Upper Darby, PA

Welcome to the Oakview Station on the SEPTA Route 102 Trolley Line located in Upper Darby PA.

The station itself is located at the Creek Rd bridge in Upper Darby.  It is the southernmost stop in Upper Darby just above Darby Creek.  It offers quick access to the Swedish Cabin, Darby Creek, and several residential areas in lower Upper Darby Township.

There is no assigned parking at the stop for commuters but it does have some limited space for dropping off and picking up passengers.  The platforms are also within walking distance of several residential areas.  On a relative basis this is one of the more remote stations on the system and does not have a large commercial, industrial, or residential base from which to draw passenger volume.  The video will provide a better feel for the area:

This station has easy access to several different communities so the local real estate is better covered by stations directly serving those areas.

If you live in the area and need a convenient connection to downtown Philadelphia, Sharon Hill, or any of the spots between, this is a convenient station to connect into the system.  If you are looking for a commuting station with ample parking, there are better options available.

As always, should you have any comments or need any additional information, please let me know anytime.

The Worldwide Travel Agency is our local Upper Darby PA, IATAN Accredited International Travel Specialist.

Since 1994, Kim and Ken Choi of the Worldwide Travel Agency have been helping clients travel the world. Located in Upper Darby, they strive to provide quality, value, and convenience for travelers from throughout the region as they prepare for vacations and business travel around the globe. With years of experience, they have the extensive background for meeting all your travel needs but are most active in travel to the Caribbean islands and throughout Asia.

The Worldwide Travel Agency has met the strict IATAN (International Airlines Travel Agent Network) Accreditation Requirements and has received direct appointments from all the major international and domestic airlines including US Airways, American, KLM, Northwest, Korean Airlines, and JAL. IATAN is a department of IATA (the International Air Transport Association) whose members now comprise over 230 airlines worldwide representing 93% of scheduled international air traffic. This allows Worldwide Travel direct access to the airline personnel and many additional programs from the airlines increasing the services, help, and expertise they can provide directly to their clients.

Today, Kim Choi of the Worldwide Travel Agency works with discerning international travelers to find the best opportunities to enjoy the travel destination of their choice. As a full service agency they are able to offer travel services for domestic, international, business, and leisure travelers. After zeroing in on a location, she can find the best flights, Caribbean cruise, accommodations, island vacation packages, or other travel experiences that any traveler may be looking for.

Worldwide Travel is located at 4 Garrett Road in Upper Darby PA just across from the 69th Street Terminal. You can stop by their office anytime or contact Kim by phone: 610-352-5422 or email: wwta@hotmail.com.

Ready to go? Need a vacation? Give them a call. They can arrange itineraries for any budget, interest, and destination.

If you need any additional information, please feel free to call me anytime.

As a buyer or seller, if you are trying to take advantage of the $8000 First Time Home Buyer Tax credit, eastern Upper Darby Township is one of the key areas in the county that you may want to keep your eyes on.  Sales activity has fallen but remains stronger than in most areas of the county.  Prices have also fallen, making this an excellent time to buy for buyers and a great opportunity to take advantage of the market if a seller.

In general, Upper Darby Township can be split into two areas by zip code: 19026/ Drexel Hill to the west and 19082/ Upper Darby to the east.  Zip Code 19082 generally extends from the Philadelphia City border to the east out to Lansdowne Avenue on the west.  This area contains the commercial hub and SEPTA rail lines centered around the 69th Street Terminal.  The terminal itself is a major regional rail hub and acts as the main transfer point for the SEPTA 101 and 102 Trolleys, the Rt 100 High Speed Line to Norristown,  and the SEPTA Market-Frankford line coming from Downtown Philadelphia.  This is both a popular commuting station as well as a destination station for the local commercial activities.  This terminal also links to many area bus lines.

Zip 19082 / Upper Darby is also home to many well known residential communities such as Stonehurst, Bywood, Highland Park, and Beverly Hills.  This provides a great mix of housing options from smaller row homes, to twins, and larger single family homes.  There are also a few condominiums in the area.  All can take advantage of the great rail connections and the easy road links along State Rd, Lansdowne Avenue, West Chester Pike, and Township Line Road.  It is also a short trip directly down to the Philadelphia International Airport.

Real Estate pricing and actvity in zip code 19082 has mirrored what we have seen in the rest of the county but has seen a bit greater volatility.  Sales activity peaked in 2005 when there were 683 residential sales in the zip code with an average overall sales price of $103,000 - the first year the average sales price had exceeded $100,000.

Pricing continued to rise to an average home sales price of $116,000 in 2006, $120,000 in 2007, and $118,000 in 2008.  Sales were declining during the same time period to 605 homes sold in 2006, 463 in 2007, and 285 in 2008.  So far in 2009, we have seen 121 sales at an average price of $94,000 - falling to a price range that we last saw in 2004.  Today, there are an additional 182 homes on the market listed for an average price of $125,000 and 58 homes are under contract with an average list price of $108,000.

With it's great location, easy rail and road access, and immediate proximity to Philadelphia, the Main Line, and the Airport, this area of eastern Upper Darby should remain popular.  With an average price now less than $100,000, many first time home buyers will be able to take advantage of the historically low interest rates, good prices, and the $8000 credit to make purchases in the area.  As the year progresses, Upper Darby could be a prime beneficiary of any first time home buyer activity as buyers try to take advantage of the $8000 First Time Home Buyer Credit before the scheduled expiration on November 30.

If you need any additional information, need contacts for financing, or are thinking of a move in the area, please feel free to call me anytime.

(All statistics per TrendMLS System and believed accurate but not guaranteed)

So, with four months of the year already behind us, how is the real estate market holding up? The Delaware County PA market appears to be slowly strengthening.

The background: On a year to year basis looking at the first four months through April, activity slowly increased through 2007, with 2006 units sold in 2004, 2019 in 2005, 2015 in 2006, and 2028 in 2007 with average prices also peaking in 2007 at $252,000 average per home. Sales fell 22% in 2008 to 1583 sales with a corresponding fall in the average price to $249,000. This continued into 2009 with sales of 1134 units (down an additional 28%) at an average sales price of $235,000.

On a yearly basis sales volume in Delaware County actually peaked in 2005 with 7629 units sold. This fell to 7262 in 2006, 6786 in 2007, and finally 5142 in 2008 (down 33% from the peak). The average sales price peaked in 2007 at $267,000 and fell to a yearly average of $262,000 in 2008. The volume and pricing changes look more dramatic on the four month basis due to large drop in activity and prices last fall. Also, as noted in previous posts, due to the loan availability the market activity has shifted to lower priced homes.

The good news is that despite the drop in activity and prices, the inventory is not building. At the beginning of April 2008, there were 4093 active listings. At the beginning of this April, there were 4109 active listings. Also, although the total units pending dropped 20%, the average list price rose slightly to $224,000.

Bottom Line: Overall the market is strengthening. Activity is down 28% but climbing as we continue through the year, prices have dropped but are holding their own, and inventory is basically steady.

Also on a monthly basis, activity has been building nicely in 2009 as buyers recognize the amazing values that can be found when they do the math with the lower home prices and the historic low interest rates. Now that the stock market has recovered and it appears that the economy is beginning to stabilize, we could see a stable and building market continuing through the year.

(All statistics are from the TrendMLS System and believed accurate buit not guaranteed.)

A few weeks ago I opened my front door to find a new larger recycling bin on my porch with a pamphlet inside introducing the new recycling program in Upper Darby Township. Ironically, I received the exact same pamphlet in the mail a few days later (so much for wanting to save trees). However, I was pleased to see that Upper Darby has expanded the recycling program to include glass and plastic bottles and that items to be recycled now can be placed all in the big blue container instead of having to separate everything.

Items to recycle now include:

• Cardboard
• Food Boxes
• Glass and Cans
• Plastic Bottles (numbers 1 and 2)
• Mail, Magazines & Newspaper
• Phone Books

Items NOT to be recycled are:

• Lightbulbs or Windows
• Dishes, Pyrex or Ceramics
• Foam Packing or Styrofoam
• Plastic Bags
• Unmarked Plastic, Toys, Chairs, Laundry Baskets.

Unfortunately, recycling is still collected every other week. The schedule and map can be found in the 2009 calendar distributed by the township to residents. Additional information on the Upper Darby Recycling Program can be found online, although the website is not yet updated to reflect all of the changes for 2009.

Additionally here are some other resources I've used for recycling in Upper Darby Township:

• Primos Elementary School collects paper (newspaper, mail, magazines) in a bin which is located in the side parking lot of the school. The paper collected helps to raise money which benefits the school. This is a great alternative to the every other week at home collection since you can drop off paper 24 hours a day and it benefits the students. Check to see if your neighborhood school participates in this type of progam as well.
• The Clifton Heights Acme has a bin for the collection of plastic bags inside the front entrance. Although I try to reuse plastic bags whenever I can I sometimes end up with more than I could ever use and drop them off here. Other supermarkets in your area may possibly collect plastic bags as well.
• Also outside of the Clifton Heights Acme is a mailbox for the collection of eyeglasses that are no longer needed. This collection bin is sponsored by the Lions Club , contact your local branch for a collection box nearest you..

A complete list of Pennsylvania Recycling Drop Off Locations can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection website.

Information courtesy of Pennsylvania Mortgage Broker, Michelle Chamberlain.

To recycle your current mortgage into a low fixed rate visit www.aboveallmortgage.com

For small business financing visit www.ezmerchantadvance.com