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UCGal
ParticipantHow do we know they’re not on the lam from the law?
ParticipantHow do we know they’re not on the lam from the law?
Participant[quote=briansd1]Thanks for the feedback, ucgal.
If anything, home-buying in Philly is closer to renting, or even advantageous in some areas. If you buy a 3-bedroom house, you can have 2 roommates and cover a good portion of the mortgage, even make money (especially if there’s a 10-year tax abatement), and take the mortgage interest deduction.[/quote]
I agree with this. I read a statistic when I first moved there – High home ownership rate in Philly – including a lot of poor people… that’s because there are areas (north Philly, west Philly) that are cheap (like super cheap) to buy in. I read about this in context of the heat wave of 1993 – where over 100 folks died – a lot of the elderly poor people who were afraid to open their windows for safety issues, didn’t have AC, so they dropped like flies. Here’s an interesting article about the demographics of the city.
http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2003/11_livingcities_philadelphia.aspxI still have strong ties to the area – 3 of my husband’s siblings live there – all of his aunts/uncles and most of his cousins… half live in South Philly – walking distance to the Italian market, the other half live in the North East part of town Mayfair, Oxford Circle, and up there.
sdr – I didn’t move to Philly till 1993 – but I remember a lot of fun music festivals down at Penns Landing. Yeah… how could I forget the Trocadero…
One more hint for anyone who ever gets to Philly – check out my friend’s bar/restaurant – Grey Lodge Pub, in Mayfair… Excellent beers, cool tile mosaics, and the owner is one of the coolest guys ever.
http://www.greylodge.com/Participant[quote=briansd1]Thanks for the feedback, ucgal.
If anything, home-buying in Philly is closer to renting, or even advantageous in some areas. If you buy a 3-bedroom house, you can have 2 roommates and cover a good portion of the mortgage, even make money (especially if there’s a 10-year tax abatement), and take the mortgage interest deduction.[/quote]
I agree with this. I read a statistic when I first moved there – High home ownership rate in Philly – including a lot of poor people… that’s because there are areas (north Philly, west Philly) that are cheap (like super cheap) to buy in. I read about this in context of the heat wave of 1993 – where over 100 folks died – a lot of the elderly poor people who were afraid to open their windows for safety issues, didn’t have AC, so they dropped like flies. Here’s an interesting article about the demographics of the city.
http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2003/11_livingcities_philadelphia.aspxI still have strong ties to the area – 3 of my husband’s siblings live there – all of his aunts/uncles and most of his cousins… half live in South Philly – walking distance to the Italian market, the other half live in the North East part of town Mayfair, Oxford Circle, and up there.
sdr – I didn’t move to Philly till 1993 – but I remember a lot of fun music festivals down at Penns Landing. Yeah… how could I forget the Trocadero…
One more hint for anyone who ever gets to Philly – check out my friend’s bar/restaurant – Grey Lodge Pub, in Mayfair… Excellent beers, cool tile mosaics, and the owner is one of the coolest guys ever.
http://www.greylodge.com/Participant[quote=briansd1]Thanks for the feedback, ucgal.
If anything, home-buying in Philly is closer to renting, or even advantageous in some areas. If you buy a 3-bedroom house, you can have 2 roommates and cover a good portion of the mortgage, even make money (especially if there’s a 10-year tax abatement), and take the mortgage interest deduction.[/quote]
I agree with this. I read a statistic when I first moved there – High home ownership rate in Philly – including a lot of poor people… that’s because there are areas (north Philly, west Philly) that are cheap (like super cheap) to buy in. I read about this in context of the heat wave of 1993 – where over 100 folks died – a lot of the elderly poor people who were afraid to open their windows for safety issues, didn’t have AC, so they dropped like flies. Here’s an interesting article about the demographics of the city.
http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2003/11_livingcities_philadelphia.aspxI still have strong ties to the area – 3 of my husband’s siblings live there – all of his aunts/uncles and most of his cousins… half live in South Philly – walking distance to the Italian market, the other half live in the North East part of town Mayfair, Oxford Circle, and up there.
sdr – I didn’t move to Philly till 1993 – but I remember a lot of fun music festivals down at Penns Landing. Yeah… how could I forget the Trocadero…
One more hint for anyone who ever gets to Philly – check out my friend’s bar/restaurant – Grey Lodge Pub, in Mayfair… Excellent beers, cool tile mosaics, and the owner is one of the coolest guys ever.
http://www.greylodge.com/Participant[quote=briansd1]Thanks for the feedback, ucgal.
If anything, home-buying in Philly is closer to renting, or even advantageous in some areas. If you buy a 3-bedroom house, you can have 2 roommates and cover a good portion of the mortgage, even make money (especially if there’s a 10-year tax abatement), and take the mortgage interest deduction.[/quote]
I agree with this. I read a statistic when I first moved there – High home ownership rate in Philly – including a lot of poor people… that’s because there are areas (north Philly, west Philly) that are cheap (like super cheap) to buy in. I read about this in context of the heat wave of 1993 – where over 100 folks died – a lot of the elderly poor people who were afraid to open their windows for safety issues, didn’t have AC, so they dropped like flies. Here’s an interesting article about the demographics of the city.
http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2003/11_livingcities_philadelphia.aspxI still have strong ties to the area – 3 of my husband’s siblings live there – all of his aunts/uncles and most of his cousins… half live in South Philly – walking distance to the Italian market, the other half live in the North East part of town Mayfair, Oxford Circle, and up there.
sdr – I didn’t move to Philly till 1993 – but I remember a lot of fun music festivals down at Penns Landing. Yeah… how could I forget the Trocadero…
One more hint for anyone who ever gets to Philly – check out my friend’s bar/restaurant – Grey Lodge Pub, in Mayfair… Excellent beers, cool tile mosaics, and the owner is one of the coolest guys ever.
http://www.greylodge.com/Participant[quote=briansd1]Thanks for the feedback, ucgal.
If anything, home-buying in Philly is closer to renting, or even advantageous in some areas. If you buy a 3-bedroom house, you can have 2 roommates and cover a good portion of the mortgage, even make money (especially if there’s a 10-year tax abatement), and take the mortgage interest deduction.[/quote]
I agree with this. I read a statistic when I first moved there – High home ownership rate in Philly – including a lot of poor people… that’s because there are areas (north Philly, west Philly) that are cheap (like super cheap) to buy in. I read about this in context of the heat wave of 1993 – where over 100 folks died – a lot of the elderly poor people who were afraid to open their windows for safety issues, didn’t have AC, so they dropped like flies. Here’s an interesting article about the demographics of the city.
http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2003/11_livingcities_philadelphia.aspxI still have strong ties to the area – 3 of my husband’s siblings live there – all of his aunts/uncles and most of his cousins… half live in South Philly – walking distance to the Italian market, the other half live in the North East part of town Mayfair, Oxford Circle, and up there.
sdr – I didn’t move to Philly till 1993 – but I remember a lot of fun music festivals down at Penns Landing. Yeah… how could I forget the Trocadero…
One more hint for anyone who ever gets to Philly – check out my friend’s bar/restaurant – Grey Lodge Pub, in Mayfair… Excellent beers, cool tile mosaics, and the owner is one of the coolest guys ever.
http://www.greylodge.com/Participant[quote=briansd1]haha. yeah, sdrealtor, I’ve seen some neighborhoods like that.
I have a pilot friend who recently bought a studio in Center City near the Convention Center for $85,000. 350sf w/ 300 HOA. Expensive for just a room, but still not bad compared to SD.
What do you think of this? I like it that townhouses in Philly don’t have HOA.
http://www.cbpref.com/content/3030-w-girard-ave-philadelphia-pahttp://springartspoint.com/pricing.asp
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=623+N.+10th+St.,+Philadelphia,+PA+19123&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.847644,81.914062&ie=UTF8&ll=39.973174,-75.149918&spn=0.007993,0.019999&z=14&iwloc=addr&source=embed[/quote]
The rule of thumb that I had explained to me – if it’s more than 50 years old and has no HOA’s it’s a row-house, not a townhouse. You want a townhouse – go to Horsham, or Wallingford, or any of the other suburbs – you’ll see townhouses – complete with HOAs…On the first link… Girard is a dividing line between the cool area (art museum area) and North Philly (aka “hood”). My old roommate almost bought a place on Girard – about 2 blocks from that listing (almost at the Girard College). She knew a downside was the being on the very edge of “good neighborhood”. Pluses were being walkable to the museum, restaurants, the fabulous North Star Bar (check it out – very cool place to see music.) The house was fully fixed up and listed for $85k in 1995. The listing you show is partially restored and missing things like a finished bathroom. It’s $100k more for less of a livable place.
If nothing else – in your many visits check out the North Star. I saw El Vez there – one of the best shows ever!!!! (I’ve seen El Vez in 4 states over 20 years – first saw him at the old Spirit club.) North Star and the Khyber are Philly institutions.
Participant[quote=briansd1]haha. yeah, sdrealtor, I’ve seen some neighborhoods like that.
I have a pilot friend who recently bought a studio in Center City near the Convention Center for $85,000. 350sf w/ 300 HOA. Expensive for just a room, but still not bad compared to SD.
What do you think of this? I like it that townhouses in Philly don’t have HOA.
http://www.cbpref.com/content/3030-w-girard-ave-philadelphia-pahttp://springartspoint.com/pricing.asp
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=623+N.+10th+St.,+Philadelphia,+PA+19123&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.847644,81.914062&ie=UTF8&ll=39.973174,-75.149918&spn=0.007993,0.019999&z=14&iwloc=addr&source=embed[/quote]
The rule of thumb that I had explained to me – if it’s more than 50 years old and has no HOA’s it’s a row-house, not a townhouse. You want a townhouse – go to Horsham, or Wallingford, or any of the other suburbs – you’ll see townhouses – complete with HOAs…On the first link… Girard is a dividing line between the cool area (art museum area) and North Philly (aka “hood”). My old roommate almost bought a place on Girard – about 2 blocks from that listing (almost at the Girard College). She knew a downside was the being on the very edge of “good neighborhood”. Pluses were being walkable to the museum, restaurants, the fabulous North Star Bar (check it out – very cool place to see music.) The house was fully fixed up and listed for $85k in 1995. The listing you show is partially restored and missing things like a finished bathroom. It’s $100k more for less of a livable place.
If nothing else – in your many visits check out the North Star. I saw El Vez there – one of the best shows ever!!!! (I’ve seen El Vez in 4 states over 20 years – first saw him at the old Spirit club.) North Star and the Khyber are Philly institutions.
Participant[quote=briansd1]haha. yeah, sdrealtor, I’ve seen some neighborhoods like that.
I have a pilot friend who recently bought a studio in Center City near the Convention Center for $85,000. 350sf w/ 300 HOA. Expensive for just a room, but still not bad compared to SD.
What do you think of this? I like it that townhouses in Philly don’t have HOA.
http://www.cbpref.com/content/3030-w-girard-ave-philadelphia-pahttp://springartspoint.com/pricing.asp
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=623+N.+10th+St.,+Philadelphia,+PA+19123&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.847644,81.914062&ie=UTF8&ll=39.973174,-75.149918&spn=0.007993,0.019999&z=14&iwloc=addr&source=embed[/quote]
The rule of thumb that I had explained to me – if it’s more than 50 years old and has no HOA’s it’s a row-house, not a townhouse. You want a townhouse – go to Horsham, or Wallingford, or any of the other suburbs – you’ll see townhouses – complete with HOAs…On the first link… Girard is a dividing line between the cool area (art museum area) and North Philly (aka “hood”). My old roommate almost bought a place on Girard – about 2 blocks from that listing (almost at the Girard College). She knew a downside was the being on the very edge of “good neighborhood”. Pluses were being walkable to the museum, restaurants, the fabulous North Star Bar (check it out – very cool place to see music.) The house was fully fixed up and listed for $85k in 1995. The listing you show is partially restored and missing things like a finished bathroom. It’s $100k more for less of a livable place.
If nothing else – in your many visits check out the North Star. I saw El Vez there – one of the best shows ever!!!! (I’ve seen El Vez in 4 states over 20 years – first saw him at the old Spirit club.) North Star and the Khyber are Philly institutions.
Participant[quote=briansd1]haha. yeah, sdrealtor, I’ve seen some neighborhoods like that.
I have a pilot friend who recently bought a studio in Center City near the Convention Center for $85,000. 350sf w/ 300 HOA. Expensive for just a room, but still not bad compared to SD.
What do you think of this? I like it that townhouses in Philly don’t have HOA.
http://www.cbpref.com/content/3030-w-girard-ave-philadelphia-pahttp://springartspoint.com/pricing.asp
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=623+N.+10th+St.,+Philadelphia,+PA+19123&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.847644,81.914062&ie=UTF8&ll=39.973174,-75.149918&spn=0.007993,0.019999&z=14&iwloc=addr&source=embed[/quote]
The rule of thumb that I had explained to me – if it’s more than 50 years old and has no HOA’s it’s a row-house, not a townhouse. You want a townhouse – go to Horsham, or Wallingford, or any of the other suburbs – you’ll see townhouses – complete with HOAs…On the first link… Girard is a dividing line between the cool area (art museum area) and North Philly (aka “hood”). My old roommate almost bought a place on Girard – about 2 blocks from that listing (almost at the Girard College). She knew a downside was the being on the very edge of “good neighborhood”. Pluses were being walkable to the museum, restaurants, the fabulous North Star Bar (check it out – very cool place to see music.) The house was fully fixed up and listed for $85k in 1995. The listing you show is partially restored and missing things like a finished bathroom. It’s $100k more for less of a livable place.
If nothing else – in your many visits check out the North Star. I saw El Vez there – one of the best shows ever!!!! (I’ve seen El Vez in 4 states over 20 years – first saw him at the old Spirit club.) North Star and the Khyber are Philly institutions.
Participant[quote=briansd1]haha. yeah, sdrealtor, I’ve seen some neighborhoods like that.
I have a pilot friend who recently bought a studio in Center City near the Convention Center for $85,000. 350sf w/ 300 HOA. Expensive for just a room, but still not bad compared to SD.
What do you think of this? I like it that townhouses in Philly don’t have HOA.
http://www.cbpref.com/content/3030-w-girard-ave-philadelphia-pahttp://springartspoint.com/pricing.asp
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=623+N.+10th+St.,+Philadelphia,+PA+19123&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.847644,81.914062&ie=UTF8&ll=39.973174,-75.149918&spn=0.007993,0.019999&z=14&iwloc=addr&source=embed[/quote]
The rule of thumb that I had explained to me – if it’s more than 50 years old and has no HOA’s it’s a row-house, not a townhouse. You want a townhouse – go to Horsham, or Wallingford, or any of the other suburbs – you’ll see townhouses – complete with HOAs…On the first link… Girard is a dividing line between the cool area (art museum area) and North Philly (aka “hood”). My old roommate almost bought a place on Girard – about 2 blocks from that listing (almost at the Girard College). She knew a downside was the being on the very edge of “good neighborhood”. Pluses were being walkable to the museum, restaurants, the fabulous North Star Bar (check it out – very cool place to see music.) The house was fully fixed up and listed for $85k in 1995. The listing you show is partially restored and missing things like a finished bathroom. It’s $100k more for less of a livable place.
If nothing else – in your many visits check out the North Star. I saw El Vez there – one of the best shows ever!!!! (I’ve seen El Vez in 4 states over 20 years – first saw him at the old Spirit club.) North Star and the Khyber are Philly institutions.
ParticipantOne last point about Philly and potentially buying/improving property in Philly.
As you guys know – my husband is an architect. So he obviously had to deal with various governing authorities to get permits/inspections – etc. One of the reasons he doesn’t do residential is because of the graft involved. (It’s a bit more on the up and up for commercial jobs.)
Bribery is COMMON.
It’s not always cash – it could be in political access… Philly is made up of wards rather than precincts – and ward bosses control what happens in their community… you get on the wrong side of a ward boss and you face challenges you never thought of. You want a permit for something – you better be on the very best friend basis with the clerk at L&I, the ward leader, etc.
My husband had a heck of a time getting an illegally placed power box on his neighbors house moved. It was put up without a permit and encroached on hubby’s lot – the neighbors building was at the property line – so this big electrical box and power lines were 100% on hubby’s lot. The way the box was placed it made it difficult to get in/out of the garage. It was clearly in violation – but getting it resolved was challenging. He tried to get the inspectors involved to make the neighbor move it… Wasn’t happening till he figured out the system. The law on his side wasn’t enough… flattery, donuts, sweet talk (everything short of money changing hands) was absolutely required. And he had to do this for his ward boss, as well as the L&I clerk, as well as the inspector from L&I.
Don’t expect rational behavior and compliance with the law as the default when dealing with the city of Philadelphia.
Also – if you’re planning on owning rental property or running a business – talk to an accountant about the nightmare that filing Phila city taxes. They make the IRS tax forms look simple.
It’s a different system there.
ParticipantOne last point about Philly and potentially buying/improving property in Philly.
As you guys know – my husband is an architect. So he obviously had to deal with various governing authorities to get permits/inspections – etc. One of the reasons he doesn’t do residential is because of the graft involved. (It’s a bit more on the up and up for commercial jobs.)
Bribery is COMMON.
It’s not always cash – it could be in political access… Philly is made up of wards rather than precincts – and ward bosses control what happens in their community… you get on the wrong side of a ward boss and you face challenges you never thought of. You want a permit for something – you better be on the very best friend basis with the clerk at L&I, the ward leader, etc.
My husband had a heck of a time getting an illegally placed power box on his neighbors house moved. It was put up without a permit and encroached on hubby’s lot – the neighbors building was at the property line – so this big electrical box and power lines were 100% on hubby’s lot. The way the box was placed it made it difficult to get in/out of the garage. It was clearly in violation – but getting it resolved was challenging. He tried to get the inspectors involved to make the neighbor move it… Wasn’t happening till he figured out the system. The law on his side wasn’t enough… flattery, donuts, sweet talk (everything short of money changing hands) was absolutely required. And he had to do this for his ward boss, as well as the L&I clerk, as well as the inspector from L&I.
Don’t expect rational behavior and compliance with the law as the default when dealing with the city of Philadelphia.
Also – if you’re planning on owning rental property or running a business – talk to an accountant about the nightmare that filing Phila city taxes. They make the IRS tax forms look simple.
It’s a different system there.
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