HBA Newswatch
March 26, 2008
GRADING, STREETS ARE FOCUS OF HEARING
SCHUYLKILL CONTINUES DISCUSSIONS OVER REEVES SITE ZONING
By Laurie Perini, lperini@phoenixvillenews.com
SCHUYLKILL — The zoning hearing for Pohlig Builders’ proposed 51-lot development continued with testimony about the comprehensive plan, street ordinances and grading requirements.
Dennis Glackin, a professional land planner and consultant, testified about specific sections of the ordinance that he had been asked to review by the applicant.
His testimony concerned some apparent inconsistencies in the zoning and subdivision ordinances.
One of these was the placement of trees in relation to the ultimate right of way of a road. This testimony concerns an access strip currently on the property and the removal of those trees.
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U.S. NEW-HOME SALES DIP AGAIN; BIGGEST DROP IN NORTHEAST
By Al Heavens
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Sales of new homes dropped 1.8 percent nationally in February compared with the same month last year, continuing a four-month decline, the government said today.
The decline put the seasonally adjusted annual sales rate at 590,000, the slowest pace since February 1995.
The biggest drop, 40 percent, was in the Northeastern United States, the Commerce Department reported.
Sales in the Midwest fell 6.4 percent, but they rose 5.7 percent in the South and 0.7 percent in West - two areas hardest hit by the housing downturn.
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WAVE OF FORECLOSURES DRIVES PRICES LOWER, LURES BUYERS
By James R. Hagerty and Kris Hudson
A glut of foreclosed homes of historic proportions is starting to drive down U.S. home prices faster as lenders put more properties on the market and buyers show signs of interest.
The ability of America's lenders to manage this fire sale will be crucial to determining how long the housing market stays in the dumps -- and how quickly blighted neighborhoods can heal. The oversupply is severe: In some major markets, including Las Vegas and San Diego, foreclosure-related sales have accounted for more than 40% of all sales in recent months.
On Monday, new data suggested that pressures like these are starting to drive prices low enough to attract some buyers back into the market. Sales of previously occupied homes jumped 2.9% in February from the month before, the National Association of Realtors said, the first increase since July.
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DELAWARE COUNTY DAILY TIMES
MEDIA APPROVES BALTIMORE AVE. PROJECT
Council recently moved ahead on the development of a block long building at 306 E. Baltimore Ave., approving the preliminary subdivision/land development application with a change to on sticking point.
Did you see something we missed? Please forward any news stories we may have missed to kirab@builderpa.com and it will be added to the next issue of Newswatch.
