See what homebuyers can get for $390,000 in Lower Merion, Northeast Philly, and Camden County | The Price Point
Compare these homes for sale for about the same price in three Philadelphia-area locations.
The Price Point compares homes listed for similar sale prices across the region to help readers set expectations about house hunting.
Looking for a new home for the new year? You’ve got options if you have the region’s typical homebuying budget.
Across the Philadelphia metropolitan area, homes sold for a median of $390,000 last month, according to the multiple listing service Bright MLS. That typical sale price is up more than 3% from last year.
Here’s what a home shopper could get with a budget like this in three different neighborhoods in the region.
Lower Merion condo in star location
Wolverton & Co., a Montgomery County-based real estate company, sells and manages a lot of condos in the area of West Montgomery Avenue in the Haverford section of Lower Merion Township.
“I call that stretch the golden mile of Haverford as it relates to condominiums,” said Will Wolverton, owner and broker of record at Wolverton & Co. “It’s a very desirable area.”
There are restaurants and national and local stores, including at the nearby Haverford Square and Suburban Square shopping centers. Condo residents can walk to SEPTA’s Haverford station to catch Regional Rail trains. The Merion Cricket Club offers sports facilities and hosts dinners and galas.
One condo currently for sale in the area is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit at Haverford Hunt Club, a building with 16 units on four floors. Condos there include both one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.
Lower Merion Township
2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
1,205 square feet | Built in 1976
Lower Merion School District
Estimated taxes: $5,780/year
Condo fee: $498/month
The building is about 45 years old but has been “thoughtfully updated” in both looks and critical infrastructure, such as the elevator and the roof, Wolverton said.
The condo for sale gets a lot of natural light, he said. And it’s on the top floor, so buyers won’t have upstairs neighbors. It also has a private balcony and a reserved space in the property’s parking lot.
The last several serious buyers have been most interested in the neighborhood, Wolverton said.
“It’s a very good property,” he said, “and a great location.”
The condo was listed for sale for $385,000 on Oct. 20.
An unusual Mayfair twin
This home in the Mayfair neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia stands out in a few ways, said listing agent Xiao Zhen Zhao, who works throughout this section of the city, as well as Fishtown and Northern Liberties.
The open kitchen is “very unique” for the area and includes bar seating, said Zhao, an agent with Legacy Landmark Realty.
The primary bedroom has a private bathroom, which isn’t common in older homes in Northeast Philadelphia, she said. A lot of houses have only one full bathroom, she said. One of the bathrooms features a skylight and pink tiles on the walls.
And the home is “a bigger twin,” she said. It spans 1,868 square feet.
The home has a backyard and a walk-out finished basement, which has a half bathroom. It also has a garage and driveway.
Philadelphia
3 bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
1,868 square feet | Built in 1953
School District of Philadelphia
Estimated taxes: $5,568/year
The twin is in an area of the city where houses are more affordable and parking is easy. It’s within walking distance of schools. It’s minutes from stores and restaurants along Cottman Avenue, and it’s right off Pennypack Park.
Potential buyers have liked the layout of the home and also the look of it, Zhao said.
“A lot of people like the brick,” she said.
The twin was listed for sale for $389,000 on Nov. 21.
A Colonial charmer in Gloucester
Potential buyers touring this Colonial in Camden County have fallen for its charm, said real estate agent Evangeline Gambardella. “Because it is a very charming space.”
The living room features a brick fireplace and a large window that lets in natural light and frames views of the front yard.
The layout is more open than in a traditional Colonial, especially in this area of Gloucester Township, said Gambardella, a real estate agent with the Mike McCann Team, which is an affiliate of Keller Williams.
The owners have recently updated the property. The home has new landscaping, a roof that is about 4 years old, a new fence, and a new heating, cooling, and ventilation system.
Gambardella said this work makes the property ideal for first-time homebuyers, people who are downsizing, or anyone who doesn’t want to undertake large projects.
“It presents a really lovely value for its price point,” she said.
Gloucester Township
4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
1,922 square feet on almost a quarter of an acre | Built in 1978
Black Horse Pike Regional School District
Estimated taxes: $8,447
The home’s kitchen includes an island with seating. And a door in the formal dining room opens to the deck, which has a retractable awning.
Home shoppers who have visited the property like its spacious backyard and its location. It is minutes from the Gloucester Premium Outlets and the Deptford Mall, has easy access to major highways, and is close to parks and restaurants.
The home’s unfinished basement also is a “huge selling point for a lot of people” who want to decide what to do with the space, Gambardella said.
The house was listed for sale for $389,000 on Dec. 20.