Realtor's Tips to Reduce Property Taxes

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Created: March 29, 2016

LeTip Chester County East met on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Exton, PA. Our showboaters were Mike Hoopes and Dan Frame. Mike (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) is our property and casualty insurance agent, and Dan (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) is our electrician.

We had two speakers, but due to regulations in the financial industry, we do not blog about our financial advisor. You can find out more about him on our chapter's website http://letipcce.com/meet-your-sales-force/344-financial-advisor.html. Our other speaker was our residential realtor, Scott Darling (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Scott spoke about how and when people may choose to appeal the tax assessment on their home. Scott can help a homeowner to evaluate the assessment of comparable properties in the neighborhood and decide whether an appeal is a good idea. Appealing can be helpful if there appears to be a reasonable chance of decreasing taxes. However, opening up the appeal process can result in a change either way, increasing or decreasing the assessment. Scott is always willing to answer questions and provide advice and assistance.

Quality Landscaping and HVAC Contractors

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Created: March 15, 2016

LeTip Chester County East met on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Exton, PA. Our showboaters were web designer Greg Cazillo (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and mortgage broker Lonnie Cooper (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Our first speaker was Scott Brown, our heating and air conditioning contractor (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Scott showed photos of some of the issues he has had to repair due to poor designs, incorrect installation, quick/unsafe fixes, fire hazards, and inaccessible systems. When Scott completes an installation, everything is done properly and in compliance with existing codes.

Our second speaker was landscaper Vince DelVacchio (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). He does all sorts of landscaping and hardscaping, but he talked with us about mulch, because it's getting to be the season for ordering and laying mulch. Mulch is beneficial, because it helps to retain moisture, regulate temperature, prevent erosion, and prevent the growth of weeds. Mulch decomposes over time and nourishes the soil. There are several types of mulch depending upon the desired look and use of the area being mulched. Vince can help you choose from bark, hardwood, cedar, playground, wood chips, or dyed mulch. DelVacchio Landscape & Garden Center has both mulch and soil available. Contact Vince with any questions or to order mulch for this season.

Get Piece of Mind with a Will and Reward Yourself with a Vacation

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Created: February 9, 2016

LeTip Chester County East met on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Exton, PA. We were joined by guests representing the categories of landscaping and marketing specialties.

Our showboaters were Mike Dobbyn and Gregg Clark. Mike (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) is our financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, and he shared information about investing and retirement planning.

Gregg was representing Jennifer Canfield-Clark, our travel agent with All In Vacations (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). He displayed photos of beautiful vacation sites, and he ended up filling in as a speaker for us also. Gregg and Jennifer specialize in all-inclusive vacations. They have had many excellent experiences with the Sandals family of resorts. Gregg recommends using a travel agent, because booking and holding various rooms on your own can actually drive up the price. The shortest vacation package for a good deal is three days, and more discounts will become available for trips of six days or longer. If someone wants to book a three-day vacation, Jennifer and Gregg suggest choosing a location based on the availability of direct flights and a resort close to the airport. Sandals offers a Sandals Select lifetime membership, but they may not advertise it openly. Jennifer and Gregg know how to get their customers signed up for the Select discounts and points, even for a vacation that already happened years ago. Talk to them to find out the advantages and price breaks that are available when booking with an experienced travel agent.

Our other speaker was our estate attorney, Beth Rondinelli (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Beth urges everyone to be prepared with a simple will, power of attorney, and living will. Over one million Americans die suddenly each year, and it is important to have these documents in place before they are needed. People may avoid getting their wills drafted, because they are busy and don't want to face their own mortality. Married people may assume that their spouse will automatically get everything, but this is not necessarily the case. Beth can help each person to talk through their wishes in a simple visit and get the documents drafted quickly. She will also look at anyone's existing documents to make sure that they reflect the person's true intent. Beth can make a difficult subject much less scary and provide peace of mind for her clients and their families.