Change is not always bad - 07/29/11 10:17 AM
We often resist change, fighting to maintain what we know and are comfortable with so that we can remain that way. Sometimes change happens quickly, sometimes slowly. I think when it is slower we can adapt and accept it better, but when it happens fast or we feel it is forced upon us we resent it and fight against it. Nature has some of its own changes, think of butterflies, I read a quote yesterday that there is nothing in a caterpillar that leads us to think of or see a butterfly.
I posted this photo on Wednedsay of a canna … (4 comments)

What does it matter who or what your agent is? - 07/28/11 12:27 PM
Do you ever take notice of who or what you real estate agent actually is, go on, I'll wait take a look at their business card again, how do they describe them self?
Salesperson - Realtor - Associate Broker - Broker - Consultant - Real Estate Agent
Are they part time or full time? Did you ask? How many transactions did they do last year? Do you think it is important to know a little about your agent before you sign a contract with them?
Salesperson - someone who has 60 hours of education and passed the state and national real estate exam … (0 comments)

Flowers need to add curb appeal through the summer - 07/27/11 06:14 PM
Onme of the issues for many gardeners is getting the mix right throughout the year of flowering plants. Perennials are great, but they often bloom and then leave you with a bed of greenery and nothing else. Annuals help out adding color, but sometimes it is just a mater of doing some research and mixing what you plant to flower at different times. Harder said than done but one of the flowers we have admired over the past few years when our yard is looking kind of drab was "Canna Lillies".
This one is just beginning to flower, as you … (3 comments)

Wine down Wednesday - 07/27/11 06:07 PM
We had several friends over this last weekend, and although it was hot we got to drinking some great red wine.

The first was a wonderful Zinfandel Terra d'oro from Amador County 2007, on sale in the PA state stores right now. Thick and luscious this red wine had great weight to it and was full of fruit. A really nice wine to drink. Worth checking out their website in case you are ever in the area. Believe this is on sale for about $10.00
The other wine shown above we actasully drank with friends at Legal Seafoods in King … (3 comments)

Main Line Stations - Strafford - 07/26/11 08:04 AM
One of the few stations along the main Line to have been totally rehabbed, rather than restored, is Strafford just west of Wayne. All the platforms were rebuilt and the building was repaired and repainted. Ramps werte installed, pretty steep, so not sure if they are ADA compliant, but to get up them you will need help or some really strong arm muscles.

The main station building.

Eastbound platform looking west

Westbound platform.
… (1 comments)

Main Line Stations - Devon - 07/25/11 08:06 AM
The Main Line is famous for its railway line, what gave the region its name, man y of the old stations have been restored or are in need of restoration. Devon used to be an important stop, now only the Septa trains stop here, but in the past the was a big hotel, The Devon Hotel and Polo Grounds located just across the road where Waterloo Gardens and The Horse Show Grounds stand today roughly. Many Philadelphians came to take the country air and get away from the heat of the city. Whilst it is probably cooler than the city today … (0 comments)

Main Line Stations - Updating parking payment, an idea. - 07/25/11 07:58 AM
I was In Philadelphia this past week and saw the kiosks on the street for paying for your parking. Great idea, no longer do I need a pocketful of change, I can insert my credit card and bam I am done. Somebody should let Septa the regional transportation carrier around Philadelphia know about this.

Not sure if you can read that sign, parking is a dollar, no bills, coins required, dollar coins. Maybe Septa is trying to help out the Mint with what to do with all the dollar coins they keep minting, as required by congress. Of course if … (0 comments)

Our job is to negotiate - so why do so many agents avoid it? - 07/22/11 06:57 AM
Part of our job as real estate agents is to negotiate, so why do so many agents avoid it? We negotiate at first for ourselves when we first meet with a consumer, when we decide if this is someone I want to work with as a customer. We explain the legal obligations our state requires about the different agency representations and what they mean to the consumer and why they might want to work with us, how we will represent them and what we will charge.
We negotiate explaining our value either as a listing agent or as a buyers agent, laying out … (6 comments)

How many Dunkin Donuts do we need? - 07/21/11 02:35 PM

For many years we have had a store front Dunkin Donuts in Paoli, just across from the station. Today I was driving through and saw this brand new Drive Thru store, right next door to a well known real estate brand. These two Dunkin Donut stores are only a quarter of a mile apart and I hope that the owner of this one is the same as the owner of the old store, have not had a chance to check on that before writing this. We seem to be having a proliferation of Dunkin Donuts along the Main Line, like banks … (6 comments)

Paoli station - believe it or not the 5th busiest Septa Regional station - 07/21/11 10:08 AM
Paoli, site of the Paoli massacre during the revolutionary war, and a growing center for transportation. According to Septa Paoli station is the 5th busiest regional transportation center in the system. When you look at the station it is hard to believe and you realize why for the past several years there has been a plan to move the station to a new site further west and create a brand new Transportation Center. The current station looks like something out of a third world country rather than a station in the suburbs of one of America's larger cities.


The … (1 comments)

Old Forge Crossing update - 07/20/11 02:35 PM
There are currently 12 homes listed for sale in Old Forge Crossing. 

8 singles, priced from $134,900 to $165,500, two of these also have a den so are second floor locations and there are 2, 2 bed 2 bath condos ranging in price from $165,000-$199,900.  Plus there are 3 townhomes for sale, these are two floor homes, priced from $219,900 - $224,900. There are also two homes under agreement of sales a one bed with den and a two bedroom townhome. We currently have two homes listed for sale an end unit single in a very nice private location 5 Old Forge Crossing at $145,000 and a two bed two bath home 39 Old Forge Crossing … (0 comments)

Main Line Real estate market report - current price per sq ft for Main Line townships - 07/20/11 02:12 PM
Before you buy or sell, do you know the current price per sq ft for similar homes in your township? Didn't think so, so for townhomes and apartments look below. For single family homes read our previous blog Main Line Market Report.
 

A couple of points to explain some of this data. Haverford has a number of sales of new construction apartments at Athertyn that thrown the price per sq ft out and the days on market off as they get entered when they sell, not necessarily when they are on the market. Radnor likewise has had several sales … (0 comments)

After 20 years...the ultimate cheesesteak or not? - 07/19/11 11:03 AM
After 20 years of living in the Philadelphia suburbs and after several failed attempts I made the journey to Pat and Geno's for a cheesesteak comparison. This was actually a delayed fathers day outing with one of my son's Jeremy and his wife Meg shown here at Geno's.

The whole premise here was to try some different steaks and decide which was best. Jeremy had done this with a friend from 2nd Recon USMC but could not remember what they had decided. I have tried to do this little outing for 20+ years and although I was one block away … (3 comments)

Everything is fine - then it isn't - 07/18/11 10:45 AM
Rentals - not favored by many agents because the commission is not high and brokers often split these differently, not sure why but they do. Anyway, I don't mind doing rentals, they need to be fast and quick to make it worthwhile but if you can do that, make the tenant happy they may buy with you later, that is my thinking.
Anyway a couple of weeks ago I had just such a client, relocating to the area, need a home quickly, Mom lives close by and she will come look at homes. There were only two that came up in their … (4 comments)

A book and a house what they have in common! - 07/15/11 03:22 PM

I love to read, all sorts of books, and yes I like a book, the tactile feel of it, historical novels, mysteries, business books and thrillers. When I read I get engrossed, I can see the story right before me, usually in color, I place faces on the characters and the story becomes like a movie as I read. Trudy accuses me of getting lost in a book, she can be talking to me and I just don't hear a thing I am so engrossed.
Recently, having read several great business books I took a turn to some lighter reading, … (0 comments)

There is just something about train stations... - 07/15/11 01:03 PM
I was picking up one of my sons last night, the air was perfect, the silence as I waited calming...there is just something about train stations...the beginning and end of so many journeys...

Notice the flapping flag in the wind, top right of the photo, the Veterans Memorial, this is the westbound platform.

Eastbound platform and station building, now houses a music school and art studio.

You can hear the rails singing, twanging and sounding before the train ever appears..just makes you want to climb aboard and take a journey.
… (6 comments)

Berwyn changes - 07/14/11 08:35 AM
I wrote a couple of weeks ago about how the old Berwyn School which became the T/E School Administration building has been demolished. Was at Easttown Library today and noticed that the fences have been taken down and made me realize that the properties on First Avenue opposite the old building, just got a big boost in value.

Instead of a darkand dirty building, they now have this great view of the playing fields and when all that grass eventually comes in and greens up a bit it will be a fabulous view of Open Space.
… (0 comments)

It's 95 degrees, why do the photos of your home have snow in them? - 07/13/11 05:18 PM
Ahem! Excuse me, it is 95 degrees outside and the heat index is over 100 degrees...did you know the photos of your home in the multiple list service show your home surrounded by snow?

Photos are important selling a home today, more and more buyers look at photos before or even if they read the description of the house. Many multiple list services and websites are allowing more and higher quality photos as well, so quality and content of photos is important.
You can tell a story with photos, show a little of the neighborhood, the character of the home, … (54 comments)

How do you decide what is the market price? - 07/12/11 01:09 PM
Many buyers today want deals, deals and more deals. Which if you believe everything you read is understandable, however, many homes even today receive multiple offers. So how do you decide what is the market price?
A buyer has no interest in what you paid for the home Mr. Seller, how much you owe, or what you think your home is worth. All of this is irrelevant. What does matter is what else is on the market that he can actually see and compare with this home he is interested in? What homes have sold recently, in the last three months but not much … (5 comments)

7 Reasons to Own Your Home - 07/12/11 10:57 AM
This is a great post regarding the benfits of buying over renting by a Dallas, TX agent but it applies equally to our area outside of Philadelphia.
Via Jen Jenkins :The Kinsey Group (972.757.9101):

7 Reasons to Own Your Home
1. Tax breaks. The U.S. Tax Code lets you deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, your property taxes, as well as some of the costs involved in buying your home.
2. Appreciation. Real estate has long-term, stable growth in value. While year-to-year fluctuations are normal, median existing-home sale prices have increased on average 6.5 percent each year from … (0 comments)

Main Line Homes Market Report - 07/11/11 01:18 PM
We are entering the third quarter of the year, lots of mixed messages being given by national media on the housing market as they report national sales data, with the market halted one month only to be booming the following month. As I have said many times there is only one set of data that is really important and that is your local data. So below is some local data taken from our local MLS for single family homes.
Township            Price per sq ft for homes sold      Average Days on market  Ratio to listed price
Lower Merion              $217 up from prev qtr              … (0 comments)

Change the listing contract - 07/07/11 04:18 PM
Different brokers use different listing contracts adapted for their use or a board approved form, but most are similar. My point here is that any listing contract that is used in a state where Buyer Agency or Transaction Licensees are the norm should be re-printed.
Why?
Because we no longer practice sub-agency, or most brokers I know do not want to be responsible for other brokers' agents, so we should remove the sub agency offer of compensation. Secondly, we should remove the offer of any type of compensation to anyone other than the listing broker.
Why?
Sorry to answer a question with … (0 comments)

Contrarian marketing strategy - 07/06/11 10:52 AM
Not doing enough business - book a trip. Listings not getting any showings - go away for the weekend. Need some more appointments with potential clients - book a vacation.

I don't know what it is, but there seems to be a magnet that goes on when you make plans to go away. Almost immediately the phone begins ringing, agents start showing your listings, buyers want to make offers. So if you aren't having your best year take the time to start making plans to get away, whether it is to go camping for the weekend or even mid-week just … (7 comments)

Answers to some everyday mortgage questions - 07/05/11 12:43 PM
I recently sat down and went over some everyday questions with the two mortgage professionals in our Devon office of Long & Foster. Both Eric May and Jeremy Durkin work for Prosperity Mortgage a joint venture between Long & Foster and Wells Fargo and both are extremely knowledgeable.
I wanted to keep this shorter and we may very well shoot this on a more regular basis with a shorter list of questions and updates to these everyday mortgage questions. So let me know if you have a particular question you want an answer to?
 
 

… (1 comments)

Old Forge Crossing Devon, PA - 07/05/11 12:32 PM
There are currently 10 homes for sale in Old Forge Crossing. Two 2 bedroom 2 bath homes, one a townhome, there are 8 one bedroom units for sale of which three have dens, meaning they are second floor units. Prices for the one bedroom units range from $134,900 to $165,500, for the two bedroom homes prices range from $165,000 to $224,900.
Location is important in Old Forge Crossing, whether a home is first or second floor is arbitrary to a buyers taste, some people prefer ground floor, some prefer being upstairs for various reasons. Location within the development is important to … (0 comments)

 
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Nick & Trudy Vandekar Realtors Main Line PA Homes for Sale Lic AB067198

Devon, PA

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Long & Foster Real Estate Inc

Address: 92 Lancaster Avenue, Devon, PA, 19333

Office Phone: (610) 225-7400

Cell Phone: (610) 203-4543

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