Like jeggings, jean shorts and neon colors, wallpaper is another 80s trend that’s experiencing a renaissance. But don’t worry—modern wallpaper styles aren’t the same dainty flowers your grandmother hung on her walls. Today’s styles feature bold colors, cool geometrics, fun florals and funky patterns. Wallpaper can actually breathe new style into a room and demonstrate your design sense.

If you’re nervous about wallpapering your home, start small. Pick a room like a guest bathroom to test out this old-school trend, or add dimension to a room by wallpapering an accent wall. Home owners can also take comfort that DIY wallpapering has gotten a bit easier. If you’re fearful of making a long-term commitment, opt for “removable” wallpaper (also called renter’s wallpaper). It’s so easy, you may offer to repaper your grandmother’s house.

Wallpaper styles to inspire you:

1. Geometric prints at 505 S. Philip St., Philadelphia.

2. A modern toile print 7209 Wissahickon Ave in Philadelphia.

3. Colorful modern flowers at 717 Harrison Road in Villanova.

4. Textured wallpaper at 415-17 S. 3rd Street, Philadelphia.

The post Not Your Grandmother’s Wallpaper Styles appeared first on Property: Philadelphia Real Estate.

Last week Carlino Development and Lamm Realty groups announced their intention to build a retail mall at 3000 Grays Ferry Avenue. The mall will supposedly have Bottom Dollar Food and Rite Aid as anchors. However, the two groups have owned the land since 2007, so it’s hard to get excited by the latest plan.

“Like many others, we had economic setbacks to surmount,” Al Williams, Lamm director of government affairs and community liaison, told press. “However, we’re full steam ahead now.”

The Review also noted that neighbors are excited for the upcoming Toll Bros. development in Grays Ferry, which is slated to have retail on the first floor. But everyone is cautious, even the caption writers for newspapers like the South Philly Review: “Workers will likely transform the uplifted earth and its surroundings into two stores by the end of the year.” Emphasis ours–and the history of Philadelphia.

• Bottom Dollar, Rite Aid to anchor mall project [South Philly Review]

The post It’s Been 40 Years Since Grays Ferry Has Had New Retail appeared first on Property: Philadelphia Real Estate.

Nonetheless, we know that Nordstrom is expanding, we know that Nordstrom was one of the final bidders for the space, and we know that PhillyChitChat’s HughE Dillon just put it on his Twitter feed. This, friends, is as close to certain as one gets.

Do You Want to See Nordstrom Rack Open in Philly? [Racked Philly]

The post Rumor Mill: Churn, Baby, Churn–Nordstrom Rack at Daffy’s? appeared first on Property: Philadelphia Real Estate.

The cobblestone walkway leading to the private garden seems as charming as the hardwood floors, and there’ll never be a problem with warmth: The home has seven fireplaces. (Is there a collective noun for fireplaces? In Philadelphia, there should be.)

Click on the X in the upper right-hand corner of the below gallery to enlarge the photos. It’s much prettier that way.

All photos by Drew Callaghan

333 Lawrence Court, Philadelphia PA

The post Gorgeous Luxury Trinity in Society Hill Is Reduced By $25,000 appeared first on Property: Philadelphia Real Estate.

The Mill in Manchester Valley is a restored 1825 historic stone mill along Gingham Creek in the heart of New Hope. Set is a lovely woodsy setting, the three-floor main house offers a main level master suite, cozy living room, dining room and eat-in kitchen. The upper levels have two bedrooms and a loft. The property includes a detached carriage house with three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a kitchen—perfect for when the in-laws come to visit.

10 Old Mill Rd., New Hope
Price: $2,250,000
Bed: 5
Bath: 3
4,039 sq. ft.

The post Restored 19th Century New Hope Home for Sale appeared first on Property: Philadelphia Real Estate.

If the inside doesn’t charm sufficiently, the outdoor space will: Aside from a large front porch and two-tiered second-floor deck, there are fruit trees on the land: peach, lemon, fig. Not to mention the blueberry bushes. Confidential to new owner: Please send us a pie after purchase. Thank you.

Bedrooms: 5
Baths: 2
Square footage: 2,508
Parking: 3 spaces
Price: $539,900
121 W PARK Ave., Haddonfield NJ

The post Fantastic Victorian in Haddonfield’s Downtown Is Close to Everything and Ready for Pie appeared first on Property: Philadelphia Real Estate.

For instance: Philly has a lot of murders–but not too many! It has a lot of stores that only take cash–but Etsy has lots of Philly-themed money clips! If you want to gain weight, go to Philly and get fat like everyone else! But most of the picks are solid: great art, great food, bikeability, walkability, great beer, “it’s not New York,” etc.

Let’s tell Nickum what he got wrong and right. He loves feedback.

37 Things to Consider Before Moving to Philadelphia [Estately]

The post 37 Things to Consider Before Moving to Philadelphia, Written By a Man in Seattle appeared first on Property: Philadelphia Real Estate.

“The city is immune from suit for tort liability except in eight specifically enumerated circumstances,” notes the mayor’s top attorney, solicitor Shelley Smith [at left]. She says none of those eight circumstances — most of which involve city-owned properties or city-owned utilities — apply in this building collapse case.

Smith is talking about exception to sovereign immunity, a concept originally introduced prior to the founding of the country in order to protect a monarch from prosecution. Since then, there have been a number of legal cases that have changed the degree of immunity afforded city and state governments, including the dollar amount a plaintiff could expect to receive. Talking to KYW Newsradio, Smith explained her opinion of immunity:

“The government, simply because we are here, and because it happened here, is not the insurer that nothing will ever go wrong. To hold it responsible for each and every thing it might have failed to do, or people might think it should have done, is just not a reasonable or predictable allocation of taxpayer resources.”

This is, in essence, the premise behind immunity overall: Citizens must expect there to be limits to the government’s responsibility. That being said, sovereign immunity in Pennsylvania does include exceptions, all of which, as you’ll see below, relate to what the Commonwealth owns. The exceptions, from the Pennsylvania General Assembly website:

(1) Vehicle liability.–The operation of any motor vehicle in the possession or control of a Commonwealth party.

(2) Medical-professional liability.–Acts of health care employees of Commonwealth agency medical facilities or institutions or by a Commonwealth party who is a doctor, dentist, nurse or related health care personnel.

(3) Care, custody or control of personal property.–The care, custody or control of personal property in the possession or control of Commonwealth parties, including Commonwealth-owned personal property and property of persons held by a Commonwealth agency.

(4) Commonwealth real estate, highways and sidewalks.–A dangerous condition of Commonwealth agency real estate and sidewalks, including Commonwealth-owned real property, leaseholds in the possession of a Commonwealth agency and Commonwealth-owned real property leased by a Commonwealth agency to private persons, and highways under the jurisdiction of a Commonwealth agency.

(5) Potholes and other dangerous conditions.–A dangerous condition of highways under the jurisdiction of a Commonwealth agency created by potholes or sinkholes or other similar conditions created by natural elements, except that the claimant to recover must establish that the dangerous condition created a reasonably foreseeable risk of the kind of injury which was incurred and that the Commonwealth agency had actual written notice of the dangerous condition of the highway a sufficient time prior to the event to have taken measures to protect against the dangerous condition. Property damages shall not be recoverable under this paragraph.

(6) Care, custody or control of animals.–The care, custody or control of animals in the possession or control of a Commonwealth party, including but not limited to police dogs and horses and animals incarcerated in Commonwealth agency laboratories. Damages shall not be recoverable under this paragraph on account of any injury caused by wild animals, including but not limited to bears and deer, except as otherwise provided by statute.

(7) Liquor store sales.–The sale of liquor at Pennsylvania liquor stores by employees of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board created by and operating under the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the “Liquor Code,” if such sale is made to any minor, or to any person visibly intoxicated, or to any insane person, or to any person known as an habitual drunkard, or of known intemperate habit.

(8) National Guard activities.–Acts of a member of the Pennsylvania military forces.

(9) Toxoids and vaccines.–The administration, manufacture and use of a toxoid or vaccine not manufactured in this Commonwealth under [certain] conditions.

Smith said: “Failure to enact regulations doesn’t fall within any of the eight exceptions to immunity.” (We see nine, but she must know something we don’t.) An attorney we spoke with agreed that sovereign immunity will likely protect the city successfully should there be suits against it. The attorney also said this is why tort reform is so important to those who pursue it. For now, however, it seems Smith’s contention is accurate. It will be difficult to prove in court that the city has liability–whether it did something wrong or not.

Now, on to the other news of the day:

• Population gains, job losses in Philadelphia [Biz Journal]
• The Influence of Robert Venturi on Louis Kahn
• Nation’s most endangered historic places [CNN]
• Congratulations Fishtown! You’ve Unlocked the Fairmount Parking Achievement [PDQ]
• 17 new trails planned for Philadelphia [philly.com]

The post City Lawyer Says City Can’t Be Held Legally Responsible for Building Collapse–and She’s Probably Right appeared first on Property: Philadelphia Real Estate.

The two-bedroom space is now renting for $1,200 per month.

186 Maiden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19127 [JG Real Estate]

The post Trinity Tuesday: Manayunk Swiss Chalet Goes From Sale to Rent! appeared first on Property: Philadelphia Real Estate.

As we’ve noted before, more parents are choosing to raise their children in the city. But a move to the suburbs doesn’t mean losing the walkability, accessibility and culture that draws people to downtown Philly. Towns and communities throughout the region have a vibrant night life, great restaurants and bars, unique cultural attractions and access to public transportation—not to mention the perks of living in the burbs, like yards, garages and driveways. Some to consider include:

1. Narberth: This Main Line suburb boasts a charming downtown, with plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants—and the historic movie house, Narberth Theatre. It’s located on a main regional route for Septa, and home to such cultural events as the summer outdoor concert series. Plus, you have access to the hustle and bustle of the Main Line.

2.  Jenkintown: This Montgomery County borough sees a lot of action on 611, home to shops, restaurants, cafes, bars and the historic Hi-Way movie theater. Off the main road is the town square, which features a seasonal farmers market, summer concert series and holiday tree-lighting ceremony. You also have easy access to Center City—three major lines run through the Jenkintown station.

3. New Hope: Bustling New Hope is a culture lover’s dream. The town has long attracted artists and has countless galleries around town. If it’s theater you craze, there’s always the Bucks County Playhouse, which presents musicals and plays. Plus, there are plenty of cultural festivals throughout the year, including the New Hope Film Festival and the Arts & Crafts Festival. New Hope also offers easy access to both Philadelphia and New York.

4. Doylestown: The seat of Bucks County government, Doylestown sees more than just local political action. Top restaurants like Honey, Domani Star and the Freight House attract residents from around the region, as does the nice mix of bars. The town is also home to the Mercer and Fonthill Castle museums—the former displays archaeologist and founder Henry Mercer’s private collection of pre-industrial artifacts, the latter is Mercer’s one-of-a-kind home.

5. Collingswood: This New Jersey city boasts an abundance of restaurants, great shopping, and fabulous galleries. Haddon Avenue comes alive for “2^nd Saturdays,” with great music, great food, great art, and great fun, and the PATCO line brings residents across the river to Philly.

The post 5 Philly Suburbs Perfect for City Slickers appeared first on Property: Philadelphia Real Estate.