Schuylkill County Real Estate: August 2009

August 29, 2009 7:00 pm

Gabriel Chamber Ensemble presents "Concert Under the Stars"

7 pm, Kempton New Church, 583 Hawk Mountain Rd, Kempton.

Celebrating the 400th Anniversary of Galileo’s telescope and GCE's 20th Anniversary Season!

Dohnanyi Serenade for String Trio: Allegro and Romance, Handel Entrance of the Queen of Sheba, Bach Air, Irving Berlin A Pretty Girl, Dittersdorf Divertimento for String Trio, English Country Dances, Haydn String Trio Op. 53 #3.

The concert ( a 45' event) will take place in the Social Room and will be followed by a short lecture and a viewing of the moon and planets with several high-powered telescopes on the Soccer Field. In case of bad weather, a presentation by Gary Becker will take place in the Social Room. All welcome.

For more information on the group, see www.gabrielensemble.org

I have not been to a GCE concert in quite a while, but I have always enjoyed their music.

The Gabriel Chamber Ensemble, a professional and self-managed piano quartet, is now celebrating its 20th season of chamber music performances in Central Pennsylvania. Named after Gabriel Fauré for its exceptional rendition of the composer's piano quartets, the Ensemble has delighted its audiences not only with traditional works but also with works by Ornstein, Widor, Strauss, Saint-Saens - a list of about 120 composers. All in all, a repertoire of over 350 classical pieces!!!!

 Early Harvest Festival

12 - 4 pm, First United Church of Christ, Rte. 61, Schuylkill Haven.

A day of unique ideas for your bountiful harvest. Cooking demonstration, homemade soups and salsa. Local vendors displaying health & wellness products, cookware, home décor, jewelry and more.

Free Admission and Free Samples. For information call 570-624-3018.

Demonstrations: Canning/Jarring, Pickling, Jellies & Jams, Juicing, Drying Herbs, Salsa, Soups, Freezing/Blanching. Sponsored by Diakon Living & Learning

Okay, so you know about our School Districts, about our Financing Options, and Taxes. Now, let's talk about what there is to do here in Schuylkill County ... why you should move here.

First, there is SO MUCH to do here in Schuylkill County! We are a rural county with lots of great outdoors activities and things to do. Click here for information on the Schuylkill Visitors Bureau to see a sampling of what we have to offer our visitors. We have mountains and lakes, campgrounds and hunting lands. We have antique shops and shopping malls, and lots of great places to eat.

Second, these amenities are at the heart of everything! We are within a two- to three-hour drive of one-third of the population of the United States. Baltimore, Washington, New York City, Philadelphia... all are great metropolitan cities within 3 hours of us. Harrisburg and Allentown are one hour away. So you have the best of both worlds: country living, within a 1 to 3-hour drive of EVERYTHING you could wish for. From Broadway shows to outlet shopping, we have it all, within a short drive.

Third, we have a great business community. Check out the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce to see what we have to offer here to businesses who want to relocate here, or for the person looking for a job. Our industry and service community is alive and well here!

If you move here, you get the best of both worlds: small town, rural atmosphere within a short drive to big city life. Outlets, major malls, chain stores... drive 30 to 60 minutes to get to your favorite shopping, yet enjoy the slower lifestlye of rural America.

Our housing prices are very reasonable, and in fact are lower than surrounding counties (the average home in Schuylkill County sells for $90,000 and "higher end" housing starts at around $250-300,000). The top homes in the more expensive developments are $300,000-400,000. Your dollar buys more in Schuylkill County! Why not buy here and commute to Allentown or Reading or Harrisburg? For example, the custom built ranch home to left on a double lot is going for $290,000. The custom built home at right is only $299,000. 

For more information on the area and attractions/amenities, see our webpage www.move2pennsylvania.com.

Schuylkill County's property tax system can be confusing, so if you're buying a house here, this is what you need to know about taxes.

Property owners in Schuylkill County receive tax bills twice a year.

- County/Municipality taxes arrive in your mailbox just after March 1, and are dated January 1- December 31, so they run for the full calendar year (yes, you are getting them 2 months into the year!).

- School property taxes arrive around July 1, and they run July 1-June 30 of next year. See--confused yet?

If your taxes are not delinquent, you pay your Municipality or City Tax Collector, and instructions for payment are on your tax bill. Your tax collector' s name, address, phone number and hours of collection appear on your tax bill.

If your owe back taxes, however, you must pay the Schuylkill County Tax Claim Office. A few school districts send their delinquent taxes to a Third Party Collection Agency—either the Tax Claim Office or your School District can inform you to whom to pay the delinquent school taxes.

On your tax bill, you will see your property's ASSSSED VALUE (or AV) and the MILLAGE you are being charged for either the county, municipality or school district. The millage rate is determined by the taxing authority. The tax calculation is (Millage x Assessed Value).

In Schuylkill County, your Assessed Value is NOT your Fair Market Value. For example, you may purchase a home with a Fair Market Value (according to court house records, not according to what you paid for it) of 100,000. Your AV, however, might be 30,000. Therefore, you are only taxed on 30,000 value.

Our last countywide property tax reassessment was well over 10 years ago now, and AV and FMV are totally out of whack. Ask your real estate agent what your property's current assessed value is, what the current property's taxes are, and also be sure to ask if the school district you intend to buy a house in has a reputation for appealing taxes after a sale. Because our taxes are so out of whack, if a school district sees a property transfer with a skewed fair market value that is very low compared to what you just paid for the house, the school district may APPEAL your taxes and ask the Appeals Board to raise your taxes to better reflect the new fair market value (which you indeed set by buying your home!). This gets complicated, and I won't blog about all the details here. Some school districts do it, some do not. Just be warned that you should ask your agent if the school district you're looking at has a history of doing this, or not. And know that taxes historically never go down, they go up. So just because an agent quotes you $x in taxes, that does NOT mean when next year rolls around they will remain the same.

Do your homework, and if you have property tax questions, call the courthouse for a detailed explanation.

Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all your real estate needs, call Realty Executives! We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate

This is valuable information for all sellers.

Financing your home is not likely to be too much different than in other parts of the country. Once you begin your search for a home, you'll want to know how much home you can afford. Your agent will advise you to get "prequalified" by calling a lender and discussing your finances with him/her. That way, when you find the perfect house and want to make an offer, you will be ready to go and not waste time looking for a lender or straightening out financial issues.

I always advise buyers to start with banks/lenders who are familiar with them. If you already have a home, who has your mortgage now? Call your lender and tell the loan officer you are looking to purchase your next home, and they talk to you about how to do this. Ask what loan products meet your needs.

Do you need a swing loan? Should you get a home equity line of credit until you sell your current home? Do you even qualify for these products, or do you have to sell your home first? These are crucial questions you'll need to have answered before you make an offer on another house.

If this is your first home, where do you currently do your banking? Go there first, as these people know you and are likely to try to win your business. Start with people you know and have relationships with, and then move to "strangers" if you wish to shop around.

I prefer to work with local lenders, as opposed to out of state or internet lenders. In general, the transactions seem to go smoother when you can walk into someone's office and discuss an issue, rather than have to call an 800 number and pitch your case. A local bank will know you personally, and can handle any issues that may come up right there, without having to call multiple people out-of-state to accomplish the same task.

That said, I have seen internet-based loans go through (and have used these services myself in certain cases!). But in general, I advise buyers to (1) start with banks/lenders who know you and you have a relationship  with and (2) shop around with local lenders first.

Here in Schuylkill County, I work with many different banks and mortgage brokers/bankers. Each one seems to have their strengths and weaknesses, and it may take several phone calls to find the "perfect" loan for your situation. What follows is a list of local lenders who I work with regularly, and have had good results with in the past:

CACL Credit Union

First National Bank of Minersville

Liberty Savings Bank

Miners Bank

Union Bank

VIST BANK (especially for commercial loans)

I also work regularly with mortgage brokers/bankers. The beauty of working with one of these firms is that they normally have a large portfolio of products they can weed through, to figure out what kind of loan is right for you. They also may find "nontraditional" loans that a regular bank might not have access to.

Nick Shestok is a private lender I turn to with years of experience in the business. His phone number is 570-366-6363. He sometimes comes up with solutions that might not be obvious to others, due to his breadth and depth of experience.

Schuylkill Mortgage in Pine Grove has been servicing Schuylkill and surrounding counties for over 35 years with a professional staff with over 90 years of lending experience. This company is a mortgage broker, dedicated to finding the best rate and program for their customers, dealing with several investors to achieve this goal.

I also recommend Jason Sardi and Bill Engleman from Infinity Home Mortgage. Bill is from Schuylkill County originally, and is very familiar with the area. Both Jason and Bill are internet savvy and their company has online tools to help you complete your application and check up on its progress online. For those who want a high-tech mortgage process, check this option out.

No matter who you choose as your lender, make sure you feel comfortable with that person. Buying a home can ba a bumpy ride. You want someone who makes you relaxed and can explain the process to you, not stress you out even more! If something doesn't feel right, choose someone else.

Your lender and your realtor will be by your side the entire transaction, so make sure you feel good about both relationships.

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all your real estate needs, call Realty Executives! We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate

Each part of the country is a bit different when it comes to buying property in that state, and even as it breaks down to county level. The laws in each region may be different, the tax situation, and customs. This series will be a guide to purchasing a home in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.

One way we might be different is how we search for homes in our area. We are a rural county, in the heart of the Anthracite Coal Region, with a population of about 150,000 and "areas" are spread out for miles. Many small towns are linked together by school districts, and so the predominant way we narrow down the search for a home is not necessarily by town, but by school district.

For example, a buyer may say, "I want a single home under $100,000 anywhere in the Pottsville School District." That could encompass all homes in the City of Pottsville itself, plus St. Clair, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, the subdivisions of Forest Hills, Brookshire and Norwegian Woods, and even small towns in the valley east of Potttsville (Middleport, New Philadelphia, Kaska, etc., where the children all go to an elementary school in St. Clair and then the kids finish their years at Pottsville Area High School). Or, a buyer who wants to stay in a particular town could search only in Port Carbon.

So because we are so rural, we usually start the search by determining what school district you want to be in, especially if a buyer has children. You may not care which town or township your house is in, as long as you are in the desired school district.

Here is a link to our public school districts:

BLUE MOUNTAIN ... click here

MAHANOY AREA ... click here

MINERSVILLE ... click here

NORTH SCHUYLKILL ... click here

PINE GROVE ... click here

POTTSVILLE ... click here

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ... click here

SHENANDOAH VALLEY ...web page not operational as of 8/14/09

ST. CLAIR ... click here

TAMAQUA ... click here

TRI VALLEY ... click here

WILLIAMS VALLEY ...web page not operational as of 8/14/09

Here is a map of the school districts and how they are laid out.

You may ask your Realtor to search for homes for you within so many miles of your work place, or within a certain radius of a town. Based on what you tell the agent about your work, family, lifestyle, he or she will create a search based on these criteria. Your search for Schuylkill County real estate may be spread out over many miles, or concentrated within a small town. If your criteria is very narrow or particular, you may have to be patient! We do not always have a huge selection of houses within certain price ranges or geographical areas. Some price ranges are so "dry" that when a house goes up for sale in a particular town or school district, in that price range, it is likely to be sold very quickly if it is priced correctly.

Some of the amenities a buyer is used to -- especially if you're coming from a large metropolitan area -- we just don't have here. For example, we have a real shortage of good rental properties suitable for families. We don't normally see very many nice singles with a good yard for rent, or higher end apartments. Loft apartments don't exist here, and it can be hard to find good rental units within walking distance of employers.

In Part 2 of this series, I'll go over financing and local lender information.

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all your real estate needs, call Realty Executives! We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate

Wine is big business in Pennsylvania! The state is the nation’s eighth largest wine producer, with more than 130 wineries throughout the state. Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania has a number of small, family owned wineries. Here is a list of wineries wihin our borders--and sometimes just over the border--and surrounding wine trails, complete with addresses, web page links, and hours if I could find them.

The Wineries

Benigna's Creek Vineyard and Winery

1585 Ridge Road, Klingerstown, PA 17941 (570) 425-3090

This Masser-family owned winery is located in the scenic Mahantongo Valley between Pitman and Klingerstown. It truly is out in the middle of nowhere, but it's a beautiful drive through the countryside so take your time. There is a fascinating history of the Masser family, and how they migrated from Germany to the farmlands of Pennsylvania in the 1750s, only to return to making wine here! Benigna’s Creek Sunshine Vidal outshone 361 other Pennsylvania wines to win Best in Show honors at the Pennsylvania Winery Association’s (PWA) annual Pennsylvania Wine Competition in State College. Benigna’s Creek 2005 Strawberry also nabbed the Double Gold for "Best Overall Fruit Wine" in the 2006 competition. Benigna's Creek also has a store open at the Schuylkill Mall, and you can find them at the Hometown Farmer's Market on Wednesdays. So if you cannot make the trip to Klingerstown, go to the mall or the market. Open Wednesday thru Saturday 11 a.m.- 5p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Galen Glen Vineyard and Winery

255 Winter Mountain Dr., Andreas, PA 18211 (570) 386-3682

Galen Glen has the distinction of being Schuylkill County's first winery, opening in the late 1990s. You'll find spectacular view of the scenic Blue Mountains from their vinyard. Because they are so close to Jim Thorpe and the Lehigh Valley, this winery is listed on the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail. A decade a go, when they were just starting up, you'd see Galen Glen out at Chamber of Commerce events, all sorts of local festivals, wine tastings, etc. I have been to this winery, but have not seen them out and about as much lately. I do see they're at the Hegins Valley festival (Schuylkill Wine Festival) in September. Open Friday 12-5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday 12-5 p.m.

Long Trout Winery

84 Fork Mountain Road, Auburn, PA 17922 (570) 366-6443

Where the wine is cool and hippie chicks rule! This winery definitely has a hippie influence! I cannot say it any better than this, from their website:

Peace signs, tie dyes and bell bottoms, flower rings of baby's breath and daisies, headbands and halter tops, yellow subs and blue meanies, beads and weeds, 60's music veiled in smoldering incense and clean, crisp homemade style wines like everyone's Grandpa used to make... These familiar images capture the essence of Long Trout Winery. An unequaled slice of time and tradition where being "different" is what it's all about. So don't make a fuss, get on the hippie bus and experience a perfect blend of far out wines and furry friends at PA's "UNIQUE BOHEMIAN WINE BOUTIQUE".

You could buy the wines just to read the label. Seriosly. Here is one: Hippietage $16.00 Like Moe, Larry and Curly...gets you feelin' squirrelly, Like Crosby, Stills & Nash...makes you want the hash, Like Acid, Amnesty and Harmonic Distortion...Your mind will have a contortion, The Titti-lating Trifecta: Cab Sav, Cab Franc & Merlot...way to go!

This winery is near my house (as is Stone Mountain, below) so I've dropped by both of these the most often. Long Trout will also be at Rotary Club of Pottsville's 2009 Hops Vine & Dine fundraiser, October 14, pouring free samples. I have tickets for that, for anyone who wants to attend. Open Wednesday 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Saturday 1 p.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m

Red Shale Ridge Vineyards

266 North Goodspring Road, Hegins, PA 17938 (570) 682-3203

This is a new winery, and the only one on our list I have not visited yet. I could not find a website for them yet. They are open for business now, though, and have12 flavors to choose from. Open Thursday & Friday 4:30 - 8 p.m., Saturday 12 Noon - 8 p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Stone Mountain Wine Cellars

1615 Panther Valley Road, Pine Grove, PA 17963 (570) 739-4418

Brought to you by our friends at Jersey Acres Farms, who I blogged about earlier. Jersey Acres is a diversified farm operation consisting of a roadside market selling products from apples to watermelons ... and wine. Here is what the Heffner family has to say about the grapes they grow: "Wine, which we have produced in our converted apple ground cellar is added to the fruit and vegetables that we’ve marketed for many years through our “on the farm” Jersey Acres Roadside Market. While we produce some Vignoles and Cayuga wine grapes (both white), our primary acreage is planted to the NORTON variety (Vitas Aestivalis, also known by he name,Cynthiana). Norton is a unique American blue/black grape, which can be finished dry somewhat resembling Cabernet. We also ferment some of the old standard American varieties like Concord and Niagra. Additional varietals are also offered such as Jalapeno-Apple, Blackberry, Pear and many more."

Wine Trails

Berks County Wine Trail

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail

Susquehanna Heartland Wine Trail

If you are planning a visit to tour our wineries, the Schuylkill Visitor's Bureau has a winery itinerary all planned out for you:

Wine Tour should begin either at Galen Glen Winery or Benigna Creek Winery. For the purposes of this tour we will begin at Benigna Creek.

Morning: Benigna Creek Winery, Klingerstown. Drive via Hegins Valley to Interstate 81 south to Pine Grove Exit. Through Pine Grove, lunch at the Red Lion Café Visit Stone Mountain Wine Cellars, Friedensburg

Drive via Hidden Valley to Route 61 to Long Trout Winery, Wine tasting and perhaps Frisbee Golf.

From Long Trout, via Route 895, possible detour to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

To Galen Glen Winery before Dinner at The Restaurant at the Station in the historic train station, Tamaqua, where you can continue your PA wine tasting experience with their extensive selection of only Pennsylvania Wines.

Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all your real estate needs, call Realty Executives! We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate

I have written about our local Farmer's Markets before, as this is one of my favorite topics. I love that here in rural Pennsylvania, you can still find local farmer's markets that are so popular that they can open weekly, and roadside stands that are even open daily. Now I've gotten a few more markets and more info to add to my prior postings.

Over the past few years, we've seen more roadside stands and weekly community farmer's markets pop up in Schuylkill County. Local growers turn out on a regular circuit from May through October in many towns. Here's a list of what you can find on most weeks during "the season." Here is a rundown of the markets I know about. If you see one I missed, email me (find my address at Schuylkill County's Real Estate, at www.move2pennsylvania.com) and I'll add it here.

Hometown Farmer's Market: The granddaddy of all farmer's markets even has its own webpage! This is a 12-acre carnival of smells, tastes and, well, sometimes the strange, and has been family run for over 50 years. You'll find 300-400 vendors, from farmers selling produce, crafters, and lots more. Crafts, overstock items, and an abundance of tchotkes can be found every Wednesday at the Hometown Market. Located on Route 54, you cannot miss it. Drive there any Wednesday, year round, from 8 am to 8 pm, and I guarantee you won't be bored. It's much more than fruits and vegetables. The Dunn Family says they regularly see 6-10,000 visitors a day during their peak season! If you like farmer's markets and you're in the area, this is the KING of Coal Region markets.

Shenandoah Farmer's Market: One of the area's newest markets, over 100 vendors showcase their wares every Thursday starting in spring from 9 am - 7 pm. The "462 Market" advertises "food, collectibles, antiques, jewelry, vegetables, fruits, baked goods, crafts, meats, flowers, plants, clothing, coin collection, body jewelry, sites for demonstrations, tattoos, wine vendor, preserves, perennials and annual plants, herbs, arcade games, food stands, musical instruments and more..." Drive north on Route 61 and when you hit 924 (the Gold Star Highway), continue north into Shenandoah. The market will be on your left. (You have to be a local to the 462 reference in their name). Check out the webpage, and please ignore all the typos and mis-spellings. Personally, it drives me nuts, but then again, Chendo-462-yo.

Frackville Farmer's Market: I hadn't heard of this one until this year, but stop by the corner of Frack and Lehigh Streets from 8 am till noon on a Thursday and you'll find fresh fruits and vegetables, canned and jellied foods and baked goods. Schuylkill Haven Farmer's Market: Also on a Thursday, this smaller market operates out of the Boro lot next to the Post Office (on Main Street/Route 443).

Pottsville Farmer's Market: The vendors arrive early Saturday morning in the Arch Street parking lot, and most are gone by noon, because they regularly sell out! So get there early and you'll find produce, flowers, and anything in season.

Renninger's Market: Located where Rt.61 meets Rt.443 in Schuylkill Haven, Renninger's is Oopen 8am-5pm Saturday and Sunda. Lovingly called "the dirt mall" by locals, this indoor and outdoor market has local farm stands plus meats, food items, antiques, an auction, candy stands, and a little bit of everything. From clothing and old records to vaccuum cleaner repair items, you'll find it at the dirt mall. I'd actually classify it more a giant permanent yardsale--with food. And if you want to see a good cross section of Schuylkill County, park yourself on a stool, order a burger and watch the locals stroll by.

If you don't make a market day, look to the roadside stands many of our farmers put up seasonally. There's a new one, Konkus Produce, that opened this past May as you turn onto Sweet Arrow Lake Road from Route 183.

Jersey Acres is just a few miles west of that, on Panther Valley Road. Ralph and Anne Heffner make and sell their own wine at Jersey Acres, under the Stone Mountain Winery name, as well as selling strawberries, apples, and lots of local produce. Family owned since 1911, the Heffners are third generation dairy farmers, with purebred Jerseys on the farm. The winery started growing grapes in 1999, and by 2004 they were ready to bottle officially. From watermelons to wine, you'll find a whole lot to love at Jersey Acres! To get there, the farm is located 3 miles northwest of Friedensburg. The town of Friedensburg is located on Route 443 between Pine Grove and Schuylkill Haven. From the west end of Friedensburg, turn north on Church Road and follow the directional signs to “JERSEY ACRES MARKET AND WINERY”. It is the 3rd farm west of the Hidden Valley Golf Course at 1615 Panther Valley Road.

You'll find dozens others running from the Hegins Valley in the west, to the other side of the county, in southern Schuylkill Routes 443 and 895.

I've written about Healthy Habits Natural Market on Route 61 in Orwigsburg as their own blog. Buddy Touchinsky stocks organic and locally produced meats and produce, as they are available throughout the year. They have fresh produce grown locally, outside Orwigsburg, when in season, and also local organic meats.

Whether you shop at a farmer's market in town, or stop by a roadside stand, you'll find buying local produce fresh from the farm a great way to shop.

If you're online and looking for ANY OTHER Pennsylvania Farmer's Market, click here for a directory. Penn State also produces a wonderful 186-page guide, A Consumers Guide to Pennsylvania Farm Markets. And here is another useful website about BUY LOCAL for PA produce.

Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all your real estate needs, call Realty Executives! We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate

Steve Buzalko used to be a postman and also served in the Army. But all of his life he loved woodworking, and finally realized that creating custom works of art -- furniture, built-ins, etc -- was his true calling. I am thrilled that he switched careers to follow a different path, as Buzalko Woodworking (Makers of fine furniture, cabinetry, and millwork) is a now a major name in Pottsville.

Steve has run Buzalko Woodworking since the mid-1980s and is he is the go-to guy for both residential and commercial custom-built furniture and cabinetry.

I asked Steve to create built-ins at my house a few years ago. I sketched an idea of what I had in mind, and Steve refined the sketch and made it come to life. The result is fantastic. My entry way used to be a dead area of wasted space. Now I have 2 large oak closets that bracket a seating bench, to take your shoes off. I love it. It's one of my favorite features of my house.

Steve has installed cabinetry at Murphy Jewelers in Hamburg, PA, and has worked on churches and large commercial sites, as well as small residential projects. If you go to the Murphy Jewelers site, you'll see a slide show of interior shots, and all that cabinetry is Steve's work. In fact, he is so busy right now, even in this economy, that he has a waiting list of projects. Most of his business comes from satisfied customers and word of mouth.

He usually takes measurements at the site, then creates the pieces in his home / shop just outside Pottsville, on the Gordon Nagle Trail, and returns to install them. It's not a quick process, as everything is made by hand, but when you see his work, you won't complain if it isn't done in a weekend. Quality is worth waiting for, and Steve's work is no exception.

Whenever one of my Schuylkill County real estate clients needs custom woodwork, I highly recommend Steve.

Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all your real estate needs, call Realty Executives! We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate