Along (what I have dubbed) the Spruce/Pine corridor here in Center City Philadelphia, there are a variety of low rise/Brownstone styled condominiums that have seemed to perform reliably well over the past decade. From studios to three bedroom units, these condominiums resell fairly well, and have a tendency to NOT sit on the market for [...]
Condo Associations are becoming heavily scrutinized. We have all heard of the difficulties in procuring a residential mortgage - from the need for high credit scores to the down payment requirements. The new qualification paradigm for obtaining a mortgage can shine a bright spotlight on any buyer looking to make a purchase in today's real [...]
Buyers don't buy bricks and mortar. They do buy feelings and emotions. Staging works. Adding a hint of color, some well-placed artwork, rugs, and furniture can really add that pop of visual excitement that MANY buyers crave.
I like HGTV. I think their shows are timely, relevant, and interesting. A nice combination of education and entertainment centered around a topic that everyone likes to talk about – Real Estate. Here are some ideas I have for TV programs that I would like to see because as a Philadelphia REALTOR®, I encounter a plethora [...]
...and has dirty orange shag carpeting, and faded purple walls. I really do.Buying a cosmetically ugly home is the VERY best way to protect your investment. Our little group of REALTORS® (www.CenterCityCondos.com) have sold over 3,000 homes and one distinction we can brag about is our ability to pinpoint condos which are "diamonds in the rough" and finding condos that [...]
We have all heard of the things we need to do to sell our home. Get rid of the clutter, clean it up, blah blah blah... But what are some of the more practical approaches one can take to buffer the effects of the buyer's home inspection report?1) Have your HVAC system serviced. Have the [...]
Here are some tips for making your offer on your potential new home as attractive to the seller as it can be: 1) Get a pre-approval from the mortgage company that the LISTING agent uses most. This will allow the listing agent, who will be presenting your offer to the seller, to be comfortable with [...]
I am often asked by sellers to help them price their condos for resale. This is often a tricky task, as there are a variety of factors that go into pricing a condo. The job is sometimes less difficult if there is a standard condo unit in, say, a high rise building. Generally speaking, most [...]
I get this question all the time. Why do condo fees vary from building to building? Generally speaking,the answer is simple, yet sometimes detailed. Let's start with what almost all condo fees (here in Center City Philadelphia) cover: master insurance policy, common building lighting, building maintenance, water & sewer, and a what I call a [...]
Having just lunched with an old college friend who lives in suburban Cincinnati, I am aware that suburban life and I are like oil and water. Though I covet her ownership of a three car garage, and unlimited access to parking at the local drugstore, I am aware that I would be "voted off the [...]
