Philadelphia Inquirer | 03/28/2006 | Housing boom moves east of Broad

Philadelphia Inquirer | 03/28/2006 | Housing boom moves east of Broad

STATISTICS REVEAL THAT CENTER CITY PRICES AND SALES ROSE MORE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTY IN THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA AREA FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR; AND THE TREND IS THAT THE EASTERN PORTION OF CENTER CITY IS GETTING MORE POPULAR THAN EVER.

Toll Brothers CEO sees real estate growth

Predictions of Gloom in the Housing Market are Overblown

VIRTUAL TOURS OF HOMES ON TELEVISION

Comcast has launched "Real Estate On Demand" within the past year. It enables viewers who have this service from Comcast to view real estate offerings and properties that are for sale from the comfort of their living rooms. The tours are audio/visual and feature 7-8 photos of each property inside and outside along with voiced over narration. In the Greater Philadelphia Area, Prudential Fox and Roach Realtors has an exclusive contract with Comcast and they are the only brokerage able to advertise their listings on Comcast cable TV. It is a free perc that sellers get who list their homes with Prudential Fox and Roach.

Important Insurance Add-On for Condo Owners

If you are thinking of buying a condominium or if you already own one, you should strongly consider purchasing a "condominium loss assessment rider." This is very inexpensive - perhaps on the order of $12 to $30 per year at most. It covers you in the event there is a large loss as a result of a lawsuit against the homeowner's association where the reserves are not enough to cover it. In this instance, it is possible that each unit owner could be charged with a costly special assessment. This type of coverage can pay this claim for you saving you lots of money.

Also, every condo owner generally pays for condo insurance as part of the condo fee. This is the master policy that covers the common areas and exterior in most cases. You also should have insurance for your interior and possessions and have your agent add on this LOSS ASSESSMENT RIDER as described above.