Nick & Trudy's Blog

Luxury home with class excites...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:56:56 -0700

There are plenty of homes for sale that are labeled "Luxury Home" especially on the Main Line outside of Philadelphia, we have lots of them. Many are new or newer construction homes placed on lots where a home has been torn down usually a ranch, split level or a cape. Then we have some old Victorians in Wayne and beautiful homes in Gladwyne, Bryn Mawr and Villanova that are gorgeous luxury homes.

But it is rare for a large estate to be for sale these days, however Reggie Hunt and Charlie Irwin of the Devon office of Long and Foster just listed a beautiful estate for $4,800,000 with a Paoli address in Willistown Township one of the premier farms in Radnor Hunt on 37 acres. Currently operated as an artisanal farm with sheep and goats, it would also make a great location for horses.

Whilst the main house was built in about 1900, the old school house dates from about 1871 and that has been converted to a two bedroom three bath guest house. There is also a barn, a four car garage, a dog kennel and a three bedroom two bath caretakers cottage.

What I liked about this house was the feel of permanence, of being established in its place, the ceilings are not high, but it just all feels so classic, and right for the house. Being a former antique dealer I am often disappointed with the choices owners have made for their decoration, the objects they have around a home but not here at Holly Stone Farm, tastefully selected pieces adorn walls and tables throughout the house. And although you don't have the feel of it being a large house it has seven fireplaces, a wonderful "Great Room" and a wonderful master suite, plus five other bedrooms and a total of five and half baths in six thousand square feet of space as well. It features "Okie" architectural details. Situated well on two tax parcels totaling thirty seven acres it has breath taking views of the land around it. A wonderful chance to purchase a classic estate in Radnor Hunt with plenty of land and everything you would want.

To view this home or any other Luxury Estate on the Main Line call Nick at 610-203-4543.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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New Listing at 1229 Gail Road, West Chester, PA and Open Sunday 4/21

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:49:28 -0700

We just listed the most gorgeous home in the Green Hills Terrace neighborhood of West Chester at 1229 Gail Road, West Chester, PA 19380.

Calm and relaxing are two words that best describe this well cared for Colonial style home that provides four large bedrooms, and two and a half bathrooms on 0.64 acres of land providing a large level back yard, that includes a Koi pond and seating area, flagstone patio, and play area for children.

The house does not let you down either, with large spacious rooms, great flow for entertaining, large eat in kitchen and two car garage with plenty of space for friends to park on the driveway. Attention to detail can be seen throughout this home including the dentil molding on the front of the home.

Check out the video, and stop by on Sunday 4/21 to the Open House from 2-4 pm. Priced at $439,888.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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This doesn't make sense!

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:21:12 -0700

An estate is selling a home, price is agreed at $80,000, the township has a point of sale ordinance and after inspection insists the estate which has no cash available make $9000 in repairs, to sidewalks, etc, township refuses to issue a temporary use and occupancy certificate to buyer and insists all work is completed before they will issue a use and occupancy certificate. Buyer walks and estate is now stuck with a home they cannot sell. This is actually illegal in Pennsylvania, but many Main Line and surrounding area township ordinances are in breach of state law, state law says that a temporary certificate must be issued giving the buyer 18 months to make required repairs after settlement when a permanent use and occupancy permit can be issued.

This doesn't make sense.In a recent survey most homeowners 73% said they had seen, read or heard nothing about point of sale ordinances. Until a homeowner comes to sell their home they usually don't know if their township has a point of sale ordinance such as a use and occupancy certificate or not. As a buyer they did not care as the seller had to pay for any of those issues and it did not register particularly.

But why a point of sale ordinance does not make sense is that it can take decades for every home in a township to actually sell and therefore for important issues to be taken care of, and if you don't sell your home, you are not "forced" to make the repairs. Most homeowners also don't realize that these ordinances give the township the right to enter your home, make inspections and demand for repairs to be made. A recent example I had a buyer buy a home in Phoenixville, under the use and occupancy certificate the homeowner was required to make certain repairs, but it will take an estimated 35 years for every home to come up for sale in the township and therefore for important issues to be taken care of by every homeowner.

Suburban Realtors Alliance our local government affairs group recently launched this wonderful website www.ThisDoesntMakeSense.org which highlights the local townships and if they have a point of sale ordinance, if they do it estimates how long it will take before every home would be required to make repairs. It gives you the opportunity to contact your local township representatives and ask for them to remove point of sale ordinances and replace them with something better that does make sense and will deal with these issues in a common sense way.

There is also a very good video that explains why these point of sale systems are unfair to homeowners who are selling their homes and not requiring those who are not selling and may have bigger issues to avoid making any repairs. This is another reason why you should have good buyer agent representation and understand your rights.

Have a look and tell me what you think.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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Now is the time to be a seller!

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:55:18 -0700

With the record low inventories compared to the last few years, whilst now is a frustrating time to be a home buyer, it is a wonderful time to be a seller.

Homes are selling quickly at all price points, buyers are motivated to act as they are aware of the lack of inventory and finding the right home, so when they do see something that meets their needs they are not hesitating and they are taking action, making offers acceptable to sellers and getting the homes under contract quickly.

So, now is a wonderful time to be a seller. Whilst it does not allow you to ask anything for your home, if it is prepared correctly, priced right you will see lots of showings, and a quick offer that meets your asking price or maybe even over it. With the multitude of homes at all price points going under contract and reaching settlement, appraisers also are having no problem finding the comparative sales to do their research for banks for mortgages to be approved on these sales.

So select your listing agent, someone who will market your home on the web effectively, with lots of photos and video even, like us, and price it right.

Then all you need to do as a seller is prepare your home, clean it, weed the beds, spread the mulch, clean the house, yes I know I repeated myself, one of the biggest turn offs for buyers is a home that needs cleaning, it implies the home is not cared for or maintained and gives the buyer a reason to continue looking. So make sure you give the house a really good clean, baseboards, stairs, steam clean the carpets, vacuum, dust, get rid of those spider webs in the corners, clean the windows, open the blinds and let the light in, wipe down the counters and don't leave the sink full of dishes, pick up the toys in the house and in the yard. If you have a dog, pick up the poop. Plant some colorful flowers to brighten the look and get out of the house for showings. Make sure all your appliances have been serviced and leave a letter out why you bought this home, why you love the neighborhood, where you shop, and any tips about good restaurants that are close by.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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The Market has turned, I can ask what I like right? Let's discuss that

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:55:51 -0700

Getting a home sold and to settlement for the highest price the market will bear is not always about asking the highest price you can.

There is always this picture of sellers fighting with their listing and potential listing agents over price. The seller wants $xxx,xxx and the agent is shown as wanting to price the home at less than this price. The price a home sells for has nothing to do with what a homeowner paid for the house, what he spent upgrading it or what the neighbors house sold for, or how much the seller needs to buy his next home.

It has everything to do with what buyers in the market are willing to pay for this specific home. That is driven by the value they perceive the home offers and how many of their desires and needs it meets.

When you purchase a car and comparison shop, the car with the more options at the lower price is obviously the best deal. Likewise, buyers are comparison shopping your home with what else is on the market and what has recently sold. If it does not have the same or more options as other homes and the price is higher there is no perceived value.

Pricing your home to high may result in buyers not coming to see the home, or worse yet the wrong buyers not coming to see the home.

Another reason for pricing high is to leave room for negotiation, because all buyers want to offer less. Whilst this is a natural presumption, buyers are more aware of the market than sellers as they may already have missed out on purchasing a previous home, so their offers will be realistic in comparison to the state of the market.

So, to obtain the highest price in a market that is short on inventory is to price it such that it will attract the most buyers to the door and allow them to realize the potential and spur them to action. It becomes like an auction allowing you the seller to review a group of offers that should be in the same price bracket and really to then decide which is the cleanest most attractive offer from the strongest buyer and that may very well not be the highest priced offer.

Good luck, and if you need help with listing on The Philadelphia Main Line contact us and we will help you not just price your home but to get it sold as well.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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Whose on your team?

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:29:26 -0700

Being a Realtor is being part of a team. We work with many people to help make a transaction reach settlement, our clients firstly but also these include contractors, inspectors, mortgage providers, title providers, insurance agents, the agent on the other side of the transaction plus all the people in the background from secretaries to township inspectors for Use and Occupancy certificates. It is building relationships with all these people that enables a transaction to close smoothly and on time.

We just had our office awards ceremony and I was not expecting to receive any awards this past year as we have a very highly producing office and although I was very happy with my production last year knew there were many others who had stellar years production.

Well I was very surprised when both Trudy and I received awards for production, and I received several awards for referrals to our mortgage provider, insurance provider, and a community award for my work as President of the local business association Berwyn Devon Business and Professional Association and fund raising in relation to my work for Surrey Services for Seniors chairing the Main Line Antiques Show where we raised $108,000 for the charity.

So I want to thank everyone on my teams, clients, contractors, committee members, boards of directors and all the providers I use for making it so easy to recommend you all.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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Chesterbrook properties selling quickly

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:55:31 -0700

In the past few weeks I have posted several blogs about the lack of inventory and how this is affecting the housing market and pace of homes going under agreement in our local Philadelphia Main Line Market and surrounding communities. Chesterbrook is one of those communities being about 30 years old and well located in Tredyffrin Township it has single family homes, townhomes and apartments. Chesterbrook homes carry a Wayne address although as stated they are in Tredyffrin Township and part of the Tredyffrin Easttown School District.

Recently the townhomes have been selling at a very fast clip, with many homes going under contract within a week of being listed. That pace has not diminished and the only homes lingering on the market are those that are maybe a little strong in price or their location holds them back. Some areas of Chesterbrook are very close to the PA Turnpike and you can even see the turnpike from some windows of these properties, even this can be overcome with pricing these homes aggressively.

Also, as these homes are some 30 years old, if they have not been upgraded and maintained, sellers cannot expect top tier prices. Those homes selling quickly, generally have newer bathrooms, updated kitchens and are well maintained and clean, often being freshly painted.

Even two recent single family homes that came on the market, in the Green Hills Section of Chesterbrook, often listed as such are using the Chesterbrook Subdivision listing to draw more attention and one went under contract in just a few days.

So, if you are considering buying in Chesterbrook, get all your financing lined up ahead of time and be ready to make a quick decision whilst viewing homes. This selling pace is also starting to impact pricing in Chesterbrook as sellers understand the market has strengthened and are willing to ask a little higher price.

If you need help or guidance, we have successfully represented many buyers for homes in Chesterbrook and along the Philadelphia Main Line Area and can meet with you to discuss your needs and help you find a home in one of the towns or villages along the Main Line such as Bryn Mawr, Wayne, Devon, Berwyn or Paoli. We go further west as well out to West Chester, Downingtown and Exton as well.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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12 Questions to ask your potential buyers agent?

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:35:50 -0800

Many buyers today are missing the benefits of working with a professional real estate agent, preferring to search the internet and visit Open Houses to see homes on their own. Possibly there is a mis-conception that using the listing agent will save them money because of reduced commissions when they find the home of their dreams and make an offer. However, the listing contract signed by the seller long before these buyers appeared specifies what commissions will be paid even when the listing agent is used in a dual agency situation and it generally saves the buyer nothing.

Before buyer agency, some brokerages would give larger commission splits to their own agents if the home was sold "In-House". The introduction of buyer agency created a situation where it does not matter what broker or agent sells a listing there is no difference to the seller or the agents involved, and if there is this must be revealed to all parties, agents and buyer and seller so the playing field is even for all parties.

Attorneys shake their heads in confusion when real estate agents practice dual agency on a personal level because of the implied conflict of interest and lack of fiduciary responsibility.

But which agent do you use if you are going to work with a buyers agent? Here are some questions you can use to help you in your selection of the right buyers agent.

Do you work full time in real estate? With the increase in the number of real estate agents and the downturn in the housing market many real estate agents have taken part time jobs, is the agent you are going to use part time of full time. Part time agents are often difficult to reach and hard to schedule for showings which with the current lack of inventory can end up causing you to miss a property.

What area do you primarily work in? Every agent has a preferred area in which they work, I work primarily the Philadelphia Main Line and some distance north and south of that, and would never consider showing properties in Jenkintown or Horsham although my license allows me to. So make sure where they will be showing you homes where they know the market and understand what is happening today.

How easy is it to cancel the buyer agent representation agreement? Of course it may not work out, or you may feel you made a bad decision, and want to look elsewhere. How restrictive is that buyer agency agreement?

Can you supply a list of people we will need to reach settlement? A good real estate agent will have lists of local mortgage providers, home inspectors, contractors and title companies, with multiple choices in each field. Don't get steered into only using the one name an agent can provide. Make sure any relationships are also disclosed up front for any of these referrals.

How quickly do you respond? Horror stories abound of buyers not being able to reach a buyers agent at a critical stage of negotiations. With the advent of smart phones, there is no reason for an agent to be missing in action. We always ask clients their preferred method of communication, be it phone, texting or email, it varies from person to person, and whilst we may follow up in writing that preferred method is probably what we use the majority of the time.

Are you a Realtor? Why or why not? Many buyers today think that all real estate agents are Realtors, whilst many are not all are and there is a difference. A Realtor is a member of the National Association of Realtors, and as such a member of the local and State associations as well. Realtors operate under a code of ethics that is actually higher than that demanded by The Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission, it is one of the features that allows you to bring a complaint in the case of a breach of fiduciary responsibility

Have you had any specific training in Buyer Representation? There are many designations that real estate agents can carry, ABR Accredited Buyer Representative, SRES Seniors Real Estate Representative are just a couple and many are promoted by the National Association of Realtors, (NAR) but there are also other non NAR designations as well. Make sure you understand what if any courses your potential buyers agent has completed. Some designations require continued payment to maintain a designation and whilst the agent may no longer carry the designation that they have completed the training can still be important.

What other advanced training have you had? Is your potential buyers agent merely a sales person, or are they an Associate Broker, or Broker of Record both of the latter indicate they have completed advanced training of many hours in many different practices, taken and passed an exam set by the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission.

What type of buyer have you represented in the recent past? Is the agent representing down sizing buyers with cash, move up buyers who are using conventional mortgages, first time buyers with little or no down payment who are utilizing FHA financing, have they represented any Veterans who have used VA financing? Their experience of different buyers or a buyer similar to you can make all the difference.

Do you practice personal Dual Agency? As explained above partially, cases may arise where an agent is representing both parties. To do this both parties must agree in writing. Whilst a brokerage firm may be a dual agent where the listing is listed by one agent in one office and sold by an agent in another office, the two agents are designated agents representing the buyer and the seller but if one agent does it that agent must do nothing that harms either party or weakens their position, of course this means that they now can make only limited disclosure of what they might know, and that might help either party. We prefer not to handle dual agency and will with both parties acceptance arrange designated agency representation.

How do you get paid and who pays you? Most brokerages today charge buyers a flat fee commission to cover work done preparing for settlement. There are ways to work around these fees, does your buyers agent know how to do this.

Do you also list homes for sale? If we have a home to sell as well can you help us organize and coordinate the two transactions? Will that save us any thing when we list?

Finally how well do you get on with other agents? How a real estate agent interacts with other agents is important, a listing agent who finds your real estate agent difficult to work with may be obstructive and personalities may get in the way of you obtaining the home of your dreams.

So here are twelve questions to help you decide if the real estate agent you are interviewing and who you hope will help you buy your next or first home is the right one for you. One last thought to consider is this you also need to get on with the buyers agent, you are going to be revealing a lot or personal and financial information about yourself and you need to be comfortable with the agent you choose. I hope this has helped and if you are looking for a home on or around Philadelphia's Main Line I hope you will consider interviewing us to represent you, we look forward to working with you.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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Buying a Main Line home

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:18:00 -0800

Buying your Main Line home begins with deciding first your budget and then in which township you want to live. The Pihladelphia Main Line begins in Lower Merion Township, heads west and north through Radnor, Tredyffrin and Easttown Townships. Not so long ago, many would say it ended in Wayne, then it became Paoli, nowadays many people consider Downingtown the end of the Main Line.

Towns along the Main Line include Merion Station, Bala Cynwyd, Gladwynne, Haverford, Bryn Mawr, Rosemont, Villanova, Wayne, Devon, Berwyn, Paoli Malvern, Frazer, Exton and Downingtown.

There are many choices. Within each township people are loyal to their neighborhoods, often not venturing elsewhere to shop, many homeowners along the Main Line buck the national averages remaining in their homes for decades rather than the five to seven years so often quoted as the period of time home owners live in a home before moving.

So, your research includes, schools, neighborhoods, home styles and life style to name just a few of the things you most likely will consider when looking for a home along the Main Line.

All types of housing is available along the Main Line, from Revolutionary War period homes through Victorian homes to homes built in the sixties and seventies to modern day new construction homes built on lots purchased for such purposes. Colonials, ranches, contemporary and split level homes are available all along the Main Line. You have many options.

Whilst we have seen the housing market affected throughout the country with foreclosures and bank owned properties, whilst these have not been common along the Main Line, it has been affected with home prices fallingover the past few years although bottom seems to have been reached and the lack of current inventory is causing buyers to take part in multiple offer scenarios to obtain a home of their choice.

The Main Line brokers and agents prefer fully written offers to be accompanied by a mortgage pre-approval and a buyers financial form along with the completed paperwork required for making an offer in Pennsylvania.

After negotiation and acceptance of an offer, buyers have a set contingency period to make inspections and make full application of their mortgage as stated in the agreement of sale. Pennsylvania is a time is of the essence state requiring buyers and sellers and their agents to act within set deadlines as per the agreement of sale. After all contingencies have been completed, homes are marked pending till settlement. Only after settlement are the sales price and any seller concessions revealed so as not to weaken the sellers negotiating position should a deal fall apart for any reason late in the process.

We work all along the Main Line and some distance North and South of it. We sell homes at every price point from Luxury Homes to helping first time buyers discover the joy of the Main Line. Should you be searching for a home to purchase contact Nick@VandekarTeam to discuss your needs and to obtain our Main Line buyers guide. If you already live along the Main Line and desire to sell your property, now is an excellent time to list your property for sale for example the 24% fall in inventory since the last quarter in Chester County buyers are looking for new listings and making quick offers when properties are priced correctly. Our experience pricing and preparing a home for sale can help you achieve your goals. I look forward to hearing from you and helping you find or sell your Main Line Home

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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Luxury homes on Main Line notice uptick in sales

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 08:32:10 -0800

The real estate market in our area has noticed a definite uptick in sales since the beginning of the year, and even at the end of 2012. Inventory has dropped and is sitting at a balanced position between buyers and sellers from past statistics. Generally the luxury home market homes priced above $1,000,000 has not improved at the same rate as the rest of the housing market. But since the beginning of the year in Tredyffrin, Easttown and Radnor townships there have been 19 luxury homes sold or marked Pending since January 1st.

This is definitely an increase and I have noticed even the last few weeks that several luxury homes I have seen on broker tours have gone under contract. These numbers above do not include those homes that have simply gone under contract but not moved through the contingency period as yet.

Of these nineteen homes, sixteen are pending sales, and three settled. This part of the market has lagged behind in sales over the last two to three years especially in these three townships, however this turn in this part of the market signals a real improvement in the overall housing market along the Main Line, especially in Tredyffrin, Easttown and Radnor Townships.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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Main Line homes For sale shrinking inventory

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 05:40:36 -0800

Inventory along the Main Line in all price ranges including luxury homes continues to shrink. Buyers are out looking to buy homes like yours, and making offers on homes in all price ranges including million dollar homes. The only home they are not making an offer on is yours if it is not on the market because you are waiting for the Spring Market.

For a confidential discussion about listing your home, and access to our easy cancellation guarantee call or email Nick at 610-203-4543 or Nick@VandekarTeam.com.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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Marine speaks at Easttown Library on his experiences in Iraq

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:42:30 -0800

Full disclosure here, the Marine mentioned in the title is my son, Jeremy Vandekar. He left our home in Berwyn for Parris Island to join the Marines on Mother's Day several years ago to start his journey. This Sunday, he will be speaking about his experiences during training and his two tours in Iraq with 2nd Recon Bn. as told in his book Kicking Ace Taking Names at Easttown Library in Berwyn.

I am looking forward to his talk, and to hear his stories. Proud father, absolutely. If you want to attend you can register for the talk which is at 2.00 pm at Easttown Library in Berwyn on First Ave, this Sunday February 24th. Here is a brief video from his website www.kickingace.com.

Look forward to meeting you Sunday if you can make it.

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Do you ever wonder what to do with expired medicines?

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 06:10:29 -0800

I recently had to clear out an apartment for a client, in amidst all the furniture and clothing, was a medicine cabinet packed with old medicines, some were prescription pain killers and other drugs. I did not want these to get into the hands of kids, or into the water system.

I thought I could just take them to any pharmacy and they would know how to dispose of them correctly. I was wrong; in Chester county there are only a few places where you can take drugs for disposal, I ended up taking them to Phoenixville. But I noticed today when I was in the Tredyfrin Township building, located in Chesterbrook at 1100 Duportail Road, that Tredyffrin Township have installed a drop box for old and unwanted medicines.

One of the ways kids get their hands on drugs is going through the medicine cabinet at home, and they experiment with what they find. So by dropping off your old or expired drugs here you can easily make sure that you are doing the right thing.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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Established 55+ Chester County community, you will love Hershey's Mill

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:40:04 -0800

EXPERIENCE THE GOOD LIFE: YOU’LL LOVE HERSHEY’S MILL

Hershey’s Mill, one of the premier 55+ active adult communities in Pennsylvania, is nestled in historic Chester County’s lush and picturesque countryside. Situated on 800 acres of natural beauty with award-winning landscaping and a championship 18-hole golf course on-site, "The Mill" is an exciting active adult community that anyone would be pleased to call home.

In fact, Hershey’s Mill is perfect for the 55+ active adult buyer. Why? The list is endless, but here are 14 reasons:

Security –Hershey’s Mill is a gated community with a 24/7 manned main gate. Homes include central monitoring for smoke detection. A marked security vehicle traverses the community at various times 24 hours a day. Our "Lock-and-Leave" policy means little worry when away for vacations or a second-home stay.

Natural beauty – There’s plenty of green open space, miles of paved walking trails, mature trees and Audubon Co-Op sanctuaries.

Maintenance-free living including lawn care and to the doorstep snow removal as well as exterior maintenance.

Sports facilities include courts for tennis, pickle ball and winter paddleball as well as shuffleboard, bocce, horseshoes -- and golf, of course!

Heated outdoor pool with diving and lap areas, as well as a shallow roped-off area for the grandkids.

Over 35 clubs offering everything from Art to Yoga,

Community Center – Completely renovated in 2012, with a beautiful great room with fireplace as well as a well-stocked library and rooms for billiards, bridge, Mah Jongg and other activities.

Private roads with low traffic volume provide a great place to walk, bike or jog

Community garden

Fully equipped woodshop

Free digital basic cable TV with over 60 channels.

Channel 20 – Hershey’s Mill’s own independent community access TV station offers movies, activity schedules and informative programs.

Community bus takes residents to regional attractions, cultural institutions and gaming and sporting events

The Golf Clubhouse offers casual and formal dining as well as Friday night happy hours, Sunday brunches, barbeques, holiday affairs and casino nights.

Talk About Convenience

Hershey’s Mill is conveniently located close to hospitals, shopping and cultural events. Paoli Hospital with Chester County’s only trauma and cancer centers and Chester County Hospital are each only 15 minutes away. In addition, Center City Philadelphia and its renowned major medical centers are a short drive away.

Just outside one gate is the Village Square Shopping Center with a supermarket, banks, pharmacies, a beauty salon, dry cleaner and restaurants. The Exton and King of Prussia Malls, outlet shopping, and places to go antiquing, are just minutes away. Also, The Mill is only 30 minutes from Delaware with its tax-free shopping!

Hershey’s Mill is located in East Goshen Township between Malvern and downtown West Chester, off the Boot Road exit of 202, just a brief distance from the Main Line. At Hershey’s Mill, you will literally be minutes away from every convenience imaginable.

An Established Community

Construction of new homes at Hershey’s Mill is now complete. The community consists of over 1700 homes in 25 distinct villages, built by reputable contractors well known in the Philadelphia and New Jersey area. Prices range from $150,000 to $600,000.

Isn’t it time you learned more about Hershey’s Mill? To learn more, go to Hersheys Mill .

If you are looking for an established 55+ community in Chester County you’ll love Hershey’s Mill!

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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Acupunture on a dog? Devon Vet more than just traditional methods!

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:29:44 -0800

If you need a vet in Devon, PA there is only one place, Devon Veterinary Hospital on Lancaster Avenue, a state of the art facility with great vets and staff who are true animal lovers and make you feel like one of the family. There is always a snack/treat for dogs, and they board cats and dogs if needed. The walls are adorned with some cute art:

I had the chance recently when our business association Berwyn Devon Business and Professional Association held an event at Devon Vet to tour the facility and to see the treatment and operating rooms.

We also had the chance to see some pet acupuncture, which Keith Kennedy at Devon Vet has been doing for some time. Carol Carracand the owner of Devon Vet and a vet herself allowed us to seethe treatment on her Dachshund, this was the third time he had been treated and they have found it gives better results for arthritis on many pets than the steroidal medicines they have prescribed in the past with less side effects.

You can see some of the needles in place here, the first needle placed was on the top of his head, which keeps him calm and relaxed, he actually showed no problems during the treatment and seemed quite happy throughout. Generally the needles are left in place for about 15 to 20 minutes and it works the same way as human acupunture, freeing energy paths and allowing better circulation of "Chi" in the dog.

Quite a fascinating evening and if you need a vet this is the place to come, we bring our cats here and are very happy with the treatment.

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There are only three reasons why your home does not sell!

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:38:28 -0800

There are only three reasons why your home does not sell. That's right three. Even with the worst marketing it comes down to this, of which you can only do something about two of them.

1) Price
2) Condition
3) Location

Obviously you cannot do anything about the location of your home. If it is not in the school district buyers want, or it is located under or within sight of high tension electric wires these are going to affect the sale of your home.

But the other two things, Price and Condition you have the option to improve before you list.

Condition.
I am amazed at the number of homes I show that are simply dirty and untidy. Buyers comment on this and generally they don't see the house for the dirt, so you are hurting yourself. Either hire a cleaning company to come in and deep clean or use some elbow grease and clean the house. Wash windows, wipe down baseboards, wipe floors, vacuum, dust, make sure rooms don't smell stale, air them out. You basically need to do a spring clean.
Declutter every space and when you think your are finished go through again, be brutal. Again buyers don't see the house for the clutter, the bills sitting on the tables or counters, the lack of space in the closets, toys littered around or piled up.
Kitchen counters, remove everything you possibly can and still function, put away all the wedding gifts you don't use every day.
Dining room tables are there for eating, remove the homework, and the laundry waiting to be folded.
Clean up the yard, remove leaves, spruce up the beds, weed and then mulch or else the weeds will just grow through the mulch. Put away toys and clean up pet waste, would you want your children playing amidst it. Make sure you mow the lawn and plant some annuals to add color.
Have a home inspection done before you list, this will find the major things that might come up and gives you a chance to correct them. It is always cheaper to fix something ahead of listing than after a home inspection by the buyer. This does not mean you don't disclose, but now you can show you care for your home and have taken the steps to maintain it and keep it in good repair.

Price
Finally the price of the home, you have this in your control. By listing at just below market value you show buyers the value in your home and most likely will generate multiple offers. By listing over market value, you most likely will sit on the market and after several price reductions be priced below what you could have achieved pricing the home correctly from the beginning. You do need to take into account location, as we mentioned above, the age of the home, possible repairs that may be due, such as a new roof or water heater in one or two years. You need to know what is your competition and how you stack up against it and look at your home through the eyes of the buyer. After reviewing all this, you set your price so that buyers can see the value in your home compared to what else is on the market.

If you take into account these three things, you should be able to sell your home quickly and for top dollar. We advise clients all the time on preparing their homes for sale. If you are considering listing your Main Line Philadelphia home and would like an appointment give us a call.

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Easttown Township Greens @ Waynesborough no homes available for sale

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 06:00:13 -0800

In Easttown Township the Greens at Waynesboro is a deisrable residential development next to Waynesborough Golf Club, originally built by Toll Brothers and located just off Route 252 with a Berwyn postal address it is convenient for access to Newtown Square or Paoli. It is close the Episcopal School campus built a few years ago although it lies in the Tredyffrin Easttown School District.

At the moment there are no homes available for sale in the Greens @ Waynesborough, one sale from last year in the last six months comes up when searching for homes. As we have said several times in the last few weeks there is a definite lack of inventory for homes like this in the area and buyers are out in force snapping up the available inventory. Days on Market are falling and Sellers may be waiting for the Spring Market but buyers are not and many sellers may be missing the opportunity to sell their homes with little or no competition.

Yesterday, Tuesday 2/12/13 was our Broker Tour day of new listings and several luxury homes came on the market, in Tredyffrin and Easttown, so competition throughout the school district is increasing for these upper end homes.

If you live in the Greens @ Waynesborough and would like to discuss selling your home, call Nick Vandekar at 610-203-4543, or email Nick@VandekarTeam.com to set up an appointment.

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7 days to sell a home! - Chesterbrook Market Report

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 06:45:22 -0800

As of today Monday February 11 there are twenty homes showing as available, under offer or pending sale. Nine homes settled during Janaury, most for close to the last list price, although maybe not the original asking price for the home.

Of the twenty homes six are pending, implying they have gone though home inspections and are moving towards settlement. Several homes have come on the market in the last two weeks, after we had mentioned the lack of inventory and the pent up demand for homes resulting in a steep decline in days on market. A rough caclulation of the homes that are pending and under offer shows an average days on market of one week which is amazing for a winter market.

As we mentioned in another blog recently, the Spring has arrived for the housing market even if there is still snow on the ground.

Of the fourteen homes showing active only nine are available for purchase, the others being under offer. Of these active homes, the majority are two bedroom apartments, with maybe three being three bedroom town homes. So, there is still a lack of inventory for three and four bedroom tonwhomes and if you are considering listing we will be happy to discuss with you about marketing your home to get such quick results. The homes that are not selling are the higher priced townhomes, showing that when priced correctly these homes are finding buyers and buyers are educated enough to know a well priced home when they see it.

Call us to meet and discuss the pricing of your home and preparing it for sale. Nick 610-203-4543 or email Nick@VandekarTeam.com.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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Spring is here - well at least for the Main Line real estate market

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 08:35:16 -0800

The Main Line area outside of Philadelphia is hopping where real estate is concerned. Spring has sprung, it is here now, even whilst the snow sits on the ground. At all price levels homes are selling. Buyers are looking desperately for homes that meet their needs in the school districts they want to be in and the locations where they want to live.

Old Forge Crossing a forty acre condo development has seen several one bedroom units go under offer. Chesterbrook has seen townhomes selling in days with multiple offers, Berwyn, Devon, Wayne and Lower Merion all have seen homes selling quickly in the last two weeks.

Luxury homes in all these areas some which have sat on the market even, are all going under contract. Inventory is falling, pushing prices up in some cases. Buyers are prepared to offer what is necessary to obtain the home they want.

So don't wait, act now we are telling sellers because your buyer is not waiting for Spring, they are putting offers in on homes that are on the market right now. These buyers are searching the internet so make sure your listing is being advertised and marketed correctly on the internet and on social media, this includes true video as well.

If you are interested in meeting to discuss how we tailor a marketing plan to your needs give Nick a call to set up a meeting at 610-203-4543 or email him at Nick@VandekarTeam.com

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Is your vacant home covered? Maybe not!

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:17:22 -0800

One problem many homeowners face is when to list their home for sale, before or after they have found where they want to move. There are many reasons for this but one is so the home does not sit vacant after they move into their new home because what many don’t realize is that they may be uninsured. Most home owner policies cease coverage after 30 days of vacancy, and vacant home insurance can be costly. But it can be more costly to be un-insured if this would be coming into your home!

We have found an answer. Our broker Long & Foster through their insurance company offers Vacant Home Insurance

Long & Foster offers a vacant listing program exclusive to Long & Foster Listings.

Key Points of the product:

• In order to qualify for this program:

o The property must be in move in condition (no rehabs, gut jobs, or

missing pipes)-think immediate occupancy.

o Property must be currently listed with Long & Foster.

o A copy of the valid listing agreement is required with the signed application.

o List price/replacement value must be <$1,500,000

• The pricing of the program represents as much as a 40% discount when compared to products available on the market.

• Figures discussed are a quote only, coverage can only be bound after receipt, review and approval of the completed and signed application(attached), payment in full and a copy of the current listing agreement. (Please allow 3-5 business days).

• Coverage immediately ceases, regardless of coverage period requested or bound, or for which payment has been received if the listing contract is not renewed or is terminated for any reason.

• In the event coverage is terminated, a copy of the HUD (if the property closed) or the Termination agreement must be provided in order to cancel coverage.

• Unlike other products available, a pro rata refund will be given if the policy is terminated. (typically a 25% earned premium applies).

• Pricing is based on the list price of the home, if the replacement cost is greater than the listing price, the replacement cost will be used.

• We cannot make liability or deductible changes to the program.

• Once the property has been insured through the L&F vacant program for 12 months, it must be rewritten to another carrier.

*** Other products are available to meet all of your needs ***

Call Nick Kiniry Insurance Manager, Long & Foster Insurance for a quote

Nick.Kiniry@lnf.com

(703) 877-7605

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Cedar Grove Farm, Broomall Open House Sunday 1/27/13 1-3 pm

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:55:00 -0800

Cedar Grove Farm in Broomall, PA Open House 1/27/2013 1-3 PM. This attractive brick front colonial four bedroom home at 2 Hunters Run, Broomall, PA 19008 a corner lot, is where you will find me this Sunday. This Marple Township home has a wonderful flowing floor plan that is just perfect for entertaining or having a family get together. Lots of light, and hardwood floors throughout with a sweeping staircase to the second floor. Don't worry about storage this home is full of it, with plenty of built in bookcases and closets. Three fireplaces, one gas and two wood add to the luxury feel of this home. Great energy runs throughout this home with a nice comfortable quiet feeling. Large home office allows privacy with built in cabinets.

This view of the "Cedar Grove Farm" kitchen shows what a fabulous home this is for entertaining with a nice open floor plan, 9 foot high ceilings and easy access to the outdoor patio, whilst overlooking the family room space which has ten foot ceilings. The basement has lots of open space and even more storage closets, you won't run out of storage space here.

The main bedroom on the second floor, has its own fireplace, two walk in closets, plus its own sitting room for when you just want to get away and have some private time alone or even use as a second office or work out area and a large ensuite bathroom with jetted tub, shower. Three other large bedrooms and a bathroom complete this fllor. Four thousand two hundred and four square feet of space with a three car garage.

Stop by on Sunday at 2 Hunters Run, Broomall, PA 19008 between 1 and 3 pm at the Open House, drive through the neighborhood, lots of open spaces, a pond and quiet streets in this Cedar Grove Farm development in Broomall in Marple Township, close to Newtown Square.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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Old Forge Crossing sees uptick in sales

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:08:06 -0800

In the last week we have seen an uptick in sales in Old Forge Crossing, eight homes show as either being active or pending. Of these four are pending sales, two one bedroom units and two two bedroom units. For sale there is one one bedroom T shape unit on the second floor with no balcony, priced at $137,700. Two two bedroom units are for sale priced between $189,900 and $209,000, and finally one townhouse for sale priced at $214,900.

Condo fees for the one bedroom units is $220 and for the two bedroom units is $290. Located in Devon on over 40 acres, with easy access to Center City either via road or train from Devon on the SEPTA (R5) line from Downingtown/Thorndale into Center city. Valley Forge National Park and Jenkins Arboretum are both close by as are Wegman's, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, along with King of Prussia Mall and plenty of coffee shops, bars and restaurants in the nearby villages and towns of Wayne, Berwyn and Paoli. A great place to live at economical prices and the development is approved for FHA loans.

If you are buying or selling on or around the Main Line we can help you, contact us or connect

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Chesterbrook market update

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 09:56:04 -0800

After mentioning the lack of inventory in the housing market for the past few weeks, Chesterbrook has seen a definite uptick in activity. Currently there are seven homes for sale, one is under contract but is still being marketed and can be shown, of the seven, six are two bedroom homes priced from $195,000 to $289,900 and one is a three bedroom townhome priced at $359,900; with nine homes pending,five two bedrooms and some three and one four bedroom homes, these latter selling very quickly in a matter of days with prices ranging for all from $205,000 to $389,000. So there is still a lack of three and four bedroom townhomes for sale and buyers are looking for these right now.

So if you are considering listing your home right now for sale and thinking about waiting for the Spring market, don't wait. There will be less competition if you list now and with the lack of inventory more showings and a quicker sale if your home is prepared correctly and priced right. Call us for a free pricing and marketing analysis of your home including marketing your home to investors who make up 25% of the current market.

What makes Chesterbrook a place where you would want to live, the local shops, nearby supermarkets, Wegman's and Trader Joes, Whole Foods, King of Prussia is just minutes away, plenty of local restaurants, and if you love the outdoors, Valley Forge National Park is accessible through the jogging and walking trails in Chesterbrook. Award winning Tredyffrin Easttown School District, and plenty of open space within the development all of which is well maintained. Swim and Tennis Club in Chesterbrook, Child Care at the Chesterbrook Academy. So call us today to either explore listing your home for sale or to arrange a tour of Chesterbrook homes for sale.

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Mark Zandi's view of the housing market 2013

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:09:19 -0800

Mark Zandi of Moody's spoke yesterday at the Suburban West Realtors Association installation of its new board of directors and Chair, Kathy McQuilken.Overall he was pretty confident about the economy and the housing market in general.

Whilst the next two quarters according to Mark Zandi might be a little soft, by the end of the year we most likely will see GDP at 2% about the same as 2012, with it picking up in 2014 and 2015 to about 4%. The approach of the debt ceiling negotiations is approaching fast and this is what is going to affect the economy for the next two quarters in his opinion, keeping it as little soft as companies and small businesses face the uncertainty created by Washington and the negotiations over the debt ceiling and reducing the expenditures of the Federal Government.

Mark Zandi's opinion was that most likely we will see cuts of about $1 Trillion over the next ten years. If a deal is reached the cloud of uncertainty will clear, the quicker the better in most people's opinion. Reasons why Mark Zandi is so confident is that banks are at their strongest they have ever been due to increased capitalization. The credit spigot will ease and mortgages and loans will become easier to obtain over time. US companies are also in positions of strength with their balance sheets looking robust and healthy. Households in general have handled their debt well over the last few years, reducing debt and improving their debt ratios, whilst their is a difference between low income and high income households the position has improved dramatically and credit card defaults, auto loans and mortgage defaults have all been dropping.

The housing market has weathered the storm, and the numbers of new homes being started is increasing, and these numbers simply need to increase as homes are replaced following disasters such as Sandy, tornadoes etc, increases in households being formed means new homes are needed and as these are built they act as a spur to the general economy as hardware, windows etc are needed for these new homes, it spins out to the whole economy, in furniture, curtains and other decorations being purchased providing jobs for lots of people.

Whilst their are still foreclosure properties working through the system these most likely will be cleared by 2015, and as the market improves during 2014 many of these will be taken up by investors.

Whilst this is all positive, there are some problems on the horizon, Washington and their ability to negotiate a deal without causing to much damage to the economy. Europe seems to have dealt with its immediate problems, but if Spain or Greece decide to withdraw from the European Union this could be a disaster for the country and for the world economy as it absorbs the news. The ongoing situation with Iran over nuclear power and how this might affect oil prices worldwide and hence the world economy.

In answering questions a couple of interesting points came up, Mark Zandi felt that there does need to be a government backstop to the mortgage market to provide for the 30 year fixed mortgage as we are the only country in the world which has a 30 year fixed rate mortgage and it this is one of the things that really helps the housing industry in the US.

Investors have almost removed the discount there is in buying a REO or Short Sale property as they have entered the market and been bidding up the prices for these properties.

Finally, in answer to whether the politicians really GET IT? Mark Zandi said he felt that the majority of politicians in Washing to do understand the need to work together, and work hard, very hard to try to find a position behind closed doors where a deal can be reached.

All comments above are my understanding of what I heard, any errors are on my part. Having listened to Mark Zandi, I am hopeful the market is healthy and this year will see some growth for the housing market along the Main Line. As stated last week, our market place is seeing a dearth of inventory and buyers are dealing with pent up demand, creating bidding wars on properties coming to market right now. All signs of the housing market recovering here along the Main Line.

If you need help buying or selling along the Main Line contact Nick at either 610-203-4543 or 610-225-7400 or email him at Nick@VandekarTeam.com.

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Daylesford Lakes, Berwyn PA market Report 1/17/2013

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 05:21:48 -0800

Daylesford Lakes is located in Berwyn PA, in Tredyffrin Township and students attend Tredyffrin Easttown Schools, the elementary school is Hillside located on Howelville Road, middle school is the T/E Middle School located on the corner of Cassatt and Conestoga Road and Conestoga is the High School for all T/E students.

Over the last six months 10 homes have sold varying in price from $336,500 for the lowest priced home to $ 565,000 for the highest priced home. Several of the homes also had significant seller assists to the buyers, some in the five figure range, see note below about home owner association assesment. These homes typically have three or four bedrooms. Average days on market for these homes to sell was 107 days.

Currently there are seven homes for sale ranging in price from $399,900 to $545,000.

Buyers are required to pay a one time capital contribution of $3090, plus there is an assesement on all properties from the association for repairs to exteriors. HOA monthly fee is currently $515 per month.

If you would like a CMA for your property please contact Nick Vandekar at 610-203-4543 or email Nick@VandekarTeam.com.

If you are considering buying in Daylesford Lake and would like a buyers agent familiar with the development hire us.

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