Looking for 3 bdrm QUIET rental apt/townhome (Allentown, Bethlehem: hair salon, subletting)

[SDWNC]

Folks:
I'm doing a lot of research from another state. We're preparing to pack up and move
preferably to Bethlehem area.* The problem: 1) Noise (snoring could be heard in an
adjoining townhome) and I've heard it in apts. 2) Rent IF amenities are decent - @1500/1600
month. We want a management company owned rather than owner-owned. *Can look outside
of the city limits but not wayyy out. Allentown in decent areas is a possibility in low crime areas.

Timing will be odd because our house needs to sell here first (30 day closings).

An over 55 community would be the safest and maybe a bit more quiet. When I started looking
at > 62+, prices appeared to climb dramatically.

Most reviews are pretty nasty. I google earth them and take multiple reviews on
multiple sites seriously. One review is worthless and is discounted by me.

We've seen poor management, flooding basements, sinkholes, and worse.

Thanks to all of you.

[toobusytoday]

Please fill out this sticky to just give us a better idea of what you would like:

Help for new and potential residents

[SDWNC]

When are you moving? Don't know. Buy our house and we'll be there in 1.5 months.
Where are you coming from? NC
Why are you moving? To be with family and oollddd friends.
Where will you be working? Volunteer work only - retired.
Have you been here yet? Yes. Lived in NYS and we know the area from 20 yrs ago .

Will you buy or rent? RENT RENT RENT
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend? No house - apt or quiet townhouse. $1500/1700
Amenity dependent.
If renting, are you looking for an apartment, a townhouse or loft? How much can you spend? See above.
Do you prefer hi-rise or walk up? Yuck ... apt. complex ("high rise") but preferably a quiet townhome or is that an oxymoron?

Are you married or single? Do you have children? Nope. Nope. Two seniors.
Do you prefer public or private schools? N/A
Do you have pets? 10 yr old retired therapy dog. He's not a problem.
Do you want or need a yard? Noooo more yard!
Are you keeping a car? Yep, two for the first year then hoping to go down to 1.
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? Sort of quiet but Bethlehem city is just that.

What do you want to be closest to?
Work
Shopping
Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.) <== Best but we will likely downsize in a year.

Most apts. etc. are near busy roads. We want to be able to walk our dog in relative peace or
be downtown where he can be petted a lot. We don't want to deal with owners renting or subletting.

[mary28]

There's one I can recommend and it's Bethlehem Fields Apartments (Cherry Ln, 18015) it's by I-78 and situated in a really nice neighborhood right across Hellertown. Bethlehem Fields Apartments have both apartments and Townhomes at your price range I believe. The townhomes are nice, you get a deck and lots of parking in the complex. It's a safe neighborhood, very pretty in spring and fall as the street itself has cherry blossom trees on it's entire sidewalk. It's pretty quiet place. The area it's right next to is Hellertown and that town is super walkable, sidewalks everywhere. I see people jogging, walking their dogs, and moms with strollers. This area has a few great parks and playgrounds and yuou'll be close to the Saucon Rail Trail. There's an outdoor type mall nearby too.

Shopping: (thru Hellertown area)
Giant grocery store
Frey's Better Foods Health Store (small business independent family owned mini whole foods type store)
Pet Shop (also independent small business selling high grade healthy pet food and stuff)
Gas stations
CVS
Library
Hair Salons
Dunkin Donuts
Lehigh Valley health network
... the list goes on

Management of this apartment complex is the best I've found in the 11 years I have lived around the Valley. I've moved a few times and found myself back here. They are professional, friendly and quick to resolve issues and maintenance.

The townhomes are not situated by I78 side. It's more on the quieter street.

The area of Hellertown is very family friendly and has a lot of 55+ residents.

The only con I think about this apartment would be that it only has two bedrooms.

[SDWNC]

Thanks, Mary28. I had given up. I looked at the apt/townhomes and the only issue may be
it's only a 2 bdrm BUT (if it's quiet even with 78 being near) and it looks as good as it sounds,
that may be it. Most apts/townhomes have bad reviews and/or they're old. I don't trust the
reviews but with this one, I've never seen so many ostensibly real and positive reviews. Google
Earth seems fine in terms of location, too. We'll let you know.

Planning on going as soon as our house selling is underway to check out place.

Many thanks.

[blazerj]

There are some 3 bedroom quiet apartment in Upper Saucon (although owner owned). They are next to a 55+ community on Lanark Road (don't know the names of the communities though) so you may be able to rent there?

[toobusytoday]

Upper Saucon - Center Valley and Coopersburg addresses: There are townhomes between Lanark and 309 but as blazer points out, they're owned, not a rental complex. I'm sure some are rented out, but besides the price point and the safety issue, I don't think they're what you are looking for. There's a similar complex just down the road, Liberty Village, that is a large mixed neighborhood, with large homes and townhouses that was started about 10 years ago and is still being built out. There are older apartment buildings in Coopersburg, which is a lovely small older town but I'm not aware of any new rental townhomes in any part of my school district. The only 55 plus community is Traditions of America, but they are not rental and start at $350,000 and quickly go up from there.

You might want to consider the possibility of a small home in one of our many very nice small towns and just paying for someone to maintain the property. If you are renting the owner would be responsible for the house maintenance and there is a real bonus to living right in a town.

[SDWNC]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

Upper Saucon - Center Valley and Coopersburg addresses: There are townhomes between Lanark and 309 but as blazer points out, they're owned, not a rental complex. I'm sure some are rented out, but besides the price point and the safety issue, I don't think they're what you are looking for. There's a similar complex just down the road, Liberty Village, that is a large mixed neighborhood, with large homes and townhouses that was started about 10 years ago and is still being built out. There are older apartment buildings in Coopersburg, which is a lovely small older town but I'm not aware of any new rental townhomes in any part of my school district. The only 55 plus community is Traditions of America, but they are not rental and start at $350,000 and quickly go up from there.

You might want to consider the possibility of a small home in one of our many very nice small towns and just paying for someone to maintain the property. If you are renting the owner would be responsible for the house maintenance and there is a real bonus to living right in a town.

Thanks for this. I've printed it and will step through it. Traditions of America is above our price range for
a final house. We prefer mixed neighborhoods and miss that part of living in some small villages
outside of NYC. We love where we are in NC and got lucky with the neighborhood
but it's too white. We were really happy when about a year ago, I ran into two great kids
from the same family and not white. It's what we're used to.

If we find the right house in our price range ($200 - 225k), we'll buy a house. I love what you say about a small home (but minimum sq.' should be from 1400 sq.' down from what we have now).

Your information is great. Thanks so much. I have renewed hope. We're making a crazy move at this stage in our lives and we're looking forward to going back home !