The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission will examine new zoning regulations and official maps from the Borough of Slatington and Washington Township in an effort to realize the objectives of joint municipal plans.

The Townships of Heidelberg, Lynn, Lowhill, Washington, and Weisenberg along with the Borough of Slatington adopted the most recent Northern Lehigh Multi-Municipal Plan in 2022.

The collaborative effort permits more precise zoning between them and aims to control development along this more rural stretch of Lehigh County. Recent years have brought various challenges due to development in the area. The township of Lowhill has been involved in court disputes in an attempt to control and stop the planned development of warehouses within the township. Municipalities are required to have a site for every use, which means that anything from a solar farm to an amusement park must have its own designated space.

To circumvent that rule, one must participate in a Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan. Then, other municipalities are not required to have a space designated for a particular function if one municipality does. The municipalities under the proposal are currently working on these zoning modifications in order to get this into law. The new plan was devised, and now that it is being implemented, a great deal of coordination has been needed between the towns, Lehigh County, and the LVPC, according to Slatington Borough Manager Daniel Stevens. "Every municipality is attempting to work together to update the zoning because we have a deadline to complete this," Stevens stated.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission is scheduled to evaluate the official maps and zoning rules on Thursday. The proposed legislation's conformance to state regulations and the multi-municipal and LVPC FutureLV plans is praised in a letter that the LVPC proposed to the administration of Slatington and Washington Township. It includes some more important advice along with an encouragement to revise the text in order to correct any problems.

The LVPC expressed worry about housing restrictions in the letter to Slatington's administration, but it also applauded the wide variety of dwelling types permitted in the Suburban Residential, Town Residential, and Town Center zoning zones. It was suggested that upper-story residential units should have additional definitions and provisions so that they may sustain a "broad variety of accessible housing" in the downtown area of the Borough.

In order to boost options for mixed-use complexes and affordable housing, it was also suggested that townhouse homes be permitted in the Suburban Residential district. The LVPC pointed out that certain suggested environmental requirements—like a riparian buffer legislation, more precise slope regulations, and development permits for floodplains—were not included in the designs. It is recommended that the municipality locate its proposed industrial zoning district in a different area, away from the Lehigh River.

Regarding the municipality's first-ever official suggested map, the LVPC invites the borough to identify potential future transportation enhancement projects inside the borough. It also promotes the recognition of the recreation and historic places within the borough. Official maps designate public lands and infrastructure that are now in use as well as those that are planned. They also indicate a local government's interest in purchasing land in the future for public use.

According to Stevens, the only significant modification was "some adjustments to the industrial zone" to take into account the encroachment of residential development into that area. Additionally, he said that a public hearing on the zoning change will be held on September 9 and that a vote by the Borough Council members will follow at a later meeting. Restricting development to single-family detached homes could lead to "sprawling development patterns that may not fulfill the township's desired community character or resource preservation goals," according to a warning from the LVPC.

In the interest of public health, it also recommended that care be taken to guarantee that the necessary infrastructure for emergency services and utilities is available to meet demand, and that mobile homes be removed from the Regional Use Overlay District. Additional suggestions were related to truck loading laws and the length of parking spaces. It was also suggested to include provisions for solar and wind energy, forestry, and logging.

Similar to Slatington, certain draft text problems were found, and the absence of a riparian buffer—a buffer that is located alongside a river—and the protection standard were mentioned as concerns. In order to support the preservation of open space, the LVPC advises the township to designate desirable mobility improvement projects and include present agricultural security areas and easements on the official map. The Washington Township Board of Supervisors is anticipated to consider the ordinances at a later time.

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The average 30-year mortgage rate reached its lowest point in 15 months, which is encouraging news for prospective homeowners navigating a housing market that is still out of reach for many Americans.

The rate dropped from 6.49% to 6.46%, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. The rate averaged 7.23% a year ago. The current average rate is the lowest since it was 6.39% in mid-May of the previous year. This week saw a decrease in the cost of borrowing for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, which is encouraging for homeowners looking to refinance at a cheaper rate. This week's average rate decreased from 5.66% to 5.62%. According to Freddie Mac, it averaged 6.55% a year ago.

Since the Federal Reserve is expected to lower its benchmark interest rate at its policy meeting next month—the first lowering in four years—signs of fading inflation and a cooling labor market have raised hopes that mortgage rates will continue their downward trend overall this year. Sam Khater, chief economist at Freddie Mac, stated, "Although mortgage rates have been relatively stable over the previous couple of weeks, softer incoming economic data imply rates may softly slope lower through the end of the year."

The average 30-year mortgage rate has remained relatively stable at 7% this year, having surged to a 23-year high of 7.79% in October. This is more than twice as expensive as it was just three years ago. However, this month has seen the largest decline in the average rate in almost a year, with it hovering around 6.5%. The Mortgage Bankers Association reports that applications for home refinancing loans have increased by 23% since a month ago, largely due to the recent decline in mortgage rates generally.

But financing applications for home purchases have not kept up. According to Khater, "we estimate rates to likely need to decrease another percentage point in order to build buyer demand."

High mortgage rates, which can result in monthly expenses for borrowers of hundreds of dollars, have deterred many prospective homeowners, prolonging the country's housing crisis into its third year. US home sales that were previously occupied are not as fast as they were in the previous year, but they did recover in July after a four-month decline.

The bond market's response to central bank decisions regarding interest rate policy is one of many factors that affect the rate of a 30-year mortgage. This has the potential to alter the 10-year Treasury yield's trajectory, which lenders use to determine how much to charge for house loans. After mixed reports on the U.S. economy, which has been slowing down due to high interest rates intended to limit inflation, the yield—which peaked at 4.7% in late April—was at 3.86% in afternoon bond market trading on Thursday.

The majority of analysts predict that this year's average rate on a 30-year house loan will stay over 6%. Given the historically high cost of homes and the dearth of available properties in many regions, that could not be sufficient for a large number of potential homeowners.

The head economist of Bright MLS, Lisa Sturtevant, stated that "home values are still growing in most markets." "Even with a decrease in rates, opportunities for first-time and moderate-income homeowners would still be restricted."

Call 610-533-4549 To Pre Qualify ad Lock Your Rate

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Macungie ranked in the top 0.02% of the 41,618 unique ZIP codes in the United States in an annual analysis that Realtor.com released this week.

Macungie PA is ranked 10th in the country, was hailed as one of the hottest ZIP codes of 2024.

However, Macungie is just one of many communities in the area where Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors provides real estate services and where demand has continued to soar. Michael Bernadyn, the 2024 GLVR President-elect, stated, "Macungie's expanding popularity is a testament to its dynamic neighborhood, outstanding possibilities for education, and closeness to essential amenities, making it a prime location for homeowners."

Macungie (in the East Penn district) is exhibiting advances in practically all major housing indicators, according to the Greater Lehigh Valley Multiple Listing Service's July market report.

Here are Macungie Home Sales for 2024 vs. 2023 statistics:

383 new listings compared to 465 (+12.4%)

Pending Sales: 387 compared to 363 (+6.6%)

367 vs. 355 in closed sales (-3.3%)

$394,801 as the average sale price versus $428,842 (+8.6%)

July compared to July inventory: 46 vs. 79 (+71.7%)

Northwestern Lehigh Home Sales: 59 vs. 98 (+66.1%) in terms of new listings

Sales Pending: 50 vs. 75 (+50%)

Closed Sales: 44 (+50%) vs. 66

Average Sale Price: -10.2%, or $550,291 versus $494,224

Inventory: 13 vs. 18 (+38.5%) compared to July

Catasauqua Home Sales: 47.3% more new listings (91 vs. 134)

Sales Pending: 69 vs. 92 (+33.3%)

Closed Sales: 90 (+38.5%) vs. 65

Average Sale Price: $356,740 (+17.3%) against $304,114

July versus July inventory: 25 versus 22 (-12.0%)

Saucon Valley Home Sales: New Listings: 35.2% more with 105 vs. 142

Pending Sales: +34.4%, 90 vs. 121

Closed Sales: 103 versus 96 (up 7.3%).

Average Sale Price: $520,928 (+9.1%) compared to $568,433

July compared to July inventory: 18 vs. 21 (+16.7%)

Parkland School District: 423 New Listings compared to 526 (+29.1%)

Pending Sales: 475 (+26%) compared to 377

Closed Sales (+14.1%): 348 vs. 397

Average Sale Price: $463,132 (+7.8%) against $429,450

Inventory: +19.2%, from 78 to 93.

Easton: 465 New Listings compared to 578 (+24.3%)

Pending Sales: +15.8%, 411 vs. 476

Closed Sales: 403 versus 368 (plus 9.5%)

Average Sale Price: $350,011 (+10.3%) as opposed to $386,116

Inventory: +21.9%, 73 vs. 89

Trends in the Lehigh Valley

Based on Realtor.com data, the majority of Lehigh Valley districts have list prices that are lower than the current national median, which is $439,950 as of July.

The highest average sale price is in Southern Lehigh, at $624,124, and Saucon Valley is second ($568,433).

Catasauqua saw the biggest total increase, up 17% to $356,740.

Additionally, the area's home prices are rising faster than the average increase of the hottest ZIP codes in the country for the first half of the year, which is 7.4%, due to relatively high demand. Outside of Catasauqua, places like Allentown had increases of 14.3% compared to the national average of 0.4% growth in median listing prices.

You will need to move quickly in Allentown if you are looking for a place to call home. In the neighborhood, homes are listed for an average of just 21 days. Realtor.com reports that Macungie (23 days), Bethlehem (27 days), Emmaus (28 days), Easton (28 days), and Catasauqua (29 days) are some other locations where properties are seeing rapid sales.

View Homes For Sale in Hottest Zip-code 18062 in PA

This autumn, a well-liked bar from Bucks County will relocate to Easton.

Late October will see the opening of Yardley's Vault Brewing at 225 Ferry St., a Facebook announcement from Monday stated. Vault shared a picture of the structure that formerly housed Access Networks.

Vault is a brand synonymous with beer enthusiasts in the craft sector. It is well-known for its interesting brews, like Dead Cat Bounce, an 8.0% ABV Double New England-style IPA.

Alternatively, Liquid Asset is a Farmhouse Saison that is "fermented on French oak staves with a mild dry hopping of Nelson Sauvin during primary fermentation," made using a diverse variety of pilsner malts, raw wheat, and spelt malt from Deer Creek Malthouse. Director of Operations at Vault Brewing Co., Eric Leypoldt, expressed the company's excitement about entering Easton and bringing the high-quality beers and food that have made its Yardley site famous.

"Easton is simply a wonderful town," Leypoldt remarked. "This is similar to what we are doing in Yardley; we are both on the river. "We recently noticed a fantastic possibility in Easton. We adore the city's overall atmosphere." According to Leypoldt, the new location is Vault Brewing's second location but its sixth enterprise under the Vault Brewing & Companies brand. 225 Ferry St., next to Sette Luna, was described in its social media post as "spacious and gorgeous, with an open and industrial feeling, and it also includes an outdoor patio space," and it seemed to suit the description.

The post says, "There is something clearly 'us' inside of this place, and we are pleased to welcome it into the fold, even though it is not an ancient bank or financial institution." According to Leypoldt, beer will not be made at the new facility; rather, it will be delivered from Yardley, probably once a week. Additionally, he noted that although Chef would Porras' menu would be well-known, it will have a unique twist.

Leypoldt stated that instead of the Yardley institution's signature wood-fired pizza, Easton is expected to serve handmade flatbreads topped with Fulper Farms mozzarella, peaches and prosciutto, wild mushrooms, and other toppings. Along with classic pub fare, there will be a unique take on items like chicken souvlaki, duck carnitas tacos, the stacked Vault Burger, and more.

Leypoldt expressed his confidence that patrons will delight in matching their new favorite foods with inventive brews. The equipment at the Easton facility is in place, and more work is being done there. "It appears highly motivated, so I think it is going to move along really fast," Leypoldt stated.

 Leypoldt stated that it might open in a few months at most.

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The Bethlehem social security office is moving. 

The Social Security Office has announced that it would be moving from its current location at 555 Main St. to 3450 High Point Boulevard. The business at the Main St. location will conclude. Due to continuous delays from the contractors, the new location's opening date has not been set. 

Those in need of Social Security assistance can go to: 

134 South 4th St., Easton;

41 North 4th St., Allentown

The store is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

You can reach them by phone at 1-800-772-1213 or by visiting www.ssa.gov. Call 1-800-325-0778 if you are hard of hearing or deaf.

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The board of commissioners for Bethlehem Township examined a draft design for a planned cluster housing development.

Jaindl Land Co.'s Farmersville Estates project calls for the development of 206 building lots on 290 acres north of Route 22 along Nazareth Pike, Farmersville Road, Butztown Road, and Green Pond Road. Currently used for agriculture, the parcel is located in the township's Agricultural Zoning District.

214 acres of the 290 acres—four parcels total—are located in Bethlehem Township. Three of the four properties are north of the highway and border Farmersville Road to the east, Hecktown Road to the west, Route 22 to the south, and undeveloped land to the north. To the north of the parcels lies the municipal line separating Lower Nazareth Township from Bethlehem Township. The preservation of a 35-acre area for open space will occur south of Route 22. Within the built region on the north side of the roadway, more open space is suggested. Residents will have access to walking trails, little ball fields, pocket parks, and landscaped coves as part of the open space.

According to Jaindl officials, new direct links to Hecktown Road and Farmersville Road will provide access to the main site. The project site's internal road network is made up of two connections to Hecktown Road and Farmersville Road, as well as minor roads that link to the main roads and allow access to the main site. Public water and sewage facilities will be connected to the existing utility lines found along these two main highways to service all planned development lots. 20,000 square feet will be the area of a single-family lot when the development is examined. This is not equal to the by-right 43,560-square-foot lot.

Michael Hudak, the commissioner, raised concerns over the development's entry points. While President John Merhottein expressed his "torn" feelings regarding the cluster development concept, the commissioners that spoke expressed no objections to the idea. Would it make sense to think about reducing the number of lots if doing so would also reduce the volume of traffic? David Jaindl, a developer, enquired Monday evening. Later, he said he would cut the lot total by ten or fifteen. The majority of commissioners agreed with this scenario.

Developer J.G. Petrucci Co. requested an extension from the board to complete necessary improvements on a lot it owns in Lehigh Valley Industrial Park VI. The business said that the majority of the site's necessary upgrades have been made. But the company will not be able to get a building permit in time to erect the proposed structure before August 23 because they do not currently have a tenant for the location.

Because of this, JGP does not plan to finish the few benefits that are now secured until August 23. Until the project moves vertically, these tasks are not feasible to do."

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The Great Allentown Fair's organizers are alerting attendees to the Fairgrounds' impending closures. 

The fair will debut in just one week on Wednesday, August 28 and run through Monday, September 2, which is Labor Day.

In advance of the fair, the Allentown Fairgrounds will restrict its gates to through traffic between Liberty and Chew Streets, the grounds' north and south boundaries, starting this Wednesday at 12 a.m. In order to access the fairgrounds, both Ritz Barbecue patrons and Box Office ticket holders should proceed to Gate 2 on Chew Street, which is located immediately west of 17th Street.

Parking is available at the fairgrounds through Tuesday.

The Fair Box Office will sell half-price fair admission tickets, advance discount tickets for all-day ride wristbands, and seats to the Grandstand entertainment of the fair. On the fairgrounds, halfway between the Grandstand performance venue and the Ritz Barbecue, is where you will find the Fair Box Office. American Express, Discover, Visa, MasterCard, and cash are all accepted. The box office is open from 12 to 4 p.m. This week's dates are Wednesday through Friday.

Starts at extended hours on Saturday and Sunday. Monday through Tuesday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The box office will be open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, August 28, and from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day of fairweek.

Monday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. is Labor Day.

Tickets for shows, rides, and entrance can be purchased online at any time at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets for the discounted ride are available until Tuesday, August 27; tickets for the discounted fair admission are available until Wednesday, August 28.

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In Easton, more public art initiatives and events are anticipated in the upcoming years.  Easton was one of the six cities admitted to the Creative Cities Initiative, according to an announcement from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA).

According to officials, Easton will receive multi-year financing from the PCA to assist with its creative placemaking initiatives. Over a four-year period, each selected town will receive a total of $100,000.

The Greater Easton Development Partnership is an Easton initiative. It intends to advance downtown regeneration and community development through artist-led community participation for the idea and execution of public art projects and activities, according to a news release. Easton was chosen as one of six community and economic development initiatives in Pennsylvania because of its creative and all-encompassing strategy for tackling a range of regional opportunities and difficulties. 

The following are the other five PA communities that were chosen: 

Kane, Johnstown

Pittsburgh

Uniontown, Potter County

The Creative Communities Initiative offers support to PA communities for arts-based community and economic development initiatives. Karl Blischke, Executive Director of the PCA, stated, "The Creative Communities Initiative illustrates our commitment to promoting vibrant, inclusive, and resilient communities by harnessing Pennsylvania's robust creative economy." "We are eager to observe how these innovative programs use the arts to transform their communities for the better."

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A new restaurant in the Lehigh Valley is serving Misto shakes, gelatos, and other refreshing delicacies. According to franchisee Humberto Ortiz, Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard, a well-known company of water ice and frozen custard with over 550 stores around the country, debuted at 7001 Route 309 in Upper Saucon Township.

In the Fairmont Village shopping mall, which is located just north of Coopersburg, the stand is located in a recently remodeled area next to Carlo's Pizza and Casa Toro Mexican Grill. Ortiz exclaimed, "We are very excited." "It was great how everything went during our soft opening. We are incredibly grateful for the community's support, and we could not be happier. In the spring, we also hope to have a big opening party.

Ortiz, of Allentown, recognized the need for a Rita's stand in the Coopersburg region since she had grown up loving Rita's ice and other sweets. The Rita's restaurants that are closest to Coopersburg are in Allentown, Hellertown, and Quakertown, which are six to seven miles apart. "I adore Rita's," Ortiz declared. Living in Allentown, I was raised around them, so I have always wanted to open one. I therefore made the decision to proceed with it in the Coopersburg region.

Reputed for serving up "Ice, Custard, Happiness," Rita's serves up a wide range of confections, such as frozen custard, milkshakes, gelato (layered layers of gelato and custard), Misto shakes (Italian ice blended with custard), Concretes (custard blended with toppings), and Blendinis (custard blended with Italian ice and toppings). The company, which is based in Trevose, Bucks County, offers a variety of freshly made Italian ice flavors, made in-house daily at each location. Flavors include blueberry, cantaloupe, chocolate peanut butter, root beer, strawberry lemonade, Georgia peach, guava passionfruit, juicy pear, and Swedish Fish. According to Ortiz, a pumpkin flavor will be offered at the Upper Saucon site beginning on Sunday. Additionally, there are occasionally available sugar-free varieties such mango peach, dragon fruit, and cherry. "You can see anywhere from 10 to 12 flavors every day," Ortiz stated. "We are eager to get requests and discover what the community enjoys."

Every year, the company commemorates the first day of spring by giving away free Italian ice to visitors. Each shop is independently owned and operated. "It is a Rita's tradition," the website for the company states. "Just our way of bringing a little joy and starting the season." In order to augment his income, Bob Tumolo, a former Philadelphia firefighter, opened a modest Italian Ice shop in the summer of 1984. This is where the story of Rita's began. In Bensalem, Bucks County, Tumolo established the first Rita's, naming the company after his wife Rita.

Like other of Rita's sites, the Upper Saucon stand will be open for business most of the year before temporarily closing for the duration of the winter, according to Ortiz. "This year, our goal is to remain open until approximately November 1st," stated Ortiz. Orders can be placed at walk-up windows, and patrons can eat their sweets at adjacent tables beneath a covered area of the mall, according to Ortiz. There is plenty of free parking in the lot of the shopping center. The current hours are daily from noon to ten p.m. Hours will be somewhat reduced after Labor Day, according to Ortiz.

Rita's moves in with roughly a dozen additional tenants in Fairmont Village.  Other well-known companies with locations at the mall include Auto Zone, D&J Sports, and the Eastern Gourmet Chinese and Japanese restaurant, in addition to Carlo's Pizza and Casa Toro.

Check Out Here Homes for Sale in Upper Saucon Township

The Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors stated this week that the inventory still does not reflect a healthy balance between buyers and sellers.

However, according to a press release, GLVR's July statistics revealed favorable rises in important housing measures.

This includes a 9.7% increase in concluded sales to 600 listings and a 19.3% increase in inventory for Lehigh and Northampton counties, totaling 802 units. However, at $348,500, the median sales price rose 6.9%.

Other noteworthy data were as follows:

- There were 855 new listings, a 22.3% rise.

- To 627, pending sales climbed by 11.2%.

- Inventory held in months increased by 25% to 1.5 months.

- Although it decreased by 0.2%, the percentage of list price received remained at 102%.

- The average time for homes to sell is 18 days, an increase of three days.

The release from GLVR Chief Executive Officer Justin Porembo stated, "While the national real estate market has seen a significant slowdown due to leaving behind pandemic-era mortgage rates and rising sales prices, keeping many prospective buyers on the sidelines, the Lehigh Valley continues to demonstrate a remarkable resilience."

According to GLVR, the median sales price in Carbon County dropped to $244,000. Closed sales fell to 44; pending sales rose to 76; the number of new listings increased to 99; and the quantity of inventory increased to 209 units. Days on market rose to 36 days in July of last year from 26 days in the same month the year before.

According to GLVR President Lori Campbell, "mortgage rates have reached their lowest weekly level — 6.47% for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage — since May 2023." "This is the biggest one-week decrease in mortgage interest rates that we have witnessed in the last nine months. It is now time for people who have been waiting for rates to drop to take action."

The Mortgage Bankers Association reports that this week saw a spike in refinance mortgage applications to a level not seen since spring 2022. Furthermore, the quantity of mortgage applications submitted by Americans reached a record high since January 2023. Joel Kan, Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist at MBA, stated, "Rates on both 30- and 15-year fixed rate mortgages declined for the second consecutive week, which along with the prior week's rate changes, stimulated another solid week for application activity."

Realtor.com published its most recent study on the country's hottest home markets as of July 2024 on Friday. The Lehigh Valley was not one of the hottest markets, despite the report's conclusion that some of them were in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

The July ranking of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro dropped 25 points to No. 49 out of 300 metros nationwide. "Slightly hot market that is cooling down compared to last month and cooling down compared to previous year," according to the report's classification of the region. According to the research, the median days on market was 34. The inventory moved 13.5 days faster than the US overall, but 13% slower than it did the year before. According to the survey, properties in the area also receive an average of 1.7 times more views than the national average.

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