| Driving through South Philly you could be | | | | now, Fitzwater and co is a good bet for |
| forgiven for thinking you were in a war zone, | | | | people forced out the New York property |
| at least from the perspective of this | | | | market by escalating prices. With easy access |
| out-of-towner. But turn a corner onto | | | | to freeways and trains, this area is a gem |
| Christian, Fitzwater Street, Kater, Greys | | | | for commuters travelling to the pricey Big |
| Ferry, and suddenly homes are well-kempt, | | | | Apple. |
| flags are flying and tree-lined streets | | | | |
| reflect optimistic times ahead. Naval Square, | | | | There is further evidence of gentrification |
| once the frontier of investment, is now being | | | | in Fitzwater. A few condos are going up, a |
| surrounded by upgraded properties. | | | | sure sign that house property prices have |
| | | | risen. |
| South of Christian, rubbish flutters around | | | | |
| the streets like modern day tumbleweed. At | | | | Despite the media rumblings of a slowing |
| times whole blocks seem to have been raised | | | | property market, (and realtors are definitely |
| to the ground. A sad brown building catches | | | | upset at no longer being able to bid up |
| the eye. It has a smashed window and piles of | | | | prices between interested parties), the pace |
| furniture are falling through the hole, about | | | | of change and improvements is still going |
| to tumble onto the street. It makes you | | | | strong in this part of Philadelphia. |
| wonder how long before some bored punk | | | | Contractors still re-model at a frenzied |
| accidentally empties lighter fluid over the | | | | rate. Businesses are setting up shop too: |
| remains and tries the flint for the last time | | | | Turkish and Mexican restaurants, swanky bars, |
| before running across wasteland to safety. | | | | coffee shops. And residents do their bit too, |
| | | | to make this part of town a great place to |
| The general air is depressed. This lack of | | | | live. They do not tolerate dirty sidewalks; |
| care, lack of hope, lack of pizzazz that is | | | | bored adolescents don't loiter with intent to |
| supposed to differentiate Americans from | | | | do mischief for grins; it is a nice |
| boring Europeans, hangs like a grey cloud | | | | neighborhood. |
| over the neighborhood. Even these optimistic | | | | |
| eyes fail to see through the gloom, as every | | | | So, if you take note of an indepth study on |
| street corner seems to sport overweight | | | | property prices for the coming couple of |
| sloppily dressed males of all ethnicity, one | | | | years, you will see that Philadelphia is not |
| leg bent back resting against the wall of a | | | | included in the correction that will be seen |
| store, chatting lazily about the game and the | | | | in Florida and California and the rest of the |
| latest gossip on the 'hood. | | | | upmarket North East. Philadelphia started at |
| | | | a heavy discount, so you could do worse than |
| It is quite shocking to hear that just a few | | | | buy into an area where it can only get better |
| years ago, prim and tidy Fitzwater was in | | | | in the next few years. |
| about the same condition. Local realtor, | | | | |
| Ingrid Kernstock, explains that for her, it | | | | See past the occasional rehabs-in-waiting in |
| was a no-brainer to move into the area 3 | | | | the immediate vicinity, they will be dealt |
| years ago. The evidence of gentrification in | | | | with as gentrification continues apace. The |
| full swing was clear to be seen. 3 story | | | | putrefaction of the South of the city is |
| wrecks, under-priced for decades in | | | | being pushed aside at a great rate of knots. |
| comparison to uptown New York, were going for | | | | Cash in now on a house to call home for years |
| $100,000. The tone of the area was improving | | | | to come, before they get too pricey! |
| by the month as developers and enterprising | | | | Satisfaction almost comes guaranteed! |
| residents began upgrading the properties. And | | | | |