Shocking Night in Upper Macungie, Twp.

I had a unique opportunity to see a live demonstration of the Taser X 26 by Sgt. Daniel Fagan of the Berks Lehigh Regional Police Dept. last evening at the Upper Macungie, Twp. municiple building. I have to admit it was very educational to say the least. The police version of the Taser costs $750.00 per unit. A Civilian model is available. http://www.taser.com/Pages/default.aspx

We also watch a few video clips of officers utilizing this deterrent. We were informed that the X 26 Taser enters the muscles and produces involuntary muscle spasms and is not affected by water. The unit produces 50,000 volts. Interesting point is the officers apprehending a suspect will not have any transfer of the shock to them. It is isolated only to the areas were the probes on the perpetrator landed. In a video from a Florida police station showed it reduced injury to law enforcement up to 80%. It also saved that municipality on their Workman's comp. The X26 has a cartridge that deploys 2 probes up to 21 feet with trailing wire to transfer the charge to the probes from the Taser. I can see this as a non lethal way to immobilize a perpetrator, and especially useful if the officer is solo. A most informative program for sure. Feel free to email me for more info at findit@LehighValleyRealty.com

Allentown On An Upswing!

If you have been traveling on Tilghman St. just west of Ruby Tuesday is the future home of a Starbucks http://www.starbucks.com , ATT http://www.wireless.att.com/home , Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries http://www.fiveguys.com , and Supercuts http://www.supercuts.com . This over 11,000 sq.ft. building should be open for business in December 2007 per Real Services, Inc. They are located at 40th. & Tighman Sts. in Allentown and will be managed by Tilghman Assoc. LLC. these fine companies will be an asset to Allentown and surrounding communities. If I can assist you feel free to email me at: findit@LehighValleyRealty.com Have a great day!

Home Tech Item

I am always interested in new or interesting items for your home. I found the "Garage Butler" a neat item. It is a great safety item to have for your home. and for $59.95 it is a great value.

The Garage Butler will automatically close your garage door when you forget. You can now have peace of mind knowing that you never have to worry about leaving it open again.
According to statistics, half of all burglaries occur from a garage door being left open. The Garage Butler will eliminate the possibility of this happening to you.
This patented device will attach to any garage door mechanism that has a working opener/closer button* and will not interfere with the opener's normal operation, nor will it interfere with any infrared safety circuit.
If you forget to close the door, the door will close automatically when it gets dark. Or you can turn the switch to the 'off' position and you can leave your garage door open for an unlimited period of time.
Features:
Works with all current opener safety features
Easy installation, attaches to your current opener button
Close timer delay, 3-10-20-30-45 or 60 minutes
Hold button to override timer delay
Light sensor that closes the garage door when it gets dark
Audible warning 30 seconds before closing
On / Off button giving you complete control
Status indicator light
Manual open/close button
Double sided mounting tape — no holes to drill
Patented lowest cost product on the market.
*The Garage Butler works by attaching itself to the contacts found inside the button that is used to open and close the garage door. If you do not have a button on the wall, make sure that your opener/closer system has contacts on the actual unit by the roof. Additional wire may need to be purchased from your local hardware store to lengthen the wire so that it can be attached to your existing opener/closer. You can purchase it from http://www.garagebutler.com or order it from Hobbit Distributing, Inc. a great company to deal with at 1-800-946-2248 web: http://www.hobbitdist.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc I hope this was helpful, contact me at findit@LehighValleyRealty.com Have a great day!

Pets & Households

A recent study from the American Pet Products Manufactures Association found that 69 million American households own pets, and about three-fourths of these househoulds view their pet as a child or family member. If you are looking for a pet, why not look at your local animal shelter. Or search online at http://www.petfinder.com/
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/PA31.html
http://www.healthyanimalcenter.org/petsList.asp?cat=6
http://dvgrr.org/RP_Adoptable.asp?cid=All

I hope this helps you in your search for these animals that need a loving home. Feel free to email me at findit@LehighValleyRealty.com.

Allentown Brew Works, Check it Out!

Last evening, My wife & I and friends of ours ventured down to the Allentown Brew Works located at 814 Hamilton St. in Allentown. http://www.thebrewworks.com/ It was a pleasant and festive setting, and the food was great. My friend Jim was quite impressed with the special holiday ale from this micro brewery. The pricing of the fare was very reasonable. We were able to dine and have drinks for under $80.00. I was amazed on how this massive building was transformed into a lovely place to enjoy the evening in a smoke free environment. I remember this old building when I was a child growing up in Allentown. I think down town Allentown indeed has another thing to be proud of. I know this is one of the many positive changes happening in the Queen City. I rate this this establishment Five Stars. Feel free to email me : findit@LehighValleyRealty.com

Pocketing Profits When You Sell!

Taxpayers who sell their principle residence can keep tax free up to $500,000 in profit if they file singly. The property must have been owned and used as the principle residence for any of the prior years. Homeowners can shelter the profits on the sale of a home as often as once every two years. If the two-year use and ownership tests are not met, but the home is sold because of special circumstances (for example loss of job or health problems, etc.) the exclusion is prorated. Otherwise, gains above $500,000 or $250,000 are taxed at current capital gains rates, which vary depending on your tax bracket. Homeowners should continue to maintain records of selling and improvement expenses because some states still tax capital gains on home sales. In addition, those expenses can be used to determine your tax basis once you sell your home. Some Real Estate transactions may need additional research, as always consult your CPA or tax preparer. I hope this post was helpful to you. If I can assist you in Real Estate related matters contact me at: findit@LehighValleyRealty.com

House Tip/Keeping it Clean

If you have a jetted/jacuzzi tub, you will have to take a little care in maintaining the internal components of it. About twice a year you should clean the unit out. The 1st. step is to fill the tub with hot water, just enough to cover the intake and jets. Turn the unit on and add 2 tablespoons of automatic dish washing detergent and 4 ounces of bleach. The bleach will kill any mold inside the pump and hoses. Run the tub for about ten minutes and drain. You must refill the tub again with just plain hot water and run for 5 minutes and drain. To go one step further in my illustration to the right, you may want to remove the intake cover, and clean it out with an old toothbrush, as well as the jets. This should help to keep your tub in tip top shape and more important keep you safe from mold & mildew concerns. If you have any questions, email me @ findit@LehighValleyRealty.com

"Missed Opportunity"

I have been in Real Estate for almost 25 years, I have seen all types of markets up, down & flat. I must admit I have seen brighter days in our local Real Estate market. This market is robust and full of opportunity for a purchaser. Case in point, I have been showing a prospect the same home for a least four times. The prospects said they wanted to go forth and make an offer. I prepared all the necessary documents and waited for their arrival to my office. As I waited for them our appointment time has passed and I received a call from them. They informed me that they changed their mind on the purchase. Their main concern was the present Real Estate market conditions. They did inform me that they have been looking for a home for the past 2 years and attended many Open Houses. I tried to explain to them that "NOW" is a great time to make a purchase to no avail. What these people fail to realize, even if the market slips a little more, it does not matter. If you are going to live in the home for at least two years, the market will be on a upswing. I also pointed out when the market does heat up again, they will be competing with other buyers who have been sitting on the side lines. You and your family would be enjoying their new home and enjoy all its advantages. "Missed Opportunity" Feel free to contact me at: findit@LehighValleyRealty.com