I had to write a blog entry about a recent basketball experience that I had.  As anyone who knows me can attest, I am a bit of a sports nut.  I love to watch sports, and have coached and played many sports over the years.  I play basketball several times a week, locally.  If anyone wants to know where there is basketball played in the Yardley-Newtown area, just ask me. 

My daughter, Rachel, recently won a bid at a local charity auction to gift to me that related to my love for basketball.  She was the top bidder for an opportunity to play in a basketball game with the Philadelphia Eagles, travelling basketball team.  The Eagles have a group of players, that plays a 7 or 8 game schedule in the off-season.  They do it as a fund raising effort, for local charities. 

As a result, on Friday evening, my wife Jane, Rachel and myself, travelled to a high school in Downingtown, so that I could play with the Eagles.  What a great experience for me!  It definitely brought back memories of my high school and college days, playing a variety of competitive sports.  I was given a uniform, warm up shirt, and shorts, and suited up with the Eagles.  We played 10 minute quarters, and for those interested, I did hit a couple of jump shots.  The gym was packed, and it was incredible fun!  The Eagle players who participated, were AJ Feeley, Hank Baskett, Juqua Thomas, Omar Gaither and Quintin Mikell.  All could play!  They were extremely supportive of my participation, and constantly encouraged me to shoot.  I had a great workout, and really enjoyed myself.  It was an event that I will not soon forget.

I realize this has nothing to do with real estate, other than to make anyone who plays basketball, aware of the fact that I can help find games, for those interested. 

Welcome to my Bucks County real estate -- and other related and/or non-related  -- blog spot.  My goal in creating this blog is to provide a personal perspective on Bucks County life, as well as providing an insight into real estate in Bucks County.  Although I am new to blogging, I am not new to real estate or Bucks County and I love to write.  I have lived in Bucks County for almost 30 years and have been working as a realtor for more than 13 of those years. This means that I should know Bucks County real estate.  Because Bucks County, Pennsylvania is so close to New Jersey -- and because I was born in New Jersey -- I also do real estate in New Jersey.  There are definitely advantages and disadvantages to living in either state. 

To those who do not know Bucks County, let me familiarize you about this absolutely wonderful place. It is a great place to live and features excellent schools, loads of history and charm, and absolutely gorgeous and stunning settings.  The Delaware River meanders through the county, and there are many towns and villages along the river. In fact, the river acts as a border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

There is a huge array of housing options in Bucks County. Most people who are new to the area find the housing expensive compared to many other parts of the country.  Central Bucks County is about 35 minutes from Center City, Philadelphia and only about an hour by train from New York City.  Our real estate pricing is slightly lower than the Philadelphia main line and lower than the commuting areas close to New York City; however, it is still expensive when compared with many other parts of the country.  Because there are many types of houses -- from condominiums to small single family homes to huge palatial estates -- there is something for every taste.

I live in Yardley with my wife Jane.  We have 3 children: Rachel, Lauren and Michael.  Rachel has a doctorate in psychology and is in private practice.  She also teaches and has a corporate consulting business, which helps companies with diversity training, conflict resolution strategies and helps executives maximize both individual and corporate potential.

Lauren currently owns and operates a Coldstone Creamery Ice Cream store in the Mercer Mall in Lawrence Township, New Jersey.  If you have never experienced Coldstone, do yourself a favor and check it out.  The ice cream is absolutely amazing!

Michael, our youngest, recently graduated from the University of Maryland and is working at a Marriott near campus.

In my life away from real estate, (I occasionally have some free time) I love basketball.  My tag line is that I am old, but slow!  I love to read both fiction and non-friction.  I play golf (if you can call what I do actually playing golf) and love all kinds of music.  I am currently taking guitar lessons, which is something that I have always wanted to do.  Jane and I love to eat so we enjoy trying new restaurants anywhere in the Bucks County area as well as in Philadelphia.

Because this is a real estate-related blog, I should mention that our local real estate market -- as with many areas in the country --went through about a 5-year cycle of rapidly appreciating values with multiple offers on homes not uncommon.  That cycle ended about 6 to 8 months ago.  The market totally shifted and has become more of a buyers market.  That means that buyers have many more choices, houses stay on the market for considerably longer, and offers are generally submitted below the asking price -- sometimes considerably lower than the asking price.  In future posts, I will share some graphs and statistics that will demonstrate exactly what is going on in our market. 

For those who know Bucks County -- although I have worked everywhere in the county -- the areas that I focus on the most are the areas that include Yardley, Lower Makefield Township, Upper Makefield Township, Newtown, Buckingham, Doylestown, Solebury and Langhorne. 

Well I guess that is enough for my first post.  I would encourage you to post comments or feedback.  If you have real estate-specific questions, I would be happy to answer them for you.  If you have any questions related to life in Bucks County, please let me know.  In the meantime, please visit my websites at www.TourBucksCounty.com, www.MartinMillner.com and  www.TeamMillner.com.