We asked Philly real estate agents their suggestions on what neighborhoods are fit for The King 35%
By Marco Cerino TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER35%
7/31/2026, 4:00:00 AM
BS Summary: This article contains 31 faulty reasoning types, including Anecdotal, Availability Heuristic, and False Dilemma, with Hasty Generalization as the most egregious example at 19.2% saturation with 147 hits. Analysis detected 1,517 faulty-reasoning hits from 765 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 35.2% and a BS Rank of 35% (20,000 of 30,584 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 65.40% of the article peer group.
LeBron James' decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers has energized basketball fans across the Delaware Valley.
But while the NBA superstar has committed to Philadelphia for what he says will be the final chapter of his storied career, one question remains unanswered: Where will he live?
Reports have speculated that James could reside in New York City and travel to Philadelphia by helicopter for games and practices.
If he chooses to establish a local residence, however, real estate professionals told The Philadelphia Tribune the decision will likely depend on how much privacy he wants and whether his family relocates with him.
"If you're LeBron James, I have to be somewhere remote," said Trent Pettus, owner of Integrity Real Estate Services in Germantown.
"Once the public finds out where you live, people are always going by the property or saying, 'That's where LeBron James lives.'
You can't be somewhere that's accessible to anybody and everybody."
For most professional athletes in Philadelphia, that level of privacy is found in the suburbs.
Many current and former athletes have settled on the Main Line or in South Jersey, areas known for their seclusion, large homes and highly regarded schools.
Former Eagles All-Pro tackle Jon Runyan, for example, remained in Burlington County after retiring from the NFL, later serving two terms in Congress while raising his family there.
"The Main Line is the first thing that comes to mind for me when it comes to a really high-end athlete like LeBron James," said Elizabeth Herremans, founder of Birds Nesting, a relocation and real estate company that assists athletes and executives.
"There are exceptional schools if his daughter is coming with him, and it's still convenient to Philadelphia.
If he's considering taking a helicopter, the Main Line would be a cinch."
Not everyone believes James needs to head for the suburbs.
Center City realtor Noelle Carter said several recent Sixers, including Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr., have chosen to live downtown.
If James relocates without his family, she said, a luxury building with extensive security could meet his needs.
"Plenty of athletes live downtown and walk around," Carter said.
"Philly is such a sports town.
People have so much respect for their athletes.
We're passionate.
If we see you out, we're going to dap you up and tell you what you need to do better."
Luxury condominiums in buildings such as The Bellevue or other high-end residential towers could provide the security, amenities and privacy expected by a player of James' stature while keeping him close to the team's practice and entertainment venues.
Herremans knows firsthand how complicated professional sports relocations can be.
Her husband, former Eagles linebacker Todd Herremans, spent 10 seasons in Philadelphia before the team released him in February 2015.
Within weeks, he was preparing for a move to Indianapolis.
"You find out that he's signed and then it's a very quick turnaround," Herremans said.
"A lot of the time, the player has to go well in advance before you can find anything there.
Because you don't know the area, you have to scramble and find a real estate agent and then figure out all the logistics.
Many organizations don't have someone whose sole job is to hold your hand through the process."
That reality could influence whether James initially rents or purchases a home while evaluating his long-term future in the region.
James signed a two-year contract with the Sixers last week, but some real estate professionals believe his plans may extend beyond his playing days.
Whether he ultimately joins the franchise's front office, becomes involved in ownership or invests in the region could affect where and how he chooses to live.
Pettus noted that today's housing market is relatively balanced between buyers and sellers, making a major real estate purchase less attractive if an owner is not planning to stay long term.
Carter, however, believes James may be thinking well beyond the length of his contract.
"I think he wants to be the Magic Johnson of the Sixers," Carter said.
"He wants to be involved in the organization.
Any investment he's making here isn't with the idea that he's only going to be here for two years.
"That's where I start to think about where he can really put down roots, where he can really build a home and be happy long term," she added.
"I don't think renting is necessarily going to be the solution because I think he plans to be here longer than two years."
Speakers
3speakers49%attributed speech390writer words
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100%flagged-word coverageTrent Pettus
53 attributed words14% of attributed speech88% writer coverage
Attribution is sentence-level. Pattern percentages are calculated only from words assigned to that voice.
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