We have all encountered a home with failed seals in the windows. How bad the window looks varies, but if we are about to list it, we know it will be better if those seals were not failed and the window foggy. Even in this market, the buyer is likely to comment or request the window be replaced. However, in our market there is another option.I recently got an email, well several emails from Derek Posch of DPGWindows explaining that his company repairs windows that might be an issue in a home inspection. Note, the difference here, the window can be repaired, at a fraction of the cost of a replacement. Well, my fiancée actually has several windows that have failed seals, and as we will be selling the home shortly, we thought we would see how well Derek's promise would hold up. See for your... 04/28/2022

People think in different ways. Some think small and some think big!Some people come from a mindset of scarcity and therefore think small, unwilling to take any risks and hence unable to receive any reward.Then there are those who know there is no scarcity, are always willing to share, and give. They think big, they take chances, and they often get a big payout, what the small thinkers then label as lucky.Last week I had a phone call from a small thinker. I had been discussing with them about listing their mother's home. The son gave many reasons why they couldn't list yet. He was going through photos and it was very emotional and taking time. Initially they had said the home would be cleared and ready to list by the previous weekend. In a conversation that week, the son mentioned how h... 04/26/2022

Buying a home is an exciting time, however, there are many different costs associated with that home purchase. One of these is Title Insurance, and for some strange reason it appears on the ALTA as an option, when in fact it is very important that you carry this insurance.1) There are two types of Title Insurance, a lender policy, that the buyer usually pays for and covers the mortgage company's financial interests, and an owner policy. This owner policy is the one that appears as an optional cost on the ALTA.Firstly, if the lender is obtaining a policy, don't you think that is an indication that you might also want to obtain a similar policy to cover you and your heirs' property rights as well.Whilst a lender policy has to be renewed if you refinance, an owner policy covers and protect... 03/29/2022

I received a late night text one day last week. Glancing at the number I realized it was my manager. "Could I talk?" I was getting ready to go to bed, but I replied yes.She had been asked to refer some agents to another agent in our company who was out of state and had a referral they wanted to place. She had spoken with the agent and thought I was a good referral for the situation and was going to give my details to the agent and hers to me.It seemed this was a friend of a client of hers, who lived up here and wanted to buy a house. He was under contract with an agent, and had submitted an offer, but did not feel comfortable with the agent's knowledge or ability.I called and spoke with the agent the next morning. She went over the situation with me again, stressing how the referral was... 03/14/2022

Buying a house seems to involve a lot of paperwork, from the consumer notice,  buyer agency agreement and the agreement of sale, plus all the brokerage disclosures and lead paint pamphlets. It varies from State to State, but here in PA, our agreement is 13 pages long. On top of that most buyers obtain a mortgage and the mortgage lender requires a whole host of documents to verify if you are going to be able to repay the loan they are making. It can all seem overwhelming, but I met up with Shawn DeAngelo of Prosperity Home Mortgage and tried in today's video to break it down so the documents you are going to need for your mortgage are easily understandable. But, if you have questions, reach out.Check out some of our other videos, don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and clic... 03/08/2022

Need help selling your home, contact Nick Vandekar, Associate Broker today, cell or text 610-203-4543, office 610-225-7400 or Nick@VandekarTeam.comList it on OldForgeCrossing.comStats from Old Forge Crossing 2021  One Bedroom Two Bedroom Town House 16 homes sold in 2021 2 were second floors with den 4 homes sold in 2021 2 homes sold in 2021 Average Price $192,506 Average price $234,525 Average Price $262,875 Highest Price $220,000 Highest Price $238,000 Highest Price $266,000 Lowest Price $155,000 Lowest price $230,000 Lowest Price $259,750 Average days on market 18 Average Days on Market 12 Average Days on Market 7.5  22 homes sold in 2021, highest offer was 109% of asking price.Seller Services – Competitive market analysis, Professional Photography, Video, Estate Sale Specialist, Stag... 03/05/2022

Lots of people think the only amount of money they need to buy a house is the down payment. But, there are many other costs associated with buying a house, inspections, insurance, appraisal, and many more. Our video with Shawn DeAngelo of Prosperity Home Mortgage today addresses some of these more fully.Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and check the bell to be notified of when we post new videos.Let us know what other home buying subjects you have questions about. Check out our video on How Much Money do I need to buy a house? and What help is there for First time buyers?Thinking of selling, or ready to buy a house, contact Nick today, office 610-225-7400, cell or text 610-203-4543, Nick@VandekarTeam.com, or through our website www.SellingTheMainLine.com.  03/04/2022

Real Estate Market UpdateGiving you the confidence to make the right decisionTake a look at just one local county – Chester County. Median home values have risen by nearly 10% and sales prices have risen by almost 12%1. This is a great example of what we see happening across the suburban Philadelphia region. Delaware and Montgomery Counties have seen similar rises in home values. The economic climate has been a large contributing factor to the wave of increased values: Continued historically low interest rates Reduced numbers of homes for sale, down nearly 60% in 2021 compared to the previous year. And looking at the 4th quarter of 2021, there has been a 75% reduction in available homes for sale compared with the same quarter in 2019. 40% of Americans are considering a move in 20222 As ... 03/03/2022

It was a beautiful, sunny day October 2--perfect for this long-running Pennsylvania house tour. With 23 homes to choose from, we decided to start with those around Everhart Square in the Borough of West Chester. And what a winner the Paxson house on Union St. was. Built in 1850 and owned by the same family today, it highlighted the talents of the owner.  He builds finials for lightning rods, but has become a self taught cabinet maker, creating doors, paneled walls, wainscoting, and period furniture in the home. One piece I particularly appreciated seemed to be a copy of a high chest by the Dunlap family of New Hampshire which is in the collection of nearby Winterthur Museum. We ran into a friend of the owner outside,and he gave us a tour of the grounds, which extend way back into the ce... 10/04/2021

Nothing beats old Mother Nature at this time of year, but definitely giving her a nudge is Glen Willow Orchards in Avondale, Pennsylvania. Although it takes a few minutes longer to get there than to my regular grocery store, when I need farm grown produce and especially their orange juice, I make a beeline north of my Hockessin, Delaware office to this friendly place.  What a variety of pumpkins and fall decor I found. There was a whole menagerie of animals some crafty person had fashioned out of straw, all looking out towards the fields of veggies.      Also loved the moose family and the chickens with the big feet.  I bought a warty pumpkin and golden pepper plant.        09/27/2021

Currently under contract - 1 Redtail Court West Chester PA 19382 - Welcome to this Move-In Condition Luxury End Unit 3 bedroom 2.5 bath Townhome located in Hunters Run.As you enter 1 Redtail Ct you will find the spacious living room/ dining room is set off by columns and rich molding. This light filled open space is finished with gleaming hardwood floors, plush carpeting, and high ceilings making a perfect entertaining space. Working from home is a breeze with a first floor office space featuring a 12 pane glass door just off the entry area, a convenient first floor powder room, and easy inside access to the 2 car garage.Just beyond, you will find the open kitchen / family room area. The gourmet eat-in kichen features 42" Maple cabinets, a large center island, separate pantry closet, an... 06/14/2021

"Sweet, A Walking Tour of West Chester PA" was the billing for this Chester County History Center tour today.  The History Center, founded in 1893, sponsored this talk led by guides in period costumes.We started out with an explanation of the types of cacao pods, then a demonstration of the beans being ground on a stone metate with a heat source underneath. Looked like a lot of work! We then visited one of the country's top chocolatiers, Eclat, on South High Street. Christopher Curtin, the owner, gave us samples of a truffle (delish!) and a piece of dark chocolate (wow!).  A steady stream of clients pulling up and picking up orders showed just how popular this chocolate is. Another stop was Gemelli Artisinal Gelato, on West Market Street. The owner, Vincenzo (genuine Italian craftsman) ... 05/08/2021

I have been selling real estate since 2004 and lived in this area since 1990. I always knew Chesterbrook was a popular place to live, but it was not till last year that I fully appreciated some of those reasons.When the pandemic hit our area, we were all told to stay at home, not to travel anywhere. I have always been a walker, more so the last few years and this being stuck indoors was very hard.I moved to Chesterbrook in 2019, living on Valley Stream Lane and from there had discovered a path along Valley Creek that took me underneath the Pennsylvania Turnpike right into the heart of Valley Forge Park. This allowed me to walk, to see nature and feel normal and get some much needed exercise too.  I took many photos of the park during this past year, of a beaver which surprised me, of bl... 05/05/2021

Open House Saturday May 8th 11 am - 1 pm and Sunday May 9th 1-3 pm Located in the prestigious and award winning T/E School district, 1549 Maple Avenue sits on 1.5 acres of wooded beauty giving amazing changes through the seasons. A cul-de-sac location provides privacy. This brick built colonial provides good flow through the main floor, large kitchen with space for breakfast table, with access to the spacious deck overlooking the hillside lot. Koi pond to the side of the house with additional water feature provides an elegant space to relax in the shade of an evening. Comfortable library/den area with fireplace, living room and dining room with laundry room and powder room complete the main level. Stairs to the upper floor with a large master, en suite bathroom, balcony and large walk i... 05/04/2021

This week Shawn DeAngelo of Prosperity Home Mortgage and I discuss five things that affect your credit score and your ability to qualify for a mortgage and get a great rate at the same time. Check out the video of our conversation and don't despair if you have some negative events in your life, we discuss those as well and be aware you may still be able to qualify for a mortgage even after a bankruptcy. For mortgage help contact Shawn DeAngelo of Prosperity Home Mortgage at 484-297-2192 or ShawnD@PHMLoans.com. Buying or selling on or around the Main Line, contact Nick Vandekar, Selling the Main Line with Long and Foster Real Estate Inc., office 610-225-7400, cell or text 610-203-4543, or Nick@VandekarTeam.com. 02/23/2021

We all know what we should do, most of us though, don't do what we know we should or we even sometimes do the opposite. Where a mortgage is concerned that can be disasterous if you want to buy a home.I had a conversation with Shawn DeAngelo of Prosperity Home Mortgages this week about some do's and don'ts when applying for a mortgage, watch our video, admittedly a litte long but packed with information and share any that you can think of that might derail a mortgage in the comments.Interested in buying a Main Line home, contact Nick Vandekar, Selling the Main Line with Long & Foster Real Estate, office 610-225-7400, cell or text 610-203-4543, Nick@VandekarTeam.com, need a mortgage contact Shawn DeAngelo, email ShawnD@PHMLoans.com or 484-297-2192. 02/16/2021

As of this morning, there are only 38 single family homes for sale in the West Chester Area School District.  38. Out of a total of 75 homes that would include condos and townhomes.  Homes are going way over asking, in bidding wars where buyers are waiving inspections, appraisals, mortgage contingencies!   It's a great time to be a seller.  Prices range from $310,000 to $2,450,000.  If you're curious about the home that's listed at $2,450,000, you can check it out here.  If you're curious about homes at any price in the West Chester area, sent me a quick email and I'm happy to provide information.  You can use the search function on my website by clicking here.If you are thinking of a move but are afraid to list it because you don't know where you'll go, we will need to be creative.  I'... 02/09/2021

With a vista of the fountain garden quietly surrounded by snow, our hike around Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania was very peaceful, with few other visitors present. But the carillon still sounded every quarter hour, the trees reached their leafless branches into the sunny sky, and the water in the grotto still mysteriously poured through a sunlit opening.  There is no specific orchid display in the conservatories as in the past, but Longwood has brought out some of their exotic orchids from their vast greenhouses and growing rooms. We were particularly fascinated by one whose flowers spill from witchy looking horns called Fredclarkeara After Dark.  The Mediterranean area is always beautiful, but had a particularly striking display which complimented the Gothic arches of ... 02/05/2021

We all know that in today's hot, hot buyer's market that an offer needs to stand out and be a little different. Prosperity Home Mortgage has been offering a great product the Propserity Buyers' Advantage; this is a program where buyers get fully approved for a loan, barring the appraisal and the title work. All paperwork from the buyer is reviewed by an underwriter and a commitment is issued with only the purchase details needing to be completed.I had a great conversation today with Shawn DeAngelo of Prosperity Home Mortgage about this program and some other things about preapprovals and mortgages. Enjoy the video below. Shawn's contact details are at the end of the video.If you are looking to make your offer stand out, then contact Nick Vandekar, Selling the Main Line with Long & Foste... 02/05/2021

I just listed this great townhome in the prestigious gated community of Arbordeau in Devon. Sitting behind its own gated patio, landscaped to resemble a Mediterranean landscape area, this 3 bed 2 1/2 bath home has underground parking for two cars as well. No reason to venture out into the cold or wet when you live here. Take a video tour: Arbordeau is perfectly located on the main line, and has the added security of being a gated secure community. Minutes to everywhere important on the Main Line and a short distance from Jenkins Arboretum, Devon or Berwyn Stations. Plentiful supply of excellent restaurants, shops and bars are all nearby.For your private tour contact Nick Vandekar, Selling the Main Line with Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. office 610-225-7400, cell or text 610-203-4543, o... 02/04/2021