New Mallory St is it safe? (Wilkes-Barre, Edwardsville: for sale, rental, crime)

[sheena12]

We had been negotiating with someone on a house in North Wilkes Barre - nice area. But now the woman is not sure that she wants to sell.She thinks if she keeps the house a few more years that the price will go t"hrough the roof" We just heard this devastating news.
We need to vacate our home shortly so that the new buyers can take possession, as per our agreement.
Every time we think we found the right house in a good area something seems to happen.
My husband is living and working down there and perhaps it would be easier for me to find something if I were living there and not making all of these exhausting and expensive trips. Also, I miss him.
My broker came up with the idea of renting for a while. it.s an idea that never crossed our mind because we have a lot of pets and we would never part with them.

He knows someone who has a house on New Mallory St that is for sale or rent.
He says that it is in "the good part of South Wilkes barre' but it is still Meyers HS which I hear pretty bad things about. It would be temporary - the seller land lord would take a month to month rental - and he is OK with all the dogs and cats.

Question is this a "good" area of South Wilkes Barre?
Are there any privateor non denominational Christian Schools in the area?
We are not Catholic but I looked into Holy REdeemer any way and it seems that even non-Catholic students must study the Catholic faith and attend Catholic Mass which involves communion which as Protestants they would not be able to take.

So is New Mallory all that bad?
Is really terrible? Dangerous? Bad education?
I can not afford Wyoming Seminary 25 grand a year so that is not an option.

Any ideas???

Thanks in advance!

[sheena12]

Any help here? DH is looking at the house today.
In short - New Mallery Place - safe or not?
Any private non denominational schools near W.B. that do not coat a fortune?
Meyers - would my kids be OK there? or not?
Thanks in advance!
Sheena

[sheena12]

PLEASE can someone weigh in???

[ConfusingRotary]

My wife's sister lives down the road from there. While I wouldn't say it's particularly nice, you should be safe.

[Magritte25]

In WB and cities of similar size etc, you are as safe as your lifestyle dictates. The vast majority of crimes are results of one's chosen lifestyle rather than random violence.

[sheena12]

So Msgritte if my lifestyle does not include seeking out bad people than I am OK? Is the problem is if there is shooting and gang activity in the area then is my family OK? I would say no. But I do not live near gangs - even though I am from NY we see nothing like that in my area.
I am getting a different impression from my husband who saw the neighborhood yesterday and pronounced it "normal middle class with nice well kept homes" and people on the board.
My kids are suburban in background and are used to living in a safe area where they can walk to almost everything that they want - the library friends ice cream store etc.
Would living on New Mallery preclude that or could they walk to downtown on River?

[Magritte25]

I live in the Heights. So do many, many, many other good families, elderly people etc. Random crime is very rare. Almost all of the crime here is contained to people who choose to live a dangerous lifestyle. Is there random acts of say, stealing or whatever? Sure. But you will find that in any city of this size.

We walk to the River Commons, the library, Barnes & Noble etc on a weekly/daily basis. We've never had a problem.

There are gangs, guns and drugs in Wilkes-Barre. There is no denying that. However, since I don't live like that I don't worry much about it aside from the societal aspect of it. As a matter of fact, my husband and I have recently decided to stay in Wilkes-Barre versus moving somewhere else in the area because we like it so much.

[sheena12]

Magritte I do not worry about those things either - or I would rule out city living entirely!
Those social problems exist in all citied to some degree and in some suburbs.
My kids are teenagers and are not involved in and despise anything like that.

I just wanted to know if THAT part of Wilkes Barre - new Mallery Place would be unpleasant or dangerous to walk in. .

[sheena12]

Perhaps I mean more is it unpleasant and are there people who are hmmm desirable there - or not.

As a reference a place in NEPA that I personally find unpleasant to the point of being disturbing would be Main St in Edwardsville. I really would not want to live there because it is ugly and looks unsafe - many empty storefronts - depressing and people probably squat in buildings or could hide out in door ways etc.

I want to be able to walk around where I live and not feel unsafe.

[ConfusingRotary]

New Mallery Place is like 1 mile from the square, so you can walk without issues. You're right near Wilkes, but you're also close to Academy Street, on which I've seen a fair number of freakish folks.

Why don't you just go park near the square and walk over to that street to see how you like it?