Thank you for donating last weekend!

Despite the cold temperatures last Sunday, we had a great event supporting Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh. Thank you to all those who donated last week! Keep in mind that the ReStore will except your donations all year long.

Donations will be sold at the Habitat ReStore in Edgewood, where recycled building materials and furniture are sold at a deep discount. It is a way to keep items out of the waste stream while helping families find affordable improvements for their homes, Cadman said.

O'Hara resident and Fox Chapel Area School Board member Lisa Rutkowski spearheaded the collection, hosted by Guardian Storage along Old Freeport Road.

Her goal was to promote the Habitat Restore but also to repay Habitat for Humanity for all of the goodwill poured into the Lower Valley.

“They worked on a home last summer in Sharpsburg and they fulfill a lot of need right here in our own communities,” Rutkowski said.

A house along Clifton Avenue, more than 100 years old, was rehabbed last summer for a family from Tanzania.

“This community supports these activities, but a lot of people don't know the work lands right in our backyard,” Rutkowski said.

Cadman said the local drop-off site was meant to offer convenience for residents who find it difficult to get to Edgewood. She said the group offers a pick-up service too by calling (412) 271-4663.

Despite the frigid temperatures, Cadman said the drive pulled in wall art, picture frames and other household items that will help stock the shelves at the ReStore, which is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

There also are special holiday hours from 3 to 7 p.m. Mondays.

“Habitat needs the support of the community, whether you want to donate to a good cause or simply get rid of unused household goods,” Rutkowski said.

“Items donated to the ReStore help fund Habitat's projects in the area, and really make a difference not just in the lives of the Habitat program families but the entire community.”

http://triblive.com/mobile/7175492-96/habitat-cadman-drive

Donation Drive, November 16, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Colleen Cadman Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh Cell Phone: 412-651-4039 Email: ccadman@pittsburghhabitat.org

Community Donation Drive to Benefit the Habitat ReStore 

Sunday, November 16, 2014: Noon - 3PM

Guardian Storage
1390 Old Freeport Road Pittsburgh, PA 15238

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

To rally the Pittsburgh community against substandard housing by collecting new and gently-used goods for the Habitat ReStore.

Donation Collection, Noon to 3PM – Volunteers and Habitat staff members will be on hand to collect new and gently-used goods, including furniture, appliances, décor, and hardware for the Habitat ReStore, the proceeds of which allow Habitat to address substandard housing in the Pittsburgh region.

PITTSBURGH, PA ( November 11, 2014 ) – Thanks to the support of Guardian Storage, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh will be holding a community-driven donation drive on Sunday, November 16, 2014 from Noon to 3PM to benefit the Habitat ReStore. Made evident by the many volunteers who assist us in our efforts to address substandard housing (over 3,500 in 2013), our organization is driven entirely by community support: we cannot empower families in need without the compassion and generosity of individuals in the Pittsburgh region.

Fox Chapel area resident and Habitat volunteer Lisa Rutkowski, who is organizing the drive, stated, “Habitat needs the support of the community, and this drive is a tremendous way to help. Whether you want to donate to a good cause or simply get rid of unused household goods, items donated to the ReStore help fund Habitat’s projects in the area, and really make a difference not just in the lives of the Habitat program families, but the entire community.”

Starting at Noon, Habitat volunteers and staff members will be on hand to collect new and gently-used items including furniture, appliances, décor, hardware, and other household and office goods for the Habitat ReStore, the proceeds of which will benefit needy families in the Pittsburgh region. All donors will receive a receipt for tax purposes.

For more information or to volunteer for this event, please contact Lisa Rutkowski at (412) 491-2453 or lisarutkowski@howardhanna.com. 

For professional, courteous "concierge-style" service customized to fit your lifestyle and needs... Call me!

Ready to sell your house? I will have high-quality, digital photos and a virtual tour prepared the same day we list your property. Would you like your home to be featured on the Showcase of Homes? Done!

Every Realtor shoud be accessible and accountable, but I also offer the convenience of ON THE GO access to listing information (via WPMLX), document creation (via zipLogix) and electronic signatures (via DocuSign) any time and any place. I always have the necessary tools at my fingertips.

I am a Full-Time, Licensed Residential Realtor with Howard Hanna's award winning Fox Chapel Office, a member of the National Association of Realtors® and have earned a strong, professional reputation that you can trust.

I am a hard-working Pittsburgh Mom with a background deeply rooted in Real Estate. Working in Finance, Development and Sales, I have formed strategic relationships with professionals in/around this industry to develop a proven strategy for matching qualified buyers to the right homes.

My ongoing participation in local organizations helps to promote the improvement of our schools and neighborhoods. I am a PTA President and a School Board Director within the Fox Chapel Area School District and am a member of the Marketing Committee for Greater Pittsburgh Habitat for Humanity. I am fully invested in the future of Pittsburgh!

Find Me Online at: 

5-Star Zillow Rating: http://www.zillow.com/profile/Lisa-Rutkowski/ 

Realtor.com: http://www.realtor.com/realestateagents/Lisa-Rutkowski_Pittsburgh_PA_1543672_851979262 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/lisa-rutkowski/85/b35/619

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pghrealtormom 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/pghrealtormom 

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/pghrealtormom 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/pghrealtormom 

I am proud to be listed in The Pittsburgh Mom-Owned Business Directory; a collective effort to support Pittsburgh's working mothers: http://pittsburghmommyblog.com/pittsburgh-mom-owned-business-directory/wpbdp_category/real-estate/ 

Let's get started. Call or email me today to discuss your real estate needs.

I look forward to working with you! Thank you.

Lisa Rutkowski, Realtor Howard Hanna - Fox Chapel (412) 491-2453, Cell Lisarutkowski@howardhanna.com

PghRealtorMom Schools Resource

Moving to or within Pittsburgh with kids? Looking for schools in your community?

You've come to the right place! Let’s get started…

I’ve pulled together a group of reputable resources to help you become informed about the Schools within Western Pennsylvania, Allegheny County and more specifically the Pittsburgh Area. Using these tools, you can access district boundaries, test scores, demographics and other information you need to help determine the best school(s) for your family. Call me for a list of homes for sale or rent or for help in determining what schools serve the communities that you are most interested in.

Allegheny County School Districts:

School Boundaries and Reviews

School and District Boundaries Map: Researching schools in your neighborhood is a snap with this interactive map tool. Enter an address to see school attendance and district boundary lines.

To Search by address to find School Attendance Zones or School Boundaries:

Great Schools Ratings (1-5) provide an overview of a school's test performance. The ratings are based strictly on test score performance for that state's standardized tests. The community rating is the overall rating that is submitted by either a Parent/Guardian, Teacher, Staff, Administrator, Student or Former Student.

 
Statistics

These online mapping tool allows users to view maps of states and school districts, while overlaying statistics on population and housing, race and ethnicity, economics and social characteristics. Use this tool to view school district boundaries in the context of a region, other school districts and other types of geography.  And access the National Center for Education Statistics reports here:

 
Rankings and Scores

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, also known as PSSA, measures how well students have achieved in reading, mathematics, science and writing according to Pennsylvania's world-class academic standards. By using these standards, educators, parents and administrators can evaluate their students' strengths and weaknesses to increase students' achievement scores. To access more information about these scores which are used in the PBT Ranking, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education website.

Top Ranked Western PA School District lists are published annually. The rankings in these guides are based on standardized test scores and answer the question “which school or district has the highest-scoring students?” Check out the Best High Schools List also.

The Pennsylvania School Performance Profile offers a web-based resource for districts/schools to communicate performance results to various constituencies and assist districts and schools in aligning and focusing resources for continuous improvement.

This PA School Performance Profile also serves several other purposes:

• Provides a building level academic score for educators as part of the Educator Effectiveness System as required by 24 P.S. § 11-1123 – Act 82 – 2012
• Provides information used in determining federal accountability status for Title I schools as required by the Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act section 1111(h)(1) and (h)2
• Informs the public of the academic performance measures of each school, comprehensive career and technical center, cyber charter and charter school in Pennsylvania
• Provides resources to support schools as they seek to improve academic performance

Additional Resources

Pennsylvania Education Directory

The Pittsburgh Business Times asked a selection of southwestern Pennsylvania high school seniors about their future plans and what unique experience in high school do they think most prepared them for their future in the workforce. Here's how they responded:  Story Here

Private Versus Public - Some differences between public and private schools are obvious. But deciding what's right for your child entails shedding light on the subtle distinctions many parents ignore.

Frequently Used Acronyms in Education: Use this handy guide when you need help decoding the abbreviations and acronyms used in the world of education:

As you visit potential Elementary Schools, take this handy Checklist to be sure you make the most of your visit.

For more information on homes in the schools districts you want the most, please call or email me. If you have any suggestions on how I can improve the information I provide to my clients, I would appreciate your comments and feedback.

Who is PghRealtorMom?

Check out my Facebook Movie...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10203063689462660

This summarizes my life and my loves! Now let's talk about you! Call me to discuss your real estate needs.  I will look forward to speaking with you.

Thanks and have a great day!

For professional, courteous "concierge-style" service customized to fit your lifestyle and needs...

Lisa Rutkowski, Realtor
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services - Fox Chapel Office

(412) 491-2453, Cell/Text

Lisarutkowski@howardhanna.com

Getting Pre-Qualified

PghRealtorMom Tip of the Month:

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

 

Congratulations, you’re engaged… married… relocating… moving up or down-sizing!  Wherever your life has taken you, if you are reading this, you may be contemplating buying or selling your home.  Before you begin your home search, it's important to understand your purchasing power. How much home can you afford?  Do you need to sell before you buy?  What is your monthly budget?  

 

“Few experiences are more frustrating than falling in love with a home that’s for sale and then discovering you can’t afford to buy it… a consultation with a mortgage lender is a crucial step in the home-buying process because you need to understand your purchasing power before you begin to look at homes.”

 

Step 3 - A Pre-Qualification* Letter will state the amount a lender believes you can borrow based on your income and your FICO credit score.  This letter will give you peace of mind when shopping for a home and when submitted with your offer to purchase your new home, will assure the seller that you are a qualified buyer.  If you are selling, insist that your Realtor gathers this for you before accepting any offer.

 

Another very important step is to review a Cost Estimate with your Realtor, which provides your estimated closing costs, mortgage, home-owner’s insurance and real estate tax payments calculated on your offer for a specific home.  Be sure you are comfortable with the numbers before you make the commitment to purchase the home by signing the Agreement of Sale.  You may be eligible for various programs or loan products that would make your payments more favorable.

 

10-Step Guide to Buying a House:  http://www.realtor.com/advice/10-step-guide-to-buying-a-house/

 

Definitions:

 

Closing Costs:  fees for final property transfer not included in the price of the property.  Typical closing costs include charges for the mortgage loan such as origination fees, discount points, appraisal fee, survey, title insurance, legal fees, real estate professional fees, prepayment of taxes and insurance, and real estate transfer taxes.  A common estimate of a Buyer's closing costs is 2 to 4 percent of the purchase price of the home.  A common estimate for Seller's closing costs is 3 to 9 percent.

 

FICO Score:  FICO is an abbreviation for Fair Isaac Corporation and refers to a person's credit score based on credit history.  Lenders and credit card companies use the number to decide if the person is likely to pay his or her bills.  A credit score is evaluated using information from the three major credit bureaus and is usually between 300 and 850.

 

Offer:  indication by a potential buyer of a willingness to purchase a home at a specific price; generally put forth in writing.

 

Pre-Qualification* vs. Pre-Approval

 

Pre-Qualification:  a lender informally determines the maximum amount an individual is eligible to borrow.  This is not a guaranty of a loan.

Pre-Approval:  a lender commits to lend to a potential borrower a fixed loan amount based on a completed loan application, credit reports, debt, savings and has been reviewed by an underwriter. The commitment remains as long as the borrower still meets the qualification requirements at the time of purchase.  This does not guaranty a loan until the property has passed inspections underwriting guidelines.

More Definitions at: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/buying/glossary

 

 

PghRealtorMom Needs: 

(If your home fits any of the below descriptions and you are thinking of selling, please contact me immediately.)

 

·         Mid-Century Modern design surrounded by private green space or with an attractive view / any area ok

·         Victorian-Style 3+ bedroom with potential for 1^st floor master / Fox Chapel Area School District

·         Maintenance-Free 3+ bedroom in secure “lock & leave” community with private outdoor space / North Hills area

·         Ranch 3+ bedroom fixer-upper with basement on large, private lot / North Hills area

·         3+ bedroom, move-in ready with open kitchen/family area, finished basement and large 2+ garage / Plum, Kiski or Franklin Regional SD

·         Maintenance-Free 4+ bedroom, single-family with yard / Fox Chapel area

·         Large move-in ready, 4+ bedroom with finished basement in secure neighborhood in Pine Richland or  Hampton School Districts

PghRealtorMom Current Mortgage Rates:

 

	30 Year Fixed	15 Year Fixed	5 Year ARM	FHA
01/24/2014	4.375%	3.50%		3.75%
01/28/2014	4.375%	3.375%	2.99%

*rates deemed to be reliable, but must be verified.

 

Know your home financing options.  There are lending limits for some loan products.  It is important to speak with a mortgage professional to fully understand what mortgage program is best for you.

Fixed-Rate Mortgage: a mortgage with payments that remain the same throughout the life of the loan because the interest rate and other terms are fixed and do not change.

Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM):  a mortgage loan subject to changes in interest rates; when rates change, ARM monthly payments increase or decrease at intervals determined by the lender; the change in monthly payment amount, however, is usually subject to a cap.

Conventional Loan:  a loan secured by investors, but neither insured by the FHA nor guaranteed by VA.  Both fixed rate and adjustable rate loans are available with conventional financing.

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Financing:  is a government, mortgage insurance backed loan which is provided by a FHA-approved lender; this product enables lenders to make loans to borrowers who may not qualify for conventional mortgages.

203(k) Financing:  this FHA mortgage insurance program enables homebuyers to finance both the purchase of a house and the cost of its rehabilitation through a single mortgage loan.

VA Financing:  a loan guaranteed by the Veterans Administration (VA) to a qualified veteran and made by an authorized lender on an approved property.  Fixed and adjustable rates are available with VA loans.  The VA charges borrowers a funding fee.

Who is PghRealtorMom?

 

I am a hard-working Pittsburgh Mom with a background deeply rooted in Real Estate.  I began my career in real estate finance, moving into my current role as I worked with a real estate developer then entered exclusively into the sales aspect of the business in the spring of 2010.  Since then, I have formed strategic relationships with agents around the region to match qualified buyers to the right homes.

 

I am a member of the National Association of Realtors® and through continuing training; I strive to maintain a strong, professional reputation that you can trust.  My ongoing participation in local organizations helps to promote the improvement of our schools and neighborhoods.  I am raising my children to experience and appreciate the diverse cultures surrounding this great city.  I am fully invested in the future of Pittsburgh.

It is with my familiarity with Pittsburgh, Residential Real Estate expertise and my personal connections that I will be your resource for all of your Real Estate Needs... Lisa Rutkowski is PghRealtorMom!

Find Me Online at:

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/pub/lisa-rutkowski/85/b35/619

 

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/pghrealtormom 

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/pghrealtormom 

Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/pghrealtormom 

Instagram:  www.instagram.com/pghrealtormom

 

5-Star Zillow Rating:  http://www.zillow.com/profile/Lisa-Rutkowski/

 

I am proud to be listed in The Pittsburgh Mom-Owned Business Directory; a collective effort to support Pittsburgh’s working mothers:  http://pittsburghmommyblog.com/pittsburgh-mom-owned-business-directory/wpbdp_category/real-estate/

 

Why Choose PghRealtorMom For Your Residential Real Estate Needs in Pittsburgh?

 

Choosing a real estate agent who has the tools, skills and experience to make your dreams come true can be as challenging as the home buying/selling process itself.  Let me make it simple for you!  I am a Full-Time, Licensed Residential Realtor with Howard Hanna's award winning Fox Chapel Office, a member of the National Association of Realtors® and have earned a strong, professional reputation that you can trust.  It will be my pleasure to answer questions throughout this process and provide information so that you have realistic expectations about the future sale of your property.

 

In addition to yard signs, newspaper ads, details/photos on the MLS and televising your house, there are thousands of ways to advertise your home.  With a combination of traditional and modern sales tools, I will work hard to be sure that your listing reaches the global and regional network of real estate agents and consumers to find the right, qualified-buyer looking for a home like yours!

 

Good communication is the cornerstone of any successful relationship.  You can count on me to provide you with the information you need on a schedule and manner that suits you best.  You will also have access to statistical Listing Activity Reports providing every opportunity to track my success in finding your buyer.

 

For professional, courteous "concierge-style" service, customized to fit your lifestyle and needs…

Please contact me with any questions or to schedule an appointment. Lisa Rutkowski, Realtor Howard Hanna Real Estate Services - Fox Chapel Office (412) 491-2453, Cell | (412) 963-6301, x218, Office | (412) 252-2945, Fax lisarutkowski@howardhanna.com, Email www.PghRealtorMom.com, Website