Real Estate Talk with The CCSJ Team

Cecile sits down with Diane Giovinazzo of Univest Home Loans to talk more about the First Front Door Program and how you can get $15,000 towards the purchase of a home.l

In this episode of Real Estate Talk with the CCSJ Team, Cecile talks to Veronique Subers of Vero Staging and Design, a small boutique staging company. Listen in and get some pro tips on the rules of staging your property.

In this episode of Real Estate Talk with the CCSJ Team, our stellar agent Mae Johnson sits down with Andrew Bunting, the Vice President of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society (PHS), to discuss the gold medal plant program. Established in 1979, this program selects six tried and true plants each year, including trees, shrubs, perennials, hardy edibles, and vines, based on their adaptability to the local climate, ornamental interest, and ecological functions. Andrew highlights the impact of climate change on gardening in Philadelphia, shares tips for finding these plants at local nurseries, and provides insights into PHS's educational programs and resources. Tune in to discover the captivating world of gold medal plants and elevate your gardening game.

We want to help you build wealth and reduce your tax burden with a valuable investment strategy - the 1031 exchange. Recently, our team leader, agent, and investment expert Cecile Steinriede interviewed Ellie Trovato, Exchange Officer at 1031 Corp, to learn more about 1031 exchanges. During our conversation, Ellie shared valuable insights about the benefits of 1031 exchanges and how they can help investors build wealth. Ellie highlighted the ability to defer capital gains taxes, diversify your real estate portfolio, access equity tax-free, and serve as an estate planning tool. At The CCSJ Team, we're committed to providing personalized guidance and support, so whether you're a seasoned investor or just getting started, we're here to help you make informed decisions about your investments. If you're interested in learning more about 1031 exchanges or any other real estate investment strategy, contact us today. Let us help you achieve your financial goals! Read our full blog here: www.thestellarchoice.com/csj-blog/1031-exchanges-demystified-the-tax-saving-strategy-that-every-real-estate-investor-should-know

Feeling overwhelmed by the legal process of setting up a will and understanding how your real estate assets figure into the equation? In this podcast, seasoned agent Cecile and experienced attorney Jay Kivitz talk navigating the maze of wills and real estate assets. Learn the essential steps to create a will and how it can protect your family's financial future. Discover the power of planning ahead and understand how you can secure your legacy with a will by listening to this podcast or reaching out to Jay at jkivitz@kivitzlaw.com or (215) 549-2525 for advice that is specific to your situation! Read more on our blog. . . . . . . . . . keywords: real estate assets, real estate ownership and wills, how to secure real estate assets with wills, will and testament, estate plan, asset protection, inheritance planning, retirement planning with wills, long-term asset protection setting up a will process, creating a will checklist

We sat down with David Frankel, VP of Guaranteed Rate to learn how prepare financially for buying a home for the first time! Purchasing a home can be an intimidating process, especially for first time homebuyers. With the right knowledge and preparation, however, it can be a rewarding experience. It is important to understand the basics of credit score, mortgage rates, and other financial considerations when buying a home.

Retirement doesn’t have to leave you behind. If you are currently or planning to retire in the near future and need mortgage help, our mortgage expert David Frankel spoke to us about the logistics of financing a smooth transition into your retirement. Whether you are upsizing, downsizing or relocating, the mortgage lender will take a look at your current income sources. That doesn’t just mean salary! Even if you have completed your working years and you have other income coming in, we can work with that.

Downsizing your home is a big project. It can be overwhelming, especially if you're not sure where to start. But don't worry—we've got you covered! In this episode of Real Estate Talk with The CSJ Team, our guest Hilary Jay of Department of Better will guide you through all the steps of downsizing your home, from organizing and staging to resale and moving. Are you thinking about downsizing? If so, there are many things to consider before making the leap. For example, how will you transition your collection of art and books? Will you be able to sell the pieces that have sentimental value? What about the furniture and decor items that are meaningful to you? These are all valid questions that need answering before making the move. A good project manager can help with these issues and more. Read our full blog here.

In this episode of Real Estate Talk, Mae Larimore tackles how you can prevent your property getting stolen from under your nose with Jim Leonard, the commissioner of records for the City of Philadelphia. If you have approximately 23 seconds to spare, signing up for Philly’s Fraud Guard you a long term (and expensive) headache! Read the full blog here

In this episode of Real Estate Talks, we are going solar! Catherine Gacki-Hartt sat down with Jacob Head of PosiGen, a certified vendor for the Solarize Philly Initiative. We discuss how start on your solar journey, how long it takes to get a return on investment and if your house is the right fit for solar power. Read our Full Blog Here and Learn How to Apply

With the summer heat coming in … hot, it’s time to talk HVAC! We sat down with Paul from Unique Indoor Comfort to learn all about temperature control, and how to best beat the heat this weekend! There are several types of HVAC that you’ll see when looking at homes across our region, from often cumbersome Conventional and High Velocity Systems to the more modern and environmentally friendly ductless Mini-Split System. Read the full blog here Here are the top take-aways from this podcast: HVAC Maintenance In terms of HVAC maintenance, the most important thing to do is clean or change your filters. Your air quality is crucial to your overall health. Prepping for Heatwaves Before a heatwave hits, close up the house and get the system rolling and give it momentum. This is also energy efficient because it won’t take as much energy or time to regulate the indoor temperature. If you wait until the day of 90 degree weather or keep your windows open the night before, the whole house will need to dehumidify. This means more time and energy (and a sweatier you). Mini-Splits, Many Uses You can also use a mini-split instead of a dehumidifier. There is usually a “dry-mode” and they can also be used for heating purposes. Paul's Phone Number: 610.635.9345

As a homeowner, there are few things more daunting than receiving a notice from the city that your facade is in violation of License and Inspection codes. But don’t panic and think that you have to rebuild brick by brick from the ground up. With the help of a design professional and a trusted contractor, the issue can be pinpointed and addressed with precision and expertise. In a historic city like Philadelphia, having someone who specializes in historic preservation can also be a huge leg up! We sat down again with Melanie Rodbart of J&M Preservation Studios, to discuss everything from structural remediation project management to the secret life of cornices! Read the full blog here: https://www.thestellarchoice.com/csj-blog/whats-under-the-siding-the-secret-life-of-cornices

Did you know that Philly is also known as America’s Garden City? Listen to this episode thestellarchoice.com/podcast to find out more! If you’re interested in green-ing your neighborhood, this podcast is well worth a listen! Our Agent Lydia Chen sat down with Julianne Schrader Ortega, who is the Chief of Healthy Neighborhoods at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. In this role, Julianne works in over 250 neighborhoods across the region to use gardening to help advance things that are like the building blocks of health, like access to fresh food, helping neighbors connect to one another, growing economic opportunity and just making the environment more livable, and more beautiful. As homeowners around the city looking for their ideal dream home these days, outdoor space and garden space and being near a park is crucial. But of course, some neighborhoods don't have parks or gardens. Julianne tells us about how to create the ideal outdoor space that you want for your own home? PHS helps organize community gardens, plant vacant land with trees in the neighborhoods and also work with stormwater management and control. PHS welcomes everyone in using gardening to improve health and well-being, and they make it easy for you. Whether you're a longtime gardener or just interested in gardening, or maybe just interested in making your home more beautiful, more healthy, check out PHSOnline.org as we have a bunch of different workshops. They have all sorts of different programs to help people get gardening and make their lives better. In fact, PHS’ Manayumk Pop Up Gardens, are sponsored by Elfant Wissahickon. EWR will cover the first 5 people to register for programs at the Pop Up such as Mother’s Day Frames, Microgreens, Closed Terrariums, Garden Remedies and Aromatherapy, Pressed Flowers, Propagation Station, and Octoberfest Quizzos will have their registration fees covered by Elfant Wissahickon. Listen to the full podcast to hear more about how to become an active participant in America’s Garden City, Philadelphia! www.thestellarchoice.com/csj-blog/americas-garden-city-greening-your-block-with-phs-chief-of-healthy-neighborhoods

Live in an old row home? Have you been staring at that crack in your drywall for the past year and you’re not sure if you should be freaking out? This episode of Real Estate Talk is perfect for you! Our newest agent Lydia Chen sat down with Melanie Rodbart of J&M Preservation Studio to discuss Philly’s row homes. Melanie has worked for 17 years on many national historic landmarks and Philadelphia’s row homes. In this episode, we cover everything from the history of row homes to how to look for structural problems before they get out of hand. Read the full blog post here. Melanie has worked for 17 years on many national historic landmarks and Philadelphia’s row homes. In need of a structural consult? Email melanie@jmpreservation.com and she’ll get your home straightened out (literally!) If you are looking to buy a row home, email Lydia@ewrhomes.com

In this episode of Real Estate Talk, our agent Cecile sat down with her fellow Frenchwoman and Stellar Investment Client Emilie Theophile Catherine. Emilie moved from Paris to Philadelphia 12 years ago, and in the past four years she has built a stellar income producing property portfolio. She just signed on her fourth property last week (already rented, she’ll have you know) and is on the hunt for her fifth. Emilie gives us so much insight into important tips and tricks that she has learned while building her wealth through real estate. How do you leverage your current assets to buy the next income producing property, and the one after that. What is her number one tip for when you are deciding on which home to invest in? Why invest in real estate instead of traditional stocks and bonds? Most importantly, we learned that having a good team of realtors and professionals at your back is crucial to beginning your property investment journey. Email cecile@ewrhomes.com to make the property investment stars align in your favor!

In this episode of Real Estate Talk with The CSJ Team, Cecile and Karen sit down with lawyer Rich Weitzman, who has over 25 years experience practicing Real Estate law. We talk everything from the cost of wills, deed transfers, mediation, property disputes and more! Listen to answer your basic legal questions when it comes to real estate, and reach out to us or Rich if you have more follow up questions!

How long does it take for your credit score to rebound from a late payment? How about buying a home as a gig or service worker? What about the paperwork that you need to have at hand while qualifying a mortgage? Our agent Mae Johnson sat down with Loan Officer Adam Funck, of Garden State Home Loans, to discuss all of these crucial questions when it comes to financing your dream home! The last thing you want is to fall in love with a house that you can't buy. So listen in and find out some of the simplified answers to these complex financial questions that come with buying your home. Have more questions? Reach out to Mae at mae@ewrhomes.com or afunck@gardenstateloans.com. Follow @csjteamphilly and @funckymortgage on Instagram!

In this episode, the team sits down with interior designer Mimi Leitzel to discuss how the past year and a half has seen a trend of optimizing outdoor spaces out of necessity. How can you get the most bang (and zen) for your buck when it comes to your backyard, patio or rood deck. Mimi Leitzel, founder of MCL Studios, has over 40 years of experience in the industry. This episode also features one of our new additions to the team, our stellar relocation agent, Catherine Gacki-Hartt. Here's what we discuss: 1. What is the most important element in creating an outdoor space: Extending your real estate from indoor to outdoor space 2. Blending indoor and outdoor spaces. In the last year, that’s meant providing different functions for getting outside of your environment whether it’s working, dining, work, exercise, socially-distanced entertaining or being with your family. It’s about prioritizing your space for how you are going to use it. 3. What elements should you consider when designing an outdoor space? Think about the end user. Sit down and vet your needs, desires and hobbies and how you will use the space. Is it a family of 3 or 5, an individual? All of these factors will determine the best use of your design expenditure from start to finish. 4. How important is sound 5. The change in design trends from ergonomics to LEED to open space.