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Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Zoning When Investing in Real Estate
Zoning is not the sexiest real estate topic. However, ignorance in this area can cost you money with both buying and selling investment real estate.
1) Understand the area’s current zoning
Before you buy a property, you want to be clear on what you can do by right or by permission. Often, you cannot rely on information from the current owner. It is best to verify this information on the city’s website or a zoning official.
Building requirements for vacant lots may vary for setbacks and the minimum width to build any structure at all. For instance, the value of a narrow lot is diminished if it is too small to build a house by zoning standards.
It is also good to know what is “in favor” at the zoning board. Parking and recovery homes bring much discussion across Delaware County and Philadelphia.
2) Stay Alert to Planned Zoning Changes
Zoning ordinances evolve to meet the strategic plan for the neighborhoods. Sometimes, this vision of the elected officials may be ahead of the current economics. If the local municipality has prohibited the highest use of your property since you bought the property, it may create a challenge when you try to sell.
In this case, the city may require you to apply for a variance to continue an approved use that has been active for decades. The variance process costs both time and money (the fees to review your application vary by municipality).
For sellers, an appeal may be worth it. Without it, a seller may be forced to hold onto a property longer than desirable. Potential quality buyers may opt to walk away rather than battle the zoning board. Often, it may be easier for the seller to go through the appeal process to plead the case for economic hardship to sidestep the existing code.
3) Document known non-conforming use
If your property does not comply with the known ordinances, register your use with your local municipality. There is no excuse to be unsure (again see #1).
For example, you have treated your property as a two-family rental, but the current zoning calls for only single-family homes. If you can show consistency in this use with no negative impact on your neighbors, you can make a good case for a variance approval. This action will allow you to market a legally approved use.
September Key Market Statistics
(Statistics shown are for rolling 12 months ending in September)
(19143) West Philadelphia-Cobbs Creek/Cedar Park
| Sept 17 | Sept 18 | % CHG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Sales | 505 | 552 | 9% |
| Lowest Sales | $7K | $14K | 100% |
| Highest Sales | $950K | $800K | -16% |
| Average Sales | $137K | $157K | 15% |
| Days On Market | 54 | 36 | -33% |
(19104) West Philadelphia-University City/Mantua
| Sept 17 | Sept 18 | % Chg |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Sales | 183 | 190 | 4% |
| Lowest Sales | $13K | $18K | 39% |
| Highest Sales | $1,325K | $1,250K | -6% |
| Average Sales | $250K | $259K | 4% |
| Days On Market | 48 | 40 | -17% |
(19139) West Philadelphia-Walnut Hill/Haddington/Mill Creek
| Sept 17 | Sept 18 | % Chg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Sales | 262 | 321 | 23% |
| Lowest Sales | $5K | $8K | 50% |
| Highest Sales | $607K | $635K | 5% |
| Average Sales | $89K | $110K | 22% |
| Days On Market | 52 | 40 | -23% |
Upper Darby
| Sept 17 | Sept 18 | % Chg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Sales | 1,143 | 1,201 | 5% |
| Lowest Sales | $17K | $20K | 18% |
| Highest Sales | $435K | $435K | 0% |
| Average Sales | $129K | $139K | 8% |
| Days On Market | 67 | 68 | 1% |
Chester
| Sept 17 | Sept 18 | % Chg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Sales | 210 | 231 | 10% |
| Lowest Sales | $5K | $5K | 0% |
| Highest Sales | $165K | $255K | 55% |
| Average Sales | $53K | $58K | 10% |
| Days On Market | 57 | 67 | 20% |
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Veronica comes from a family of real estate investors. She is passionate about helping clients create wealth, build a legacy, and design a dream lifestyle through real estate.
What makes Veronica stand out from other realtors is her financial background. With an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Northwestern University, she does not run from the numbers. She spent over a decade running financial models to help her employers evaluate projects and products. This skill allows her to simplify the bottom line for a homeowner or forecast the return on investment for a developer.
Veronica is a licensed realtor in PA. Veronica helps her clients buy, sell, invest in real estate in the following neighborhoods in the Philadelphia metro area: Cedar Park, Chester, Cobbs Creek, Darby, Drexel Hill, Germantown, Kingsessing, Lansdowne, Marcus Hook, Overbrook, Overbrook Farms, Sharon Hill, University City, Yeadon, and Upper Darby. Her company also provides property management services for single-family homes and small apartment buildings in the area.