Does anyone on the board own a house in Belmont/Parkside/Mantua/Walnut Hill and if so how much is housing stock going for and what is it like?

I am looking to purchase my first home sometime this year, but am having trouble finding afforadle ($150,000 or less) housing in areas of the city I like. Is it still possible to find a home in Ceder Park for less than $250,000?

Is there anywhere to find a larger home (5 bedrooms and up) for $150,000 or less?

I keep looking online, but all I can find are expensive Spruce Hill victorians or cheap 2 story homes in Cobbs Creek. Is there an inbetween?

Try realtor.com, they have a lot of listings in Belmont/Parkside/Mantua. Since you've listed your location as "Powelton Village," I'm assuming you know what you'd be getting into if you bought in those areas, though. I'd recommend looking in Mantua first. I have a co-worker who bought there and his neighbors have told him the area's gotten significantly better over the past couple years (but there are still gun shots and stuff from time to time). Don't know that the same can be said of Belmont and Parkside, at least not yet.

You might also look into West Powelton, although you may have a hard time finding anything bigger than 2 stories for less than $150k. There are some larger 2 stories with porches out here, but I haven't seen one for sale in some time -- there's this, but the fact that it doesn't have a photo might be a bad sign. It also isn't as large as the 2-stories I was talking about.

__________________
Your representatives on Philadelphia's City Council are at odds with our new mayor over whether many reforms he has proposed should become law. Please write to them and tell them what your priorities are.

Indict State Senator Vince Fumo into The Crooked Pol Hall of Fame.

Yeah I know what those neighborhoods are like, but honestly Powelton Village is too much money and just not what I am looking for in a neighborhood.

I used to live off Baltimore Ave off 50th, any suggestions for a neighborhood with a similar feel that is affordable?

What is West Powelton like? Is it full of college kids like PV is? (The biggest thing that kills this neighborhood is the Drexel kids)

And where in Mantua do your friends live? I looked at homes for rent in the low thirties a while back off Haverford and it seemed pretty nice, but I have heard horror stories about everything north of Spring Garden (they are mostly from Drexel kids who went all wide-eyed when I told them I moved here frm 50th, so I really dont trust the opinion.)

Does anyone know of a neighborhood with affordable victorians left?

Things change a lot once you cross Lancaster Ave. There seem to be a handful of student rentals around Saunders Park and down near Market St, but nothing like the hoards of kids you see in the 34th & Powelton area at night. The closest I usually get to college students is when Drexel has a soccer/lacross/etc game (their fields are also a pretty good buffer between WP and the areas to the West -- I think they also have a 24 hour security guard there).

Most of West Powelton is working class and retired folks, many of them homeowners. Most of the crime complaints I've heard have been fairly tame compared to other neighborhoods, but there does seem to be a bit of drug dealing and prostitution, mostly north of Baring. Personally, I like it here. I haven't had any problems, even though I can see Westpark when I look out my windows (there's also a family on my block who used to live at Westpark and have since bought -- Westpark really isn't as bad as a lot of projects, or at least whatever may go on there doesn't really spill over into West Powelton).

Not sure of the exact location, but I would assume it's in the area b/t Haverford and Girard, the river to 40th (I'll ask him at work, if I remember). It's a guy my company hired to do some contract work, not anybody I know well. He says he's heard a good amount of gunfire, but his neighbors assure him it's gotten a heck of a lot better over the past couple years. I think he also rides his bike to work, so it can't be all that bad.

__________________
Your representatives on Philadelphia's City Council are at odds with our new mayor over whether many reforms he has proposed should become law. Please write to them and tell them what your priorities are.

Indict State Senator Vince Fumo into The Crooked Pol Hall of Fame.

Thanks for the info Dave, I will def. look into West Powelton.

In another neighborhood:

Which real estate companies cover the SW corner of West Philly? from Trinity to Baltimore?

Does anyone live in that area? (Springfield, Trinity, Regent, Warrington?) And how are the housing prices/ rents?

I work as a journalist and really do not make that much money, so I am going to have to deal with what I can afford, but it would be key to live in that area of the city.

I'd also recommend West Powelton. Some students do live there, but they certainly don't have a large presence like they do in Powelton/East Mantua. Another area of the city with a nice stock of Victorian homes is Germantown. Germantown has its nice parts and bad parts, but the housing stock overall is superb.

If you are looking for a neighborhood that will appreciate tremendously in the next 10 years, try East Parkside.

__________________
- George -

http://www.nutter2007.com

A bit farther west, but theres still quite a few nice, large homes in areas of the Cobbs Creek Neighborhood. Anywhere in the 6100 block west to the park from baltimore up through, say, catharine is generally nice. I own on the 6200 block of Washington, most homes are 3 stories arts-and-crafts style, with 5 bedrooms. All also have garages in the basement via a rear alley. Generally very nice neighborhood, my neighbors are great. Just not much to do, and sort of an "island" - i wouldnt walk much past 58th late at night. Easy access to rt 34 trolley tho.

The neighborhood is patrolled by the Men of Cobbs Creek, a very active community group that is interested in keeping drugs, crime out of the neighborhood. Most people have been in the neighborhood for all their lives.

A place on 6200 washington was just listed for $120,000. Most of the 3 story places go for 150 - 180, if they are in good condition. Theres a few others in the area as well, I don't know much more off the top of my head. In my experience, when a 3-story/5-bedroom place goes up for sale, its usually under contract within 30 days.

I agree West Powelton is your best bet

$149,000 341 Sloan St

$174,900 513 N 41st St

$159,900 425 N Preston St

Hi my name is Tom O'Malley and I work at O'Donnell Real Estate. We just cover University City but here is a list of houses mostly outside of what is traditionally known as University City that are 5 bedrooms and up and are below 150K. If you want you can give us a call and I can email you a better list. Shameless plug -- our phone # is 215-222-9500, and our website is http://www.odonnellre.com If we can't help you we can refer you to someone who can.
4832596 1A 19104 882 N Holly St $57,000 5 1/0 RTC 10/19/2006

4896462 19104 828 N Preston St $75,000 5 2/0 RTC 12/21/2006

4799508 1A 19104 858 N 44th St $80,000 5 1/1 RTC 08/28/2006

4892318 p 1A 19104 910 N 41st St $89,900 5 3/0 RTC 12/14/2006

4802597 p 1A 19104 3862 W Girard Ave $89,900 5 2/0 RTC 09/01/2006

4899736 1A 19104 3912 Haverford Ave $99,900 5 1/0 RTC 12/28/2006

4897412 19104 721 N 44th St $134,900 5 2/0 RTC 12/22/2006

4822282 19104 1105 N 40th St $135,000 5 3/0 RTC 10/03/2006

4812455 19139 411 N 54th St $54,900 5 1/0 RTC 09/18/2006

4811332 19139 4943 Locust St $75,000 6 1/1 RTC 09/15/2006

4828077 19139 148 N 51st St $79,900 5 1/0 RTC

4884856 19143 1112 S 52nd St $75,000 5 2/0 RTC

4689071 19143 5830-32 Pentridge St $119,900 6 2/0 RTC 03/07/2006

4901688 19143 6219 Washington Ave $120,000 5 2/1 TWN

I think I looked at this one, back when they were asking more for it and before it got officially listed (asking $225k, I think, which is kind of unreasonable for that location). It's a full rehab. No historic detail was preserved, but it didn't look like a really shoddy rehab, either. Definitely livable while you take your time making any desired changes (although a home inspector might prove me wrong). The guy showing the place also said that the vacant lot behind the house (513 N Budd St, presumeably) comes with the house, but I would check with the city to make sure.

As far as location, it's halfway between Spring Garden and Haverford, so not the best location, but much better than farther up. About half the block is houses, with a church and a couple warehouses on the northern half. Nobody could tell me what either warehouse was, but one of them may be the one the "anarchist" kids are always riding to on their bikes, or they may get converted into apartments or condos at some point... who knows.

__________________
Your representatives on Philadelphia's City Council are at odds with our new mayor over whether many reforms he has proposed should become law. Please write to them and tell them what your priorities are.

Indict State Senator Vince Fumo into The Crooked Pol Hall of Fame.