Walkabout

My plan for this past Saturday was to hit Philly’s semiannual “Punk Rock Flea Market” for some unique holiday gifts that would give my teenage sisters some serious post-holiday street cred in school. I went for a while and saw a ton of potential gifts (GI Joe earrings!), but was soon overwhelmed by the sheer volume of hipsters. It was too nice out to be crammed in this dark room elbowing and craning to get a look at crates of records and knitted scarves. Groping toward daylight, I fell into the street and stumbled in whatever direction would get me away from the zoo for a bit of fresh air. When my eyes had adjusted to the light, I realized that I had never really been in this particular neighborhood. As an avid pedestrian, I like to think that I have seen a good deal of Philadelphia, so new pockets of the city always pique my interest. I decided to keep going in that direction until I found somewhere I had been before...

Four hours and thirteen miles later, I found myself in the general vicinity of Chestnut Hill, home to both Bobby McFerrin and my fellow talking heads, Jason and Melinda. I knew the area fairly well - it is essentially the northern border of the city. It seemed like a good place to call it quits. I had crossed some of the most impoverished areas of the city and was now in one of its wealthiest sections. There were quaint residential sections abutting Fairmount Park and vibrant business corridors like Chelten Avenue. I had a rib “sandwich” from the Rib Crib (I have never seen two more overwhelmed pieces of bread in my life) in the spot where the Battle of Germantown was fought in 1777. I did all the things, but mostly, I just walked. I felt the warm sun on my shoulders. Stretched my legs past their normal use for a day. Wasn’t in front of a computer or TV. I didn’t have to network. Just me and the city, it felt epic.

Passing through all the neighborhoods, I decided to recommit myself to something I had been considering for a few months prior to moving back to Philadelphia. I am going to buy a house. Maybe you’re thinking, “big deal,” and maybe it’s not a bid deal. But I’m a single 25 year old guy, make under 30k a year with no savings and ok credit, and while Philadelphia isn’t Manhattan, it remains an East Coast city and not exactly cheap. Location is probably the most significant of the sacrifices I’m anticipating; I’m sure there will be more. Still, I think it’s the right thing to do. Paying rent feels like I’m throwing money away and I don’t have an income bracket jump anywhere in the near future (unless Rupert Murdoch decides to buy this site). I’m not very good at saving, terrible in fact. Real estate isn’t a sure investment, but hey, it has to beat the mattress. Giving up the mobility of being a renter doesn’t seem like a big deal anymore, either; I have no more illusions of moving to the Andes to be a shepherd. As I’ve said before, I’m here for the long haul. I’m also pretty handy; maybe I can do some work to the house and a few years down the line sell the place for a nice profit. Wisely so or not, I’ve convinced myself, but I also know there are going to be sacrifices. Location will be the first and toughest adjustment for me...

Right off the bat I know I can’t afford anything in Center City (Philly’s 30 block by 30 block highly developed downtown area) and the hot neighborhoods that border it are probably out of the question as well. This was always a big tipping point for me when looking for apartments; farther out is cheaper, but is it still city living if you aren’t downtown? [fellow Penn Staters should now mentally cue the AW& Sons, “You’ve got to live downtown!” jingle] Everyone knows that Philadelphia mass transit isn’t something anyone wants to rely on to get around, and as a non-car-owner I would be at SEPTA’s mercy to get downtown. Would I still love living here if I couldn’t hit the Italian Market or my falafel place on South Street on a whim? My big walk yesterday actually helped put a lot of these issues to rest in a number of ways. First, there are a number of commercial areas throughout the city that have shopping, restaurants, neighborhood bars and would generally cover my day to day needs. Besides, as the owner of a home I’m sure will need lots of work, I imagine there will be plenty of things keeping me busy inside the house. Second, I noticed that PhillyCarShare is expanding all over the city. It is a newish organization that provides access to centrally located cars to its members for a reasonable hourly rate that includes gas, parking, and insurance. I’ve seen similar programs in other cities and it seems like a fantastic idea. Plus, some of the cars are Minis! It’s not something you would use every day, but I think it would come in handy any time the bus or train aren’t practical. Maybe location won’t be such a big deal.

I got some more reassuring news when I sat down to have a well earned beer with some friends, one of whom is a credit counselor, after my trek through NW Philly. Apparently, there is no shortage of money being offered to potential home buyers through various city, state, and federal programs. If you meet the qualifications of a low-income first time buyer and are willing to fill out mountains of paperwork, there is grant money to be had for closing costs, down payment, and renovations. And then there are the interest rates...something I claim no knowledge about, but seem to be kind of important. I’m not saying the house will be suddenly free, but in a city that has a pathological fear of losing its young people, it seems like I may even get the system to work in my favor. Lots of community groups offer counseling and assistance in navigating all of these options, and I plan on setting up my initial meeting first thing Monday.

I plan on writing about this as I go through the process. Maybe you have advice, or maybe it helps to know there is someone else giving it a go who might not be a typical home buyer. For now, I’m going to keep talking to people and keep walking. There is still so much of this city I have yet to explore, and I think that doing it on foot is the best way to get a feel for what areas I could live in and what areas have the most potential for growth. I anticipate there will be some good stories that come out of it, and hopefully...before too long...some housewarming gifts. Maybe next year I’ll be able to host Thanksgiving or my own punk rock porch flea market. I think this is going to be fun.