mpion, Author at Central Pennsylvania Real Estate

Introducing NextHome Capital Realty

NextHome is proud to announce our newest addition to the franchise, NextHome Capital Realty. The brokerage represents the franchiseâ€™s second location in the state of Pennsylvania.

Owned and operated by real estate veteran, Michael Pion, the Camp Hill-based brokerage will provide residential real estate services to the residents of Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg and the remainder of the Capital region of Central Pennsylvania.

Pion started his real estate career in 2000 working for a local builder. His strong sales ability created a wave of success â€“ selling over 300 homes in a six-year period.

Looking for a new opportunity, Pion switched to resale residential sales and joined Keller Williams of Central PA in 2006.

In his very first year in resale, Pion was one of the Top Rookies and was honored nationally by Keller Williams. Pion attributed much of his early success to the skills he leaned as a new home salesperson.

Over the next ten years, Pion grew his business in both resale and new home construction. He consistently remains in the top 1% of REALTORSÂ® in the Greater Harrisburg area in sales production. In 2015, Pion sold more than $15 million in sales volume while recently adding land development to his list of professional accomplishments. Best of all, he has been able to work alongside his wife of 15 years, Addy.

Although successful, Pion wanted to build a brokerage he could call his own.

â€œBoth my grandfather and father were successful entrepreneurs,â€ said Pion. â€œI wanted to follow in their footsteps and be a part of something bigger. Owning my own real estate brokerage seemed like the logical next step.â€

With an eye on efficiency, Pion looked at several franchise models before deciding that NextHome was the best fit for his newly formed brokerage.

â€œIn my initial research, I was drawn to the technology, branding and marketing strengths that NextHome was bringing to the real estate industry,â€ said Pion.

â€œBut it was going to the first NextHome Conference in Nashville in May 2016, that sealed the deal for me,â€ added Pion. â€œGetting to see the quality of the leadership team in person and the interaction between all of the different brokers from around the country, I knew I was where I needed to be.â€

When not selling real estate, the Pions spend time with their two children â€“ son, Avery (11 years old) and daughter, Maggie (8).

Pion describes his family as â€œhis worldâ€ and that his focus on family before business has created the balance for optimum success.

Shamrock Shuffle 5K Raises Over $14,000 for the HTVRC

Michael Pion presents a check representing all the fundraising efforts of the Shamrock Shuffle 5K to Robert Weed, Treasurer of the HTRVC.

The Michael Pion Group, through their charitable program MP Cares*, recently presented a check to the Hampden Township Veterans Recognition Committee (HTVRC) in the amount of $14,735 representing all the fundraising efforts of the Inaugural Shamrock Shuffle 5K that was held on March 20, 2016, at Hampden Park in Mechanicsburg, PA.

HTVRC plans to create a multi-use park with trails and other recreational facilities on land that has been donated by Giant Foods near Wertzville and Valley Roads in Enola. The park will be anchored by the Captain Leon Lock Veteranâ€™s MemorialÂ where members of the community can gather for celebrations and observances. It will feature an amphitheater concept centered around the five flags of the military branches that will be visible from Interstate 81 and other area roadways.

The Shamrock Shuffle 5K offered fun for the whole family including entertainment from the McGinley School of Irish Dance and a limited release Irish Ale from Pizza Boy Brewing. Cash prizes were awarded for the top male and female finisher and a mile Fun Run took place free of charge for children under the age of 12.

â€œWe had a great turnout for our first year race with over 200 runners and many more spectators,â€ stated Michael Pion, REALTOR^Â® with The Michael Pion Group and Keller Williams of Central PA. â€œThe outpouring of support from local businesses, runners and members of the community was incredible. Our race partners, Pizza Boy Brewing and Millennium Way Dental Studio, both of Hampden Township, were integral in our fundraising efforts and major supporters of the Shamrock Shuffle 5K. As a resident of Hampden Township, Iâ€™m proud of our efforts to bring neighbors and businesses together to fundraise for important projects such as the HTVRCâ€™s Memorial Park.â€

For more information about HTVRC and their plans to build a Memorial Park in Hampden Township, visit HampdenPAVeterans.org.

*MP Cares is a project of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities, fiscal sponsor. A portion of the total money raised was from the MP Cares Fund of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities, on behalf of Mr. Michael Pion.

Houses Needed!

Did you know that inventory in our area is down 43% compared to last year at this time? 43%! What does that mean for you? Well, for starters, if you have been on the fence about listing your home, there has never been a better time. Qualified buyers call me every day looking for homes. Unfortunately, I just don’t have many to show them right now. With spring right around the corner, I think we will see a surplus of buyers and not enough homes currently for sale. This can often lead to higher price offers with a shorter amount of time on the market. Words that any seller is excited to hear.

If you are a buyer, don’t let this news discourage you. More homes will be coming on the market between now and spring. One thing to keep in mind is that you are likely to have a lot of competition when looking for homes. If you find a home that you like and the price is within your budget range, don’t wait. There’s a good chance the next person to tour the home will make an offer.

The house you saw today and wanted to think about until tomorrow may be the same house someone else looked at yesterday and will buy today.

Shamrock Shuffle 5K

The Michael Pion Group is proud to be organizing the inaugural Shamrock Shuffle 5K!

This event will offer fun for the whole family including entertainment from the McGinley School of Irish Dance and a limited release Irish Lager from Pizza Boy Brewing. Cash prizes will be awarded for the top male and female finisher. A Mile Fun Run will also take place free of charge for families and children. Many more details to come.Â RegistrationÂ is now open to secure your spot at the starting line!

All proceeds to benefit the Hampden Township Veterans Recognition Committee.

For more information, visit ShamrockShuffle5K.org or like us on Facebook at Shamrock Shuffle 5K.

Harrisburg Area’s Q3 Home Sales Among Best of the Last Decade

Home sales in the Harrisburg area turned in one of their best quarters of the last decade in the third quarter, according to the latest data from the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors.

The third quarter finished with 2,625 homes sold, second only to the second quarter of 2006 (2,697). It was the best third quarter in recent history, with data provided back to 2004.

There were 9,210 home sales in 2006, the peak for the Harrisburg area.

The third-quarter figure was up 5.7 percent from the second quarter and 13.8 percent over the year, according to the association.

The median-sale price was $165,000, up from $163,400 in the third quarter of 2014.

For just the month of September, Cumberland County posted 281 home sales compared with 257 a year ago, according to the association. In Dauphin County, there were 244 home sales compared with 240 last year.

The median sale price was $180,000 in Cumberland County, up from $175,000 last September; $150,000 in Dauphin County, up from $147,450.

There were 793 home sales in the Harrisburg area in September, up from 709 last year. That number includes sales in Perry County as well as portions of other counties, including Lancaster, Lebanon and northern York counties.

Buyer Tip: Importance of School Districts

Choosing the right home, in the right school district, can help protect your home’s value.

For information on the area’s school districts including rankings and statistics, visit http://www.greatschools.org/schools/cities/pennsylvania/PA/.

This Month in Central PA Real Estate

August has been a busy month in real estate according to the latest national statistics. If you are thinking of buying or selling, now might be the time.

Area’s Strongest 2nd Quarter in Home Sales Since 2007

The number of residential housing units sold in south central Pennsylvania increased 8.5 percent in the second quarter (April â€“ June) of 2015. According to the Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORSÂ® Multiple Listing Service, 2,484 units were sold, up from 2,289 units sold in the second quarter of 2014.

â€œHome sales in the greater Harrisburg area increased in the second quarter of 2015, for the strongest second-quarter since 2007,â€ says Bernie Campanella, president of the Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORSÂ®. â€œOverall, the market is up and continues to improve.â€

Median home sale prices increased in the second quarter, up nearly 5 percent from the second quarter of 2014. According to the GHAR MLS, the median sales price of residential homes increased to $169,000, compared to the median cost of $161,000 in the second quarter of 2014.

â€œThe median home sales price increased in the second quarter of 2015, jumping 4.96 percent over the first quarter of 2015. The median home sales price is the highest we have seen since the second and third quarters of 2008,â€ says Campanella. â€œI believe the rebound of median sales price, coupled with the increase in units sold, reflect a healthy real estate market in the greater Harrisburg area.â€

Listings stayed on the market an average of 87 days â€“ a decrease from an average of 93 days in the second quarter of 2014. The number of active listings at the end of the second quarter 2015 decreased to 4,785, compared to 5,370 active listings at the end of the second quarter of 2014.

Nationwide, existing-home sales increased in May 2015, the latest month for which national data is available. According to statistics compiled by the National Association of REALTORSÂ® (NAR), existing-home sales increased in May to their highest pace in nearly six years. Led by the Northeast, all major regions experienced sales increases in May. Total existing-home sales rose 5.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.35 million in May, from an upwardly revised 5.09 million in April. Sales have now increased year-over-year for eight consecutive months and are 9.2 percent above a year ago.

The median existing-home price for all housing types in May was $228,700, which is 7.9 percent above May 2014. The percent share of first-time buyers rose to 32 percent in May, up from 30 percent in April and matching the highest share since September 2012. A year ago, first-time buyers represented 27 percent of all buyers.