Why Pittsburgh Wednesday: 'Cause if You Love Us and Leave Us - You'll Be Sorry!

YEP, THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER....
Pittsburgh can be like an ex. Not a creepy stalker ex, but that one that you thought maybe, just maybe, you might be better off without. Fast forward a couple months and you are sad and lonely, and the ex is living life without giving you a second thought. Worse yet, people are talking about how awesome the ex is (like the President), and suddenly a hasty judgement becomes your biggest regret.
Okay, I am being a little harsh for the sake of a metaphor. A lot of fellow Burghers who now find themselves displaced certainly did not do so because of a lack of love for the city. Many people had to move, and now think fondly of the City they once called home. I learned this when I put out the call to former Pittsburgh residents, asking them what they missed the most about the city, and the response was fairly overwhelming!

YOU THOUGHT YOU HATED....
We've all been to a game where you park Downtown and walk what feels like a million miles to the stadium/arena. Well, how about stopping a sec, and taking in the energy of all your fellow fans walking through the street with you. I have to do this for hockey games, and although I still dread the final stretch up the hill to the arena, I have to say the friendly mob that stops traffic on Bigelow Boulevard, the dude the plays crazy songs on his saxophone (last time I was at a game he was playing the Flinstones Theme Song), and just the general excitement in the air helps to get me amped up for the game. My friends and family in Baltimore miss this energy. Here in the Burgh, where parking in Downtown or in Oakland is still at a premium, walking initially seemed like an inconvenience to them. Now, they miss the extra time they got to take in the sights, the people and the energy that can only be found in Pittsburgh. Kinda like missing those quirks your ex had that used to drive you nuts, and now you miss a little. C'mon, you know you've been there.....
Sorry - couldn't resist revisiting that metaphor just one last time...

SPEAKING OF SPORTS FANS.....
How about watching a game with real Steelers fans, in Pittsburgh? Or how about the parade we held in honor of both the Steelers and the Penguins? Yeah, maybe you can find a Steeler bar in every city, but you can't walk the Downtown Streets with tons of fans celebrating the City of Champions, now can you? Try piling on the black and gold and marching around the Inner Harbor in Baltimore or in Downtown Cleveland screaming "GO STEELERS!!!", and see how that goes down. Not the same, huh?

DRIVING...
Really?! I have a friend who lives in New York City now. She has only been there a week, so it was a little unfair of me to ask her what exactly she missed so soon, but this was the first thing out of her mouth! As a fellow car-obsessed Pittsburgher, I get his one. One of the things she had to do along with the move to the Big Apple, was hand over the keys to her pretty sweet ride. Believe me, driving in Manhattan makes the backup at the Liberty Tunnel look like a Formula One race. Do you realize that you get get pretty much from one end of the city proper to the other in about 20 minutes? Yep, that is truly awesome. Now, before I get hate mail from fellow greenies, this ease in driving works for my client based business. I can't exactly pick up a client on my bike. That really doesn't fly, not even with the most environmentally conscious of my clients.

THE LITTLE THINGS.......
"O" fries
Primanti's
Fireworks
The Incline
The South Side
Pamela's pancakes

THE NOT SO LITTLE THINGS.........
Of course, what makes Pittsburgh Pittsburgh? The people! Everyone I spoke with made friends here that will be friends for life. They miss the smiles on the street, the friendliness, the warmhearted, down to earth camaraderie that is found only here.
One of my fellow Twitter users said it the best (you can follow her at www.twitter.com/mariasilvestri): "I came back to Pittsburgh, and there's nowhere else in this country I'd rather be."

By the way, if you want to follow a new blog by someone who loves the 'Burgh as much as me, I recommend The Burgh Exposed. This new Blog lays it all out on the table and features some top notch writing! Follow along!! You can also follow the writer on Twitter, at www.twitter.com/gaitlady.
Hey, while you're there, you can follow me too at www.twitter.com/erinmarton.

Little Greenie: The Great Paper Chase-Away

Pittsburgh has been the topic of LOADS of articles in regard to the transformation of our city to one of the greenest in the country. We have over 34 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified buildings, and more are coming. Thanks to the efforts of PNC and Carnegie Mellon, it is a rarity to hear of a major new building being constructed in Pittsburgh that isn't going for LEED certification. Recently, a family in Squirrel Hill announced the unveiling of their new home, one of the first to qualify for the LEED for Homes certification in the city. This is green on a big scale. Green that takes a lot of Green (money that is). What if you are, like me, a little greenie with only a little green. There are plenty of small things you can do to make an impact.

Trying to go paperless has been a mission of mine as of late. It is a small thing, but a big challenge, especially in Real Estate. You know that little "memo" feature on the Blackberry? The one that syncs up quite nicely with Outlook? That has been my scratch paper of late. When I remember, and someone gives me a phone number, address, recipe, whatever....I pull out the trusty Blackberry and memo away. Satisfying my inner Martha Stuart meets computer nerd, all of my memos are organized alphabetically and backed up on my computer.

Real Estate will absolutely drown you in paperwork, and most of it is all necessary in order to properly protect and represent your client, so the key here is knowing where you can cut back and what you need to have in your file, in the office, to keep yourself in accordance with all of the rules. Early on in my paperless mission, I realized that it wasn't the contracts, addendums etc. that were loading me down, it was the paperwork that I printed out for clients to prepare for showings. I would come to each appointment armed with Multilist printouts, sellers disclosures, Assessment information, on every house! We are talking 20-40 pages per appointment! Fortunately, the West Penn Multilist features a print to PDF feature which I now use, along with links to other relevant information, to attach to emails. I send one email per listing, with all important information for the client. Now, my clients only need to print out information for the properties they are interested in, and all of the information is neatly contained in a virtual file on my desktop, for easy access when we are ready to put in an offer. When I first implemented this process, I was nervous that my clients would view it as an inconvenience, however the response has been tremendous. Most clients appreciate the new streamlined procedure, and like that they too have a neat virtual file for their listings of preference as well.

As with anything filed on your computer, back it up peeps! A cool little Passport Elite (here on Amazon) will give you a good excuse to shop for a new gadget.

Of course, this is one small step in working towards a "greener" lifestyle. But these small steps are generally the ones that will make the biggest impact. For more information on things that you can do to contribute, visit The Green Year, website of author Jodi Helmer, and title of a great book that gives you 365 things that you can do each day of the year to change your lifestyle.

If you are a big greenie, and would like more information on the LEED certification process, please visit the website of Pittsburgh's coolest organization, the Green Building Alliance, here.

Why Pittsburgh Wednesday - Yep, We've Got Robots!

I have not one, but 2 Roombas. Despite the hours of doggie entertainment they provide, I have them because I am a HUGE science nerd. Science nerd is a term I use with tremendous affection, so please don't take offense (read - no mean emails). I come from a family of science nerds. My misguided attempt to make science my profession came to an abrupt and appropriate end, and the noble field is better of without my hands mucking around in it. Still, I secretly wish I was smart enough to hack into the Roombas' little brains and re-program them to make the morning coffee and do the laundry.


Fortunately, if I really wanted to, I could easily find the right person to hack away at my little vacuum-bots. The heart of Robotics is nestled comfortably right here in the Burgh!


The Carnegie Mellon Institute of Robotics was founded in 1979, and offers everything from a PhD in Robotics, to summer programs for grade school students. Most recently, they made a huge splash at the G20, showing off their creations during a visit by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and wife Therese Rien, that make the Roomba look like something from the stone age. "Boss" is a self-guided SUV, that can navigate (unassisted!) through city streets. Boss won the grand prize in the 2007 Urban Challenge Robot Race. For those not versed in ScienceNerdology (again - meant with love!), the Urban Challenge is a race sponsored by DARPA that requires teams to design vehicles that can perform such functions as driving in traffic, merging, passing, parking, etc. I know some (OK - a lot of) human drivers who can't do these things (assisted!). Or, how about the "Scarab"? A lunar prospector built as a prototype for NASA. My absolute favorite, the "Snackbot". A humanoid robot that is programmed to deliver snacks to campus employees, designed to assist in the study of human-robot interaction. I definitely need a snackbot.

Of course, it can be all fun and games! Very recently, Time Magazine published an article on Pittsburgh's very own Bossa Nova Robotics. Bossa Nova specializes in robotic toys, specifically a Penguin named Penbo (hey - why not Max, or Sid, or Geno?! It is a Pittsburgh Penguin after all) and a Gorilla named Prime-8. Penbo requires some love from his/her ("it" just doesn't feel right here) "mommy", and responds to touch and sound. Prime-8 interacts and plays games, and can actually throw coconuts and chase his owner! Where were these things when I was a kid!! Guess what? These toys began their life at the mothership of Robotics, Carnegie Mellon. CMU offered co-founder David Palmer and Chief Technologist Sarjoun Skaff the perfect opportunity to test the toys in front of a rapt audience of children. Guess what else? They are cheap. cheap, cheap!!!! (At least as far as robots go). They are priced between $79.99-$99.99. Already available in European markets, my fingers are crossed for a Stateside debut next year! Maybe I can teach Penbo to whip up some coffee. (FYI - Bossa Nova is located in the same building as my office. I pass by the office door almost every day. I never even realized what the heck was going on in there - sheesh! Hey guys - why don't you bring Penbo down for a little visit???)

So much more in the fields of technology and robotics is happening in the Burgh! If you want a regular fix, you can embrace your inner science nerd and follow the blog published by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, Techburgher. If you are on twitter, you can follow Bossa Nova at http://twitter.com/BNRobotics. By the way, since you are already going there, you can also follow me at http://twitter.com/erinmarton.

Props to Fellow Burgh Bloggers

One of the (many) things learned at Pittsburgh Podcamp this year, was to dig in and start reading other blogs, which I have been doing diligently (and a little obsessively). I have learned more about blogging in the last few days of reading than I could sitting in any classroom. Is there such a thing? Do they offer Blogging 101 at Pitt? They should....
Mainly, I learned that as cool as I may think I am, the 'Burgh is loaded with people far cooler and more talented than myself. Once I got over the jealousy, I had to share these blogs with my small (but yes, mighty) readership. Here are my most recent Burgh Blogger faves.
1. That's Church -
The mystery of PittGirl - solved! But it hasn't taken anything away from the blog written by the former bad girl herself! She firmly deserves every single follower she has because, quite frankly, she is a darn fine writer. If you have trouble following along, she even provides a handy lexicon of PittGirl terminology. The stuff here is roll on the ground, email to all your friends, laugh out loud hilarious. Mostly because we are all thinking the same thing.
2. Burgh Baby -
I had heard of this blog before but never followed until after the author's presentation at Podcamp. She presented on how to figure out what the heck to write about once you start a blog. Harder than you may think. Her fodder is certainly worthwhile and also super cute. No kid? No worries! You can follow her adventures in mommyland regardless because, again, like That's Church, it is an incredibly well written blog. Burgh Baby has also just had the honor of being named (with an overwhelming number of votes) the best Local Blog on the website The Bump (sister site to the Knot).
3. My Brilliant Mistakes -
Cynthia Closkey lets us peek into her life her and it is worthwhile because she is the reigning expert on all things social media in Pittsburgh. Eloquent and informative, Cynthia discusses everything from the Pittsburgh Symphony to a painful choice of shoes. Read just one entry, and you will understand why this blogger specializes in teaching businesses and individuals how to use social networking and make it work. Keeping with the theme, Cynthia is also an amazing writer. She presented on several themes at Podcamp, and is one of the leaders of the yearly event.
4. Pittsburgh Beautiful -
I would like to consider this my sister blog. Unfortunately, I have absolutely nothing to do with its inception. But, if my words were to be converted into images, it would look just like this blog. The photos provide lustrous detail of life in Pittsburgh and provide a new glimpse into some of the landmarks that we take for granted after seeing every day. Plus it is created by the person who helped me get my blog up and running, so I would be remiss to not include him in my list of Burgh Bloggers deserving props!
So many bloggers, such a short attention span. This list covers my some of my faves, but there are many more out there. If you want to take a look-see yourself, you can go to http://www.pghbloggers.org/ (again thanks to Cynthia Closkey), and find some favorites of your own!

Why Pittsburgh Wednesday: Dogs and Hockey

Welcome to the first in my weekly series of Wednesday posts that answers the question: Why Pittsburgh?


The reasons are different for all of us, and I thought I would first tackle the question myself. Why do I love Pittsburgh and why do I live here? I could bore you with Real Estate statistics and quotes ("America's Most Livable City", fifth lowest unemployment rate in the country, Property values remaining within 1% of their value over the last ,year, blah, blah, blah) but you all already know that. The personal reasons are in my opinion more important. You may buy here because of those things, but why do you stay? My reason is simple (embarrassingly so): Dogs and Hockey.

Anyone who knows me well will tell you I am obsessed with my dogs. Once you open the door (the doggie door so to speak) I will talk your ear off. I know, crazy dog lady, but c'mon:

Kay? Nuff said.

When we bought our house, the very first thing I did was get a dog. The first day out on a walk we were stopped no less than 20 times, within a block, by other dog owners who wanted to swap stories about their dogs. I was in heaven. My dogs (we adopted our Rat Terrier from a shelter a few years later) have more doggie friends than I have people friends. My neighborhood is home to Oh Yeah Ice cream. I can walk over with the girls and they can even enjoy a scoop for themselves! Across the street is Smiley's Pet Pad, where I can take them to harass the cats (sorry Smiley's) and buy from an awesome selection of food (including holistic. Really, you are surprised the poochies eat better than me?) Don't even get me started on Frick Park. One of Pittsburgh's greatest off leash areas, I seriously get a tear in my eye when I see dogs running free in all their glory. Not that my dogs are EVER off leash. (One squirrel, bird, leaf, whatever and they are outta there). My vet is East End Veterinary Medical Center. These guys are amazing. My Rat Terrier wants to go in there even when she doesn't have an appointment because they gave her so many treats on her first visit. Yes, my rescue dog, who doesn't let a stranger touch her, loves the vet! East End, even better, is a Green Building. Nirvana!

My dogs have hockey jerseys. Football too of course, but hockey is what it's all about in my house. I grew up in a town farther north that might as well be Canada. My cousins were all boys in the early part of my life, and they ALL played Hockey. One of my earliest memories in elementary school was being made fun of at a skating party for owning hockey skates instead of figure skates. Whatever. You know that commercial where the girl says she logs off of facebook to watch the game? Yeah, that's me. Not really me, but I do stop everything, except for the occasional tweet, when the game is on. So, imagine me this year when we won the Stanley Cup. I was obsessed. I live in a town that has the greatest hockey team in the world! I watched the parade on TV and TiVoed it so I could watch over and over again and I was unimaginably jealous of anyone who actually could go. I bought the DVD the day it came out. One of my greatest days this year, was when my bf presented me with a Talbot Jersey. I met Max once, and made a complete idiot of myself. Once at Nakama in the South Side, they sat us next to a table full of players. I couldn't eat. At Nakama!!! Even better, is that in this town I am not alone. In Pittsburgh, hockey is watched almost universally. When we won the Stanley cup my whole neighborhood erupted! It was magnificent.

I think in the end, Pittsburgh is a real town, of real people (no snobs here!), that allows you to be insanely passionate about these things. It is home for me now, and I cannot imagine feeling the same way anywhere else.

Now you tell me, why Pittsburgh for you? Everyone has different reasons for staying here. I am sure they are more complex and interesting than mine, so I want to share! Let me know why you have chosen Pittsburgh as your home. Your reason could be featured in next weeks "Why Pittsburgh Wednesday".

Take Action! How You Can help Extend the First Time Buyer Tax Credit

At this point you have most likely encountered numerous articles, especially if you are a first time buyer in the market for a new home, that discuss the looming deadline for the First Time Buyer Credit. "No worries!", you may say. "I have until November 30th!". Alas, this is not the case.
The First Time Buyer Credit is contingent upon the CLOSING date of the sale being no later than November 30th, 2009. At this point, most lenders and closing companies are recommending at least 45 days for loan processing and other closing paperwork to be completed once a signed Sales Agreement is in place. Under normal circumstances, a 30 day close or less is entirely possible, but the popularity of the credit has put quite a burden on many closing companies and resources are spread thin, so the extra time is required to process the necessary paperwork.

What does this mean? Well, technically you should have an accepted offer in place no later than October 16th, 2009. Yes, as in this coming Friday!

What can I do? Well, all is not lost. The movement to extend the first time buyer credit is strong, and the National Association of Realtors has launched a campaign to make it easy for the First Time Home Buyer and other consumers to contact congress and let their voices be heard on the extension. You can visit the official website here.

Just in case you are wondering if the Credit is working, stats quoted on the NAR's website state that first time home buyers accounted for 50% of sales in 2009, up 25% from the previous year. Also, the incentive is helping to take foreclosures off of the market, and helping communities recover.
Take action today to ensure that the progress made thus far continues!

Events Pittsburgh - Podcamp Pittsburgh 4

There are many great events that pass through Pittsburgh on any given weekend, and this past Saturday and Sunday was one of the best! Podcamp Pittsburgh 4 was held at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and I was one of the lucky 500 attendees to make it to this sold-out social media info-fest!
What the heck is a Podcamp you ask? (I know you ask, because I certainly did!) Well, it involves an interesting history, all starting in Boston, MA about five years ago. Originally created as an opportunity for Podcasters and those involved in the video aspect of social media (hence the name "podcamp") this "un-conference", as it is dubbed by the creators, quickly gained popularity and spread to include all aspects of social media. As the original attendees took the conference to their own cities, podcamps began to dramatically increase in attendance and participation. This year's Podcamp Pittsburgh (the fourth in the city) could boast 500 attendees and 2 days worth of presentations by local experts, eager to share their knowledge.
Now on to the highlights of the weekend! Perhaps the most well-attended, was the presentation given by former Pitt Girl herself, Virginia Montanez, (http://www.thatschurch.com/). Focused on how to dismantle your blog (and knowing when it is time to quit), Virginia along with her "butler" Mike Woycheck , detailed her adventures in shutting it all down after her true identity was revealed. Although a casual follower of Virginia on Twitter and on her blog, I left her presentation with tremendous admiration for her and a whole new level of respect. Other presentations of note included Pittsburgh Podcamp founder Justin Kownacki (http://www.justinkownacki.com/) and his "10 Things No One Else Will Tell You About Social Media" (flat out hilarious because it was absolutely true) Cynthia Closkey's (mybrilliantmistakes.com) presentation on re-finding your voice in your blog, and Jaci Malecki, corporate recruiter for UPMC, on how to utilize social media for recruiting. And yes, iJustine was there! All events were streamed live on the podcamp website, so people could participate from home and even ask questions directly to presenters.
What is the most incredible, is that this event is completely free, and can be attended by novices and experts alike. I never felt stupid asking a question or participating in a conversation. Everyone involved was just so darn nice. Breakfast and lunch were both provided, and sponsors included Franktuary and Giant Eagle Market District, who I would like to personally thank for including those tiny red peppers I have a mild addiction to. I also met some great local people, eager to network, share ideas and combine resources. No snobs here!
So, why should you care? Well, my small but mighty readership, I left this event with a renewed commitment to my blog and the quality of the content included therein. The presenters offered advice that left me eager to get started, so much my head is spinning and it will take weeks for me to process it all. My hope is that the end result is a blog that you will look forward to reading every day, and one that you will be eager to share with friends.
Here's to Podcamp Pittsburgh 5!

South Side Slopes Neighborhood Association's Annual Step Trek, This Sunday, 10/4, 12-4pm

This Sunday marks the South Side Slopes Neighborhood Association's annual Step Trek. Each year this event's popularity grows, and with the forecast for sunny, comfortable weather, this year promises to be a successful one for the SSSNA.

The South Side Slopes is an iconic neighborhood for Pittsburgh, with fiercely loyal residents and beautiful views. Actually, you are hard pressed to find a home in the Slopes without a view as most residents have taken advantage of this and built decks out of every possible vantage point! Although the Trek is during the afternoon, I have found one of the most beautiful times in the Slopes to be dusk, as you watch the lights come on in Downtown Pittsburgh and the Southside Flats. The history of the Slopes is fascinating, and many lifelong residents of the area will tell you stories of corner groceries and neighborhood bars, now long gone and replaced with bustling nightlife and fabulous shopping in the nearby Flats. Quiet and quaint, homes in the Slopes have varied architecture and many have been renovated beyond your wildest dreams.

The Step Trek will feature many of these homes, and my listings at 80 Barry Street and 66 Pius, Unit L101 will be open from 1-4pm. If the spectacular views and a great workout can't entice you enough to join us - there will be chocolate cupcakes!

For more information on the Step Trek, please click here.