Talking the Market with an Expert Real Estate Agent

Bryan Capone has been a real estate agent since 2005, focusing on Center City and beyond. We had the chance to catch up with him to discuss the current market growth and find out how buyers and sellers can better navigate it.

How would you describe the market right now? The market in Center City right now is busy because of a lack of inventory for quality real estate. Buyers are jumping for things.

What is the hot city neighborhood? The Graduate Hospital area is pretty hot in my world right now, as is the East Passyunk corridor. If you want to head north, Fishtown is still attracting buyers. Old City is a little slow, but people still want to be in Rittenhouse, Fitler and Queen Village.

How important is social media in the real estate game today? It’s really my major strategy for 2013. There is a clear delineation between those who have an active online presence and those who do not. At the end of the day, for the end user, is it going to get the property sold? Maybe, maybe not. Even if you didn’t have your own website or weren’t posting it on Facebook, there are enough avenues out there that buyers who are looking can find the property. But for a realtor growing their business, it’s extremely important. On Facebook, little check-ins, like a photo of someone signing their settlement paper or the seller handing the buyers keys, that’s great. People like that.

What should they  look for when touring a house? Today’s buyer—I call it the HGTV effect—they walk in and want granite, stainless steel. These things aren’t a big deal, but buyers see them missing and they think it’s the worst property in the world. I tell people to work from a neighborhood perspective first—where do you want to be? People need to spend some time in the basement. It’s not pretty, but you need to know if there is moisture down there, the type of electric the house. Once the foundation is set—they call it the heartbeat of the home—then you can start looking at stuff upstairs.