main line real estate: For sale - Really?
- 08/10/11 05:25 AM
In the past few weeks I have come across at least three listings where different buyer clients want to see properties and we have been told no appointments allowed, although each property is showing as being actively marketed. These are not short term issues either.
One property the agent contacted me to let me know I could show it on Thursday and Fridays only between 3 and 5 pm.
Another property the agent let me know the sellers are not allowing showings right now because they are also selling their business and it is all too much. I had been trying to get an … (2 comments)
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main line real estate: Main Line Real Estate - New construction by in-fill
- 08/02/11 01:05 AM
Along the Main Line there are not a lot of areas where you can build new, especially on large tracts of land. Most "New Construction" is further out, bringing with it all the trials of commuting on roads that get busier every year.
However, even further out we are seeing builders finding smaller lots to in-fill, like what is available to buyers further in along the Main Line. Whilst in Lower Merion, Radnor and Tredyfrring and Easttown this in-fill is usually limited to one or two new homes, further out the tracts of land may still allow 20-25 homes to be … (0 comments)
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main line real estate: Main Line Stations - Wayne train station
- 08/01/11 05:37 AM
Wayne, for many the best place to live along the Main Line, either North or South Wayne, the downtown with its coffee shops, restaurants and shops is a great place to visit. Its station was recently restored as you can see from these photos below.
The front of the Wayne Station, contains a coffee shop/cafe along with the ticket office and plenty of parking.
The station building from across the tracks
Old meets new, with the original Wayne station sign below the new Septa digital notification system.
Note the double heights of the platforms for the trains.
… (1 comments)
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main line real estate: What does it matter who or what your agent is?
- 07/28/11 05:27 AM
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)
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main line real estate: Flowers need to add curb appeal through the summer
- 07/27/11 11:14 AM
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)
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main line real estate: Main Line Stations - Strafford
- 07/26/11 01:04 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.
… (2 comments)
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main line real estate: Main Line Stations - Devon
- 07/25/11 01:06 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 … (1 comments)
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main line real estate: Main Line Stations - Updating parking payment, an idea.
- 07/25/11 12:58 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)
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main line real estate: Our job is to negotiate - so why do so many agents avoid it?
- 07/21/11 11:57 PM
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)
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main line real estate: How many Dunkin Donuts do we need?
- 07/21/11 07:35 AM
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)
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main line real estate: Old Forge Crossing update
- 07/20/11 07:35 AM
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)
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main line real estate: Main Line Real estate market report - current price per sq ft for Main Line townships
- 07/20/11 07:12 AM
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)
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main line real estate: Everything is fine - then it isn't
- 07/18/11 03:45 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)
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main line real estate: A book and a house what they have in common!
- 07/15/11 08:22 AM
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)
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main line real estate: Berwyn changes
- 07/14/11 01:35 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)
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main line real estate: It's 95 degrees, why do the photos of your home have snow in them?
- 07/13/11 10:18 AM
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)
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main line real estate: How do you decide what is the market price?
- 07/12/11 06:09 AM
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)
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main line real estate: Answers to some everyday mortgage questions
- 07/05/11 05:43 AM
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)
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main line real estate: Why real estate news can be ignored and what you really need to know!
- 06/30/11 01:32 AM
I have become a believer in ignoring all news, contrary to my wife. I listen to headlines occaisionally but seem to somehow always know what is going on because my wife tells me about anything really important. I am also very aware of what is going on around me and in my local area. So I have come to the conclusion that one can also ignore all real estate news because most of the time it is contradictory.
Last month Case Schiller was announcing the arrival of the double dip in real estate. Now just one month later they are announcing … (1 comments)
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main line real estate: Open House signs - one of my pet peeves
- 06/28/11 11:39 PM
I am a Realtor and I use Open House signs, occasionally they go missing, I always try to put them up on the morning of the Open House in a right of way at an intersection but although rare still sometimes a homeowner gets annoyed and removes it before I return at the end of the Open House, I think in 7 years I have lost 2 signs.
This is one of my signs, I did not want to incriminate any local agents with my next comments. I am also a homeowner and one of my pet peeves is agents who place Open … (61 comments)
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In the past few weeks I have come across at least three listings where different buyer clients want to see properties and we have been told no appointments allowed, although each property is showing as being actively marketed. These are not short term issues either.
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