City Block Team at Compass RE

08/24/2026

🥓 In case you missed last week's Around the Block...

I have more to say about BLTs.

After last week's Middle Child discussion got a lot of attention, I followed up with another Philly BLT worth knowing about: the one at Baker Street Bread Co in Chestnut Hill.

This one is available year-round, easy to order, and comes with Jersey tomato, applewood smoked bacon, Bibb lettuce, mayo, multigrain bread, and kettle chips. A pretty solid lunch, if you ask me. 🍅

Read the full ATB on my website or Substack. Link in bio.

08/17/2026

📬 In case you missed last week's Around the Block...

Philadelphia homeowners have options if they think their 2027 property assessment is too high, but there are deadlines you don't want to miss.

This week's ATB breaks down the two appeal options, the key dates, the Homestead Exemption, and a few things to consider before deciding whether an appeal makes sense for you.

If you're a Philly homeowner, this is one worth saving. 🏡

Read the full post: https://jeffcityblock.substack.com/p/philly-2027-tax-appeals-deadline?r=559pcu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

08/10/2026

🍅🥓 In case you missed last week's Around the Block...

A BLT and an auction. Two things I wouldn't normally put together, but here we are.

First, my case for Philly's sandwich of the summer: the BLT from Middle Child, made with incredible heirloom tomatoes from Urban Roots Farm. 🍞

Then, a look inside a beautiful Mount Airy home where a family is selling an impressive collection of mid-century furniture, art, and more before their move to France. 🇫🇷

A little food, a little real estate, and some very cool stuff in between.

Read the full ATB: https://jeffcityblock.substack.com/p/auction-and-blt?r=559pcu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

08/04/2026

🏀 In case you missed last week's Around the Block...

I took a trip down memory lane, from watching the 1977 NBA Finals as a kid with my best friend to hearing the news that LeBron James was coming to Philadelphia nearly 50 years later... while on my way to visit that same friend.

Funny how certain moments stay with you forever.

Whether you grew up watching the Sixers or simply enjoy a good story about friendship, memories, and Philadelphia, I hope you'll enjoy this one.

Read more here: https://open.substack.com/pub/jeffcityblock/p/our-76ers?r=559pcu&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

07/27/2026

🇬🇧 Last week on Around the Block, I took a break from Philly real estate and wrote about our family trip to the UK.

The Changing of the Guard featuring Bon Jovi 🎸, two trips to Dishoom 🍛, the Cotswolds, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, the Globe, Harry Potter, and plenty of walking around London.

Great trip. Great history. Great food (mostly). And, as always, great to get back to the City of Brotherly Love. 🏙️

Read the full recap: https://jeffcityblock.substack.com/p/random-thoughts-uk-edition

07/20/2026

📬 In case you missed last week's Around the Block...

Philadelphia says there isn't a 2027 property tax increase, but many homeowners are opening notices that say otherwise. 🤔

I took a look at 11 Philadelphia homes that all sold for exactly $750,000... and compared their new assessed values. The results? Some assessments went up significantly, some stayed the same, and a few even went down.

If you're wondering how property assessments work, why they matter, and what they could mean for your tax bill, this week's post is worth a read.

Read the full story: https://open.substack.com/pub/jeffcityblock/p/philly-property-tax-increase?r=559pcu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Around the Block: 7/17/26

07/13/2026

As I approach 25 years in real estate this July, I'm revisiting the four-part ATB series I wrote about my first 20 years in the business.

This week is Part 4—the final chapter of that original series. It covers my move to Compass in 2018, the early days of building the Philadelphia office, navigating the uncertainty of the pandemic, and the remarkable market that followed. 🏙️🏡

It's been quite a journey, and I'm grateful to everyone who has been a part of it. Part 5, covering the last five years, is still to come.

Read the full story: https://jeffcityblock.substack.com/p/providing-expert-real-estate-representation-48a

07/07/2026

🇺🇸 In case you missed last week's Around the Block...

I shared a fun look at the history of Independence Day celebrations and why today's holiday traditions may not be as wild as you think. 🎆

From fireworks and fascinating historical anecdotes to a reminder that Philadelphians have been celebrating with enthusiasm for generations, it's a fitting read for the Fourth of July weekend.

Read it here: https://open.substack.com/pub/jeffcityblock/p/usa-250-safer-now-than-at-125?r=559pcu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Around the Block: 7/1/26

06/30/2026

As I approach 25 years in real estate this July, I’ve been revisiting a four-part ATB series I originally wrote about my first 20 years in the business.

Part 3 covers the 2010s 📉➡️📈 the market slowdown after the Great Recession, the long recovery, and how things slowly started to build momentum again. It also touches on how I first heard about Compass after 17 years at Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach, REALTORS.

Part 4 (coming this Friday) picks up in 2018, through the pandemic 🦠 and into the 2021 surge 🚀.

https://open.substack.com/pub/jeffcityblock/p/25-years-in-philly-real-estate-part-21b?r=559pcu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Around the Block: 6/26/26

06/16/2026

Last week on Around the Block, I'm revisiting a reader favorite from my 20-year real estate retrospective series as I approach 25 years in the business this July.

One of the questions I'm asked most often is: Why did you leave the law to go into real estate?

The answer involves a lifelong love of Philadelphia, a major career change, my first home sale, and the unexpected events that shaped the beginning of my real estate career in 2001.

Read Part 1 on my website or Substack. And stay tuned next week for the story behind how I got the name "City." 🏙️

https://open.substack.com/pub/jeffcityblock/p/20-years-in-philly-real-estate-part?r=559pcu&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web