Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

The kitchen is the room in your Rittenhouse Square Condo where families typically gather to begin their day. It’s the first room that family members visit when they return home as well. With so many comings and goings, it’s easy for the busy room to become a catchall for clutter. Items totally unrelated to cooking and eating, such as books, bills, backpacks and bags, often find their home here. A kitchen remodel or addition offers you the opportunity to plan ahead for all the activities that take place in your kitchen, with storage solutions that will make the utilitarian room as stylish as it is functional.

Because kitchen cabinets typically take up to 30 percent of a kitchen remodeling budget, you’ll want to ensure that the cabinets not only look  great but provide the storage solutions that your kitchen needs to keep clutter at bay. Pull-down shelves, slide-out towel bars and pull-out waste bins help keep frequently used items accessible. Look for cabinets with hardware that enhances functionality too, such as self-closing slides on drawers.

Consider including a zone in the kitchen’s layout for non-food-related activities.  Once you’ve designated specific areas for non-cooking activities, you can help keep the related materials organized with containers, baskets and trays. Deep trays are a kitchen organizer’s best friend. Trays not only allow you to keep an assortment of related items together but are easy to transport to and from a cabinet as well, letting you whisk clutter
out of sight quickly and easily. Trays are great for managing the dreaded “junk drawer” too.

Store the items that you use the most, such as large utensils and knives, on the counter in attractive containers. There’s no reason why storage solutions can’t add visual appeal to the overall look of your kitchen while make the heart of your home more functional too.

Author Bio
Jennie owns and manages several self storage units in Fontana CA. She recommends using Extra Space Storage in Las Vegas to her friends and family in the Las Vegas region. Away from work, Jennie enjoys spending time with her three young boys and her beloved dog Rex.

Remember the olden days when the Sunday paper would arrive and you would get our your red felt tipped marker, then circle the open houses you wanted to see?

That was so 1997….

Those days are all but gone- having been replaced by the advances in internet marketing for Philly condos. Additionally, more and more buildings around Center City are forbidding agents to hold Open Houses- ever.

It is said in Real Estate circles that open houses are NOT for sellers- they are for agents trying to pick up buyers. To a degree, I agree. More so with the fact that videos, virtual tours, podcasts, blogs, multiple photos, etc are easily found with a quick Google search. And most Realtors’ websites can give you a lot more than you can learn at an open house- think neighborhood stats, crime reports, etc. not to mention the gossip and dirt you can pick up on your neighbors house.

If someone is seriously in the market for a condo, they are going to view your listing if they are interested- Open House or not.

I usually find that Open Houses tend to cut down on the weekly traffic- the more people who see it at an open, the less weekly appointments one will find in terms of buyer traffic.

And of course, we are all aware that Open Houses usually beget nosey neighbors, passersby, and the like.

With overall traffic down on Open Houses over the past decade (in my experience)- how long before Open houses will go the way of print advertising for Real Estate?

Probably not long.

FYI-Center City Open Houses are usually ONE hour only- Get in, then get out. Suburban agents can spend 3-4 hours at one open house. How utterly boring. I think I’d rather drink bathwater than to sit in a house on a Sunday for four hours.

Mark Wade
Prudential Fox and Roach Realtors
www.CenterCityCondos.com
530 Walnut St. #260 Phila., PA 19106

What are you..new to these parts?

If you want your packages and your guests to come and go without being tortured or be put through a lengthy inquiry, then listen up-
Folks who live in Doorman buildings quickly learn that the way to get anything done through the building is through the doorman. Unless perhaps you live in Society Hill Towers (a polite jab at one of the best run buildings in town) and they quickly learn to always be polite and friendly to all doormen at all times.

From fetching your car, to walking your dog- doormen can make your life easy and they often will go the extra mile for Philly condo owners they like. And being greeted each time you come home with a smile is a nice thing. Having a doorman who doesn’t like you is not a walk in the park.  Believe me, I learned the hard way back in the late 1980’s  by being rude and pushy. I no longer live in that building, and I now treat doormen with respect. You should too. Your life will be made much easier if you never piss off your doorman. They are great for learning of building gossip too…they seem to know everything. Oh, and tipping? Should be done if they go the extra mile. AND during the Holiday season.

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox & 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….

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com

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

I now know firsthand…

We just sold our summer vacation house of 2200 sq ft and bought a really nice 458 sq ft condo up on Cape Cod….and in all honesty- we have never been happier.

The benefits?

Easier to clean
One Level living
Financially- It is a no brainer
I honestly feel like I can breathe a sigh of relief…hard to explain.

When you get to an age where you are looking to downsize to a Philly loft or condo, I am here to tell you that less really is more. More peace of mind…and more to smile about. I feel I shed about 700,000 pounds of fat- and I am feeling free as a bird. Size isn’t everything- especially when you know how to use it. We want for nothing, and aren’t looking back…

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors
530 Walnut St. #260 Phila., PA 19106

A LOT of  the recent talk in Center City Real Estate circles has been about the number of multiple offers on various parcels, and how some places are sitting on the market for a only a week, and being sold in short order. This is clearly a change from the previous four years. Maybe not be true in all segments, but certainly becoming more and more common this year.

I think what most buyers in the Philadelphia Real Estate market have to come to terms with is that they may need to make their offer as attractive as possible on those homes that are in short supply, and in heavy demand.  Even a gradual shift from a buyers market to a sellers market is difficult for buyers to grasp. Those in the know are going to fare much better than those who perhaps think they can come in at super low offers like perhaps that might have done in 2009.

As demand increases, and supply decreases, we will see the gradual escalation of values here in town. But remember, Philadelphia Real Estate values generally don’t skyrocket…they meander up or down depending upon market conditions. This certainly lends  strength to the fact that
“All in All”, the Philadelphia housing market is relatively stable…relatively speaking.

We have not seen the peaks that perhaps NYC, Miami, or parts of Southern California have seen over the years, and in turn, we are not seeing the loss in value as many other big cities have seen over the years.

Be happy you live in Philadelphia.

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach Realtors
530 Walnut St. #260 Phila., PA 19106

Don’t believe everything you read, or every comparable you see.  NOT all Philadelphia condo space is created equal, and not all two bedrooms in the same building are of the same value.  Duh.

There are soooo many factors that infuence value-

HOW DO YOU THEN CORRECTLY COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES?

Here are some Tips:

1) Ask to see EVERY sale in the building in the past 2 years. Ask for the public records and MLS records.

2) Find a map of the building, and see which units face “The Park”, and which overlook the
DUMPSTERS – Positioning within a condo building plays a role in value!

3) Inquire as to seller concessions that may have result in a higher recorded sales price for comps in newer buildings. And ask “did that unit include any extras like free parking?”
Cuz if it did, it is going to distort the comps.

4) Floor height value- may or may not play a part in comps/ comp value. Newer condos are GREATLY based upon floor height.

5) Know that ALL pictures in the MLS look good- they don’t show dirt, clutter, or a poor showing ability (generally speaking). And know that “Fact Sheets” and MLS sheets are like Resumes- full of bullsh** and dog doo. Never take that info for granted- you must confirm!

6) AND THE BIGGEST factor to warp comps – Interior condition. Hugely huge in comp valuation.

Here is a good example of “Not All Space Being Created Equally”…Equally sized two bed units at the Plaza can vary in price from $400k- $700k. Condition, and view have huge impacts on value and pricing.

So clearly comps can be deceiving – if you don’t know…ask me. Please.

Mark Wade
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox and Roach Realtors
www.CenterCityCondos.com
530 Walnut St. #260 Phila., PA 19106

The Old Piano Factory – Located on the corner of 2nd and Queen Streets in Queen Village. Super groovy soft loft living with garage parking. Fabulous building.

2009 Spruce St. – Double Wide Brownstone that is the epitome of luxury low rise Philly condo living. Killer location.

Kahn Park Place– Perennial fav…parking, some of the best roof decks in town, and central locale. You’ve driven past 1119 Pine a million times, if you have done so once.

700 S. 10th St – Remember Tom Hanks’ condo in the movie “Philadelphia”? Stunning views, big windows, parking!

The Palladian– 2138 Lombard St. One of the first low rise luxury conversions in town. Rarely available, parking.

Mark Wade
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox and Roach Realtors
www.CenterCityCondos.com
530 Walnut St. #260 Phila., PA 19106

Check it  out…

Residential Sales in 19146, 19147, 19107, 19106, 19102, 19103, & 19130 – Jan 1-July 15, 2012

Thanks to all for sending me their friends and family looking to buy and sell in town. Much Appreciated!

The Biggest Cheerleader for Condo Living in Center City,
Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox Roach Realtors
530 Walnut St. #260 Phila., PA 19106