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Old 11-20-2011, 09:36 PM
 
16 posts, read 30,258 times
Reputation: 14

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Greetings!

I am in the beginning stages of planning a move from NW Florida to the Lehigh Valley area, hopefully to occur in the late spring or early summer of 2012. I was in the Lehigh Valley area in mid-October and loved what I saw. That visit was part of a longer Poconos vacation and which also included a couple of days in Philly. It's the second time in three years I've visited the Poconos, and everything I've seen of Pennsylvania on both trips has really made an impression upon me. The Lehigh Valley seems like a good place in itself, and a wonderful compromise between the "big city" and the "wilderness" while having easy access to both.

So, my first question has to do with the fact that given I'm a native Floridian and not at all well acquainted with snow, I decided that I needed to make a return trip this winter just to get a very small taste of what it's like. (I also just want to see the Lehigh Valley again now that it is a definite target for relocation, and look around with that goal specifically in mind.) What month should I visit? I'm thinking sometime beginning late January through February might be best. (By the way, I despise hot weather, which is one of my reasons for moving, and while getting used to winter will be challenging and also probably amusing - for others anyway - I am looking forward to having seasons, winter included.)

My second question is a bit more general. I have friends in Emmaus and Macungie who have told and can tell me about the area, but I'm still at a loss for exactly where I want to look for a place. I do like the two areas my friends live, but I am a little oddly hesitant to move into their backyards, as it were.

I will be buying a home at some point, though I have no clue if it will be during the initial move. I would prefer this, but right now I don't feel like I have enough information to pick the "right" area. Another argument for buying it that it is dismaying to see that rent for a comparable place will likely be more than my future mortgage.

I'm looking for a single family house or a town house, with two or three bedrooms and at least 1200 sq ft. Some yard is preferred, but nothing huge. I am single and live alone if one discounts the several felines moving with me. I'd prefer a quiet, safe neighborhood. Family-oriented is probably preferred; I am not a wild party goer nor will I be hosting loud events. My current price range is approximately $140,000.

As far as employment, I currently work as a paralegal. I don't know how or if that will translate well to Pennsylvania, or even if I wish to continue with it. I will need to seek employment and if not in the legal field, some form of higher level administrative work is preferable. I've been giving thought to going into medical administration and I am aware of large number of businesses related to the medical field there.

Finally, I will be moving with a car, and I don't particularly want to be in a hugely bustling area. The natural beauty of the area is the biggest draw for me. I'd love to be near somewhere like a park I could go to for exercise as well as being reasonably close (fifteen to twenty minutes maximum) to an area for general shopping such a groceries, etc. (I liked Wegmans quite a bit.)

I hope that fills in some of the blanks. Any advice on where to look, when to visit again, or anything else is greatly appreciated.

Last edited by Rachel125; 11-20-2011 at 09:51 PM..
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Old 11-21-2011, 10:17 PM
 
14,612 posts, read 17,355,352 times
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Gooogle Terrain Map is probably the best place to start since you are clearly interested in something with some hills. Generally, the hills are in the northern parts of Lehigh and Northampton County, but there are several hills in other places. The poconos are the counties just to the north of Lehigh and Northampton. Carbon County is considered part of the Lehigh Valley by the government, but it is probably too remote for a single person.
For $140K you can get a 1300 sq ft condo in Macungie, but you will be much more remote to find a single family house for that price.
The three townships of Upper Macungie, Lower Macungie and Salisbury and the three boroughs of Emmaus, Macungie, and Alburtis constitute 81,000 people over 41,000 acres of land. I think there is plenty of room to find a home for yourself to be close to your friends, but not "stepping on their territory". Demographically it is about 6 white people of European descent to 1 person of any minority group or Latino ethnicity.
Emmaus is 6 miles from downtown Allentown, which is both the largest city and the only "minority-majority" municipality in the Lehigh Valley. The term refers to municipalities where over 50% of the population is from a minority group. In this short drive you will find a wider range of nightclubs and ethnic restaurants.
Right next to Emmaus is Wescosville, where you can pick up a bus with a single intermediate stop to Manhattan. You might need a break from the suburban/country life.
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Old 11-22-2011, 07:19 AM
 
13,250 posts, read 33,393,804 times
Reputation: 8098
Normally I would point you in the direction of my area, because Coopersburg/Center Valley has everything you are looking for including a wonderful rails to trails path, but I doubt very much that you could find something in your price range. However, I wouldn't rule it out and would recommend a drive though Main street (not route 309) in Coopersburg and maybe over to the Upper Saucon Park and The Promenade Shops in Center Valley.

Here's the thing about moving up here - if you move into one of the small towns that does not have a somewhat transient population, you may well find it hard to make friends. In the towns of Emmaus and Macungie however, you would at least have a base of friends to start with and you would also have all the amenities that you are looking for. There are parks all over the area, so I would not worry about that wherever you go.

I agree with your assessment of the Lehigh Valley being a good location for outdoor activities but it does have a lot more opportunity for jobs compared to the Poconos area.

If you are flying up here in January or February, I would highly suggest using SW airlines and flying into PHL or EWR and then renting a car to get here. The chances of the weather canceling flights is quite high during those months. I have to say that Feb through March is probably the most depressing, gray time of year and if you still like us after visiting then, I think you'll be happy here. Right now, and into January is a wonderful time to visit because winter has not set in and everyone is still up and running around. Bethlehem is especially beautiful at this time of year. I drove through Emmaus on Sunday on my way back from church and it was neat to see how busy the town was. It was the last day of the outdoor farmers market and the weather was perfect. People were sitting outside eating and drinking, taking walks and generally enjoying themselves.
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Old 11-24-2011, 11:40 AM
 
18 posts, read 64,324 times
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all this details about the area is really helpful,Precisely we probably moving in January or February,so how bad is those days,for moving?
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Old 11-25-2011, 06:16 AM
 
Location: Lehighton/Jim Thorpe area
2,095 posts, read 3,090,813 times
Reputation: 1705
Quote:
Originally Posted by toobusytoday View Post

Here's the thing about moving up here - if you move into one of the small towns that does not have a somewhat transient population, you may well find it hard to make friends. In the towns of Emmaus and Macungie however, you would at least have a base of friends to start with and you would also have all the amenities that you are looking for.
I agree with this. It's not that people are necessarily mean or unfriendly -- in fact, since moving from the Scranton area two years ago I have found the people in the LV to be quite the opposite! People will smile and say hello to you on the street, talk to you jovially at the supermarket, hold the door for you and be just generally polite and pleasant. However, I think it's tough after a certain age to make new friends, so what I would suggest is to look for an area that might have clubs or organizations you can join. For example, if you enjoy reading, look for a community with an active book group (or with one nearby); if you are active with your church, look for a community with an active church group of your denomination. Having a common ground with people nearby will definitely help you embrace your new surroundings more easily.
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Old 11-30-2011, 11:25 PM
 
16 posts, read 30,258 times
Reputation: 14
I'd like to thank everyone for the replies. This is going to be an interesting adventure!

Quote:
Originally Posted by PacoMartin View Post
Gooogle Terrain Map is probably the best place to start since you are clearly interested in something with some hills. Generally, the hills are in the northern parts of Lehigh and Northampton County, but there are several hills in other places. The poconos are the counties just to the north of Lehigh and Northampton. Carbon County is considered part of the Lehigh Valley by the government, but it is probably too remote for a single person.
For $140K you can get a 1300 sq ft condo in Macungie, but you will be much more remote to find a single family house for that price.
The three townships of Upper Macungie, Lower Macungie and Salisbury and the three boroughs of Emmaus, Macungie, and Alburtis constitute 81,000 people over 41,000 acres of land. I think there is plenty of room to find a home for yourself to be close to your friends, but not "stepping on their territory". Demographically it is about 6 white people of European descent to 1 person of any minority group or Latino ethnicity.
Emmaus is 6 miles from downtown Allentown, which is both the largest city and the only "minority-majority" municipality in the Lehigh Valley. The term refers to municipalities where over 50% of the population is from a minority group. In this short drive you will find a wider range of nightclubs and ethnic restaurants.
Right next to Emmaus is Wescosville, where you can pick up a bus with a single intermediate stop to Manhattan. You might need a break from the suburban/country life.
As long as there are hills around, I don't have to be right in them everyday. Compared to where I live now anything is going to seem elevated (a bay that feeds into the Gulf of Mexico is a mile away from my house, so I'm pretty much just above sea level). The same goes for the suburban life comparison, as the 81,000 people just in those places you mention is only slightly smaller than the "metro" area I'm in now. Both of these things confirm that a move to the Lehigh Valley sounds wonderful.

Quote:
Originally Posted by toobusytoday View Post
Normally I would point you in the direction of my area, because Coopersburg/Center Valley has everything you are looking for including a wonderful rails to trails path, but I doubt very much that you could find something in your price range. However, I wouldn't rule it out and would recommend a drive though Main street (not route 309) in Coopersburg and maybe over to the Upper Saucon Park and The Promenade Shops in Center Valley.

Here's the thing about moving up here - if you move into one of the small towns that does not have a somewhat transient population, you may well find it hard to make friends. In the towns of Emmaus and Macungie however, you would at least have a base of friends to start with and you would also have all the amenities that you are looking for. There are parks all over the area, so I would not worry about that wherever you go.

I agree with your assessment of the Lehigh Valley being a good location for outdoor activities but it does have a lot more opportunity for jobs compared to the Poconos area.

If you are flying up here in January or February, I would highly suggest using SW airlines and flying into PHL or EWR and then renting a car to get here. The chances of the weather canceling flights is quite high during those months. I have to say that Feb through March is probably the most depressing, gray time of year and if you still like us after visiting then, I think you'll be happy here. Right now, and into January is a wonderful time to visit because winter has not set in and everyone is still up and running around. Bethlehem is especially beautiful at this time of year. I drove through Emmaus on Sunday on my way back from church and it was neat to see how busy the town was. It was the last day of the outdoor farmers market and the weather was perfect. People were sitting outside eating and drinking, taking walks and generally enjoying themselves.
Sounds lovely! I'll be sure to check out Coopersburg. Getting to know the areas better is my next major task up there I think. I can go a bit higher on my price, but I currently own a 3/2 house that I could stand to downsize from when I move since I am single. It will mostly depend on what I find when the time comes, I guess. Also, the price was based on some searches I had been doing on sites like Trulia. And finally, since I posted, I've been seeing the wisdom of renting for a while when I first move, despite the fact rent is likely going to be higher than a mortgage payment would be and I don't like the idea. However, renting would give me the chance to decide if I want to stay, and if so, in which area.

One of the more practical things I like about the Lehigh Valley is that there is a good balance between the availability of shops/job/things to do while not being too crowded - sort of a balance between the Poconos and Philly/NYC, while still having access to both. For me, this seems ideal.

I agree with you that Southwest is a great way to get up there - flying to Philly and renting a car is exactly what I did in October. From what you and others have said, it looks like late February would be a good time for a return trip. I'm looking forward to it!

Quote:
Originally Posted by MatildaLoo View Post
I agree with this. It's not that people are necessarily mean or unfriendly -- in fact, since moving from the Scranton area two years ago I have found the people in the LV to be quite the opposite! People will smile and say hello to you on the street, talk to you jovially at the supermarket, hold the door for you and be just generally polite and pleasant. However, I think it's tough after a certain age to make new friends, so what I would suggest is to look for an area that might have clubs or organizations you can join. For example, if you enjoy reading, look for a community with an active book group (or with one nearby); if you are active with your church, look for a community with an active church group of your denomination. Having a common ground with people nearby will definitely help you embrace your new surroundings more easily.
That's very good to hear. I'm not the bubbly, outgoing type, but I did grow up in the South, so being friendly and chatting with strangers is habitual even for someone like me. I have visited places where I've been regarded strangely when trying to make polite conversation with the cashier when checking out at a store, which I didn't like.

I will have to find groups I am interested in to help get established. The fact that there is a greater likelihood to find such groups in a larger area than I am in now is yet another reason to relocate.

Since I mentioned I'm now thinking of renting, are there any tips any has on a good site to use? I know I read that a lot of houses for rent up there aren't actually advertised and are rented simply by putting a sign in the yard. There are only so many trips I should be making up there, so any advice on how to work around that would again be appreciated.
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