Fall is almost here, and it's time to start planning for all the fun we're going to have in Berks County to bring in the season. Here's s a few events coming up that will help you and your family celebrate the beginning of Fall in Berks County.

Kutztown Antiques Radio Meet
Friday, September 20, 2019 from 08:00 am to 04:00 pm
Renninger's Kutztown Antiques

Sponsored by the Delaware Valley Historic Radio Club, you will find more than 200 booth spaces of antique radios, parts, audio, ham and related items under two large pavilions. Meet the experts who fix and restore antique radios. Non-computer show. Friday night auction at 6:00pm.

Boyertown's Annual Oktoberfest
From Friday, September 20, 2019 at 05:00 pm to Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 09:00 pm
Boyertown at 128 East Philadelphia Avenue

Event will include a 5krun, crafters, artists, German entertainment and music, German beer, local beer and wine, food vendors, entertainment and more. Keg Ceremony Saturday at 11 a.m.

Fall Fest
Saturday, September 21, 2019 from 11:00 am to 08:00 pm 
West Reading at 600 Penn Avenue

Celebrating its 13th year and coming just a few days before the official first day of Fall is West Reading’s Fall Fest.  Spanning the 400-700 blocks of Penn Avenue, the streets are closed so festival goers can indulge in 200 craft and retail vendors, including a wide array of food and beverage choices, including beer, wine and spirits + music on three stages!

73rd Annual Oley Valley Community Fair
Thursday, September 19, 2019 at 09:00 am to Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 10:00 pm
Oley Fire Company Fairgrounds

This year marks the 73rd anniversary of the Oley Fair, made possible by hundreds of community volunteers annually. A true country fair, area residents enter farm and home products in judged competitions. Be sure to see the livestock, produce, and baked goods exhibits and find the blue ribbon winners among them.

Make sure to visit our blog every week for more local Berks County articles and real estate advice. Looking for the perfect home in Berks County? Our convenient and powerful home search tool will help you find the home of your dreams. 

If you're buying a home in Berks County, you may be thinking about using a storage unit. Storing items during a move certainly has it's advantages.

Moving is not only a way to make a new beginning, but to weed out the clutter in your life. When you get rid of the things you no longer need, you can save money and time.

Yet not everyone has the time to go through everything they own. So if you're pressed for time, then using a storage unit may be the way to go.

Here's a few things to think about when considering if storage is a good option to help you in the moving process.

Advantages of Using Storage

1. Pack up all the things you don't need now.
2. Staging your home will be more simple.
2. You home will look larger, adding to selling appeal.
3. Personal items will be out of sight from buyers.
4. Out of sight, out of mind.
5. You can sort all your items later.
6. You can decide what furniture works best in your new home and decide what to keep after you move.

Disadvantages of Using Storage

1. Another expense.
2. You'll have to handle everything twice, which is more work.
2. Not all units guarantee your items will be safe, so you may need additional insurance.
3. Storing items can lead to delayed decisions about what stays and what goes.
4. You may end up storing things you don't need, and paying monthly fees for those items.
5. It's hard to reach items in the back of a full unit.

Portable Storage Units

No doubt you've heard about portable storage, such as PODS. These can be a great alternative to traditional storage units. You can keep the unit at your house while you pack, giving you more time to load your possessions. Then the unit is delivered to your new house. Some units are also designed to be long-term storage at a warehouse or at your home.

The advantage of portable storage is that you can pack and unpack everything in one go, eliminating the need to haul your things to a storage facility, then back again to the new home.

Check back on our blog every week for more real estate articles and local Berks County information. Looking for the ideal for sale in Berks County? Our powerful home search tool will help you find the home of your dreams. 

It's no secret that your credit is a huge factor in buying a home in Berks Count, or anywhere. It's a fact of life, and for good reason.

Lenders need to know how much they can trust you to make payments for the next few decades, and that is determined by your credit score.

Your credit score can save or cost you thousands of dollars when buying a home.

How much can this score impact you and what are the details behind this score?

How Your Score is Calculated

Your FICO credit score is comprised of five elements.

1. How you pay your bills makes up 35% of this score. Paying on time adds points. Late payments take points away. Since this makes up a large portion of your score, make sure you pay bills on time.
2. 30% of your score is based on your credit utilization ratio. This means how much you owe as part of the amount of credit you have available. The lower this ratio, the better.
3. 15% is based on the length of your credit history. When did you open your first account (and is it still open)?
4. 10% of your score goes to the type of credit you have such as credit cards or car loans and mortgages.
5. The last 10% is impacted by new credit applications. How often and for what types of credit are you applying?

Where to Find Your Score and Report

There are many websites that offer credit scores, but the best ones that offer them for free are annualcreditreport.com or creditkarma.com

Make sure you check those reports for fraud or bad information. Contact both credit reporting agencies and the company reporting inaccurate information if you find anything incorrect.

How Your Score Can Cost You

Credit scores range from 300 to 850. There can be varying determinations of what is considered good or excellent credit. Generally you want a score higher than 720 to be considered "excellent."

The higher your credit score, the more creditworthy you appear to lenders, which translates into lower interest rates and more money saved when taking out a loan.

Having a solid credit score is one of the most financially savvy tools for you to have on hand when it comes to buying a home. When managed wisely, your credit score will bring you confidence, peace of mind, and more money saved via low interest rates.

When mismanaged or not cared for at all, your credit score can delay your success in meeting financial goals and result in additional funds and resources spent correcting past mistakes.

Need help finding your perfect home in Berks County? Our powerful home search tool will help you find the home of your dreams. Make to visit to our blog every week for more real estate advice, along with local Berks County articles. 

Labor Day is just around the corner, so it's time to plan for fun this Labor Day weekend in Berks County and the surrounding area. Summer may be coming to a close, but the fun sure isn't! Here's a few events coming up this Labor day weekend to help your family get the most our of the end of Summer.

Food Truck Friday
Friday, August 30, 2019 from 05:00 pm to 08:00 pm
Classic Harley-Davidson at 983 James Drive, Leesport

Come out to Classic every Friday, April through October, from 5:00 - 8:00 and grab a bite to eat from one of the areas best food trucks.

54th Annual Duryea Day
Saturday, August 31, 2019 from 09:00 am to 04:00 pm
Boyertown Community Park at 417 Madison Street, Boyertown

Held in beautiful Boyertown Community Park, Duryea Day is a well-established event that attracts hundreds of cars, trucks and motorcycles from all decades. Music, great food and children’s entertainment make this a family-friendly and affordable event. 

The Carousel at Pottstown
Saturday, August 31, 2019 from 12:00 pm to 05:00 pm
The Carousel at Pottstown at 30 West King Street, Pottstown

Come ride the second oldest operating Philadelphia Toboggan Company wooden carousel in the United States.  Open Saturdays and Sundays 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Doodlebug Days
Sunday, September 1, 2019 from 11:00 am to 03:00 pm
Allentown & Auburn Railroad at 232 Railroad Street, Kutztown

Take a ride in the historic Pennsy Doodlebug. Enjoy a 45 minute long ride through the scenic Kutztown countryside!

Have a Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Make sure to visit our blog every week for more local Berks County articles and real estate advice. Looking for the perfect home in Berks County? Our convenient and powerful home search tool will help you find the home of your dreams. 

Can you believe it's almost time to send your young ones back to school? September 5 is when most kids go back to schools in Berks County. This can be quite a busy time for parents as you get your kids back into the groove of going back to school. Here are a few ways you can ease the transition.

Use a Family Calendar

You can help keep everyone on the same page with a family calendar. School activities and sports can really put your schedule to the test. You can post a large paper calendar and use different colors for each kid's activities. And yes, there's an app for that if the kids are more glued to their devices. Cozi is an app that is perfect for this task.

Keep Dinner Simple

No we're not talking about microwave dinners, but you can make cooking healthy dinners easier. You can try doing your shopping and meal planning on the weekend. Or you can sign up for a meal kit service such as Hello Fresh or Blue Apron and have your ingredients delivered right to you.

Setting a New Pace

Most kids don't wake up at the crack of dawn during summer. So now is a great time to get them to adjust to a new schedule before school starts in Berks County. You can try adjusting the times they go to be and wake up gradually so they're more ready to wake up when school starts (or at least in theory).

Reduce Stress

School is usually stressful, especially if your child is going to a new school. Make sure to talk with them to see what may be stressing them out. Even if it seems like a little thing to you, it may be a big deal for them.

Come back to our blog every week for more real estate advice, along with local Berks County articles. Looking for the perfect home in Berks County? Our convenient and powerful home search tool will help you find the home of your dreams. 

It's hard to believe, but summer is coming to a close. But don't let that stop you from enjoying the warm weather and good times in Berks County. So here are a few events coming up in Berks County to help you and your family get the most out of the rest of summer.

Permian Monsters
Reading Public Museum
Friday, August 16 from 11:00 am to 05:00 pm

View fossilized skeletons and reconstructed models of amazing creatures that dominated land and sea. Learn about the greatest extinction the world has ever seen. This unique exhibition blends art and science with artwork offering a glimpse back in time through the eyes of award winning paleo-artist Julius Csotonyi. 

Reading Fightin Phils vs. Trenton Thunder | Last Saturday Night Fireworks Show
FirstEnergy Stadium
Friday, August 16 from 07:10 pm to 09:30 pm
Saturday, Aug 17, 6:45 PM

The first place R-Phils return home for their final set of weekend games August 16-18. Come out on Sat, August 17 for the final Saturday night fireworks show of the season following the game.

West Reading Farmer's Market
West Reading
Sunday, August 18 from 09:00 am to 01:00 pm

The West Reading Farmers’ Market features the very best in locally grown produce, sustainably raised meats, poultry and farm fresh eggs, artisan baked goods including breads and desserts, value-added products made with locally sourced ingredients and more. 

Rail Diesel Car Excursions
Reading Outer Station
Saturday, August 24 from 09:00 am to 06:00 pm

Enjoy a day trip from Reading to Jim Thorpe by rail.  Once in historic Jim Thorpe you have 3 1/2 hours to explore attractions, shops and restaurants. The RDC trains run every Saturday and Sunday in June, July, August, September, and November from Reading Outer Station, stopping at Port Clinton, on the way to Jim Thorpe.

Make sure to visit our blog every week for more local Berks County articles and real estate advice. Looking for the perfect home in Berks County? Our convenient and powerful home search tool will help you find the home of your dreams. 

If you plan to sell your home in Berks County, you want to make sure that it's energy efficient. Modern buyers are more concerned about saving energy and reducing monthly energy bills.

One place that can get overlooked when insulating your home for sale is the basement. People think that since hot air rises, that you want to just insulate the upper levels. And yes, you should.

Yet the basement can lose as much as 30% of your energy. If you stop that loss, you can save hundreds of dollars per year on heating and cooling costs.

Where to add basement insulation

There are two places to add basement insulation. You can treat the basement as an indoor space and add the insulation to the walls. Or you can treat it as an outdoor space and add it to the ceiling. If you chose the latter, you also need to close off all vents in the basement, particularly vents on your furnace unit and on exposed HVAC ducts.

Adding insulation to basement ceilings

Insulating your basement ceiling is a straightforward job. Use fiberglass batt insulation designed to fit between framing members. Figure a cost of $.50 to $2 per square foot to have a professional install 6 to 12 inches of fiberglass insulation.

Adding insulation to basement walls

Though floor insulation is more common, wall insulation has advantages over ceiling insulation:

• Efficiency—ceiling insulation often is compressed by many wires, pipes, and ducts that inhabit the floor joists, reducing effectiveness.

• Gained living space—insulating basement walls usually makes basements more habitable and usable on a daily basis.

Adding insulation to your basement walls requires one of two basic methods:

Build and insulate a stud wall

If you plan on using your basement to live in, building and insulating a stud wall is a great idea, as you can then run electrical and plumbing. You can then cover the wall with drywall and create a nice wall.

To insulate a stud wall, fill the stud cavities with regular fiberglass batt insulation. To prevent damage to the wall from trapped moisture, most building codes require installing a vapor barrier on the warmest (inside) side of the wall.

Install rigid foam sheathing directly against the basement wall

To prevent air infiltration and moisture problems, the seams between the rigid foam sheathing should be sealed with moisture-proof tape.

Codes often dictate that exposed foam sheathing be covered with an acceptable fire barrier, typically a layer of half-inch-thick drywall. Apply furring strips to the sheathing, then install a layer of drywall. Or, build a stud wall against the foam sheathing, fill the stud wall with unfaced fiberglass insulation, and cover with drywall. Both methods yield finished walls for your basement.

Need help finding the perfect home for sale in Berks County? Our powerful home search tool will help you find the home of your dreams. Make to visit to our blog every week for more real estate advice, along with local Berks County articles. 

Come back to our blog every week for more real estate advice, along with local Berks County articles. Looking for the perfect home in Berks County? Our convenient and powerful home search tool will help you find the home of your dreams. 

Your kids may not be too keen on the idea of returning to school, but as a parent, it's no doubt on your mind already. This is no doubt true if you plan to buy a home in Berks County. If you want to know where the best high schools are, websites such as Niche.com have rated the top schools across the nation using a wide range of data. Here's a list of the best high schools in Berks County that will help your kids get the best send off into their lives as adults.

Exeter Township Senior High School
#3 Best Public High Schools in Berks County

Exeter Township Senior High School has 1,354 students in grades 7-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1. According to state test scores, 77% of students are at least proficient in math and 71% in reading. Students attending this school reviewed "Attending Exeter High School the past four years has taught me so much both academically and personally. With the useful teachers in place, the importance of the teacher-student relationship stood out to me." And "Exeter Senior High School is flooding with opportunities for its students."

Homes For Sale Near Exeter Township Senior High School

Kutztown Area Senior High School
#4 Best Public High Schools in Berks County

Kutztown Area Senior High School has 444 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 11 to 1. According to state test scores, 77% of students are at least proficient in math and 82% in reading. One satisfied student says that "KAHS was a great school to prepare me for college. I love the small town because I knew everybody. The academics were great and the teachers are very willing to help."

Homes For Sale Near Kutztown Area Senior High School

Oley Valley Senior High School
#5 Best Public High Schools in Berks County

Oley Valley Senior High School has 562 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. According to state test scores, 72% of students are at least proficient in math and 77% in reading. One student noted that "There are a lot of academic opportunities at Oley. In addition, there are many sports available to participate in. The teaching staff members are very friendly and easy to get along with."

Homes For Sale Near Oley Valley Senior High School

If you need help finding the perfect home for your family in Berks County, our website can help. You can search homes for sale in Southeastern Pennsylvania using our powerful home search tool. And make sure to check back on our blog every week for more helpful articles about real estate and life in Berks County.

Make sure to visit our blog for more helpful real estate articles and local articles about life in Southern Eastern Pennsylvania and the surrounding communities. Find the perfect home for sale with our convenient and powerful home search tool.