Pennsylvania in general has a large inventory of older homes - both in our rural regions and in the larger cities. What should you watch out for when buying an older home here in Pennsylvania?

1. LEAD - Homes built prior to the year 1978 are at risk of having lead contamination in the paint, plumbing, dust and soil. If a seller knows that there is lead on the premises (he or she had a test in the past and knows the results) then they must disclose that to you prior to the purchase. But many sellers have never tested their properties for lead and so may have no knowledge of lead dangers that exist. 

As the buyer, you can order lead tests to be performed. We rarely see these tests, to be honest, but they do exist and you may ask for them as part…

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Sellers frequently are anxious to get their property on the market so it can be sold. But before allowing a buyer through the door, there are a few obvious fixes you should make. If something is clearly broken … a cracked window, for example, or a screen door that doesn't open without yanking hard on it ... needs to be fixed right away. Some less obvious items also should be fixed right up front. 

If a buyer walks in and sees broken items from the get-go, it may plant the seeds of negativity and doubt about the house in their minds. Here are four things you should check out prior to opening your house up to showings.

Sinks and faucets. A leaky or dripping faucet should be addressed immediately, and often is a quick and inexpensive fix. Check…

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Investors who want to own rental properties in Minersville, Pennsylvania need to be aware of the Minersville rental regulations. 

There are two rental districts in town:

District I – East Sunbury Street from Seltzer, west along Sunbury Street, odd and even numbered addresses to Sixth Street.  This includes the Schuylkill County Housing Authority units on North, Carbon, 600 Block of Lewis, and Sunbury Streets; and Minersville High Rise, located at 300 Lewis Street 

District II – North Side of Sunbury Street, not including Sunbury Street addresses to township lines of Cass & Norwegian. South Side of Sunbury Street, not including Sunbury Street addresses to Branch Township line.

This is important to know where your property sits because it…

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Looking to boost your credit score? Here's seven steps you can take to improve your credit score:

1. Get a copy of your credit report. There are 3 main credit bureaus and you should check each one for errors because each of the three may collect slightly different information:

  • Equifax
  • Experian
  • TransUnion

You can request a copy of your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com. You are entitled to one free copy of your report every 12 months. 

2. Report any errors you find directly to the credit bureau. For information on how to dispute incorrect reports, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has good information: How Do I Dispute an Error on My Credit Report?

3. Make sure you always pay your bills on time. To make it less…

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