City Block Team at Compass RE

05/11/2026

Most of you know I can talk Philly sports, SEPTA, cheesesteaks, and Center City history all day long. Robotics? That was newer territory for me. 🤖

But thanks to our son Ari, I’ve learned a lot about the incredible world of FIRST Robotics — and this week I wrote about Springside Chestnut Hill Academy’s Team 1218 qualifying for the FIRST Robotics Championship in Houston. A huge accomplishment.

This program is about so much more than robots. Teamwork, creativity, problem-solving, engineering, mentorship, really impressive stuff all around.

And yes, City Block Team is a proud sponsor of SCH Robotics. 💪

Congrats again to Team 1218 on another great season. Full story: https://substack.com//p-196944913

05/05/2026

Philly sports… never boring. 😅

I’m not a “Negadelphia” guy. Never have been. Always glass half full. But even the most patient fan gets tested sometimes (looking at you, Sixers). And yet… here we are. Still in it. Now we face the Knicks, down 1 in the series. GO SIXERS. 🏀

The Flyers? The city is absolutely Flyered Up right now — and they’re battling the Canes with nothing to lose. Love it. 🏒

Birds' offseason has me optimistic, as always. And the Phils… well, a little managerial shakeup and suddenly things get interesting. ⚾️

I also shared one of my all-time favorite Phillies moments involving Pete Rose, pure hustle, and the 1980 World Series.

Full Philly sports rundown in last week’s Around the Block.

https://open.substack.com/pub/jeffcityblock/p/philly-sports-comments-four-for-four?r=559pcu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Around the Block: 5/1/26

04/27/2026

Twenty-five years ago, I left the practice of law and became a real estate professional. I had no previous sales experience, but I never saw this as a sales job.

I saw it as an opportunity to help people reach their goals, just as I had as an attorney, but in a field that aligned more fully with my passions and personality. Philadelphia and its neighborhoods 🏙️. My understanding of contracts. Being out in the field instead of tied to an office. Researching homes and pricing instead of corporate law. Talking with people about life and family, not just technical legal needs. And most of all, helping clients navigate one of the biggest personal and financial decisions of their lives with less stress and more success.

From day one as a REALTOR®, I knew I had made the right decision.

And now, 25 years later, I love it as much as ever. Check that, even more than ever.

Hope you like the 25th anniversary logos 🎉

04/20/2026

The Flyers are back in the playoffs, and the Philly real estate market is just as energized! Whether you're a die-hard Broad Street Bullies fan or looking for your next home in University City, this week’s "Around the Block" has you covered.

From a deep dive into Flyers history to a fresh batch of new listings across Geater Center City and West Mt. Airy, there is plenty to explore.

Let’s go Flyers! 🏒🧡

Read the blog here: https://cityblockteam.com/blog/ 🏡

03/23/2026

Sometimes you don’t have to go far to find something special… 🇫🇷

Wide sidewalks with café seating, lush greenery, public art, performance spaces — sounds like Paris, right? Well… what if I told you it’s coming to South Broad Street?

This week’s Around the Block dives into AveArts 2.0 — a major transformation already underway that’s set to reshape 10 blocks of Center City into something pretty incredible. 🌿🎭

Is it the Champs-Élysées? Maybe not.
Is it a big step forward for Philly? Absolutely.

Full breakdown (and my questionable French 🇫🇷😅) here: https://cityblockteam.com/around-the-block-3-20-26/

03/17/2026

Spring market energy is real in Philly. Prices are holding strong, rates are (mostly) steady, and buyer demand for single-family homes is still there. Several listings went under contract this week, with more great ones coming soon.

I love the spring market. Go Philly!

Read the full blog —https://cityblockteam.com/around-the-block-3-13-26/ 🏡

03/12/2026

Sometimes things change. And even if you didn’t want them to at first… you eventually come around.

A few months ago, I wrote that the Rocky statue absolutely belonged exactly where it was, at the base of the Art Museum steps. Case closed. No debate.

Well… the city decided to move it anyway.

And here’s the funny thing — now I actually support the move.

Why the change of heart? Part nostalgia, part Philly history, and part realizing that if Rocky moves up the steps, it gives Smokin’ Joe Frazier the spotlight he deserves at the bottom. 🥊

In this week’s blog I explain what changed my mind, plus a few stories involving driving around Eakins Oval, blasting Gonna Fly Now, and embarrassing my kids. 🎶🚗

Joe Frazier. Rocky. Philly.
You can’t beat it.

Read the full story at the link in bio.

03/02/2026

Spring market is picking up 🌷🏡 and when things get busy, I occasionally go to the archives for an encore ATB.

This week, I revisit my 2024 piece on Weavers Way Co-op — our perfectly curated neighborhood co-op. Back in 2018, I confidently told my wife I’d “mostly stick to Whole Foods.” That prediction aged terribly. I’m now about 90% Weavers Way 🛒🍎

Mt Airy, Chestnut Hill, Germantown — I rotate through all three. Still the best grocery experience around.

Meanwhile, spring listings are coming together across the Northwest and throughout Philly 🏡 Inventory remains tight, activity is picking up, and it’s shaping up to be an interesting season.

02/23/2026

Sunny Sarasota, questionable cheesesteaks, flamingos with zero table manners… and one very spoiled dog named Ruby. ☀️🦩🐶

This week’s ATB recaps a long weekend in Florida — from a BBQ joint’s attempt at a “Philly Cheesesteak” (hard pass) to the best Bucs license plate I’ve seen in years 🏴‍☠️ — and yes, flamingos that eat straight out of your hand.

And then… the Sarasota Circus 🎪

Not the old-school elephants-and-lions version — this is full-on circus arts: acrobats, jugglers, legitimately funny clowns, and animals doing things I’m still trying to process. Watching our 15- and 10-year-old completely locked in under the Big Top was a reminder of how fast it all goes.

Great trip. Great to get away. And, as always, great to be back in Philly.

Read more here: https://cityblockteam.com/around-the-block-2-20-26/

02/18/2026

Presidents’ Day 🇺🇸, Valentine’s Day ❤️, and a look back at early 2020 — when the market was red hot… and none of us had any idea what was about to happen. One month later, everything stopped. And then came one of the most unprecedented real estate years ever.

Fast forward to early 2026: snow, ice, and bitter cold have slowed the city ❄️ — but the market hasn’t. Activity is strong, inventory remains low, and the year is already off to a pace I haven’t seen in quite some time.

A few thoughts on timing the market, seasonality, and what might be ahead as we move toward spring. Perspective matters. So does momentum.

Read more on the blog: https://cityblockteam.com/around-the-block-2-13-26/