Hey there Lehigh Valley? Please help us find a home? (Allentown: transplants, crime)

[Oliviam1969]

Hey there:

I am inquiring and asking for help. Are there any areas of recommendation that would be great for my family. Children are ages 1 and 4 and husband will be working in Allentown. We need any information that you can provide. Schools and daycare are a big factor. Husband will be working in Allentown and I am in the healthcare industry.

We are relocating from Michigan and are looking forward to somewhere nice within driving distance to Allentown? Please help, I know there are some good people outhere, just like us!!!!!!

[austere]

we just relocated from Minnesota to Lower Macungie a week ago. My husband is working in Allentown. We chose this area because it had the lot sizes we were looking for, within a decent commute to husband's work and the arts and sports we need for our kids, and a decent price for the home size we desired. I think the area is very nice so far (we moved from a very large suburb outside Minneapolis). We've found people here to be very nice and welcoming already -- even the mail carrier today introduced herself to me and chatted with me about my dog

The commute is very easy with little to no traffic. We chuckled our first week here because hockey practice was canceled due to "snow" and so was the early church service we were going to attend. We were still driving in it being from Minnesota, but if there was a real snow fall I bet the commute would be pretty slow due to the lack of snow removal.

I hope that you all find a great place, and that your transition goes as smoothly as ours has!

[Oliviam1969]

Hi there:

We also lived in Minnesota (Apple Valley) for 2 years. Macungie looks nice, but from what I read it can be rather expensive and crowded. I am not sure where to go.

It just seem that I keep hitting brick walls by reading these posts.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by Oliviam1969

Hi there:

We also lived in Minnesota (Apple Valley) for 2 years. Macungie looks nice, but from what I read it can be rather expensive and crowded. I am not sure where to go.

It just seem that I keep hitting brick walls by reading these posts.

Your best bet would be to reserve a week sometime (preferably in Spring if possible) to drive around and scope out the area yourselves. Visit each of the three cities (Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton) and see which city you like the best and would correspondingly like to move nearest to. I personally think Bethlehem is the nicest of the three cities hands down, but I'm biased since that is the first Lehigh Valley community I've done a photo tour of.

If cost-of-living is such a major concern, you might want to scope out Southern Carbon County (Palmerton, Lehighton) as well, which is only maybe a 30-minute commute via I-476 to Allentown. Carbon County is remarkably less expensive than Lehigh and Northampton Counties because growth there has been much slower.

Best of luck! Too bad you're not moving to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre; we'd love to have you up here!

[2kidsimdone]

What is your price range and what kind of home are you looking for (size, age).

That can help in determining where to go.

[Oliviam1969]

We are looking in the 200-275K range. We have two small children ages 1 and 4 who will need daycare and good school system.

thanks

[KristyLiz]

We also just moved to Lower Macungie in October - I love it here!

I am a SAHM to three young boys (6, 5 & 2) and have found people to be so welconing and friendly. Lots of transplants like ourselves,so neighbors are very eager to make friends - it's great!

My son is in first grade in the East Penn SD - I researched long and hard before settling on East Penn.

My husband works in Bethlehem and finds the commute fine.

As for it being crowded, I guess I don't see it since I just got here and didn't know the area before. We have a decent sized lot ( .58 acre) which is something we had a hard time finding in other developments.

I am sure you could find nice housing choices in your price range - have you been out looking yet or you haven't come east yet?

Good luck - I really would recommend this area to families with young kids.

[toobusytoday]

What kind of an area are you looking for? City, small town, rural? It's a bit less expensive to live in the city and if you will only be there for a few years, you might consider living in Bethlehem. It's a nice city but the schools are not the best.

Allentown has a bit of a crime problem and not a recommended place to live. The ring of towns around Bethlehem and Allentown are probably higher priced then what you would probably like. You might consider looking a bit farther west so you can get more home for your money, maybe even into Berks county if a bit of a commute would be okay. Lehigh Valley hospital and numerous health care offices are on the west side of Allentown.

[2kidsimdone]

You could probably buy a townhouse in that price range.

[poconoproud]

Oliviam, www.poconorelocationguide.com

If you are in health care, you can try St. Lukes for a job, or Lehigh Valley Hospital.
Or are you more toward nursing home care? Check out Northhampton County, which covers Wind Gap, Pen Argyl, Bethlehem, Easton ect.
check out Monroe County for Kunkletown, Saylorsburg, Brodheadsville, Effort.