Thursday, March 11, 2010

OPEN HOUSE 255 N Aberdeen Ave Sunday 1-3pm

Hi All - Just wanted to give you a heads up about the open house taking place at 255 N. Aberdeen Avenue this Sunday 3-14-2010. (I have to keep writing 2010 just to get used to it still.) Come out and see this beautiful home and the amazing work that has gone intop it. New utilities, new appliances, new windows, carpets and floors. Just move right in. IT even has a new high efficiency furnace. Also I just check it again and the walkability score on the property is 83 out of 100.

Spring is finally coming to the Main Line

This weekend on of the harbingers of Spring, the 8th grade musical at Radnor Middle School is taking place. Come out and see a great production put on by the 8th grade. I have a daughter in the cast so I may be a bit biased. See you at the show

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving and washable paint?

Thanksgiving is a great day to meet friends and renew the family bonds. While awaiting our trip to friends I was scanning the web and came across this article on a new type of Low VOC scrubbable paint it is Ceramic Wall Paint. There is lots of information out there on this and I was hard pressed to not follow the trails leading to other green topics all done through the links in each article. Have a fun investigative journey.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Theater on the Main Line

Friends of ours have talented children who perform with many theater groups in the area. The Wolf PAC has a performance of Charlotte's Web occurring December 11,12 &13 in which some of them are performing. I think it will be a great show if it is anything like the other Wolf PAC shows we have seen. Maybe we will see you there.

Another area amateur production is by the
Marple Newtown Players present Disney's Cinderella Kids
Location: Gauntlett Community Center West Chester Pike and Radnor Rd
Date: Nov 21, 22, 27, 28, & 29, 2009
Time: Fridays & Saturdays 7pm / Sundays 2pm
Tickets: $7 - reserved / $5 - general
For more information, call (610) 353-9181, email mnplayers1@yahoo.com

or visit our web site

Monday, November 9, 2009

New Tax credit passed the Congress

President signs homebuyer tax credit into law
President Obama has signed into law an extension and expansion of the current home buyer tax credit. The measure extends the present $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers through April 30, 2010. Current homeowners are eligible for a $6,500 tax credit through April 30, provided they have lived in the home they are selling, or have sold, as principal residence for five consecutive years in the past eight years. If potential home buyers have a binding contract on or before that date, they will have until July 1 to close the transaction. Income limits for eligible home buyers are expanded to $125,000 for single buyers and $225,000 for couples. The purchase price of the home cannot exceed $800,000. To help guard against fraud, buyers are required to attach documentation of purchase to their tax return. Click here for a side-by-side comparison of the expanded tax credit and the current version. Get all the basics about the extended and expanded tax get credit.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Radnor Township Leaf Pickup Schedule

Here is the link to the township website where the Leaf collection schedule is posted by street and date and

The rules are explained. Here are two rules to remember when looking at the list by Street

Residents who live on street names listed in CAPITALS must place their leaves in the gutter line of their street. The Township's crew will only pick up the leaves that are placed on the street on these roads.
Residents who live on streets listed in regular type are required to place their leaves on their property and off the street (that is, behind the curb). The Township will remove the leaves from that location.

Real Estate boost extended for First time home buyer Maybe?

Senate Approves Extended U.S. Homebuyer Tax Credit (Update1)
By Brian Faler
Nov. 4 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Senate approved a $45 billion plan to expand a tax credit for first-time homebuyers, extend jobless benefits and provide tax refunds to money-losing companies.
Lawmakers voted 98-0 for the measure, sending it to the House, where Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland said in a statement it will receive a vote as early as tomorrow. The bill then would be forwarded to President Barack Obama for his signature.
The plan would be the first major extension of provisions in February’s economic stimulus plan. The $8,000 homebuyers’ tax credit, slated to expire this month, would continue until April 30 and be expanded to include people with higher incomes and some who already own homes. That would cost about $10 billion in the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, according to Congress’s Joint Committee on Taxation.
The measure includes $2.4 billion to extend unemployment benefits for as many as 20 weeks, enough to aid the jobless through the holiday season. It would loosen tax rules for homebuilders and other money-losing companies to let them claim an estimated $33 billion in tax refunds this year, according to Joint Committee on Taxation estimates.
The legislation had been delayed for weeks by Republican demands for votes on amendments to the plan.
“Republicans used every trick in the book to slow and stall and ensure we can’t do important work,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said today.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, has said the legislation could have been approved last week if Democrats had agreed to his colleagues’ demands. Republicans sought a vote on an amendment to end the Treasury Department’s Troubled Asset Relief Program.
Other Stimulus Measures
Lawmakers are still considering whether to extend several other elements of the stimulus package, including subsidies to help the jobless buy health insurance and increased funds for food stamps. Obama has called for sending seniors $250 checks because they won’t get a cost-of-living increase next year in their Social Security checks.
Michael Mundaca, nominated to be assistant secretary for tax policy at the U.S. Treasury Department, said the administration may seek to extend the interest-subsidized Build America Bonds created as part of the stimulus package. Mundaca told the Finance Committee today the initiative is “too successful to allow to go away.”
The Treasury Department estimates that more than 1.4 million Americans have taken advantage of the homebuyer credit at a cost so far of about $10 billion.
Increased Credit
The Senate plan would allow homebuyers who have lived in their residence at least five years to receive a $6,500 credit. Couples earning as much as $225,000 a year and individuals earning up to $125,000 would qualify. That is up from the current $75,000 limit for individuals and $150,000 for couples.
Those buying homes worth more than $800,000 wouldn’t be eligible for the credit. Those who sell their new home or stop using it as their main residence within three years would have to repay the credit.
The credit “really does provide some economic lift in the country at a time when we desperately need economic lift,” said Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat.
He said expanding the credit to those who already own homes would help create jobs because “the move-up buyer is more inclined and capable of buying that furniture, maybe building a porch, putting a garage on, a new roof” and making the “kinds of investments I think is going to be a job-creator across the country.”
Waste of Money
Senator Christopher Bond, a Missouri Republican, called the tax credit a waste of money, saying studies show that most of those claiming the break would have bought homes anyway.
“For the vast majority of cases, the homebuyer credit amounted to a free gift since it did not affect their decision to purchase,” he said on the floor this week. “The homebuyer tax credit is a terribly inefficient, irresponsible and poor use of scarce taxpayer resources.”
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said in a research note yesterday that the credit probably spurred 200,000 home sales that otherwise wouldn’t have occurred.
Extending the credit to people who own homes wouldn’t reduce the excess housing blamed for the slump because “every buyer taking advantage of the move-up credit would necessarily be a seller,” Goldman Sachs said. It said the plan may increase housing prices by 1 percent because “sellers are likely to incorporate a fraction of the credit amount in their sale prices.”
Unemployment Extension
The bill would provide 14 additional weeks of unemployment benefits in all states, plus another six weeks in states with the highest jobless rates. The extension would be the fourth since the recession began. The share of unemployed people who have been out of work at least six months has reached the highest level in at least a half-century, according to the Labor Department.
The legislation also would expand provisions in the stimulus package allowing companies to apply their losses to previous years’ income, thereby reducing their tax bills and allowing them to claim refunds. Banks and other institutions receiving assistance from the Treasury Department’s TARP program wouldn’t be eligible.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Open House for 255 N. Aberdeen this week 11/1/09 1 - 3pm

Hi Friends,



This week I will be having an Open House on Sunday November 11th for a wonderful home at 255 N. Aberdeen Ave in Wayne. The hours for the open will be from 1pm till 3pm. It is a wonderful little place with 3 bedrooms and 1 bath. Everything is new basically, from heater to light fixtures from door knobs to gutters.

Here is a link to a four minute youTube video of the place.

H1N1 (Swine advice)

This information came from a friend in the City --

Simple steps to take -



Prevent Swine Flu - Good Advice

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist)
having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in
institutions like Hinduja Hospital , Bombay Hospital , Saifee Hospital ,
Tata Memorial etc. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine
Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical
Centre, Malad (W)..
The following message given by him:

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global
epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into
contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not
so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1
infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms
and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not
fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced
(instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official
communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any
part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

3. * Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't
trust salt).
.. *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the
throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms.
Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt
water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an
infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful
preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with
warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti
(very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose
hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in
warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

Neti pots and sinus rinse kits are available at the drug store and
relatively inexpensive....under $15



*Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C
(Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin
C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
*Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can.
Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the
reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat
into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

I suggest you pass this on to your entire e-list. You never know 20 who
might pay attention to it - and STAY ALIVE because of it...

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Harvest Fest at the Willows Cottage

This Sunday from 1 to 5 is the 1st annual Harvest Fest at the Willows Cottage and Park. This will be a fun time for the family and will help in the fund raising for the sustainable farm and education center. The CSA is the ancor tenant for the sustainable life style education center. Please come out to havbe fun and support the center.

Activities include :

Hot Air Baloon Rides -
Needle in a haystack (for kids)
Sack races -
Work shops on Canning, Bees, Word working,
Pumpkin decorating (kids and adults)
A Pie making contest
Hay rides
Apple bobbing
Prizes
Live music
Culinary delights provided by a select group of restaurants

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Tom headed to Utah

I feel extreamly that I have the support of my family as I head to Utah to participate in the Huntsman Games in Volleyball. Great group of guys going. We call ourselves NO DIVAS but they may have us listed as Spike Force Black. Wish us luck

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The Willows Cottage is the site for the Radnor Conservancy's Harvest Festival taking place this year on October 25, 2009. The day should be a blast. Special events - food and beverages for all ages, activities for the young and the young at heart! Follow the links above for more information.

Best Soccer Game I have seen in a long time

The game between Radnor high and Ridley high tonight was one of the most exciting soccer games I have ever seen. The girls out there left it all out on the field. The game ended in a 1 to 1 tie after two full halves and a 10 minute overtime.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

View from the Telluride Film Festival










Well the Lowy's just returned from a great Labor Day in Telluride Colorado at the 36th annual Telluride Film Festival. There were stars, premiers old films silent films and great discussions both scheduled, in the streets, in restaurants and bars and on line. Definitely worth the trip.

Here are my pics from what I saw of the more than 40 choices.

Movies to see from Telluride -
1 The Road --Cormac McCarthy novel from people in the same screening who had read the book “ very very true to the book”
2 A Prophet - Coming of age story of a young ½ Muslim street kid
3 Farewell --French / Russian / American true story of ending the cold war
4 Red Riding – English 3 part crime/police corruption drama best watched in sequence in one sitting about 4.5 hours – good theme for a movie party.
5. Bright Star – If you like a slow English period piece about Keats and his love
5. Sampson and Delilah - Very tough to watch (slow paced) but gives you a great feeling of the life of aboriginal people in Australia.

6. The Last Station – More Hollywood like- Great performance by Helen Mirren worth watching for that – the rest is about the last year of Tolstoy with no Russian accents at all.

7. Bad Lieutenant: Port of call New Orleans – Hollywood meets Herzog -Great performance by Nicholas Cage as a rogue Officer in NO after Katrina. (directed by Werner Herzog – see if you can pick out his touches)

8. An Education – English school girl coming of age

9. Up in the Air - Lite entertainment – Comic story of life on the road and pursuit of trying not to be so lonely.

10 Vincere – Italian film about Mussolini’s mistress

11 Coco Before Chanel - Her Story from the beginning to success nice not to exciting either way

Not as great – in My humble opinion
The Jazz Barroness – Self-indulgent story by her niece Hannah Rothschild of the relationship between Monk and the Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter)
My Son, My Son What Have Ye Done – Werner Herzog trying to film a Greek tragedy set in LA – played well to European audiences

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Some Housing Statistics for the Main Line

I thought since the media is national and we live here locally on the Main Line. It would make sense to get some statistics out for you on Housing Activity in this area. I researched statistics for two local school districts,

Radnor Schools


and Tredyffrin/Eastown.

If you would like me to run the same statistics for a school district which is in our MLS area (most of the 5 county Philadelphia MSMA) which I have not covered here please call me using 610-254-9292 x12 and let me know which one or e-mail me using tom@tomlowy.com Either way I am happy to research and provide them to you.

If there are other statistics you would like to see or if you have real estate questions again, please call or write. I am happy to help.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Radnor Conservancy

The Radnor Conservancy Gala will be held September 26th Please save the date.





As part of the Big Tree Project which is a collaboration between Radnor Township, Chanticleer and the Conservancy trees were planted along Route 30. I had the privledge of checking to see if they were in need of water. The "gators" around the trees are filled with water. They function to slowly drip water into the soil to nourish the trees.

Cut Your Energy Costs - Simple tips for saving resources, money and the planet.

Cool your home naturally: Open windows on cool summer nights. Use energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs (they emit less heat). Hang washing out to dry, and grill food outside. Install window awnings.

Plant deciduous trees on the east and west to shade your house and cool it by as much as 20 degrees.

Install an Energy Star–certified ceiling fan (50 percent more efficient than others) and comfortably keep your home four degrees cooler in the summer.

Consider switching to a natural-gas water heater (which uses less than half the energy of an electric one) and turn the setting down to 120 degrees.

Seal your house: Close the fireplace damper; install a timer (available at hardware stores) on the bathroom exhaust fan; seal ductwork.

Potential savings: About $500 a year.

Green point: If one household in 10 bought Energy Star–rated heating and cooling equipment, the change in greenhouse-gas emissions would be equivalent to taking 1.5 million cars off the road.

Source: Real Simple

Sunday, August 16, 2009

These are the signs you want to see at your home...if!!

These are the signs you want to see in front of your home if it is for sale. Pictured below is Anne Dalk who sold her house this past July. It was on the market for less than a month.
Pictured here is 110 Croton Road. This home sold in less than 3 weeks!!!
Pictured here is the sign from 407 Eagle Road. This home was bought by first time buyers and allowed the sellers to move to their dream home.
This is a great time to be in the market either buying or selling. The homes shown above all sold this past July!! Eagle Road was within 5% of asking, Croton Road sold at asking, and Oak Lane sold above asking! If you would like an estimate of the value of your home, please call me. My office number at Duffy Real Estate is 610-254-9292. I look forward to speaking to you.


South Wayne Ave opens!!!


Monday, August 10, 2009

Great Moving Company

Hello all,

Just thought I would tell you about Logan Moving and Storage. I used them when I moved from Manayunk to Wayne and have been recommending them to people I know if I hear about their need to move. They can do small or large homes and local or cross country moves.

What is best is they show up on time and take good care of your possessions.