main line real estate: It is always satisfying to reach the finish line! - 01/20/12 04:49 AM

Another Main Line home in Villanova in Lower Merion Township sold by Nick Vandekar
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main line real estate: What makes a home a Colonial? - 01/13/12 03:20 AM
Most buyers ask for a Colonial Home when they look for a home. It is probably the most popular home for buyers today regardless of size. It is also the most enduring, the name is not all smoke and mirrors, really the first colonial homes were built back in the 1600's, and even today the style is popular.
This photo of Stourhead House shows a little of the symetrical layout, although the two wings were added later and you can see they are slightly different.

The style was brought over from Europe with the first settlers, people when they build a home … (0 comments)

main line real estate: What do you know about Old Forge Crossing? - 01/12/12 07:31 AM

What do you know about Old Forge Crossing? Today this well maintained 508 unit condominium plus one cottage complex in Devon on just over 40 acres is well known as a great place to live, well located for access to center city Philadelphia and just minutes away from major restaurants and shopping centers along the Main Line and King of Prussia Mall. As many businesses open offices in the suburbs and out of center city, Old Forge crossing is well located with easy access to Route 202 both North and South.
Old Forge Crossing was originally part of the land … (0 comments)

main line real estate: The difference between highest priced and expensive - 01/11/12 06:11 AM
People will use the term "that is expensive" very liberally without actually thinking if this is what they really mean. There is a difference between expensive and highest priced. Just because something is highest priced does not necessarily mean it is expensive, if the product is providing value then the cost is irrelevant. You can buy a low-priced product that is expensive because you are continually having to replace it.
Yesterday, I was looking at sales data for the last quarter of 2011 for various townships in our area of the Main Line. In Radnor township the highest priced home to … (1 comments)

main line real estate: Did prices go up or down along the Main Line in the last quarter of 2011? - 01/10/12 09:12 AM
Here is some Main Line real estate sales data for the last quarter of 2011 for different townships along the Main Line. 

As you can see average prices per square foot are all lower compared to one year ago. So if anyone tells you that Main Line real Estate is invulnerable to the current housing crisis they don't know what they are talking about. 
 
Currently sellers in Haverford and Tredyffrin seem to be getting prices closest to their asking price although that price has fallen per sq foot over the year steadily each quarter in Haverford whilst in Tredyffrin … (0 comments)

main line real estate: Credit Suisse home report released for December - 01/06/12 07:05 AM
There are lots of opportunities for buyers in the Main Line market right now, inventory is high, prices are being reduced and mortgage rates if needed are low. If buyers are willing to make compromises to their needs and wants they can certainly find and buy a home from what is on the market today. Sellers are motivated to sell and willing to negotiate with reasonable buyers.
There are some interesting facts from the December report from Credit Suisse indicating signals are still mixed but improving. As we all know by now real estate is local and this report looks at … (2 comments)

main line real estate: Old Forge Crossing Sales in 2011 - 01/03/12 07:15 AM

Sales in Old Forge Crossing for 2011 amounted to 15 homes being sold through realtors on the MLS. 10 of these were one bedroom units which on average were on the market for 109 days and achieved a price of $155 per sq foot. Five two bedroom units sold of which one was a town home and these took slightly longer to sell  being on the market for 124 days on average, however they achieved a price of $188 per sq foot on average.
Fifteen homes being sold over the year is not very many in Old Forge Crossing and … (0 comments)

main line real estate: What happened that I missed? - 12/21/11 03:25 AM
What happened that I missed? I noticed in our office this Monday that several agents were at their desks doing paperwork related to offers that had come in over the weekend, myself included. Did I miss something about the economy improving? Did they start to offer people money to buy homes? Were these all investors trying to get deals done before the end of the year? No!
But it does seem that several buyers suddenly seem to be looking more actively and want to do a deal. I think it has become apparent to many that mortgage rates will not always … (3 comments)

main line real estate: Pricing your home correctly to get it chased... - 12/01/11 03:03 AM

Often when it comes to pricing a home for sale people get confused, almost like when drivers approach the junction above not knowing what to do or how to approach it. It really is very simple.
The Market-What Matters Most:
If the “market” is not “chasing” your house then it is OVERPRICED. Forget about COMPS-if you want to sell in a certain time frame you must price accordingly.
“Being Chased” = Showings/2nd Showings/Offers/Inquiries/Internet Leads/Open House Visitors.
IF NONE OF THESE IS HAPPENING THEN YOUR HOUSE IS “CHASING THE MARKET”! You don't want to be chasing the market.
In October, there … (1 comments)

main line real estate: When does settlement end? - 10/24/11 07:26 AM
You didn't really think it was over just because everybody had signed the HUD? You may have come across this strange aberration that settlement is never finished. Because of the errors forms that clients are asked to sign at settlement, just in case a form is missed or there is some error, settlement is not over when everyone leaves with smiles on their faces after signing all the paperwork. That signed HUD form can be changed post settlement if errors were made.
As a buyer or seller you need to understand that the settlement company may contact you to fulfill that … (2 comments)

main line real estate: Consumers don't think they can qualify for a mortgage - 10/14/11 01:41 AM

Our broker posted the following link on our Facebook page about Consumers remain skittish on obtaining mortgages. Many young buyers today don't feel that they can afford a mortgage, not realizing with the low rates what they can afford, even if they have some debt as the story that follows bears witness.
I recently had a rental listing and had a young man visit to see the property, whilst he applied unfortunately the landlord went with another couple who had seen it previously. But whilst he was looking at the apartment he asked, would the landlord consider a lease purchase.
Interesting … (1 comments)

main line real estate: 412 showings but only 5 people came to the house? - 10/11/11 12:31 AM
More and more people today are looking for homes, either to buy or rent online than ever before. There is not much room for growth in the numbers looking online, such that it is changing the way Realtors and real estate agents market their listings. As more people look on line less people seem to be looking physically.
Every real estate website will tell you that those homes with MORE photos get more views, so selecting the right photos is even more important than before. As internet searching grows more buyers are looking online for longer periods and without representation because … (37 comments)

main line real estate: Do you want an honest answer? - 10/10/11 05:15 AM
Most people who ask you a question, don't really want an honest answer. They want you to tell them what they already believe, or confirm for them what they believe. Like when your wife asks "Does this dress make me look fat?"
But the job of a Realtor or real estate agent or broker is to tell your client the truth, whether they are a buyer or a seller.
I have found these "truths" are the ones clients most want you to confirm for them.
Buyers:
1) It is a buyers market so I can make this low ball offer2) Nothing … (0 comments)

main line real estate: Should you be leaving feedback? - 10/09/11 03:39 AM
When representing a buyer should you be leaving feedback? It is all the rage now with the automated showing systems to be asked for feedback over and over again if you don't respond, but should you be responding? How many buyer agents sit down with their clients and asks them if they the buyer wish their agent to leave feedback on the properties the agent shows them. Do you get them to sign an authorization to leave feedback on their behalf? Do you ask your buyer after each home, what feedback would you like me to leave on this property?
I … (5 comments)

main line real estate: 5 Things to do before you list your home for sale - 10/06/11 04:57 AM
Everyone wants to know what to do to make sure their home is one of the first to sell, here are five tips plus a bonus to get you started before you list your home for sale to help it to sell. Firstly take of your home owner glasses and see your home as a buyer will.
1) How long have you lived in your home, if it is more than 5-7 years have a home inspection before you list. There are benefits and negatives of doing this which are a s follows. Every home today has a seller disclosure statement, … (3 comments)

main line real estate: September sales in T/E School District - 10/04/11 04:23 AM
In August we saw a big leap in the number of homes sold in T/E School district, on average these have been in the region of approximately 30 homes per month across the two townships. In August we saw it jump to 54 homes with it settling back in September to a more normal 35 homes settling between the two townships.
These homes are across the range including one and 2 bedroom condos in Old Forge Crossing, Drummers Lane and Chesterbrook as well as single family homes upto million dollar properties around the townships.
Homes in the higher end have generally … (0 comments)

main line real estate: T/E School District - New Eagle Elementary School awarded Blue Ribbon - 09/30/11 08:47 AM
T/E school district announced to day that New Eagle Elementary School has been selected as a 2011 National Blue Ribbon School, one of 304 schools from across the nation, and one of 14 in Pennsylvania. This award honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools whose students achieve at very high levels or have made significant progress. The U.S Department of Education will honor the entire 255 public and 49 private schools with their National BlueRibbon School awards at a conference and awards ceremony Nov. 14-15 in Washington, D.C.
 
The process of review began last school year when the state ofPennsylvania nominated New Eagle Elementary School for this recognition. A committee of New … (0 comments)

main line real estate: Old Forge Crossing prices - 09/30/11 08:14 AM
We recently have had several clients decide to rent their units rather than try to sell them in the current market at Old Forge Crossing in Devon. Prices this year have really come under pressure, with one bedroom units now selling in the low to mid $130's, one bedrooms with dens selling for high $130's or low $140's and few if any two bedrooms selling at all, although there is one currently under agreement with a listing price of $210,000.
Rents are all over the place, depending on how updated the units are, the more updated the higher the rent. If … (0 comments)

main line real estate: What a difference FHA approval for a condo development makes. - 09/28/11 05:25 AM
Many buyers and sellers don't realize thast condo developments have a specific FHA approval process for financing, in the past this was done by mortgage lenders but this year HUD has allowed the developments themselves to apply for approval. Why would they do this - value for their owners. Prices in many condo developments have been falling across the country and these older condo developments whilst having been approved for FHA financing in the past found their approvals expiring. Many did nothing to extend these approvals and HUD actually extended many automatically last year but even this extension has now expired.
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main line real estate: Ahh!!! Why do they do that! - 09/27/11 04:01 AM
The biggest complaint I get from clients when they view information from our MLS system is no room sizes, after no photos of course, but by then they have already rejected those properties of course. Why do some agents and brokers insist on refusing to enter room sizes. Are they lazy, do they realize the dis-service they are doing for their clients? Do their clients the owner of the home listed realize that many buyers are turned off by listings with no room sizes? 
When a buyer looks at property information, their first curb appeal moment is the photos, if these … (3 comments)

 
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543, Selling the Main Line & Chester County (Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055)

Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543

Selling the Main Line & Chester County

Downingtown, PA

More about me…

Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055

Address: 92 Lancaster Avenue, Devon, PA, 19333

Office: (484) 237-2055

Mobile: (610) 203-4543

Some thoughts and ideas about Tredyffrin Easttown, Main Line and Chester County Real Estate that might help you when you buy or sell.



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