N.J. apartments back from the brink | Real Estate Newsletter

“Everybody complains about traffic.”

That’s what real estate lawyer Mark Kaplin told The Inquirer’s Chester County reporter Brooke Schultz this week when she asked about pushback to development projects.

Read more Horror fans bid a bittersweet farewell to an empty Pennsylvania mall full of zombies

It made me laugh out loud. After years of editing real estate stories, I’ve learned that he is so right.

Kaplin talks about his latest work with Exton Square Mall and how it’s becoming harder to to get stuff done in the city and the burbs.

Keep scrolling for that story and more in this week’s edition:

— Erica Palan

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

Karen Merricks, a nearly 30-year resident of a Camden apartment building once known as Northgate 1, is finally feeling safer in her home.

After years of poor conditions, a new owner purchased the building in 2024. Renamed the Encore and given a complete overhaul, the building now offers tenants:

👚 a working laundry room for the first time in years

🛜 free internet access for 15 years

🥕 an urban farm where residents get first dibs at veggies

🛝 an indoor playground and children’s room

🔍 increased security

The building’s future as affordable housing has also been secured for the next 20 years.

Read more about how the property, originally planned as a luxury residence, fell into disrepair and then came back from the brink.

Is there anything more heartwarming than a dream realized? One thing I enjoy about real estate stories is that people often talk about how hard they worked to buy their homes. It reminds me that we can do tough things.

Amanda Caroccio, a single mom in South Jersey, is a perfect example. “For a long time I didn’t think it was going to happen,” she said of homeownership. But little by little, she saved, sometimes working a whole month without a day off, and last year, she was able to purchase her dream home in Haddonfield.

She calls it “one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.”

Read more about how she did it and what it means to her family.

📮 Did you recently buy a home in the Philadelphia area or South Jersey? Share the story of how you did it. Email Inquirer real estate reporters at [email protected].

‘Tis the season to fantasize about owning a Shore house. In my dreams, I have an outdoor shower, a covered porch, and a dining table big enough for my whole family to sit comfortably.

This week’s homeowners took that last point seriously and had two kitchens put into their house when they rebuilt it.

That’s just one of the special details in this spacious abode. There’s also a secret wine cave, custom book cases, stained glass transoms, whimsical light fixtures, and two bedrooms with decks.

See more photos of this Strathmere stunner, including my favorite detail: the just-quirky-enough jellyfish wallpaper pictured above.

Do you know the location this photo shows?

📮 If you think you do, email me back. You and your memories of visiting this spot might be featured in the newsletter.

And congrats to Diane B. and Michele G. for correctly guessing last week’s photo location: the fountain at Logan Square. Lars W. gets bonus points for knowing its proper name: Swann Memorial Fountain.

–

I pride myself on knowing a lot of Philly trivia, but I learned something new in choosing last week’s photo.

The fountain was designed by Alexander Stirling Calder (no, not the same Calder as the new Parkway museum; that’s his son). Tuck that one away for your next Quizzo night.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Read more 😋 Settling the boardwalk pizza debate | Down the Shore