Twenty years ago, a Capital Contribution was a very rare line item paid by a buyer to reimburse the seller. Today, a Capitol Contribution is standard for almost any purchase, and the payment now goes to the condo association and not the seller. So WTF is a Capitol Contribution?Quite simply, it is a one-time fee collected from every buyer. [...]
1.) Do I need a lawyer?Legally, no you do not. However, I suggest you hire a REAL ESTATE attorney as they can be helpful. What I do NOT suggest is that you hire your brother's neighbor, and is a personal injury lawyer. That could really do more harm than good, in my opinion. Get a [...]
It is NOT always dollars and cents that prompt a seller to sign an agreement of sale. Here are a few tips to sweeten your offer:*Shorten your settlement date if the home is vacant.*Shorten your home inspection period to 7 days instead of 15 days.*Put more money down (to be held in escrow). A full [...]
A small number of condos in prime Center City zip codes have not appreciated over the past decade+/- In my 33 years of selling Center City real estate, I can tell you that value growth/appreciation is a priority for most buyers when purchasing a Center City condo: Many buyers rank appreciation as a reason to [...]
If you are of a certain age, you recall that Eva Gabor on Green Acres just "Adores A Penthouse View" for which she and her husband no doubt forked over some big bucks to accommodate her desire. And who wouldn't love such a view? The question is- Are you willing to pay for such an [...]
Center City offers a buffet of living arrangements. Almost any Center City condominium with a smattering of exposed brick attempts to pass itself off as a loft. Often sought after as an expression of one's own style, loft living has taken off in downtown Philadelphia. Lofts vary in look, layout, and location throughout downtown [...]
Every spring, my phone starts ringing off the hook with students and or parents of students who will be attending Jefferson Medical School. My name is Mark Wade, and I am a realtor in Center City Philadelphia. Many of these folks have figured out that buying a condo in the area is a wise investment, [...]
If the adage location, location, location were as etched in stone as it is etched in many buyers minds, then there would be little price difference between The Wanamaker House Condos at 2020 Walnut St., and its high-rise condominium neighbor, "2135" Walnut St. If size dictated values alone, then The Ayer and the Aria could [...]
...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 [...]
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 [...]
