The Little Realtor

In the covid and  post-covid (are we finally post??) era of suburban boom, many people are finding they are having to settle for less. Less house, less yard, not their ideal school district or commute, less walkability, etc. But one area in the Western Suburbs that seems like a gem for continuing to be affordable (in comparison to the Main Line), walkable, charming and accessible is Media Borough and its surrounding neighborhoods (Rose Valley, Wallingford, and nearby Swarthmore).  Image courtesy of Riddle Village Media is another Victorian, suburban hub, among many around greater Philly. A walkable downtown with mid-19th century architecture and a wide variety of restaurants, bars and stores makes it a charming locale. Its one of the few non-Main Line hubs, though, that has several direct rail lines in the city, though, making this a wonderful spot for urban commuters.  Its main street (State St) is home to an accessible Trader Joes, several local brewery chains like Bric...

 Its the beginning of the year, and nothing is more popular than predicting what comes next. Whether its fashion, home decor, paint colors, or real estate, we love thinking about whats to come.  Of course, predictions are only that: an educated guess at what is to come. No one could have predicted Covid, and few guessed at its ensuing impact on health and the economy, and similarly few predicted we would see the intense rate hikes that may only come once or twice in century. So with an ever-changing, quick moving and unpredictable market, lets put a few predictions together for the Philadelphia real estate market, regardless...  Rates will continue to Rise.... Momentarily  The rate hikes aren't over yet. We know that. And since the Fed gives the market little time to catch up, we definitely will see more over the first quarter. That will impact the Spring market to some effect.  However, we expect those to rate hikes to be less intense going forward. Since that ...

 Whether its for yourself or the holiday host, its great to stay local with holiday decor this season.  Here are some of my favorite, local spaces to pick up holiday decor and gifts!  Center City  Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market  Chestnut Hill  Robertson's Flowers  Tailored Home  Ambler  Antique Garden Cottage  Roost Home  Skippack  Floral and Hardy Wayne  Valley Forge Flowers  Nest Home  Havertown  Hendren House  West Chester  Pine + Quill  Also, any local garden and nursery center is usually a great place to get fresh greenery, from Christmas trees to garlands!  Have something you want to add? Let us know! 

Philadelphia Citizen put out some great content this year on how local veterans can be supported this Veterans Day and ongoing !  Check out the below articles and comment if you have some other great businesses or support groups for our local veterans!   Philly Veteran-Owned Businesses  How to Support Local Veterans 

Its Halloween but even after a month of hayrides, campfires, spooky stories, movies and now the trick or treating finale, if you still haven't gotten your fix, here are the best REALLY haunted & eerie spots around Philadelphia!  Whether you want to take a winter tour, solo tour in Nov or plan for next year, these are a few great lists on how to continue to enjoy the spooky season.    Pennsylvania Haunted Places and Activities  Creepy Places in PA  Philly's Haunted Places  Happy Haunting! 

 Two years ago I posted this list, rounding up some of my favorite local designers to follow (or hire!). Honestly, still in love with all of these designers and love seeing their businesses grow!  But I wanted to share a few more local designers to check out in 2022!  Crisco and Frisco  Via I actually just recently came across these two but am really interested in their work. A lot of its very modern and trendy but they seem to add something unexpected in all of their work and I LOVE that. Its so easy to get formulaic when your clients see something and want it, so they seem to have a fresh eye for adding uniqueness to that formula.  (I mean that tile combo!....)  Twelve Chairs Interiors The patterns! Ah! They know how to balance color and pattern with very tailored looks. Love it! I have a special place in my heart for their 1840 Greek Revival project in West Chester (PA)  Bare Root Design  Based in Bucks County, they feel very true to their loc...

 If you are a parent of little ones this summer, you might already have your weekends booked with BBQs and kids birthday parties, but if not, its always good to get out and explore somewhere new (and plan for the less packed weekends in the Fall and Winter).  Here's a list of some of my favorite outdoor spots to visit, from West to East, with playgrounds or not!  Via Valley Forge  An obvious answer to parks around Philly, but even though this is doesn't have a playground and is geared towards historical tourists, its a GREAT spot to push a stroller. There are a several parking lots and wide open spaces and easy trails to push a stroller along. A very beautiful and pleasant walking experience! Plus, in the winter, its a sledding haven!  Norview Farm Park - King of Prussia  Home of Petrucci's Ice Cream, its a fun spot to visit. Its a real farm with goats, horses, chickens, etc. and even has a small toddler playground. Throw in ice cream, whats not to love?...

 If you have looked at homes in the Philly suburbs at all (honestly, any part of the Philly suburbs) you've seen several split levels.  Via Zillow  A split level home, to be clear, is a home where you enter into the main floor, with living/dining and kitchen, generally, but the next level, generally bedroom level, is only half a level up, not a full story, and below that bedroom level is a lower "den" level. There are variations on this, but I am not talking about a bi-level home (one where there is no main level - the front door leads immediately to stairs where you have to go upstairs or down immediately). Just to be clear since the nomenclature is often confusing!  But why am I talking about such a confusing floorplan? Because they are all over the greater Philadelphia area and make up a huge amount of inventory.  The split level design became popular in the 50s during the big housing boom. Here in rocky PA, they made sense to build into the terrain.  Bu...

 If you are just starting to think about buying or selling this year, its worth taking a moment to get familiar with the covid-era market. Its a bit crazy out there....  Zillow has recently noted that the greater Philadelphia area is seeing a 10% increase and will continue to do so this Spring and potentially into the next year.  On the Buy-Side  If you are a prospective buyer, be ready for a difficult market. Inventory was short before the pandemic. Often, on desirable properties, we would see 5-15 offers on a home. Multiple offer scenarios were certainly a common scenario. But then came covid, market falls and thus, record-low interest rates. At first, with the real estate market closed for business, we only began to see interest drive up. People were still unsure about going out into the world and sellers were weary of putting their homes on the market. But as time went on, and interest rates remained low, the market heated up.  When 2021 began, things got p...

 Instagram is full of designers to follow, both nationwide celebrities and local resources. But you might not be aware how chock-full the greater Philadelphia area is with amazing designers.  Here are a few of my favorites to add to your scrolling pleasure!  Michelle Gage Interiors  No stranger to color and pattern, she's an inspiration for mixing and matching! If you are feeling like a quick, colorful pick-me-up, she's your girl  www.instagram.com/michellecgage Lisa Furey Interiors  A high-end designer who works all over but bases many of her projects out of Philly, she somehow manages to make the light and airy beach/farmhouse look grounded and upscale  www.instagram.com/lisafureyinteriors Sharp And Gray  A relative new-comer but a great, accessible and local resource for full service or small-project designs!  www.instagram.com/sharpandgrey Oak Design Project  Technically a bit more all over the East Coast, they are based in Philly an...