Poconos Real Estate. Poconos Homes for Sale. The Official Poconos Real Estate Guide to Homes For Sale. Search 3000 Poconos Homes

With over 39 years experience our Poconos real estate professionals can put you in touch with the best deals in the local Pocono real estate home buying and selling markets. There are free tools on this web site to help get your next real estate transaction started, whether you're buying, selling, renting or investing. Poconos Home Buying Tips Here you will find details on communities in the Pocono real estate region and information on services to help get you the most for your real estate investment. Remember to check the community and service pages often, as we are always adding more information.

Poconos MLS Search

Our Poconos MLS search, over there on the right, enables you to browse local homes for sale and get a sense of the market before you buy or sell. Every home for sale from every real estate broker in the region is listed and updated every day right here. You have access to the latest Poconos MLS listings from every other participating broker in the area so bookmark this site and make it a favorite! Whether you're looking for luxury homes, view homes homes, lakefronts, foreclosures, or fixer uppers you'll find them on this site. You can also have the newest listings of interest sent to you automatically - all listings will include multiple pictures, virtual tour, addresses, prices, bedrooms, bathrooms, year built, property features maps, and more. For investors we also offer by request, a free list of Pocono foreclosures. Just ask for it in the Real Estate Information Request Form..

Poconos Home Values

Home values in the Pocono Mountains have fallen since 3007 about 25-28% in total. with about 8% of that occuring in the last year. There are pockets of communities throughout the region, specifically the mountain areas and prominent luxury developments in Lake Naomi, Timber Trails, Hemlock Farms, Glenbrook in Stroudsburg, PA and Buck Hill Falls where prices have not fallen quite as much. If you're thinking of selling your Poconos home because you're ready to downsize, ready to move up to a larger home, transferring out of the area, or you can no longer afford to own your home any longer and you need to sell fast to avoid a short sale or foreclosure, then a home evaluation is necessary to get started. A Poconos Real Estate Agent's free home evaluation include up-to-date detailed comparable sales information (CMA) so you will know what homes are selling for in your neighborhood. This detailed information will be emailed in an easy to read format that you can print and save, and is also available by mail or an agent can visit and drop off the evaluation at your door. Again, there is no cost for the home evaluation service. Ask for it in the request form on the right. .

Poconos Real Estate News

Its no secret. The Poconos Real Estate Market like the U.S. economy has slowed since the beginning of 2008, with the housing market in decline, unemployment levels rising and consumer spending dropping . But Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke, reports that the pace of contraction may be slowing. He says, "We expect that the recovery will gradually gain momentum and that economic slack will diminish slowly. In particular, businesses are likely to be cautious about hiring, implying that the unemployment rate could remain high for a time even after economic growth resumes later this year." In terms of housing, the Fed forecasts indicate the housing market is in fact stabilizing.

One trend noticed in ths last few weeks (starting in mid February 2010) is that the foreclosure market is now being dominated by investors with cash. While this seems to be a major trend in some national markets like Las Vegas and souther California, it is now just beginning to occure in the Poconos. Investment buyers (those seeking to buy and then to rent, or those buying to hold, fix and resell later) are now recognizing that the market is at or near bottom. These buyers are now swooping in to pick up some of the really cheap foreclosures. Fill out this form for more information on Poconos Real Estate Foreclosures

HUD: Tax Credit Can Be Used on Closing Costs

FHA-approved lenders received the go-ahead to develop bridge-loan products that enable first-time buyers to use the benefits of the federal tax credit upfront, according to eagerly awaited guidance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on home buyer tax credit loans that was released recently. Under the guidance, FHA-approved lenders can develop bridge loans that home buyers can use to help cover their closing costs, buy down their interest rate, or put down more than the minimum 3.5 percent.

The loans can't be used to cover the minimum 3.5 percent, senior HUD officials told reporters on a conference call Friday morning. Thus, buyers applying for FHA-backed financing with an FHA-approved lender that offers a bridge-loan program can get a bridge loan to bring down the upfront costs of buying a home significantly but would still have to come up with the minimum 3.5 percent downpayment. There remain many sources of assistance for buyers needing help with the 3.5 percent downpayment, including many state and local government instrumentalities and nonprofit lenders.

The first-time homebuyer tax credit was enacted last year--and improved upon earlier this year--to help encourage households to enter the housing market while interest rates are low and affordability is high. The credit is worth up to $8,000 and is available to households that haven't owned a home in at least three years. The credit does not have to be repaid, and is fully reimbursable, so households can get their credit returned to them in the form of a payment.

Mortgage Money is Available from Local Pocono Banks

Pocono Banks like East Stroudsburg Savings, Pocono Community Bank and Penn Security Bank are aggressively seeking to lend money to borrowers on mortgages on Poconos Real Estate in the Monroe, Wayne, and Carbon County areas. These institutions are virtually unscathed by the current credit crisis as they tend not to sell their mortgages and work with their own cash on hand. It is unlikely that any of these three banks have issued any sub prime mortgages and they all have lower than the national average foreclosure rates. 01/21/2010 - Credit is loosening up we now have 3% down mortgages again. Call USA Realty to discuss homes that qualify for low down payments 570-517-2428.

- Here's what's happening in real estate in the Poconos and in Pennsylvania Homes For Sale Real Estate.

As you can see by the following Sold Market Analysis * There has been a significant shift in the last quarter of 2009. all areas are down vs the same time last year, the most notable being the number of homes sold is down 23%. 6/1/2007 – 12/31/07 vs 6/1/2008 – 12/31/2008

Active Listings: Down -7%

9/1/2009 - to 12/31/2009
This is good news. There are currently few homes on the market than this time last year. This is now a trend. And a trend reversal from last year and this is (in this market place) good news. The bad news is that there is still a few years supply and unless a home is priced at the lowest competitive price for homes in its price range, there will be a longer than normal marketing time. One of the unique aspects of the Poconos Market is that there are MANY more second and vacation homes in inventory than the national average (Who buys a second home in Springfield MO or Elmira, NY?) Second home owners are typically more patient than the average home seller, are willing to wait to get the best price and can (and do) often rent the home while it is being marketed. Poconos Real Estate Experts expect this number should be higher than the national average.

Days on the Market : Down 25% - GREAT NEWS!

Last Quarter 2008 - 230 Days to last quarter 2009 - 173 Days on Market
This is not good news. Homes are still taking longer to sell than in the past, but it is now taking a shorter time than last year to turn over a home. Sellers must be still be more aggressive with pricing and be willing to accepting reasonable offers before this will get better.

Number Homes Sold: UP 11%

Last Quarter 2008 945 - Last Quarter 2009 - 1045
Yikes, big increase in sales. This is again a evidence of the reversal of the downward trend. The pace of sales has continued to pick up in the last few months. Looking at this in relationship to the Total Numbers sold in 2008 (2681) and sold in all of 2009 (2481) shows that the last quarter was outstanding. We do anticipate that this was driven by the deadline (Nov 30) of the Tax Credit and will not be sustained. However, there should be some pressure as we get closer to the June 30th extention deadline that will push the market along and hopefully keep volume up for the second quarter of this year. .

Average Sale Price: Down -7%

Last Quarter 2008 - $169,652 to last quarter 2009 $157,875
Not bad compared to the national average and to many other markets in the US. Buyer's should note that the average selling price is 7% less than the asking price in 2008 and 2008 was 15% less than in 2007. So... sellers are accepting that they have to reduce price more than in the past (a Pocono Real Estate trend?).

The Best Places to Live in the Poconos - Since everyone has different needs and wants on housing, we've picked different neighborhoods for retirement, vacationing, skiing, commuter family life, the in town lifestyle and more. If you're considering buying a home in the Poconos this is a Must Read.

Best Lake and Golf Vacation Home Neighborhood - Pinecrest Golf and Country Club. Everything is here. Lake, Golf Course, Ha r-true Tennis courts, a really nice pool complex, good management, central water and sewer, classic and well designed architecture, and a country lifestyle near skiing, the casino, shopping, state parks, and more.

Best All Around Low Priced Vacation Home Neighborhood - Pocono Farms Community Association (note not Pocono Farms East) This community has homes from the low 100's, paved roads, community water, a small lake, a nice pool and tennis complex, good management, a golf course, low dues, and a sense of community.

More to come tomorrow.

*Obtained from the Pocono Mountain MLS System Sold Market Analysis on 11/13/2009

Prepared by USA Realty - 28 Years in the Poconos. 2010. The information on this sheet has been made available by the MLS and may not be the listing of the provider. The data relating to real estate for sale on this web site includes listings held by MLS-IDX Participants of the Internet Data Exchange program of the Multiple Listing Service of the Pocono Mountains Association of Realtors. All listing data is the copyrighted property of the aforesaid Association and its MLS-IDX Participants with all rights reserved. It is not Guaranteed to be accurate. USARealty.Net PA Licensed Real Estate Broker RB 066233 718 Milford Road, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 570-517-2428 All Rights Reserved.

Poconos Real Estate - Poconos Homes For Sale

Poconos MLS Search

Poconos Home Values

Poconos Real Estate News

HUD: Tax Credit Can Be Used on Closing Costs

Mortgage Money is Available from Local Pocono Banks