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Phillyinvestorhub.com ! Our new site for Investors is now live ! Check it out !

Finally, a site dedicated for the Philadelphia Investor !

Philadelphia Investing

Chris and Stephnaie Somers along with the brilliant Intention Marketing just launched

Philly Investor Hub  !  (please provide feedback)

A good percentage of our business is working with investors, from those looking to build a portfolio of investment properties from those looking to build new construction.  Depending on market conditions, we also have helped numerous investors buy and sell "flip" properties (even in the current market ! )

We are bullish about the prospects of the Philadelphia real estate markets as can be seen in many of our Philadelphia real estate blog posts and a recent Forbes Article saying that Philadelphia is still a great city to buy or sell real estate.

Our clients enjoy working with us since we are also real estate investors as well.  We take pride with the real estate that we own in terms of providing quality housing to great tenants.

This site will be a place where our investor-type listings will gain more exposure and provide an opportunity for additional investors to get to know us.  It can be a place where sellers can get more exposure and buyers can find additional investment type properties instead of scouring for hours the MLS or Realtor.com .

We are very excited about the new site as we have big plans for it !!

Please take a moment to take a look and provide your feedback.  We are open to both positive feedback and constructive comments/criticism

Philly Investor Hub !

Chris and Stephanie Somers

 

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19 comments • Christopher and Stephanie Somers - Realtors - Philadelphia Real Estate • October 07 2008 07:46AM

Northern Liberties is in Business Week's Top 15 real estate buying opportunites !

Below are the top 15 areas that Business Week highlights as the top real estate buying opportunties in up-and-coming neighborhoods !

Business Week Article

The article highlights a specific neighborhood within each city.  The premis of the article is to watch where the artists are living now.   Being that Stephanie and I live in one of the sections - Northern Liberties in Philadlephia - we can certainly attest to the thriving culture.  We have great restaurants, coffee shops, artists and galleries and great new construction all around us.  Further, the trend has moved north to Old Kensington as well which is one of our favourite investment areas and real estate opportunities in all of Philadelphia.

Enjoy the list below !

1.  Atlanta, GA                                                                         Real Estate Investing

2.  Austin, TX

3  Boston, MA

4. Chicago, IL

5.  Los Angeles, CA

6.  Miami, FL

7. Minneapolis, MN

8.  Brooklyn, NY

9. Philadelphia, PA  - Northern Liberties  - Our home !

10.  Portland, OR

11.  Durhan, NC

12.  San Francisco, CA

13.  Seattle, WA

14. Shreveport, LA

15.  Washington DC

If interested in buying or selling in the thriving Philadelphia market, contact Chris and Stephanie Somers.

Philadelphia Real Estate

Philadelphia Real Eatate Blog

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3 comments • Christopher and Stephanie Somers - Realtors - Philadelphia Real Estate • October 03 2008 06:39PM

Stocks versus Real Estate - Lessons to be Learned

stockmarket vs real estate ?I think as individual investors we can all come to conclusions which investment classes are most suitable for us as far as meeting our individual goals.   Over time, the debate will always continue and sway back and forth over the question "What is the better investment ?   The stock market or real estate ? "

In times like this, I think it is pretty simple.

Companies like Merril Lynch, Lehman Brothers (LEH), Washington Mutual (WM), AIG, Wachovia to name a few are down 60 to 70 to 80 percent in the last 1 year !  Lehman brothers is down close to 90 percent !  These are all investments that the average stockbroker or investment banker would have promoted as "conservative" or a vital part of a stock portfolio.  This list does not even include a Fannie Mae (FNM) or a Freddie Mac (FRE).

The risk here is even with a 5 stock portfolio, just having one of these equities would have destroyed a portfolio.

Now some will say, these companies do not represent the whole market.  True.... so lets see what the market has done.

In the last year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down approximately 21 percent - see 1 year chart .

The Nasdaq is down 15.4 percent in the last 12 months - see 1 year chart .

stocks vs real estate ?Conversely, Toll Brothers is up 20 percent over the same periord !!!  Who would have thought ?  - see 1 year chart .

Either way, outside of California, Florida, Arizona, and Nevada, how many individual brick and mortar homes lost 60 to 80 percent of their value like a Washington Mutual, Lehman Brothers and so forth ?  Further, the average real estate investment property generates cash flow from the rent received.  Are the stock market companies paying dividends that can match the rent received ?  No !!!

I met with a client yesterday who is pulling out $90,000 in the stock market to buy an investment property in Old Kensington (Philadelphia Real Estate).  He told me, "Chris the stock market just has not been my friend in the last 10 years."  I agree, it has not been mine either.  He elaborated by saying he will put the $90,000 (he is paying cash) in this property as the investment will be in his control.  He can touch it, see it, improve it, rent it and so forth.  He can see the neighborhood improving around him.  He knows the average comparable property sells for around $130,000 so he knows he is getting built in equity off the bat.  Can the stock market provide that ?  No !!!   He does not have to worry about, of the $90,000, that his broker will not place more money in the likes of Fannie Mae preferred stock which lost pretty much all of its value one day last week !  Ouch !!! 

This will certainly be a topic to discuss more.  I know diversification is always key.  But over the long term, real estate certainly has to be a sizeable percentage of an investment portfolio.

Philadelphia Real Estate                               The Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

 

Feel free to subscribe to our blog to stay up to date with our latest posts and information on the Philadelphia Real Estate Market.  You can also sign up to receive the Philadelphia Real Estate Blog via email.

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10 comments • Christopher and Stephanie Somers - Realtors - Philadelphia Real Estate • September 13 2008 04:47PM