If you live in Center City Philadelphia, then you already know how rich the place is in culture and activities. From parks and theaters to dining and nightlife, Center City Condo residents can always find something fun or enjoyable to do.
Perhaps that’s part of the problem, however. Since you live in the city, you know that you’ll always have a chance to get around to that one place you want to check out. Tourists, on the other hand, have to make the most of the limited time they have. As a result, it’s quite possible that out-of-towners have experienced more of your hometown than you have.
Whether you’re a nightclub waitress or a mechanic specializing in 1987 Mustang parts, everybody needs a little downtime. Make time in your schedule one day to experience some of the amazing places right in your own backyard. Here are three that you shouldn’t miss:
Philadelphia Museum of Art
If the thought of visiting a museum makes you cringe with thoughts of dull education, you need to rethink your idea of the museum experience. Museums are fascinating places to visit with all kinds of interesting artifacts, exhibits and pieces of art. Exhibits tend to change, though, so check the website to see what’s currently on display.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the country’s largest, so you know you’re in for a treat when you visit. From periodic furniture and clothing to displays of the armor of knights and their horses, there’s something at the museum that will delight everyone.
Rodin Museum
Rodin museum is actually administrated by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, but it definitely has its own wonders to offer. One of the most prized treasures of this museum is the beautiful gardens which have been recently renovated. In the gardens, you’ll find several famous sculptures and statues, including the classic work, The Thinker.
Inside the museum, you’ll enjoy the extensive collection of the works of Rodin. Explore the brass, plaster and marble masterpieces from one of the most notable sculptors in modern history.
The African American Museum in Philadelphia
African Americans have played such a large role in shaping what our country is today. The African American Museum in Philadelphia offers tribute and recognition to the pioneers in some of the nation’s most historical and important movements.
The works in the museum go far beyond civil rights leaders, however. Get a glimpse of noteworthy art, discover a rich culture, and take a look into the lives of famous African American photographers, inventors, educators and others.
Whether you’re looking for something to do on a first day or want to spend a weekend exploring what Central City has to offer, consider adding at least one of these places to your itinerary.
Michelle Rebecca
Byline: Michelle is an aspiring writer with a passion for blogging. She enjoys writing about a vast variety of topics and loves that blogging gives her the opportunity to publicly voice her thoughts and share advice with an unlimited audience.
Having lived in many many Center City Condos over the years, here is what I believe to be the case in terms of costs to heat and cool a condo-
Generally, you have someone living above you, below you, and on perhaps both sides of you, so your exposure to the elements is limited. It is not like you are living in a McMansion on the side of a hill in Ardmore. You follow me?
And heat has a tendency to emanate into your condo- you will probably be surprised how little heat you actually use. The fact that the majority of condos in town are one-level, your AC bills tend to be on the low side as well- It is not like you are trying to cool three floors. I live in a 1450 sq ft. condo in a newly constructed building here in town. My average electric bill is about $100 a month. I pay no gas, no water- both covered by the condo fees. When I lived in a 2200 sq ft converted loft, my bills were about twice that- but lower than I could have ever paid in a single family home somewhere…
Mark Wade
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox & Roach Realtors
www.CenterCityCondos.com
530 Walnut St. #260, Phila., PA 19106
This video provides several maintenance steps to help keep your refrigerator running at peak efficiency. Refrigerator maintenance is undoubtedly one of the most overlooked tasks in the home.
You depend on it 24×7. It is expected to provide cold drinks and refrigerated food upon demand. You want it quiet and efficient. While mainly maintenance free, your refrigerator does demand a little maintenance at least twice a year.
Don’t forget to check seals for leakage and repair when necessary. It’s possible you may need an appliance specialist to find the correct parts and install properly.
Do you have pets in your low rise Philly condo? Maybe you should be inspecting your refrigerator more frequently. Hair and debris buildup under your refrigerator is very common and makes your refrigerator work much harder than it should. It is also a fire hazard when allowed to buildup to an excess. Vacuuming the coils is the safe and prudent thing to do and should be on your list of kitchen maintenance tasks. The benefits are saving energy thereby saving dollars, and keeping your family safe.
Mark Wade
Prudential Fox and Roach Realtors
www.CenterCityCondos.com
530 Walnut St. #260 Phila., PA 19106
When people think of Philadelphia, they think of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. But tall buildings don’t often come to mind, probably because a certain city a few miles north has the skyscraper title sewn up. But Philadelphia, particularly Center City, is giving the Big Apple a run for its money.
City Hall used to be the one true skyscraper in Philadelphia; in fact, it was the tallest building in the world from 1901 to 1908. But over the last 25 years, many other buildings have been erected in Center City that not only tower over City Hall, but also give Philadelphia its breathtaking skyline.
Current Center City Giants
Philadelphia’s structures remained low-rise because for years the city’s leaders had a “gentleman’s agreement” not to build any structure higher than the stature of William Penn that sits on top of City Hall. This agreement was severed in 1987, and now several structures share the sky with City Hall, including:
One Liberty Place: This 61-story, 945-foot skyscraper was the first to break City Hall’s record as the tallest building in town. Today, it’s home to some of the largest law firms in Philadelphia and the biggest financial services companies in the world, including AIG, Merrill Lynch and Cigna.
Two Liberty Place: This 58-story, 848-foot skyscraper complements the commercial focus of its sister building with a condominium complex, a shopping mall and a 14-story hotel that’s home to the kind of wedding reception Harrisburg residents love to throw.
Comcast Center: As you might imagine, Comcast is the biggest tenant in this 58-story, 974-foot skyscraper, which now holds the title as Philadelphia’s tallest building. But other corporations like Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania lease space, and numerous shops and restaurants cater to tenants and passersby alike.
New Kids on the Block
Maybe you think Philadelphia would be happy just with these impressive buildings, but why stop at a few skyscrapers when you can have many? Plans are underway to build skyscrapers all over the city, including two in Center City.
Originally slated for groundbreaking in 2008, construction on Mandeville Place was delayed until December 2011. Following completion, it will house 45 condominiums on 43 floors, plus an 8-story hotel that observers expect will host a buffet Harrisburg PA residents and visitors will enjoy.
The building at 1441 Chestnut was going to be a condo building until it was going to be a Waldorf, and now a W Hotel. Many hope that this new construction will open the doors to more skyscraper construction in the neighborhood.
If Philadelphia looks good to you, you can thank the Center City skyscrapers that make it such a beautiful and bustling place to live and visit.
Michelle is an aspiring writer with a passion for blogging. She enjoys writing about a vast variety of topics and loves that blogging gives her the opportunity to publicly voice her thoughts and share advice with an unlimited audience.
The market generally still favors buyers, in my opinion, and has since 2007 or so. No big surprise there. Since it is overall still a buyer’s market (that fact is changing, I believe), I think it’s best not to piss off a buyer who can be described as “Ready, Willing, and Able”. Pissing a buyer off who is under agreement on your Philadelphia condo can seriously backfire, and cost you more in the long run. I have been selling condos for 23 years in this town, and I see it ALL the freakin’ time. So sellers, listen up…..
1) Fail to disclose the condition of your condo.
If say, an outlet doesn’t work, Disclose it. Ditto for say the leak in the kitchen faucet. You may end up being sorry if you don’t disclose all you know. Trust me…not doing so honestly can be quite costly and time consuming.
2) Neglect to tell buyer of impending assessments-
They can be found in the condo docs- usually in the budget section. You gotta’ fess up about this. Talk of an assessment may not be the same as an assessment that has been voted on, approved, and is being collected. Talking to a Real Estate lawyer would be a good idea here if unclear.
3) Nit-pick every detail of their offer.
Check your ego at the door, swallow your pride, and move forward. I see a TON of sellers who like to moan about the most miniscule BS- Remember, this is a business transaction…nothing here is personal. Perhaps best if you just “dummy up” and don’t let the little things become HUGE.
4) Insisting on having the last word
Akin to # 3 above, don’t nickle and dime the crap out of a buyer. If buyer says their highest and best is say $535,500, and you come back with $535, 600, I would suggest you are doing more harm than good for yourself. Remember, they still have the home inspection to knock you over the head with. A little sugar can help a lot. Just smile. Be the best actor you can be. You can thank me at the closing table for this advise. Or buy me a Martini. You pick.
5) Leave a Pig Sty for the buyers walk-through
Sure, the contract says that you need to leave the condo in “Broom Swept Clean” condition upon exiting/moving out. You want to put a smile on the buyers face? Have your condo professionally cleaned. It is one heck of a nice thank you. And can put the buyer in a good mood for closing. Priceless!
6) Don’t complete Punch Lists per home inspection
This is fabulous. Don’t be a goof. Do what you say you are going to do. And do it prior to settlement. No buyer wants to inherit your problem(s). This is one sure way to irk the sh*t out of a buyer. Urg…
7) Not allowing them to come in and measure
Nothing in the contract says you have to, but if you don’t , the buyer will think you are hiding something. Keep an open door policy without being taken advantage of, when the buyer wants to revisit to measure.
8) Remove the blinds or surreptitiously replace the dishwasher with a cheaper model prior to settlement and after the home goes under agreement.
This should go without saying but sometimes does need to be said. Read your contract. Then read it again. You can’t be pulling those hi-jinks. I know 99.9% of my sellers would never ever dream of such a thing….
Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach Realtors
530 Walnut St. #260 Phila., PA 19106
Having lived in many many Center City Condos over the years, here is what I believe to be the case in terms of costs to heat and cool a condo- Generally, you have someone living above you, below you, and on perhaps both sides of you, so your exposure to the elements is limited. It is not like you are living in a McMansion on the side of a hill in Ardmore. You follow me?
And heat has a tendency to emanate into your condo- you will probably be surprised how little heat you actually use. The fact that the majority of condos in town are one-level, your AC bills tend to be on the low side as well- It is not like you are trying to cool three floors. I live in a 1450 sq ft. condo in a newly constructed building here in town. My average electric bill is about $100 a month. I pay no gas, no water- both covered by the condo fees. When I lived in a 2200 sq ft converted loft, my bills were about twice that- but lower than I could have ever paid in a single family home somewhere….
The Packard Grand Condos at 111 S. 15th St: Condo Assoc recently acquired the top floor of the building from the developer. It is a 3,300SF space (on the 27th floor) with fitness center, large west-facing outdoor deck, party room, meeting room, and large capacity laundry machines. This was a great move by the condo board for a building that had lacked amenities. The new fitness center is now open and the rest of the amenity floor will open by September.
Center City One at 1326 Spruce St.: Responds well to its broken water meter. The association took quick action and repaired and replaced everything with swift action.
Toll Brothers: Approx 160 new units right on 24th street! Expect delivery late July 2013. Based upon the success at Naval Square- look for these units to sell at a pretty good clip. 8 out of 22 sold in Phase One and ground hasn’t even been broken. Stay tuned for more details…
WaterFront Square: A trail runs through it- The Penn Street Trail – a section of the Central Delaware waterfront trail that will connect Spring Garden Street with SugarHouse Casino’s portion of the trail – is expected to open next spring.
Murano: 2101 Market St.- Sale prices doing exceedingly well post auction. They just re-listed all high floor units with Pru Fox Roach. Look for the remaining units to sell fairly quickly!
Penns Landing Square at 130 Spruce St: Spending money to better manage water run-off and to be more efficient at being able to segment water shut-offs in order to better serve homeowners. Touche!
Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach Realtors
530 Walnut St. #260 Phila., PA 19106
Two bedroom, one bath new condos about 850 square feet in a reasonably sound neighborhood for $300k-$325k.
Closet space would need to be well organized, parking optional, washer/dryers in each unit, with some sense of security – be it a virtual doorman or a security cameras/ systems.
Add minimal private outside space per unit, and I believe these units would sell like hot cakes in today’s Center City Condo market.
Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach Realtors
530 Walnut St. #260 Phila., PA 19106
Ten years ago, these younger Center City folks with growing families would have a child or two, and BOOM- they were destined for the ‘burbs. Not always the case any longer as Center City Condos become more “Kid Friendly” and popular with the younger family set. These buyers tend to already live in town, and simply move into larger quarters, while remaining inside the downtown area.
2) The Out -of -Towners
Becoming much more common than most current Center City owners are aware. These buyers are looking for an urban weekend place. Generally empty nester folks who have done the beach and the burbs, and are now excited about buying their second or third home in Center City. Space is usually not a huge issue for many of these buyers, but walk-ability ranks very high on their list of priorities. I also find that many gravitate towards less than “full service” buildings as they look to avoid full service condo fees. And usually (I am generalizing here) will swing more towards hip and groovy interiors.
Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox And Roach Realtors
530 Walnut St. #260 Phila., PA 19106
