Schuylkill County Real Estate: September 2007

Okay, for everyone who never heard of the Pottsville Maroons, you have got to hear this incredible story. ESPN's David Fleming called the Maroons story the greatest story in NFL history!

In 1925, the Pottsville Maroons, a semipro football team from the heart of Pennsylvania coal country, joined the young National Football League. These hardscrabble miners, led by flamboyant player-coach Dick Rauch, did the unthinkable and dominated the NFL.

Near the end of their first season, the Maroons faced the first-place Chicago Cardinals in what many viewed as the championship game. They overcame a Windy City snowstorm to win 21-7 and ended the season with the best record in the league.

When the public demanded it, they also played an exhibition game against an all-star team from Notre Dame, which only a year earlier had won the college championship behind its legendary Four Horsemen. The Maroons defeated the Irish 9-7, and the shoe that Charlie Berry used to kick the winning field goal was bronzed for eternity.

By the following spring, however, the team's NFL championship was history.

In February 1926, the league's owners, citing rules violations in the Notre Dame game, awarded the title to the Chicago Cardinals, though the team initially refused it. For 80 years, Pottsville fans have fought to have their championship restored. Breaker Boys tells the team's remarkable story.

Click here for the WIKIPEDIA version of the story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pottsville_Maroons 

And in Pottsville, we're pulling out all the stops to celebrate Fleming's release of BREAKER BOYS!

 Barnes & Noble link to the book:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9781933060354 

If you're looking for a great guide to the human services available in Schuylkill County, Schuylkill Community Action has just posted their 100-plus page online guide.

http://www.schuylkillcommunityaction.com/directory/(ac2b4j45ra5fh055ggmpycij)/SCA-Human-Services-Directory-2007.pdf

Inside you'll find everyone from the American Red Cross and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Schuylkill County to nursing homes and food pantries.

What is Schuylkill Community Action? SCA serves as an advocate for low-income residents of Schuylkill County. Through an on-going dialogue with local, state, and federal decision makers, SCA advocates for programs and legislation benefiting low-income Schuylkill County residents. In addition, case managers provide advocacy services to clients by ensuring support for their needs within the network of various local agencies and systems.

Find more information at http://www.schuylkillcommunityaction.com/

This is for everyone who emailed me to ask what you get for your money here! This 7-bedroom 1920s stone "castle" on over an acre outside Pottsville sold for $340,000.  

This upgraded spec home on 2.4 acres near Mountain Valley Golf Course -- corian kitchen, high end cabinets, builtins, top of the line master bathroom... only $275,000. Hundreds of acres of undevelopable land behind the home, owned by the golf course. It's for sale right now!

Everyone ready to move to Schuylkill County yet? 

One of the most asked questions I get is about our prices. About 8 years ago, our average house listed around $70,000. The market has risen here, along with the rest of the country, and we're up to about $101,562 for the average list price for 2007. Average actual sale price is $97,339, and average days on market here is 111.

Real estate agents have to work pretty hard here to sell over a million dollars. In California and Florida that's probably 2 sales! Here, it's at least 5 times that number of deals.

Statistics taken from Schuylkill MLS, data tracked 1/1/07-9/22/07 

Here are a few great resources to check out before you move:

Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce

http://schuylkillchamber.com/

The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce has been serving Schuylkill County and its members since 1918. The chamber is dedicated to serving its members and affiliates with value-added program and services, and improving the quality of life and economic vitality of our county.

Whether you are relocating, visiting or looking for a business referral, the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce is your one-stop-resource.

Schuylkill County

www.co.schuylkill.pa.us

This is the county government webpage, which links to its departments, the Parcel Locator (to search properties in the county), and more. 

Some communities have their own web pages, too. The larger communities in Schuylkill County include:
(Population figures as of 2000 US Census)
TAMAQUA - Population 7,147 - Gateway to the Anthracite region
SHENANDOAH - Population 5,624 - Home of the Dorsey brothers and the Miners Memorial
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - Population 5,548 - A progressive community with no local real estate tax
MAHANOY CITY - Population 4,647 - Birthplace of cable TV and the historic Kaier Brewery

MINERSVILLE - Population 4,552 - Noted for its beautiful churches & mining heritage
FRACKVILLE - Population 4,361 - Crossroad of Schuylkill County -I-81 & State Route 61
ASHLAND - Population 3,283 - Home of the Pioneer Tunnel and the Mother's Memorial Monument
ORWIGSBURG - Population 3,106 - A community that blends country living with modern homes

With a population here of around 140,000 ... and 50,000-plus households, we've got almost 300 Realtors registered at the Schuylkill MLS (and 90-some brokerage companies). Not all the brokerages/agents live here in Schuylkill County, but that's still a good number of agents for this rural county! 

The Schuylkill MLS has a public site, where you can search for properties (www.SchuylkillRealtors.com)

All our properties from the MLS are also available on Realtor.com

If you're interested in becoming a real estate salesperson, the only local place to take classes is Penn State Schuylkill in Schuylkill Haven. Evening licensing classes start today (9/4) and run for the next 2 months. Call the continuing education department for more info.

Otherwise, you can go to Reading (Berks Real Estate Institute) or Hazleton (Vintage Real Estate Academy).