Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

I believe appreciation is a greater function of an improved interior condition than is any other factor.

Why? Because buyers don’t buy bricks and mortar-they buy feelings and emotions. So the best way to increase the value of your condominium is to improve the strength of the feelings and emotions of your condo.  C’mon… This isn’t a difficult concept.

There is always a multiplier effect for the first dollars you put into your condo (think-painting, cleaning, etc).  Add a new kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, etc. and the value of any given condo will almost always rise above the cost of those upgrades.  And don’t forget about staging your Philly condo, either!

Our market is made up of TWO distinct types of buyers: first-time buyers and empty-nesters, and though they don’t buy the same product, the one thing they have in common is that they’ll pay for turnkey condition, especially in the condo segment of the Philadelphia market.

Therefore…

Want to steal a condo here in town? Buy Ugly.  Want to max your resale price? Sell Pretty.

Again, no earth-shattering concepts here. I’ve seen this theory in action for thirty years here in Center City and it’s a solid one.

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors®
530 Walnut St. #480 Phila., PA 19106

If you need to act like you know something about the Center City Condo/real estate market, then drop these little nuggets of info at any gathering:

“Unless U of Penn moves to Oklahoma, there will always be demand for one bedroom condos west of Broad Street.”

“Most loft-styled condos in Old City are one of a kind.”

“My condo guy (that’s me!) says he’s never seen condo inventory this low in 29 years.”

“New construction condos around town can easily pull over $1000 per sq. foot.”

“The bigger the building, the higher the condo fees.” (Think gym, pool, doormen, parking, etc…)

“The Center City condo market revolves around The Spring- always has and always will!”

Mark Wade 
www.CenterCityCondos.com
BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors®
530 Walnut St. #480 | Phila., PA 19106

Here are a number of factors that can sway the value of your condominium in any given month:

1) Time of year
The Center City condo market is HEAVILY weighted towards the spring. Selling a condo- especially a one bedroom condo may not pull nearly as much in any other time of year.

2) A spate of foreclosures or short sales in your building
Yeah, that always sucks- but a number of short sales or foreclosures can drop values fairly quickly within any given building. So can an auction.

3) A huge special assessment by the condo association
Though an assessment does (in time) help improve values, the onset of one might temporarily reduce demand for a particular building. ALL buildings have assessments from time to time and it’s unavoidable.

4) A large number of similar properties for sale in a building
Uncommon, but if several condos within any building hit the market, the value of your unit may be affected.

5) The state of the economy
If the market overall is depressed then the value of your condo will decrease.

6) Showing ability
Perhaps your condo used to “SHOW LIKE A GEM” but now you have three frat boys and a dog renting the place. Think that’s not going to affect value?!
You’d pretty much have to be from another planet to think that arrangement won’t affect a condo’s value. 🙂

Mark Wade
BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Mark@CenterCity.com

The one condo question that always gets a negative answer?  I get this ALL the time…

Is Airbnb allowed in this building? No. Never. Ever. Sorry…

Almost every Philly condo has a clause embedded into its declaration/rules and regulations that the minimum lease period is either SIX or TWELVE months.  Period.

Mark Wade 
BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Mark@CenterCity.com

There is no doubt that technology has changed the real estate industry…the days of looking for your next home in a newspaper are long gone. Buyers can find everything they need from pictures to floorplans to videos online. Redfin conducted a survey in May and found that 33% of people that bought a home in the last year, made an offer without first seeing the property in person. That is up from 19% the year before.

We currently create 3D Floor Plans for our listings…check one out here.

Pretty groovy for a floorplan…

But a Virtual Reality tour of a listing is like hosting a 24/7 open house…without having to entertain the looky-loos.  Even without the headset, these VR tours are cutting edge. You can check out a sample – one of Allan Domb’s listings – created by Matterport by clicking here.  Stay tuned for more…

Mark Wade
BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors
530 Walnut St. #480 | Phila., PA 19106
www.CenterCityCondos.com

So, you have decided to load up the truck and move to ‘beverly, eh? Please know that before you go, you are probably going to get busted by your buyer’s home inspector for a number of issues. Here are the most common issues that I see sellers neglect when they sell their Philly condo:

1)  Your air filter to your heating and air conditioning system needs replacing. It is old…super old…and has been restricting flow to your HVAC system, or it is improperly sized, or even non-existent. I see this ALL the time. Go to the Home Depot, and spend the $25 to remedy this….Now.

2) There is a missing TPRV on your hot water tank. This is another “under $25” fix. Again, go to Home Depot, and look in the plumbing section for a Temperature Pressure Relief Valve. Simply put, it is an “L” shaped thick metal pipe that measures about 1’ by 4’ and directs hot water down and away from anyone standing nearby, should the pressure relief valve open on its own.

5) Water stains on your ceiling. You need to fix the cause of the leak- and more often than not in Philadelphia condos, it is caused from a leaking bathroom above (should you NOT be living on the top floor, perhaps).

Now clearly, there is a possibility that none of these issues apply to you, but I would have to say that these are the most common issues cited by home inspectors in the 29 years I have been selling condos in Philadelphia.

So, when you are ready to add your condo “Just Listed” site, give me a call at 215.521.1523 or drop me an email at Mark@CenterCity.com.  We can talk about the possibility of some of these issues before the home inspection takes place, this way your potential buyer won’t nag you with the small stuff!

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
BHHS Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St., Suite 480 Philadelphia, PA 19106

Replacing the overabundance of green marble that had existed since the 1980’s was a smart move by the Academy House Condo Association.  The new front entrance/lobby looks great…see for yourself!

The Academy House condo association has also replaced interior unit windows (huge upgrade) several years ago, and in 2013 they revamped the interior hallways- which look really good. These condos have great track record of reselling- always have and probably always will. A very smart purchase. Condo fees include almost all utilities. A very central residential location, rental parking in the lower levels, and a 24-hour doorman. A fair number of units have outside balconies. Academy House is a non-smoking building. Values here are not heavily contingent upon floor height, as many units have great views.

If you are interested in taking a look at condos at The Academy House, give me a call at 215-521-1523 or email Mark@CenterCity.com.

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
www.Facebook.com/PhiladelphiaCondos
BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors

Personally, I could give a cr*p about your blinds and shades. But if they matter to my buyers, then they matter to me – so listen up!

Buyers don’t buy bricks and mortar..they buy feelings and emotions. The Center City condo buyer is NOTORIOUS for being able to sniff out the lack of quality and they will indeed pay for quality. One of the first things that help elevate the emotional value of a condo is the window dressings. Shades, curtains, and blinds – the bling that either attacks or repels.  Though I have never done business with the folks at Allure, I know a number of my clients have and they seem to understand the needs of many condo buyers here in town. And here’s their pitch:

Window blinds are a familiar window treatment to many and continue to be a go-to, staple window covering for horizontal and vertical options for several reasons. The adjustable nature of a blind’s thin slats to control light and privacy while the shade is lowered or traversed over the window makes it a versatile choice of covering. Tilting of the slats is essential to maintain views and for refracting light so that a room can receive the exact amount of desired exposure where and when it is needed. In today’s market, simple and hassle-free operating options exist that did not in past years which make blinds conveniently functional. Blinds have been known to be pesky in the past because of tangled cords and strings and frustratingly cumbersome due to trying to balance and even-out the things! Blinds in Philadelphia are now able to be constructed with sophisticated motorization systems with remote-controlled operation or integration with Smart Home systems. Manual options are more advanced as well, including cordless lifting mechanisms and advanced-engineered corded mechanisms for flawless operation. Blinds can be matched to enhance any décor – elegant to transitional to modern. The material options for blinds are aplenty with distressed and stained genuine hardwoods, affordable faux-woods, and sleek to rustic aluminum. Within the material options are a plethora of striking color and stain choices. An overall beautifully complete look can be achieved by adding a decorative valance, accented cloth tapes, and chic wand attachments to coordinate with a room’s interior style. Because the Philadelphia area hosts buildings with a wealth of diverse architecture, our designers can help you find a blind to perfectly suit any room.

www.allurewt.com

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors
530 Walnut St. #480
Philadelphia, PA 19106

We remain in a sellers’ market where demand outweighs supply. Some segments around $1m have little inventory and nearly 90% of the “grey” inventory left over from the boom of 2006-2008 has sold.

Interior condition tends to be the driving force of value and can compete with the “location x 3” aspect in terms of value retention. Overall, sale prices average around 97% of asking price and the “days on market” clock is not long by Philadelphia standards.

Empty-Nesters and first-time buyers are our primary buyers and both want “move-in condition” and will pay accordingly. If a Philly condo shows well, it will sell well. Weekend warriors and part timers are buying one bedroom units for fun and many parents buy condos for their kids coming to Philly to attend school- you would be surprised how active that segment has become.
The best move for buyers is to learn the market and take your time. When and only when you are ready- strike like there is no tomorrow. Pounce.

For sellers, staging works. More than you think. This is not an area you want to scrimp. Buyers don’t buy bricks and mortar- they buy feelings and emotions. Dare to disagree with me on that one 🙂

That could have been more than 137 words.
I didn’t really count…

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors
Mark@CenterCity.com