I was born and bred in South Philadelphia.  The only thing I know about horses, I learned from watching movies and TV shows.  In my world horses never lay down, or so I thought.Years ago, almost 40 to be exact, when I moved to the suburbs and started selling real estate, I was driving north on Airport Road in West Chester when to my horror, there were several horses, lying down in a field!I was panic-stricken so I drove down the long driveway to alert the farmer that his horses may be dying!  I got out of the car and ran to the front door.  Running in heels isn't ever advisable and of course, I turned my ankle.  As it reached the front door, a large muggy dog ran up to greet me by sliding his wet muddy paws down the front of my dress (in those days, a dress, pantyhose, and heels were ju... 09/20/2024

With the current talk about interest rates dropping refinancing a mortgage can be a smart financial move, but the timing and circumstances need to be right. Here’s a breakdown of the best time to refinance, things to consider, and how your home equity impacts the process:Best Time to Refinance: Lower Interest Rates: If mortgage rates have dropped significantly since you took out your loan, refinancing could help lower your monthly payments and overall interest costs. Improved Credit Score: If your credit score has improved since you first took out your mortgage, you may qualify for better rates, making refinancing worthwhile. Change in Loan Terms: You might want to shorten your loan term (e.g., from a 30-year to a 15-year mortgage) to pay off your home faster or extend the term to lower... 09/18/2024

Hershey's Mill is an over-55 community in popular East Goshen Township, Chester County.  It is about 45 minutes from downtown Philadelphia and minutes away from West Chester Borough, a wonderful college town with great shops and popular restaurants.  It is located on 800 beautifully landscaped acres and is a gated community with a community pool, tennis, pickle ball, bocce and so much more.  You can be as active or inactive as you choose as many clubs and fun things are going on there. Homes usually sell very quickly there and right now there are only 4 active listings.  Prices range from mid $200,000's to well above $700,000.  There is a home for every budget although you might have to wait a bit for one to come on the market and then act quickly!If your are curious about what Is for s... 09/17/2024

We have all heard about the lack of inventory for the past several years and seen with our own eyes the rising cost of houses in our areas. But specifically this past year I have noticed that builders new in-fill construction and large mansion style homes are nearly always being listed at $2 million and above. Just today I got an invitation to an open house for a new construction home priced at $2,335,520.If not above $2 million these new listings are in the high $1.7 million and above category. And it is not like these homes are hanging around either, they are getting snapped up by buyers looking to live in award winning school districts.This also puts pressure on housing in the lower price points as builders are now looking for lots for future projects. So homes that would have been b... 09/13/2024

When you are buying a house you may encounter excitement and fear. The excitement moves you forward with hopes and dreams about your potential new home along the Main Line or in Chester County or one of the other surrounding counties, Delaware and Montgomery. Then you encounter the issues of low inventory, strong demand and most recently the rising interest rates. So now fear rears its head as you wonder if you will ever find a home to buy.This is where using a professional and experienced Realtor like myself helps out. To begin with we sit down together and go over the whole process so you understand how we find your home, how you finance it, write an offer, put a deposit into escrow and what happens to it, negotiate the various contingencies, how we respond to inspections and finally ... 09/13/2024

I recently met an interesting man who is a horse psychologist, who uses the expression "Be the BRIDGE not the BLOCK." I have been thinking about this expression for well over a week, pondering as Michael Jacobs might say. If you want to know more about him, his name is Kerry Thomas and he has a website with links to social media and podcasts etc at www.SensorySoundness.com. Hopefully, I will be doing an interview with him later in the month or beginning of next month.I decided to twist his expression a bit and make it OPEN the DOOR don't LOCK it!There are some clever elements to this phrase, we acknowledge there is a DOOR, sometimes it is open, often it is closed. There are many people wanting to find and purchase a home as this will give them security, a place in which they can decorat... 09/11/2024

Roy Kelley mentioned about the Dahlia Exhibition at Longwood Gardens this past weekend. Well, it was a beautiful day on Sunday, so we took the short drive and spent some time enjoying the gardens whilst we were discovering the location of the Dahlia exhibition. I always enjoy the Italian Water Garden, and the fountain show in front of the conservatory with different music, they had some classics with Frank Sinatra and Billie Holliday and timing the fountains to their songs was clever.I have been very happy with the Dahlias I planted at home, but when we discovered the exhibit in the Longwood Conservatory and Ballroom area my jaw dropped. Admittedly many of these were from members of the Dahlia Society, so I think they might know a thing or two about growing them, but there were many ama... 09/09/2024

Well a couple of weeks into the big change in real estate and we see a lot of confusion. As much training and webinars as were available from every angle and many agents and managers just did not pay attention. Forms have changed and things need to be done differently, but some people have not made the change or just did not listen. We had a meeting in our office today to discuss what we are all seeing in practice as we represent buyers and sellers. Are agents answering their phones? How are they sharing offers of compensation, if at all?First, you need a buyer agency contract signed by your buyer that specifies what you are charging your client for your services, before you can show a home. This can be a flat fee, or a percentage, and once that amount is specified you cannot receive mo... 08/29/2024

We bought our house and moved in just about two years ago this month. I would not say that the house is built with the best skills. This month our electric stove which has two front burners that are dual had a small problem, the right hand burner was burning hot regardless of whatever temperature it was set to.I am not the handiest person, but thought how hard can this be to fix? So I turned to YouTube. Using YouTube is a little like using AI, getting the prompt right to get what you need. There are a lot of different manufacturers of stoves out there, so entering the correct manufacturer was important. Once I had that, as I began typing, what I like about YouTube you can see that other people had the same issue as the prompt almost writes itself. Then adding the manufacturer led me to ... 08/23/2024

I generally work with sellers, but earlier this year my phone rang and on answering I was talking with an employee of a friend and the friend of another friend, Quincy.Quincy explained he was looking for help buying a home and could I help him with that plan. We discussed what he was looking for, why he was buying now after having rented for many years following a divorce as well as his budget. I explained how I work with clients, and we agreed to work together to find a home.After sending over the relevant paperwork for signature, something we will be doing much more often now with the new changes in real estate that do not allow an agent to show a home without a signed buyers agency contract in hand. I set up a property search that met the parameters Quincy had outlined.Several homes ... 08/14/2024

I moved to the Philadelphia Main Line back in 1990 with my young family. A lot has changed since then, prices are much higher, interest rates fell and have now climbed higher. There has been lots of new construction either as new developments or infill construction using an existing lot and tearing down the current home to make way for something new.We have all sorts of homes available along and around the Philadelphia Main Line and Chester County. There are apartment building, condos, town homes, small and large, single family homes in all styles, Victorian, Ranch, Cape Cod, Colonial, Mansions and even Farms if you want. We have it all.There are multiple places to live, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and further afield Bucks and Berks Counties, even Lancaster County is not that far away... 06/27/2024

I was refilling my propane gas tank this week and with summer just around the corner realized it was a good time to think about safety when using propane gas tanks. Safety Tips for Using Small Propane Tanks and Gas GrillsPropane grills are a popular choice for outdoor cooking due to their convenience and efficiency. I love mine and how quickly I can get a meal ready. However, ensuring safety while using small propane tanks and gas grills is essential to prevent accidents and enjoy your grilling experience. I hope this article will guide you through the best practices for safety using your propane grill.1. Proper Storage and Handling of Propane Tanks Storage Tips: Store Tanks Outdoors: Always store propane tanks in a well-ventilated outdoor area. Never keep them indoors, in garages, or ... 06/19/2024

Growing up in England we never had buyers agents, only real estate agents who listed homes for sale. If you wanted to buy a house, you visited several different real estate firms in the area where you were interested in looking for a home, gave each one your details and they let you know what listings of theirs met your criteria. The agent then set up an appointment for you if interested to view the house and the owner showed you around the house.If you wanted to purchase the house you made an offer, that the listing agent relayed verbally to the owner and if accepted then your attorney conducted title searches and surveys to make sure everything was correct as well as drawing up a purchase contract. This has not changed much, other than the internet has allowed buyers to search online ... 06/13/2024

This wonderful home sold in one day, we didn't even have time for an Open House. Selling for $100,000 above asking closing at $1.95 million this luxury home has it all.Welcome to 726 Mancill Road: The Ultimate Main Line Retreat Nestled amidst the tranquility of the Main Line, 726 Mancill Road offers the perfect fusion of modern elegance, sustainable living, and unparalleled comfort. Crafted by Top Notch General Contracting, this Contemporary Colonial residence redefines luxury living with its impeccable design, energy-efficient features, and prime location.Key Features: Solar Panels: Embrace sustainability along with ensuring remarkably low electricity bills.Luxurious Amenities: Enjoy the indulgence of a 2-story foyer, 6 bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms, 2 powder rooms, and over 5,300 square ... 06/12/2024

In today's main line market there is a lot of competition. To get your buyer's offer accepted needs a combination of several things.The listing agent needs to have confidence in the buyer agent. There are a lot of agents in the Main Line, not all of them work full time or have the experience to get offers to closing. Many agents today do not answer their phones or return calls. By simply picking up the call it makes communication easier.The offer needs to be realistic. Prices have been increasing in our market at a rapid rate month over month. But this doesn't mean that every home has to sell for the asking price or more than the previous home in a development. We put in a good offer with an explanation of our reasoning and we got it accepted.Some flexibility is needed. When a seller co... 05/15/2024

Last year, we bought some verbena to put in our front bed alongside the path to our door. These are an annual, especially in our area of the country. They were not cheap, in fact they were the opposite, but they did really well, spreading out and being a very effective and bright ground cover with these wonderful pops of scarlet all over.I had just left them over the winter, expecting to have to pull them out this Spring. But, they never looked as if they had died off completely. Some did, and I pulled one out that was completely dead. But, as my tulips blossomed and the died off I noticed that the Verbena were doing really well.I have a friend who is a master gardener, having completed the program at Longwood Gardens. I ask her about what plants to choose and where to put them. When sh... 05/10/2024

People buying and selling homes on the Main Line and in Chester County have a choice of agents to use. There are many different reasons why people work with one specific agent. It may be via a recommendation, or a referral from family and friends. They may have found reviews online. Ultimately, you need to like the person you are going to be working with and trust them. So why choose Nick Vandekar? Below I offer up some reasons and follow this up with some past client testimonials.Concierge Real Estate Services I make buying and selling Real Estate An Amazing Experience Full Time Realtor; Communicator; Skilled Negotiator  Security of your personal information has never been more important. As a CSI Protection Certified Agent I am dedicated to providing my clients the safest and most sec... 05/09/2024

There are mornings like this one, where the mist or fog is so heavy you can hardly see in front of your nose as we say in England. It has felt that way with the multiple lawsuits brought against brokers, NAR and the MLS's in the real estate industry. Then as the sun rises, it slowly clears and before you know it, it is a bright and sunny day.After decades of homes being sold in a certain way, someone seems to have suddenly had the bright idea to bring a lawsuit and make some money. The people making the most will be the attorneys, who made a case and won. The firms and brokerages are settling faster than a set of ten pins falling. Without admitting any wrong doing they want to move on and put this behind them. BUT, there are other lawsuits, now being brought by the buyer side of the tra... 05/02/2024

Last year our dog Jackie, named after Jackie Robinson, who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, when my wife got Jackie she knew she wanted a name related to baseball, and as her mother grew up in Brooklyn, there was no way it was going to be Babe, so that is how Jackie got her name.Anyway, last year Jackie was diagnosed with a shrinking cerebellum, the cerebellum is the back part of the brain and is the center of your balance. We had thought she might have issues with her back as she had made some noise when we were stroking her back. This turned out after we had an MRI, and is ultimately much worse. There is nothing that can be done, some breeds develop this as they age. Jackie is now 6 1/2. We had her DNA done and it turns out she is 35% Pitbull, 25% Beagle, and the balance is a mix of H... 05/02/2024

Sunday was such a beautiful day here that we had decided to visit Longwood Gardens and catch the end of the tulips. However, when we arrived it was a sold out day, so we changed our plans and visited Winterthur. Winterthur is another Dupont Estate and museum full of lovely things, but many people do not realize what fabulous gardens they have as well. The gardens were laid out to create wonderful vistas from the main house, the estate even had its own private nine hole gold course. Whilst we were disappointed to miss the tulips as we walked up into Azalea Woods, yes it is really called that, we were greeted by a cacophony of colors. Reds, pinks, whites, creams, it was dazzling. There seemed to be no break in the colors, they ran into and beyond each other. Being among them was as wonder... 05/01/2024