Suburban Philadelphia Real Estate News

It's not that time of year, but due to the continuing changes in Washington, we are already seeing some movement in local races as the parties and politicians begin to position themselves for 2010.

It's too early to get a feel for who will do what in the next election, but I did have the chance to stop by both Party Headquarters to try to learn where we should be looking to get a feel for the future.  There are an unending supply of political sites both locally and nationally to satisfy almost any viewpoint, but if you just want to get up to speed on the local situation, these will provide a great place to start.  The first few can be used to learn the basics of the state government.  Then there are just a few current blogs representing both sides of the spectrum.

For basic contacts and information see:
- State of Delaware:  www.Delaware.gov
- Delaware General Assembly:  legis.Delaware.gov
- US National Government:  www.USA.gov
- New Castle County Government:  www.co.new-castle.de.us

For real-time current blog information and updates:

Democrats:
www.delawareliberal.net
www.deldems.org

Republicans:
www.DelawarePolitics.net
www.ResoluteDetermination.com

There are quite a few additional sites of all political persuasions and causes but this will provide a place to start.  After opening a site, simply review their blog log for additional site ideas.  Next year, 2010, will be an incredibly important year as many important changes could be coming up for a vote that will impact your homes, income, health, and welfare.  Everyone should stay involved (and keep a close eye on your wallet - Washington wants it) .

As always, if you have any questions or comments or need any additional ideas, please do not hesitate ot contact me anytime.

I just wanted to pass on a quick reminder from Rep Mike Ramone on Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage.

It's that time of year for the annual Medicare Prescription Drug Enrollment review.  Each year, Medicare makes changes to their plans.  ELDERinfo and Delaware Medicare Partners will be providing information on the plans at community events throughout the State of Delaware.  ELDERinfo, the Delaware State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), provides unbiased information and counseling to people covered by Medicare.

For New Castle County, the scheduled events include:

Thursday, November 19, 9:00-12:00
Tuesday, December 8, 9:00-12:00
MOT Senior Center
300 South Scott Street Middletown
Call for Appointments at 302-378-4758

Monday, November 30, 9:00-1:00
Christiana Care Hospital
John H Ammon Medical Education Building
4755 Ogletown-Stanton Rd, Christiana

Wednesday, December 2, 9:00-12:00
Newark Senior Center
200 White Chapel Rd, Newark

Thursday, December 10, 9:00-1:00
William Hicks Anderson Community Center
501 Madison St, Wilmington

Wednesday, December 16, 9:00-1:00
Howard Weston Senior Center
1 Bassett Avenue, New Castle

Please contact ELDERinfo at 1-800-336-9500 or 302-674-7364 to schedule an appointment or for additional information.

Now is a great time to visit the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts in Wilmington DE.

Thinking of a more "traditional" museum for your final summer activities?  You need to take advantage of the free admission to the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts (DCCA) along the riverfront in Wilmington Delaware.

Now celebrating its 30th year, the DCCA is located at 200 South Madison Street on the rapidly evolving Wilmington waterfront.  Situated in a former industrial building, the facility now has 35,000 square feet of space offering 7 galleries, 26 artist studios, an auditorium, museum shop and support areas.  It is directly served by the Dart Bus Route 32 and is just around the corner from the downtown Amtrak Rail Station, Frawley Stadium, several shops, and great dining and entertainment options.

From their mission statement, the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts is non-collecting art museum.  Their mission is to present exhibitions, offer exposure to the creative process, provide educational opportunities, and extend innovative programs to a diverse community.  Their success in following this mission is clear from the wide array of activities, exhibitions, events, and other programs that the center is offering on a continuing basis.  From camps and classes to its Artist-In-Residence programs, it works toward this vision everyday.

Most recently, the Alternatives Museum Shop at the DCCA was named this years Best Museum Store by Niche Magazine for 2009.  The award is based on the Retailers' Guide to Best Practices including Fair Business Practices and the support to the American craft community.

This is an excellent excursion for anyone in the region and offers a chance to catch up on the current trends in the art world - and then relax and enjoy the various restaurants, shopping, and entertainment venues now found along the Wilmington Riverfront.  More great activities in our area.

As always, if you have any questions or need any information, call anytime.

Everybody should stop by Cosmos Diner Restaurant to experience the one of the best diners in Wilmington.

I admit it - I love diners.  I like the food, the service, and the people.  Situated off Maryland Avenue south of Wilmington and just north of Newport, Cosmos Diner Restaurant is one of the best in Delaware offering all the classic diner fare plus many Greek Specialties.  The restaurant has been a local stalwart for years.

Cosmos offers booths, table top, and counter dining options.  The service is excellent with a great friendly staff.  Having a wide variety of seating options, there is rarely a wait, and if you are bringing a large family or group, there is plenty of room to combine tables in the back.  They open everyday at 6:30 and close at 9:00 except for Friday and Saturday when they remain open till 10:00.

The food is excellent with great service and hearty portions.   I would personally recommend the Pastitchio, French Dip, or Omelets, but they have a wide range of standard items covering most every taste.  In addition, they do have weekly specials Monday through Thursday including Chicken and Dumplings, Ham and Cabbage, and Chicken Pot Pie.  These are complemented with a wide variety of additional daily specials.

Cosmos serves a great variety of Greek favorites everyday and offers periodic Greek specials.  To finish off any meal, you need to try one of their pies or pastries that are baked right on the premises.  I have only been there during the day/evening, but their breakfasts are renowned and are served everyday, all day.

They are easy to get to by following Newport Pike (Route 4) north from Route 141 in Newport or take Boxwood Road over to Maryland Avenue.  From the Riverfront (or from downtown Wilmington), they are just a few minutes south along Maryland Avenue just beyond the intersection with DuPont Rd at 316 S Maryland Avenue.

If you love good food and fast friendly service, you have to go to Cosmos Diner Restaurant.  If you just like to check out the local diners and restaurants, you need to add this to your itinerary.

Visit, Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Wilmington DE once again welcomes the arrival of the Wilmington Greek Festival and St Anthony's Italian Festival as the summer season begins.

The Wilmington Greek Festival is now under way on the grounds of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church on Broom St.  Opening on the 2nd of June it will run through Friday June 5 (Saturday if a rain date is needed).  The festival opens at 11:00AM and runs through 11:00PM each day with a shuttle from downtown Wilmington available 11-2 during lunch.  The church is open each day from 4-6:30 with a tour available at 6:30.  Each night there will be two dance performances by various groups at 7:30 and 8:30 and live music from 6:30-11:00.  There are also a wide variety of vendors and food booths available throughout the week. 

It's a great time to visit and enjoy the entertainment.

Then on June 7th, St Anthony's Italian Festival opens it's doors through Sunday June 14th.  Celebrating a Venetian theme this year, the festival only continues to improve.  Opening Sunday with the 30th running of the 5K, the festival will continue to have its traditional midway games and rides and has a great variety of dining options including an outside cafe with Bellini Bar.  The festival is held on several blocks surrounding St Anthonys located at 901 N DuPont St.

New this year will be the addition of Bocce.  A bocce tournament will be held on Sunday after the 5K race.  Then there will continuing tournaments, teaching, play, and practice throughout the week.  This will allow plenty of time for both seasoned players and complete novices to try out the game.  There will also be plenty of shopping, music, and special events.  The festival opens at 5:30 during the week, 2:00 on Saturday and Sunday, and closes at 10:30 every night.

Both festivals are great opportunities to get out and enjoy more of what the Wilmington area has to offer as we enter the summer season.

As always, let me know if you have any questions or need any additional information.

The Lawn Bowlers of the Northeast Division of the United States Lawn Bowls Association rolled into Wilmington DE last weekend for the Classic Singles Tournament held by the Dupont Lawn Bowling Club at the DuPont Country Club on Rockland Road.  Over twenty of the top regional bowlers competed over the weekend.

Lawn bowling has a long and varied history in the area.  Records show that lawn bowling has been a popular pastime in the area for over 300 hundred years.  Play was documented in Williamsburg as early as 1720 and probably was being played earlier.  In Europe, lawn bowling has been documented as far back as the 13th century.  Although it was banned for commoners to play in the UK from the mid 1400s to 1845 to encourage practicing archery, it continued to be played by royalty.  It is now being played around the world.

This weekend the bowlers played under cool and cloudy conditions for much of the time.  Five area clubs and several additional individuals were represented in the tournament.  The field included participants from the DuPont Lawn Bowling Club, The Williamsburg Inn Lawn Bowling Club, the Frick Park Lawn Bowling Club, the Essex County Lawn Bowling Club, and the New York Lawn Bowling Club.

After a full weekend of play, our congratulations go to Bud Fickley of the Frick Park LBC who won in a playoff with Dan Berg of the Williamsburg Inn Lawn Bowling Club placing second.  They were followed by Michelle Arculli and Rob Goldman of Baltimore.

Today outside the US, lawn bowling remains popular in the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and several other locations around the world.  The US Lawn Bowls Association has split the country into 7 competitive divisions with multiple clubs throughout each region.  The local contacts for the DuPont Lawn Bowling Club are Sally Montigney and Tom Lawler.

Congratulations to all the players for a great weekend of play.

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

Congratulations to All the Graduates of the
Widener University School of Law

Good Luck Linds!
To a long and prosperous future!

 Commencement
May 16, 2009
Wilmington Delaware

With their ideal location, Graylyn Crest and North Graylyn Crest have remained popular North Wilmington housing choices since their construction in the late fifties through early sixties.

These Brandywine Hundred communities with over 800 homes are centrally located just off Foulk and Silverside Roads.  They have immediate access to Interstate 95 by either the Marsh Rd or Harvey Rd exits.  They also are just minutes from the Route 202 corridor with multiple retail opportunities including the Concord Mall.  These routes enable easy commuting to Wilmington, West Chester, and Philadelphia.  They also have access to the SEPTA R2 Regional Rail Line at the Claymont Rail Station.

Although there are some other construction styles within the developments, split level homes are by far the most popular style.  Both developments are part of the the Brandywine School District with Brandywine High School within easy walking distance of Graylyn Crest.  The Forwood Elementary School is adjacent to North Graylyn Crest off Gravers Lane.  There are also several parks conveniently located to the developments.

Until recently, the real estate prices have held up very well.  Starting with an average sales price below $200,000 in 2001, prices climbed rapidly to top out at an average sale price of $305,000 with 32 sales in 2007.  Since then the average sales price has fallen to $300,000 in 2008 and to $268,000 so far in 2009.  Despite the economy, it appears that prices should firm up a bit in the short term as there are three additional homes currently under contract with an average list price of $313,000.  In addition, there are now five homes on the market with an average sales price of $318,000.  The average time on the market has also been building from under 25 days on the market in 2006 to 58 days on the market average in 2009, but this remains well below the current New Castle County average of 87 days on the market for sold homes.

A strong community in a great location with good schools and reasonable prices makes an opportunity that is hard to beat.  With their ideal location off Foulk Rd midway between Rt 202 and Interstate 95, Graylyn Crest and North Graylyn Crest continue to be popular housing choices.   Add the lower prices and falling interest rates, now is a perfect time to consider a change.

As always if you are considering a move to the area or may be considering selling your home, please feel free to call me anytime to discuss your options.  I always look forward to speaking with you.

(All statistics are from the TrendMLS system and believed accurate but not guaranteed)

This morning, Delaware and  the Old Swedes Foundation held Landing Day Services at the site of Fort Christina Park in Wilmington DE.

Unknown by many, Delaware was founded by the Swedes and Finns. In 1638, the first Swedish settlement was established at Fort Christina located just east of present day Wilmington just off 7th Street along the Christina River. They quickly formed the first permanent settlement in the future state.  The Swedes controlled the immediate area until 1655 when the Dutch took control and the future state of Delaware ultimately fell under British control in 1664.

In 1698 the Swedes and Finns built a new church on the site of their original burial ground.  The church was established as a Swedish Lutheran Church but in 1791 it became part of the Protestant Episcopal Church.  The Old Swedes Church is the oldest church still in use as originally built. 

Today was the 371st anniversary of the Swedes and Finns original landing on March 29, 1638.  In 1938, Fort Christina State Park was built before the 300th anniversary of the event and it was dedicated in 1938 with the attendance of President Franklin Roosevelt and Swedish royalty.  The Landing Day Services have been held every year since (except for two years) on March 29 and in 1988 on the 350th Anniversary the Swedish King and Queen once again attended the ceremonies.

This morning's event was held by the congregation and Old Swedes Foundation with both Delaware Governor Jack Markell and Wilmington Mayor James Baker providing remarks.  There were also proclamations delivered from the state, county, and city.  Despite the weather, it was well attended, well done, and continued the long standing tradition honoring our founding

So what's happening in New Castle County Delaware real estate today?  --  A bit of a slog but some signs of an upturn.

As noted in my last post on New Castle County, the market here experienced the same drop in activity that we saw region wide.  Since then, again like other areas, it has continued to struggle.  Closed sales have continued at the slowest pace seen in years, but recently we have seen an uptick in new properties going under contract.  We may be seeing the beginning of a more solid market.

First Some History:

In New Castle County as a whole, from an average sales price of less than $200,000 in 2003 with 7689 reported sales, the residential real estate volume activity peaked in 2005 with 8285 reported sales in the local MLS system with an average price of just over $245,000.  Prices continued upward to reach an average sales price of $266,000 in 2007, but by that point sales volume had fallen to 6880 units.  In 2008, we experienced a decline in both prices and units to 4883 homes sold at an average price of $259,000.  Then, as mentioned earlier, activity dropped dramatically as the impact of the turmoil in the financial markets really hit home in the fourth quarter of 2008.

In 2009, we have continued to see unusually slow activity in New Castle County DE for settled properties with only 220 units being recorded in the MLS for January and 254 for February.  This is down 28% from the corresponding months in 2008.  Prices have also declined to an average price of $238,000.  On a good note, there has been an uptick in pending properties.  In the first two months of 2009, we have seen an additional 677 properties with accepted contracts of sale, down only 21% from the corresponding months in 2008, and up 31% from the last two months of 2008.

Bottom Line:  Signs of an upturn?  Too early to tell for sure but certainly trending in the right direction.

Although it remains unclear if we have reached a floor, there are signs that we could have a fairly strong spring.  The increase in new properties going under contract will inevitably lead to increased sales and this should tend to free up activity as sellers look to move up.  The market as a whole should benefit both from both the decline in prices/mortgage rates and the pent up demand resulting from the recent below normal sales rate.  If Washington and the Treasury Department can show any leadership, the market could firm fairly quickly.  With historically low interest rates, increased inventory, and declining home values, this is actually one of the best times to purchase properties we have seen in years.  Will it hold? - Too soon to tell, but at least today we are continuing to move in the right direction.

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