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September 8, 2007

Are Condo and Homeowners Fees Too High?

Filed under: Real Estate: Condominiums — Center City Philadelphia Real Estate Agent @ 7:33 pm

I found a great article at www.blog.askjerryboutcher.com, concerning condo fees. Someone was inquiring whether or not his condo fees were too high, with respect to other associations in the area.

Jerry had made a number of good comment, about condo fees, by saying " I always consider them relative, that they are in direct proportion to the amenities and services given in exchange."

I couldn’t agree more. Many potential condo buyers believe that condo fees magically evaporate into thin air. Generally speaking, they do not. You get what you pay for, and in a lot of cases, the fees for different associations (at least here in Philadelphia) vary due to the varying master insurance policy rates that a particular assocation carries.

In addition, a high rise condo fees, in say Rittenhouse Square, are going to be a lot higer than a low rise, regardless of the neighborhood, because high rise condos and loft buildings offer services such as doormen, elevators, possibly pools, and grounds. And none of those amenities are free!

I welcome your questions, comments, or concerns about my posts.

Mark Wade

CenterCityCondos.com      www.blog.centercitycondos.com

Prudential Fox and Roach Realtors

Philadelphia, Pa. 19106

• • •

September 6, 2007

Lazy Stupid REALTOR®

Filed under: Real Estate: Condominiums — Center City Philadelphia Real Estate Agent @ 8:43 pm
There are lazy stupid doctors, roofers, donut makers, and yes, REALTORS®….
             And I have no doubt that I have fallen into this category at numerous
points in my eighteen year career selling downtown Philadelphia real estate.

So that you can stay far, far away from them,
here are some telltale signs of Lazy Stupid REALTORS®:

Doesn’t own a lockbox

Well, they do have one. But it belonged to the Philadelphia REALTOR®

 who had the listing to this Center City condo prior

Owns a lockbox, but gives you the wrong combination….
            Confuses it with the last 4 digits of their SS number
Doesn’t own a digital camera so they can’t post photos on the local MLS…
            My seven year old niece has a digital camera. She got it when she
            was five
Hasn’t bothered to see if the keys they just had copied, actually work…
            Perhaps it is their first day on this planet
Is unaware that being on time for appointments is a good thing….
            While the tour I have set for my buyers gets seriously delayed
Forgets to call their Philadelphia condo sellers after I have set up, and confirmed
a showing…..
            And I get greeted by surprised sellers who think I am there to rob them
Has just one key to their new listing….
            And it simply must be returned by me the minute I am done showing!
Thinks it is OK to give my lockbox combo to their Philadelphia condominium
buyers to revisit one of my listings….
            And can’t understand how this might upset my sellers
Pressures me to “close" an offer they bring me on one of my listings….
            Though it clearly is NOT in the best interest of my seller to sign that
            offer
Has an offer for one of my listings!
            And it becomes clear that it is MY responsibility to pick it up from them
I have an offer for one of their listings….
            And it becomes clear that it is MY responsibility to deliver it to them
If you witness me engaging in any of the above activities, feel free to call me on it!
 
Ready to work with a Center City REALTOR® who handles all the details for you (and owns his own lockbox)? Give me a call today at 215-521-1523 or drop me an email at mark@centercitycondos.com.

Mark Wade
Prudential Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St. Philadelphia, PA 19106

• • •

September 5, 2007

It’s Not the Kitchen Cabinets – It’s the Knobs!

Filed under: Real Estate: Condominiums — Center City Philadelphia Real Estate Agent @ 1:51 pm
I live in a lovely loft downtown Philadelphia condominium. My condo was featured on HGTV. I won the somewhat prestigious Philadelphia Magazine Kitchen of the Year contest in 2005. People see my kitchen, and out come the “oohs” and the inevitable “aahs”. Yeah, my kitchen is pretty groovy.
 
But ya’ know what….?
 
My kitchen is from Home Depot. Nothing special there. A nice Kraftmaid cabinet done in a simple off white Mission style. Nothing dramatic or awe-inspiring.  No high-dollar custom cabinets. Just simply done.

Nothing special, of course, besides the $26 simple crystal knobs and pulls with a matte finished nickel base that cover the face of my cabinets. And this is where I got the most bang for my buck.
 
Kitchens cabinets are cabinets. They all have doors and drawers.   And the base cabinets all sit 34” high and 24” off the wall. If you’ve seen one, you’ve kinda’ seen them all. Variations on a theme, let’s call it. Wide variations, but variations none the less. The eye is less drawn to a cabinet, as we see them daily, in my opinion.

But the one surefire way to dress up that cabinet is with a really nice, non-gaudy knob or pull. It adds a certain flair to the cabinet, and the right knob or pull can really make all the difference in the world.
 
You will notice now… go to any kitchen cabinet showroom, and find your favorite display. Now compare the knobs and pulls with other displays.
 
SEE THE DIFFERENCE?
 
I know it sounds minor, and maybe not worth an entire blog entry… but what is important here is the entire concept of SHOWING ABILITY. You have to capture the buyers’ emotions… and a dressed up, eye-catching, cabinet is one easy way to do that in the kitchen of your Center City condominium.
 
I will be hammering on this topic (showing ability) ad nauseam.

And just an FYI… in a kitchen, Knobs are generally applied to Drawers, while Pulls are generally applied to Doors.

Let me show you how easy it is to dress up your Center City condo to increase its showing ability and thus increase its price and selling ability. Give me a call today at 215-521-1523 or drop me an email at mark@centercitycondos.com.

Mark Wade
Prudential Fox and Roach REALTORS®
530 Walnut St. Philadelphia, PA 19106

 

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530 Walnut Street, Suite 260
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Direct: 215.521.1523 ~ Office: 215.627.6005
Fax: 215.627.3142
Email: Mark@CenterCity.com
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