Places to live outside of Philly (Wilmington, Claymont: insurance, low crime, houses)

[beckycat]

Where would be a good place to live that is about an hour or less from West Philly. Requirements would be:
1) Suburban
2) Houses around 100K- single family
3) Low crime
4) Shopping and dining close-by (Walmart, Sams)
5) Schools don't matter

[Joe84323]

I'm sorry to tell you, but Houses under 100k and low crime won't work. If you stretched to 150k, maybe a rowhome, but then you want suburban. Then maybe I think southern New Castle County, but then you want to be an hour from West Philly.

I don't see this happening unless you budge on suburban, or price.

[beckycat]

No rowhomes either. Is there anything else a little further? Maybe a small town as long as it would be close to shopping and dining.

[beckycat]

What towns are in New Castle County?

[SXMGirl]

No single family homes for $100K. To get in a fairly decent neighborhood in New Castle County, you will be spending more than $300K, and that is a low estimate. Even though the homes in my neighborhood have taken a major hit, you can't buy anything for less than $400K. Only taxes and insurance are cheaper in Delaware.

[Joe84323]

Yeah, becky... sorry. Maybe in the early 90s, but not now.

[doctorjef]

Where in the United States can you any longer find a decent single family home for 100K??? I actually think if you went up to about 230K you might be able to find something liveable somewhere in the less affluent Wilmington burbs that would still be reasonably safe. Indeed, maybe something you could live with for closer to 200K. I wonder about homes in Elsmere, Newport-Stanton, Claymont. Your price point is the biggest problem with your criteria.

[beckycat]

They are not picky, nor do they want something real big. They are looking for something around 1000 sf with a small yard. I know there are some places to get homes in that price range, but you really have to search. It also depends in the town. I'm not familiar with DE, but I know you can do it in PA, NC, and FL.

[doctorjef]

OK, I went to the Millman Realty site and put in a search for single family everywhere in New Castle Co. between 95K and 120K. It looks like there are such properties in the town of New Castle. The pictures on the realty website, of course, maximise the appearance of properties, so it can be rather deceptive. New Castle, outside of the small Old New Castle historic district, is a very gritty working class place. I'd say it compares unfavourable to Elsmere and Newport-Stanton, which also impress as largely working class areas. Much of New Castle instead looks like it's teetering on the brink of poverty. I'd check out crime stats, for one thing. But if you want a single family house in that price range, quite a few can definitely be found in New Castle, DE.