hi, i am looking to purchase a house somewhere in the center city area. i'm looking to live in a somewhat up-and-coming neighborhood where housing prices are decent (my range is approx $130K-$170K), the houses you'll get are in decent but upgradeable shape, and the area has some nice restaurants/bars/etc. within walking distance. so far i've looked in the art museum area, the outskirts of graduate hospital and SW center city, and fishtown. does anyone have any other suggestions for areas that might suit my needs? thanks!

chris

I think you're looking in the right parts of town, by and large. Technically those neighborhoods are not in Center City proper, but I think one of the things that's becoming apparent in our ongoing discussion of neighborhoods is that "Center City" and "downtown" are no longer quite synonymous in Philly. I've been speaking recently in terms of "greater Center City" or "the Center City area."

I'm not sure you'll find a lot for those prices even in the places you mention, though perhaps the Grad Hospital area (or SoSo, South of South) might yield something. You'll have to live a bit on the fringes to get a deal that good. Otherwise you might need to up your target price to $200K or thereabouts.

Well, you've basically got the main points covered.

Right now, in all of Philadelphia, from $130,000 to $170,000 you've got a grand total of 356 places for sale.

However, in actual "Center City" which is a box formed by

Delaware River on the East
Vine Street on the North
Schuylkill River on the West
South Street on the South

you've got NONE, (well perhaps one if you count the south side of South Street, which is technically just across the line.)

If you draw another set of lines
and include the areas just north, west and south of Cente City-

Delaware River on the East,
Girard Avenue on the North
45th Street on the West
Tasker on the South -

you have an area you could consider "ex-urban Center City" or pehaps
"ExCentric City" -Hmm, something tells me I ought to trademark that!

Anway, in that fertile cresent, or economic penumbra outside Center City, there are 38 places in the price range you quote.

Working counter clockwise, you've got a couple places in Northern Liberties, a few in Faimount/Girard, some in University City, SOSO, Graduate Hospital, plus Bella Vista and Queen Village.


Let me know if you want more details.

Hal

while cc area might be appropriate, these areas are NOT CC and do not feel like it. that does not make them bad but i guess putting CC in the ad gets you more calls.

thanks for all the replies so far. i should clarify that i'm not looking for "center city" in the official context of that term -- i just use that term loosely to describe anywhere from girard ave south to washington ave (or thereabouts) -- and from river to river. i hope this doesn't send shivers down any spines -- i mean no harm by declaring those boundaries -- but they are what i consider close enough to the heart of the city where i'd feel as though i'm actually 'in' the city, versus on the outskirts.

responding to hal directly, i'd love more details if you can provide them. i'm pretty familiar with most of the online home search tools (via prufoxroach and otherwise) but i'd be willing to entertain any other listings if they are different from those available publicly.

thanks again,

chris