Please help narrrow it down..please (Bethlehem, Emmaus: section 8, apartment complex, foreclosed)

[skylamesa]

Hi I have read many of the post and they are helpful but, I am now stuck with a long list of possible towns to pick from. I am relocating from Arizona and these are what I am looking for: low rent or at least reasonable with the pay rate, great schools, very family oreineted, many activities, nature, very low crime a community college near or some kind of college for medical jobs. I guess I am looking for your all American small fun town where everyone knows your name..corny I know. If I could get any help that would be great! I am not moving till Aug. but I really need to narrow it down so we can go look at the towns and look for houses to rent.

Thanks so much!!!

[toobusytoday]

I would go with Emmaus. The Borough of Emmaus Pennsylvania Official Web Site I'm sure you know that no town is going to have everything on your list but everything you want is within 30 minutes of Emmaus.

[EmmausRocks]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

I would go with Emmaus. The Borough of Emmaus Pennsylvania Official Web Site I'm sure you know that no town is going to have everything on your list but everything you want is within 30 minutes of Emmaus.

Being from Emmaus, I have to agree it's probably the best area in the Lehigh Valley. We have everything here and it's all within walking distance. There's only 1 bad apartment complex/area and that's called the powermill apartments. They are near 2nd and minor street. The police should have built the new station inside that complex. They have been weeding out the riff raff but it's still going to be years until the section 8 and druggies officially move out. The new management which took over a few years back has been cleaning up but they simply can't just evict everyone at once. I know amost all of the police/ems/council and they would all agree with me on that statement. There are still some left over dirtbags that come and GO quickly becuase us locals and hopefully the newcomers, take pride in keeping things nice. Those who don't, won't last long around here.

If you want to get good feel for Emmaus, come check out the Halloween parade or come to any local sporting event. You'll see what a great place Emmaus is. Especially if you want to raise a family. I will go back to my endless point though about buying vs renting. Rent now because housing is crashing and will continue. If you wait out this storm you'll be able to get a home at pre 2000 prices and the example would be pauing 175k for a home today that will sell for 100k in a few years. It could have been wose because in 2005 you would have paid 225k for the same place.

[EmmausRocks]

Originally Posted by skylamesa

Hi I have read many of the post and they are helpful but, I am now stuck with a long list of possible towns to pick from. I am relocating from Arizona and these are what I am looking for: low rent or at least reasonable with the pay rate, great schools, very family oreineted, many activities, nature, very low crime a community college near or some kind of college for medical jobs. I guess I am looking for your all American small fun town where everyone knows your name..corny I know. If I could get any help that would be great! I am not moving till Aug. but I really need to narrow it down so we can go look at the towns and look for houses to rent.

Thanks so much!!!

Here's a great "free merchandiser" that locals use to buy, sell, trade lots of things. There are many rentals in here. Most people who rent (those who didn't purchase during the bubble era) don't advertise in the local paper (morning call). The will use this merchandiser or simply put a for rent sign up. That keeps the riff raff out. Many, Many locals will not advertise for those reasons. You can find a nice apartment for under $700 and that's a 2-3 bedroom and a home for under $850. They are cheaper when you head out of town and look around Alburtis, Topton, Mertztown. All of which have excellent schools. Check out craigslist too. If you want to find out when the home was purchased look at the lehigh county deeds Lehigh County Assessment Record Search. That way you can see if it was purchased during the bubble years. Some people are getting evicted because the landlords are getting foreclosed on. It's happening all too often lately. Look for something purchased pre 2000 and your safer and usually cheaper.

[toobusytoday]

skylamesa,
Your screen name just registered with me - my sister in law lives in Mesa and I just finished writing an e-mail to her. If you haven't lived on the East Coast before, you are in for a bit of a culture shock. I think you will find that our small towns will be a refreshing change from your sprawling city but the food is going to be hmmmm, quite different. Not bad, but we're lacking in really good authentic Mexican food. You might want to pack a box of the good stuff when you come.

[skylamesa]

LOL.. thanks toobusytoday. My husband is from New Jersey and we visited a couple years agio and yea it's nothing like the food here. I am just glad I can make really good mexican food..lol.

Thanks everyone I will check out Emmuas1 if anyone else could help that would be great!

[jimmyrocks]

Yeah, for the hospital, Emmaus would be a great place. You might want to check out the Westgate area of Bethlehem (Lehigh Valley Hospital / Muhlenberg) and Fountain Hill (St. Lukes).. In Fountain Hill / South Side Bethlehem you'll be right near Lehigh, and buses that travel to NYC and Philly.
Even though Fountain Hill is in Lehigh County, it's in Bethlehem School district, meaning it's affiliated with Northampton Community College. Both LCCC and NCC are very good community colleges though. I think NCC is a little closer to South Side Bethlehem.

[ScranBarre]

Wow! Methinks I really need to scope out Emmaus for a photo tour!

[jimmyrocks]

Emmaus is a great place to take pictures! Every time I drive through there I find myself wanting to stop and take pictures of the architecture, shops, and the train line!

I would suggest Emmaus as a place to live over South Side Bethlehem / Fountain Hill. I love the south side, but if you're not familiar with the area, it may not be seem so nice.

[ScranBarre]

Is Fountain Hill really deteriorating? My uncle and his fiancee used to live there before they relocated to Maryland, and I thought the town seemed very charming.