Suburban Philadelphia Real Estate News

Stonewold has continued to be one of the most popular housing developments in the Greenville Hockessin area.

Located between Barley Mill Road and Lancaster Pike just west of Centerville Road, the community of Stonewold has become one of the most popular and convenient recent housing developments in the area.  This location provides its residents with almost immediate access to Hockessin, Greenville, and Wilmington.  Just to the east, Route 141 provides easy access to I-95 allowing quick travel into Pennsylvania and Philadelphia to the north or Maryland, Baltimore, and Washington DC to the south.  It is also a straight shot down Lancaster Pike to the Wilmington Amtrak/SEPTA Train Station.

Stonewold itself was largely built between 1999 and 2001 with some construction continuing into 2003.  This Thompson Homes built development consists of over 130 single family luxury homes ranging in size from just 2625 to almost 6000 sq ft.  The bulk of the homes have between 3500 and 4500 sq ft per the tax records.  Many have 2-3 car enclosed garages and are built in a nice range of styles with stucco, brick, or stone exteriors.

Home prices in Stonewold have held up very well.  Originally selling from the high $300,000 level to the mid $500,000 level in 1999 and 2000, prices rapidly rose with some sales prices peaking over $900,000 in 2005 and 2006.  Average sales prices rose from $469,000 in 1999 to an average price of $789,000 in 2005.  Since then, they have mostly maintained their value averaging $751,000 in 2006 with 11 sales, $793,000 in 2007( 7 sales), $759,000 in 2008 (5 sales), and $724,000 in 2009 (8 sales).  In 2010, there has been one closed sale for $820,000, one home is under contract listed for $799,000, and one home is currently available with an asking price of $799,900.

Stonewold should continue to be a popular choice for those looking for a convenient location with easy commuting options throughout the area while remaining in one of the best residential single family communities in the county.

David Henke
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc - Bear, DE/Newtown Square, PA
Office: 302-834-3431/Cell: 610-618-0808
www.DelawarePAHomes.com

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

Barley Mill Courts is an ideally located community of single family homes and townhomes on Barley Mill Rd just off Route 141.

Barley Mill Courts is an exclusive small community with a pleasant mix of  single family properties and 16 townhomes.  The development is located just south of Barley Mill Road west of Route 141.  This ideal location affords immediate access to Route 141, Route 52/ Kennett Pike, and Route 48/ Lancaster Pike.  These provide easy commuting options into downtown Wilmington, Greenville, Centerville, Hockessin, and I-95 toward Philadelphia or Baltimore.

The first homes in Barley Mill Courts were completed in 1975 with development continuing into the early 1980s.  The townhomes average 2,000 sqft with the largest unit ranging up to 2,850 sqft.  The single family homes range from 2,500 sqft ranch homes to over 4,000 sqft classic colonials.  The "courts" design allow for smaller lot sizes with an abundance of open common space.  The homes themselves are today located in a nicely wooded environment.

Real estate pricing in the community has remained relatively stable through the years.  The average sales price first rose above the $500,000 level in 2003 and has continued to ranged between $490,000 and $550,000 including both the single family homes and townhomes.   Since having five sales with an average sales price of $519,000 in 2008, there  was only one sale in 2009 for $490,000 and two sales in 2010 for an average price of $512,500.  Today, there is one twin on the market for $465,000 and one pending single family home for $675,000.

With it's great location convenient to Greenville, Wilmington, and Hockessin, and wide variety of housing choices in a smaller community, Barley Mill Courts should remain a prime address for years to come.

David Henke
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc - Bear, DE/Newtown Square, PA
Office: 302-834-3431/Cell: 610-618-0808
www.DelawarePAHomes.com

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

Be sure to visit Hagley Museum on Wednesdays or Thursdays this summer in Wilmington DE.

In July and August, Hagley Museum in Wilmington DE is offering reduced admission prices for events every Wednesday night and Thursday during the day.  Hagley Museum and Library are located on the site of the original gunpowder works founded by today's DuPont Company in 1802.  The main entrance is just off Route 141 as it crosses the Brandywine River close to Greenville DE.  It is just minutes off I-95 and Route 202 and easily accessible from all New Castle County.

On Wednesday nights, Hagley will be holding their Bike and Hike nights.  From 5 - 8 PM every Wednesday through August, admission will only be $2 per person allowing you the chance to enjoy the trails, walk the riverside, and picnic along the Brandywine.  Admission is free for members.

On Thursdays from 9:30-4:30 Hagley Museum admission is only $1 per person.  This will allow admission to both the museum and grounds.  This is a great opportunity to revisit, or visit the museum for the first time,  and explore the grounds and exhibitions.  Admission is free for members.

In addition, this will give you an ideal time to learn of the events already scheduled throughout the fall.  These include the Hagley Car Show and Hagley Film Showcase in September,  the Hagley Craft Fair in October, and Christmas at Hagley running from November 26 through the New Year.

Another great opportunity to enjoy all the area has to offer!

David Henke
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc - Bear, DE/Newtown Square, PA
Office: 302-834-3431/Cell: 610-618-0808
www.DelawarePAHomes.com

As we saw in Delaware County PA, New Castle County is also continuing to see a leisurely sales pace as we head into summer.

In New Castle County DE, Luxury Home sales activity for those homes listed above $1,000,000 hit their peak in 2005 with 45 sales at an average price of $1,704,000.  Since then, as we have seen in many of the local areas, sales have been declining to 42 sales in 2006, 39 in 2007, and 28 in 2008.  Year-to-date in 2009, there have been eight settled home purchases with another 4 properties currently under contract.

As could be expected, pricing has been a bit more erratic with average pricing reaching $1,704,000 in 2005, dropping to $1,579,000 in 2006, rising to $1,703,000 in 2007, and dropping again to $1,409,000 in 2008.  Pricing in this range is greatly impacted by the highest priced sales for any given year.  The high price also peaked in 2005 at $4,075,000 with the highest price being $2,548,000 in 2006, $3,926,000 in 2007, and $3,145,000 in 2008.

Today, there are an additional 56 homes currently on the market with an average list price of $1,809,000 and a top list price of $4,500,000.   There are also an additional 4 homes under contract at an average list price of $1,395,000 so it appears that in addition to the sales volume possibly coming in below 2008, the average prices could ease a bit further as well.  As we have noted before, the homes in this price range remain centered in the Greenville/Rt 52 corridor with scattered listings toward Newark and south of 95.

Bottom Line: Clearly with only 12 properties either sold or under contract in almost the first 6 months of the year and an additional 56 homes on the market at this time, this remains a challenging segment of the market with rising average days on the market.  Buyers have the apparent edge and sellers must continue to watch the recently sold homes very carefully to be sure that they have not inadvertently priced themselves out of the market.  As we continue forward and have a better feel for the overall economy, this segment should begin to respond as confidence builds and financing continues to become more readily available.

As always, if you are thinking of a move or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me anytime.

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

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend a great meeting with Michael Davis Esq of Davis Law in Wilmington DE concerning Navigating Short Sales**.

With the current market conditions, we are continuing to see an increase in the number of short sales on the market.  If you are in that position or are considering buying or selling a property that may be a short sale, he noted several important points to consider:

  -This is a long process - often 90+ days.  The banks will not be rushed or pressured but will follow their programs at their pace. 
  -Buyers must have the ability to wait for an undefined time period to obtain approval and settle.
  -Sellers must be willing and motivated to supply all required information on a timely basis - this will often include information above and beyond that required to obtain the original loan. 
  -Sellers should consider paying up front for a title search and obtain independent representation from the beginning to aid throughout the transaction.
  -If the property is a qualified principal residence, there is a good probability that debt could be forgiven under the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 but this is not always the case.
  -If the property is investor owned, the 2007 law does not apply and your CPA should be contacted to assess your current position before you decide on a sale.
  -The seller and the IRS will receive a 1099 from the sale regardless.
  -The buyer and seller have a valid agreement of sale and the short sale is "just another contingency".

Short sales are a tremendous opportunity to allow owners to move while creating less damage to their credit  than is possible under a foreclosure.  Buyers can also benefit by obtaining a new property at a savings over the full appraised value.  Every transaction is unique, but it is key that all parties have the appropriate expectations regarding timing, requirements, and procedure from the outset of the transaction.

To be sure that you understand and take full benefit of all the options available, I would encourage you to speak with a specialist like Davis Law from the beginning to be sure to avoid potential problems and not to miss any opportunities.

As always, if you have any questions or need any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me anytime.

(**Note that a "short sale" is the sale of real property by the record Owner to the Buyer for a dollar amount that is less than the total dollar amount owed by the Owner to the Owner's secured creditors.  The creditors are not parties to the sale but do possess the Veto power over the sale and the power to renegotiate all terms.)

The last post on pricing, sales activity, and overall trends in Delaware County, PA raised the question of whether we were seeing the same trends region wide.  

Short answer: Yes.

In New Castle County, Delaware, there were $74 Million dollars worth of properties sold in November consisting of 302 properties with an average price of $245,000 per the TrendMLS system market statistics.   Compared to earlier sales:

   Nov sales were down 38% from the 2008 avg sales thru Oct
   Nov sales were down 51% from the 2007 average sales/month
   Nov sales were down 69% from peak sales rate in June 2006

We saw close to the same sales rate($76 Million) in January 2008.  Prior to this, you would need to go back to Feb 2002 to see a lower sales volume. 

On a more local level, if you look at the Hockessin/Centreville/Greenville area, there are currently160 homes on the market with an average monthly sales rate of 18 units (dropped to 14 in November).  At this monthly rate, it will take over 8 months to sell out of the current inventory - assuming we recover toward the monthly average sales rate.

In Chester County, PA, total sales were $101 Million consisting of 295 units with an average price of $344,000.  Compared to earlier sales:

   Nov sales were down 34% from the 2008 average thru Oct
   Nov sales were down 45% from the 2007 average
   Nov sales were down 69% from the June 2005 peak.

Echoing New Castle County, sales were actually lower in January of this year at $95 Million.  Prior to January, we last saw this sales volume in February 2001.

Bottom line: We do seem to be seeing the same trends throughout the region. 

Again, once financing issues resolve themselves and people can have some confidence on the future rates and programs, we could see a rapid build up in activity as the market responds to pent up demand.  Both the time to resolve the financing issues and the increase/decrease in inventory on the market will dictate the direction of prices once sales pick up, but at this point pricing seems to be holding up reasonably well.

As I mentioned earlier, if you are thinking of buying or selling in the near term, now is the time to get ready.  I would expect the new administration to act fairly quickly once in office and you should be prepared to take advantage of any new opportunities as they appear.

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

(All statistics from TrendMLS Market Statistics and believed accurate but not guaranteed)