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Pennsylvania voters have approved a constitutional amendment that many experts feel could lead the way to real property tax reform in the state. The amendment expands the reform options available to state legislators by making a key change to the tax uniformity clause of the Pennsylvania Constitution. That change could allow local taxing authorities, such as school districts, to exempt up to 100 percent of the assessed value of homestead properties (primary residences) from paying property taxes, without the requirement that non-homestead properties also be excluded.

While the initial euphoria of the amendment’s passage is still fresh in the air, it’s very important to note that voter approval was just a first step. Before school districts or other local entities are allowed to fully exempt homes from property tax liabilities, the PA General Assembly must pass a law authorizing such action.

Along with allowing school districts to exempt homes from property taxes, the legislature must also come up with a new menu of tax options that could be used to replace the revenue lost through the exemptions. A requirement of such a plan will be that local authorities may not increase the millage rate on other real property to pay for homestead exclusions.

Even with all of these hurdles, the passage of the ballot question is certainly welcome news for many home owners whose local property tax burdens have outstripped their ability to keep up over the past decade. It is also good news for many school districts who have done all they can to slow the growth of property tax burdens, while at the same time dealing with strict limits on other means of raising revenue.

What’s next in Harrisburg?

Now that voters have done their part to make change possible, our elected leaders in Harrisburg must take the next step of producing implementing legislation. Given the most recent efforts of the legislature to reform property taxes, it’s safe to bet that they’ll be taking a new look at several revenue-replacement options that have been previously on the table.

Raise Local Earned Income Taxes: Only four states, including Pennsylvania, allow school districts to levy a local earned-income tax for school funding. Currently, the local income tax rate in most districts is capped at 1%, which is typically divided by the district and municipal governments. One drawback is that income tax proceeds are historically less stable than property tax revenues, making the budget planning process more difficult.

Collect Personal Income Taxes: While a personal income tax could capture revenue from a broader base of taxpayers, there is currently no taxing jurisdiction besides the state that collects it. This could make implementation of such a tax more difficult at the local level. Additionally, the personal income tax is a less stable tax regarding the collection of the unearned income portion (interest, dividends, capital gains, etc.) as it can vary dramatically from year to year.

Allow Local Sales Taxes: Currently, only two states – Louisiana and Georgia – allow individual school districts to levy a sales tax. Nonetheless, sales taxes are easy to collect at the retail level, and studies have shown that voters sometimes prefer them to income taxes. However, revenues from sales taxes are even less stable than income taxes. In addition, local sales taxes could create situations in which businesses are penalized by consumers because of the district in which they reside.

Statewide Approach: Proponents of Senate Bill 76, the most recent attempt at property tax reform in Pennsylvania, feel that their effort to eliminate property taxes through a centralized system of school funding could regain momentum as a result of the amendment to the Constitution’s Uniformity Clause. However, that measure has proven to be very unpopular in southeastern Pennsylvania, as opponents claim it would leave important budget decisions to a state government that has continually cut education spending over the past decade.

While it’s clear that the task ahead for the state legislature will not be easy, the passage of the Constitutional amendment could produce a window of opportunity for change. Only time will tell whether our elected leaders are up to the task.

 Flickr image  by David Woo (CC BY-ND 2.0)

John McFadden brings nearly three decades of real estate experience to the SRA board, plus firsthand knowledge of local government. He has served as a commissioner in Springfield Township and as chairman of Delaware County Council. He's also one of the founders of the annual Run for Heroes, a 5k fundraiser that provides scholarships to children of Delaware County first responders killed in the line of duty. 

John McFadden
2017-18 Vice Chairman, Suburban Realtors® Alliance 
RE/MAX Hometown Realtors®

Hometown (born/raised):  Born in Southwest Philadelphia, raised in Aldan
Hometown (current):   Springfield, Delaware County 
Years as a Realtor®:  29

Why did you first join the Alliance Board?

What do you see as the most important legislative issue for Realtors® right now?

Fair and balanced tax reform both locally and nationally. Locally, I don't see any of the leading state plans accomplishing that, and nationally, I am worried about cutting taxes when our national debt is out of control. 

How do you like to spend your time when you're not working?

What is one piece of advice you would give to a new Realtor®?

What book(s) is on your nightstand?

Offices/titles held: 

Satellite casinos would have up to 750 slots, 40 table games

Mini-casinos are coming to Pennsylvania, and municipalities across the commonwealth have until the end of the year to decide whether to prohibit them within their borders.

On Oct. 30, Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law House Bill 271, a gambling expansion act that allows for up to 10 satellite casinos, each having between 300 and 750 slot machines and up to 40 table games. 

Ten of the state’s 12 existing casinos will be able to bid on licenses to open these "category 4" satellite casinos with slot machines, with minimum bids starting at $7.5 million. A table games certificate will cost the winning bidders an extra $2.5 million. The new casinos are already not allowed in certain places — within 25 miles of an existing casino owned by another company, or within a county that already has a category 3 resort casino, such as Montgomery County and its Valley Forge Casino Resort. 

While some municipalities may encourage mini-casinos to open in hopes of boosting the local economy, those who wish to prohibit the new casinos are on a tight deadline. Each municipality must pass a resolution banning the casinos and deliver it to the state Gaming Control Board by Dec. 31, 2017.

Municipalities that do so and later wish to allow the casinos may subsequently rescind their resolutions, but they may not change back again. For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board website.

Fans of the Netflix show Stranger Things might feel like they've entered the murky world of The Upside Down as they read over details of tax reform bills in Congress now.

Case in point: the Senate tax reform bill, dubbed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, would hurt middle-income homeowners but give tax breaks to private jet owners.

According to Yahoo News:

The new Senate tax bill will give those who own or lease private planes breaks on the amount they pay to companies for maintenance, storage, fueling and even when they want to hire pilots and a crew onboard. 

The proposal is tucked in the middle of the controversial bill's latest version, dubbed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The House approved the bill Thursday and it's now headed to the Senate. 

The good news is pushing back on this ill-informed legislation isn't as perilous as battling the monsters from Stranger Things. It's as easy as contacting your elected officials in Washington and letting them know you think homeowners shouldn’t have to pay for corporate tax cuts with their home equity.

The National Association of Realtors® engaged KSE Focus to analyze the impact of the mortgage interest and real estate tax deductions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The results show that Pennsylvania homeowners would be hit hard if these deductions are removed or rendered useless by tax reform legislation currently being considered.

Here are the results of KSE's analysis:

Facts on the Mortgage Interest and Real Estate Tax Deductions in Pennsylvania

Of the approximately 3,404,000 owner-occupied houses in Pennsylvania in 2014, 2,062,000 or 61% had a mortgage.

In 2014, 1,354,200 taxpayers in Pennsylvania claimed a deduction for mortgage interest (MID). The total amount deducted was $9,863,101,000. This means that the average taxpayer claiming the MID subtracted $7,300 from taxable income in 2014 as a result of the MID.

At a marginal rate of 25 percent1 , this means that the average taxpayer saved $1,820 in taxes as a result of the MID. The total tax savings from the MID in Pennsylvania in 2014 was $2,465,775,250.

In 2014, 1,592,700 taxpayers in Pennsylvania claimed a deduction for real estate taxes. The total amount deducted was $8,005,489,000. This means that the average taxpayer claiming the real estate tax deduction subtracted $5,050 from taxable income in 2014.

At a marginal rate of 25 percent2 , this means that the average taxpayer saved $1,260 in taxes as a result of the real estate tax deduction. The total savings from the real estate tax deduction in Pennsylvania in 2014 was $2,001,372,250.

If the MID and real estate tax deductions were eliminated, the loss would not be a one-year event; homeowners lose out on these potential savings each and every year. The present value3 of these lost savings could total $114,542,243,600. The value of all owner-occupied real estate in Pennsylvania in 2014 was $697,742,720,400. If the lost tax savings are fully capitalized into the price of houses, the average decline in value in Pennsylvania could be 16%. From the individual perspective, the median priced home in Pennsylvania in 2014 was $160,800. A decline in value as projected could mean a loss in home value of $26,400 for the typical home owner.

_______________________________________

1 Marginal rates range from 10 to 35 percent.

2 Ibid.

3 Present value calculation assumes 3.9 percent discount rate and 1000 year time horizon.

Sources for the data above include: Internal Revenue Service 2014, American Community Survey 2014, National Association of Realtors® 2014; All calculations are by the National Association of Realtors® Research Division, July 2017.

Let your elected officials know how you feel about tax reform that harms homeowners by answering NAR's Call For Action.

 
Pennsylvania voters on Tuesday approved a statewide property tax referendum affecting local taxing authorities, but that does not mean any changes for taxpayers yet.

We made this graphic to show how things will proceed.

Chris Beadling is a Realtor® with an eye for technology. The immediate  past chairman of the  Alliance, he has spent more than 15 years helping other Realtors® make the best use of the tools at their disposal to maximize their success. In 2015, he founded Sqaak, an earnest-money transfer tool for real estate professionals.

Chris Beadling 
Board member, Suburban Realtors® Alliance (2016-2017 chairman)
Quinn & Wilson, Realtors®

Hometown (born/raised):  Hatboro, PA
Hometown (current):   Doylestown, PA 
Years as a Realtor®:  15

Why did you first join the Alliance Board?

What do you see as the most important legislative issue for Realtors® right now?

Because of my technology background, I tend to look at legislative issues others don't; patent reform, net neutrality, things of that nature.  That doesn't mean the mortgage interest deduction isn't important or that protecting private property rights isn't critical, rather, I just like to keep an eye on the items others may not.

Describe the first deal you ever closed.

My first deal was on a single family house in Levittown.  Cute couple trying to find their first real home.  I quickly learned about municipal ordinances (I think I paid for an electrical mast to clear the U&O) and how important it is for Realtors to have a say in how homes are transferred.

What was the most unusual home/sale you have handled?

​I represented the seller of a historic old home in Haverford Township in the 1990s.  The house and its owner were both very eclectic.  It was an "in-house" deal, so the other agent seemed to think we could be lax about the rules.  It was the first time I really had to stand up for doing things correctly. 

How do you like to spend your time when you're not working?

What is one piece of advice you would give to a new Realtor®?

What book(s) is on your nightstand?

Offices/titles held: 

Homeownership is the foundation of the American economy, HUD Secretary Ben Carson said at a forum on June 1.

Unfortunately, that sentiment is not reflected in tax reform proposals being pushed in Washington today.

On June 24, Congressional Republicans released a of comprehensive tax reform “blueprint” that would penalize most homeowners with a tax hike and remove incentives to homeownership that have existed for more than a century.

Realtors® are on high alert, focused on defeating any policy changes that would hurt homeowners.

“This proposal recommends a backdoor elimination of the mortgage interest deduction for all but the top 5 percent who would still itemize their deductions,” said National Association of Realtors® (NAR) President William E. Brown.

No bill has been introduced yet, but the consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), commissioned by NAR, evaluated a tax reform plan modeled on the “blueprint.”

PWC’s study concluded that home-owning families with incomes between $50,000 and $200,000 would face average tax hikes of $815 in the year after enactment, while non-homeowners in the same income range would enjoy average annual tax cuts of $516. Further, home prices nationwide in the short run would fall by 10.2 percent.

The blueprint recommends cutting all but two deductions — for mortgage interest and charitable deductions — and doubling the standard deduction. These changes would make the mortgage interest deduction (MID) useless for nearly all middle-income homeowners.

Homeowners nationwide already pay 83 percent of all federal income taxes; they would pay an even bigger share under the proposed reform.

NAR has released an interactive map tool showing how much homeowners currently benefit from the MID, sorted by congressional district. For example, in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District — which includes portions of Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Berks and Lancaster counties — 59 percent of homeowners claim the MID in 2015, cutting an average of $8,427 from their taxable income in 2015.  

At that HUD forum in June, kicking off National Homeownership Month, Sec. Carson also said: "The importance of homeownership is apparent to all of us … security, certainty, safety, wealth creation, a path forward, self-sufficiency, a place to live with loved ones, to raise our families, the location of our neighborhood.”

Realtors® agree. And we support sensible tax reform, but we will fight hard against any policy that would harm homeowners.

Image: HUD  Instagram

In a four-county region where 238 municipalities each have their own way of governing real estate sales, you might think there would be an endless array of inquiries from our 11,000 members regarding these varied and often frustrating rules.

And while it’s true that our staff has fielded a wide variety of questions about the intricacies of municipal point-of-sale regulations, there are some we hear on an almost daily basis. Recently, many questions have focused on Act 133 of 2016, the new law that made important amendments to Pennsylvania’s Municipal Code and Ordinance Compliance Act.

In this column, I’ll give our best advice on the most common of these questions.

If a municipal inspection is required, how early should I schedule it?

The earlier, the better. We recommend that you call the municipality to schedule an inspection no less than 30 days before the scheduled closing. Municipalities generally don’t want to step on your sale, but the municipal staff needs sufficient time to perform its work.

An early inspection also gives your client advance notice of any issues with the home that could complicate the sale. The extra time allows them to complete repairs or negotiate with the other party about how the work will be done.

When Realtors^® call our office regarding use and occupancy inspection or certificate issues just a day or two prior to settlement, it can be very difficult for us to help resolve them in a way that allows a transaction to move forward on time.

How does Act 133 define “unfit for human habitation?”

Under Act 133, homes that are deemed “unfit for human habitation” by an inspector are only eligible for a “temporary access permit.” While the meaning of “unfit” will always be somewhat subjective, Act 133 helps to narrow the definition, stating that it applies to a condition likely to be dangerous to the health and safety of occupants or neighbors, including things like fire risks, lack of sanitary facilities, vermin or overall disrepair that would cost half or more of the sales price of the property to repair. This term is generally limited to the worst types of violations.

True or False: Under Act 133, municipalities can’t require escrow before issuing a resale certificate.

True. The law forbids a municipality from requiring escrowed funds, bonds or other sorts of financial arrangements as a condition of issuing the certificate. A municipality may, however, require escrow for permitted work necessary to graduate from a temporary resale certificate to a full one.

True or false: Under Act 133, municipalities can no longer require municipal inspections before a real estate transaction.

False! If a municipality has a point-of-sale inspection ordinance, a seller is required to order an inspection and follow the procedures laid out by the process described in the ordinance. The main change implemented by Act 133 is that once a code inspection has been completed, the municipality must issue a resale certificate.

How do Act 133 rules apply to code/ordinance violations that were cited through some other process?

The law is directed only at violations that are found when a municipality decides to inspect a property at resale; it does not apply to violations discovered through prior inspections, or open municipal construction permits.

For violations already on the books that have advanced to some sort of judicial enforcement, the generally applicable municipal rules would still apply and a new owner wouldn’t be guaranteed a certificate. In addition, if the property has previously been cited under the Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act, those rules would apply instead.

How do I know if a municipality requires a point-of-sale inspection?

Realtors® can visit our website's municipal database, which has information on each of the 238 municipalities in the four counties we monitor. The database includes information on point-of-sale inspections, sign requirements and millage rates.

On Nov. 7, Pennsylvanians voting in the municipal general election will have the opportunity to vote on a referendum question that could lead to substantial property tax reform. Though it hasn't yet received widespread attention, the Property Tax Relief and Homestead Exclusion referendum, if approved, would amend the state constitution to allow local taxing authorities to exclude from taxation the entire assessed values of homes within their borders. 

Essentially, municipalities, counties and school districts would have the authority to zero out many residents' property taxes. Currently, these taxing entities can exempt only up to 50 percent of the median assessed home value. The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors® supports the Property Tax Relief and Homestead Exclusion Amendment, which would provide local taxing entities the flexibility of providing property tax relief to homeowners.

Essentially, municipalities, counties and school districts would have the authority to zero out many residents' property taxes.

Here is the question that voters will see: "Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to permit the General Assembly to enact legislation authorizing local taxing authorities to exclude from taxation up to 100 percent of the assessed value of each homestead property within a local taxing jurisdiction, rather than limit the exclusion to one-half of the median assessed value of all homestead property, which is the existing law?"

There are a few important points to keep in mind. The exclusion would apply to homesteads, which doesn't include, for example, commercial properties or second homes. Even if passed, the referendum would not have an immediate effect on residents' taxes. State legislators would need to enact legislation setting the parameters for local taxing entities to follow. Most importantly, the legislation would need to provide school districts and municipalities the ability to raise other taxes – such as earned income – to offset the loss of property tax revenue.  And those entities would not be required to exercise the new flexibility; in fact, only a handful of them utilize the full 50 percent exclusion limit allowed under existing law.

There will be more information about this referendum coming in the weeks leading up to the election. 

Flickr image of a Chalfont, Bucks County, home  by Doug Kerr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

 In 1971, Ellen Renish took a temporary receptionist job at a real estate office. The broker saw potential in her, and the two-week assignment turned into two months, then two years as she worked her way up to agents' assistant, then became a Realtor® herself.  

Ellen Renish 
2017-18 Chairwoman, Suburban Realtors® Alliance 
Continental Realty

Hometown (born/raised):  Mt. Airy (northwest Philadelphia)
Hometown (current):  Collegeville 
Years as a Realtor®:  41

Why did you first join the Alliance Board?

I was initially a member of the board of the Realtors Legislative Alliance, when it first formed, which later became the Suburban Realtors Alliance.  I was happy to be a part of this innovative group.  It truly was groundbreaking to have a regional political advocacy group.  It was and still is very exciting to be a part of a group of dedicated individuals in our profession devoted to advocating for positive laws and regulations affecting us.  We were trendsetters. 

What do you see as the most important legislative issue for Realtors® right now?

Local ordinance inconsistencies, such as in point of sale requirements, create challenges for our Realtor members, even though we were able to affect the passing of the Municipal Code and Compliance Act. Much education still needs to be done, both for Realtors and municipal employees.

We need to prevent increases to realty transfer tax and tax on our services, while encouraging individuals who understand real estate to run for office at all levels of governments.  I know you asked for what is the most important, but I can't come up with just one.  I am a political junkie!!

Describe the first deal you ever closed.

The first deal I ever closed, believe it or not, was generated by my very first night on floor time (back in the day!).  I received a call on a listing that my office had that was in a small subdivision under construction.  I scheduled an appointment with the caller after talking to the person.  I was really excited!  Showed the property the next night to the very nice couple.  I had just come back to work after having my first baby and was terrified that I was going to be working on commission only for a couple of months. 

How do you like to spend your time when you're not working?

I love to read.  That is my R & R.  I work out 5 days a week, and that gives me energy and contemplation time.  I also love to dance whenever I have a chance.  If you ask my family and friends, they say I am always working.  It is hard to be turned off and tuned out for any length of time.  Our profession is intertwined with our personal lives.  We eat, sleep, drink and dream real estate.

What is one piece of advice you would give to a new Realtor®?

Create a system and stick to it. Be organized and focused. Be everywhere you can be, talking to everyone.  Get out of your comfort zone, learn as much as you can!  Be ethical, build your integrity, become a resource.  That's more than one thing, but it all goes together.

What book(s) is on your nightstand?

Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush by Jon Meacham

Offices/titles held: 

I have served as President of Central Montgomery Association of Realtors (now Montgomery County Association).  I was only the 3rd female President at that time in 1992.  I also served as PAR President in 2002, the 5th female to serve.  I am proud to currently serve as the Chairwoman of the SRA.

One last thought:  I am the RPAC Queen here in Montgomery County.  I cannot express how strongly I feel about investing in RPAC. It truly is insurance in our business.  It is the easiest way to participate in the political process.  And we all know that if Real Estate is our Profession, then Politics is our business!!

In February, I received a call from a Realtor® handling a home sale in a Delaware County municipality. With the closing only 2 weeks away, the code inspector in the borough was withholding a use and occupancy (U&O) permit until the seller completed a list of repairs to the home. These repairs included a cracked sidewalk, missing handrails, and window maintenance.

The borough’s decision to withhold a U&O permit might have been hard to challenge in 2016.  In 2017, circumstances have changed for the better. Thanks to state legislation approved last year and implemented on Jan. 2, municipalities must now issue a permit allowing sales to move forward, regardless of the outcome of completed code inspections.

With the new law in hand, I contacted the township’s solicitor and explained the amendments that had taken place. To his credit, the solicitor listened carefully, reviewed the changes, and directed the borough to issue the permit. The sale went through on schedule. A happy ending!

Unfortunately, not every municipality is so willing to bring their inspection practices into compliance with the new state law, officially titled Act 133 of 2016. That’s where our services can make a difference for you and your clients. We’re here to help you understand the new law, take full advantage of it, and assist you when municipalities try to ignore it.

What Act 133 means to your clients:

• Once a municipality has conducted a resale code inspection, it must issue a resale certificate (U&O) to allow real estate settlements to move forward. There are three types of resale certificates: a normal U&O permit; a temporary U&O permit, allowing new owners to move in immediately and make repairs within 12 months; or a temporary access permit, a new type of permit allowing buyers of homes deemed “unfit for habitation” to access the building and make substantial repairs within 12 months.
• Municipalities can no longer demand escrow money in connection with resale code inspections that result in required repairs.
• The term “unfit for habitation” has been more clearly defined to describe homes that are “dangerous or injurious to the health, safety or physical welfare of an occupant or the occupants of neighboring dwelling.” As a result, code inspectors can no longer deny a U&O permit due to minor issues such as missing house numbers.

Call the Suburban Realtors® Alliance if:

• …your client is being denied a U&O permit or a temporary access permit. The municipality must provide one as long as they have been given an opportunity to inspect the home.
• …your client is being asked to provide escrow toward repairs on the home prior to the sale, as a condition of receiving a U&O permit.
• …a municipal official tells you that Act 133 does not apply to them for any reason.

Nearly every day, the Alliance staff hears from Realtors® experiencing one of the problems above, so we have experience resolving them. We always recommend that agents schedule inspections at least 30 days before the scheduled closing, to allow sufficient time to work through any code-related issues.

Please note that not all municipalities require point of sale inspections for U&O permits, but many in southeastern PA do.  

You can read more about Act 133 in the Issue Briefs section of our website, www.suburbanrealtorsalliance.com. To learn more about the various code inspections required in our four-county territory – including Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks – you can check out the SRA’s comprehensive Municipal Database at: http://www.suburbanrealtorsalliance.com/municipal-database/

(Photo: Governor Tom Wolf signs Act 133 of 2016, joined by Realtors® and legislators.)

LANSDOWNE, PA (June 23, 2017) – The Suburban West Realtors^® Association (SWRA) has received a $4,000 placemaking grant from the National Association of Realtors^® to help Lansdowne Borough create a public gathering space. 

“The new gathering spot, the Lansdowne Landing, has enhanced an already vibrant community,” said SWRA Chairman Steve D’Antonio. “We are glad that this grant has helped create a place where friends and neighbors can come together, and it is our hope that the project will enhance Lansdowne’s historic downtown.”

Inspired by popular outdoor gathering places like The Porch in Philadelphia’s University City neighborhood, Lansdowne Landing has already become a community hub since it opened in May. Fifteen parking spots were painted over with a colorful ground mural by local artist Brad Carney, filled with tables, chairs and toys, and lined with plants. The space has been used for farmers markets, live music performances, meditation classes and other activities and events.

“The Lansdowne Landing planning committee and the Borough Council are thrilled to be partnering with Suburban West Realtors on this exciting project,” said Susan Williams, a member of Lansdowne Borough Council. “The grant monies will go toward finishing up the project, which includes: the creation of about 11 barrel planter/light posts; over 300 feet of string lights to cast a fabulous glow over the incredible ground mural; the three ornamental trees that will be planted in pots to finish the Lounge area of the space; and some final furnishings.”

The grant is intended to help Realtor^® associations partner with others to plan, organize, implement and maintain placemaking activities in their communities. Suburban West Realtors^® collaborated with Councilwoman Williams, Borough Manager Craig Totaro and Mayor Anthony Campuzano on the project. The Suburban Realtors^® Alliance assisted in the grant application.

“Realtors^® live, work, and volunteer in their communities, and they take immense pride in working to improve them,” D’Antonio said. “Placemaking can help foster healthier, more social and economically viable communities. It creates places where people feel a strong stake in their neighborhoods and are committed to making things better.”

Placemaking grants are awarded to local and state Realtor^® associations to help them and their members initiate placemaking projects in the community, like turning a parking lot into a farmer’s market or a vacant lot into a playground. Realtor^® associations and their Realtor^® members are actively engaged in the community and know the neighborhoods and the properties that would benefit most from these improvement efforts. 

Lansdowne Landing can be followed online at facebook.com/lansdownelanding. For more about National Association of Realtors^® placemaking grants visit, realtoractioncenter.org/placemaking. For information about the Suburban Realtors^® Alliance, which advocates for public policy that benefits local real estate markets and protects private property rights, visit suburbanrealtorsalliance.com.

The Suburban West Realtors^® Association is comprised of approximately 5,800 Realtor^® and affiliate members who serve communities in Chester County and Delaware County, and beyond. Its Realtor^® members are licensed real estate professionals who subscribe to a strict code of ethics as defined by the National Association of Realtors®. For more information about the Suburban West Realtors^® Association, please visit www.suburbanwestrealtors.com or call 610-560-4800.                                      

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Top photo : Lansdowne Mayor Anthony Campuzano, Suburban Realtors^® Alliance Government Affairs Manager Erin Smist, and Suburban West Realtors^® Association Board Member Shannon Diiorio and Chairman Steve D’Antonio stand at the edge of the Lansdowne Landing, across the street from the historic Lansdowne Theatre.

Bottom photo: Lansdowne Landing, a new community gathering space in downtown Lansdowne, will benefit from a $4,000 placemaking grant received through the Suburban West Realtors^® Association.

The Suburban Realtors® Alliance offers free office visits to members of its three shareholder organizations: the Bucks County, Montgomery County and Suburban West associations of Realtors®.

A staff member will come to your location to discuss the topics below and answer any questions:

After noticing a slight increase in the number of use and occupancy inspection issues that are causing last minute delays in settlement, the Suburban Realtors Alliance (SRA) is reminding its members to request municipal inspections as early as possible. 

“When use and occupancy inspection or certificate issues come up a day or two prior to settlement, it can be very difficult to resolve them in a way that allows a transaction to move forward on time,” said Jamie Ridge, president/CEO of the Suburban Realtors Alliance. “We always recommend ordering these inspections at least 30 days prior to the settlement date to give municipal staff plenty of time to complete their work.”

Approximately 50 percent of municipalities in the SRA’s four-county territory require some level of code inspection prior to a home sale. Knowing where these inspections exist, and ordering them well in advance of a settlement date, is an important way to ensure that real estate transactions stay on schedule, Ridge said.

For more information about the various inspection requirements in southeastern PA, visit the SRA’s Municipal Database at: www.suburbanrealtorsalliance.com. The database is a password-protected benefit for members of the Bucks County, Montgomery County and Suburban West Realtor Associations.

Suburban Realtors Alliance president/CEO Jamie Ridge addressed representatives from 13 boroughs at the April 27  dinner meeting of the Montgomery County Boroughs Association.

At Woodside Lodge in Schwenksville, about 50 borough administrators and elected officials listened as Ridge spoke about recent amendments to the Municipal Code and Ordinance Compliance Act. The presentation ended with a question-and-answer session. 

"It was a great conversation about the issues faced by both municipalities and Realtors during the use and occupancy inspection process," Ridge said. "I thank the Montgomery County Boroughs Association for the invitation."

The Alliance maintains a municipal database of ordinances and other information that Realtors use to make sure they are complying with local regulations. Attendees received copies of their respective municipalities' database entries to review and, if needed, suggest changes. 

(Photo: Nevin Scholl, president, Trappe Borough Council, Pat Webster, REALTOR and Trappe Borough Council member, and Jamie Ridge, president/CEO, Suburban Realtors Alliance.)