Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

…yeah well, they all do.

Container gardens are very popular with city dwellers- though rarely do I see a small private outside area and witness plants thriving. It is like a death sentence for any plant that gets purchased by anyone who resides within the confines of Center City. So here are my suggestions for those looking to buy garden plants that basically “thrive on neglect”
 
Tall Plants- Good Sun           Tall Plants-Shade
                          
Bamboo                                 Feather Reed Gras 
 
Small Flowers- Full Sun         Big Flowers-Shade
            
Moss Rose                              Salvia                      
 
 
So if killing plants is your “thing”, Try these goof-proof plants that can thrive on neglect,
and you may have one of the prettiest gardens in Center City Philadlephia!

Is gardening a priority for your move into Center City? Lets chat about how we can find you a place with some nearby “Greenery”.

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St., Suite 260 Philadelphia, PA 19106

…ok, don’t answer that…and no, thats not a photo of me.
 
Top 5 things I can’t get Philadelphia Loft and Condo buyers to believe:

1) It is OK to paint exposed brick
2) Carpeting is OK in your bedroom
3) There is no difference in value between say the 33rd floor, and the 34th floor
4) A super clean older kitchen will sell just as well as a stainless steel, dirty kitchen
5) You will never recoup the costs of a new heater and new central air conditioning system
 
Don’t believe me? Well, get in line. Most don’t. But it is not like I am employed by the “Painted exposed brick” lobbists, or anything. I am just telling you what I know from my 20 years experience selling Philly real estate.

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St., Suite 260 Philadelphia, PA 19106

We received this useful bit of information here in Center City Philadelphia this month from Prudential Fox and Roach’s Research Division. The numbers indicate that Philadelphia sellers need to be very cautious when pricing their homes andcondos for sale in the current market and they may experience somewhat longer than expected marketing time. Month’s supply of inventory refers to how many months it would take to sell the inventory (homes for sale) based on the rate of sales (homes sold).

Month’s Supply of Inventory by Price Range, July 2007-July 2009:

Price Range                 July 2007          July 2008          July 2009          % Change 07-09

All Price Points                7.3                     9.4                    9.8                     34.4

$1,000,000+                    23.7                    26.9                 43.4                    83.6 

$1,000,000-$750,000       12.4                    17.2                 24.2                    95.1 

$750,000-$500,000            9.3                     12.4                18.0                    92.9 

$500,000-$300,000           7.9                     10.1                  12.0                   51.6 

$300,000-0                       6.5                     8.6                     8.1                   25.5  
————————————————————————————

Philadelphia Buyers on the other hand, have a larger inventory from which to select their home and interest rates remain at a very low, affordable level. First time home buyers also have until November 30 to take advantage of the $8000 tax credit.

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St., Suite 260 Philadelphia, PA 19106

….or risk killing a deal
   
 
  
Most tenants are buttheads. Come on, let’s be real here. I can list dozens of reasons why tenants can be deal killers. All from my own personal experience. They are not on this planet to make sure a buyer buys your Center City Condo, or that you get the most money possible. They can interfere greatly. Consider:

-Tenants who keep YOUR home looking like crap, with filth and crap strewn about your condo.
-Tenants who will keep shades drawn, as they laze around watching daytime TV when a showing occurs. Yeah, that’s going to help you sell your condo.
-Tenants who follow home inspectors along saying things like “Yeah, the roof keeps leaking all the time”.
-Tenants who say they will be home to let you in, then magically don’t answer the door.
-Tenants whose lease is up on say May 30th, and shockingly aren’t prepared to move (haven’t signed another lease)
-Tenants who leave all kinds of crap behind.
-Tenants who lock the one lock on the front door to which you do NOT have a key
 
Tenants are not on this earth to make your transaction easy. A lot of times, they don’t want to move. And allowing realtors to show their residence is not something they generally get excited about.

So…make a plan to keep your tenants happy while you market your Philly condo. Give them some incentive for making showings easy. Keep them in check, and do not allow them to call the shots. You and your future buyer will be much happier if you do not allow your tenant to cause all kinds of potential problems.

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St., Suite 260 Philadelphia, PA 19106

Your front Center City Condo doorman is kinda’ rude, he has no real training, and your management company is charging your buyer $200 to answer routine questions that should be listed in your condo docs, or on your resale certificate. Oh, and there is a dirty mop bucket inside one of your broken elevators which sits wide open in the lobby, with the lights off.  WAY TO MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION ON POTENTIAL BUYERS!

Oh, and did I mention that your management company rep won’t return my phone calls, and takes 3 weeks to get me condo docs?? And your common hallways smell icky, and they need cleaning (my buyers parents can see the dust accumulation on the hallway baseboards from about a mile away). Oh, and in addition to charging your future potential buyer money to ask questions, they are going to charge him or her $300 to assemble a standard set of paperwork that is required for you to sell your Philadelphia condo. Then they have to pay a $250 move-in fee. AND YOU DON’T HAVE A CLUE.

Perhaps you need to look into this. Then do something about it. Because my buyer isn’t made of money, but it appears your management company is making money hand over fist. Oh, and the lack of training of your doorman? BLAME YOUR MGMT COMPANY.

Then blame your condo board for not objecting to this shortcoming! If you think my buyers aren’t going to notice…you are WRONG.

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St., Suite 260 Philadelphia, PA 19106

It is easy to add a kinda’ lofty rough hewn look to a loft styled condo. You can add this look to a main, or an accent wall. Perhaps one side of a long hallway you have, or one side of a guest bedroom wall?  I have done it myself, and the results were quite good! First, find a solid wall- preferably one that is cement, plaster, or cinderblock. Apply wire mesh. Coat with a morter mix. While the morter mix is setting up, take a $5 pointing tool, and scar lines in the drying morter/cement mix to resemble bricks- approx. 6″ by 2.5″. You needn’t be perfect here- remember, you are going for an imperfect, old exposed brick kinda’ look. Now paint your new creation your favorite color. Since this is a faux process, you have to paint the look (it will look like dried, scarred cement if you don’t).

Viola’…..a lofty look for your new Old City condo!

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St., Suite 260 Philadelphia, PA 19106

Here is what I suggest you do for all resale properties- get a home inspection. Yeah, even for a Rittenhouse Square condo, or an Old City loft.

Generally speaking, you can at least ask the seller to fix something…even if that something is about the same cost as the home inspection- like a one year home warranty.

When I buy a property, I look for two things- safety issues (which are almost always electrical in nature) and structural items. I am well aware that the hot water tank is going to go on the fritz in the next 5 years. Yeah, I also know the heater needs to be serviced to run optimally.

What I don’t want is for the total of the needed major defects to be so great that it impacts my perception of the value of my purchase of any variety of new Philadelphia condos.

Owning a piece of Philadelphia real estate is like owning a car. You have to regularly change the oil, tune it up, get it detailed, and shampoo the carpets to maintain value.

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St., Suite 260 Philadelphia, PA 19106

No, it is personal property:  

Yes, It is included in the sale:

 
 
This question, often asked, is really simple to answer. In the state of PA., IF a window air conditioner is simply sitting in a window, it is defined as chattel (personal property), and is not included in the sale of a home unless specifically listed as included in the sale.

However, if a special cut-out or pass-thru has been made in a wall for that unit, then it is included in the agreement of sale without mention. This question does arise in some lowrise/Brownstone condos in Philly.
 
Question? Call me…lets chat!

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St., Suite 260 Philadelphia, PA 19106

…can best be described as thorough.

 
It is no secret I love showing and selling Philadelphia real estate. The hallmark of the 2009 Philadelphia buyer is one of complete and utter thoroughness.

Though they are buying, and doing in fairly good numbers, there is no sense of urgency, and they want to see everything. Everything. If I had a dollar for every property I showed in the spring of 2009, I would go buy a new Lexus. Or perhaps take a cruise and drink a lot.

Such behavior is actually a good thing for an old timer like myself. I get to see sooo many places, that it really does add to my already stuffed brain. I know the size of the kitchen in unit 1902 at the xxx building. I am familiar with the condition of the 2nd Floor Front condo at 19xx Spruce St., and I see for myself why the condos at XXX and Bainbridge aren’t selling so well.

The equation here is a simple one:

Buyer Market- no sense of urgency- they can look at 18 other places, and come back to this particular unit they liked

Sellers Market- Hurry and buy. If you don’t, the unit you loved may be gone. Perhaps it already is gone.
 
The Philadelphia housing market is in a bit of a buyers market in 2009. I will let you know when that equation changes.

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St., Suite 260 Philadelphia, PA 19106

 
 
Simply put, a water table is a very old architectural element found on many historic homes throughout the east coast, and in Center City Philadelphia, is most prevalent in many of the Society Hill area townhomes. A water table can best be viewed as an old fashion method of keeping water away from the foundation. Water, and lots of it- pouring down around a foundation is not a good thing. You don’t want your soil being loosened, and allowing your foundation to slip or move. Yeah, that would be bad.

The idea of a water table is to essential push or direct water away from the foundation. As water would pour down the (say) facade of a home, the angled brick would guide water out and away from a foundation. So if you ever even noticed such a thing, now you know why “it is what it is”.

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Prudential Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St., Suite 260 Philadelphia, PA 19106