Possible relocation to DE! (Wilmington, Claymont: lease, low crime, credit card)

[Shellys3angels]

I am looking for some information on the Arden-Brandywine area. My husband has accepted a job in Salem, NJ and my family and I are confused as to where to live. Is this a safe area (low crime)? Do they have good school districts? What would my husbands commute to Salem, NJ consist of?

[reluctantdelawarean]

Where are you moving from? I moved to Delaware a few months ago, and I positively hate it. I'm planning to move out of Delaware as soon as possible. Most of New Castle County is bland housing developments and strip malls. What little open space there is left is quickly being swallowed up by ugly developments. People here identify themselves as being from particular housing developments, not towns, because most of New Castle County is unincorporated mass of suburbs. That probably sounds really depressing, but it's the view of someone who just moved here.

That said, if you are definitely moving because of your husband's job, you probably don't have much choice. ;-) North Wilmington (aka Brandywine Hundred or various other names) is a pretty nice area, although certain areas are nicer than others. A realtor would be able to give you more neighborhood-specific info.

The public schools in North Wilmington are generally fine, but you should be aware that thanks to Delaware's long history of racism and the attendant problems integrating the schools (i.e. busing), more than one-third of students in New Castle County attend private schools. The private school tuition here can be quite expensive -- several of them are past $20,000 annually. Also, the state permits parents to apply for spots in any public school statewide; I don't know exactly how many students use the school choice program, but i know it's a lot. Some people bash the Delaware public schools, and to be fair there are many bad ones. But there are also several nice public schools in the North Wilmington/Greenville areas, despite what some people might have you believe. Ask around once you start looking at houses, and you'll probably get some good recommendations in that regard. (Tip: Avoid the Christina School District.) Also, do check the feeder patterns for any neighborhood you're interested in -- even within the better NCC school districts there are "good" schools and not-so-good ones.

Good luck.

[Charley]

Wow. Quite a message.

Reluctantdelawarean - can you please tell us where you moved FROM? I'm wondering which state you are comparing Delaware with.

Thanks much.

Charley

[returningtoDE]

Hi there, my husband, son and I are planning our return to DE next month (we are currently in Chicago) and during a search last night I stumbled across these forums. I have to say I was pretty shocked by some of the horrible things people have said about the city of Wilmington and DE, so I felt compelled to reply. Especially because some of the feedback was from folks who have only visited briefly or driven through the city. I would never drive through somewhere a couple of times and then advise folks on whether or not to move there!

So, as someone who has previously lived in Wilmington and plans to return (and has also lived in DC, Chicago, and NC), here are what I consider some of the pros and cons of Wilmington:
Pros
- small city feel, big city amenities since its so close to Philly (major airport, shopping, Amtrak, etc.)
- historic districts with great old homes, big trees, etc.
- green space
- you can buy homes with very large lots (2+ acres) and still be 5 miles from downtown
- low taxes
- close to beaches and less than 2 hours to NYC or DC
- little traffic (of course traffic is all relative to where you're from)
- reasonable cost of living
- improving downtown/riverfront

Cons
- iffy schools, so lots of families opt for private schools
- jobs are mostly in banking/credit cards
- poor public transportation
- shopping/restaurants in the immediate area could be better (but very close to Philly)
- for some reason it can be difficult to meet new people (but its possible, and once you do, they're very nice!)
- small middle class -- everyone seems to be at one end or the other of the socioeconomic scale.


Also, allegedly there are issues with crime, but i never heard of experienced anything when i lived there (we even left our door unlocked most of the time!)

Hope this helps!

[mikandmari]

I grew up in the Arden-Brandywine area. The answer given by ReluctantDelawarean is based more on the entire county rather than just the area in question.

Arden is a very unique place. Historically it was summer homes for artists (which is the reason they throw a big fair every year on Labor Day weekend... to officially end the season). It is still a haven for artists, and is a tight-knit community with its own theater, swim club, and many other activities. You can purchase a house there, but the land is leased. You aren't allowed to cut down any tree unless it is dead, which is the reason the area is still a deep woods! It's a great place to raise kids. The roads are narrow and the homes are cottage-y. You'll either love it or hate it

As for the rest of Brandywine Hundred, there are neighborhoods to suit every taste. It is an older area, so most places you will find more mature landscaping. The rampant growth of suburbia is happening in the south end of the county, not Brandywine Hundred.

If you mention some neighborhoods, or your price range, I can be a lot more specific.

In general, I'd say avoid the Edgemoor and Claymont areas.

And the school district, Brandywine, has recently won awards. There is no shortage of options for schools, many public & private to choose from.

[Bekka]

I understand that we all want to be rid of CRIME - not going to happen.

Doesn't matter where you live - if people want what you have they'll do what ever to get you. I moved from the west side (Wilmington) nearly 14yrs ago to the quite north side so I thought.

My car was stolen from me not 1 time, not 2 times but; 3 times.....guess where I choose to purchase was a little too quite....one of these times right from in front of my door....

Good luck with your House Hunting and just remember to always be very careful no matter where you live.

Bekka