31 Days to Build a Better Blog - I am in ! Are you ? - 03/31/09 08:12 AM
31 Days to Build a Better Blog
Thank you Midori Miller for inspiring us to sign up for "31 Days to Build a Better Blog" run by Darren Rowse at Problogger !
Stephanie and I have really enjoyed building and growing our blog and are very interested in taking it to the next level to the likes of the Midori Miller, Jeff Belonger, Loreena Yeo, Bill Gassett and Jennifer Allen'sof the world.  I am not sure if by doing this program, it will take us to the next level or not, but it certainly seems worth a shot.  I have always been a goal setter … (34 comments)

New Construction in Fishtown - Rosemoor Gated Community - only $300,000 ! - 03/29/09 06:32 PM
New Construction in Fishtown - Rosemoor Gated Community - only $300,000 !

 
 
 
Rosemoor is the premier gated development in Fishtown. These 3 story brick homes have 2 car driveways, rear yards, roof rights for roof decks, and a 10 Yr Tax Abatements.
The Rosemoor homes have enormous cement basements with soaring ceilings and natural light, carefully designed for finishing. The 2,800 sq ft interior includes hardwood floors throughout.  
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Enjoy an open layout with space for a formal living room, dining room, and eat-in kitchen area. The kitchen includes granite … (11 comments)

Old City Parkominium - A unique opportunity ! - 03/29/09 02:32 PM
Old City Parkominium in Philadelphia
Most Realtors and appraisals will value parking in Center City Philadelphia for up to $40,000 to $50,000.  Here is a chance to own parking for $25,000 in an established building where there is 24/7, 365 days a year valet, climate controlled floors, ATM machine and an immediate walking distance to thousands of residences and commercial stores.  This is one of the most desirable parts of Philadelphia !

 
 
We have been marketing the Old City Parkominium and its interest is starting to grow.   The location is one of the premier parts of Philadelphia as can be seen … (5 comments)

Marketing 001 - Where are the photos ? - 03/28/09 07:56 AM
Marketing 001 - Where are the photos ?
I find it incredible that when I am searching the MLS for properties that the listing agent has omitted photos from their listing, not even an exterior photo !  When I am mailing out letters to expired listings, I see that many of them did not have a photo.  Sometimes I get a call from a seller who had their property previously listed and they would not know why their house had not sold.  I would pull it up and sometimes see that there were no photos.  Often times, the seller had no idea that … (20 comments)

Flowers Etc by Denise - The best in Northern Liberties ! - 03/26/09 07:27 AM
 Flowers Etc by Denise - The Best in Northern Liberties !
Yesterday, I called Denise who owns "Flowers Etc by Denise" at 2nd and Fairmount and ordered flowers for my wife Stephanie.  As usual, a beautiful arrangement was delivered that day, literally within a few hours.  Her arrangements are always stunning and simply majestic to say the least.  When I see Stephanie smile from receiving the flowers, it warms my heart as well.  Below is a photo of the arrangement that came yesterday.

If you live in Northern Liberties, and have not been to Denise's store, it is a must … (6 comments)

Spring Garden / Brandywine East - Development Abounds ! - 03/25/09 07:40 PM
Spring Garden / Brandywine East - Development Abounds !
It is amazing all the construction that is going on in the Spring Garden / Brandywine East area which is just a few blocks west of Northern Liberties and just a few blocks north of Chinatown and Center City. 
We are currently marketing the condos at 1111 Mount Vernon which there are only 2 units remaining.  The new buyers that are purchasing in this area will benefit from all the new construction that is happening in the immediate vicinity.  Who says the real estate market is slow when there is so much … (7 comments)

Spring Market Fever - do you feel it ? - 03/24/09 08:56 PM
Spring Market Fever - do you feel it ?
The first day of spring has just come and past.  In Philadelphia, the second and third day was quite cold but that is okay.  It is okay because I am pumped up for Spring Fever - for both the WORLD CHAMPION Philadelphia Phillies and more inportantly, the spring real estate market !
I was a little dubious that traffic and transactions were going to pick up this spring as only a few weeks ago the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at a multi-year low (13 years ?) at 6,500 and consumer confidence seemed … (28 comments)

Spring Garden / Brandywine East New Construction - 2 remaining eco-friendly condos at 1111 Mount Vernon - 03/22/09 06:49 PM
Spring Garden / Brandywine East New Construction Condos - Only 2 units left ! Price updates !
1111 Mount Vernon Street Condos are located just North of Center City's Chinatown district.  This 4 story, 5-unit condominium building offers the consumer an eco-friendly, energy efficient home, with a refined and contemporary look.
There are only 3  2 remaining units available:
Unit 1 - $250,000, 1br, 2 ba, 1,130 sq ft
Unit 3 - $275,000, 2br, 1.5 ba, 1200 sq ft
Units 2, 4 and 5 - SOLD !
Located a few minutes from downtown center city, outstanding features include 13' ceilings, breath taking Baroque inspired molding on … (10 comments)

Confusion Reigns - Why sellers are Dazed and Confused ? - 03/21/09 08:04 AM
Confusion Reigns - Why sellers are Dazed and Confused ?
I was thinking that my experience this week is probably happening everywhere and everyday.  Sellers must be so confused they do not know who to believe as they are getting such wide ranges of information.  I have read many blogs about sellers living in denial or living in the past in regards to how much their home is worth but I also think that some of the misconception is from information they get everyday, even from professional Realtors.
Case in point:  I went on a listing appointment in Port Richmond a few days … (14 comments)

Port Richmond Works! A Neighborhood that deserves a 2nd Look. - 03/18/09 02:39 PM
Port Richmond Works !
Our office was located in Port Richmond for a few years. 
So, Chris and I have become very familiar with the neighborhood and the surrounding subdivisions. We do not live in PortRichmond, though may of our co-workers have either grown up there, have family and friends there or they actually live in the neighborhood. One thing for sure, the people who live in Port Richmond really have strong ties to the neighborhood. Most recently in the last several years during the market bubble, Port Richmond home prices have increased dramatically. Many of the folks who lived there for … (8 comments)

Do I need a buyer's agent or can I use the seller's agent? - 03/15/09 09:07 AM
Do I need a buyer's agent or can I use the seller's agent? This question is posted daily on many consumer sites across the country such as Zillow and Trulia.  We are going to barely scratch the surface of this subject for our blog readers.To answer this question directly, in Pennsylvania, you do not "need" to have a buyer's agent represent you. You can ...
1) Use the seller's Realtor/ representative
2) You can represent yourself (hopefully you have experience with Real Estate contracts)
3) You can use a legal consultant (preferably one that specializes in Real Estate)
Your decision should be … (13 comments)

Where 3 Neighborhoods collide - Northern Liberties, Old Kensington and Fishtown - 03/15/09 08:42 AM
The Girard El Stop is an interesting intersection where 3 emerging neighborhoods come together like pieces to a puzzle. These 3 subdivisions are: Fishtown (19125), Old Kensington (19122), and Northern Liberties (19123). All three of these neighborhoods have become a Philadelphia Real Estate hot spot, the target location for many new businesses, and a renewed interest in businesses that have been there forever.  

There are several hundreds of commuters who pick up the Trolley at this Stop in addition to the El. The Photo above is a view South on Front Street looking at the Northern Liberties side of the tracks so to speak.
… (10 comments)

A Taste of Victory in Northern Liberties. The Foodery during Philly Beer Week. - 03/12/09 08:14 PM
The sweet taste of Victory ... ... Victory beer that is during Philadelphia Beer week.  Victory Brewing Company was the taste of the hour in Northern Liberties at The Foodery on N 2nd Street and Poplar. The place was packed with happy smiling faces. I am telling you, it was a very welcomed distraction for me at the end of a long day.    
The Foodery has an enormous selection of really delicious and impossible to find beers. I am pretty much a simple Stella drinker but on occasion I have been known to experiment. Victory Beer is really popular … (4 comments)

Kill 'Em With Kindness - 03/12/09 06:05 PM
Almost every day, I need to remind myself "Kill 'Em With Kindness" .  This is a practice that can help me get through a difficult day, hour or moment. 
It could be any of the following scenarios which happens almost daily to me:
Dealing with a difficult agent (or co-worker) Dealing with a difficut seller or buyer (or client) Dealing with a difficult deal (or project) Dealing with a title company that is not pulling their weight Dealing with an abrasive mortgage person who says "trust me, this will settle" Dealing with buyers calling who "have an agent" This list goes … (74 comments)

Temple University School of Medicine " A Beacon on Broad Street" - Philadelphia Real Estate - 03/08/09 07:15 PM
There is a new neighborhood emerging in Philadelphia ! If you do not believe us, come and visit the site of the new Temple University School of Medicine ...
Temple University's new 13 story medical school is being built along the entire bock of North Broad Street just across Venango Street in the 19140 zip code. The subdivision is known as Nicetown Tioga. Temple Hospital School of Medicine is a beautiful all-glass building, $160 million, education and research center. It has been quoted from their website and in the Philadelphia Daily News , "More than just a collection of classrooms, labs and libraries, the … (10 comments)

A Taste (Pun Intended) of Spring in Northern Liberties. Philly Beer Week is Here ! - 03/08/09 04:32 PM
Northern Liberties is one neighborhood that absolutely relishes the milder seasons. On any given wam day, the N 2nd Street Strip from Girard Avenue all the way South to Spring Garden Street is bustling with people at every corner. And that is even more true this week which is Philadelphia Beer Week. Many people will come in on the El, drive in from other areas of the city or beyond,  just to get a taste of one of the coolest places in Philadelphia.
 
 
During Beer week, Northern Liberties is going to rock since we have some incredibly friendly places to drink, … (5 comments)

Old Kensington Real Estate - 1312 Germantown Ave - Only $179,900 ! - 03/08/09 09:10 AM
New Listing in Old Kensington - 1312 Germantown Ave for only $179,900 !

 
This is a unique move-in condition property located extremely close to Northern Liberties in Old Kensington.  You probably passed this home many times and wondered, who lives in this cluster of properties off of Girard Avenue and Germantown Avenue? The property has a contemporary open layout with a full bath on the first floor, huge kitchen with granite island, slider doors in the dining room leading to a large back yard, spacious living room and extremely tasteful laminant floors throughout.
 
 
 
 
 
There … (9 comments)

This is not an Inclusion for this Old Kensington Listing ! - 03/08/09 08:30 AM
 This is not an Inclusion for this Old Kensington Listing !
We like to highlight and feature our sellers's furry friends as part of their listing.  Abby loved the fact that we took many photos of her, but it took us awhile to get that one good shot !  Below is a great photo of Abby who protects her listing at 1312 Germantown Ave in Old Kensington !

For other photos of our clients pets, please click on the below:
Unexpected New Clients.... of the Furry Kind !
 

________________________________________________________

The Somers - Philadelphia Real Estate
Search the MLS … (9 comments)

How to Close More Listings ? Know the 5Ps ! - 03/03/09 08:51 PM
LISTING PRESENTATION - Know the 5ps
Stephanie and I were recently awarded as the number 3 RE/MAX agent in Pennsylvania in terms of selling the most properties during 2008.  Most of our activity is on listings.  Further, we have close to 100 listings currently all over Philadelphia.  So today we were asked to share our experience on listing presentations at our weekly office training.  We are always happy to help other agents grow their business.
When it comes down to it, there are 4 Ps to a powerful presentation:  Planning, Preparation, Pricing and Presentation.  The final P would be Positioning to … (28 comments)

The Northern Liberties Settlement Must Go On ! - 03/02/09 08:07 PM
The Northern Liberties Settlement Must Go On !
Last night, the news was that we were expecting close to 10 inches of snow for Philadelphia.  The seller was doubtful that the settlement would happen today due to the snow.  When I woke up, the Northern Liberties streets were covered with snow with basically the whole city shutting down.  Below are 2 photos this morning, one from our rooftop at Poplar Estates and one from our deck.


In any event, the settlement was for 9:30 am.  I got a text from the buyer's agent that they were all there !  … (15 comments)

Philadelphia Short Sales: 3 New Short Sale Opportunities - 03/02/09 04:46 PM
Philadelphia Short Sales: Opportunity for Qualified Buyers !
For those of you who are not certain exactly what a Short Sale is, here is my definition: When a homeowner sells their home to a buyer for less than what they owe on their mortgage and the bank agrees to accept that lesser amount as payment in full. In essence the lender agrees to forgive and forget. Hardship must be substantiated of course and some lenders may not completely forgive and forget but for the most part they do. At least that has been my experience.
We have 3 new Short Sale … (6 comments)

Do you Worry too Much ? I confess ... I do - 03/01/09 07:54 PM
Do You Worry too much ? I confess... I do.
When I was younger, I did not worry about anything, maybe except winning whatever sport I was playing.  Other than that, I was quite carefree.
Today, as I am older (and perhaps more successful), I find  catch myself worrying too much.  For example, I have a settlement tomorrow, I am worrying about that.  I am worried that everything is going to go okay with the walk-through and I worry there will not be any last second suprises at the settlement.
For our listings, I worry that we are doing everything we … (24 comments)

 
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Christopher and Stephanie Somers - Realtors - Philadelphia Real Estate

Philadelphia, PA

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Realtor / Owner - RE/MAX Access

Address: 1033 N 2nd St, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19123

Office Phone: (215) 400-2620

Cell Phone: (267) 987-4443

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