How would you like to live in Old City Philadelphia?

I have been a Center City Philadelphia realtor for almost 20 years now. I am often asked for my opinion on specific Philadelphia neighborhoods. Especially out-of-towners want to know things like area safety, walkability, shopping, condo choices, the demographics-you name it. Old City, no it is not spelled Olde City, happens to be my favorite neighborhood to sell condos.

Out of my 21 years of living here in Philadelphia, I have spent 15 of them right here in Old City. I have lived in Old City on and off since 1990- back when you had to be out of your mind to live in the area. Today much has happened to change not only the physical appearance, but also the composite of the person buying in the area.

Back in the 1990's the Old City neighborhood became populated with many studios and one bedroom condos and lofts. Sell condos cheap, and they will come. This is very important in neighborhood growth patterns here in Philadelphia. My first Old City condo was a gleaming 650 sq ft. one bedroom at BridgeView Place. As the neighborhood became more and more populated with condominium owners, we saw the growth and addition of neighborhood markets and shopping.

Today, Old city is arguably one of the most fun areas in town where you will find decent sidewalk traffic and shoppers on any given day-especially weekends. Parking is relatively easy, and there are many sidewalk cafes, in addition to the Ritz Movie Theaters, and many historical sites to visit. Close proximity to the waterfront is a plus, as is the weekend nightlife. We are also seeing the addition of larger, higher-end condos that appeal to the non-first time buyer set. 3 and 4 bedroom penthouses are becoming more and more common throughout the streets of Old City. That development in the available condo stock would have been unheard of back in the early 1990's.

Old City has certainly grown over the years. The number of condo buildings, the wealth of new construction projects, and the influx of sidewalk shoppers has made Old City a popular destination with those looking to put down roots in Center City Philadelphia.

Since there aren't too many single family homes in the area, I would say that about 99% of Old City's housing is made up of lofts, flats, and condominiums. More so than other areas of Center City, Old City has a very large stock of converted warehouse spaces, which offer loft living for the masses. Making a distinction between a hard versus a soft loft is important for many buyers. Some Old City lofts are true in nature (a hard loft), and generally have no dividing walls to separate a living room from a bedroom- which isn't what all loft buyers are looking for. Recently, there has been a great addition of a softer, more hybrid loft here in Old City and this does provide an interesting option as opposed to the standard high rises offered in other parts of Center City.