Stroudsburg – For generations now, families have vacationed in the Pocono Mts and the summer of 2010 is no different. Referred to in the past as “Pocono Mountains, the Near Country” the Poconos are only an hour & a half from New York, two hours from Philadelphia, two hours from upstate New York and three hours from the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas.

And it’s not hard to get to the Poconos, in fact….it’s easy. Whether you are coming in off Interstate 81, Interstate 80, across I-84, the highway structure to get to the near country is very accessible.

And once you get here, rain or shine, summer-time offers the best for families of all ages and sizes. Whether you want to do a lot or do nothing at all, the Poconos has it.

CamelBeach Water Park – Touted one of the largest outdoor water parks in the East, Camelbeach has the Flow-Rider, the ultimate surfing ride, Kahauna Wave Pool, the Blue Nile Adventure River, mini golf and bumper boats. All the pools feature heated water. Groups of 15 or more area always welcome. CamelBeach is conveniently located in Tannersville.

• Callie’s Candy Kitchen and Pretzel Factory – For the past 20 plus years Callie’s Candy Kitchen and Pretzel Factory has made every variety of candy known including chocolates, brittle, hard candy, lollipops, fudge and mints. Open year round, candy and pretzels are made fresh on the premises every day. Taste fresh treats at both locations; a definite stop when you come to the Poconos. Callie’s Candy Kitchen is located in Mountainhome.

• Claws & Paws – Known as “a zoo in the woods” you can get a close look at over 120 species of wild animals. Feed the giraffe, the parrots and Claws and Paws touts one of the best petting zoos around. Claws & Paws is located in the Lake Wallenpaupack region.

• Country Junction – Known as the world’s largest general store, going there is a treat whether you buy anything or not. At the Country Junction in Lehighton, you can get hardware, house wares, lawn and garden items, patio, pets, specialty foods, toys, whimsical treasures and a whole lot more.

• Whitewater Rafting – Some of the best rafting around is located outside Jim Thorpe in the western part of the Pocono Mountains. Plan on spending the day, and don’t be afraid of you are a novice, because trips of different calibers are designed for each of those type rafters. You’ll work up an appetite which is good because having a box lunch along side the Lehigh River just can’t be beat. Pocono whitewater rafting is for every level of adventurer; and you can choose your own pace, from mild to wild rafting and kayaking trips, it’s all designed for you.

o In addition to whitewater rafting, why not enjoy a canoe or raft ride. There’s absolutely no better way to view the spectacular scenery than quietly moving down the Delaware River. See eagles, hawks, egrets, deer and a whole host of other animal life as you travel the spectacular Delaware River aboard your canoe, kayak or rafting tube. Guided or unguided tours are available. Get trip ideas, river maps and information on special events. Group rates are always welcome.

• Quiet Valley Living Historic Farms – Nestled in the hills of Northeast Pennsylvania, Quite Valley is a living museum and is just like stepping back in time. Call ahead, because sometime there are special events with period dressed “family” members reenacting the life of the original Pennsylvania German family who lived on the farm from 1760 to 1913. Quite Valley has got something for people of all ages. Reminisce about the “good old days” and walk among the fully dressed theme family living on the farm.

• Beltzville State Park – Located in Carbon County, the 2,972 Beltzville State Park features 949 acre Beltzville Lake touting a shoreline of 19.8 miles. Activities include picnicking in either of the open or wooded picnic areas featuring modern restrooms, drinking water, picnic tables, playing fields, playgrounds and pavilions for larger families. Boating, including motorized watercraft or the boat rental concession for paddle boats, canoes, row boats, pontoons and small or large motorboats. Swimming, a 525 foot sand beach is open from late May to mid-September. Lifeguards are on duty from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. A bathhouse with showers and a first aid building are near the beach. For hunting and fishing, Beltzville Lake is stocked with warm and cold water game fish and pan fish.

• Split Rock Lodge Resort – Split Rock Lodge Resort opened H2 0oh indoor water park which features 53,326 square foot of fun, featuring exciting water attractions for all ages. The park includes 5 exciting body, tube and raft slides, flow-rider, wave-pool, activity pool, fun-play structure, snack and Tiki bar.

• Pocono Indian Museum – Pocono Indian Museum, located in Bushkill is Northeast Pennsylvania’s premier site and is an excellent way for children to learn about the history of the Delaware Indians. It’ll show you the North American history of man in Northeast Pennsylvania from 1500 BC to the contact period with the European man prior to the American Revolution. It also shows the Delaware Indians peaceful co-existence with other Indians. The museum is packed full of displays of ancient artifacts, weapons and the tools that from a chronological commentary on life among the Indians for thousands of years. It’s gift shop is filled with artifacts that children can take home with them as remembrances of their visit to the museum.

• Shawnee Playhouse – Located in historic Shawnee-on-Delaware the Playhouse history began when C. C. Worthington built the playhouse in 1904 as the Worthington Hall. In 1943, Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians began to broadcast their famous radio programs from the Hall. Unfortunately, the Hall later fell into dis-use.

o The Kirkwood Family in 1978 began to restore Worthington Hall into what it is today, the Shawnee Playhouse. With contributions from the Kirkwood family, and generous donations from many individuals and friends, the Shawnee Playhouse today is a must-see destination. Matinee and evening shows are available; visit them online for a list of the summer play.

Well, that’s just a couple ideas of what you can do on your summer vacation in the Pocono Mountains. As you can tell, whether it’s raining, the sun is shining or whatever Mother Nature may bring, there’s always something to do.

The first thing you want to do is call Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates or visit us online at www.wilkins1.com to view the different privately owned vacation homes, condo or town-homes that you can rent for a weekend, a week or a seasonal stay. Ask us about our “stimulus week”, a vacation planned with the economic downturn in mind. It’s a 5 day, 4 night stay which will serve as a one week vacation at a very affordable price.

Hope to see you and your family in the River, at a play, at CamelBeach, Callie’s Candy Kitchen, Claws & Paws or any of the great sights here in the Poconos. Enjoy yourself!

Thomas R. Wilkins is CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates, the one of the largest real estate broker companies in the Pocono Mountains. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate rents furnished vacation condos, town-homes, and individual cabins throughout the greater Pocono region. Packages are available from 3 days, 2 nights to 8 days, 7nights.

Thinking about a summer family vacation in the Poconos, give us a call today or visit us online at www.wilkins1.com

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By Thomas R Wilkins

February 05, 2010 For Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates 5 Part Blog Recruit Series

Stroudsburg–Text messaging, email, IPods, Facebook and being mobile as ever is a part of the new generation, the Millennial.  The Millennial are the young workers ranging in age between 21 to 29 years old.  They have the potential to create a lasting change in the real estate workplace because of the way they live, communicate and more importantly, the way they view their jobs.

Managing the Millennial as a Broker or manager can be challenging.  Millennials are more productive and work more efficiently than they were initially perceived by employers.  Because they differ from other agents in the workplace, they can sometimes stand out and be a bit “different”.  They may not be like those mature or “old dogs” you have in your office.

The Millennials are very goal oriented and ever critical of their own performance.  They are very interested in making their career in sales.  This generation’s performance is equal to or greater than that of other generations.  They are immediate in looking for a return of their labors and are not afraid to make that known.

Other general characteristics of the Millennial generation include them being very mobile, likely to live within 3 miles of the central business district and have a feeling of autonomy and independence rather than being part of a team.  They always want to win, are collaborative, confident and embrace diversity.  Don’t expect to see them at the water cooler, instead, expect them at your local Starbucks®.

As a Broker, it’s important to recognize the positive attributes of the Millennial generation and make sure that we prepare for them.  Appreciate that close to 100% of buyers start their search online so it’s important to have the tools readily available to the Millennial worker so that they can efficiently do their job online.  That means social media, a popular and tracked internet site, the proper tools to produce contracts, listing agreements and other documents online and other online marketing all become important in retaining that Millennial agent.

One thing is for certain, the Millennials are here to stay and will in fact become the New Face of Real Estate.  –  I say, “Welcome aboard!”

Thomas R. Wilkins is CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associate.  He has been actively involved in the real estate industry as a Broker for the past 22 years.  WARE has 5 offices and 107 Realtors®.  Their offices operate in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.

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Pocono Summit – Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Assoc announced the purchase of Liberty Real Estate located in Poc Summit.  Liberty Real Estate was one of the first brokers in the Mt. Poc area.  Roxanne Lewis, Broker/Owner, operated the business since 1985.  Originally from Wilkes-Barre, Lewis moved to the Poconos specifically to open up Liberty Real Estate.  She has been a Realtor since 1974.  “It was a hard decision.  My Agents are like family, but the timing is right.” said Lewis.

 In addition to Lewis, two sales agents have joined the organization as full-time Realtors, Vincent B. Szykman from Wilkes-Barre and Christina M. Scavone.  Szykman owned and operated his own engineering company for 25 years.  After retiring, Szykman entered the real estate business.  He will handle residential and commercial real estate for Wilkes-Barre.

 Scavone, will be assigned to the West End office.  Scavone has been with Liberty RE since 2004.  Originally from the Ft. Lauderdale area, Scavone lives in Lehighton and will be part of the expanding of the Wilkins organization to the Jim Thorpe area.  “Christina Scavone is very close to getting her Broker’s license.”  “She has taken all the courses and only needs to take the required testing.  Wilkins will sponsor her for that.”  “We’re always looking for Assoc Brokers to train for managerial positions as they start to expand again with the changing economy.” said Wilkins.

 Four other agents are part-time Realtors who will also join the Wilkins organization.

 Dominick Sacci, V.P./Gen Mgr. stated “The acquisition of Liberty RE does two things for us.  It opens us to the Wilkes-Barre market (several of the Agents are located in the Back Mt. area of Wilkes-Barre) and we picked up a potential manager in Scavone.”   “We’re pleased that Lewis has agreed to stay on until next year. The cultural mix between the two offices fit like a glove.” said Sacci.

 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate earlier in 2009 merged the Coldwell Banker Realtors into the company making them the number 1 real estate company in listings and sales.  The Coldwell Banker/Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate deal was one of the largest real estate transactions in the Poc Mts.  To date, in addition to the Blue Team being a part of the organization, BHG has recruited over 20 Realtors in 2009.  Said Sacci, “If you are going to get into real estate, now is definitely the time to do it and Better Homes and Gardens is the place to do it.”  “If anyone wants to learn more about what it is we do, take the Simulator Test to find out if the real estate field is good for you, then they should give me a call.” said Sacci.  You can find the Simulator Test on the career page of bhgrealestate.com.

 The Wilkins organization started in Mt. Pocono with 3 people in 1988.  Since that time, they have expanded the company to over 100 Realtors and cover all northeast Pennsylvania.  Over the past 2 years, due to economic conditions, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has merged several of their offices with existing ones.  Thomas R. Wilkins, CEO stated, “We hope we’ve hit the bottom at this point.  We are in the business of opening offices, not merging them.”  “We have several new markets that we are looking at and after the Liberty RE purchase, the Wilkes-Barre market might be an easy one to target.” said Heather D’Adamo, Exec VP-Partner.  The company just recently announced the launching of a Vacation Rental Dept.

 WARE, Inc. also owns NEPA Management Assoc a full-service management company that handles bookkeeping, fiscal and property management for a number of town-home communities, condominium complexes and property owner associations throughout northeast Pennsylvania.  Both companies are at the 304 Park Ave office in Stroudsburg.

 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Assoc can be visited at www.wilkins1.com.

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