Suburban Philadelphia Real Estate News

Well, it's that time of year again where the living is easy, the cars are ready to roll, and it's time to get out and cruise....

The local Media PA businesses and the Delco Cruisers held their annual Downtown Media Car Show and Antiques Day in Media this Sunday.  Six blocks of the downtown area were roped off for the car show and adjacent antique show with many of the local vendors setting up retail booths with food and music.

Their next large planned event is the Delco Cruisers' 3rd Annual Mega Car Show to support Riddle Memorial Hospital and its patient assistance programs.  The show will be held on the hospital grounds at 1068 West Baltimore Pike in Media PA on Saturday July 25th from 10-3 (Rain Date is Sunday July 26)  Registration opens at 8:00 am and trophies will be rewarded for the "Top 25" Cars of People's Choice Judging.

The Delco Cruisers are a fairly new club in the area having just been formed in 2007 to satisfy "the need for a "cruiser" car club in Delaware County".  They are an all inclusive family oriented car club without restriction to year or make of vehicle.  They are also working to build strong relationships with other area car clubs and and seek to work with local charitable organizations to support their causes.

Be sure to save the date to see hundreds of classic cars, hot rods, custom, and muscle cars and help the DELCO Cruisers support the programs at Riddle Memorial Hospital on the 25th.  Another great local event.

Welcome to Sharon Hill PA.  This is the last stop of the SEPTA 102 Trolley line running from the 69th Street Terminal to Sharon Hill.

This SEPTA station is located on Chester Pike just a few blocks east of Oak Lane and west of the Borough Hall.  It does not have any parking dedicated to the station itself but has plenty of room for dropping off or picking up passengers along Chester Pike or in the adjacent commercial parking lots.  This could be a good public transportation connecting point through the nearby SEPTA bus stop and is within a long walking distance of the Folcroft R2 Regional Rail station.

Sharon Hill is ideally located with easy access to public transportation, major highway routes, and is only minutes from the Philadelphia International Airport.  There are a wide variety of housing choices in the area from single family homes to twins and row homes.  These residential properties plus many commercial operations are also within easy walking distance of this station.  The video will provide a better feel for the area:

As far as real estate, Sharon Hill has followed a bit different path than much of the county.  For the most part, sales volume has held relatively steady except for 2008.  In 2002 there were 55 sales, then 52 in 2003, 61 in 2004, 60 in 2005, 62 in 2006, 54 in 2007,  then fell to 36 in 2008, and back up to 27 so far this year.

On the other hand prices rose from just $80,000 in 2004 to a peak average price of $137,000 in 2007.  This then fell to $119,000 in 2008 and $112,000 so far this year.  There are also an additional 43 homes currently on the market with an average price of $127,000 and 8 homes under contract with an average price of $89,000 - at least in the short term the average sales price will continue down.

With it's great location but limited parking, this station is an ideal transportation link for both the local homes and businesses.

As always, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me anytime.

Well its that time of year ... where the days are long and hot and everyone is looking for a nice relaxing break.  Sounds like it's time to go to the movies!

In Lansdowne, a new "Little Big Screen" theatre, Cinema 16:9, recently opened in a portion of the Historic Lansdowne Theater, currently undergoing restoration.  This is both a full service small theater venue playing second run films as well as a full line rental movie business offering a deep selection of foreign and classic films.  The 41 seat theater has a full 11.5 ft cinema screen with theater surround sound and is a great addition to the Lansdowne area.

David Titus is the owner of Cinema 16:9 and recently moved back to the area with his wife, a native of Lansdowne.  They have carefully redone the space to echo the classic movie feel (check out his blog for the construction story).  In the lobby, they serve a full complement of movie snacks with a very local green bent.  Hot beverages come from the Regency Cafe next door, while the hot dogs (Danda Farms Certified Organic All Beef Hot Dogs), beverages (including Hanks root bear,Steaz, Boylans, and Honest Tea brands), and popcorn (Kettle Popped Reist Popcorn) are all from regional businesses.  The Fresh Movie Nachos are from Lansdowne's own Mission Burito while the chocolates come from Ashers and the sweets arrive from Surf Sweets.

The theater itself is open daily 11-11, and is located in the front left of the same building as the original Lansdowne Theater while the Regency Cafe is off to the right.  The building is located in downtown Lansdowne at 35 N Lansdowne Avenue just north of the intersection with Baltimore Avenue and just minutes from Drexel Hill, Upper Darby, and much of Delaware County.  Plenty of parking is available on the street or in the lot across from the theater.

There are multiple membership options allowing from 1-3 movie rentals at a time and all the memberships come with discounted theater tickets - or just come see a movie anytime with no membership.  Watch a movie here a then take some to go!

Enjoy the Summer!  Take in a Movie!  Support your Local Businesses!  Eat Healthy! and Meet David Titus!  It's a prefect complement to your other summer activities and a great break from your daily schedule.  Be sure to check out Cinema 16:9 today.

As you move west in southern Delaware County along Route 1 / Baltimore Pike toward the country away from Philadelphia, you pass some prime condominium and town-home developments.

One of the larger complexes is located in Chester Heights.  Built between 1989 and 1993, Darlington Woods is located just off Route 1 north of its intersection with Valley Brook Road.  The 400+ town-homes come in a wide variety of spacious 2 and 3 bedroom units in both 1 and 2 story designs.

Pricing for the units generally range in the low to high $200,000 range.  Currently there are 6 units on the market with an average list price of $262,000 and 10 homes have been sold year to date with an average sales price of $240,000.   Although the sales activity has declined slightly, this is one of the few places where pricing has remained steady with the average sales prices staying between $232,000 and $242,000 since 2005.

Just to the south of Route 1 off Route 202, Springhill Farm is located behind the Glen Eagle Square Shopping Center.  With over 250 units built between 1985 and 1989, there is a great variety of 2 and 3 bedroom units.  This location affords immediate access to West Chester, Wilmington, and all New Castle County if your primary routes are north/south rather than east/west along Route 1/ Baltimore Pike corridor.

These units are on average a bit less expensive.  The current average list price is $236,000 with an additional 5 units now under contract at an average $206,000 list price.  The average price and sales activity both reached a peak in 2006 with 27 sales at an average $224,000 final sales price.  Since then sales dropped to 13 units in 2007 at an average price of $219,000, the to 17 units at $222,000 in 2008, and finally 6 units year-to-date 2009 with an average sales price of $205,000.

Finally, on Route 1/ Baltimore Pike just west of the intersection with Route 202, Painters Crossing Condominiums are another popular option.  This complex, built in 1972, has a variety of 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units in nice low rise buildings set on rolling hillsides.  They also have their own swimming pool and tennis courts.

Due to their smaller sizes, pricing is also on average less expensive here.  Over the last few years, prices have fairly consistently ranged from the low to high $100,000 levels.  Today there are 8 units on the market with an average asking price of $168,000 and 4 units have settled this year for an average of $171,000.  This is actually up a bit.  Prices rose quickly until there were 22 sales at an average price of $161,000 in 2005.  Since then, 16 homes sold in 2006 for $170,000, 17 homes in 2007 for $165,000, and 16 homes sold in 2008 for an average of $166,000.  These prices can vary quite a bit due to the mix of 1, 2, and 3, bedroom units each year.

All three developments offer great town-home/condominium convenience in more of a country setting than normally found.  There are also many other options throughout the area, but these provide a good taste for the variety available in the region.

As always, should you have any questions or need any additional information, please feel free to contact me anytime.

Happy 4th of July!

To All:

Click for Video

May you have a healthy and prosperous Summer!

Click for Video

Now is the time to send a message to Obama and Washington to stop throwing away our money,
stop federalizing energy, industry, and health care, and get out of our way so the country can once again thrive.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us ......  that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom .. and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.   (Abraham Lincoln)

Click for Video

Take the time and do it right, or don't do it at all!

Katerina has written a great post below highlighting various issues with the new Cap & Trade Bill that just passed the house.  This is something you need to understand no matter where you stand on green issues.  This sounds great on the big stage but has major consequences for this country and will have negative consequences to you for years.

This appears to be a direct assault on your personal property rights that will have major costs to you directly.

If you own any house/building or use any energy, you will pay.

This imposes huge costs on you to the benefit of GE, Al Gore, the politicians, and other countries.

Bad Policy.  Bad for You.  Bad for our Country.

Government is not the answer to our problems, government is the problem. RR

Here are the links to our local representatives stands:

Jim Gerlach's Position
Joe Sestak's Position
Mike Castle's Position

From the attached, Sestak and Castle are simply pandering to the socialist left while Gerlach has done the research and explains how it will affect you personally. 

"This bill will result in unilateral economic disarmament without corresponding improvement to our climate worldwide."

Welcome to Wayne.  This station is on the R5 Regional Rail Line just west of the Blue Route (I476).

With a prime location on the Main Line, the Wayne SEPTA stop is one of only four R5 rail stops in Delaware County.  The R5 Regional Rail Line parallels the Amtrak tracks from downtown Philadelphia to Downingtown/ Thorndale.  This line is still served by Amtrak through trains, but the nearest Amtrak stops are a few stations to the west in Paoli or just a bit further east in Ardmore.

This is an ideal commuter station with some commuter parking on both sides of the track and with plenty of space for picking up and dropping off passengers.  It is also within easy walking distance of many single family homes to the north and the multitude of condominiums and apartments in the area.  Wayne is also a great shopping, commercial, and restaurant destination.  The video will provide a better feel for the area:

Wayne (zip code 19087) continues to be a prime real estate market.  As in many areas, the area hit its peak sales activity several years ago in 2004 with 168 sales as the average price first moved above the $600,000 mark.  Prices continued to rise as sales tended down through 2007.  In 2005 there were 165 sales averaging $695,000, in 2006 144 sales with an average price of $689,000, and finally prices peaked at an average of $778,000 in 2007 with 157 sales.

In 2008, sales fell to 113 homes with an average price of $757,000 and have continued the slide this year with 55 sales year-to-date at an average price of $607,000.  Today, there are an additional 76 homes on the market with an average list price of $1,097,000 and 19 homes are under contract with an average list price of $924,000 (the average sales price should be rising as these settle).

With its prime location, diverse array of housing options, great eating and shopping options, and good rail links, Wayne should continue to be one of the preferred commuting and housing destinations on the Main Line for years to come.

As always, should you need any additional information, please feel free to contact me anytime.

(Al statistics are from the TrendMLS System and believed accurate but not guaranteed.)

Well it's here again.  Presented by the Delaware County Council, The Delaware County Summer Festival is well under way at the Rose Tree Amphitheater in Upper Providence Township PA.

Throughout the summer, beginning on June 10 and continuing till August 9, concerts are being held every Wednesday through Sunday (and several Tuesdays) in the Rose Tree Park Amphitheater.  The concerts cover a wide range of styles and forms from 50 piece orchestras to musical puppet shows and Brazilian Jazz.

Most concerts begin at 7:30 PM and all are free.  Be sure to check the Complete 2009 Summer Festival for all the upcoming shows.

Check the schedule and be sure to enjoy some concerts this summer!

As a buyer or seller, if you are trying to take advantage of the $8000 First Time Home Buyer Tax credit, eastern Upper Darby Township is one of the key areas in the county that you may want to keep your eyes on.  Sales activity has fallen but remains stronger than in most areas of the county.  Prices have also fallen, making this an excellent time to buy for buyers and a great opportunity to take advantage of the market if a seller.

In general, Upper Darby Township can be split into two areas by zip code: 19026/ Drexel Hill to the west and 19082/ Upper Darby to the east.  Zip Code 19082 generally extends from the Philadelphia City border to the east out to Lansdowne Avenue on the west.  This area contains the commercial hub and SEPTA rail lines centered around the 69th Street Terminal.  The terminal itself is a major regional rail hub and acts as the main transfer point for the SEPTA 101 and 102 Trolleys, the Rt 100 High Speed Line to Norristown,  and the SEPTA Market-Frankford line coming from Downtown Philadelphia.  This is both a popular commuting station as well as a destination station for the local commercial activities.  This terminal also links to many area bus lines.

Zip 19082 / Upper Darby is also home to many well known residential communities such as Stonehurst, Bywood, Highland Park, and Beverly Hills.  This provides a great mix of housing options from smaller row homes, to twins, and larger single family homes.  There are also a few condominiums in the area.  All can take advantage of the great rail connections and the easy road links along State Rd, Lansdowne Avenue, West Chester Pike, and Township Line Road.  It is also a short trip directly down to the Philadelphia International Airport.

Real Estate pricing and actvity in zip code 19082 has mirrored what we have seen in the rest of the county but has seen a bit greater volatility.  Sales activity peaked in 2005 when there were 683 residential sales in the zip code with an average overall sales price of $103,000 - the first year the average sales price had exceeded $100,000.

Pricing continued to rise to an average home sales price of $116,000 in 2006, $120,000 in 2007, and $118,000 in 2008.  Sales were declining during the same time period to 605 homes sold in 2006, 463 in 2007, and 285 in 2008.  So far in 2009, we have seen 121 sales at an average price of $94,000 - falling to a price range that we last saw in 2004.  Today, there are an additional 182 homes on the market listed for an average price of $125,000 and 58 homes are under contract with an average list price of $108,000.

With it's great location, easy rail and road access, and immediate proximity to Philadelphia, the Main Line, and the Airport, this area of eastern Upper Darby should remain popular.  With an average price now less than $100,000, many first time home buyers will be able to take advantage of the historically low interest rates, good prices, and the $8000 credit to make purchases in the area.  As the year progresses, Upper Darby could be a prime beneficiary of any first time home buyer activity as buyers try to take advantage of the $8000 First Time Home Buyer Credit before the scheduled expiration on November 30.

If you need any additional information, need contacts for financing, or are thinking of a move in the area, please feel free to call me anytime.

(All statistics per TrendMLS System and believed accurate but not guaranteed)

Welcome to Philadelphia! If you love history or want some interesting background on the Philadelphia region, this video from fifty years ago provides some perspective. 

I've wanted to do a video overview of the area to provide a good look at all that this region has to offer, but I really don't think I could do anything to compare to this: 

Although I'm sure the video covered most of the questions that you may have had about the area, should you need any additional information, please feel free to contact me anytime!

(Thanks to goleopards1 for posting this and imanacer for finding it.)