Main Line Real Estate | Jennifer LeBow, Realtor
Helping You Relocate to Philadelphia's Main Line
Jen LeBow’s pear and goat cheese salad recipe
Combine:
2 cut up Bartlett pears (ripe, but firm)
½ large sweet, crisp red apple (like honeycrisp, evercrisp or jazz)
1/2 cup goat cheese
1/3 cup candied pecans
1/3 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1-2 hearts of romaine, to preference
Dressing:
I like a fruity balsamic vinaigrette with this (try raspberry, strawberry or fig).
If you ever sat down and considered all the different kinds of insurance available for you home (it would have to be a slow day at work for sure), you might be surprised. There’s title insurance, which lenders require. Title insurance is designed to protect the bank (and owner) against other claims of ownership (like someone who shows up with a copy of a will stating that the property was left to her by a long-lost relative). It can also protect against things like mechanic’s liens and property line disputes.
Beyond title insurance, there is home owner’s insurance. Now don’t get me wrong, you definitely want home owner’s insurance. However, be aware that it doesn’t cover everything. In general, home owner’s insurance covers one-time events. For example, if a toilet overflows and damages floors and carpets, home owner’s will usually cover it. On the other hand, if your roof starts to leak because, over time, the shingles have degraded, it is not covered. Home owner’s tends to cover damage caused by an event that takes place at a moment in time. So be sure you understand what is covered and what is not.
Then there are home warranties. These generally cover (after a service call fee) appliances, plumbing, electrical and other things that wear out over time. Again, read the fine print which tells you what is covered, what the maximum payout is for specific items, etc. Home warranties often have add-ons like pool coverage or wells/septic systems. Some of the home warranties do cover roof leaks, as part of standard coverage; others require you to pay more for that option. They may not, however, cover sewer and water lines between the house and the street. While some do, if you know the water and sewer lines are old, you might want to look into specific insurance for those.
Obviously, you want to minimize the risk of a large financial burden in the event something goes wrong on your property. Equally obviously, though, you have to weigh the cost of the insurance against the perceived likelihood of a claim. The risk/reward analysis will help you decide what coverage you need.
If you are relocating to the Philadelphia/Main Line area, please go to my relocation tab. If you’d like to read other blog entries related to relocation, please scroll down a couple of lines from here and click on RELOCATION (to the right of FILED UNDER). Thanks!
The topic of this post, the walk and talk inspection, was not even on most people’s radar six months ago. But, as they say, times change and necessity is the mother of invention.
Is a walk and talk a good idea for you? Maybe. Obviously, this choice is better for those with higher risk tolerance and is more appropriate for newer homes or homes that appear to be in well-maintained condition. You should also always read the seller’s disclosure carefully to determine whether there seem to be areas of concern.
If you are relocating to the Philadelphia/Main Line area, please go to my relocation tab. If you’d like to read other blog entries related to relocation, please scroll down a couple of lines from here and click on RELOCATION (to the right of FILED UNDER). Thanks!
Navigating a new area is always a challenge. Not only do you have to find where to go (to the dry cleaner, hardware store, bank, restaurants, etc.) but you have to figure out the best way to get there. As far as how you will travel to these destinations, there are a few options: walk/bike, take public transportation or drive (or Uber/Lyft).
Walking. One of the most common preferences among my buyers is walkability. They want to be able to walk to coffee shops, pharmacies, and, if possible a sort of town center. While there are a few locations where that’s possible (Narberth Borough, Media Borough, West Chester Borough and South Wayne among them), it is more the exception than the rule. Walkability is difficult to find for two reasons.
First, the Main Line actually refers to the train line that runs along Lancaster Ave. (Route 30). As a result, the retail/commercial businesses in the area are overwhelmingly clustered along that four-lane road. North and south of Lancaster are residential neighborhoods with very few other shopping options. If you go as far south as West Chester Pike (Route 3), you’ll find a similar situation, but, again, it’s a four-lane road, not a scenic town center and it’s unlikely you’d find a home in a location that would be easily walkable.
The second challenge to finding a home in a walkable location is that many areas don’t have sidewalks. Our roads are often narrow and windy and frequently have no shoulders. So even if your destination is close by, it might not be feasible/safe to walk. Riding a bike might be a better option: While bicycling still requires care as far as safety on windy roads, it is a more common choice.
When I asked past relocation clients about what surprised them most about moving to the area, the topic of public transportation arose more than once. Interestingly, the comments ranged from “worse than I expected” to “better than I expected”. So I guess it’s all relative, depending on what you’re used to. That said, if you’re coming from NYC or Paris, you’re bound to find it wanting. SEPTA, our local public transit provider offers buses, regional rail lines, the El (elevated), and even trolleys.
Within the city of Philadelphia, there are usually good options. There are also regional rail lines (and, in some cases buses) from the Main Line from Media, Norristown, Chestnut Hill and Doylestown. As far as the Main Line goes, remember that the area is named for the train line: if you are appreciably north or south of Lancaster Avenue, there is very little public transportation available.
If you’re driving, you might be pleasantly surprised. While I certainly wouldn’t suggest we don’t have commuter traffic, you will benefit from living in an area that was developed before highways existed. Prior to expressways and turnpikes, there were surface roads that were used to travel everywhere. As a result, there are always several routes, other than ones using highways, to get from point A to point B along the Main Line. These alternative routes also mean that our commuter traffic is not quite as bad as you’d expect. One client, when asked what had surprised her when she moved here said:
How easy it is to get into the city and in general how easy it is to get around.
Beware, though: our road system is old. The history of the area makes for a charming landscape; we have roads that go right through creek beds and roads that are made of brick, for example. Additionally, roads were created as needed and don’t follow an organized, city planning kind of pattern. A road may make several 90 degree turns and keep the same name. Conversely, many roads start and stop and then pop up again several streets away, which makes is hard to know exactly where you are (good examples is Bryn Mawr Ave. or Old Gulph Rd.). One of my relocation clients made this very accurate observation:
For families new to the Main Line navigating local roads can be tricky. Many roads abruptly end and then randomly resume in other places. Thankfully we have navigation devices.
Don’t worry, you may need to experiment to find the best way to travel to different destinations but you’ll figure it out! That’s not a bad thing, though, as it will expose you to different routes and neighborhoods. The good news is that traffic isn’t as bad as you might think for a city of this size. So explore different options and decide what makes the most sense for you.
If you are relocating to the Philadelphia/Main Line area, please go to my blog page and search for posts using the relocation tag. Contact me to discuss your Philadelphia area relocation! jen@jenniferlebow.com/610 308-5973
Too often, home sellers are hesitant to invest in staging or even rearranging some of their belongings in order to produce more appealing pictures of their properties. Many even resist recommendations to de-clutter or clean up and figure “buyers can use their imaginations; they know our stuff won’t be here when they move in anyway”. Unfortunately, that kind of vision is rare. Sellers are much better off providing prospective buyers with photographic evidence of how good the house can look.
Keep in mind that almost everyone who is house hunting these days is beginning the search on line. And the very first thing people do when a property meeting their criteria (price, size, area, number of bedrooms, etc.) comes up is look at the pictures. If your pictures don’t draw them in, you have lost them as a prospect. They will quickly click away from your listing and you are unlikely to get a second chance to convince them your house is worth a visit.
If you are going to be listing your house, I strongly recommend this exercise: Take pictures of the interior and exterior of your house (just using your phone is fine) and evaluate them. Then, move/clean/change what you think you need to and repeat the exercise. If you are convinced that your house looks as good as it can without making improvements you won’t see an excellent return on investment on, you may be ready to list. Alternatively, you may not. I’d strongly urge you to show the pictures to your real estate agent. If he or she recommends additional staging, consider the cost and how much higher a price your agent believes those changes would yield. You might be surprised. Here is one example of a before and after with little financial investment, but a big difference in the bottom line.
As a side note, staging is extremely helpful in achieving a higher sales price in a vacant home. While you can stage it, depending on the price point, it can be expensive to have furniture brought in, set up and removed and your seller may balk at the cost. A much more affordable option is to have the picture of the vacant space virtually staged. Then, you can have the virtually staged pictures blown up and mounted on foam core or another rigid backing and display them on easels in the space. That way, when buyers are in the property, they are reminded of how a vacant room they are standing in could look if nicely furnished and accessorized. See a couple of examples below of pictures that have been virtually staged (these digitally created furnishings were never actually in the spaces).
Remember that when buyers are browsing the internet looking at properties, it’s the pictures that create their first impressions. People won’t look any further if they are not pulled in by the images. They won’t read about the great location or the layout and square footage or anything else that might actually be what they are looking for. They will click out of the listing and they rarely give a property a second chance. So do yourself a favor and do everything you can (from tidying, staging, hiring the best photographers, etc.) to deliver the most appealing photos possible.
When you are preparing to move to a new area as well as once you’ve relocated, you will need sources for where to find stuff. Whether it’s a Korean grocery store or a dentist, plant nursery or painter, you’ll have to learn who to call and where to go. I was fascinated to discover, after asking a relo client what surprised him most about moving to the Main Line. His comment was:
People don’t really use Yelp. Word of mouth culture means you have to dig around a lot more, using a broader variety of sources, to find recommendations and reviews. Facebook groups are the main easy source of local info online. In particular, the main source for babysitters and nannies is a local Facebook group.
I was confused because I can’t imagine trying to use Yelp. Ever. But I’m a native Main Liner! It seems other areas rely on Yelp as it’s non-interactive; it’s just a static list of reviews. You can’t have a conversation in real time with any of the posters. While I realize that not everyone is a Facebook fan (especially the very old and the under 30 crowd), it is an invaluable resource for information relating to the Main Line. Click here for an in-depth article on this topic. Some of the best pages include: Lower Merion Community Network and Main Line Parent Community. If you’re looking for child care, try Babysitters Club of the Main Line. Another great one is Main Line Mom Squad: Build Your Tribe–Find a Friend. If you want to know about dining options and connect with foodies, try this page.
Why do I recommend joining these Facebook groups?
If you are relocating to the Philadelphia/Main Line area, please go to my blog page and search for posts using the relocation tag. Contact me to discuss your Philadelphia area relocation! jen@jenniferlebow.com/610 308-5973
When you move to a new area, everything is new. Possibly a job, definitely a home, schools, neighbors, dentists, electricians–almost everything. One of the most pervasive differences, though, is the physical landscape. Imagine coming from a place like Phoenix and moving to the Main Line. Arizona is a desert. It’s hot (no snow!) and dry (we have rain and plenty of summer humidity!). Few trees and even less grass grows naturally in Arizona. Conversely, we have an incredibly lush backdrop and a very different climate. The view from the window of the house as well as from the car is very different.
Even though we are just outside of a major city, we have a surprising amount of undeveloped natural surroundings. People often remark on how many large, mature trees we have. Perennial plantings are common on properties and most people enjoy front and back lawns as well. I always ask my relocating clients what they have found most unexpected about moving to the area. Recently, I received these responses (verbatim):
We essentially live in a forest
Lots of really lovely spring and summer flowering trees, lots of nature trails and gardens, more than we expected
The number of fox, deer, rabbits, and raccoons that frequent my yard
How much undeveloped land there is, tons of parks, trails
There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the natural landscape in the form of walking/hiking trails, arboreta, gardens and state parks, as well as smaller municipal parks. A few of the most accessible trails are converted from abandoned train lines and include the Radnor Trail and the Chester Valley Trail. The much shorter Cynwyd Heritage Trail belongs to this group as well. Idlewild in Gladwyne is also lovely and a donation from an individual family. The Schulykill River Trail runs from south of the Art Museum all the way out to Valley Forge and is popular among bikers and runners. The Haverford College Nature Trail, generously open to public (and their 4-legged, leashed friends) is also a favorite destination in the heart of the Main Line.
Of course, if you’re looking for more of a day hike, Valley Forge National Park and Ridley Creek State Park, to name a few, are close by. Ockehocking Nature Preserve is also a wonderful outdoor space. No discussion of outdoor activities in the Philadelphia area would be complete without a mention of Fairmount Park, which is a treasured resource. The park is comprised of over 2.000 (not completely contiguous) acres. For a map showing many of the different destinations and activities available, click here and here.
If you like to roam around an arboretum for an afternoon, we have you covered! There’s Tyler, Morris, Jenkins and more! If more manicured gardens are more your style, the Main Line won’t disappoint. You owe it to yourself to visit both Longwood Gardens, recognized as one of the premier gardens in the country, as well as the more organic and incredibly charming Chanticleer in Wayne.
The topography and naturally occurring fauna even pervade daily life. Again, in response to my question about what most surprised them in moving to the region, various clients said
the number of “living fences” (bushes in a row)
sweet gum balls that fall all over our street
You’ll notice the windy and often narrow roads which follow the contours of rivers and streams. Speaking of streams, in Lower Merion, there are a couple of places where the roadbed goes directly through Mill Creek. That’s right, you drive through the creek as if that were a perfectly normal part of the road. Then there’s the overhanging rock in Upper Merion right near the expressway entrance. It’s a landmark that everyone recognizes solely by that description.
Due to a gift from the Japanese government many years ago (and supplemented by the city and townships since) we are surrounded by ornamental cherry trees which explode every spring in gorgeous pink flowers. Summer is lush and green. Certain streets with a lot of mature trees form a canopy of shade that feels like a tunnel. Fall on the Main Line is no disappointment either as our climate lends itself to fiery, brightly colored autumn leaves. Winter, too, is beautiful here. When it snows, it is picturesque, especially along the waterways and against the backdrop of the old stone houses that are typical of the area. (One client said he was surprised by how long it’s cold here but he was coming from California; it’s all relative!)
Most people tell me they are enchanted by the greenery and the number of beautiful trees. Natives as well as transplants seem to agree that the natural surroundings are one of the best features of the Main Line. Conservancy is alive and well here, so rest assured that these green spaces will remain intact.
Looking for more ways to enjoy the outdoors?
Outdoor activities with kids in and around Philadelphia
Philadelphia area gardens and arboreta
If you are relocating to the Philadelphia/Main Line area, please go to my blog page and search for posts using the relocation tag. Contact me to discuss your Philadelphia area relocation! jen@jenniferlebow.com/610 308-5973
There are kids who get to school in some dangerous and remarkable ways. (To see what I mean, click here!) Don’t worry; the Main Line doesn’t require anything quite so extreme. Other than foot, bicycle, scooter, skateboard, bus and car, (and maybe the odd pogo stick, here and there), there is no need to get wildly creative as far as transportation methods. Before determining how your child will travel to and from school, though, you’ll want to be sure to understand which school he or she will attend.
If you are planning to take advantage of the Main Line’s very highly rated public schools, you ‘ll need to understand which school is associated with a given address. Our school district boundaries are different here than in most areas. In many places, the town you live in dictates the school you attend. Here, it is the township. And several towns straddle multiple townships. For example, a Bryn Mawr address could mean either Lower Merion SD, Haverford SD or Radnor SD. Similarly, while one home in Wayne could be districted to T-E SD (Tredyffrin-Easttown), others would be attached to Radnor SD or Upper Merion SD. For more information, click here to see two different school boundary maps (one of which is interactive). To learn about the different school districts, scroll down past the maps for more information and links. For a more detailed post about the boundaries, please click here. For another slant on this topic click here. Learn what factors are important when evaluating school districts ahead of a relocation. Finally, if you’re ready to get into the nitty-gritty of choosing a school in this area, click here.
People often ask which Main Line school within my district will my children attend and do I have a choice? Each district has a school district boundary map which should allow you to see which addresses are districted to which schools. While, if the school you are districted to is overenrolled, you will be assigned a different one, it happens very rarely. Beyond that, you generally don’t have a choice to go to a school other than the one you are districted to.
If you live in Lower Merion SD, however, there are some exceptions: if your property is districted to Harriton High School, but in the walk zone for Lower Merion High School, you have a choice of either high school. Also, Harriton is an option for all Lower Merion School District students. An important change to note if you are in Lower Merion SD: As of September 2022, there will be a new middle school, and to ease crowding, the 6 elementary schools will now only go to 4th grade. Middle will be 5-8. To find out what school your address is districted to, click here: https://www.lmsd.org/departments/operations/transportation/maps]
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, your child won’t have to climb rope ladders or scale steep cliffs in order to arrive at school. Many parents ask: Will my children be bused? I get this question often as, it seems, in other areas, busing is not always offered. In most local districts, if the school is under a mile away (¾ of a mile for elementary students) AND there are sidewalks the entire journey (very rare), busing is not available. However, because it is unusual to have a continuous, safe path with sidewalks for more than half a mile or so in most places on the Main Line, the majority of kids are bused. If your location does not allow for busing, you can drive your child or walking/bicycling may be an option. A second, unusual perk of our busing system is that even students attending private schools are eligible for free busing by the school district. These children often transfer at a central location, but they do qualify for busing.
The decision of where to send your child to school is one most parents take very seriously. The Main Line has very highly rated public schools as well as an incredible number of private schools with different focuses. There are schools that specialize in supporting students with auditory processing struggles, students who are gifted and students who need smaller class sizes to succeed. There are single-sex schools, schools that strongly emphasize the arts and schools that focus on community service. So there is still research to be done and choices to be made. However, I hope that some of the logistical questions about school on the Main Line have been answered above.
If you are relocating to the Philadelphia/Main Line area, please go to my blog page and search for posts using the relocation tag. Contact me to discuss your Philadelphia area relocation! jen@jenniferlebow.com/610 308-5973
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