About Wayfaring Lancaster
A local guide to Lancaster County living, relocation, real estate, and everyday discovery — written from the inside, by someone who calls it home.
Sandra Burkholder
Realtor · Local Guide
A curated guide to a quietly remarkable place.
Wayfaring Lancaster is a slow, considered guide for people who want to understand Lancaster County more deeply — whether you already live here, are visiting for a weekend, relocating across the country, investing, downsizing, or just beginning to imagine a future move.
It is the long-form work of noticing: the small bakery on a back road, the stone farmhouse with good bones, the village that quietly became somewhere you'd want to live. A bridge between lifestyle and real estate, written for people who care about the difference.
Meet Sandra
Driven by a challenge. Grounded by home. Usually carrying a cup of tea.
I'm a Type A intellectual by nature. I like complicated things, I ask a lot of questions, and when I decide something matters, I have a hard time doing it halfway.
Consistency is probably one of my defining traits.
That shows up in my work, but also in the rest of my life. I'm into fitness and nutrition, yet I'm also known to make elaborate layered gluten-free cakes that have prompted more than one person to tell me I missed my calling.
I can spend an afternoon studying real estate data, construction details or some new piece of technology — and be perfectly content ending the day with a cup of tea in my gazebo.
I like both sides of life:
The challenge and the exhale.
Eight kids will teach you a few things
Our family is blended in just about every possible meaning of the word: two biological children, two stepchildren, two children through international adoption and two through domestic adoption.
Five are grown now.
Raising eight children has given me a perspective on people that no professional training ever could. Different personalities. Different backgrounds. Different cultures. Different ways of communicating and seeing the world.
It has made me open-minded, difficult to rattle and not particularly easy to offend.
It also taught me how to keep a remarkable number of moving pieces moving — which may explain why I've always liked the saying:
“If you want something done, ask a busy person.”
Don't let the 5'2" and light voice fool you
I don't necessarily look or sound like the stereotypical commercial real estate negotiator. I'm petite. I have a light voice. And I'm perfectly comfortable sitting across the table from the proverbial man in the blue suit with the deep voice.
My professional background includes commercial due diligence, commercial leasing, construction-related work, Due Diligence, property management, investment real estate and complex property analysis.
That experience taught me something important.
“You don't need to be the loudest person in the room to negotiate well.”
- You need to understand what matters.
- Recognize leverage.
- Ask intelligent questions.
- Stay composed.
- And know when to push.
That's much more my style.
I rarely think inside the MLS box
I actually love marketing. Not the “put it in the MLS, post it on Facebook and wait” version.
I like looking at a property and asking:
What is interesting here? Who is going to care about it? And what could make someone who wasn't even house shopping stop and look?
The MLS matters. It's the foundation. But I don't think the MLS should be the entire marketing plan.
My approach is much more curated. I layer traditional real estate exposure with modern digital marketing, interactive property experiences, targeted online reach, social media, agent networks, local storytelling and the hyper-local audience I've developed around Lancaster County.
Wayfaring Lancaster itself is an example of how I think about modern marketing: useful content, interactive pages, local knowledge, search visibility and social media working together rather than existing as separate pieces.
“MLS is the foundation. Curiosity is what gets people through the door.”
Sometimes the smartest marketing idea isn't the most obvious one.
A recent listing had a wonderful backyard treehouse. Instead of beginning another social post with bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage, I led with the treehouse.
It was fun. It was unexpected. And suddenly people who weren't necessarily scrolling social media looking for a house had a reason to stop.
That's how I tend to think: find the interesting thing, understand the audience, then build the marketing around it.
Apparently, I don't do simple cakes either
There may be a theme here.
I'm serious about fitness and nutrition. I'm also the person who will decide to make an elaborate layered gluten-free cake and then spend far more time perfecting it than any reasonable person probably should.
People have told me I missed my calling. I don't think I did.
I think I just really like doing things well.
Whether I'm working out, creating something, building a website, researching a property, developing a marketing campaign — or making a ridiculous number of layers of gluten-free cake — I'm not particularly interested in doing something halfway.
Not because everything has to be perfect. Because if I'm going to put my name on something, I want to know I gave it my best.
“If I'm going to do it, I'm probably going to see how well I can do it.”
Humor helps in real estate, too
Real estate can become unnecessarily serious. Relocating a family, selling a longtime home, coordinating children and jobs, negotiating inspections, packing an entire household and making enormous financial decisions simultaneously is stressful enough.
I don't make light of the important things. I do believe there's tremendous value in bringing some humor and perspective into the process.
Sometimes people need a real estate advisor. Sometimes they need someone who can explain the numbers. And sometimes they need someone to say:
“Okay, this is ridiculous. We'll figure it out.”
Humor also happens to be useful in marketing. People remember what makes them feel something. Sometimes getting someone to smile is exactly what makes them stop scrolling long enough to discover a house, business or corner of Lancaster they otherwise would have passed by.
The challenge + the exhale
I genuinely love a challenge. Give me a complicated property, an unusual marketing problem, a negotiation or something I have to figure out and I'm probably interested.
But I appreciate the other side of life just as much. Fitness. Gardens. Good food. Exploring Lancaster. Family. Beautiful places. And a cup of tea in my gazebo when the day is finally quiet.
Maybe that's part of why Wayfaring Lancaster became what it is. I don't think where we live is simply about the house.
Why Wayfaring feels the way it does
Wayfaring Lancaster isn't intended to feel like a real estate website with some Lancaster content added to it. It's really about living here.
The flowers. The parks. Kids' soccer. A beautiful garden. An amusement park afternoon. A hidden restaurant. A ridiculous family moment. A remarkable house. A quiet backyard.
Because when someone moves to Lancaster County, I'm not simply helping them purchase a structure. I'm helping them imagine the life that happens around it.
And when someone sells a home, I understand that I'm often handling a place where a great deal of their life already happened.
The part of real estate I find most interesting is the intersection of property, people and the lives they're trying to build.
Now that you know a little about me, tell me what you're trying to figure out.
Personal Relationship. Professional Support.
When you work with Sandra, you work with Sandra. She is your advisor, your advocate, and your primary point of contact from first conversation through closing — and the relationship doesn't end there.
Alongside that personal relationship, clients also benefit from the resources, systems, marketing reach, transaction coordination, listing coordination, and collective experience of the Matt Fetick Team at eXp Realty — quietly working behind the scenes so nothing falls through the cracks.
When you hire Sandra, you receive personal attention backed by professional infrastructure.
Sandra as your primary contact
Sandra is your advisor and advocate for every major decision. As part of the Matt Fetick Team at eXp Realty, she also has trusted teammates who may assist with calls, showings, and coordination when it serves you best.
Personalized guidance
Strategy and advice shaped around your situation, timeline, and what matters most to you.
Team resources behind the scenes
Marketing, transaction coordination, listing coordination, and operational support are handled by the Matt Fetick Team — with Sandra guiding your strategy and experience.
Additional expertise when needed
Specialized knowledge across price points, property types, and complex transactions — with the full Matt Fetick Team available when extra insight or collaboration helps.
Vacation & scheduling coverage
Your transaction never pauses. When Sandra is away, unavailable, or simply can't be in two places at once, trusted teammates step in to handle calls, showings, appointments, and details.
A seamless client experience
Personal attention from Sandra, backed by the systems, scheduling, and support of the Matt Fetick Team at eXp Realty — start to finish.
Quiet, capable guidance — wherever you're starting.
Relocating to Lancaster County
Neighborhoods, schools, commutes, and the lived-in details that don't show up on a map.
Open relocation guide Sandra · Real EstateBuying a home
A patient, advisory approach for first moves, second chapters, and everything between.
Begin with Sandra Sandra · Real EstateSelling strategically
Custom marketing through eXp's global platform — positioned for relocation and out-of-area buyers.
Sell with Sandra Sandra · Real EstateDistinctive & higher-end properties
Estates, historic homes, and one-of-one places that ask for discretion and a trained eye.
Luxury & distinctive homes WayfaringUnderstanding home value
Tools, market context, and an honest read on what your home is worth — and why.
Open the value app WayfaringSenior living & next chapter
A calm resource for downsizing, aging in place, and helping a parent move forward.
Plan the next chapter WayfaringLocal businesses & community
Introductions to the people, makers, and places that give Lancaster its character.
Explore the guideTwo homes, one careful point of view.
SandraBurkholder.com is the dedicated real estate destination. WayfaringLancaster.com is the lifestyle and discovery ecosystem around it.
Wayfaring Lancaster Properties
Sandra's professional home — property search, buyer & seller guidance, and dedicated real estate advisory.
Wayfaring Lancaster
The flagship local guide to neighborhoods, lifestyle, and everyday discovery across the county.
Lancaster Real Estate
Find your place in Lancaster County — search homes and explore neighborhoods.
How can I maximize my home value?
Whether you're preparing to sell, downsizing, relocating, managing life changes, or trying to avoid foreclosure, this guide helps you think strategically and calmly through getting your house ready for buyer eyes.
High-End Upgrade ROI Advisor
Which improvements actually return on a distinctive home — and which quietly don't.
Senior Living Guide
A thoughtful resource for downsizing and planning the next chapter of home.
Lancaster Weekend Planner
Where to stay, eat, wander, and slow down on a weekend in Lancaster County.
Relocation Guide
An orientation for those moving to Lancaster from across the country — or across the river.
Is Your Home Supporting Your Retirement — or Quietly Straining It?
A calm guide to planning your home for the next season of life.
Lancaster County is layered. A search bar can't quite hold it.
Small towns and farms. Historic homes and new builds. Local businesses, trail networks, markets, restaurants, schools, and the quiet corners that don't make it into a brochure. Every neighborhood has a rhythm; every place tells on itself if you know where to listen.
Wayfaring Lancaster exists to move people from "where do I start?" to "now I understand the area better."
Lifestyle perspective, paired with real estate advisory.
Sandra brings together two things that rarely sit at the same table — a writer's attention to place and an advisor's eye for value. The result is guidance that's grounded, unhurried, and built around the long view.
Why I Created Wayfaring Lancaster
Years ago, I realized I was experiencing Lancaster County in a way many people never get the chance to see. As a Realtor, I spent countless hours driving through neighborhoods, small towns, farmland, business districts, and communities across the county. I wasn't simply showing homes — I was meeting people, learning their stories, and discovering the unique character of the places they called home.
Over time, that wandering deepened into a genuine appreciation for Lancaster County and the people who make it special.
Originally, Wayfaring Lancaster was simply a place for me to write about the place I had learned to love.
I wanted to share the hidden coffee shops, family-owned businesses, scenic back roads, local history, and communities that make this region so remarkable. I have always loved learning, creating, and exploring new ideas, and building Wayfaring Lancaster became a personal project that let me combine my love of writing, technology, local discovery, and storytelling.
What started as a personal way to document the places and stories I loved has grown into something much bigger. Wayfaring Lancaster has become a resource for discovering Lancaster County, celebrating local businesses, highlighting communities, and helping people understand what makes this region such a meaningful place to live.
Whether someone is visiting for a weekend, considering a move, beginning a new chapter in retirement, or simply wanting to explore their own backyard, my hope is that Wayfaring Lancaster helps them experience Lancaster County with curiosity, appreciation, and a deeper connection.
And then there's Lyric.
If you spot Sandra walking a small, slightly opinionated black dog around town, that's Lyric Burkholder — the unofficial mascot of Wayfaring Lancaster and a regular along Lancaster County's quieter sidewalks and trails. Say hello.
Lyric has her own Facebook page and Instagram account— though she can't read DMs, and Sandra rarely checks them, so a wave in person is usually more reliable.
