Bucks County Real Estate Sales Through April, 2014

Statistics are in for Bucks County Real Estate Sales for the first four months of 2014.

There was a very significant decrease in the number of both pending and settled home sales in April, 2014 compared to the sales in2013. Prices have been relatively stable, and homes have been selling more quickly than a year ago.

How's the Bucks County Housing Market Doing?

The real estate market in Bucks County improved in 2013. Demand increased significantly with 38% more homes selling in 2013 than in 2011.

While demand has increased considerably, prices have been fairly stable with an increase of 2.5% over the past two years. The following chart illustrates these trends:

Year Number of
Homes Sold Price Increase or (Decrease)
2013 6,106 2.4%
2012 5,117 .1%
2011 4,423 (5.5%)
2010 4,560 4.3%
2009 4,829 (6.8%)
2008 4,806 (6.7%)
2007 6,048 .6%
2006 6,408 4.1%
2005 7,454 11.6%
2004 7,470 13.1%
2003 6,893 10.0%
2002 6,429 15.6%
Source: MLS Trend

The reason for the prices not increasing relative to the demand is that buyers and lenders are being cautious. The real estate bubble was created by over optimistic predictions of future home values and loose lending practices. Through the internet, buyers have access to information regarding past sales and are able to compare values. They are reluctant to pay more for a home than were recently paid for comparable homes, and lenders are being more cautious in financing those purchases.

The prevailing sentiment of the early 2000’s was that home values will always rise and homes are always an excellent investment has been discredited. Buyers today are less likely to buy a home that they do not consider a good value.

Washington Crossing Brewfest

The Annual Washington Crossing Brewfest is scheduled for May 3 from 12:30-4:30 p.m.

Come Enjoy Beer, Food and Music.


Sponsored by the Friends of Washington Crossing State Park.


For more information and to buy tickets for this adults-only event, which sells out annually, go to www.washingtoncrossingbrewfest.com

Article on the New Hope Restaurant Week from www.visitnewhope.com

Are You Moving? Or, Just Have too Much Stuff?

As a realtor whose clientele inwww.yourgoodwill.org/shop/stores.phpcludes many mature adults, I find homeowners are frequently overwhelmed by the task of sorting through and disposing of excess clothing and home furnishings. It can be an especially difficult task for family members who must quickly clean out a deceased relative’s lifetime of belongings.

Many home sellers wonder where they can sell furniture and household items and are reluctant to sell items themselves through advertisements or garage sales. If this sounds like you, you might want to check out a couple of consignment shops that sell used furniture and home furnishings. They are choosy as to what they will accept, but if you have antiques, collectibles or currently fashionable furnishings, they might be worth calling. Here are two resources:

Classic Furniture Consignments, Marlton, NJ (856) 797-1707 www.maxexchange.com/cfc.htm
Decorators Consignment Gallery, Hopewell, NJ (609) 466-4400 www.decoratorsconsignment.com

Furniture and accessories can also be sold through auctions. Stephenson’s in Southampton and Brown Bros. in Buckingham are two well known auction houses in our area.

There are a number of local charities that accept furniture and clothing donations and some will pick up the donations. Among those charities are:

Trenton Rescue Mission (609) 815-3980 www.Rescuemissionoftrenton.org
Salvation Army, Trenton (609) 599-9801 www.Salvationarmytrentonnj.com
Salvation Army, Fairless Hills, PA (215) 946-1271
Impact, Hatboro, PA (215) 957-6131 x3105 www.impactthrift.org
Goodwill Store, Langhorne, PA (267) 364-6038 www.yourgoodwill.org/shop/stores.php

When all else fails, excess items can be given away through www.craigslist.com.

If all this sounds too overwhelming, or you want to make sure you are not giving away items that may be valuable, you might consult a pro. A professional can size up your belongings to identify valuables, and some will even assist you in sorting, packing, discarding and selling the contents of your home. Complete downsizing assistance is time consuming and can be expensive, but if you can’t do it yourself, it may be worth the expense. If you are interested in such a service, feel free to call me, I can recommend an appropriate service provider.

Bucks County Home Sale Stats through 12/31/2013

Single family home sales in Bucks County were up significantly in 2013 with 19.3% more homes being sold during the calendar year. Prices were up slightly for the year with an increase of 2.4% in the median sale price of all homes sold.


Pending sales decreased in December, but there was a significant increase in the number of settlements. Fewer homes are on the market, so buyers have been unable to negotiate as great a discount off of asking prices as in past year.


The statistics below refer to ratios of sale price to original listing price. Many sellers reduce the listing price during the sale process. These figures do not reflect the most recent list price.

New Hope Lambertville Winterfest

There's always something to see or do in New Hope and Lambertville, but during the annual Winter Festival, which runs from January 18-26, the twin river communities outdo themselves. There's something for everyone.

Activities include: -The Fire and Ice Ball -Fine food from local restaurants -Ice Sculpture contest -Parade -History Tours -Art Gallery Tours -Concert -Theatre Performance -And much more! For a full schedule of events check out the Winter Festival website at www.winterfestival.net/