REAL
ESTATE
Property Pals PROBLEM
I
by Geno Thackara photo by Jeremy Poley t’s another day in paradise over here,” George Beatty laughs to describe how life has been going at Problem Property Pals. He’s not really kidding. The business has just finished a house deal the day before and there was another one almost ready to close that afternoon. Most real estate professionals would probably consider it unusual to manage more than one sale a month or so, but Beatty definitely isn’t like most people in the business. In professional and personal life, there’s just no escaping
R E A L E S TAT E
those Philly-area roots. He says “jawn” and orders “wooder ice” in proper native style, as well as maintaining a fondness for Philip’s Steaks and Nick’s Charcoal Pit (of course any hard boiled Philadelphian knows that semi-greasy and delicious is where it’s at). At the same time, he’s aware of the times he needed help pulling himself out of a mess or two in the past, and this approach to real estate makes the perfect way to help other people who might be in those shoes. Quick house sales have a reputation for being a semi-shady proposal - and not without good reason - but Beatty is happy to make clear that not all buyers are alike. “True, most people are just looking to snatch things up and make some money. We don’t do that,” he tells me. “We’ve made a name for ourselves in the city and community
by performing extra services and adding a real human touch. It’s very rarely just about selling the house. It’s about helping people move on to the next chapter of their lives.” At one point, Beatty was the guy who needed to move on, admitting that his Delaware County upbringing had some rough spots. During that period of his life, he ran into a lot of different types of people and homes. As a result, he has a personal connection to many of the situations people find themselves in when they’re faced with the decision to sell a home fast for cash. “If someone is in a place where maybe that’s enticing, more than likely they have other things going on in their life that they might need a little bit of help with,” Beatty explains. “And that’s okay. They may be facing a foreclosure, maybe a sheriff’s sale or tax delinquency. They might just need
to move when the house needs a lot of repairs. So we help people relocate, help them find a new place to rent or buy. We can pay a full year of their rent up front out of the proceeds of the property. It’s really a full concierge service that comes with the sale. It’s not just, ‘here’s a check for your house, good luck.’ It’s ‘let me see how we can help make this transition easy, dignified and comfortable for you.’” After steadily growing for five years, Problem Property Pals now manages about 100 such sales a year with no plans to slow down. “You gotta start strong and stay focused. This has been the only thing I’ve been doing nonstop for five years. Mostly all I do is work,” he laughs. Still, an inspiring purpose is much more rewarding than just a job. A small but growing staff helps keep the wheels turning from their home base in Old City - all the better to take advantage of some of the city’s best food as they continue doing a good service for their community. “There’s been talk of expanding but the main thing is to help more people in the city and become a household name,” he sums up. “Philadelphia is our home. We intend to be here for the long haul.”
July / August / September 2019
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