Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

Condominium; an apartment house, office building, or other multiple-unit complex which is individually owned, with an individual deed and right to sell the individual unit of that building. So many uses of the word “individual” but that’s not exactly the word most people would use to describe a condo. Yes, you have your individual unit, but it is in a shared building with shared amenities, such as pool, gym, and/or tennis court, and shared responsibility to show your neighbors the utmost respect.

Let’s back track for a minute. You stopped at the word “amenities” didn’t you? That’s right, when living in a condo amenities such as these are right in your “backyard”, so to speak. Some Philly condos even go as far as to providing you with town car or private bus service to and from your destinations! Not a bad deal for a small fee.

A fee is described as a charge or payment for professional service. That couldn’t hit the nail harder on the head. Along with all the amenities included in your “condo fee”, which is a monthly payment for access to all that a condo has to offer, you also receive the privilege of professional services such as lawn and exterior maintenance as well as indoor home repairs. There are so many wonderful things a condo has to offer.

Condos provide a sense of a safer environment for people living alone or looking after small children considering the extra eyes that are always around. Living in a condo is like working in an office, you have your own personal and private space, yet you aren’t alone, and you aren’t too far from a neighbor or friend.

Of course I get tons and tons of folks emailing me looking to move into a condo in Center City…no surprise there. But you might be surprised by who is actually buying in town. Here are some common groups of buyers who I see buying condos in Center City.  Certainly others exist, but this is a generalization of what I see:

Whether you have been offered a job in a new country or are simply looking for a change of scenery in your life, moving to a new country can be a very exciting experience. Still, before you make such a drastic change, there are five major steps that you should make sure that you take in order to ensure as smooth a transition into your new life as possible.

Do plenty of research.

Depending on the specific country you will be moving to, the culture there may be very different than what you are used to here in Center City Philadelphia and may take some adjusting. By researching the culture, norms, and languages of the country ahead of time, you can avoid culture shock upon your arrival.

Learn the language.

If you are moving somewhere that has a different official language than what you are used to speaking, you may want to invest in some language classes or language-learning software. After all, the last thing you will want is to be unable to communicate with others upon your arrival in the new country.

Research immigration laws and requirements.

If you plan on living in the country long term, then you will likely need to establish residency and citizenship. Countries vary regarding how long you have to do this and what specific steps you need to take, so be sure to research this ahead of time and bring the necessary documentation and paperwork with you to make this happen.

Decide where you will live.

Consider hiring a real estate group to assist you with locating a home, apartment, condo, or other property to live at once you move there. For example, you may wish to consider the LWP Property Group, which is a reputable real estate company that can assist you in finding the perfect new place to call home. Keep in mind that living quarters can vary greatly from country to country, especially in terms of their average square footage and the amenities offered.

Plan a moving budget.

Moving to a new country can be quite expensive, which is why you should set a budget and do your best to stick to it. This is especially true if you do not have a business or company that will be paying for your move. Price different moving companies and related services to find the best deals in order to save money.

By following the above steps, you can ensure a successful move to a new country. Good luck!

About the Author: Madyson Grant enjoys spending time with her family and blogging about her experiences in her new home. Feel free to find out more!

WTF? Two Months Capital Contribution Buyers Have To Pay… Define: Two Months of Condo Fees A Buyer Must Fork Over When Buying a Condo In the old days- say 20 years ago, a Capital Contribution was a very rare line item paid by a buyer to reimburse the seller for the the contribution he or she originally made to the condo association when they first bought into any given building. Today, this fee is nearly universal in Center City, but it not longer goes to the seller- It goes to the condominium association. I think this is a great idea… You see, the more your building sells, the more money that the condo association is getting to put into their bank account. No longer does the seller get this money. The money goes to the association, and helps build the funds that will one day be needed to say, replace the roof, or do some kind of ongoing upkeep, maintenance, or repairs. I think the strength of any given condo association, and their ability to maintain a building without the need for a Special Assessment, is a function of how much money they have to fix and keep up the building- without having to go to the owners and ask them to pay a special assessment to address upkeep. So yes…if you are going to buy a condo in Center City Philadelphia, plan on having to pay two months condo fees upfront (this is in addition to the month fees you have to pay every single month) to the condo association. This fee will be on your settlement sheet, and is due the day you go to settle on your condo. Everyone pays it….so don’t think you are being singled out. And the money is not going to line someone else’s pocket- You are basically paying the condo association in which you are now a member. So cough it up…. Mark Wade www.CenterCityCondos.com

After making the decision to move out of your condo and into a new home, you have a lot of work ahead of you. Moving into a new home can be a lot of work, but proper planning on your part can help you to ease the amount of time and effort needed to relocate. Consider following these tips as you prepare to move.

Review Your Lease

As a first step, read your lease and take note of how much notice you need to provide to your landlord before you vacate the premises. Also, pay attention to the special move-out rules. For example, some leases may require the property to be professionally cleaned before you turn in the keys.

Consider Cleaning and Repairs

In many cases, a rental agreement states that a landlord can withhold your security deposit for any damages made to the property, so consider patching up holes, replacing burnt out lights, cleaning out the oven and other steps as needed. These efforts can take time, so you may consider getting started on some of them immediately after you provide your landlord with written notice of your intent to vacate.

Start Packing

Some people will wait until the last minute to start packing with the belief that they need everything in their place to live comfortably. In many condos, however, items like photo albums, DVDs, books, seasonal clothing and more can be packed up weeks ahead of time. Consider temporarily renting a storage unit, for example, self storage Philadelphia PA, to keep items safe and out of your way as you prepare to move in the coming weeks.

Look For Movers

One of the best steps that you can take to ease the stress associated with moving is to hire a moving company. A reputable moving company can easily relocate your boxes, furnishings and other items quickly and safely on moving day. This provides you with more time to clean your old home and start settling into your new home.

Transfer Services

Approximately one to two weeks before your moving day, contact your water company, utilities service providers, phone service and cable company to notify them of your plans to relocate. You may be able to cancel service in your existing home and schedule new service in your new home with a single call if moving inside the same city.

Contact the Post Office

You should also contact the post office with details about your relocation. You can fill out a change of address form at the post office that includes a mail forwarding service. While you want to call your car loan company, credit card companies and others who send you regular statements and provide them with your new address, you also want to ensure that mail that is sent to the wrong address is forwarded to your new home.

Because there are so many things to do to prepare for a move, it is wise to establish a schedule of to-do items now. You can work through the items on schedule, and this can drastically reduce your stress level during this busy time in your life.

Melisa Cammack

Author Bio

Melisa Cammack has been freelance writing for several years, she loves spending time with her three sons and her husband, as well as preparing for their unborn baby to arrive in mid-March.
Melisa is currently promoting Extra Space Storage – Brighton location, and wishes everyone a safe and efficient moving day.

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

Buying A New Construction Condo? Get Freebies while negotiating… Many developers do not like to drop their asking price a great deal as this may set a benchmark for any buyers behind you looking to buy into that building. So developers often will want to keep the sale price as high as possible in order to delude other buyers into thinking that selling prices are falling close to the asking price. Not uncommon. But what can you get out of a developer in order to keep the charade alive? Here are some common things that I see being thrown into a deal: A free parking spot Say 6 months free condo fees Free storage area Free custom interior upgrades A seller assist ( in terms of inflating the price, and giving you $$ back) Now certainly a developer may consider the value of the freebies into his bottom line… so these aren’t really 100% free….but you may find that the closer you get to a developers asking price, the more freebies you are going to acquire in the transaction. Mark Wade www.CenterCityCondos.com

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

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