Your July 2026 Update

Hey there neighbor!

The heat of July is in full swing and as a first time pregnant mom, I’m definitely feeling it! Vacations are happening, kids are out of school, and for a lot of people, conversations about moving start turning from “maybe someday” into “could we actually make this work?”

I hear from a lot of buyers that they are concerned that they need an enormous amount of money saved up in order to buy a home. A lot of people assume they need 20% down plus another huge pile of cash on top of that, and it stops them from even exploring whether homeownership is realistic for them right now. The truth is, the actual costs to buy a home can vary a lot depending on the loan type, price point, and the strategy being used.

For example, many conventional loans allow buyers to put down as low as 3% of the sales price as a down payment. FHA loans can go as low as 3.5% down and have less strict credit requirements, and VA loans can offer zero down for qualified buyers. On top of that, there are situations where sellers can contribute toward closing costs, lenders can offer credits, or buyers can qualify for different assistance programs they didn’t even know existed. My favorite local lender recommendation, Susan Wood at Ideal Mortgage, is the queen of finding programs to save on down payments or to get reduced interest rates and has done incredible work for my buyers.

That doesn’t mean buying a home is always cheap because there absolutely are costs people should prepare for. Beyond the down payment, buyers usually need to account for things like inspections, appraisals, closing costs, insurance, moving expenses, and having some savings left afterward for normal life and unexpected home repairs. It also usually isn’t as impossible as people have convinced themselves it is. Most of the first time buyers I help end up spending $5k-10k out of pocket on their home, but there are ways to do it for so much less than that.

I think social media and online advice have made a lot of buyers feel like they either need to have everything perfectly figured out financially or they shouldn’t even try yet. In reality, most people I work with start the process with a ton of questions and uncertainty. The biggest difference is usually just having a plan and understanding what the numbers actually look like instead of guessing. Let’s have a chat and see what we can do to put together that plan!

Keeping It Real - T&M bought a home with me where we were able to negotiate the maximum seller credits allowable by the loan program. Our offer included financing the home with a conventional loan and a PHFA (PA Housing Finance Agency) second mortgage that allowed these buyers to have a mortgage amount well within their comfort zone while only spending $1,000 total out of pocket on their home purchase, even after inspection and appraisal costs.

We’re expanding our newsletter! And by we, I really mean me, because I’m the one-woman operation who puts forth all the effort of sending these out each month. I know that not everyone is looking to make a move in the near future, so beyond focusing on just one real estate topic each month, my goal is to spend some time on local highlights, small business spotlights, local events, and more. Have a great cause, event, or local business you think I should share with the ~5000 neighbors I send this out to? Please get in touch! 

Small Business Spotlight - Have you heard of Happy Paws Pet Waste Removal? Okay, hear me out. I know having a service come to pick up your dog poop sounds like such a bougie thing, but I hired Rob to start cleaning our yard weekly back in 2023 when I was going through some extensive surgery recovery and I couldn’t go through the strain of doing it myself. After experiencing how great Rob is about coming every week (and after Chris never had to worry again when mowing the lawn again that I missed spots), I don’t think I’ll ever go without having this service again. Happy Paws is affordable, provides consistently great service, and Rob has repeatedly gone above and beyond by picking up other items he’s found in the yard that he’s worried might harm our pups. Toby and Luna love their clean yard! Their phone number is 717-476-4740 and their email is happypawshanover@gmail.com.

What’s Happening in Hanover - 

7/1 - Summer Lawn Concert- Salute to First Responders - The Hanover Area Historical Society hosts summer concerts at the Warehime-Myers Mansion at 6:30. Free admission, donations welcome. Food available for purchase and free ice cream while supplies last.

7/3 - 1st Fridays Art Walk - Experience the creativity of Hanover at First Friday Art Walks, a monthly celebration of local art and community. On the 7/3 from 5:00–8:00 PM, downtown Hanover businesses transform into gallery spaces showcasing the incredible talent of regional artists. Learn more at www.mainstreethanover.org/1stfriday.

7/4 - July 4th Celebration - 1PM to 7PM - Music Downtown including Stephen Winkler & RED FLAG RODEO, Six Whiskey Revival, and the Hanover Symphony Orchestra, Children's Activities, Patriotic Flag Presentation, Cornhole Tournament, Beer Garden, Food Trucks & Vendors

7/4 - Car Meet - 6 pm - Join Kreepers Krew at Advance Auto Parts at 1140 Carlisle St for a car meet before watching the fireworks near the IMAX Theater. 

7/4 - Fireworks Extravaganza - Fireworks will be set off behind Tractor Supply Company located on Gateway Drive off Wilson Avenue at 9:30.

7/11 - 2nd Saturdays - July’s Second Saturday event is the Snacktown Street Fair. On July 11, stop by the square to enjoy local artists, authors, craft and food vendors, live music, kids’ entertainment, and more! Learn more at www.snacktownstreetfair.com.

7/11 - Lavender Sunset Fest - Capture a beautiful sunset in the lavender field at Swan Hollow Lavender Farm. Admission is $5 per person and includes a small U-Pick Bundle. Children under the age of 5 are free. Gates open at 5 pm and close at 8 pm. 

7/18 - Paddle for the Park - Support Codorus State Park. Bring your kayak, canoe or paddle board to explore the lake and visit up to five docks to play a round of 'Go Fish'. Prizes will be awarded to the best hand, and multiple giveaways will be provided from our sponsors. Adults $20 - Kids 13 and under: $10 - must be accompanied by a parent. Learn more at www.tinyurl.com/3d82by54.

7/20-7/25 - Annual Firefighters’ Carnival - Join us for food, fun, games, and entertainment from 5 - 11pm at 2941 Baltimore Pike, Hanover, PA 17331.

7/27-7/31 - Disney's Frozen Production Camp - Eichelberger Performing Arts Center is hosting a musical theater camp for kids ages 7-15 from 9am-3pm. Price: $250. Learn more at www.theeich.org/ovationtix_series/disneys-frozen-kids-camp.

Where’s Emma This Month - Have you driven past our new office location at 535 Carlisle St? Samson Properties has taken over the previous Keller Williams office there! While I tend not to work directly out of the office consistently due to the day to day showing appointments and listing consultations that I take out at people’s homes, I do like to set aside time for the community to be able to easily access me. Starting in July, I’ll be at the South Hanover Britton Coffee location every first and third Sunday from 2-4 pm as “office hours.” Come swing by and ask any home related questions you may have, just say hi, or share a coffee and get to know one of your neighbors. I’ll be there every month up until the baby comes, and then again once I’ve had a little recovery time. Wave to my billboard over there if you pass by at other times!

A Little Life Update Over Here - 

The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays, and I’m so grateful to all of our neighbors for setting off fireworks around our neighborhood. We like to stay home with Toby and Luna to help them through the anxiety of all the loud noise. I’m also grateful to have had a family reunion at the Finger Lakes in June with our extended family for a few days as it’ll likely be our last trip before baby Henry comes this fall.

As someone who didn’t grow up with a lot of financial security, I’ve pretty much always had the mindset of working as hard as possible to build a better future for my family. I’ve always lived my life working at least two jobs because I can’t not be working all the time. June marked me finally stopping working a second job so that I can focus on how busy my real estate career has been for the past 10 years and so I can prioritize being a mom. Chris has always teased me about working late most nights, and I don’t really see that changing here, but I’m excited to have more flexibility to help grow connections with all of you!

One thing I never take for granted is how much this business runs on relationships and trust. The majority of the people I get to work with come from friends, neighbors, and past clients sending their friends or family my way, and that genuinely means the world to me. If you’ve enjoyed these letters or followed along with my business, one of the biggest ways you can support me is simply by sharing my name and number when someone you know talks about making a move. If someone comes to mind when you read these, I’d truly appreciate you passing my info along.

As always, if you ever want to talk through what the market looks like in our neighborhood, what options might be available, or what your home might be worth in today’s market, I would always be happy to chat. Please feel free to contact me any time via my cell at 717-345-1101 or email me at Emma@nestwithemma.com. 

Emma Davis, Realtor with Samson Properties