Lehigh valley (Whitehall, Macungie, Penn: real estate, home, best schools)

[mom2gurls]

Looks like the job offer is going to come thru...and its gotta be a good one before we move to PA as we are settled here in NY.

So know we are really confused as to the best schools there. I have heard lower saucon valley...but what about parkland school district.

What are the more upscale towns in the lehigh valley?

[graysmom8]

Parkland School District is a very good district (the most sought after in the LV-I taught there before having a baby and deciding to stay home) as is the East Penn School District. Parkland and East Penn are consistently above state requirements in testing and have large, more well off, populations so they offer more sports, AP classes, clubs, etc. I've never really heard anything about the Saucon Valley School District so I can't comment on it. As far as more upscale areas, there are lots of new housing developments going in all over Upper and Lower Macungie Townships (EPSD for the most part with some PSD on the one side). There are also expensive developments in the Parkland area as well (South Whitehall Township). I don't know if there is really an exclusive/upscale town per se. Let me know if you have any other questions.

GraysMom

[mom2gurls]

Grays Mom--

Thats GREAT to know....I didnt want to come off snobish about asking for an upscale area...but lets be honest..there are always those "school districts" that are sought after..and the realtors will just give you the same "generic response" of "check the school test scores".

I did my own research and your comments prove it thru about which school districts are sought after. Naturally I am thinking that those schools have the higher tax amounts for real estate, and therefore will have higher home prices....(not that I want to spend too much LOLOL).

I guess my other questions would be.

1. Gangs...I keep hearing about gang issues in the LV area. Can I just assume that the upper and lower macungie epsd and parkland will not have the gang influences in these towns...or surrounding ones for that matter.

Where we live right now..there are only two towns that have "issues"....yet they are isolated and not near the mainstream areas...so therefore...we do not have to pass thru the bad towns to get to the shopping areas, or to the main parkways and such.

Where are the gangs in the LV...what specific towns, so I know that we will need to steer clear of them.

2. How long is the commute to bethlehem from the parkland and epsd areas?

3. Lastly, because I have little ones and am a SAHM....are upper and lower macunge (or towns in the school districts mentioned)....close to all major shopping (less than 10-15 minutes)---where we live its 40 minutes to the mall and its a headache and a half...so this time..I want to make sure that we live within a 10 mile radius of "everything".

Thanks in advance!!!