Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

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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

If you found a Philadelphia condo, and made an offer and the seller signed the offer on say, January 1st, here is a rough time line of what to expect:

By January 5th – Have mortgage application taken.
By January 15th – Set up and have Home Inspection.
By January 16th – 2nd deposit due.
Sometime mid to late January- You get condo docs and have 5 days to review.
Throughout January and February- Be tortured by your mortgage company.
Through January and February- I order title insurance, city certificates, etc etc.
One week prior to settlement- You order a homeowners’ insurance policy  for your unit.
One day prior to settlement- We do our final Walk-Through
Day of Settlement- Take This day off work. Please. Settlement will take an hour or two.
Post Settlement- Sing and dance in the middle of the street, and drink to celebrate your accomplishment!

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

I get a lot of email from folks who used to live in town…here is what you may not know about Center City if you haven’t been to town in 20 years:

1. Spruce and Pine Streets are now one lane- the other lane is a bike lane.

2. There is a new tax called the “Center City District Tax”…kinda’ nominal, but adds street cleaners and supervisors on many of the residential streets.

3. Northern Liberties is RED HOT- You MUST see to believe (compared to the 1980’s).

4. Graduate Hospital is now apartments- The hospital closed.

5. We have a new “South Street Bridge” and it is fabulous.

6. Broad St Just South of City Hall is Hoppin’…with residential and tons of restaurants.

7. The Bellevue Stratford is now The Hyatt at the Bellevue- and is stunning.

8. Delaware Ave. is now Columbus Blvd- and nicely manicured.

9. The old Naval Home on Grays Ferry is now a Toll Brothers development.

10. Most Parking meters are gone- replaced by Kiosks- and the parking authority is still very well run- If our city was run as well, the streets would be lined in gold.

If you are looking to come back to check out the City, drop me an email at Mark@CenterCity.com…I would love to show you some of the great new Philadelphia Lofts and Condos available too!

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

Click to read more…

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

Click Preview to View Online -Enjoy!

Mark Wade
www.CenterCityCondos.com
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox and Roach Realtors
530 Walnut St. #260 Philadelphia, PA 19103
215.521.1523  Mark@CenterCity.com

Every Philadelphia condominium building has it’s own basis for charging condo fees, and the percentage one pays is a reflection of the square footage of their particular condo.

Some potential condo buyers shy away from condo fees…or at least fees that they view to be excessive. But let’s look at what condo fees can cover. This way you can pick and choose which services might be right for you….and which building or building style may be right for you:

Trash Removal                        Common Area cleaning
Management Service               Doormen
Parking                                  Town Car Service
Pool                                        Shuttle/Buse Service
Heat                                       Central Air
Hot water                               Common Electric
Concierge                               Building Maintenance
Landscaping                         Gym
Window Washing                  Elevators
Common Electric                   Security
Bundled Cable                       Water and Sewer
Master Insurance Policy

You can pick and choose your services….Just let me know what your priorities are, and we can find a condo in Philadelphia that is right for you!

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

There was an article last week in the Philadelphia Inquirer that suggests more Philadelphia Condos are being rented.  Here is an excerpt from the article:

Because the focus of residential construction during the boom times was on for-sale housing rather than rentals, there aren’t enough high-end apartments to go around now.

“We are finding the high-end rentals to be almost nonexistent, as they rent fairly quickly,” said real estate agent Mark Wade, of Prudential Fox & Roach.

Condos near the University of Pennsylvania and Thomas Jefferson University “have a built-in demand for rentals, and we have seen that equation play out year after year,” Wade said.

Read more here:

http://articles.philly.com/2011-06-01/news/29608739_1_rental-apartments-rental-units-center-city-district/2

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

Race Street Pier officially opened today! This is the first new public space of its kind located on the Delaware River as part of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation’s ambitious new plan.  The Pier reconnects the City to the River, activates the water’s edge and establishes the pier as a distinctive new public park for the people of Philadelphia. Click to read more about The Race Street Pier.

This is a great new park for Philadelphia condo owners and Philadelphia condo buyers. If you are interested in purchasing a condo in Philly, give us a call at 215.521.1523.

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

We just listed the dozen remaining units at the Winne building at 38-44 N. Front in Old City.

Finally, these units have great prices on them, and they are in the process of being FHA approved. From one to two bedrooms, priced as low as $216k!

Give us a call at 215.521.1523 to make an appointment to see these groovy Philadelphia Condos today!

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

If you plan to put your Philadelphia Condo or Home on the market, you have to check out Drew Callaghan Photography. He does great work that will go a long way at showing off your Condo’s Showing Ability! Here are a few of his amazing photos:

You can contact Drew at Drew@DrewCallaghanPhotography.com or 215.431.3384.

See more at: http://www.DrewCallaghanPhotography.com/

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