in Pennsylvania

January 11, 2019 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Cindy Adams Dunn is PAs sixth secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). Here’s an excerpt from her Jan newsletter “This past year brought historic flooding and rainfall to our state — a trend that’s predicted to continue as our climate warms. As part of our continuing efforts to address this and other impacts of climate change, DCNR published and is moving on a climate change adaptation and mitigation plan.”

One month last year I dumped our rain gauge out twice to record an unbelievable 15 inches of precipitation. No wonder our area broke past rain fall records in 2018! We love our mountains but need to remember that the water flows downhill and flooding in the Laurel Highlands was extensive.

Check with your municipalities to see what their plans are to help your property stay dry. We’ve seen some areas begin to raise taxes to make repairs and corrections due to flooding. Be informed and attend a monthly municipal meeting!

Filed Under: Flood Insuance, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Consumer Info, Flood Insurance, 7 SPRINGS

CYBER SECURITY

January 9, 2019 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Everyone is concerned with home security, but few realize the importance of their cyber security. Without precautions your credit and bank accounts could be severely impacted and possibly wiped out. For my real estate license renewal, I took a class in December with Robert Siciliano a sought-after expert on cyber security. I am only sharing information from a class, I am not representing myself as a financial consultant, tax advisor, or attorney. Please feel free to consult with yours before taking action.

For three hours we heard stories of how our identities could be stolen, our good credit reduced to nothing and our banks accounts emptied. The biggest recommendation was to enact a credit freeze at all four credit scoring companies (TransUnion, Equifax, Experian, and Innovis).

We have been able to do this since 2008, but no one seems to be taking advantage of this free procedure. It stops you or the bad guys from opening up any new credit lines in your name. Do not worry you can unfreeze it at any time. So, when you want to buy something (like a car or house) you ask which of the four credit companies they will be pulling your credit history from and you unfreeze those accounts for a few days and then refreeze them.

Here is the shocker, you should do this for all of your children, yes, even the baby. Mr. Siciliano shared stories of kids who were making applications for financial aid for college and their credit history was already compromised making them ineligible and setting up a huge mess to try and straighten it out. Look for his book, “Identity Theft Privacy” on Amazon (Best Selling Author recognition). To learn more here is his website for you to research, https://safre.me/.

Here are more helpful tips.

If you would like to see if your e-mail has been hacked go to https://haveibeenpwned.com/
Never pick up a thumb drive off the street and use it
Do not use the same password
Use a 2-factor authentication for all log ins; and
Get instant text notification of credit card purchases

Stay safe out there!

Filed Under: Cyber Security, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, real estate, Consumer Info, Cyber Security, 7 SPRINGS

Government Shutdown and Flood Insurance 2019

January 9, 2019 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Once again Realtors are successful in standing up for home ownership rights! This from our National Realtor Association (NAR).

“Congress on Dec. 21 passed legislation that extends the National Flood Insurance Program until May 31, 2019. In an unexpected policy decision, though, FEMA on Dec. 26 said it couldn’t allow insurers to issue and renew federal policies while the partial government shutdown was ongoing. That ruling was unexpected because in past government shutdowns, FEMA continued to operate the program as authorized. NAR, along with other organizations, including the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, urged policy makers to reevaluate the decision. Congress expressed concern as well.

After discussions with NAR and other concerned entities FEMA reversed their unexpected and controversial ruling the agency released earlier this week.

FEMA and the Administration deserve credit for hearing our concerns and acting swiftly to address them,” says NAR President John Smaby. “This new decision means thousands of home sale transactions in communities across the country can go forward without interruption, as Congress intended when it renewed the flood insurance program earlier this week. Our research has shown that 40,000 home sales are lost every month that flood insurance is not available.

In a critical win for home sales while the partial shutdown of the federal government is ongoing, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will issue and renew flood insurance policies.”

Filed Under: Flood Insuance, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, real estate, Consumer Info, Flood Insurance, Government Shutdown, 7 SPRINGS

Government Shutdown IMPACTS Home Buying!

January 6, 2019 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Buyers and Sellers be PREPARED! Below are some ways that your transaction MAY be delayed or cancelled due to the government shutdown. Make sure you are speaking with your mortgage processor and REALTOR to be sure where your loan stands!

Verifications of Employment – A furloughed government worker must be back to work before the loan can close. Additionally, in the case of government workers, all government workers must be back to work/on the job through verification before the loan can close.

Social Security Number Verification – Any loan requiring SSA 89 cannot close until the completed form is received.

Tax Transcripts – IRS will be unable to provide tax transcripts due to the shutdown. Loans requiring tax transcripts will be handled on a case by case basis. Closings may be delayed.

West Penn Financial is an Affiliate Company of BHHS The Preferred Realty and is on top of what can and can’t be processed. Here are some insights into some government programs.

FHA – If your lender is a Direct Endorsed lender of FHA loans, the impact will be minimal. West Penn Financial has the ability to acquire FHA case numbers, remit FHA premiums and receive FHA mortgage insurance certificates.

USDA Loans – Commitments will not be able to be issued during the shutdown. Accordingly, loans that are not approved by USDA prior to the shutdown cannot close until approved by USDA.

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Consumer Info Tagged With: real estate, Consumer Info

December 2018 Laurel Highlands Market Update

January 6, 2019 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the December and end of year 2018 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.

November 2018 Laurel Highlands Market Update.

December 12, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the November 2018 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.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, HIDDEN VALLEY, market report, Market Update, real estate, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

October 2018 Laurel Highlands Market Update

November 12, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the October 2018 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.

Mortgage market update

October 13, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

We get mortgage market updates from Kurt Seig, a Pittsburgh mortgage broker. We find them very informative. Here is the latest.

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Consumer Info

September 2018 Laurel Highlands Market Update

October 8, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the September 2018 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.

August 2018 Laurel Highlands Market Update

September 13, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the August 2018 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.

Abe and Wags selected for the 5 Star Recognition again

August 21, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Abe and Wags Wagner have been selected as 5 Star Professions in the Real estate Industry again for 2018. They have been selected every year since the award was started in 2011. Five Star Professional surveyed Pittsburgh area residents who purchased a home price more than $150,000 within a 6-month period from June to November 2017. The final list of Agents represent 226 of the 10379 of the agents in the Pittsburgh area and they are the only agents selected that specialize in the Laurel Highlands. Their exceptional customer representation and 4.9 Zillow satisfaction rating are other indicators of their customer satisfaction.

Filed Under: Berkshire Hathaway HS, TEAM Info, TEAM, Consumer Info Tagged With: Consumer Info

July 2018 Laurel Highlands Real Estate Market Update

August 15, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the July 2018 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.

May 2018 Laurel Highlands real estate report

June 23, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the May 2018 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.

4th Frank Lloyd Wright house coming to the Laurel Highlands

March 21, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

REPOST FROM THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS VISITOR BUREAU

LAUREL HIGHLANDS, PA., (March 20, 2018) – After a 1,000-mile journey, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Lindholm House, aka Mäntylä, will now join Fallingwater, Kentuck Knob and Duncan House in calling Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands home.

Originally built in 1952 in Cloquet, Minn., the Lindholm House was carefully dismantled and shipped to Acme, Pa., in the spring of 2016, where it is currently being rebuilt by Thomas and Heather Papinchak. As owners and operators of Polymath Park, the Papinchaks are no strangers to Wright’s creations. Their architectural resort offers overnight lodging at Wright’s Duncan House, which was moved from Lisle, Ill., and rebuilt on the site in 2007, as well as two homes designed by his apprentice Peter Berndtson, the Balter and Blum homes.

“The groundbreaking and the addition of Wright’s Lindholm house is keeping pace with the thriving and unique experience our guests encounter at Polymath Park,” said Thomas Papinchak, Polymath Park’s CEO and design-builder. “The Lindholm House has been kept private for decades; it will be exciting for all involved to unveil this original grand Usonian masterpiece.”

Typifying Wright’s “Usonian” style-his effort, late in life, to create affordable housing in a design language that expressed his distinctive perception of the “American landscape.” The Lindholm and Duncan houses offer visitors a truly unique opportunity – the chance to stay overnight in a Frank Lloyd Wright house. The Llindholm House is expected to welcome guests in Summer 2018. When guests reserve either home, they are given access to the entire home, not just a specific room. These homes are two of a select few Frank Lloyd Wright buildings in the entire U.S. that offer overnight lodging. Reservations can be made online at www.polymathpark.com or by calling 877.833.7829.

A Must-Do Destination for Architecture Aficionados
To architecture experts, Frank Lloyd Wright was the greatest American architect who ever lived and one of the greatest the world has ever seen. To those who appreciate nature, it’s easy to see how the magnificent natural landscape of Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands inspired the prolific architect.

Wright (June 8, 1867-April 9, 1959) designed more than 1,000 structures in his lifetime and saw more than 500 of them to completion, but the high concentration of homes open for public tours in a setting as beautiful as Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands is an uncommon occurrence.

Perhaps Wright’s most widely-acclaimed creation, Fallingwater, was built between 1936 and 1939 for the Kaufmanns, a prominent family from Pittsburgh. Dramatically cantilevered over a waterfall, the house exemplifies Wright’s concept of organic architecture: the harmonious union of art and nature. A National Historic Landmark, Fallingwater has been selected as one of “50 places of a lifetime” by National Geographic Traveler. Fallingwater is the only major Wright-designed house to open to the public with its furnishings, artwork and setting intact.

Just seven miles southwest of Fallingwater and high atop a bluff overlooking the Youghiogheny River Gorge stands another Frank Lloyd Wright architectural masterpiece, Kentuck Knob. A great believer in the beauty of natural materials, Wright combined the native sandstone with tide water red cypress to create a chorus of color and texture that replicates the surrounding landscape. Wright began this project for the Hagan family in 1953 at the age of 86, five years before his death. In addition to the house, the grounds of Kentuck Knob feature 30 pieces of sculptures by Andy Goldsworthy, Anthony Caro and Claes Oldenburg.

Located within a short drive of the four Laurel Highlands landmarks, Falling Rock at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort provides a tribute to the organic architectural style of Frank Lloyd Wright. Designed by David Merritt, who studied at Wright’s school at Taliesin and then incorporated the master’s philosophies into his own work, Falling Rock features 42 rooms, each of which is served by a butler. In addition to this top level of service, guests enjoy a pillow menu, nightly cookie turndown and exclusive access to an infinity pool.

About Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands
A magnificent mountainous region, the Laurel Highlands spans 3,000 square miles in southwestern Pennsylvania. Located an hour east of Pittsburgh, the beautiful four-season destination offers some of the most spectacular natural scenery, outstanding outdoor recreation, historic sites and attractions, family activities and world-class resorts. Notable destinations within the region include three architectural masterpieces by Frank Lloyd Wright – Fallingwater®, Kentuck Knob and Duncan House – Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Flight 93 National Memorial, Idlewild and Soak Zone, whitewater rafting at Ohiopyle State Park and more.

Located within 200 miles of the major metropolitan areas of Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cleveland and Washington D.C., the Laurel Highlands can be easily accessed from exits 67, 75, 91 and 110 of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Visitors to the Laurel Highlands can find information online at www.LaurelHighlands.org, calling 800.333.5661, www.facebook.com/laurelhighlandsPA and www.twitter.com/laurelhighlands. Established in 1958, the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization for Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. Check out the 2018 Laurel Highlands Destination Guide!

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Author: Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau

Filed Under: Consumer Info, Real Estate, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, real estate, Consumer Info

February 2018 Real Estate Market Report

March 6, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the February 2018 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.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS

January 2018 Real Estate Market Report

February 14, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the January 2018 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.

NAR Issue Brief on new Tax Code

February 1, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Our National Realtor Association created this issue brief and we believe whether you are buying, selling or just own a home this is valuable information and you should discuss this with your tax advisor.

Tax Reform Review

Filed Under: Consumer Info Tagged With: Consumer Info

December and 2017 Real Estate Market Report

January 8, 2018 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the December and all of 2017 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.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, market report, real estate, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

November 2017 Real Estate Market Report

December 18, 2017 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the November 2017 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.

TAX REFORM, HOME OWNERSHIP MATTERS!

November 7, 2017 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Tax Reform, specifically HOW the mortgage interest deduction will be changed, is something EVERY Home Owner needs to understand! According to a study done by Price Waterhouse IF the mortgage interest deduction is passed as presented, of the 80% of home owners who take the deduction ONLY 5% would still qualify! For properties in PA you would no longer be able to deduct property taxes! Click this link and Let Your Elected Rep Know Where You Stand!

Filed Under: Taxes, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, HIDDEN VALLEY, Consumer Info, Tax Reform, 7 SPRINGS

TAX REFORM

October 17, 2017 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Our National Association of REALTORS has been actively engaged in the tax reform debate. The plan is expected to double the standard deduction and eliminate all personal deductions except the Mortgage Interest Deduction and the deduction for Charitable Contributions. The plan eliminates the deduction for State and Local Taxes. This will be devastating to middle class homeowners by removing economic incentives for homeownership and raising taxes by an average of $851. By doubling the standard deduction, the Mortgage Interest Deduction would only be available to the top 5 percent of taxpayers.

PLEASE LET YOUR REPRESENTATIVES KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!!

Filed Under: Ligonier, Taxes, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, HIDDEN VALLEY, real estate, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Tax Reform, 7 SPRINGS

Fall Foliage Forecast by PennLive

September 30, 2017 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

By Marcus Schneck mschneck@pennlive.com
Unseasonably hot, dry weather throughout much of September may have doomed hopes for a particularly vibrant fall-foliage period this fall in much of Pennsylvania.

“Several factors lead me to believe that what looked to be an excellent fall foliage year has been mitigated by this latest hot, dry weather pattern, coupled with outbreaks of maple anthracnose in a fair number of areas,” noted Ryan Reed, the environmental education specialist in the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources who compiles the weekly fall foliage report for the state.

“Despite this, there will be good fall foliage viewing throughout the state in forthcoming weeks. One may have to simply travel further between areas of brilliant color.”

For now, he said, fall foliage season continues in its preliminary stages statewide. Some northern-tier forest districts are showing more than 50 percent color in stands of northern hardwoods like maple, cherry and birch.

Central and southern forests are showing strong indicators of future color, with bittersweet, Virginia creeper, dogwood, walnut, hickory, birch and a few maples sprinkling color over the landscape.

The recent warm spell seems to have slowed the color transition, and even forced early leaf-drop in some areas.

Southwestern Counties (Allegheny, Washington, Greene, Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset counties): In Forbes State Forest, peak color is expected during the first and second weeks (Negro Mountain and Laurel Ridge) in October.

The Laurel Highlands are separated by three separate ridges that vary in elevation, often leading to a succession of peak foliage. The Mt. Davis Division encompasses the highest point in Pennsylvania and peaks before any other region of the Laurel Highlands. The Laurel Ridge, extending from Ohiopyle to Seward, is the next area to peak, followed by the western-most areas of the Laurel Highlands, Chestnut Ridge, and Pittsburgh area.

Southern Region (Area south and east of a line through southern Monroe, Dauphin, Bedford and southeastern Somerset Counties): In Buchanon State Forest, several vine species (poison ivy, Virginia creeper, bittersweet) are adding early red and yellow colors to the forest edges. Hickories and birches on drier sites have also turned yellow. Route 30 offers a pleasant view of the Buchanon State Forest, and Tower Road and Bark Road vistas reveal beautiful scenery in the valley.

Filed Under: Consumer Info, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Consumer Info

August 2017 Laurel Highlands Real Estate Market Report

September 27, 2017 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the August 2017 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 starting this year.

July 2017 Laurel Highlands Market Report

August 29, 2017 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is the July 2017 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 starting this year.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS

Independence Day

July 7, 2017 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

In honor of our Independence Day here’s a short video from Schoolhouse Rock on how bills get to become laws. As simple as it is, “I’m Just a Bill” helps us to understand the process and the work it takes to turn a bill into law. It also reminds us of how important it is to voice where we stand to our elected representatives. This video is something you might consider sharing with your children. It’s never too early to help the next generation understand how governance is supposed to work.

Filed Under: Consumer Info Tagged With: Consumer Info

Laurel Hill State Park Summer Fun!

July 7, 2017 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

We LOVE Laurel Hill State Park! Here are a few of their offerings for this month! Easy to get to from either resort! Call if you have questions, 814-352-8649

July 8 Hemlock Hike 4 to 5pm
July 8 Moonlight Paddle 9 to 11pm
July 12 & 26 Wednesday on the Water 6 to 7:30pm
July 15 Bat Facts 8to 9pm
July 22 Learn to Kayak 10am to noon & 1 to 3pm
July 22 Wild Teas 7 to 8pm
July 29 Beginner Bowmanship 9am to 11
July 29 Wildflower Walk 7 to 8pm

Filed Under: Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, Seven Springs, state parks, Consumer Info, Laurel Hill State Park, 7 SPRINGS

Mortgage Interest Deduction

June 10, 2017 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

If you own a home and itemize, one of your deductions may be for your mortgage interest. If the plan that is being considered NOW is enacted studies show that the 75% of home owners who currently use the deduction could be reduced to 5%! For PA homeowners, property taxes would no longer be deductible either! OUCH! Think about HOW this will impact our ability to sell homes!

A change like this could make us a nation of renters instead of home owners! We strongly encourage you to check out how this might impact you and let your elected representatives know where you stand!

Filed Under: Consumer Info Tagged With: Consumer Info

Route 31 Road Construction

June 10, 2017 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

It began May 8 and has a very long way to go!! When you exit the PA Turnpike at Donegal be prepared to experience delays! The project begins just above the turnpike exit and continues down to the turn to Route 711 at Sarnelli’s. In a months time much has been done with much more to come! Please pack your patience and watch out for the workers!

Filed Under: Ligonier, Turnpike, Construction, Nemacolin, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Nemacolin, Ohiopyle, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, New Construction, Road Maintenance, 7 SPRINGS

National Flood Insurance EXPIRES Sept 30!

June 10, 2017 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

The last time the National Flood Insurance was allowed to expire approximately 40,000 transactions, a MONTH didn’t happen!! WHY? Because if your property is in a flood zone area AND you don’t have flood insurance, NO bank will finance it! Being active in our local, state, and national Realtor Associations has allowed Abe to meet face to face with elected representatives in DC and Harrisburg to explain WHY it is critical to ensure it doesn’t expire again! Check out the information slides!

Filed Under: Construction, Nemacolin, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, Real Estate, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Donegal, Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, real estate, Consumer Info, National Flood Insuance Program, 7 SPRINGS

Memories of Memorial Day

May 26, 2017 by Adrienne Abe 1 Comment

Remember

by patmccloskey

One of my most memorable family trips was when we ventured on a bus tour to Washington, DC. Rob and Denise Dunbar, our friends, organized the trip and one of the highlights was a tour of the White House. Rob’s grandfather was a U.S Congressman and Rob and Denise knew the ropes to getting our security clearance and a tour of a truly magnificent historical residence.

Everyone needs to do this trip several times because there are so many historically significant monuments to see as well as the varied museums and galleries. Our nation’s capitol is remarkable any time of the year and I can’t wait to go back someday. But the memory that sticks out to me, even to this day, was when we were immersed in the solemnity at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The silence of the crowd was definitely noticeable as we watched the guard meticulously march in front of the tomb in the prescribed cadence and number of steps. This ceremony goes on at all times in all weather – night and day. It is a true honor to be chosen as one of the guards in this prestigious ceremony and we were all placed in a somber, reverent mood when we made our way through Arlington National Cemetery. Standing in that silent, and tranquil setting, my eyes gazed upon the rows and rows of the graves of the fallen soldiers who had been buried there. As far as the eye could see, the perfectly aligned sites,adorned with the white monuments bearing the statistics of the fallen, made me stop rigid in my tracks- taking in the enormity of the moment. I am a history buff, as you know from former posts, and I took some time to reflect on all of the wars, the sacrifices, the honored dead that were privileged enough to be laid to rest there. You could not help but think about the service that our men and women in uniform afford us, protecting our freedom every day, in the most demanding of situations world wide. I thought about my Uncle Jack, a B-24 Bomber Pilot in World War II, who flew 52 missions over Italy in the Anzio Campaign. Coming back each night with hundreds of flak holes in his fuselage, only to be repaired and sent out the next day on yet another perilous mission.

I always admire anyone who has served in the military. Their courage, dedication, and sacrifice, is most exemplary. As the song goes, ” Some gave all, all gave some.” On the bus ride back , I sat in silence as my family slept and thought about how close I was to serving. I had a #11 draft number in college and had the Vietnam war continued on one more year, I would have been plucked from my comfortable early post office lounge in my dorm room and splatted down in some rice paddy in South Vietnam battling the North Vietnamese. I am friends with many who went and served and I respect them so wholeheartedly. What a rugged and unforgiving experience they had. Some made it back and some did not. I pray for their families and for all the families of the service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. They should never be forgotten and if you ever stand in the center of Arlington, the moment and experience will be forever etched in your memory.

So, as we embark on the holiday weekend, with our picnics, our mountain bike rides, hikes, horseback rides or rounds of golf, let’s all take a moment and remember those silent warriors who are buried in Arlington and in other sites around the world. Memorial Day is the official start to summer for sure, but it should never be lost on any of us, what the true meaning of that day is to our country. God bless and protect our service men and women and thanks for reading.

patmccloskey | May 25, 2017 at 4:37 pm | Tags: Arlington National Cemetery, B-24 Bomber, Billy Cyrus, The White House, Vietnam War | Categories: Aging, American Culture, Inspiration, Military, Veterans, World War II | URL: http://wp.me/s31Q99-remember

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Filed Under: Uncategorized, Consumer Info Tagged With: Consumer Info

Bridge Replacements!!

March 5, 2017 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

PLAN NOW!! The last two *bridges* on the picture are the ones back to back on County Line Road by and just above Somerset Trust. If you stop in at the Saltlick Township office you can see the maps outlining the new one way traffic patterns!! The Rapid Bridge Replacement Project will eventually see 588 structurally deficient bridges in PA replaced. For those of us headed to Seven Springs this will mean ONE LANE traffic! There are alternative routes. Catch up with us for some other options!

Filed Under: Seven Springs, Consumer Info, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Seven Springs, Bridges, 7S

Pat McCloskey’s thoughts on Laurel Mt. Ski Area

December 29, 2016 by Adrienne Abe 2 Comments

The Return of a Classic Ski Area

by patmccloskey

I have skied a lot of areas in my time and most of them were in New England where there are the giant, corporately run areas and the smaller privately held areas. The smaller areas always held my interest because they had a sense of tradition and a feel of skiing in another time. Recently, in our neck of the woods, down here in the Banana Belt, Laurel Mountain came to life again this year. It went from being one of the lost ski areas to a vibrant, resurgence of a classic ski area reminiscent of those areas in New England. In fact, there is a tie to Mt. Cranmore in the Mt. Washington Valley of New Hampshire. Apparently, when the Mellon family first had the idea to develop a ski area in 1939 for the members of the prestigious Rolling Rock Club in Ligonier, they hired Hannes Schneider to lay out the trails. Hannes Schneider was the ski school director at Mt. Cranmore who was brought to the US from Austria by the industrialist Harry Gibson, a friend of Richard King Mellon. Schneider is widely acclaimed as the father of ski instruction in this country.

When you first pull past the stone entrance hut on the mountain road, you feel as if you are driving back in time. The parking lot is never full and as you make your way to the top of the mountain lodge which has been recently refurbished, you can relax in an Adirondack chair by a roaring fire and put your boots on. You can then take your brown bag lunch inside or take advantage of some good comfort food in the new bar area in the base of the lodge. The picture windows look out on the whole Ligonier Valley which is not only scenic during the day, but a sight at night if you choose to night ski. The refurbished snowmaking by HKD and the new Pistenbully groomer make the Wildcat slope a delight to ski and it is known to have the steepest vertical in the state.

I remember skiing Laurel when it was run by the state and had some amazing powder days there with Frank Pipak, a friend who took the PSIA exam the same year that I did. Although, I spent the winter prior to that exam in Sugarloaf, Maine, I often credit my runs down Lower Wildcat with preparing me for the steeper terrain that was utilized in the exam. My friend Hiller Hardie always says, ” if you want to get your legs ready for the western trips, lapping Wildcat at Laurel will put you in good form.” Your legs get a work out on lower Wildcat with the steep vertical pitch.

When Seven Springs Mountain Resort decided to bring Laurel back to life this season, along with the DCNR of the State of Pennsylvania, it was time to promote it. I have told a lot of friends about my good times at Laurel and how they must try it. Like my two snowboarding friends, Tina and Mark Sauers who were totally enthralled with the area and the family feel to the place.

We have some challenges down here in the banana belt with the weather being on the edge of rain and snow. But credit Laurel with good snowmaking and grooming to make it possible for enthusiasts like me to get the most days out of rather dismal early winter conditions. I have a lot of good memories of skiing at Laurel back in the day including fun times with my son Jack and our visits to Fort Ligonier and the Pie Shop in Laughlintown at the bottom of the mountain.

Two years ago, Hiller, John McWilliams, Jeff Balicki and John O’Toole and yours truly used our snowshoes to hike into the closed area and after unloading our packs, took two runs down Lower Wildcat. Four hours plus of hiking for two runs was “having to have it” and it showed our devotion to an area which we all loved. It is so nice now to have Carl Skylling’s new Sky Trac chairlift instead of bootpacking to claim our vertical.

So if you are a local, get over to Laurel. You won’t regret it and if you are visiting, check it out. Lower Wildcat will surprise you even if you are a veteran of steep skiing from points beyond. I am so happy it is back. Hannes is probably up there smiling at all of us. Thanks for reading.

Filed Under: Ski Report, Consumer Info, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, ski conditions, Ski Report

PENN SCENIC VIEW SOLD!

September 13, 2016 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This incredible 183 acre parcel of breathtaking views, trails and a lake recently transferred. Court house records show the transfer for $999,000. For years it has been a favorite wedding destination with picturesque settings and background vistas. It has a multitude of trails, some rentals, and the main building for entertaining. Records show that the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy was the purchaser.

Filed Under: Consumer Info, Real Estate, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, real estate, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

Abe and Wags 5 Star Professionals for Pittsburgh 2016

September 12, 2016 by Adrienne Abe 1 Comment

Abe and Wags Wagner have been selected as 5 Star Professions in the Real estate Industry again for 2016. They have been selected every year since the award was started in 2011. Five Star Professional surveyed Pittsburgh area residents who purchased a home price more than $150,000 within a 6-month period from June to November 2015. The final list of Agents represent less than 5% of the agents in the Pittsburgh area and they are the only agents selected that specialize in the Laurel Highlands.

Filed Under: Berkshire Hathaway HS, TEAM Info, TEAM, Uncategorized, Consumer Info Tagged With: HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, real estate, Seven Springs, Consumer Info

Abe and Wags Team Awarded BHHS Presidents Club Award.

March 15, 2016 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Abe and Wags Wagner were given the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices National Presidents Award recently at the William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh PA. This award is for closed sales and places them in the top 3% of all Berkshire Hathaway agents in the United States. With their tested “Keys to Close” marketing and closing systems and their Luxury Marketing program they were able to close over $8.4M of sales with 26 Sides.

Filed Under: Consumer Info Tagged With: Consumer Info

Pursue Your Happiness

March 13, 2016 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Just got word that the new slogan and logo for PA Tourism was has been unveiled! Take a look at the video and see what you think! It made me want to get out of the office and have some fun! Check out the Visit PA site to see it live! Look for the next editions of the state’s travel guide to be called “Happy Traveler” and the e-newsletter renamed “Happy Thoughts.”

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Consumer Info, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, Consumer Info

Abe and Wags Team earn Platinum Customer Satisfaction Award.

February 15, 2016 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

The Abe and Wags Team were awarded the Platinum Customer Service Award from Quality Service Certified this year. This award is based on independent customer surveys on the service provided by the Team. They are rated on areas such as communication, contracts, negotiation, follow up, and other areas of the real estate transaction. The Abe and Wags team has been given this award 9 out of the last 10 years. It is only given to 2% of the over 60,000 agents who are Quality Service Certified in the United States. You can see the rating at www.RatedAgent.com and search for Robert Wagner.

Filed Under: School Tax, Berkshire Hathaway HS, TEAM Info, TEAM, Consumer Info, Real Estate, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: market report, Market Update, real estate, Consumer Info

Family Fun at our Local State Parks Feb 19-21

February 8, 2016 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Family Fun at our Local State Parks Feb 19-21

If you are looking for something different to do consider visiting Laurel Hill, Laurel Ridge, or Kooser State Parks over the weekend of the 19^th to the 21^st! Activities may include horse drawn sleigh rides, hillbilly curling, sled dog demonstrations, live music, snowman/snow sculpture contest, and outhouse dash, guided cross-country skiing and snowshoeing (equipment available), sledding under the lights and more! 814-445-7725

Filed Under: Biking and Hiking, Consumer Info, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: LAUREL HIGHLANDS, state parks, Consumer Info

Bridge Replacement on County Line Road

January 17, 2016 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Heads up!! Bids just went out for BOTH bridges on County Line Road through the PA Rapid Bridge Replacement site! Here’s a link to the site that talks about how the RBR was created. These are the two bridges you cross if you are going to 7 Springs from Champion. They are in the first 100 yards of County Line Road after east of Route 711.

The first bridge on the schedule is the second bridge before the big curve. This project is referred to as Bridge 498. The calendar shows a start time of May 2016 through April 2017

The second bridge to be replaced is the one right after you make the turn on to County Line Road to head to Seven Springs. It crosses over Indian Creek right by the ICV Trail. This project is referred to as Bridge 497. Start date on this one, Aug 2016 to May 2017.

From my conversations with the project manager there will be temporary lights installed to handle the traffic flow. Stay tuned as we’ll be updating the process. You may want to become familiar with some of our back roads!

Filed Under: Seven Springs, Consumer Info Tagged With: Donegal, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

Avoiding the traffic backup at Sarnelli’s Corner

January 11, 2016 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

If you are coming from Seven Springs to the Donegal Turnpike Exchange you probably go through the intersection at Sarnelli’s Store. If it is a holiday weekend and after 3:00 that could be backed up with many cars. Avoid that intersection by turning right on Tannery Road about a mile before 711 off County Line Road. This is across from Back Creek Road and at the corner of the open field. Go to the stop sign and turn right again and this will take you to Route 31. Turn left to the turnpike. If you miss that turn then cross Route 711 and continue on County Line Road and go to the first stop sign. Turn right on Hellin School Road to the end, turn right on Route 31 to the Turnpike. Either alternate route should save you the time and frustration of waiting your turn to turn left at Sarnelli’s.

CLICK FOR THE MAP

Filed Under: Turnpike, Consumer Info, LAUREL HIGHLANDS

Updates to 7 Springs ski slopes

November 28, 2015 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is excerpts of a November 15 PG article by Larry Fine. 7 Springs purchased 4 Pisten Bully ParkPro snow groomers and 5 HKD SV 10 Impulse snowmaking tower at the top of North Face. Snow Boarding magazine rated the Spot as the 2 best boarding area on the East Coast. They have created an Uphill Ski Access program from 7 to 9AM for skiers who want to skin up the slopes. They are also opening the Highlands Market on County Line Road just outside of the main entrance. It will have seating for 30, offer house made food, a large craft beer selection, and grocery. Foggy Brews on the second floor of the base lodge will be open every day during ski season.

Filed Under: Ski Report, Seven Springs, Consumer Info, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Seven Springs, Ski Report, Consumer Info, 7 SPRINGS

Dollar General Under Construction

October 3, 2015 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

Almost immediately after settlement construction began on the new Dollar General store. The 1 acre parcel (abuts Route 31) sits in front of the Donegal Community Center on the left hand side of the road as you are headed to the resorts. You’ll definitely notice the dirt being moved as they install their own septic system. Most likely you’ll see the store opening sometime in the spring of 2016, weather permitting:)

Filed Under: Consumer Info, Real Estate, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Donegal, Gateway to the Laurel Highlands, HIDDEN VALLEY, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Seven Springs, Consumer Info

Bids out for Laurel Mt. Ski Area

September 18, 2015 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

By Nicole Chynoweth

Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015, 10:51 p.m.

Bids for general and electrical construction contracts at the Laurel Mountain ski area have been opened and are under review by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Five companies submitted bids for the general construction proposal, which carried a cost estimate of $1 million to $5 million. The work includes demolition and replacement of one chair lift; site clearing and tree removal; improvements to snow-making, water storage, pumping and distribution; upgrades to electrical service and regrading of ski trails.

Six companies submitted bids for the electrical construction proposal, which had a cost estimate of $500,000 to $1 million. That portion of the project includes supplying and installing exhaust fans, site electrical upgrades, electrical work for a ski lift and trail lighting.

“Our goal is to award the winning bid and notify within a week,” barring any questions about the submissions, said Terry Brady, deputy press secretary for the department.

Laurel Mountain Ski Resort opened in 1939 for Rolling Rock Club members. In 1964, the property was given to the state with the stipulation that no summertime activities would take place there and no lodging would be built.

The resort closed from 1989 to 1999, then reopened and closed several times between 1999 and 2005 because of mild winters and financial problems. In 2008, Seven Springs Mountain Resort signed a 10-year lease to operate the site as a concession.

For general construction, the apparent low bidders and their three base bid amounts are:

• Ligonier Construction Inc., $4,623,000; $5,048,000; $5,158,000

• A. Merante Contracting, $4,897,711; $5,117,711; $5,240,711

• James T. O’Hara Inc., $5,670,000; $5,990,000; $6,170,000

• Clearwater Construction Inc., $5,805,000; $6,150,000; $6,425,000

•CH&D Enterprises, $9,747,117; $10,066,530; $10,386,500

For electrical construction, the apparent low bidders and first two base bid amounts are:

• Merit Electrical Group, $353,000;

• Mashan Inc., $399,900;

• Westmoreland Electric, $449,000;

• TSB Inc. doing business as Schultheis Electric, $494,200;

• David W. Jones Co., $546,700;

• Power Contracting Co., $587,149

The amounts for the companies’ third base bids are:

• Merit Electrical Group, $369,800

• Mashan Inc., $429,500

• Westmoreland Electric, $471,000

• TSB Inc. doing business as Schultheis Electric, $518,500

• David W. Jones Company, $585,700

• Power Contracting Co., $614,600

Both sets of bid results were to be opened Aug. 6, but the general construction bid opening was delayed because of last minute fine-tuning of the proposal’s wording, Brady said. The department didn’t immediately award the electrical construction contract because it wanted to award contracts for both portions of the project at the same time, he said.

Nicole Chynoweth is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-850-2862 or nchynoweth@tribweb.com.

Filed Under: Ski Report, Consumer Info, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: LAUREL HIGHLANDS, real estate, Ski Report, Consumer Info

Oktoberfest SALE at Rustic Lodge Furniture

September 12, 2015 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

The biggest sale of the year is on today at Rustic Lodge Furniture on Route 31 in Donegal. Enjoy German Food, Beer, and Wine with music by Madel Jager while you peruse the great selection of mountain theme furniture and beautiful designer ski wear, après ski wear, and outer wear, which is new for this year. See you there. 412-721-9038.

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Consumer Info, LAUREL HIGHLANDS

Marinades for Dinner and More

July 10, 2015 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This venue is quickly becoming a favorite for its Sunday Brunch and Dinner. Fresh ideas and homemade food each week pleasing your appetite for good home style cooking and atmosphere at very reasonable prices. Always casual and BYOB. Open for events and every Sunday for Brunch from 10-3 and Dinner from 3-8. Events, catering, weddings, celebrations, and planning made easy for you at our location or yours. Seating up to 125. Outdoor pavilion. Bed and Breakfast rooms available, up to 8 for events. View the WEBSITE for catering ideas and events open to anyone who likes to have fun! Located at 327 Mt. View Road, Donegal, PA 15628 724-221-5793 www.marinadesgrill.com.

Directions: From Turnpike exit 9 go east on Route 31 1 mile, turn right on Mt. View at the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices office, go about 1 mile, on right.

Filed Under: Dining, Consumer Info, LAUREL HIGHLANDS Tagged With: Dining, Donegal, LAUREL HIGHLANDS, Restaurant, Consumer Info

Abe Wagner writes on RPR Commercial Capabilities

June 30, 2015 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

This is a copy of the article on the NARRPR blog. Here is the LINK to the article.

Reports about RPR®’s ( Realtors Property Resource) commercial platform is popping up across the nation and, sometimes, in surprising ways.

In the apex of a finance course at REALTOR® University’s Master of Real Estate program, Adrienne “Abe” Wagner needed to identify, analyze and then bring to market a commercial property in order to pass the class.

“I’d been using RPR [Realtors Property Resource®] for my business for a long time, but only for my specialty, which is residential,” said Abe, an associate broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Donegal, PA (pop. 165). We don’t have city sewer on our main road so our commercial properties are very limited. So I knew this assignment was going to be a challenge.”

Never one to back away, Abe, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics, a Master’s in Real Estate, and a robust line up of real estate related certifications, set out to become an expert in RPR Commercial.

“’Know what you don’t know’ is common parlance among commercial REALTORS®,” she said, “so learning to use the tools provided by RPR Commercial gave me everything I needed to generate an amazing array of reports on my income producing property. I couldn’t believe the wealth of information and tools provided on the site.”

Increasingly, rural-centric agents like Abe are turning to RPR to identify marketplace opportunities for business owners, property managers and developers intent on moving into their areas.

Using demographic, psychographic and spending data information, RPR’s advanced analytics and tools produce persuasive trade area analyses, commercial property reports, and best business reports that, when coupled with powerful thematic maps, help agents determine the right fit for a client’s enterprise.

Abe’s favorite RPR features include photography options that allow users to get an immediate fix on location with adjustable aerial views, in addition to overlaying tax maps that highlight boundaries; and reports that cluster historical data such as loans, square footage, parcel data, maps, lot size, and neighborhood information.

In her extensive To Purchase or Pass on an Office Investment Opportunity project, Abe created a marketing proposal centered on an existing commercial property in Lemoyne, PA. Drawing from reports generated within RPR, Abe analyzed and identified dozens of data sets for the property including economic forecasts, tax and mortgage figures, employment, population trends, consumer spending, lifestyle preferences, education and income comparisons, photos, and maps.

Abe underscores the value of RPR’s extensive reporting tools, “There is no other single source that I know of that compiles this much data into one report.”

“Generating the reports was really cool and very easy,” she added. “When I came across small stumbling blocks, I called the tech support group. And they were fantastic!” RPR’s Help Desk is available to members 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and, like the RPR benefit, at no additional cost to the member.

Learn more about the reports Abe used to market her commercial property.
◾ Commercial Best Business Report
◾ Commercial Trade Area Report
◾ Commercial Property Report
◾ Commercial Trade Area Analysis

Filed Under: Berkshire Hathaway HS, TEAM Info, Consumer Info Tagged With: real estate, Consumer Info

Abe Wagner Awarded Masters of Real Estate

May 17, 2015 by Adrienne Abe Leave a Comment

On Friday May 15, 2015 in Washington DC Abe Wagner was awarded a Masters of Real Estate, Sales and Marketing by the National Association of Realtors University. This 24 credit masters program is the only one in the country with an exclusive focus on the sales and marketing of real estate. The university also offers Masters Programs in Association Management and Commercial Sales and Marketing. Our most enthusiastic in congratulating Abe for this exceptional achievement.

Filed Under: Real Estate Report, Real Estate Report, Berkshire Hathaway HS, TEAM Info, TEAM, Consumer Info, Real Estate Tagged With: Consumer Info, Abe and Wags Team Info

Quick Search

One month last year I dumped our rain gauge out twice to record an unbelievable 15 inches of precipitation. No wonder our area broke past rain fall records in 2018! We love our mountains but need to remember that the water flows downhill and flooding in the Laurel Highlands was extensive.

Check with your municipalities to see what their plans are to help your property stay dry. We’ve seen some areas begin to raise taxes to make repairs and corrections due to flooding. Be informed and attend a monthly municipal meeting!

Author: Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau

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