Erie Real Estate
Introduction
Erie is Pennsylvania’s only great lake city. Founded in 1795 after the purchase of the Erie Triangle, Erie is the third largest city in Pennsylvania at a population of 103,717, and the 127th safest American city. The name Erie comes from the Eriez Indians who spoke the Iroquois language. Erie means “raccoon.”
Communities
Erie communities are divided into several different districts. There are low-density residential districts for single-family residential homes. Medium-density residential districts are reserved for one- to four-family dwellings. And high-density residential districts are for multiple-family buildings like apartments. Most high-density residential districts are on valuable, centrally located properties.
Erie also has various commercial and manufacturing/industrial districts. Waterfront buildings are placed in a separate district called…waterfront districts. The waterfront districts include commercial, manufacturing and residential sub-districts. Waterfront residential sub-districts include mostly single- and multi-family dwellings and a few commercial properties. Erie has a separate community district for cultural buildings.
The city is constantly improving its communities and works toward getting rid of all vacant or blighted properties. In fact, the Erie’s long-term community goal is to make each neighborhood an average of 65 percent better than each currently is. In order to alleviate homeowners and business owners concerns about taxes, Erie offers a ten-year exemption from property taxes on improvements in residential and waterfront Residential community districts. This real estate incentive was expanded from five years to ten years.
Erie also considers community safety very important. That’s why officials are working towards reducing crime in each community by 10 percent within three years. To do this, cooperation between neighborhood residents and the police is encouraged. High crime areas are in the process of being targeted with law enforcement efforts like Bike Patrols.
- Four of America’s Top 50 plastic companies are located in Erie.
- Erie is the home to the oldest lighthouse on the Great Lakes.
- The character Alice from the Brady Bunch was born in Erie.
- Erie is covered in 167,634 acres of farmland.
- Average summer temperature in Erie is 76.4°F.
- Average winter temperature is a low of 20°F and a high of 35°F.
- Erie is 19.3 square miles.
- The total area of Erie is 21.54 percent water.
- Birthplace of 2005 NFL player Bob Sanders