Program for Black developers seeks land. And Zillow’s top search terms.

I can’t always follow up on interesting stories that I write. But I like when I get the chance to check in with people I’ve talked to and share updates with readers.

In December 2022, I went to a graduation ceremony for developers of color who’d just gone through the first phase of a program meant to help them grow their businesses and diversify the real estate industry.

I wondered how they were doing a year later, so I checked in with one of the Black business leaders who founded the Philly RiSE program. I talked with him and two developers in the program about the biggest hurdle they’re currently trying to clear: getting Philly-owned land so they can build homes.

Keep scrolling for that story and to discover what people searched for most on Zillow in 2023, see which Sixer is selling his penthouse, and peek into a Victorian farmhouse built in 1870 in Camden County.

📮 How does the Zillow list of most-searched terms compare to what you look for in a home? For a chance to be featured in my newsletter, email me.

— Michaelle Bond

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It’s always great to hear when folks in other cities look to Philadelphians for inspiration. And that’s what happened in a convention center in Toronto last spring.

Two people affiliated with Philly RiSE, a privately run program to grow the businesses of developers of color, spoke about their work to real estate professionals at an international conference.

The Black Squirrel Collective started the program in 2022. The group of Black business leaders hopes to diversify the real estate industry by helping developers who historically have been blocked from funding and networks. It also wants to grow wealth in communities of color.

After the Philly RiSE session at the conference, people from other cities started asking how they could start their own versions of the program. Philly RiSE has heard from professionals in two dozen places.

But the success of Philly’s program will depend largely on whether its developers can get city-owned properties from the Philadelphia Land Bank to build homes on. The developers are currently going through the program’s toughest challenge.

Have you ever looked through online real estate listings just ‘cause you had some free time and you were curious? Both the bored and serious buyers search listing websites to find their dream homes.

And we’ve all been doing a lot of looking.

Zillow analyzed more than 250 billion searches to come up with the top terms that users of its website looked for in 2023.

In Philly, the most popular search terms on the website were about space, comfort, and style.

The city’s most-searched term was — maybe unsurprisingly — street parking.

That commodity can be precious, depending on your neighborhood. And angst over vehicle storage wasn’t just a Philly thing. Nationwide, Zillow found that garage was the most-searched home amenity.

Keep reading for the lists of top Zillow search terms in Philly and nationwide.

The latest news to pay attention to

Who’s the most famous person who’s been in your home?

Jess Thress says former President Woodrow Wilson played pool in what used to be the game room of her house, built in 1870, when he was the governor of New Jersey.

You can still see the marks on the floor from the pool table’s legs.

The room’s purpose now is less fun. Jess and her husband, Wayne, use it as an office.

The Thresses have updated their 3,100-square-foot, two-story Victorian farmhouse in Oaklyn while holding onto the home’s history and character.

The Thresses aren’t avid cooks (neither am I), but their kitchen is the site of regular dance parties (so is mine) with their young kids. They even bring their portable disco ball into the large eat-in kitchen.

Another family favorite spot is outside. The home has a wraparound porch and large yards.

Keep reading to find out what the Thresses have planned for their outdoor space and peek into the family’s home.

🧠 Trivia time

Under a publicly funded deal, a 458-acre camp operated by the Girl Scouts in Montgomery County has been preserved. A locally based conservation nonprofit said this deal caps decades of efforts to preserve the property, where hundreds of homes could have been built.

Question: How much did it cost to keep the land from being developed?

A) $1.7 million

B) $3.9 million

C) $5.1 million

D) $7 million

This story has the answer.

📷 Photo quiz

Do you know the location this photo shows?

📮 If you think you do, email me back.

I didn’t get a correct answer to last week’s photo quiz. That photo was taken at Tinseltown at FDR Park in South Philadelphia.

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Tuesday’s storm caused power outages and flooding in our region. So what should you do if water gets into your home? My colleagues explain what to do after a flood.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

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