Ravi Shah

Yes, I used learning and fun in the same phrase. The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia is a hot spot for school field trips and visitors of all ages because they do exactly that. They make learning fun.

There are several permanent exhibits to explore. You can take a walk through a model human heart in The Giant Heart exhibit. Space Command lets you learn about space and space exploration. Learn all about trains and take a ride in a Baldwin 6000 at The Train Factory. Other exhibits teach about electricity, air flight and more! Also be sure to check out the nations second oldest Planetarium, an IMAX theater and the many traveling exhibits.

If you've never been, I highly recommend taking the trip over the bridge. It's located right in Center City at the corner of 20th St and Ben Franklin Pkwy. If you take the Ben Franklin Bridge - Take 676 West. Exit at the "Ben Franklin Parkway/Museum Area" exit. At the top of the exit ramp, all traffic must turn right onto 22nd Street. One block later, turn right onto the Ben Franklin Parkway. Stay in the far right hand lanes. One block later, turn right onto 21st Street. One block later, 21st Street intersects with Winter Street. Just past the intersection, the entrance to the parking garage is on your left hand side.

Photos around Burlington County - Mount Laurel, NJ

This fountain in located on Briggs Road in Mount Laurel - right off Rt. 38. There are actually two of them, one across the street from each other. I pass these each day as it's right around the corner from my office.

This photo is Day 6 of my 365 Days (A Day in The Life) photo set on Flickr. All rights reserved

Delran Real Estate Market Update: Q1 2008

How is the real estate market here in Delran? Well, after a relatively stable 2007, it looks like 2008 is off to a rocky start.

Median Price (Single Family Homes)

For most of 2007, the median price of homes sold in Delran was relatively flat. In fact we even saw a short upward trend around late summer of last year. As you can see from the chart, the first quarter of 2008 looks like the market took a cliff dive. What is interesting to see though is that the median price of homes for sale continues to increase. I would have thought by now we would have seen asking prices level off, but looks like that is not the case.

Supply & Demand (Single Family Homes)

Looking at the supply and demand of homes in Delran will give you a little more insight into the price trends as well. Generally, prices drop when supply is greater then demand. Well, supply is much greater then demand right now! By the end of March 2008, there were 109 homes for sale which appears to be the highest it's been in 2 years. On the flip side, the demand is at an all time low as only 6 homes have sold the past two months (3 in Mar, 3 in Feb). That's right - only 3 homes in each of the past two months. In addition, only 8 homes went under contract in March. How long is it taking for these homes to sell? On average 3.5 to 4 months.

It's a Buyers Market

If you're trying to sell your home right now in Delran - it's going to come down to price and marketing. With over a hundred homes for sale and only a handful selling each month, you really need to set yourself apart from the competition. You need to price your home aggressively and make sure it gets the widest marketing exposure you can get it. It's a buyers market out there - and potential buyers know it.

If you have any questions about the current real estate market...please don't hesitate to call or email

Ravi Shah, REALTOR^®
South Jersey Real Estate Blog / Delran Real Estate
Prudential Fox & Roach
O: (856) 222-0077 x153
C: (609) 760-7852

Information based on Prudential Fox & Roach AgentMetrics reports
Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed

One of the questions I frequently get from people out of state is: "What sports teams do people follow?"

Many people would naturally assume that we (and by "we" I mean those from South Jersey) follow New Jersey teams. Two problems with that assumption. First, NJ only has a basketball and hockey team - and no, I don't count the Giants or Jets. Second, we're from South Jersey! Down here we love our Philadelphia sports teams. I would say that for the most part Burlington County and south is your dividing line. Above that, you'll probably be surrounded by fans of those NJ or NY teams.

Well, Spring is here and it's baseball season! The Philadelphia Phillies kicked off the season this week and I'm happy to say I was able to catch a game. If you're in Burlington or Camden County, the stadium is probably about 1/2 hour away right over the Walt Whitman Bridge. They have a great new stadium which doesn't have a bad seat in the house and has great views of the skyline.

If you have younger kids with short attention spans (like mine) - not to worry. If they have trouble sitting still, bring them over to the Phanatic Phun Zone to use up some energy.

So make sure you head out to the park and cheer on the team! Go Phillies!

You're buying a home and it's probably one of the biggest investments you'll ever make. You're going to hire a home inspector to check it out. So, who do you hire?

Currently the standard contract to purchase a home in this area reads "Buyer's qualified inspectors". Technically the home inspector you hire does not have to be licensed. I'm sure there are many good ones out there that belong to various associations/organizations that are fully qualified. However, did you know that the State of New Jersey has a program to license home inspectors?

The NJ Home Inspection Advisory Committee licenses home inspectors and regulates the home inspection profession. These inspectors are regulated by the State of NJ and follow State Standards of Practice. Want to know if the home inspector you're hiring is licensed? You can search the Home Inspectors Licensee Directory.

Again, this is probably one of the biggest investments you'll ever make. Don't leave your inspection up to chance. Make sure they're licensed to give you peace of mind about your inspection.

Ravi Shah, REALTOR^®
South Jersey Real Estate Blog
Prudential Fox & Roach
O: (856) 222-0077 x153
C: (609) 760-7852