The Lancaster Life

As you walk around Lancaster city, you may notice historic homes with a greenish stone facade.

This stone is known as serpentine. Around the start of the 20th century, serpentine stone was mined in southern Lancaster County.

A vein of the stone can be seen on this geological map of Lancaster County from 1872.

Serpentine stone got its name because it is said to resemble the skin of a snake. Veins of serpentine are relatively rare. They exist in Japan and Australia. Lancaster County was once one of the largest sources of serpentine stone.

Today, you can see serpentine on historic homes in Lancaster city. Check out the entire block of N. Duke Street between New Street and Clay Street. There are also a few fine examples in the west end of Lancaster city, on Chestnut Street and Orange Street in particular.

If anyone has more knowledge of serpentine stone or the features of these historic Lancaster homes, please drop me a note or post some pictures.

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My name is Dean Rock. I earn my living as a realtor in Lancaster PA, but this is not a sales-oriented website. This project stems from my long-standing interest in writing, photography and historic Lancaster homes. I value the Lancaster Life because it connects me to people all over Lancaster County who share my interests and concerns. Please contribute your thoughts and photos.

One of the oldest homes in Lancaster County is for sale. It is a log structure built in the 1700s. Located just south of New Danville on Marticville Road (Rt 324). The home is near the Cherry Hill Orchard store at the intersection with 741.

The home is filled with modern amenities and upgrades. It sits on almost 5 acres of land, surrounded by beautiful farmland. There is a barn on the property as well.

You can see click here to view the listing. It's currently listed at $735,000. If you're in the market for a truly special property, this is one to consider.

If you're an admirer of historic Lancaster County homes, this one's definitely worth a drive-by.

And for those north Lancastrians who aren't tuned into the beauties of Pequea Township, spend an afternoon driving around some weekend. You'll like what you find down south.

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My name is Dean Rock. I earn my living as a realtor in Lancaster PA, but this is not a sales-oriented website. This project stems from my long-standing interest in writing, photography and historic Lancaster homes. I value the Lancaster Life because it connects me to people all over Lancaster County who share my interests and concerns. Please contribute your thoughts and photos.

There's a new home listed for sale in Hamilton Park this morning. Located on Belle Valley Road, it has a larger lot than the average in the area. It's on a cul de sac with very little traffic and nice mature landscaping.

The list price is $164,900. The home has 4 bedrooms and 1800 square feet. Looks like the sellers have done some nice work inside.

Give me a call if you want to take a look. I specialize in helping people buy or sell in Hamilton Park.

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My name is Dean Rock. I earn my living as a realtor in Lancaster PA, but this is not a sales-oriented website. This project stems from my long-standing interest in writing, photography and historic Lancaster homes. I value the Lancaster Life because it connects me to people all over Lancaster County who share my interests and concerns. Please contribute your thoughts and photos.

I've recently started paying attention to how many shabby commercial buildings line the roads of Lancaster County. While we have the most beautiful farmland and historic towns, we do have a number of unattractive commercial strips. In the long run, these commercial properties need to be upgraded or the problem of blight will increase.

I recently drove out Columbia Avenue and took these two pictures.

Both buildings look to be vacant and in need of some TLC. I'm not trying to pick on the owners -- just point out that the current situation is not ideal. I would like to hear some ideas about how to make our commercial strips more valuable in the long run.

Feel free to post similar pictures or ideas you have about how to manage commercial strips.

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My name is Dean Rock. I earn my living as a realtor in Lancaster PA, but this is not a sales-oriented website. This project stems from my long-standing interest in writing, photography and historic Lancaster homes. I value the Lancaster Life because it connects me to people all over Lancaster County who share my interests and concerns. Please contribute your thoughts and photos.

Some people argue that in this competitive selling environment, it takes patience to wait for the right buyer to come along. If you have patience, they claim, you will get your price. I went to the numbers to test out whether patience is a virtue in this case.

I pulled data off the MLS for the last 300 homes sold in Lancaster County this year. First, I found the average difference between original listing prices and final sale prices -- what I call the "discount".

Then I graphed the discount against the "days on the market" (DOM). This shows the overall trend and whether there are many people being successful in the "wait for my price" game.

The black line shows the trend. As you'd expect, the trend shows that the longer a house is on the market, the more the original asking price will be discounted.

Look at the blue dot on the x-axis between 150 and 200. This is the one lucky person (out of 300) who sold their house at the asking price after waiting more than 100 days. Even after waiting 50 days, only 3 total homes were sold at the original asking price.

The lesson is simple: pricing a house at what the market is saying is the key to selling in a reasonable time. Simply waiting it out is a high stake gamble, a 1 in 300 shot.

When you list your home, be sure that your realtor can talk intelligently about pricing. Do some research yourself and make an informed decision.

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My name is Dean Rock. I earn my living as a realtor in Lancaster PA, but this is not a sales-oriented website. This project stems from my long-standing interest in writing, photography and historic Lancaster homes. I value the Lancaster Life because it connects me to people all over Lancaster County who share my interests and concerns. Please contribute your thoughts and photos.

In New York City, people have been known to buy an apartment based on the restaurants nearby. In the Lancaster County real estate market, restaurants are less likely determine someone's choice of where to live.

The exception might be people who choose Lancaster city homes. Lancaster city has a surprising number of delicious restaurants. The Belvedere Inn is a restaurant that might just influence someone's neighborhood choice. In any case, being able to walk to the Belvedere for dinner or drinks is definitely a perk. I'm sure the developers of Northgate Condominiums are pleased to be across the street from the Belvedere.  

The Belvedere Inn is located on North Queen at the intersection with Lemon. It's in an old brick mansion built in the 1870s by a wealthy tobacco farmer. Today it houses a restaurant, bar and piano bar/jazzclub called Crazy Shirley's.

We ate on the outdoor patio. The atmosphere is quite pleasant, with hanging plants, the brick exterior of the building and the perfect weather we've been having lately. There is a bit of traffic noise at times, and a few flies if you order the mussels, but all in all it's a very pleasant place to eat.

In case you're wondering, we ate a lot of steaks between the six of us. The filet, served with a portabello ragout, is delicious. You won't find a more tender short rib and the grilled ceasar salad deserves its local fame. The service is inconsistent, but generally decent. 

If you haven't been to the Belvedere Inn for dinner, consider it for your next special occasion or if you're just in the mood for a good meal. And if you're lucky,

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My name is Dean Rock. I earn my living as a realtor in Lancaster PA, but this is not a sales-oriented website. This project stems from my long-standing interest in writing, photography and historic Lancaster homes. I value the Lancaster Life because it connects me to people all over Lancaster County who share my interests and concerns. Please contribute your thoughts and photos.

Hamilton Park is one of Lancaster County's most appealing neighborhoods for people who want a blend of suburban and city. Just west of Lancaster city, Hamilton Park lies to the south of Columbia Avenue (Rt. 462) and north of Manor Avenue (Rt. 999).

Map of Hamilton Park

There are currently 11 homes listed for sale in Hamilton Park. Real estate activity in Hamilton Park has been steady throughout 2008. Email me or visit My Lancaster PA Home for a detailed Hamilton Park neighborhood report.

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My name is Dean Rock. I earn my living as a realtor in Lancaster PA, but this is not a sales-oriented website. This project stems from my long-standing interest in writing, photography and historic Lancaster homes. I value the Lancaster Life because it connects me to people all over Lancaster County who share my interests and concerns. Please contribute your thoughts and photos.

Hamilton Park is a popular neighborhood west of Lancaster City. Surprisingly, many city and Lancaster County residents aren't familiar with this beautiful neighborhood. Hamilton Park is a place that has a strong neighborhood feel. Many residents have lived in the same house for decades. Streets are quiet, with children riding bikes and people relaxing on porches.

The neighborhood was originally housing built for workers at the Hamilton Watch company. The Hamilton Watch company was founded in 1892. At the time, railroads had a need for extremely accurate and reliable watches. Hamilton made their watches to this high standard, and continued to be one of America's top brands until 1969 when it was bought by a Swiss company.

The old watch factory tower is one of the most recognizable properties in Lancaster County. On the western edge of Lancaster city, Hamilton Watch Company tower is now a condominium. The transformation from a factory to residential real estate is a success story of historic preservation in Lancaster.

The Clock Towers condominiums
at the old Hamilton Watch Company

Homes in Hamilton Park come in a range of styles and sizes. The streets are filled with mature trees and landscaping. There are one and two story bungalows, bi-levels, and larger Victorian houses.

Lancaster County real estate is rich in options. If you're shopping for a new home, take some time to get to know Hamilton Park.

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My name is Dean Rock. I earn my living as a realtor in Lancaster PA, but this is not a sales-oriented website. This project stems from my long-standing interest in writing, photography and historic Lancaster homes. I value the Lancaster Life because it connects me to people all over Lancaster County who share my interests and concerns. Please contribute your thoughts and photos.

I'll be hosting an open house in Hamilton Park on Sunday, August 10 from 1:00-4:00. Everyone is welcome.

The house is 1500 square feet. The interior is in good shape and the yard is quite nice. Perhaps the best feature of the house is the location, at the end of a quiet block. If you're not familiar with Hamilton Park, this is a good opportunity to come out and see what makes it so popular.

My name is Dean Rock. I earn my living as a realtor in Lancaster PA, but this is not a sales-oriented website. This project stems from my long-standing interest in writing, photography and historic Lancaster homes. I value the Lancaster Life because it connects me to people all over Lancaster County who share my interests and concerns. Please contribute your thoughts and photos.

I recently visited Cherry Hill Orchard's Outlet store. I'd been there before, and I had picked cherries in the orchard earlier this summer, but I don't think I ever appreciated what a beautiful display they put on.

Peaches and plums are in season. They are displayed in small baskets or piles on old wooden spools painted light blue. I took a bunch of pictures. Check it out.

Cherry Hill Orchard is located south of Lancaster near New Danville at the intersection of routes 324 and 741. The Lancaster County farmland in the area is gorgeous.

Shopping for produce is a good excuse to drive out and appreciate the natural beauty of our Lancaster PA home. Whether you're going to Central Market, your favorite farm stand, or a store like Cherry Hill, take the time to appreciate every day things like fresh peaches. As my grandma would say, we are truly blessed to live in a place like Lancaster.

Dean Rock is a full-service real estate professional at Coldwell Banker in Lancaster. Dean's professional and volunteer interests relate to the long term health of Lancaster County's economy and society. Dean's areas of interest include historic homes, land preservation, low-income home ownership, education and youth social work. Click here to learn more about Lancaster PA real estate.