Welcome to Wayne PA. This station is on the SEPTA R5 Regional Rail Line just west of the Blue Route (I-476).
With a prime location on the Main Line, the Wayne SEPTA stop is one of only four R5 rail stops in Delaware County. The R5 Regional Rail Line parallels the Main Line from downtown Philadelphia to Downingtown/ Thorndale. This line is still served by Amtrak but the nearest Amtrak stop is a few stations to the west in Paoli or just a bit further east in Ardmore.
This is an ideal commuter station with some commuter parking on both sides of the track and with plenty of space for picking up and dropping off passengers. It is also within easy walking distance of many single family homes to the north and the multitude of condominiums and apartments in the area. Wayne is also a prime shopping, commercial, and restaurant destination. The video will provide a better feel for the area:
Wayne continues to be a prime real estate market. As in most areas, the Wayne, zip code 19087, hit its peak sales activity in 2004 with 168 sales as the average price first moved above the $600,000 mark. Prices continued to rise as sales tended down through 2007. In 2005 there were 165 sales averaging $695,000, in 2006 144 sales with an average price of $689,000, and finally prices peaked at an average of $778,000 in 2007 with 157 sales.
In 2008, sales fell to 113 homes with an average price of $757,000 and have continued the slide this year with 55 sales year to date at an average price of $607,000. Today, there are an additional 76 homes on the market with an average list price of $1,097,000 and 19 homes are under contract with an average list price of $924,000 (the average sales price should be rising as these settle).
With its prime location, diverse array of housing options, great eating and shopping options, and good rail links, Wayne should continue to be one of the preferred commuting and housing destination on the Main Line for years to come.
As always, should you need any additional information, please feel free to contact me anytime.
Located in Smedley Park, today we are taking a look at the Paper Mill Rd Trolley Stop.
Paper Mill Rd is a local stop on the SEPTA Route 101 Trolley line running from the 69th Street Terminal out to State Street in Media. It has frequent service 7 days a week and multiple stops throughout its line. The Paper Mill Rd stop is located in Smedley Park adjacent to the I476/ Blue Route Corridor. The stop is just one block north of Baltimore Pike at this point and Paper Mill Rd is the first intersection east of the Blue Route.
Smedley Park is a Delaware County Park that was named after the founder of the County’s Parks & Recreation Board: Samuel L Smedley. The park contains approximately 120 acres of land and is located just north of Baltimore Pike and runs under the Blue Route. The park contains various picnic facilities, athletic fields, and hiking paths. It is also the home of the Penn State’s Cooperative Extension of Delaware County.
This is a local stop with no assigned commuter parking. It is within walking distance of much of the park, but commuters would probably be better served through one of the adjacent stations that have assigned parking. It is very convenient for park events and is within easy walking distance of the Cooperative Extension Office.
As always, if you have any questions or are thinking of a move, feel free to contact me anytime.
Welcome to the Elwyn R3 SEPTA Regional Rail Station – the last stop on the R3 line.
The SEPTA R3 Regional Rail Line provides service from Center City Philadelphia through Media to the Elwyn station. Although this line originally ran to West Chester, service beyond Elwyn was suspended in 1986. Today plans are under way to restore SEPTA service to the WAWA station as early as 2011.
The Elwyn Station is located in eastern Middletown Township and is the only Middletown Regional Rail stop. The station itself is adjacent to the Elwyn’s 400 acre campus just east of Middletown Rd on Elwyn Avenue. It is a popular commuter station with over 200 parking spaces and plenty of space for dropping off and picking up passengers. The video will provide a better feel for the area:
Middletown Township was one of the first places in the county to feel the surge of real estate activity in the early 2000’s. Earlier than most areas, sales activity actually peaked here in 2003 with 174 sales and remained high with 157 sales in 2004 and 167 sales in 2005. Since then activity has fallen quite a bit to 154 units in 2006, 143 in 2007, 109 in 2008 and to only 34 year-to-date in 2009. There are an additional 27 properties currently under contract.
In that same period, average sales prices rose from $326,000 in 2003 to top out at $387,000 in 2007. This average then fell to $361,000 in 2008 and to an average of only $299,000 so far this year. The average is expected should rise as additional pending homes settle – they currently have an average list price of $433,000. Today, there are an additional 74 homes on the market with an average asking price of $551,000.
Due to its central location, easy road access, and commuter rail options, Middletown Township should remain as one of the more popular areas to reside in the county. It is also home to some potential major new development as the Franklin Mint site continues through the redevelopment process.
As always, if you are considering a move in the area, have any questions, or need any additional information, please feel free to contact me anytime.
Today we’re in Drexel Hill visiting the Drexel Park Station for the SEPTA 101 and 102 trolleys in Upper Darby PA.
From the 69th Street Terminal out to the Drexel Junction, the 101 and 102 trolleys use the same tracks before splitting. The 101 Trolley continues west to Media, while the 102 Trolley turns generally south to end in Sharon Hill. The 102 Trolley line intersects with the SEPTA R3 Regional Rail Line at the Clifton Aldan Station while the 101 generally parallels the R3 as it continues into Media.
The Drexel Park Station itself is a very well tended station designed to serve the local commuters as a walk up or drop off station. There is no designated commuter parking for this stop or the next stop west at Irvington (also in Drexel Park). It does have very frequent service to the 69th Street Terminal with continuing service on the high speed line toward Center City Philadelphia. It remains a popular commuting option for the local residents. The video will provide a better feel for the area:
Locally, the real estate market has experienced what we have been seeing throughout the county. Drexel Park sales activity peaked in 2005 with 29 sales with an average price of $285,000. Prices peaked in 2006 with an average price of $339,000 with 23 sales. Since 2006, we have seen 21 sales at an average price of $331,000 in 2007, 13 sales at an average price of $297,000 in 2008, and 5 sales year to date 2009 with an average settled price of $285,000. In addition, there are currently 12 homes actively on the market with an average list price of $347,000 and an additional 6 homes that are pending – averaging $286,000. Based on these figures, I would expect the sales volume to rise a bit this year even while pricing may remain fairly weak.
Overall, this is a great area and one of the nicest original neighborhoods found that still affords easy commuting into Philadelphia. As originally intended, this station continues to be an ideal stopping point for the local commuters but is not designed with additional parking for people living outside the area.
As always, should you have any questions or need any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me anytime.
Clifton Heights Borough Pennsylvania is one of the smaller boroughs in Delaware County Pennsylvania but is an important road, train, trolley, and bus crossroads and is well served by SEPTA. The borough itself is centered on the intersection of Baltimore Ave (Baltimore Pike as you travel west) and Springfield Rd which both carry heavily traveled bus lines. The 102 Trolley travels basically north to south through the borough on its way from the 69th Street Terminal to its end in Sharon Hill PA. The R3 Regional Rail Line runs along its southern border with Aldan generally from east to west.
The SEPTA R3 Regional Rail Line station is located at the intersection of the R3 Rail Line and the 102 Trolley at the Rail Line’s overpass at Springfield Rd. The original station is on the south/Aldan side and it has a shed on the Clifton Heights side of the platform. There are good size parking lots located on both sides of the track as well as affording plenty of space on each side for dropping off/picking up passengers. It is within easy walking distance of many homes and businesses in both boroughs. The video should give you a better feel for the area:
Although prices have pulled back somewhat, the real estate market has remained very active. From an average sales price of less than $100,000 in 2003, prices rose quickly to peak at an average of $143,000 in 2007. Activity actually spiked to 128 transactions in 2004 and has drifted down since then to 125 sales in 2005, 111 in 2006, 96 in 2007, and 64 in 2008. In 2009 we have already seen 24 settlements at an average price of $124,000 with an additional 13 properties pending ($142,000 average price) and 37 homes now available on the market at an average $158,000 list price. Considering the the higher average pending price at this time, the average sales prices could be heading a bit higher.
This is a great commuting station with good access to rail, trolley, and bus lines. It also has parking and is within easy walking distance of many residential areas. If you need transportation to or from the area, this is a great station to consider.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me for any additional details.
(All statistics are from the TrendMLS System and believed accurate but not guaranteed)
Welcome to the Ardmore Avenue Station of the SEPTA Route 100 High Speed Line.
The SEPTA Rt 100 High Speed Line runs from the 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby Delaware County to Norristown in Montgomery County. This particular station is located at the crossing of the tracks with Ardmore Avenue just to the north of the Merion Golf Club and south of the intersection of Ardmore Ave with Haverford Road.
The Ardmore Ave station has limited parking so it is better situated as a drop off/walk up station for the local residents. It is within walking distance of much of the western area of Ardmore Park and within range of much of the student housing for Haverford College which is located north of Haverford Road and west of Ardmore Ave. The Haverford station would be a closer stop to the campus itself. Closer to the station there are predominately single family homes. The video provides a bit better idea of the area:
As far as real estate in the area, there is a wide mix of townhomes, twins, and single family homes in the area. Using only the twins north of the track just in the western area of Ardmore Park, the pricing is tracking what we have seen in much of the area. Activity peaked in 2006 with 30 sales and an average price of $275,000. Pricing peaked in 2007 at $278,000 with 25 sales and then fell to 16 sales at an average price of $268,000 in 2008. In 2009, we have seen an increase with only four completed sales at an average price of $305,000. All these properties were in great move-in condition.
Today there are an additional 8 properties on the market at an average of $272,000 list and 2 properties under contract with an average list price of $266,000. Based on these numbers, we should see the average sales price coming down.
So again, welcome to the Ardmore station. This is a convenient local suburban Philadelphia commuter station providing easy access to the additional connections both through Norristown and the 69th Street Terminal heading toward Philadelphia. The station is within walking distance to a wide array of housing choices. As always, feel free to contact me anytime with questions, topics, or concerns.
(All statistics from the TrendMLS System are believed accurate but not guaranteed.)
Chester actually has two rail stations that are situated on the SEPTA R2 Regional Rail Line. The one to the north is the main Chester Transportation Center located in the original downtown area of Chester within easy walking distance of much of its commercial core and government offices.
This station is the next stop south and is known as the Highland Avenue Station. Located just to the south of the Commodore Barry Bridge going from Chester to New Jersey, this platform is located about midway between the I95 Interstate exit to Highland Ave and the Delaware River. It is the closest stop to the new Soccer Stadium which is being built just south of the bridge and the new commercial development along the riverfront including The Wharf at Rivertown.
This is strictly a local stop as there is really no adjacent off street parking available. There is on street parking, but one should check for any current local parking restrictions. It is located within a mainly residential district but is within walking distance of the Community Hospital of Chester– part of the Crozer-Keystone Health System. The video will give you some additional details:
The local real estate market has remained mixed. The average prices for the City of Chester actually hit a peak in 2008 with 189 sales averaging $65,000. Prices took a big hit in the fourth quarter with average pricing for the last six months (with 52 sales) averaging $54,000, but this has recovered a bit as we have entered 2009 with 16 settlements to date with an average list price of $59,000. In addition, there are currently an additional 22 properties pending and 135 residential units for sale with an average asking price of $59,000. With all the new development currently in progress in the city, future pricing will be dependant on the success of the development currently under way.
So today, this is a convenient stop for those in the immediate area but would generally not be a prime commuter station with parking particularly for those needing transportation to or from the station. In the future, it could become an important link as new development continues in the immediate area along the river front since this is currently the nearest stop.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me.
(All statistics from the TrendMLS System and believed accurate but not guaranteed.)
Today we are visiting the Aldan PA SEPTA 102 Trolley Line Station located in the center of Aldan at the intersection of Woodlawn Avenue and Providence Rd. Aldan Bourough Pa is located just south of Clifton Heights, east of Upper Darby and Springfield, north of Collingdale and Sharon Hill, and generally west of Lansdowne and Darby.
The SEPTA 102 Line runs from the 69th Street Terminal to Sharon Hill. This station is just two stops south of where it crosses the SEPTA R3 Regional Rail Line which runs from Center City out to Media/Elwyn. This line runs down the center of Woodlawn Ave through the center of Aldan and does not have any designated parking although street parking is available. There is some additional parking adjacent to the R3 Station. With frequent service, this is a great local pick up point located adjacent to the Borough Hall and the Aldan Elementary School. The video will provide some additional details:
In general, real estate pricing has held up here better than in many sections of the county. After reaching a peak of 91 sales in 2004, sales volume has decreased across the board to 72 sales in 2005, 61 in 2006, 49 in 2007, 42 in 2008, and 18 in the last six months. Despite this declining sales rate, prices have remained relatively solid until just recently. In 2004 the average sales price was $158,000 which then jumped to $184,000 in 2005. Since then, there has been very little movement with prices averaging $188,000 in 2006, $189,000 in 2007, $182,000 in 2008, and $186,000 for the last six months. Currently, there are an additional 32 homes on the market with an average list price of $185,000 and seven pending sales with an average list price of $158,000. When these properties settle, we will see the average sales price going down a bit further.
So compared to many communities in the area, Aldan has proven to be one of the more stable areas. The Borough remains popular with easy access to both the R3 Regional Rail and the SEPTA 102 Trolley providing quick access to Center City Philadelphia and the surrounding local communities.
Should you have any questions or need any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me anytime.
(All statistics from the TrendMLS System and believed accurate but not guaranteed.)
This is the only R3 Regional Rail stop in Nether Providence and is one stop west of Swarthmore and the second stop east of Media. It is a great location for suburban commuters in the area with easy drop off/pick up access.
The stop itself is located in a largely residential area just east of Providence Rd/Route 252. Route 252 is one of the major north-south routes in the county beginning in Nether Providence and continuing through Newtown Square up towards Paoli in Chester County. There is adjacent parking but this is a popular stop with relatively limited parking so this is a better drop off location for local commuters. South Media is just to the northwest, Furness Park is to northeast, Wallingford Elementary School is just to the south, and the Wallingford Township Office is southeast. For a better feel, take a quick look at the video:
The prices for real estate in Nether Providence have held up fairly well. After rising from an average sales price of $286,000 in 2005 to $326,000 in 2006, prices have been settling downward to $320,000 in 2007, $311,00 in 2008, and $307,000 over the last six months. This is much better than many areas in Delaware County. Activity has also dropped a bit from 198 homes sales in 2006 and 199 home sales in 2007 to only 163 sales in 2008 and 64 properties sold in the last six months. There are currently an additional 14 properties under contract at an average list price of $341,000 and 97 properties on the market for an average list price of $391,000.
As always, should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
(All statistics from the TrendMLS System and believed accurate but not guaranteed.)
Folcroft is a great community incorporated in 1922 and conveniently located in southeastern Delaware County PA. The station itself is located just east of the Primos Ave overpass (Primos Ave becomes Oak Lane as you travel further north). It is the fifth stop west of 30th Street Station, with a 15 minute scheduled travel time. The SEPTA R2 line actually parallels the main Amtrak Northeast Corridor rail lines from Center City through Newark DE, although Amtrak does not currently stop here. The station also offers easy connections with several bus routes and offers parking and plenty of space for pick up or drop off passengers.
Immediately adjacent to the station there is a mix of single family homes, twins, and rows. Primos Ave actually forms the border between Folcroft and Glenolden at this point. Throughout the borough, row homes are the most common construction with the largest development being Delmar Village. Like many areas in Delaware County and Suburban Philadelphia, prices have been drifting down for the last couple years. The average sale price in 2007 was $129,000 which dropped to $118,000 in 2008, and to $92,000 so far this year.
Needless to say, activity has also taken a hit here recently due to the overall economy. There are currently 40 homes listed as active on our MLS with 5 pending and 44 having been sold in the last six months. The average price for those listed is $137,000 while those that have settled have averaged $116,000 (the 5 pending homes have an average price of $114,000).
With the economic stimulus bill that is now working its way through Congress, this area of Delaware County could be one of the first to benefit. With its convenient location on the R2 Rail Line and being only minutes from the Philadelphia International Airport and I95 by car, it retains many advantages as a place to be called home in Pennsylvania.
As always, if you need anything, please do not hesitate to contact me anytime!
(All statistics from the TrendMLS system and believed correct but not guaranteed)
With a prime location on the Main Line, the Wayne SEPTA stop is one of only four R5 rail stops in Delaware County. The R5 Regional Rail Line parallels the Main Line from downtown Philadelphia to Downingtown/ Thorndale. This line is still served by Amtrak but the nearest Amtrak stop is a few stations to the west in Paoli or just a bit further east in Ardmore.
Paper Mill Rd is a local stop on the SEPTA Route 101 Trolley line running from the 69th Street Terminal out to State Street in Media. It has frequent service 7 days a week and multiple stops throughout its line. The Paper Mill Rd stop is located in Smedley Park adjacent to the I476/ Blue Route Corridor. The stop is just one block north of Baltimore Pike at this point and Paper Mill Rd is the first intersection east of the Blue Route.
Welcome to the Elwyn R3 SEPTA Regional Rail Station – the last stop on the R3 line.
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