Click on the thumbnails below to watch Center City Condo's videos.
| Philadelphia Neighborhoods | ||
|---|---|---|
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Living In Society Hill |
Living on Rittenhouse Sq. |
Fitler Square Condos |
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Old City Condos |
Condos Near U of Penn |
Art Museum Area |
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Northern Liberties |
Queen Village |
Bella Vista |
Mark shares his knowledge in a variety of published articles.
Crazy Sh*t At Open Houses
Open houses are great. What a wonderful collection of folks who may at any time walk right in your front door.
And each one is different from the next.... [Learn More...]
Downgrading Philly Condo Values
Like being bumped out of first class, or getting the worst table at your favorite
restaurant, being "downgraded" is no one's idea of a good time. Condominium
values in Center City Philadelphia can also be downgraded. [Learn More...]
1326 Spruce Street: CenterCityCondos.com Gets the Scoop that Center City One
Condominiums is Undergoing Modern, New-Classical Upgrades
Center City One Condominiums will soon begin upgrading
their common areas. This will be a wonderful and exciting change for the
building, which boasts so many fabulous features
[Learn More...]
Deception by "Comparables", The Buyers are back... baby!!, Uttered
Stupidity, and 2012- A Sellers Market in many segments of town
Don't believe everything you read, or every comparable
you see. NOT all condo space is created equal, and not all two bedrooms in
the same building are of the same value. Duh. [Learn
More...]
Crappy Philly Condo Blgds, Condo Assn's that Kill Value, Buy or get outta' my car.
There are a lot of well managed, well run condo buildings here in town, and
there are a lot of crappy, hard to resell, impossible to finance, and just
all around disasters- In terms of being an awful investment. [Learn
More...]
Murano and The Phoenix...Post Auction How are the two buildings doing in terms of sales, re-sales, and value retention?
After initial sluggish sales, both High Rise 19103 buildings (developers)
opted for an auction to move unsold units with their building. I believe the
long-term results were nothing short of a huge win for the condominium
associations as a whole, and the Murano and Phoenix are now two of the
hottest selling condos [Learn
More...]
10 Best Center City Condo Buildings 2011
In no specific order, these are my picks for buildings
that seem to rise to the occasion in terms of resale value, demand, and
popularity in terms of requests for additional info on my website [Learn
More...]
Killer Views - Assessing the value of a Center City Condo View
If you are of a certain age, you recall that Eva Gabor on Green Acres just
"Adores A Penthouse View" for which she and her husband no doubt forked over
some big bucks to accommodate her desire. And who wouldn't love such a view?
The question is- Are you willing to pay for such an amenity- and how do you
know what dollar value to assign to such a Killer View? [Learn
More...]
Ten Best Center City Condo Buildings 2011
Like Hair-DoÕs and Trendy hot spots around town, the popularity and demand for specific
Philadelphia condominiums
can fall in and out of style. The following ten Center City condo buildings
have withstood the test of time, and generally garner more interest from
buyers than sellers. [Learn
More...]
Buyers Should Scrutinize the Dealings of a Condo Association Too
A blind man knows when the sun is shining, and
even a casual observer can spot a poorly operated condominium association. [Learn
More...]
Defining Low Rise Condominiums in Center City Philadelphia
Here in Center City Philadelphia, low rise condominiums (LRCs) are numerous and are often favored by many buyers. LRCs
are generally characterized by buildings that are less than four stories
tall and generally have less than twenty condominium units in that
particular association. [Learn
More...]
Seven Road Blocks to Condominium Financing...Condo Associations are becoming heavily scrutinized
We have all heard of the difficulties in procuring a residential mortgage -
from the need for high credit scores to the down payment requirements. [Learn
More...]
Maybe A Rich New Yorker Will Buy My Overpriced Condo
As a veteran Philadelphia realtor, I hear a lot of interesting things
come out of the mouths of many sellers here in our marketplace. In a
softening real estate market, seller sometimes have high hopes for their
often overlooked condominiums. [Learn
More...]
Emotion Equals Value in Some Segments of the Philadelphia Condominium Market
In many urban condominium markets like Philadelphia, the adage of Location,
Location, Location may not be as important as Condition, Condition,
Condition. [Learn More...]
Center City One Condos at 1326 Spruce St.
A Great Value which could be improved!
With 182 individual condominium units, and 86 deeded
parking spots, Center City One Condominiums have a great reputation for
being a solid Philadelphia real estate buy. [Learn
More...]
Condominium Pet Policies vary Building by Building
Every Philadelphia condo
association has its own rule governing cats, dogs, giraffes, and other
miscellaneous pets. Here in downtown Philadelphia, I find that almost all of
these small associations allow dogs and cats. [Read
More...]
Are Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square Condos Somewhat Passe?
Or more aptly put, is it possible to offend a whole subset of
Philadelphia real estate owners in one article?
I think the possibility of both is worthy of consideration. [Read
More...]
Putting a Value on Philadelphia Pre-War Condominiums Cache
If the adage location, location, location
were as etched in stone as it is etched in many buyers minds, then there
would be little price difference between The Wanamaker House Condos at
2020 Walnut St., and it's high-rise condominium neighbor, "2135" Walnut
St. [Learn More...]
Forget Location, Location, Location - Today's Condo Manta should be: "Association, Association, Association"
Condominium Associations Policies Are Playing a Heavier Role In Value Determination.
Many condo buyers are dismissing the old adage of "Location, Location,
Location" as being the primary determining factor in the value of any given
condominium in today's uncertain real estate market.
[Learn More...]
Philadelphia Condo Auctions
After the Murano, The Phoenix, and CU 257, who is next in line?
Step right up, Ladies and Gentlemen, and see the might tumble. Large
chucks of unsold, high-rise,
new construction condos
are flying out the door in Center City Philadelphia via auction. [Learn
More...]
Condos near Hahnemann University Hospital
Every spring, my website is abuzz with new interns, residents, and
fellows moving looking to purchase a condo near Hahnemann University
Hospital. Be it parents, or students themselves, a number of
priorities seem to be similar amongst those looking to buy a condo in the
area. [Learn More...]
Philadelphia Loft Living for Empty Nesters - Center City offers a buffet of living arrangements.
Almost any Center City condominium with a smattering of exposed brick
attempts to pass itself off as a loft. Often sought after as an expression
of oneÕs own style, loft living has taken off in downtown Philadelphia [Learn
More...]
Philadelphia Condo Auctions...a wave of the near future?
Without picking on one Philadelphia condo building in particular, there can
be no argument that more than one condo building in Center City has not
achieved its sales goals and projections. Blame it on a poor location, a
snotty sales team that doesn't encourage realtor cooperation [Learn
More...]
Can you handle living in a Philadelphia Condominium...or does big city living give you the willies?
Having just lunched with an old college friend who lives in suburban
Cincinnati, I am aware that suburban life and I are like oil and water.
Though I covet her ownership of a three car garage, and unlimited access to
parking at the local drugstore, I am aware that I would be "voted off the
island" [Learn More...]
Best Philadelphia Condos- Top Ten for 2009
Much like fashion, restaurants, and bedspreads at
Restoration Hardware, the popularity and demand for specific Philadelphia
condo buildings does come in and out of vogue. Though essentially a buyers
market, the following ten Center City condos have withstood the test of
time, and generally garner more interest from buyers than sellers. [Learn
More...]
Condos near Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia
Every spring, my phone starts ringing off the hook with students and or
parents of students who will be attending Jefferson Medical School. Many of
these folks have figured out that buying a condo in the area is a wise
investment, as opposed to a long term rental. [Learn
More...]
The Sizzle Sells the Condo
The anticipation of a new condo project can outweigh the
reality of the finished product, as buyers really arenÕt sure of how the
finished project is going to sell, once completed. [Learn
More...]
Depreciation and Appreciation in the Center City Condo Market
As Heidi Klum would say, "One Day You Are In, and The Next
Day, You Are Out". That notion, if stretched and reworked a bit, could be
somewhat applicable to condos in Center City Philadelphia. [Learn
More...]
Misguided Philly Condominium Developers
Big-brained idealists with little local real estate
knowledge have been breaking ground new condominium developments in record
numbers in the past decade here in the US. Not every ground breaking is
indeed Ground-Breaking [Learn
More...]
Spruce Street condos and Pine Street condos in downtown Philadelphia
Along (what I have dubbed) the Spruce/Pine corridor
here in Center City Philadelphia, there are a variety of low rise/Brownstone
styled condominiums that have seemed to perform reliably well over the past
decade. From studios to three bedroom units, these condominiums resell
fairly well [Learn More...]
Your parents sold the house where you grew up and you are not welcome in their new penthouse in Old City
You can never go home again. Especially when your
parents have unloaded that five bedroom ranch house in the suburbs in lieu
of an urban penthouse in Center City Philadelphia. [Learn
More...]
Buying New Construction Condos in Philadelphia can really be awful
Buying a new construction condo can really try oneÕs patience. From delays
in proposed settlement dates, to varying opinions of what constitutes a
finished product, can really be a pain in the butt. [Learn
More...]
New Philadelphia condos can depreciate
Similar to the initial depreciation when buying a new
car, condos in Philadelphia can initially depreciate, once they have been
purchased-even in a stable real estate market. There is clearly a value to
buying something new, and not used. Be it a purse, a TV, or a condo. [Learn
More...]
You Are Not an Idiot....but the home buying process may make you feel otherwise
As a veteran downtown
Philadelphia Realtor, I am sometimes
accused of being indifferent to the mental trauma thrust upon buyers,
especially first time buyers, as they drive down the fairway in life
knowing as the home buying process. [Learn
More...]
Condominiums are Getting a Bad Rap - Has the condo market been overbuilt, or overpriced?
Unless you live underneath a rock, it can be
no surprise that the condominium market in particular has drawn the
short end of the stick in the recent housing downturn. From high rise to
loft/Brownstone styled condos, the market seems unyielding harsh to the
presence of a growing number of unsold condo units. [Learn
More...]
Hard vs. Soft Loft
Center City Offers a buffet
of living arrangements.
Almost any
Center City condominium, with a smattering of exposed brick,
attempts to pass itself off as a loft. Often sought after as an
expression of oneÕs own style, loft living has taken off in downtown
Philadelphia. [Learn More...]
The $40,000 Washer/Dryer
Not giving an inch may cost you a mint in a real estate transaction.
Back in the
1960's, Tarryton Cigarettes had the saying "I'd Rather Fight
Than Switch". Personally, I think I would give up my specific brand
of cigarettes than take a solid punch in the face. But fighting is
what some folks like to do, at least verbally, and this
characteristic is often played out during the back and forth
volleying of buying or selling a home. [Learn
More...]
Condominium Pet Policies and Resale Value
How might the former affect the latter in a
Philadelphia condominium?
Pet policies throughout the
Philadelphia condominium landscape are as varied as the
associations who put forth their rules regarding pets. From
exceedingly liberal, to exceedingly exclusionary [Learn
More...]
Find condos...
Mark Wade
215.521.1523
During the late 1980s, Mark fell in love with the Philadelphia real estate market. The first condo he
bought for himself was in Old City. Working with bank foreclosures on multi-unit buildings, Mark began
to carve his niche as a condominium specialist. Since that time, Mark has progressed into helping
developers turn apartment buildings into condominium buildings.
Having been inside countless condos in
the Center City real estate area, Mark is intimately familiar with the available properties. Mark prides
himself and impresses others of his vast knowledge of what's trendy and knows which finishes buyers look
for when selecting a home.... so much so that he's been seen on HGTV's What You Get For The Money, CN-8's
Money Matters and was the 2005 winner of Philadelphia Magazine's Kitchen of the Year contest.