Q: I am making settlement on my new house in Morrell Park at the end of the month. What do I have to do to change my driver’s license address and get all my utilities turned on?

A: Congratulations on your new home! Being prepared is important, but so is timing. Settlement dates and circumstances can change; there will be some things you will want to do after you make settlement and some you will want to do the day of settlement. continue reading »

Q: I found a house I want to buy in Morrell Park, but the listing says it is a “bank-owned property.” It’s not a great house, but it’s pretty cheap. I am pre-approved from my bank for the exact amount they are asking. Is there a special way to make an offer on this house? What do I need to do to buy it?

A: Your first step is to contact either the real estate agency that listed the property or a real estate agent you know and trust to show you the property and help you make the offer. It is always an important decision whether to contact the listing agent of any property or pick a buyer’s agent of your own. continue reading »

Brian Boedecker of Pennypack Woods has been arrested for a 7-Eleven robbery. Image/Philadelphia Police

Police have arrested the man they believe robbed the 7-Eleven at 9901 Frankford Ave. near Knights Road earlier this month.

Brian Boedecker was arrested Nov. 15 after Northeast Detectives received information that the 33-year-old Pennpack Woods resident was in the area. continue reading »

Updated:  A reader has called to our attention the Mayfair neighborhood banner hanging in front of Stein’s in the photo used for the Naked Philly story. We can’t fault them for this one.

People love Stein Florist.

The Frankford Avenue flower shop and its eye-catching sign have been written up by written up by architecture columnist Inga Saffron and made a cameo in the movie Mancation.

Stein got some more love over the weekend from Naked Philly. Too bad Mayfair got the credit. continue reading »

Q: I am ready to sell a flip that I’ve rehabbed – a three-bedroom one and ½ bathroom home in Morrell Park. It has a finished basement and central air. I updated the kitchen and both baths and refinished the hardwood floors. I plan to list it for $225,000 but what do you think I can get really for it?

A: Some investors make money by buying and holding their investment and selling in the future when the timing is right. Others are in the business of “flipping,” by buying homes at a low price and fixing them up to sell them again right away for a profit. Flipping homes was not easy in a declining market, but has been making a comeback. Morrell Park is home to some prime examples recently. continue reading »

Fred Clemens of Mayfair relaxes on the ledge of the old pavilion by Pine Road in Pennypack Park. Photo/G. E. Reutter

Yet another heat wave has hovered over Northeast Philadelphia.

Residents of the Northeast have been beating the heat at Pennypack Park since the 1800s when beaches dotted the slow-moving creek throughout the city. The beaches are gone but the residents still seek relief from the heat in Pennypack.

I visited the park at Pine Road where the creek slips into the city from Montgomery County. The park was a bustle of activity with bikers, joggers, walkers, families and those relaxing along the creek in the shade.

Continue reading to see our slideshow of park-goers enjoying a break from the heat. continue reading »

Morrell Park resident Nick Mancuso with some of his neon work to be displayed in an exhibit at Center for Architecture, 1218 Arch St. NewsWorks Photo/Emma Lee

For years, neon signs have been associated with cheap beer and cheap motels. They were Nick Mancuso’s bread and butter.

Mancuso’s rowhome in Morrell Park is filled with a lifetime of neon. A signmaker since the 1940s and now retired, he spent decades bending glass tubes for beer signage. In his spare time, he would occassionally make neon gifts for his grandchildren. continue reading »

Where is the Morrell Park Shop Rite? It’s in Torresdale if you ask Channels 6, 3 and 10.

When a car crashed into the store in late February, TV news vans rushed to the scene to get the scoop. But the scoop matters little if the reporters can’t actually figure out where they are. You’d think the habit of calling neighborhoods by street names would have at least worked in their favor this time – Morrell Avenue is right there.

We’ll let these screenshots speak for themselves. continue reading »

The Serviceberry tree is one of eight species TreePhilly offers residents. File photo/Jennifer Klimowicz

Philadelphia’s Department of Parks & Recreation is winding down the application period its TreePhilly program, and two Northeast neighborhoods are part of its target.

Frankford and Morrell Park are part of the handful of neighborhoods singled out for their need of trees. They –  along with West Oak Lane, Tioga, Old Kensington, South Philadelphia, Whitman and Haddington – have the most tree canopy needs and are in the Philadelphia Water Department’s combined sewer-overflow area.

Q: I made an offer on a short sale in Morrell Park. I backed out of the deal because the sellers were using a short sale negotiator who wanted to charge me extra money just for negotiating their short sale. Shouldn’t it be the sellers’ responsibility to pay this person? After all, they are the ones who are benefitting.

A: The seller is not the only party who benefits from a short sale. Short sales are considered “bargains” in the real estate world because these homes can be acquired for up to 20 to 30 percent less, or more, than the average price of a regular, non-distressed home. continue reading »