Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Some highlights from our Mid-June market report, via Altos Research.  Conditions continue to favor sellers. Demand for homes in Philadelphia remains strong.  Available supply is purchased rapidly, with Philadelphia properties currently averaging a mere 4 months on the market.

However, median price has increased from $189,000 to $192,500 in the past two weeks. We’ll see by early August if a few expensive properties skewed the average, of if prices are beginning to trend upwards.  Only time will tell.

Mid-June Market Report Excerpts, via Altos Research

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Twitter & Instrgram: @TheAtacanGroup

Happy Friday! Let’s usher in the weekend with three can’t miss open house opportunities this Sunday, June 16th in Philadelphia’s Fairmout & Queen Village neighborhoods. We’ll break down all the details on properties, location, and more below. Looking forward to hosting Philadelphia’s future homeowners.

310 Catharine Street, Unit C – Queen Village, Philadelphia

Property #1:  2 BR, 1 BA Queen Village condominium with assigned parking!

Location: 310 Catharine Street [Unit C] Philadelphia, PA 19147 

Time: 11:00 am – 1 pm

Listing Agent: Stephanie Slapin

Showing Agent: Jennifer Nehila

Highlights Include: 

• Kitchen, dining area & spacious living room
• Master bedroom, with separate den & large bathroom
• Exposed brick wall, 12″ high ceilings & hardwood floors
• Wood burning fireplace, patio access & assigned parking!

Walking Distance From: 

• Penn’s Landing, South Street, 9th Street Italian Market & Sacrcone’s Bakery

For additional information, pictures & pricing: http://bit.ly/152U8YK

E-mail stephanie@atacangroup.com with any questions or concerns.

310 Catharine Street, Unit E – Queen Village, Philadelphia

Property #2:  Beautifully Updated 2 BR, 1 BA  condo in South Philadelphia‘s Queen Village neighborhood!

Location: 310 Catharine Street [Unit E] Philadelphia, PA 19147 

Time: 11:00 am – 1 pm

Listing Agent: Stephanie Slapin

Showing Agent: Jennifer Nehila

Highlights Include :

• Gorgeous kitchen opens up to separate dining area.
• Living room includes wood-burning fireplace, exposed brick wall & hardwood floors.
• Includes attic & basement storage units.
• Pet friendly.
• Minutes from South Street, Penn’s Landing & Philadelphia’s historic 9th Street Italian Market!

For additional information, pictures & pricing: http://bit.ly/10EZR6D

E-mail stephanie@atacangroup.com with any questions or concerns.

1625 North Street – Fairmount, Philadelphia

Property #3: Very spacious 3 BR, 3 BA Fairmount area townhouse with Garage Parking!

Location: 1625 North Street Philadelphia, PA 19130

Time: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Listing Agent: Karoline Kelsen

Showing Agent: Guillaume Lantoine

Highlights:

• Open concept living room/dining with fireplace, perfect for entertaining!
• Kitchen features wooden cabinets, black granite counter tops & stainless steel appliances.
• Slate patio with landscaping.
• Roof top deck with amazing [south facing] city views!
• Located on a fantastic block just steps from award winning restaurants, coffee shops & parks.
• Recent price improvement!

For additional information, pictures & pricing: http://bit.ly/12ToniO

E-mail karoline@atacangroup.com with any questions or concerns.

Have a great weekend fellow Philadelphians!

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Twitter & Instrgram: @TheAtacanGroup

2223 Frankford Ave. – Fishtown, Philadelphia

 $20,000 price improvement on Fishtown-area triplex, perfect for investors & entrepreneurs!

Additional highlights:

• Meticulously renovated over the past five years.
• Brand new electrical, plumbing & HVAC throughout.
• First floor retail place situated right on Frankford Ave.
• Second floor features 2 BR apartment with custom kitchen & bathroom.
• Third floor offers a spacious 1 BR apartment as well.
• Potential to expand income by renting basement to 1st floor tenant.
• Triplex is fully rented & cash flowing, perfect for investors!

For additional information, pictures & pricing: http://bit.ly/12mnv9J

201 N. 8th Street, Unit 110 – Old City, Philadelphia

$10,000 price improvement on gorgeous, bi-level Old City condo!

Additional highlights:

• Kitchen features granite countertops, breakfast bar, upgraded European cabinetry & stainless steel appliances.
• 12 foot high ceilings.
• Finished hardwood, tile & mile flooring throughout.
• Washer/dryer in unit.
• Outdoor heated pool with spa, cabanas & poolside dining area.
• 24 hour doorman with secured entrances.
• Conveniently located near subway, train & all major highways.
• Absolute must see!

For additional information, pictures & pricing: http://bit.ly/12MEi3I

Contact listing agent Aaron Byles with all questions regarding the properties above.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog.

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Twitter & Instrgram: @TheAtacanGroup

309 S. American St. – Society Hill, Philadelphia 

Historic Society Hill townhouse rental on picturesque cobblestone block! 

Highlights Include: 

• 2 bedrooms & 2 full bathrooms.
• Finished basement.
• Kitchen overlooks patio garden.
• Three fireplaces.

Additionally offers:

• Original wide plank pine floors throughout.
• Convenient street parking.
• Walking distance to Head House Square, South Street & Penn’s Landing.
• Entire property professionally cleaned & painted!

See all listing details for 309 S. American Street, along with additional properties we offer.

For further information on this property, contact David Darami.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog.

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Twitter & Instrgram: @TheAtacanGroup

1625 North Street – Fairmount, Philadelphia

429 N. 13th Street, Unit 5C – Loft Distrcit, Philadelphia

Property #1: 1625 North Street Philadelphia, PA 19130

Gorgeous townhouse in North Philadelphia’s Art Museum area with garage parking!

Date/Time: Sunday June 9, 11:00 am – 1:30 pm

Listing Agent: Karoline Kelsen

On-Site Representative: David Brown

Highlights Include:

• 3 Bedrooms & 3 Full Bathrooms.
• Open concept living room/dining with fireplace, perfect for entertaining!
• Kitchen features wooden cabinets, black granite counter tops & stainless steel appliances.
• Slate patio with landscaping.
• Roof top deck with amazing [south facing] city views!
• Located on a fantastic block just steps from award winning restaurants, coffee shops & parks.
• Recent price improvement!

For additional information, pictures & pricing: http://bit.ly/12ToniO

E-mail karoline@atacangroup.com with any questions or concerns.

Property #2: 429 N 13th Street #5C Philadelphia, PA 19123

Spacey Loft District condo featuring 1 BR, 1 BA & walk-in vault!

Date/Time: Sunday June 9, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Listing Agent: Adam Atacan

On-Site Representative: Josh Howe

Highlights Include:

• Private bedroom & full bathroom
• Indoor garage parking
• Custom u-shaped kitchen with stainless steel appliances
• Large bathroom features deep Jacuzzi, hardwood floors & subway tile
• Versatile, bi-level vault unit perfect for storage, office space, den or guest room
• Convenient location between Callowhill & Spring Garden, just one block from Broad Street
• Minutes from Reading Terminal Market, Union Transfer & Chinatown!

For additional information, pictures & pricing: http://bit.ly/11ichgz

E-mail adam@atacangroup.com with any questions or concerns.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Twitter & Instrgram: @TheAtacanGroup

429 N 13th Street, Unit 5C – Loft District, Philadelphia

Gorgeous Loft District condo featuring 1 BR, 1 BA & walk-in vault!

Highlights Include: 

• Private bedroom & full bathroom
• Indoor garage parking
• Custom u-shaped kitchen with stainless steel appliances
• Large bathroom features deep Jacuzzi, hardwood floors & subway tile

Additionally offers:

• Versatile, bi-level vault unit perfect for storage, office space, den or guest room
• Convenient location between Callowhill & Spring Garden, just one block from Broad Street
• Minutes from Reading Terminal Market, Union Transfer & Chinatown!

Open House Details: 

• This Sunday [June 9th], 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

See all listing details for 429 N 13th Street #5C, along with additional properties we offer.

For further information on this property, contact Adam Atacan.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Twitter & Instrgram: @TheAtacanGroup

Some highlights from our June 2nd market update. Conditions indicate a seller’s market in the Philadelphia area. For further details, head over to our Market Activity homepage.

Market Update Excerpt [June 2, 2013, via Altos Research]

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

1100 South Broad St. [Unit #409B] – Newbold, Philadelphia

Highlights Include: 

• Deeded parking
• High ceilings & hardwood floors
• New kitchen cabinets, granite countertops & stainless steel appliances
• Marble bathroom features whirlpool tub & separate tiled shower
• Washer/Dryer unit

Additionally offers:

• Landscaped courtyard access
• Koi ponds, fountains & dog walk
• Health & fitness center
• Dry cleaning delievery
• 24 hour concierge service

See all listing details for 1100 S Broad St [Unit 409 B], along with additional properties we offer.

For further information on this property, contact Aaron Byles.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Twitter & Instrgram: @TheAtacanGroup

Happy Friday! We have two can’t miss open house opportunities this Sunday June 2nd. We’ll break down all the details on properties, location, and more below. We look forward to hosting Philadelphia’s future homeowners this weekend.

310 Catharine Street [Unit E] Queen Village, Philadelphia

Location: 310 Catharine Street [Unit E] Philadelphia, PA 19147 

Time: 11:00 am – 1 pm

Listing Agent: Stephanie Slapin

Highlights:

• Beautifully updated, spacious condominium in the heart of South Philadelphia‘s Queen Village neighborhood!
• 2 Bedrooms &  1.0 Bathrooms.
• Gorgeous kitchen opens up to separate dining area.
• Living room includes wood-burning fireplace, exposed brick wall & hardwood floors.
• Includes attic & basement storage units.
• Pet friendly.
• Minutes from South Street, Penn’s Landing & Philadelphia’s historic 9th Street Italian Market!

For additional information, pictures & pricing: http://bit.ly/10EZR6D

E-mail stephanie@atacangroup.com with any questions or concerns.

1625 North Street Fairmount, Philadelphia

Location: 1625 North Street Philadelphia, PA 19130

Time: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Listing Agent: Karoline Kelsen

On-Site Representative: Adam Atacan

Highlights:

• Gorgeous townhouse in North Philadelphia’s Art Museum area with garage parking!
• 3 Bedrooms & 3 Full Bathrooms.
• Open concept living room/dining with fireplace, perfect for entertaining!
• Kitchen features wooden cabinets, black granite counter tops & stainless steel appliances.
• Slate patio with landscaping.
• Roof top deck with amazing [south facing] city views!
• Located on a fantastic block just steps from award winning restaurants, coffee shops & parks.
• Recent price improvement!

For additional information, pictures & pricing: http://bit.ly/12ToniO

E-mail karoline@atacangroup.com with any questions or concerns.

Have a great weekend fellow Philadelphians!

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Twitter & Instrgram: @TheAtacanGroup

310 Catharine Street, Unit C – Queen Village, Philadelphia

Newly Listed - 2 BR, 1 BA condominium in the heart of South Philadelphia‘s Queen Village Neighborhood!

Highlights Include: 

• Kitchen, dining area & spacious living room
• Master bedroom, with separate den & large bathroom
• Exposed brick wall
• 12″ high ceilings
• Wood burning fireplace
• Hardwood floors
• Patio access
• Assigned parking

Walking Distance From: 

• Penn’s Landing
• South Street
• Jim’s Steaks
• 9th Street Italian Market
• Sacrcone’s Bakery

See all the listing details for 310 Catharine Street (Unit C)  and check out all the other Queen Village Real Estate Listings.  Hope everyone had an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend!

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Twitter & Instrgram: @TheAtacanGroup

Check out the Market Update for Philadelphia Real Estate as of May 1, 2013.  All areas of the housing market are showing extremely high levels of demand!

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

With Spring in the air, this is the time home-sales season has officially begun. 2012 showed incredibly low mortgage rates, many believed wouldn’t last. According to Freddi Mac, the current average rate on a 30 year mortgage stood fast at 3.54%. This should a slight improvement compared to last week when rates were at 3.57%. With historically low mortgage rates still active, many believe this will transform into a tremendous amount of buying/selling active in the Philadelphia market this coming Spring and Summer. So if you are thinking of buying or selling your home, now is the time!

 This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Rendering by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson of new building planned for corner to replace three existing buildings. Cheesecake Factory will occupy the second floor. Entrance on left of image. Corner on second floor is a dining terrace. CREDIT: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, CREDIT: philly.com

In recent Philadelphia area news, The Cheesecake Factory is in the processes of touching down a brand new restaurant in the Center City Philadelphia Area. With the the location to be at the very popular 15th & Walnut St. This is sure to bring much more traffic into the area. Leading the project’s design, is no other than top architectural firm, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. They are also responsible for the design build of the famous Apple store in Manhattan and by the photo rendering above, are sure to bring much creativity to the area. Promising to be one of the city finest new buildings, BCJ’s plan is to design an all-glass, very modernized building, showing its true structure with exposed steel columns and beams. This building is sure to make a mark on the Center City Philadelphia food scene and is set for completion at the end of next year. We have to ask… What do you think about the ever so popular food chain making its way into the city?

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

It has recently became finalized from Brandywine Realty Trust, that they are on the verge of building a 33 story tower at Cira Center South that will sleep more than 850 students from both University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. This gorgeous high-rise, dubbed the Grove, is set to cost around $158.5 million dollars with location at 2930 Chestnut St. They hope this will draw students closer to the campuses and away from West Philadelphia and Center City housing. The plan is set to have its very own health club, swimming pool, and rents staring out around $1,300/month for a single room (offering suites up to 3 bedrooms).  This is great news for both the City of Philadelphia and the many students looking for more options for affordable housing in the area.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

The real estate market in the country is looking stronger and showing promising signs of price recovery!  Out of the top 100 largest metropolitan areas, 86 of them are seeing that the asking price for their home sale is up as much as 5.9% from a year ago. According to the graphs below from Truila.com, During the month of January 2013, asking price showed the highest monthly gain on record at 0.9% since the price recovery began. The rise in asking price, shows strong signals of home price recovery. With the Philadelphia real estate market getting stronger and interest rates still low (but slowly on the  rise),  its not just a great time to buy a home but also an ample opportunity to list your home and get what your asking.  Click here to see a full list of Philadelphia’s newest and most recent listings.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Today is the day. If you remember last year, the ever so famous Blue Cross Broad Street Run through Philadelphia sold out in an amazing 5 hours with the website being constantly jammed the entire time. Because of the popularity and issues in the past, this year organizers decided on a lottery system. Starting today at 12:01 AM and running trough February 15, you will have the ability to enter  for a chance to land one of the 40,000 spots. If your one of the lucky ones, you will be notified via e-mail by 10:00 AM February 19th or you can check you status at broadstreetrun.com. The race is set for the 5th of May and is sure to be another great race.

Good Luck to everyone!  This is one of the great events that makes Philadelphia such a wonderful place to live!

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

The Fishtown area of Philadelphia is showing a very strong market for buyers and a must stop for any investor.  The average listing price at the moment is $225,000, but continuing to show a strong trend upwards.  According to the Altos market update, properties in this area have been available for an average of 171 days, but half of the new listings coming within the past 120 days or so.  With a tremendous amount of new construction going on and a demand in location, this is a key area for both buyers and sellers.  Many first time home buyers are migrating to this area and also just individuals falling in love with the scene. If you happen to be in the process of looking for a property in the area, please be sure to check out one of the hottest growing areas in the city.  To see a list of all available places, please visit us at our Fishtown listing page.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

While taking a run on the very popular Kelly Drive we came across a sign from Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. Coming to the South Street, Schuylkill river area section of the city is a new and extended trail connecting to everyone’s favorite boardwalk/Kelly Drive path. Set to be completed in late 2014, this new addition is already on its way and will be a 2,000 ft long structure with 15 foot wide paths. With the brand new Dog park just renovated  in the area and easy access to the boardwalk, this will be a tremendous addition to the Philadelphia area. For more details visit Schuylkillbanks.org

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Starting off the new year we all need to help keep our beautiful city of Philadelphia clean! The easiest way to start is by recycling your holiday gift materials and party supplies. Starting tomorrow, January 5th – 19th, 2013 many different areas throughout the city will be participating in proper Christmas tree/decorations recycle.  Please take a minute and find a great drop off location for you and yours! For more information on location and time: 2012 Holiday Recycling Program

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Let’s all please work together and help the City’s Street Committee clean up graffiti attacks. We encourage you all to contact the city directly if you see or know of any graffiti issues. They can be reached 2 different ways:

The  City of Brotherly Love needs you!!!!

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visitwww.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Specialized opportunities to afford a Beautiful Home in West Philadelphia!

Attention all Pennsylvania & Drexel University affiliates!!!! If you didn’t know already, let me give you some information on 3 magnificent programs that want to help you purchase your home in West Philadelphia! Because both Drexel and UPenn are so committed in helping their employees/students grow, they want nothing but the same with the area around them! By offering two new exciting programs respectfully, they hope to see much growth in the West Philadelphia Area.

1. Drexel’s Home Purchase Assistance Program is offering $15,000 forgivable loan.

For more information: http://www.drexel.edu/hr/benefits/voluntary/homepurchase/

2. Penn Home Ownership Services (PHOS) is offering $7,500 forgivable loan.

For more information: https://cms.business-services.upenn.edu/homeownership/

3. Philadelphia Home Buy Now (HBN) is offering a $4,000 grant.

For more information: http://www.uac.org/philadelphiahomebuynow

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visitwww.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Come check out the following Philadelphia Real Estate Open Houses this  Sunday, September 16th:

• 729 Sears St. Philadelphia, PA 19147 - $359,900 - Passyunk Square - 12:30-2:30pm
• 2834 Cambridge St. Philadelphia, PA 19130 - $219,900 - Art Museum Area -12-2pm
• 210 Locust St. 14G Philadelphia, PA 19147 - $289,000 - Society Hill - 1-3pm
• 122-124 Chestnut St. 300 Philadelphia, PA 19103 – $259,900 – Old City- 12-4pm

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Fishtown residents got a first hand look at the plans for Canal St. this week. The alley could be transformed into an entertainment thoroughfare with a Live Nation concert venue, bowling alley, and country western bar and grill.

The Ajax Metal Co. building near Frankford and North Delaware Avenues will be the main hub of conversion.  Core Realty, the company in charge of this operation, says they are ready to begin construction ASAP.  Core Realty will be meeting with the city Planning Commission net week to present its plans.

Check out more on this topic from philly.com’s Plans for Fishtown entertainment venues presented to residents.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

122-124 Chestnut St. #300 Philadelphia, PA 19106

Old City

Don’t miss this junior 1 bedroom condo in the heart of Old City! Check out these features:

• Spacious and bright living with exposed wood beams, high ceilings.
• Exposed brick walls and maple hardwood floors throughout.
• Huge newly installed sound proofing windows let in lots of sunlight.
• Kitchen features high end stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, ceramic tile floors and beautiful custom cabinetry.
• Separated bedroom area with great closet space.

Check out all the listing details for 122-124 Chestnut St. #300 Philadelphia, PA 19106 or check out All Active Old City Real Estate Listings.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Treat your pet to a most unique extravaganza in Philadelphia featuring a pet parade, face painting for children, local vendors, obedience training and food. This is a great chance to meet the many pet owners in the area and an opportunity to show your pet is the best! The Pet Palooza will be held in the park in the 400 block of Wood Street, located between Vine and Callowhill Streets, on September 8 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

There will also be contests for best dressed, most looks like owner and most talented. Jennifer Joyce of Action News will be amongst our celebrity judges on hand.

All pets are welcome to participate and the parade starts at 2:00 p.m.

Check out the Old City District Website for more on this.

Wednesday, Aug 29^th -  Final night of PW’s Concerts in the Park in Rittenhouse Square.

• Concert starts at 7pm. Performance by Strapping Fieldhands and The Spinning Leaves.
• For animal lovers – The puppy kissing booth will be there again.
• VIP area with Wine and Beer samplings and Fuze beverages.

It’s also the last night of Center City Sips from 5-7pm at these 80+ locations around Rittenhouse Square.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

The city of Philadelphia switched to a new zoning code last Wednesday.  The new zoning code replaces the old and cumbersome regulations that have been around since 1962.  City officials hope it will simplify the development process and upgrade the city’s housing stock.

The code, which is similar to other large cities, will help make Philadelphia neighborhoods more walkable, discourage parking, and allow residents to make renovations including adding roof decks.

Other provisions to the code:

• Standard height of rowhouses will increase from 35 to 38 feet.
• Garage-fronted rowhouses will be banned on most streets.
• Architectural reviews will be mandatory for all projects over 100,000 square feet.

Check out Philly.com’s Philly switches to new zoning code for more on this topic.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

A team called, Vertaline, created a twitter study heat map to show where the U.S.’s rudest and most polite twitter users reside.  They did this by mapping the terms “good morning” and “F*** You”.

Apparently the Philadelphia region came out as the rudest.  The northeast in general is pretty mean looking too.  Check out the twitter heat map for yourself.  Philly.com thinks this study is bogus.

Here is the original source: Mashable.com.  And follow us on twitter @TheAtacanGroup because we are actually really nice!

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

All info courtesy Trend MLS

Market History

With 7,715 units of Total Inventory available, Philadelphia County saw a decrease of 11% in July 2012 compared to July 2011. Pending units did see a slight increase of 9.9%, totaling 845.

Year-to-Date Market Snapshot

Through July 2012, Philadelphia County has settled 5,365 units at an average price of $171,000.

Market Update

The second half of the year is off to a fast start, with Pending units up 17% & Sold units up 13% in July ’12. Join Dave Davis for an in-depth look at the market.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

There’s a plan in the works to convert a strip of Canal St. in Northern Liberties into restaurants, entertainment venues and shops.  The developer of the project is Michael Samschick from Core Realty.  They are still finalizing the details of the project and plan to discuss everything with neighborhood groups in the next few weeks.

Samschick has not commented on the project besides insisting that it will be “family friendly”.  Other people who are familiar with the plan say it will hopefully help revitalize that area which many have seen as having  a lot of potential.

They will likely convert some of the large commercial buildings such as the Ajax Metal Co. building and the Dry Ice Corp. building, both of which are owned by Core Realty.

Check out Philly.com’s Plan shaping up to revitalize little-known Canal Street in Northern Liberties.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

There’s been a lot of construction happening around 16th and Sansom the past few months.  That’s because Pearl Apartments is building a brand new apartment complex at 1605 Sansom St.  The complex will be called “The Sansom“.  Prices will start at $1895 for 1 bedrooms and construction is expected to be completed by the summer of 2013.

The Sansom contains 104 newly constructed apartments and an assortment of noteworthy community amenities. Apartment types are varied and include a mix of one bedrooms, one bedrooms with dens, two bedrooms, and studios. The apartments feature exceptional finishes including granite countertops, stainless steel kitchen appliances, hardwood floors and in-unit washer/dryers. Building amenities are equally outstanding and include the following:

• 24/7 doorman
• Private lobby
• Large residents’ lounge
• State-of-the-art fitness center
• Secure interior bicycle parking

More info, including floor plans from Pearl Apartments

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condosvisit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Do you have a deck attached to your house?  You might want to get it inspected.  Every summer people get hurt due to collapsing decks.  Many decks are just not built correctly and are in danger of falling apart with zero notice.  There are a few basic things you can look for to spot trouble.  Here are those red flags:

• Deck’s attached to a structure by nails
• Rotting or splintering wood
• Wobbly deck railings

People with decks should check them once a year.  Make sure your deck is put together using bolts and screws and get a home inspection if you have any concerns!

Looking for a home in Philadelphia with a roof deck?  Check out all Philadelphia Real Estate Listings With Roof Decks

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condosvisit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

By Justin Bresson

Go check out the Fourth Annual 2nd Street Festival which will be held Sunday, August 5th, 2012 from noon until 10 p.m. in Northen Liberties.  There will be lots of music, food, art, beer…. oh and an open house from 12-2pm right around the corner at 1214 N. 2nd St. held by yours truly!

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To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

By Aaron Byles

A cool new taxi alternative just came to Philly.  I tried it out this weekend and i was impressed.  The company is called Uber.

1. Download the app for your smartphone.
2. Connect your debit card to your account.
3. Decide if you need a town car or a SUV (great for families or large groups)… fits up to 7 people.
4. Check the map to find out where the vehicles are.
5. Request a vehicle and then you get a text message telling you how far away they are…. you can also track the vehicle on the map.
6. They pick you up in a nice car, with a professional driver… no rude cab drivers or hot and smelly cabs.
7. They drop you off at your destination and no need to exchange money, it’s automatically charged to your card…. no more pissed off cabbies because your paying with your card.
8. First class service, and great addition to Philly.

They are also very active on twitter, give them a follow: @Uber_Philly

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To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

By Aaron Byles

Two union protesters were arrested this week for allegedly assaulting a subcontractor working at the mostly nonunion construction site at the Goldtex Aparment building in Callowhill.  The picture on the left is a screen shot of the below video which is a different altercation from April showing protester, Fred Cosenza, in a shoving match with a security guard at the same site.

I thought this was America! These people need to find something more productive to do with their time. If i were a major developer, I would be hesitant to invest in Philly because of this nonsense.

Philly needs to fix this.  Most unions are worthless and 100% against free markets.  These unions are out of control, preventing progress in Philly.  They are causing delays, and prices of construction to go up because of the added security needed.

More videos here: Philadelphia Building Trade Union Officials and Members: Assaulting Our Workforce New Videos Added!

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To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

July 16, 2012 Philadelphia Real Estate Market Conditions for Philadelphia real estate market, trends in pricing, current level of supply & demand and home price value metrics.

The median list price in PHILADELPHIA, PA this week is $219,9000. The 1520 properties have been on the market for an average of 167 days.

The Market Action Index has been trending lower for several weeks while prices have remained relatively stable. If inventory continues to grow relative to demand however, it is likely that we will see downward pressure on pricing.

The market seems to have paused around this plateau. The Market Action Index is a good leading indicator for the durability of this trend.

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To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Mortgage rates have hit new record lows according to Freddie Mac.  The newest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate loan has dropped to 3.62% from 3.66% last week.  In the past 11 weeks the rate has matched or hit a new low 10 times.

Buyers who want to minimize their monthly payments by opting for a 30-year loan would have payments of just $911 a month on a $200,000 loan. But they would pay $128,000 in interest over the life of the loan.

The same 30 year loan was at 4.6% one year ago.

The 15 year fixed rate fell to 2.89% from 2.94%.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Privately owned housing starts saw a substantial year-over-year jump in May, following an even greater upwardly revised increase in April, according to a report by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Housing starts rose an estimated 28.5 percent on an annual basis in May, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 708,000. That’s 4.8 percent below April’s upwardly revised estimate of 744,000 when housing starts rose 34.8 percent compared to April 2011. The previous estimate was 717,000.

Housing starts have been rising on an annual basis since September 2011 and are now 48.1 percent above their trough in April 2009 — 478,000 — in census records dating back to January 1959.

The Northeast saw the smallest increase of all the regions, 10.5 percent, to 63,000.

Multifamily housing starts for buildings with five or more units rose 31.6 percent on an annual basis in May, to 179,000.

Privately owned housing completions jumped 10.1 percent year over year in May, to an estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of 598,000. Single-family completions fell 6.3 percent from April but rose 3.6 percent from May 2011, to an estimated rate of 458,000.

The number of building permits issued in May rose 25 percent on an annual basis and 7.9 percent on a monthly basis in May, to an estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of 780,000. Permits for single-family homes rose 4 percent from April and 19.9 percent from May 2011, to an estimated 494,000.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

There are few events, giveaways, and grand openings coming up in Rittenhouse Square this week and next.  Don’t miss these!

BOYDS

Join Boyds at 10 Arts Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton in Rittenhouse Square on Friday, June 1^st from 6-8PM for the first ever Highballs & Heels event. Watch as a master mixologist from The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., creates delicious skinny cocktails, while viewing an amazing collection of heels from Boyds.

Guests will enjoy their first drink on Boyds, while snacking on “light bites” from 10 Arts Chef de Cuisine Nathan Volz and receive a gift card to shop the Women’s Shoe Salon at Boyds. – The Ritz-Carlton, 10 Avenue of the Arts

KRISPY KREME

Visit Krispy Kreme any time tomorrow, Friday, June 1^st and receive a free doughnut in honor of National Doughnut Day. – 41 South 16^th Street

SHAKE SHACK

Shake Shack officially opens in Rittenhouse Square on Wednesday, June 9^th.  View the full menu from Rittenhouse Row – 20^th and Sansom Streets

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To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Pending sales of existing homes rose to their highest level in nearly two years in March, according to the National Association of Realtors’ latest Pending Home Sales Index.

The index, which represents contracts signed but not yet closed, jumped a seasonally adjusted 4.1 percent from February to March, to 101.4. That’s the highest index level since April 2010, when the deadline for a federal homebuyer tax credit program loomed. The index was 111.3 then.

Regionally, the Northeast saw the biggest unadjusted year-over-year increase in pending sales: 18.4 percent. The region was one of two to see a slight monthly decline, sliding 0.8 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis to 78.2.

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To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

According to new data being released today, Philadelphia has continued to grow since the 2010 census count.  The Census Bureau estimates the city’s population was 1,536,471 on July 1st which is an increase of 10,465 – 0.7% jump from the official census 2 years ago.

The growth spurt was mainly due to an increase in births.

“This is very good news for the city of Philadelphia,” Mayor Nutter said Wednesday by email. “It shows a continuing trend of population growth, and it’s just one more sign that Philadelphia is a place where people want to live, work and raise a family.” -Mayor Nutter

Check out the article on philly.com for more on this: Growth spurt: City’s population rising, census shows

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Market History

Pending units in Philadelphia County increased nearly 20% in February 2012 compared to February 2011. Settled units also increased 6.5% in that same time period.

Year-to-Date Market Snapshot

Through February 2012, Philadelphia County has settled 1,169 units at an average price of $146,000.

Market Update

February continued to indicate that the housing market is gaining strength. For the 3rd straight month, both Pending and Settled listings were at a 4-year high.

All information courtesy of TREND MLS.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visitwww.CenterCityRealEstate.com

For-sale housing inventory drops 22%, near a 2-year low

Data courtesy Inman News.

Median list prices jumped 1 percent or more on a year-over-year basis in February for about 73 percent of the 146 markets tracked in a report released this week by Realtor.com.

On a national basis, the median list price rose about 7 percent year over year in February.

Among the top 10 markets for the highest year-over-year hike in list prices in February, seven were in Florida — Miami topped the chart with a 26.2 percent increase, according to the report.

The median list price of homes tracked by Realtor.com rose $2,500 between January and February 2012, to $188,000, which is 6.82 percent higher than the median list price was a year ago when it was at a two-year low. February 2012′s median list price is on par to what it was in February 2010.

Only two markets showed a year-over-year increase in for-sale inventory, according to the data: Philadelphia and Springfield, Ill.

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To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Southwest Center City aka “SoSo” is the large area that spans from South St. to Washington Avenue and Broad St to the Schuykill River. It is the neighbor north to the high-end neighborhoods or Rittenhouse and Fitler Square. This ever changing neighborhood goes by many names, most frequently it is referred to as Graduate Hospital or Grad Hospital, after the old Hospital on South & 18th Streets that Penn has since taken over. It is also called G-Ho, South of South, SoSo, and Naval Square.

Recently the area has experienced much growth and gentrification. An area once known for its crime and hot drug corners, is now known for its restaurants and bars.  As the birthplace of both Marian Anderson and Billie Holiday, it is no surprise that some of the best live music venues in Philadelphia, Bob and Barbara’s, and Tritones are located here.

Hundreds of homes and condos have been built or refurbished and it now has some of the hottest real estate in Center City. Moreover, meter free parking abounds throughout this neighborhood, which is a nice change from the $300 a month parking garages just up the street in Rittenhouse Square!

Here is Philly’s most complete list of Graduate Hospital Homes For Sale with Parking:

• Graduate Hospital Homes For Sale with Parking  -$300,000
• Graduate Hospital Homes For Sale with Parking $300,000 – $400,000
• Graduate Hospital Homes For Sale with Parking $400,000 – $500,000
• Graduate Hospital Homes For Sale with Parking $500,000 – $600,000
• Graduate Hospital Homes For Sale with Parking $600,000 – $700,000
• Graduate Hospital Homes For Sale with Parking $700,000+

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Located immediately northeast of Center City, the borders of Fishtown are somewhat disputed today due to many factors, but are roughly defined by the triangle created by the Delaware River, Frankford Avenue, and York Street.  Some newer residents expand the area to Lehigh Avenue, while some older residents shrink the area to Norris Street.  Fishtown is served by the Market-Frankford Line rapid transit subway/elevated of the SEPTA system.

The name “Fishtown” is derived from the area’s former role as the center of the shad fishing industry on the Delaware River. The name comes from the fact that a number of 18th and early 19th century German & German-American families bought up the fishing rights on both sides of the Delaware River from Trenton Falls down to Cape May, New Jersey.  In the early 18th century, an English colonist was fabled to have caught the largest shad in the world in the Delaware River.

In recent years Fishtown has experienced moderate gentrification characterized by significant rises in housing prices and the opening of upscale art, entertainment, and dining establishments. An influx of artists and professionals has joined the ranks of police officers, fire fighters, nurses, carpenters, electricians, stone masons, plumbers, sheet-metal workers, and teamsters.

Here’s a complete list of  New Construction properties in Fishtown:

• New Fishtown Construction Properties -$100,000
• New Fishtown Construction Properties  $100,000 – $200,000
• New Fishtown Construction Properties  $200,000 – $300,000
• New Fishtown Construction Properties  $300,000 – $400,000
• New Fishtown Construction Properties  $400,000 – $500,000
• New Fishtown Construction Properties  $500,000 – $600,000
• New Fishtown Construction Properties $600,000+

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Spring is in the air!  Days are getting longer! Wouldn’t you love to come home after a long day of work and lounge outside on your very own roof deck?  Perhaps one with a skyline view like the above two listings in Graduate Hospital?

Right now there are 19 Graduate Hospital listings on the market with roof decks.  See them all right here: Graduate Hospital Homes For Sale with Roof Decks.

Art Museum Area is a popular Philly neighborhood for roof decks too! Check out the 14 active listings with roof decks there: Art Museum Area Homes For Sale with Roof Decks.

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Come check out these Philadelphia Real Estate Open Houses this Sunday, March 11th.

• 626 S. 16th St. #3 Philadelphia, PA 19130 - $314,900 – Graduate Hospital - 10am-12pm
• 1215 N. Randolph St. #1 Philadelphia, PA 19122 - $199,900 – Northern Liberties - 10am-12pm
• 630 Bainbridge St. Philadelphia, PA 19147 – $429,000 - Bella Vista - 1-3pm
• 1631 Kater St. Philadelphia, PA 19146 - $600,000 - Graduate Hospital – 11am-3pm

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Those are some amazing homes around the country listed just under $300K!  Check out similar priced homes in Philly!  Here is every active Philadelphia Real Estate Listings just below $300,000.

Or search by ANY Neighborhood:

• Rittenhouse Square Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Society Hill Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Washington Square Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Art Museum Area Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Avenue of the Arts Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Bella Vista Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Chinatown Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Fishtown Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Northern Liberties Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Graduate Hospital Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Fitler Square Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Old City Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Queen Village Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Powelton Village Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• University City Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• South Philadelphia Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• East Passyunk Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Girard Estate Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Marconi Park Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Newbold Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Passyunk Square Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Pennsport Real Estate Listings under $300,000
• Whitman Real Estate Listings under $300,000

This is brought to you by Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

To view every Philadelphia Real Estate Listing, including Philadelphia Condos visit www.CenterCityRealEstate.com