One of the few stations along the main Line to have been totally rehabbed, rather than restored, is Strafford just west of Wayne. All the platforms were rebuilt and the building was repaired and repainted. Ramps werte installed, pretty steep, so not sure if they are ADA compliant, but to get up them you will need help or some really strong arm muscles. The main station building. Eastbound platform looking west Westbound platform. 07/26/2011

If you live on the Main Line and work in center city Philadelphia there are not too many options for getting to work. Driving you can go via the Schuylkyll along the river and take your chances on traffic, head down route 30 Lancaster Ave and take some back roads, with a couple of alternatives when you reach City Line Avenue. Or you can take the R5 Septa line, that runs the length of the Main Line reaching out to Downingtown and Exton nowadays, when I moved here 20 years ago, many people felt the Main Line ended at Paoli, nowadays people commute from longer distances. However, we have a great listing in Tredyffrin Township, close to Strafford Station, that is walking distance, a Victorian style single family home with 4 beds 2 1/2 baths priced at $459,000. It will be open this Sunday Ma... 05/07/2011

The first time home buyers $8000 tax credit was extended on Nov. 6. While most requirements concerning the tax credit remained the same, some changes were made. All the changes will apply to those settling on their primary residence after Nov. 6. 1. Date Extended to April 30, 2010 The first time home buyers $8000 tax credit was extended to cover primary residences that settle by April 30, 2010. With the new law, if you have a primary residence under contract by April 30, 2010 then you can still qualify as long as you settle before July 1, 2010. First time home buyers are still defined as buyers who have not owned a home within the last three years. 2. A Tax Credit is Available for Current Home Owners If you have lived in a primary residence consecutively for the last five out of the eig... 11/15/2009

Reverse Mortgages are very appealing to older home owners on Philadelphia’s Main Line as well as in other areas of the United States during these hard economic times. A reverse mortgage is basically when a lender gives you a cash advance on the equity you have in your home. You don’t have to pay back the advance until you either sell the home or die. However, there are several things you should be aware of before getting a reverse mortgage, such as: 1. How much money will you actually be able to borrow? There is a maximum home value which was just raised from $417,000 to $625,500, although you can’t obtain a reverse mortgage for the full value of your home. A formula is used to determine how much you can borrow. This formula takes into consideration how old you are (the older you are th... 10/08/2009

Money magazine had a great article on credit in its September issue. Many people on the Main Line, who are interested in real estate, ask me if it is hard to get a loan these days and the answer is “no” if you have a good credit score. What is a good credit score and how can you keep it high? FICO is the most used credit rating system. The top score is 850 and the lowest is 300. “You need a 750 or better today to have the same treatment you got with a 700 two years ago,” says John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education at www.Credit.com. The higher your score the better the interest rate you are able to obtain for a mortgage. To achieve the best rate, you need to do the following: 1. Know your score. You have three FICO scores based on the information at the three credit bureaus: Ex... 09/14/2009

We have a new listing coming this week which will be Open Sunday 1-3 PM. More details will follow soon. Keep an eye on our web site for photos and information www.VandekarTeam.com this week. 12/04/2007