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I am currently residing in Philadelphia with plans on moving to NJ.
Moving due to safety and space concerns. Currently, the family has rental property in Philly, so don't have to worry about having to commute to Philadelphia that often.I would be moving with my family (mom, step-dad, niece and my dog).
I will be buying a house with a budget of 800k to 1million. Looking for a big house with a decent size backyard to build an in-ground pool or one that already has one. I would prefer for the location to not be farther than 2 hours away from Philadelphia if possible. Not so close to the neighbors like in a townhouse, I would like to have some privacy. It doesn't necessarily have to be close to restaurants or stores, but would be a plus if it is. A good school district would be nice since my niece is still in middle school.
My main concern is safety and one of the main reasons I am leaving Philadelphia. Would prefer a county that isn't right next to a bad one. A family member wanted to go to cherry hill, but I would rather not be so close to Philly. Any help is appreciated on what neighborhoods to look into.I was looking into somerset but wanted to ask locals as well on what they think would be a nice place to move into.
$1 million budget and within 2 hrs of Philadelphia opens up pretty much the whole state. But then you don’t want to be too close to Philadelphia for some unknown reason. Maybe narrow your criteria a bit more
One of the communities in Somerset County that would seem to fulfill your checklist is Montgomery Township. It is a beautiful, affluent community, and their school system is top-notch.
$1 million budget and within 2 hrs of Philadelphia opens up pretty much the whole state. But then you don’t want to be too close to Philadelphia for some unknown reason. Maybe narrow your criteria a bit more
I wouldn't mind it, but it would not be my first choice. I want more space than what I can get in those parts, from the properties I was looking at.
$1 million budget and within 2 hrs of Philadelphia opens up pretty much the whole state. But then you don’t want to be too close to Philadelphia for some unknown reason. Maybe narrow your criteria a bit more
Thank you, I will look into this and see what properties are up for sale.
Are you familiar with Medford/Medford Lakes? Might be just what you are looking for.
This exactly was going to be my recommendation. Geographically its 45 minutes east of Philadelphia. Its the real last town before getting into rural land and the pine barrens. Mostly upper and upper-middle class, top-notch schools, very safe and a tight-knit community. A lot of housing diversity to choose from from being in the lake part, big homes in the woods with privacy, near golf courses, near farms (horse or agriculture) or beautiful suburban neighborhoods (the town is 45 square miles). There are some local restaurants throughout the town, and a beautiful downtown historic mainstreet. It's also 20-30 minutes from Marlton and Cherry Hill which has more activity going on for shopping, restaurants etc.
Last edited by DannyHobkins; 05-18-2023 at 02:05 PM..
This exactly was going to be my recommendation. Geographically its 45 minutes east of Philadelphia. Its the real last town before getting into rural land and the pine barrens. Mostly upper and upper-middle class, top-notch schools, very safe and a tight-knit community. A lot of housing diversity to choose from from being in the lake part, big homes in the woods with privacy, near golf courses, near farms (horse or agriculture) or beautiful suburban neighborhoods (the town is 45 square miles). There are some local restaurants throughout the town, and a beautiful downtown historic mainstreet. It's also 20-30 minutes from Marlton and Cherry Hill which has more activity going on for shopping, restaurants etc.
I wouldn't oversell Medford Main Street. All thing considered, it is still pretty quiet and subdued...can't really compare that to, say, Haddonfield or Collingswood. A few restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries...overall still small though. However, aesthetically it does look nice, and there are some really cool looking Victorian houses along Main Street. Also, very close to there, since the OP mentioned a dog, Freedom Park is excellent for dogs. Huge open space (seriously, acres of open land), agility course obstacles galore, a creek for swimming...it's really amazing.
Also, to put some more perspective on this, as Medford does indeed take up a lot of land, the drive to Center City Philadelphia (without traffic) is actually only about 35 minutes, not 45. And as far as 20-30 minutes from Marlton and Cherry Hill...generally less. Much of Medford borders Marlton, and to go from, say Main Street Medford, to the Cherry Hill Mall, it's 23 minutes. To get from Main Street Medford to a major commercial part of Cherry Hill like where 70 meets 295 around H Mart, that is 15 minutes.
Medford is the larger, more commercialized town, while Medford Lakes is a little doughnut hole borough inside of Medford that is a separate municipality (very common all throughout New Jersey). It was an old summer retreat for Philadelphians way back in the day and still contains a lot of log cabins from that time. It is a unique vibe for sure. For a big, modern home, focus on Medford rather than Medford Lakes,.
There are some great towns in Burlington County: Mt Laurel, Moorestown, Bedford. Farther north along 295 there are some good towns: Bordentown, Robbinsville. The closer you get towards Princeton the price for houses will jump. But you can get some good deals in Lawrenceville and West Windsor.
Montgomery Township in Somerset County is also nice, but a lot more rural. You can get large plots of land, plenty of room for a pool.
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