Looking to buy a house west of Malcolm X Park, West Philly. 53rd and osage? house the hood? is it hood? (Philadelphia: real estate, 2013)

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by FBJ

52nd street is the ghetto high crime section of philadelphia. The nicer and low crime areas of west philly are below 45th street.

Sure, lol, tell that to the folks in the Cedar Park neighborhood, which is just below Malcolm X Park, and extends to 50th/51st. I saw a listing for a house in that neighborhood for 500K.

If the OP was black I would say, yeah, why not? Try it. Being white it might not work.

And, parts of N. Philly are worse than 52nd St crime-wise.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by allarevessels

Ok, so I'm not trying to be a gentrifier here. But we are (currently) lower income white folks looking to buy a home in West Philly. So, our budget has us looking around 52nd st and west...I'm seeing lots of homes under 100K. Is this because they are crappy drug infested neighborhoods? Or just under valued because they are old school african american blocks?

I guess my question is-
Is west philly, west of 52nd, south of market, safe for us?

Many blocks are just that: old school AA blocks. I'm black and my sister, my aunt and one of my cousins live in one of those blocks. Many of the houses are over a century old so keep that mind. The shame of it is that there are some very nice, well cared for, blocks owned by people who obviously care that most Philadelphians are 100% clueless about. One that comes to mind is the 6200 block of Delancey.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Larry Siegel

West Philly turns from nice to hood pretty quickly between 50th and 52nd. I'd avoid.

Well, it looks that this is a zombie thread from 2012! Sheesh.

But, I have to say it makes me very angry when people are so quick to label folks who live in those areas as completely bad when that is not true at all.

And there were plenty of crappy places in University City not so long ago. So "nice" is recent...within the last 10-15 years.

[Larry Siegel]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Well, it looks that this is a zombie thread from 2012! Sheesh.

The previous poster in the thread was on 2/25/2018. Besides, there is no bandwidth shortage that I am aware of.

But, I have to say it makes me very angry when people are so quick to label folks who live in those areas as completely bad when that is not true at all.

Did someone do that? I did not do that.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Larry Siegel

West Philly turns from nice to hood pretty quickly between 50th and 52nd. I'd avoid.

There's a good (as opposed to questionable) reason you got wrist-slapped for this:

A lot can happen in six years.

I know Clark Park, and he might still have that opinion about West Philly west of 50th, but the Wave is now lapping at 52d Street from Market southward.

I did a double-take when I saw a rehabbed row home near 53d and Chestnut appear on Zillow last fall - and its listing said it had sold for $700k.

I still wonder whether another house wasn't part of the deal. But even if one were, the rehab job itself shows that - as a friend of mine who lives in the 5400 block of Chancellor told all his neighbors about a decade ago - properties west of 52d are beginning to appreciate in value.

Shoot, I spent a Christmas-season evening three years ago in a renovated house in the 5300 block of Spruce that had all the usual attributes I write about in my house posts: a kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, an upgraded bathroom with dark wood vanity, a new half bath on the main floor (something most older homes in this part of town lack).

Four people were happily renting this home.

The director of the Penn Glee Club lives on a block facing Malcolm X Park and has for somewhere near 10 years at least.

IOW, never mind any stereotyping (and some will read a bit of that into your statement, even if such was not your intent) - the observation seems to me dated.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

There's a good (as opposed to questionable) reason you got wrist-slapped for this:

A lot can happen in six years.

I know Clark Park, and he might still have that opinion about West Philly west of 50th, but the Wave is now lapping at 52d Street from Market southward.

I did a double-take when I saw a rehabbed row home near 53d and Chestnut appear on Zillow last fall - and its listing said it had sold for $700k.

I still wonder whether another house wasn't part of the deal. But even if one were, the rehab job itself shows that - as a friend of mine who lives in the 5400 block of Chancellor told all his neighbors about a decade ago - properties west of 52d are beginning to appreciate in value.

Shoot, I spent a Christmas-season evening three years ago in a renovated house in the 5300 block of Spruce that had all the usual attributes I write about in my house posts: a kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, an upgraded bathroom with dark wood vanity, a new half bath on the main floor (something most older homes in this part of town lack).

Four people were happily renting this home.

The director of the Penn Glee Club lives on a block facing Malcolm X Park and has for somewhere near 10 years at least.

IOW, never mind any stereotyping (and some will read a bit of that into your statement, even if such was not your intent) - the observation seems to me dated.

My sister and I are currently rehabbing the house we jointly own(she lives there)in the unit block of N 62ndSt. We inherited this house from our paternal grandparents. They moved there in the 1940s and, of course, back then there were plenty of white people in and around that part of W. Philly especially south of Market St in Cobbs Creek and Kingssessing/Mt Moriah.

Anyhow our house has some of the original fixtures from a century ago like crown molding. And, yes, we are putting in an updated kitchen.

Suffice it to say we intend to increase its market value.

It should not surprise anyone now that lots of these houses are sound and are basically of good quality.

[Lenses & Lights.]

Originally Posted by kyb01

My sister and I are currently rehabbing the house we jointly own(she lives there)in the unit block of N 62ndSt. We inherited this house from our paternal grandparents. They moved there in the 1940s and, of course, back then there were plenty of white people in and around that part of W. Philly especially south of Market St in Cobbs Creek and Kingssessing/Mt Moriah.

Anyhow our house has some of the original fixtures from a century ago like crown molding. And, yes, we are putting in an updated kitchen.

Suffice it to say we intend to increase its market value.

It should not surprise anyone now that lots of these houses are sound and are basically of good quality.

Have relatives on 62nd & Carpenter. They were really nice homes, and blocks back then. Haven't been over there in some time.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Lenses & Lights.

Have relatives on 62nd & Carpenter. They were really nice homes, and blocks back then. Haven't been over there in some time.

Back when? Do you mean the 1940s?

[1ondoner]

Are you quick to defend the area because you have relations who live there?

A while back there was a TV feature on hoods. They interviewed a lady who lost her 18 year old son to gun violence. Her son had dropped out of school, done drugs and was involved in violent altercations (stabbing) that saw him spend some time in jail.

The interviewer asked the grieving mother at what point did she realize that the situation was not going to end well for her son. She responded by saying that her son was a good person who did not deserve to die.

Originally Posted by kyb01

Well, it looks that this is a zombie thread from 2012! Sheesh.

But, I have to say it makes me very angry when people are so quick to label folks who live in those areas as completely bad when that is not true at all.

And there were plenty of crappy places in University City not so long ago. So "nice" is recent...within the last 10-15 years.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

Are you quick to defend the area because you have relations who live there?

A while back there was a TV feature on hoods. They interviewed a lady who lost her 18 year old son to gun violence. Her son had dropped out of school, done drugs and was involved in violent altercations (stabbing) that saw him spend some me in jail.

The interviewer asked the grieving mother at what point did she realize that the situation was not going to end well for her son. She responded by saying that her son was a good person who did not deserve to die.

I've said multiple times on here that there are good people who live in poorer areas in Philadelphia. And most of them are not involved in crimes. Of course since you will never put toe in any of these places you will never find out personally. Seeing something on tv is such a great resource. And here's my to you.

All I can tell you is that the closest my family, in W. Philly, has ever come to any type of crime was when my granddad made suits for gangsters during Prohibition. So why shouldn't I defend it?