July 2013's Homes Sold in Lower Merion Township and Swiss Miss near Narberth Station

Narberth Swiss Miss: Location, Lot Size, Expandable, 2 Baths 

There's a bunch of these mini Swiss Farms-style doodads on Dudley Avenue in Narberth. At about 1,000 sq ft, with small bedrooms, a bath, and only a skip and a jump to the train, these are quintessential starter-homes that can be had in the low 300s. Some of these bungalots have a double-wide lots and the owners have kicked out (very welcome) additions.
This one at 302 Dudley has a wider lot than most and features a two-car garage in the backyard. The exterior, including kitchen and two full baths was recently upgraded throughout. Newest owners just paid $325,000 (net) in July, which was a very fair market price, but one with excellent chance of above average returns and enjoyment of ownership.

Lower Merion Home Transactions: Nearly 100 Settled in July 2013  (priced under one million)

Street Address	Town	Sold For	Beds	Baths	Sq Ft	Listed For
31 W Spring Ave	Ardmore	$96,299	4	1	1,434	$96,000
229 Marlboro Rd	Ardmore	$281,000	3	1.1	1,332	$315,000
33 Chatham Rd	Ardmore	$312,000	3	1	1,332	$320,000
136 Drexel Rd	Ardmore	$422,500	5	2	1,969	$450,000
505 E Spring Ave	Ardmore	$535,000	4	2.2	2,600	$525,000
79 Jefferson St	BalaCynwyd	$150,000	2	1	896	$159,000
130 Jefferson St	BalaCynwyd	$171,666	2	2.1	1,360	$183,000
132 Jefferson St	BalaCynwyd	$171,667	2	2.1	1,360	$183,000
134 Jefferson St	BalaCynwyd	$171,667	2	2.1	1,360	$183,000
310 Parsons Ave	BalaCynwyd	$208,000	4	1	1,836	$220,000
112 Rolling Rd	BalaCynwyd	$375,000	3	2	1,551	$375,000
309 Penbree Ter	BalaCynwyd	$415,000	4	2.1	2,295	$399,900
30 Aberdale Rd	BalaCynwyd	$440,000	5	3	2,830	$435,000
709 Oxford Rd	BalaCynwyd	$450,000	4	2.1	2,260	$420,000
725 Yale Rd	BalaCynwyd	$499,000	4	3	2,241	$494,900
100 Overhill Rd	BalaCynwyd	$560,000	4	3.2	2,897	$559,000
308 Clwyd Rd	BalaCynwyd	$570,000	4	2.1	2,952	$574,900
507 Cynwyd Cir	BalaCynwyd	$574,000	4	2.2	2,706	$569,000
11 Llanberris Rd	BalaCynwyd	$590,000	5	3.1	3,496	$615,000
370 Bala Ave	BalaCynwyd	$750,000	4	3.1	3,095	$775,000
321 Llandrillo Rd	BalaCynwyd	$810,000	6	3.1	3,394	$819,000
20 E Newfield Way	BalaCynwyd	$960,000	5	3.1	3,051	$1,025,000
752 E Railroad Ave	Bryn Mawr	$178,570	3	1	918	$179,900
901 County Line Rd	Bryn Mawr	$200,000	1	1	1,056	$195,000
721 Waverly Rd	Bryn Mawr	$555,000	4	3	2,456	$564,900
46 Franklin Ave	Bryn Mawr	$603,000	4	2.1	2,414	$599,000
804 Edwin Ln	Bryn Mawr	$730,000	5	3.1	3,556	$765,000
820 Pennstone Rd	Bryn Mawr	$877,500	4	3.1	3,101	$999,999
315 Thornbrook	Bryn Mawr	$987,500	10	6.1	9,100	$1,250,000
405 Berkley Rd	Haverford	$392,500	4	2	1,966	$405,000
519 Old Buck Ln	Haverford	$405,000	2	2	1,636	$410,000
346 Trevor Ln	BalaCynwyd	$555,000	4	2.1	2,412	$549,000
129 Winchester Rd	Merion	$280,000	3	1.1	1,330	$280,000
233 Upland Rd	Merion	$345,500	4	2.1	1,804	$369,900
209 Edgehill Rd	Merion	$363,000	4	3.1	1,969	$369,900
618 Schiller Ave	Merion	$434,000	3	2.1	1,728	$439,900
405 Maplewood Rd	Merion	$450,000	4	2	1,624	$439,000
533 Kenmore Rd	Merion	$507,000	4	2	1,918	$499,000
521 E Wynnewood	Merion	$510,000	5	3.1	3,102	$525,000
524 Baird Rd	Merion	$630,000	5	3.1	2,817	$650,000
127 Merbrook Ln	Merion	$640,000	6	3.1	2,983	$640,000
550 Lafayette Rd	Merion	$650,000	4	2.1	3,000	$665,000
420 Meadow Ln	Merion	$661,000	4	3.1	3,326	$672,500
1051 Lemar Cir	Merion	$662,500	4	3.1	3,475	$700,000
275 N Bowman A	Merion	$680,000	4	4.1	3,135	$679,000
226 Springhouse Ln	Merion	$740,000	4	2.2	2,768	$749,000
403 Country Ln	Narberth	$300,000	3	1.1	1,296	$319,000
124 Conway Ave	Narberth	$310,500	3	1	1,156	$315,000
302 Dudley Ave	Narberth	$335,000	3	2	1,056	$349,900
12 Sabine Ave	Narberth	$375,000	3	1.1	1,449	$399,000
1302 Montgomery	Narberth	$390,000	3	2.1	1,664	$369,000
29  Hansen Ct	Narberth	$397,500	4	3.1	2,479	$399,900
209 Elm Ter	Narberth	$470,000	5	1.1	1,786	$475,000
434 Anthwyn Rd	Narberth	$480,000	4	2.2	2,153	$499,000
505 Haverford Ave	Narberth	$485,000	4	2	2,256	$499,000
416 Haverford Ave	Narberth	$522,000	5	2.1	2,166	$525,000
503 N Wynnewood	Narberth	$530,000	3	2.1	2,262	$499,000
108-110 Grayling	Narberth	$720,000	6	3	2,865	$750,000
1239 HagysFord	Penn Valley	$435,000	4	3	1,849	$449,000
326 Hidden River	Penn Valley	$435,000	4	3	3,522	$439,000
1128 Greentree Ln	Penn Valley	$598,000	4	3.1	2,480	$609,000
401 Helen Cir	Penn Valley	$625,560	5	3.1	3,615	$669,000
519 Penn Valley Rd	Penn Valley	$900,000	5	5.2	5,137	$925,000
704 Hagys Ford Rd	Penn Valley	$938,000	4	3.1	3,139	$925,000
720 Panorama Rd	Villanova	$455,000	3	2	2,451	$449,000
1919 Firethorn Ln	Villanova	$631,000	5	2.1	3,600	$649,000
306 Clairemont Rd	Villanova	$670,000	5	3.1	3,197	$649,000
547 Oriole Ln	Villanova	$725,000	4	2.1	3,124	$859,000
2183 N Stoneridge	Villanova	$740,000	3	2.1	2,971	$789,000
769 Mustin Ln	Villanova	$766,000	4	3.1	4,031	$795,000
243 Trent Rd	Wynnewood	$220,000	3	1	1,206	$225,000
236 Crosshill Rd	Wynnewood	$276,000	3	1	1,341	$274,900
841 Delmont Dr	Wynnewood	$299,000	3	1.1	1,517	$299,000
138 Henley Rd	Wynnewood	$337,500	4	2.1	2,354	$325,000
1510 Powder Mill	Wynnewood	$355,000	3	2	1,562	$359,000
1401 Edgevale Rd	Wynnewood	$360,000	4	4.1	2,406	$359,000
1235 Knox Rd	Wynnewood	$365,000	3	2.1	2,324	$375,000
1408 Remington Rd	Wynnewood	$367,000	3	2.1	1,491	$385,000
101 Overbrook Pk	Wynnewood	$382,000	4	2.1	2,258	$399,000
509 Twin Oaks Dr	Wynnewood	$420,000	4	1.2	1,959	$425,000
1345 Overbrook Rd	Wynnewood	$465,000	3	2	2,060	$489,000
1318 Sussex Rd	Wynnewood	$469,500	3	2	2,488	$469,500
244 Hathaway Ln	Wynnewood	$537,500	5	3.1	2,964	$549,900
7 Wiltshire Rd	Wynnewood	$555,000	4	3.1	2,733	$575,000
406 Parkview Dr	Wynnewood	$560,000	4	2.1	2,129	$562,900
11 Greenhill Ln	Wynnewood	$617,000	4	3.1	2,537	$625,000
822 Primrose Ln	Wynnewood	$645,000	4	3.1	2,648	$669,000
431 Redleaf Rd	Wynnewood	$649,000	4	2.2	2,100	$649,000
1316 Medford Rd	Wynnewood	$689,000	6	3.1	3,444	$700,000
1233 Medford Rd	Wynnewood	$732,500	6	4.1	3,139	$769,000
542 Montgomery Sch.	Wynnewood	$760,000	4	3.1	3,323	$769,900
426 Parkview Dr	Wynnewood	$900,000	4	2.1	3,025	$924,000

For Photos and Details on Each Property Click Here or the headline above

Contact Ted to Discuss Home Values or with questions about Buying or Selling houses.

Ted@R5Realty.com  or 610.348.7972.   Prudential Fox & Roach, Haverford Station, Pa.

Narberth's July 4th Fireworks were Delayed but not Derailed by Missing Girl Drama

Narberth Fireworks celebrated both Indepdence and Reuniting

 With the sky darkened and the hour well past nine, our July 4th fireworks crew at Narberth Park eagerly anticipated the main event, and an to end of the time-killing patter and announcements from the stage..  

But then - without any fanfare, the good-natured, barely-audible emcee casually tucked in an announcement concerning a missing 10-year-old girl. The humdrum Amber Alert continued to be parsed into the pre-show banter at a volume level just a tad above discernible - at least for the many of us sitting in the prime-viewing section on the infield.

After nearly another five to ten minutes of laid-back, hard-to-decipher mentions of the missing girl, another voice emerged loud and clear, through the speakers. The crowd was crisply called to attention and the missing girl's identity, age, description and last-known whereabouts were decisively and unambiguously announced by a new authoritative voice that meant business.

This voice advised that the lost girl had been visiting from out-of-town and became separated from her family while milling in the throng through the streets surrounding Narberth Park's viewing area.. Given the family atmosphere and relative security of the environs, I think most locals - myself included - were concerned but confident of a swift and successful resolution.

But the drama persisted for some time. The crowd was repeatedly admonished to be silent and look around for the missing girl. The girl was urged and cajoled to make her presence known if she could hear the alarm. The pre-show revelry was completely usurped by an all-out Amber Alert and palpable tension as the minutes continued to tick by.

It became real evident that there would be and could be no joyful fireworks show, as long as the specter of a lost, wandering, potentially abducted girl was left without a happy resolve.

Narberth is a small borough with an idyllic facade, but July 4th Fireworks draw a huge crowd from neighboring towns and the city of Philadelphia, less than two miles away.

I'm sometimes unduly afraid - but when rational - I'm doubtful the worst has ocurred or will occur. Despite the constant internet-reports of child-related tragic events somewhere on the globe, mundanity has a huge statistical probabiltiy  over serial-style outcomes. 

Even so, practical cynicism was no match for the immediate anxiety I felt as the Amber-like Alert generated no found girl and was repeated several times. From the murmuring of fellow blanket-sitters, it was evident my concerns were shared by others.

If she's here, why doesn't somebody recognize her? Why doesn't she reach out to someone and say, "I'm the girl."  What if she got turned around, scared of the crowd, isolated and possibly controlled by one of the many strangers at this fairly chaotic, night-time public festivity?

Adding to the intensity, was the fact that this girl and her parents had just come from the same nearby backyard bbq that I attended with my son. She'd been horsing around with him and other kids just hours before. Hysterical over-reaction or not, me and many others had knots in our stomachs juggling our worst fears among the ice cream trucks and glow sticks.

I thought about the girl's parents and the anxiety and guilt they must be experiencing. I tried on the analytical cynicism and wondered what this scene would have been like some 40 years earlier when I was a boy. Would a child lost for 30-some minutes in 1973 have created so much intensity? Were things different back then and the world a safer more predictable place? Are we just hyper-aware of danger now and in need of a big chill pill?

After way too long, the announcement finally came from the stage that the little girl had been found. Everyone cheered! We couldn't see it for the crowd, but the emcee gave a play-by-play of the missing girl and her Daddy embracing in front of the stage... What a relief.

Moments later, in the few seconds between the National Anthem's conclusion and sucking thud of the first rocket's launch, an Amtrak train came speeding down the tracks overlooking the park and let loose a sublimely-timed and fervent whistle blast. I let out a loud whoop, threw my fist into the air, celebrating the happy outcome and chance to finally just lay back and enjoy the show.

2013 Narberth Fireworks on you Tube

July 2013's Home Transactions in Radnor and Haverford Townships (from 100k to 1million)

149 Hastings, Havertown: 3BR/Garage Available Now $259,900

About 100 homes officially sold/settled for under a million dollars in Haverford/Radnor Townships in July 2013. Demand has eased and attractive and well-priced values remain on the market, including this 3/bedroom, 1/bath ranch home on a rangy, rectangular corner lot in quiet, friendly Havertown enclave near St. Denis Church.  Upsides include hardwood floors, solidly maintained interior/exterior, central air conditioning, cool breezeway area between rear bedroom and garage could become very appealing master bath suite. Large yard for dog, activities. Basement is large and offers good possibilities as well. Hastings Avenue is a low traffic street in a neighborhood that is quiet but convenient to Havertown & Mainline shopping, transit, high-quality public education. Listed by Deb Dorsey at Prudential Fox & Roach Rosemont and worth seeing.

July 2013 Residences Sold in Haverford and Radnor Townships for less than one million

Street Address	Town	Sold For	Beds	Baths	Sq Ft	Listed For
801 Clifford Ave	Ardmore	$203,000	3	1.1	1,312	$224,900
625 Kenilworth Rd	Ardmore	$210,500	3	2	1,392	$219,000
2211 Haverford Rd	Ardmore	$225,000	3	1.1	1,368	$225,000
2223 Haverford Rd	Ardmore	$238,000	3	1.1	1,368	$249,500
2413 Belmont Ave	Ardmore	$257,500	3	1.1	1,467	$289,000
610 Hazelwood Rd	Ardmore	$283,000	4	1.1	2,110	$289,000
2741 Morris Rd	Ardmore	$290,000	4	2	1,324	$299,000
2705 Sunnybrook Ln	Ardmore	$295,000	4	2.1	2,130	$300,000
2900 Haverford Rd	Ardmore	$355,000	4	2.2	2,362	$359,000
12 Westfield Rd	Ardmore	$680,000	5	3.1	3,329	$735,000
205 Shawnee Rd	Ardmore	$757,500	4	3.1	2,903	$750,000
224 Rockingham	Bryn Mawr	$235,000	3	1.1	1,270	$259,000
625 Dayton Rd	Bryn Mawr	$242,500	3	1.1	1,392	$249,900
812 E Haverford	Bryn Mawr	$250,000	3	1.1	1,400	$260,000
303 Bailey Rd	Bryn Mawr	$315,000	3	1.1	1,320	$315,000
714 S Roberts Rd	Bryn Mawr	$430,000	4	2.1	2,865	$475,000
133 Rodney Cir	Bryn Mawr	$439,000	4	2	1,767	$439,000
540 S Bryn Mawr	Bryn Mawr	$600,000	4	3	3,338	$625,000
328 Strathmore Dr	Bryn Mawr	$635,500	6	4.1	3,360	$659,900
531 Brandymede	Bryn Mawr	$760,000	5	3.1	3,480	$749,999
972 Sproul Rd	Bryn Mawr	$775,000	4	2.1	3,479	$800,000
756 Buck Ln	Haverford	$300,000	4	3	1,528	$299,900
607 College Ave	Haverford	$667,000	3	3.1	3,296	$665,900
316 E Township Ln	Havertown	$110,000	3	1.1	1,280	$108,000
37 Sycamore Rd	Havertown	$140,000	3	1.2	1,556	$199,900
1304 Warren Ave	Havertown	$147,900	2	1	700	$164,900
401 N Manoa Rd	Havertown	$166,666	3	2	1,678	$195,000
325 Windsor Park	Havertown	$175,000	3	1.1	2,189	$199,900
133 S Eagle Rd	Havertown	$180,000	3	1	1,276	$189,900
222 Wickford Rd	Havertown	$180,000	3	1.1	1,292	$215,000
1037 Bon Air Rd	Havertown	$199,000	4	1	1,216	$214,900
139 E Marthart Ave	Havertown	$210,000	3	2	1,730	$200,000
627 Grand Ave	Havertown	$212,000	3	2	1,290	$200,000
18 E Marthart Ave	Havertown	$225,000	3	1	1,258	$225,000
2453 Wynnefield Dr	Havertown	$237,500	3	1	1,768	$239,900
1318 Annabella Ave	Havertown	$249,900	3	2	1,603	$249,900
2328 Poplar Rd	Havertown	$249,900	3	2.1	1,392	$249,900
16 Pearson Ln	Havertown	$250,000	3	2	1,389	$250,000
532 N Manoa Rd	Havertown	$250,000	3	2.1	1,523	$260,000
325 Brookline Blvd	Havertown	$258,000	4	1.1	1,679	$267,500
24 Maryland Ave	Havertown	$259,000	3	2	1,350	$259,900
2715 Prescott Rd	Havertown	$265,900	3	1.1	1,787	$269,900
603 Merion Ave	Havertown	$265,900	2	1	1,201	$259,900
25 Strathmore Rd	Havertown	$270,000	3	1.1	1,899	$275,000
244 Friendship Rd	Havertown	$275,000	3	1.1	1,731	$284,900
504 Virginia Ave	Havertown	$276,600	3	1	1,664	$279,000
1706 Mount Pleasant	Havertown	$283,000	3	2.1	1,478	$286,000
307 Francis Dr	Havertown	$285,000	4	1.1	1,546	$309,900
144 Merrybrook Dr	Havertown	$295,000	3	2	1,675	$299,000
1600 Melrose Ave	Havertown	$297,000	3	1.1	1,400	$299,900
611 E Manoa Rd	Havertown	$299,500	3	3.1	1,699	$299,500
326 Kenmore Rd	Havertown	$300,000	3	2	1,665	$345,000
512 Devon Rd	Havertown	$300,000	4	2	1,751	$293,500
25 Nancy Dr	Havertown	$305,000	5	2.1	2,604	$319,900
417 Heatherwood	Havertown	$305,000	3	2	1,652	$309,900
46 Princeton Rd	Havertown	$308,000	4	1.2	1,652	$310,000
345 Golf Hills Rd	Havertown	$320,000	4	2.1	2,602	$325,000
133 Golf Hills Rd	Havertown	$320,000	4	2.1	1,675	$319,000
336 David Dr	Havertown	$320,500	4	2.1	2,346	$325,000
1736 Green Valley Rd	Havertown	$322,000	3	2.1	2,100	$349,000
600 Ellis Rd	Havertown	$335,100	4	2.1	2,189	$325,000
1608 Surrey Ln	Havertown	$342,000	3	2	1,889	$345,000
1214 Bon Air Rd	Havertown	$350,000	4	2.1	2,736	$369,900
241 David Dr	Havertown	$355,000	4	2.1	2,328	$355,000
69 Fairfield Rd	Havertown	$365,000	4	1.2	2,300	$369,900
23 E Langhorne Ave	Havertown	$402,500	4	3	2,700	$415,000
728 E Manoa Rd	Havertown	$405,000	4	3.1	2,750	$419,000
501 E Manoa Rd	Havertown	$495,000	5	3.1	2,602	$495,000
539 Grand Ave	Havertown	$505,000	4	2.1	3,655	$499,000
10 Radnor Way	Radnor	$590,000	5	2.1	3,587	$625,000
226 Williams Rd	Rosemont	$210,000	3	1	1,388	$215,000
6 Lowrys Ln	Rosemont	$450,000	4	2.1	2,392	$469,000
9 Braxton Rd	Rosemont	$465,000	3	3	2,055	$478,900
508 Saint Davids Rd	Saint Davids	$740,000	5	2.1	2,615	$750,000
118 Hillside Cir	Villanova	$325,000	4	1.1	1,963	$325,000
522 Sproul Rd	Villanova	$375,000	3	2	1,427	$375,000
333 Radnor Chester	Villanova	$565,000	4	2.1	2,991	$579,000
510 Chandler Ln	Villanova	$600,000	3	2.1	2,270	$670,000
167 Wooded Ln	Villanova	$685,000	4	2.1	2,448	$674,900
707 Knox Rd	Villanova	$900,000	5	3.1	3,750	$889,000
407 Fairview Dr	Wayne	$190,000	2	1	950	$235,000
311 Conestoga Rd	Wayne	$465,000	4	1.1	2,510	$485,000
512 Arbordale Rd	Wayne	$550,000	5	2.1	2,400	$599,000
131 Pine Tree Rd	Wayne	$670,000	4	3.1	2,905	$675,000
518 Oak Grove Ln	Wayne	$892,000	3	3.1	4,298	$939,000
231 Chamounix Rd	Wayne	$925,000	4	3.1	2,472	$925,000
821 Powder Mill Ln	Wynnewood	$338,000	3	1.1	1,738	$349,000
314 Farwood Rd	Wynnewood	$434,000	4	3.1	2,950	$434,000

Click Here to see photos and details on all the sales indicated above. For further information or to contact us to discuss buying or selling a home email Ted@R5Realty.com or call 610.348.7972.

Mill Creek: Stream of Consciousness rolls by Developmental Tumbleweeds and Dust Bunnies

1400 Mill Creek Rd. is unused industrial space bordered by parkland.

A weekday evening in high summer is a fine time to take to the back roads of Gladwyne and Penn Valley. Hang a sharp right off 23 onto Mill Creek Rd and follow the quiet road and creek through taller trees and downwards towards the Schuylkill.

On the left is the old  Barker Mill, for 200 years astride Mill Creek and one-time home to a munitions factory, textile mill, work space and recording studio for Boyz II Men, etc...

Vacant for almost a decade and moderately dilapidated for age and unuse, it's a grand setting to snoop or set down by the creek and ponder new incarnations for the forested fortification. A parking turnout is directly across from the property entrance, which is unprotected by a collapsing fence. About halfway back is a portal down to a small but rewarding waterfall.

The current owner, O'Neill properties had imagined morphing the industrial-sized, Class 1 Historic property into a 34-unit apartment complex. Given the breath-taking beauty and relative inaccessibility of the setting, this seems the most viable commercial enterprise. But the housing market collapse and other complexities of the project have seen O'Neill lose interest in the project and a buyer has been courted for nearly a year.

For now, the mill sits silent, and that's not a bad thing at all. Acres of Lower Merion parkland are directly adjacent to the site, including Rolling Hill Park, which features a great ridge-side trail that spills into the sleeping mill's parking lot. Climb the nearly two-mile trail that runs through woods and emerges into delightful hilltop meadows home to the Lower Merion Conservancy.

Gladwyne and Penn Valley offer many homeowners million dollar views and opportunities to commune with a lushly vegetated and wonderfully eclectic topography. Perhaps someday Barker Mill will become that place for a charmed few more. Until then, the peaceful spot is pleasantly aloof and vulnerable to having its pleasures pillaged via public access borders.

Early Summer Interest Rate Spike Takes $60,000 Out of Typical Mainline Homebuyers' Longterm Pockets

Due to a meteoric rise in interest rates, a house priced at $350,000 in early May will now cost the average homebuyer an extra $60,000 once a 30-year, 20% down conventional loan has been fully repaid. That's the chilling reality of what a fast full-point rise in rates will due to the total cost of a loan.
Back in early May, and throughout most of 2013 and 2012, an interest rate of 3.5% was commonly available. For the conventional 30-year loan Buyer who borrowed $280,000 at 3.5% to buy a $350,000 home, the monthly payment was about $1260.
But with the recent June jump in rates to 4.5%, the monthly payment for the same loan is now $1420. That's a monthly increase of $160 and almost $2000 in extra payments annually. Take that out over the life of a loan and that's $60,000 out of pocket for the privilege of buying in early July instead of early May. That's the bad news...

Now for some good news for those buyers who snoozed but still aim to purchase a home in 2013. Summer and Fall are typically times of reduced demand, and it's not uncommon for home prices to dip 5-10% from their springtime peaks. Couple this late season discount with a likely short-term, backslide and correction to the recent spike in rates, and late-season buyers may not wind up with payments too much higher than the early birds of springtime. Most important to remember, while rates have risen dramatically (the last week of June had the greatest weekly percentage rise since 1987); historically, interest rates are still astounding low. You may not be grinning ear-to-ear now, but if your interest rate eventually begins with a 4 and not a 5, 6, 7 or 8, you'll but a happy homeowner for decades.
Contact R5Realty/Prudential today and Lets Get Moving, 610.348,7972.

Friendly Mainline-area Realtor Seeks Buyers for Informed, Focused and Free Home-Buying Flings

At a recent open house on Buck Lane in Haverford, I met a home-seeker who lamented her inability to secure a moderately-priced single family home. As a full-time Realtor, focused like a laser on the mid-range, Mainline-area market ($225,000-$725,000), I naturally expressed my willingness to assist in her quest. Despite her understanding that the offer of  Buyer Assistance comes with no obligation - and no fee from start to finish -she expressed firm disinterest in the notion of having a dedicated Buyers' agent. 

Some House-Hunters Prefer to Go It Alone

I realize there are countless excellent reasons why an eager buyer might rebuff the advances of a Realtor offering to audition his services. Even with the promises of freedom from any fees or immediate obligation, some folks are lone wolves, who prefer to hunt alone. Some folks may just not take a shine to the cut of my jib, effervescent wit, or relatively diminutive countenance and stoutness of stature. Whatever. There are dozens of good reasons to rebuff an encroaching Realtor seeking to cozy up and become a resourceful, cost-free adjunct to a House-Buying project. I get it, for sure.

But this woman's distinct perspective, expressed in a reasoned manner that conveyed she had given it considerable thought, was that she only wished to deal directly with Listing Agents. She said she would be eager to come look at homes for which I already represented the seller, but having a Realtor act as her buyers' agent was out of the question.

Her rationale included the conviction that if she was unrepresented and dealing directly with the Listing Agent, she would somehow be given preferred consideration and status over competing buyers. There is some logic and merit in play here. Listing Agents (Agents for Sellers) get to keep a full commission if there is no separate agent for buyers. But the reality is that almost every listing agent expects - and is delighted - to share their commission with an agent devoted only to representing the Buying party. 

Homes are a big ticket item and Realtors frequently invest weeks, months, sometimes years to affect a sale. While the home is on the market, and then if it fails to sell, a Realtor gets zippo, bupkiss, nuttin' for his/her investment of time and effort. But the flipside, is that the commission a seller pays the Realtor if/when the home sells, is a very generous and princely sum. Realtors who act as Listing Agents, are typically delighted to split their well-earned and handsome commission with their colleague, who has through persistent searching, vigilance and effort brought a well-represented, informed and qualified Buyer to the table.

To this end, just about every Listing/Sellers' agent proudly and loudly advertises that he/she will share 50% of their commission. Occasionally, it does happen that the listing agent handles both Buyer/Seller sides and pockets 100 percent, but this is a situation known as Dual Agency and is implicitly fraught with conflict of interest and rarely beneficial for anyone but the double agent.. A Listing/Sellers agent's first and only interest is performing for the Seller and Only for the Seller.  This typically means procuring the most viable buyer, willing to pay the most money, within a finite period of time.  

Buyers' Agents Fiercly Outumber a Single Listing Agent.

Even if a Listing Agent was willing to offer preferential consideration to his own buyer, the practice of advertising and sharing commissions, combined with raw numbers, makes the situation less than tenable. There are thousands of Realtors dedicated to locating a home for their Buyer clients (and thusly earning the finders fee).

And Since this Buyer-Agent group massively outnumbers the single listing agent by a ratio of several hundreds, if not more than 1000:1, who
is most likely to present to the seller, a qualified buyer, with the biggest purse, in the briefest amount of time? Obviously, it would be a Buyers Agent, and the statistics reflect the reality. In almost all home sale transactions on the Mainline area, the Buyer has a dedicated Buyers' Agent and the Listing Agent gratefully shares the commission.

By the time the Lady I met at the open house would find her listing on a consumer website and get her call returned by the Listing agent, many dedicated, full-time Buyers agents had likely already seen the property, showed it to their well-prepared, pre-qualified clients, and very likely submitted offers. This is why, for desirable and well-priced homes, it is absolutely necessary to develop a relationship with a knowledgeable and nimble Buyers' agent. Not only is Buyer Agency free, it's essential when trying to purchase a quality home, in a competitive market, such as we currently have in the Mainline area.

Bryn Mawr Cottage Value and June's Homes Sold in Radnor and Haverford Townships

Sweet Cottage at 31 Garrett Ave: Net Sold Price Under $215,000

This affordable and adorable cottage in Radnor township section on Bryn Mawr sold in June for a net price under $215,000 (after sellers assist).. Located at 31 Garrett Avenue, and within walking distance of Villanova University, Rosemont Train Station and downtown Bryn Mawr, the cottage always struck me as a serene and affordable refuge for a college professional or couple. As with most of the modest homes on Garrett, this one had a surpringly large and private backyard.


Radnor & Haverford Townships' June 2013 Home Transactations Under a Million Dollars

     For Photos and Details on the Complete List Click Above

Town	Street Address	Sold For	Beds	Baths	Sq Ft	Listed For
Ardmore	2231 Haverford Rd	$153,000	3	1.1	1,368	$169,900
Ardmore	2803 Saint Marys Rd	$224,000	3	1	1,152	$225,000
Ardmore	809 Clifford Ave	$249,000	3	1	1,392	$249,000
Ardmore	631 Georges Ln	$252,500	3	1	1,240	$259,900
Ardmore	2147 Chestnut Ave	$259,000	3	1	1,326	$259,000
Ardmore	2924 Berkley Rd	$278,000	4	2.1	1,850	$279,500
Ardmore	2920 Haverford Rd	$280,000	4	2.1	1,666	$289,865
Ardmore	2102 Chestnut Ave	$280,000	3	2	1,362	$285,000
Ardmore	2105 Chestnut Ave	$282,000	3	2.1	1,540	$289,900
Ardmore	2932 Belmont Ave	$285,000	3	2.1	1,554	$285,000
Ardmore	2100 Chestnut Ave	$300,000	3	1.1	1,362	$299,999
Ardmore	39 Haverford Rd	$342,000	4	2.1	2,274	$359,000
Ardmore	2938 Rising Sun Rd	$355,000	5	2.1	1,987	$359,900
Ardmore	144 Shawnee Rd	$448,000	3	2.1	1,968	$449,000
Bryn Mawr	123 Debaran Ln	$336,500	3	1.1	1415	$350,000
Bryn Mawr	105 Hickory Ln	$338,100	3	1.1	1,986	$329,900
Bryn Mawr	11 Arthur Rd	$400,000	3	1.1	1,396	$425,000
Bryn Mawr	764 Sproul Rd	$425,000	4	2	2,010	$449,900
Bryn Mawr	330 Highland Ln	$575,000	4	3.1	3,207	$600,000
Haverford	739 Buck Ln	$147,000	3	1	1,830	$174,999
Haverford	1760 Josie Ln	$185,000	3	2.1	2,388	$250,000
Haverford	39 Bambi Ln	$345,000	4	2.1	2,118	$350,000
Haverford	14 Coopertown Rd	$650,000	5	2.1	3,800	$750,000
Haverford	200 Buck Ln	$725,000	4	2.1	2,970	$750,000
Haverford	17 S Buck Ln	$870,000	6	4.1	4,608	$929,000
Havertown	308 Walnut Hill Ln	$162,000	3	1.1	1,171	$205,000
Havertown	1118 Garfield Ave	$174,500	4	1.1	1,511	$179,900
Havertown	149 S Eagle Rd	$197,500	3	1	1,276	$209,500
Havertown	419 Earlington Rd	$198,000	3	1	1,122	$200,000
Havertown	560 W Chester Pk	$209,000	3	1.1	1,636	$219,900
Havertown	36 Fulmer Ave	$212,000	4	1.1	1,517	$219,000
Havertown	8 Westwood Park	$220,000	3	1	1,514	$225,000
Havertown	212 Westwood Park	$230,000	3	1.1	1,282	$250,000
Havertown	1703 Robinson Ave	$231,000	3	1	1,400	$246,225
Havertown	1203 Manor Rd	$233,000	1	1.1	1,006	$230,000
Havertown	112 Yale Rd	$237,000	4	1	1,898	$249,999
Havertown	305 E Hathaway Ln	$237,000	3	1.1	1980	$235,000
Havertown	121 Woodbine Rd	$239,000	3	1	1,224	$239,000
Havertown	220 Campbell Ave	$245,000	3	2	2,376	$250,000
Havertown	545 Virginia Ave	$251,000	3	1	1,558	$259,900
Havertown	158 Shelbourne Rd	$257,450	3	2	1,800	$249,900
Havertown	301 Golf Hills Rd	$260,000	4	2.1	2,336	$292,000
Havertown	218 Pine Ridge Rd	$260,000	3	2	1,292	$259,999
Havertown	1607 Colony Ln	$264,500	3	1	1,350	$264,500
Havertown	13 Rodmor Rd	$265,500	3	1.2	1,711	$274,900
Havertown	566 Willowbrook Rd	$269,000	3	1.1	1,900	$269,900
Havertown	142 W Hillcrest Ave	$290,000	4	1.1	1,683	$289,000
Havertown	1511 Melrose Ave	$295,000	3	1	1,350	$299,900
Havertown	329 Crescent Hill Dr	$300,000	3	1.1	1,840	$309,000
Havertown	408 Strathmore Rd	$302,000	3	2	1,787	$309,900
Havertown	33 Jacalyn Dr	$308,000	3	2.1	2,131	$319,900
Havertown	508 Sagamore Rd	$317,500	3	1	1,612	$315,000
Havertown	901 Larchmont Ave	$320,000	3	1.1	1,604	$309,900
Havertown	168 Sycamore Rd	$320,150	4	2.1	1,643	$319,900
Havertown	2 Myrtle Ave	$322,500	4	3	2,468	$322,500
Havertown	1722 Academy Ln	$325,000	4	2.1	1,763	$334,900
Havertown	640 Penfield Ave	$330,000	4	1.1	1,909	$345,000
Havertown	420 Brookline Blvd	$350,000	4	2	2,622	$324,900
Havertown	25 E Marthart Ave	$372,500	3	3	2,347	$369,900
Havertown	17 Garlor Dr	$379,900	4	2.1	2,641	$379,900
Havertown	1745 Sue Ellen Dr	$389,000	4	2.1	2,292	$389,900
Havertown	1711 Hawthorne Ave	$398,475	4	2	1997	$389,900
Havertown	101 Charles Dr	$409,000	4	3	2,717	$409,000
Havertown	22B Fairlamb Ave	$460,000	4	2.1	2,700	$489,900
Havertown	1409 Fairview Ave	$525,000	4	2.1	2,800	$549,900
Havertown	1139 Bon Air Rd	$549,000	4	2.1	2,950	$549,000
Havertown	28 E Park Rd	$649,900	5	3.1	3,400	$659,900
Rosemont	116 Garrett Ave	$90,000	3	1	1,036	$105,000
Rosemont	848 Conestoga Rd	$205,000	3	2.1	1,368	$205,000
Rosemont	31 Garrett Ave	$218,500	2	1	1098	$219,000
Villanova	27 Wistar Rd	$835,000	5	3.1	3,550	$950,000
Villanova	739 County Line Rd	$871,000	5	2.2	4,096	$849,000
Villanova	516 Watch Hill Rd	$940,000	4	3.1	2,795	$939,900
Villanova	L42-000 Hilldale Rd	$980,000	4	3.1	2,972	$999,000
Wayne	129 Plant Ave	$260,000	2	2	896	$270,000
Wayne	154 Morningside Cir	$355,000	4	1.1	1,731	$375,000
Wayne	100 Valley Forge Ter	$389,000	4	2.1	1,837	$399,900
Wayne	337 Conestoga Rd	$435,000	5	3	2162	$459,900
Wayne	920 Eagle Rd	$492,500	3	3.1	2,652	$549,500
Wayne	210 Biddulph Rd	$545,000	3	1.1	1,758	$550,000
Wayne	419 Iven Ave	$590,000	4	2.2	2,489	$605,000
Wayne	134 Biddulph Rd	$617,000	4	2	2,552	$625,000
Wayne	507 Maplewood Ave	$830,000	4	4.1	3,228	$825,000
Wayne	269 Gulph Creek Rd	$856,400	5	4.2	3,543	$895,000
Wynnewood	223 Farwood Rd	$382,000	3	2.1	1,616	$389,500
Wynnewood	1002 Hampstead Rd	$430,000	3	2.1	2,043	$425,000
Wynnewood	1711 Powder Mill Ln	$469,500	4	2.1	2,488	$469,500