Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

A few things to remember when doing work to your Center City condo:

1) You will have to present Insurance certs to the board for your contractors. Like at the Philadelphian Condos which has a strong management board.

2) Your contractors will generally have specific times when they may work- and hours are usually like from 9am-4pm Monday through Friday. Weekend work not allowed in most buildings.

3) Converting a two bedroom condo to a large one bedroom unit? Usually not a good idea in terms of resale value and future demand for your condo.

4) Light Cosmetic work (paint, wallpaper, re-sanding floors) will almost always get you the biggest return for your money. Especially when done with the supervising eye of a decorator.

5) Never carpet a living room. Never use high gloss paint outside a kitchen or bath. And when thinking of a color scheme- use 2 primary colors and one accent color. No more then 3 per room.

6) Stay away from: Black grout around the tile… Mirrored Closet doors…an avoid fluorescent lighting fixtures. No one looks good under fluorescents. Not even supermodels.

7) Consider putting $$ into your closet organizing system- this is going to give you a HUGE return in terms of “Use and Enjoyment” and is going to play quite well into resale value.

8) When remodeling a kitchen- you needn’t spend the big big bucks for a built-in refrigerator, but you should make your refrigerator appear to be built-in….this is an easy trick for any qualified contractor. A frig that looks out of place IS out of place…Like black shoes and a brown belt.

If you need some advice, call me.

 I know the best, and the worst contractors in town.

    Known for low condo fees and uniqueness brownstone / low rise styled condos are an option in Center City that I find are becoming more popular for many condo shoppers. Known for their really groovy features, low rise condos have shown to have good resale over time, and often show up in some of the strongest residential locations in Center City.

    The condo associations tend to almost always favor pets, rules can be a bit more lax than a high rise, and many units have either decks, parking, fireplaces, or say an abundance of original detailing. Here are some of my favorite low rise/ brownstone condo buildings in town- Due to either curb appeal, unit layout, value retention, or just an overwhelmingly serene locale:

1) Roberts Quay: 1035 Spruce – 18 units, a huge variety of layouts, and probably the most handsome building in 19107. Sits on the NE corner of 11th and Spruce. (see above and you can see what I mean).

2) 2100 Delancey: Again, huge curb appeal, an array of unit sizes and wrought with original detail. Many units have fireplaces, ornate windows, and of course a great location.

3) 251 S. 24th St: A very rare loft styled new condo building in Fitler Square that few have heard of/know of/have seen. Garage parking, huge windows, and sits in a quiet pocket of Fitler Square. High end contemporary finishes throughout each unit.

4) The Clinton: 1023 Clinton St. – Now here is a stunning building. Sits on the corner of 11th and Clinton St- serene as they come. Some units have parking, and many units have south facing windows- many completely shielded by huge trees. Modest condo fees and attractive pricing.

Number Of Active Condos For Sale = 41

Number Of “Pending” Condos = 8

Number of Sold Condos in Past 12 Months = 72

 I have had groups of buyers in my car almost everyday for the past 26 years and after talking with and listening to an overwhelming number of buyers- I do not believe that a restrictive smoking policy will negatively affect values. It may decrease demand nominally, but overall I do not see how a smoking ban would, could, or has negatively affected any values for condos in Center City like Center City One at 1326 Spruce St.   I also think that the world is gravitating towards smoking bans in many areas (not just residential condos) and think the trend will continue. So unless a buyer wanted to move to the moon- there really is no avoiding the non-smoking trend and therefore really will not hamper values in my opinion. The following are condo buildings that have a NO SMOKING policy in effect:

Symphony House at 400-440 S. Broad St.

Society Hill Towers at 200-220 Locust St.

Hopkinson House at 604 S. Washington Sq.

 The Rittenhouse Hotel & Condos at 210 W. Rittenhouse

The Dorchester at 224 W. Rittenhouse

   It is difficult to argue that the largest buildings should allow dogs. Yet implementing restrictions based upon size and breed may ultimately increase demand and ultimately resale values. I have seen many buyers in my day pass on particular buildings due to restrictive pet policies.  Buyers will more readily give up on a particular building than to give up their pets…reasonably so.