The Holiday season (and the Blizzard of 2016) are offically gone, so what comes next in the cycle of EVERYONE on Facebook?  Weddings come in the Summer, Babies later in Spring, Gays worried about looking skinny comes in May but now… it's time to MOVE!  Routinley people wait until after the holidays to list their house, which means there's about to be a deluge of properties up for sale or lease, so I got the inside scoop on what you need to know! 

I sat down with Jack Barry over lunch.  He's an amazing Philadelphia Gay Real Estate agent, although he prefers the term "connector." He conencts people with houses they'll love, people they'll love, jobs they'll love, resturants they.. you get the idea. He calls himself a manager of dreams, getting to know someone and setting small goals that seem like cake, all which lead to a big picture goal.  "I love teaching and helping people… the more people I help, the more lucky I am, it's a win win for both parties."

1. Should You Rent or Buy?

Always buy if you're able.  Think of a mortgage payment like a rent payment, but when you move out of a house you own, you get that money back (sorry renters, you won't see your money when it's time to move on.)  When you purchase a house and begin making mortgage payments you're buliding equity for yourself.  The average age of buying a house has gone up (thank you student debt loans) but the trend has led to a growth in generation based neighborhoods, people at the same stages of life making the same decisions.  When you buy a house you're also more likley to have an attachement to the community / neighborhood which is great because it leads to less littler and more pride.

2. Should You Buy a Condo or a House?

Really depends on your lifestyle.  A busy / single millenial should opt for a condo, you'll pay monthly HOA fees which cover things like snow removal, repair work, garbage collection, community space maintence and more! Some condos offer perks like gyms, pools, parking and more!  If you're more established and looking to nest, buying a house might be a better bet.  You'll be able to make more custom changes to your enviorment and plan bigger changes for the long run. 

3. Location, Location, Location!

You've probably heard that phrase a dozen times!  What's up and coming? Passyunk Sq. It's set to be the next "gayborhood," and has seen dozens of couples move in over the last 3 months!  What's going out? Absolutley nothing, Philadelphia is a thriving city and every neighborhood is thriving, Homo Real Estate agent Jack Barry predicts after Passyunk Sq., the next big neighborhood will be between Broad and the Art Museum. Both Temple University and Farimount's gentricfication are creeping towards each other and will clash inthe middle and erupt with amazingness. 

4. Get to Know Your Realtor

Find a realtor that DOESN'T show you a house the first time you meet, opt for someone that gets to know you over coffee first.  They'll save you a lot of time later showing you only houses you'll love.  Next, before you fall in love with a house always ask for a closing cost estimate, somtimes you think you can handle the mortage of a house, but after taxes, closing costs, repairs etc, it might just be out of reach. 

5. Have More Questions?

Jack will field any questions you might have about real estate:

Jack Barry
http://www.wherephillymoves.com/
Jack@JackBarryGroup.com
(267) 238-5772
1619 Walnut Street
5th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103 USA