We’ve got an app!

Posted on December 14, 2011 by paulswalsh

Elfant Wissahickon Realtors is excited to announce its partnership with AppCreatorPro to provide our agents with highly personalized individual apps for their clients!

EWR is constantly searching out ways to provide a technological edge to its’Agents and Clients. In these fast-paced times, it helps to be connected!

AppCreatorPro is an information technology company created, in part, by one of our own Realtors, Christopher Plant! The goal is to provide real estate sales agents with a powerful connectivity tool to provide to their clients. Download Christopher’s app here.

Agents can share their app with clients, enabling them to ask questions, get directions, read testimonials, and contact their agent immediately.

As Christopher tells it, there was a harmonious occurrence wherein he was looking to create a MOBILE MARKETING presence and happened to bump into his friend Stephen Segal of Mount Airy. Stephen had recently started a company making APPS and they combined their skills and came up with a fantastic new product for Realtors with Stephen’s CEO, Will Delamater.

This app allows Realtors to create a meaningful and useful bond with their Buyers and Sellers. By providing a variety of services within a highly customizable interface, Clients can easily access valuable Real Estate news, look up a Realtor’s Preferred Vendors and easily SHARE a Realtor’s APP with a friend or family member.

We feel that the world of Real Estate is becoming more MOBILE everyday. We know that information moves quickly. If our Realtors aren’t immediately connected, they might not get the deal. We want the deal. We want to be the leaders of Real Estate technology in our markets.

To find out what AppCreatorPro can do for you as an agent, Buyer or Seller, contact Christopher Plant today!

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Welcome Kelly McShain Tyree!

Posted on December 8, 2011 by paulswalsh

We’re pleased to announce that Kelly McShain Tyree has joined our group of dedicated real estate professionals.

 

Kelly McShain Tyree loves Philadelphia neighborhoods and has a deep passion to celebrate their unique offerings, preserve and showcase their diverse architectural character and intrinsic beauty. She believes by celebrating Philadelphia’s Old World craftsmanship and legacy of honoring our green spaces- we encourage renewal and community vitality throughout the City…

Along with her husband, Robert Tyree, and her brother, Devitt McShain, Kelly has restored architecturally and historically significant residential and commercial Philadelphia properties- winning an Interior and Exterior Homeowner Award from the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia for an East Oak Lane Victorian (c. 1895). As a member of the Advisory Council for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society- she has also been working to green and beautify Philadelphia neighborhoods, gateways and corridors. Kelly is a fourth generation Philadelphian involved with real estate- her Great Grandfather, John McShain, and her Great Uncle John McShain Jr., were Master Builders in Philadelphia and Washington D.C. They built many Catholic Churches, University buildings (La Salle, St. Joe’s, Georgetown), as well as the Pentagon, the Jefferson Memorial, and the Kennedy Center.

Having lived and worked in NYC and abroad as a professional Stage Actress as well as an
Interior Decorator, Kelly offers a unique and joyful perspective to her hometown City and to her clients- both to those who are selling their homes, and those who are purchasing.

Kelly can be reached at Elfant Wissahickon Realtors’ Chestnut Hill office at 8039 Germantown Avenue, 215-247-3600.

Posted by Paul Walsh

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Welcome Christopher Kinka!

Posted on November 28, 2011 by paulswalsh

We’re pleased to announce that Chris Kinka has joined our group of dedicated real estate professionals.

Before entering the world of real estate, Chris spent 32 years as a resident of Philadelphia,
six of which as an active resident of the Germantown/Mount Airy community. Professionally, Chris spent ten years as a middle school English teacher.

As a teacher, Chris came to recognize that each student was unique and needed
individualized care, attention, and someone they could trust in order for them to find
success. This understanding of how best to serve others has carried with him into real
estate.

Since moving to Mt. Airy in 2004 and then Germantown in 2008, Chris has become an
active member of the local community. He is member of Weaver’s Way Coop and The
Blue Bell Hill Civic Association. He spent three years teaching at Project Learn School
and helped his wife open The Nesting House at the corners of Carpenter and Greene
Streets. It is through this involvement that Chris has come to understand the area so well.
With the help of his father, Chris significantly renovated a Mount Airy row home and the
Germantown single that he currently calls home. This experience helped him to better
understand both what a house really is, inside and out, and what it can become with a
little bit of hard work and imagination.

Through these experiences, he developed a love of serving others, a love of houses and of
the city of Philadelphia itself. It made perfect sense to become a REALTOR in Philadelphia
and help others find their place within this remarkable area.

Chris is a member of the Kugelman Team, allowing him to combine his relevant life
experiences with a veteran group of realtors. He lives in the Blue Bell Hill section of
Germantown with his wife, Jen, his two children, Shea and Sam, and a third little one the
way.

Chris can be reached at Elfant Wissahickon Realtors’ Chestnut Hill office at 8039 Germantown Avenue, 215-247-3600.

Posted by Paul Walsh

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Staying Local for Thanksgiving

Posted on November 23, 2011 by paulswalsh

It’s the day before Thanksgiving.

I’ve got to get to Paul Roller’s kitchen to pick up my family’s holiday turkey and mashed potatoes.  From there I’m off to McNally’s Tavern on Germantown Avenue to pick up my carrot cake, expertly made by Meg McNally.  I ordered it when I went there for a lunch meeting last week.   I’ll probably stop by to see my nephew Patrick at Jonathan’s Best to get his suggestions on appetizers.  I’ll have to hit Baker Street before I head home to pick up the dozens of freshly baked snowflake rolls we ordered.

Robertson’s Florists should be delivering the beautiful centerpiece for our table sometime this afternoon.

I’m thankful for all of the great merchants along the Avenue in Chestnut Hill.  I’m thankful that I don’t have to cook this year because of all of the great merchants along the Avenue in Chestnut Hill.  The holidays are a wonderful time to support our local businesses.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!  Please take time to enjoy your family and friends and have a safe holiday.

Posted by Paul Walsh

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The Empty Bowl Dinner

Posted on November 22, 2011 by paulswalsh

 

Last Thursday, Elfant Wissahickon Realtors participated in the 2011 Empty Bowl Dinner benefiting the Northwest Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network (NPIHN). We sponsored the annual event and staffed the raffle tables with over 20 agents, staff and their families volunteering throughout the dinner.

The “Empty Bowl” is a reminder to attendees that not everyone has a bowl filled with warm soup to eat. However, those who participated on November 17th were treated to unlimited fresh soups, breads and desserts donated from dozens of area restaurants. This wonderful annual event raises money to advance NPIHN’s mission of advocacy for homeless families. Every night in Philadelphia, 1,000 children go without a meal or a place to call “home.” NPIHN’s program, through 30 local congregations, provides emergency and transitional housing, and supportive services in a “safe and child-friendly alternative” to public shelter settings.

This year’s dinner was attended by over 1400 people, raising $15,000 for this wonderful organization. Elfant Wissahickon Realtors was proud to be a part of event.

 

 

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Karrie Gavin

Posted on November 16, 2011 by paulswalsh

This August, we welcomed Karrie Gavin to our team – read more about her here.

 

Posted by Paul Walsh

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Happy Anniversary to us!

Posted on November 10, 2011 by paulswalsh
One year ago today, the finishing touches were put on the building at 8039 Germantown Avenue in preparation for what would be the biggest party in Elfant Wissahickon history.

It marked the end of a year long project where the partners and our transition team worked tirelessly along with architects and contractors to execute our vision for strategic growth, and the beginning of a wonderfully positive and productive year for our agents.

On November 10th we hosted over 300 friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, movers and shakers, including the Mayor of Philadelphia.  As he cut the ribbon, he congratulated Elfant Wissahickon for investing in the city of Philadelphia.  We feel it was much more an investment in our agents.

In the days and weeks that followed the opening, the energy in this company was contagious.  It was and remains to be absolutely exciting to come to work every day.  Having the agents and staff under one roof has provided a synergy beyond our expectations.  The beautiful, spacious and user-friendly working environment has increased our pride in our company and the work that we do.

Our company is, once again, the top selling independent real estate brokerage in the city of Philadelphia thanks to our agents.  On our anniversary, we wanted to congratulate them, acknowledge their hard work and successes, and thank them all for helping our company succeed.

We thought you would enjoy seeing some photos from the opening, and some of the kudos we’ve been receiving from “fans” of Elfant Wissahickon!

 

Posted by Paul Walsh

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Lots to do this weekend in northwest Philadelphia!

Posted on October 28, 2011 by paulswalsh

A few (of many) cool things happening for the Halloween weekend on Germantown Avenue:

-the 13th Annual Trick or Treat Pancake Breakfast benefiting the Chestnut Hill Rotary Club, held at the Lutheran Seminary, 7301 Germantown Ave, Saturday 10/29, 8-10:30.

-Scary Stories at the Stagecrafters Theater, FREE for children!  Friday and Saturday.

-Trick or Treating from the businesses along Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill, Sunday, 10/30 from 2 to 4.  Stop by our office for some candy!

More info on all of the happenings on the Hill this weekend can be found here.

Happy Halloween!

Posted by Paul Walsh

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REALTORS reach out

Posted on October 24, 2011 by paulswalsh

October is “REALTORS Reach Out” month across the country.  Associations throughout the US are sponsoring initiatives to help their communities.  Elfant Wissahickon REALTORS are members of the Greater Philadelphia, Montgomery County and Suburban West Associations of REALTORS.  Mary Louise Butler, Associate Broker with our company, is the 2011 President of the Greater Philadelphia Association of REALTORS.

This month, we are partnering with GPAR and dozens of other local real estate brokerages to collect goods for Philabundance and PAWS.  We have drop boxes at our Chestnut Hill office at 8039 Germantown Avenue and our Rittenhouse Square office at 2000 Pine Street, and are collecting non-perishable food items and supplies for pets.

Please consider giving!

 

Posted by Paul Walsh

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Mortgage Rates for October 20, 2011

Posted on October 20, 2011 by paulswalsh

We asked Craig Smith of Mortgage Master to give us his most current interest rates and what he was seeing in the market:

“Mortgage rates have risen off their recent ‘historic’ lows by as much as ½%.  For most of 2011, mortgage rates have moved in the same direction as stock prices, and stocks have risen by about 10% since October 3.  Mortgage rates have jumped during that same time period.

Where will they go from here?  Many financial analysts and economists think that the recent rise in stock prices won’t last due to the current economic weakness, and that we will see another drop in stock prices soon.  When that happens, we should see a corresponding drop in mortgage rates.  Will they go as low as they were a few weeks ago?  It is possible, but that is hard to predict.  Even if rates do not go back down, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY is GREAT right now!

Housing affordability is calculated using both mortgage rates and house prices.  Since rates are still in the low 4%’s and house prices have dropped, housing affordability is near historic lows.

This brings me to my next point:  There is a MISCONCEPTION that it is hard to get a mortgage right now.  That is NOT TRUE!  The mortgage industry is lending billions of dollars every month for those who qualify.  To qualify, a buyer needs sufficient documentable income, good credit, and money (savings or gift) for at least 3.5% down payment and closing costs.  Many current renters want to buy a home, but don’t believe they can!  They should consult their local Realtor or mortgage representative to find out if they will qualify.  Please spread the word!!!”

Thanks Craig!

Posted by Paul Walsh

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