On Saturday, October 20 from 11:30 a.m. &mdash 1:30 p.m. the YLD will host A-Scare-Ium at the Aquarium. Admission is $25 for adults and $15 for children and includes lunch, an animal encounter, a pick-your-own pumpkin and painting activity and a special showing of SpongeBob SquarePants 4D ride at 2 p.m. Children are encouraged to come in costume.
On October 25, the YLD will host Lawyerpalooza at Kildare's Headhouse Square (2nd & South streets). The cost of $10 includes drink tickets, heavy hors d'oeuvres and drink specials. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., lawyers who moonlight in bands, such as A Band Called M, Class Action, Brand New Gods, ProBonos and Pray for Mojo, will be featured. There will also be a performance by Brad Shuttleworth. You've seen them in court, now see them on stage!
Lawyerpalooza is sponsored by Esquire Deposition Services, LLC and Summit Court Reporting, Inc. Click here to purchase tickets.
Visit the myspace site of Pray for Mojo.
On October 31 from 7-9 p.m., the YLD will host a Halloween party for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House. A limited number of volunteers are needed to play games, assist with craft projects and hand out candy. The Ronald McDonald house was founded in 1974 as a home-away-from-home for families of seriously ill children who are receiving care at local hospitals.
If you are interested in volunteering for the Halloween party, please contact Abbie DuFrayne.
Contrary to popular opinion, Lisa explains why the real estate market isn't as bad as people seem to think it is. Read more...
Lynn A. Marks, a champion for court reform in Pennsylvania, has been named recipient of the Philadelphia Bar Association's 2007 Sandra Day O'Connor Award. The meeting will take place at 12 p.m. at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. Ann Weaver Hart, the first woman president of Temple University, will be the keynote speaker at the event.
Click here to purchase tickets.
Philadelphia Bar Association members can receive $100 off the registration fee when signing up for The Training Resource Group's training program for associates of professional services firms.
The workshop, for attorneys looking to improve their client development skills, will be held Oct. 10, Oct. 24 and Nov. 7 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the offices of The Training Resource Group, 100 N. 20th St., 4th floor. The pre-discount cost of the program is $895 per participant and includes evaluation, training, coaching session and materials.
To RSVP for this program, call The Training Resource Group at (215) 320-4652 or e-mail helene@trainingresourcegroup.com.
Lately, there has been a lot of hype in the media about the real estate market being in a slump. I have heard people on television say that this is not the right time to invest in a home. However, I strongly disagree.
For starters, real estate is highly localized. While the market may not be doing so well in other parts of the country it is still fine here. Making a broad statement that real estate is poor all over is like saying it is raining outside everywhere. There are and there always will be areas of the city that are established and hold their value. Likewise, there are similar areas in the Main Line and Philadelphias other suburban communities. This makes purchasing a home a good investment, not a bad one. Even if your profit is minimal in the end, buying in the right location will still enable you to live for free during the time of your residence. I can't think of a better investment.
Moreover, homes that are in good condition, priced right and located in a desirable area are selling. As a matter of fact, some of these homes are selling for close to, at, or above asking price. Some are even selling following multiple offers. Sellers who have invested money to modernize their homes are still seeing a generous return, especially those whose homes are in a popular location.
Nobody disputes the fact that interest rates are still extremely low. Years ago when interest rates were 16%, 18% or 20% people still bought homes. Today, with interest rates in the low 6% range it makes home buying even easier. Furthermore, there are various types of mortgage packages available, especially for first time homebuyers.
Finally, this is a great market for buyers. With the percentage of listings on the rise, buyers have a large selection to choose from when searching for a home. Moreover, when a home sits longer on the market, buyers may be able to negotiate the price.
If you are considering purchasing a home, now is the best time! To think that the price of homes in this area will decline significantly may be a grave error.
If there's a topic you'd like Lisa to write about, please email her.
