Scranton ? ? (Wilkes-Barre, Old Forge, Taylor: section 8, sale, rent)

[boney89]

lot of fun scranton area im about to drive during summer around see how neighborhoods looks. Let me ask you know anybody who work for kane is able, siams club dc? what would you say, young people fly from area or somewhat they stay? how you see future for scranton and burbs?

[mikka1]

One of the first things I've been told by my new coworkers after I moved to Scranton/WB area from NJ for a job was to stay away from Scranton and Wilkes-Barre inner cities by all means. Not only taxes are higher in these two municipalities, safety also seemed to be of concern for many.
I ended up renting in Pittston area and I like it so far, though rent is a little on a higher side (but in all fairness it is nowhere even near what I've been paying in NJ).

Most of my coworkers seem to live north and north-west of Scranton itself (Dunmore, Dickson City, Olyphant, Clarks Summit), some live further east (Lake Ariel/Moscow/Dalevile) and a few live way south (at least several people as far as in Mountain Top) and it looks like people generally are happy with these locations. I have a feeling that nobody in my office lives in Scranton or WB itself.

My sample is by no means a representative one, but younger folks seem to be fine with this area if they can secure a decent job, though at least several of my coworkers have their 20+ something kids moving to Lehigh Valley or even Philly for better job opportunities. In all seriousness I doubt I would be able find a "similar" place like the one I work for now in this area if I even decide to move on, so it will likely mean another relocation.

But to make it not sound worse than it is I can say that I am mostly very happy with this move - it is so-so-so much better here than where I lived in NJ (not far from Newark) - urban lifestyle exhausted me way too much over the last 4-5 years so I'm now in a relaxed mood

[jimazee]

Originally Posted by mikka1

...

But to make it not sound worse than it is I can say that I am mostly very happy with this move - it is so-so-so much better here than where I lived in NJ (not far from Newark) - urban lifestyle exhausted me way too much over the last 4-5 years so I'm now in a relaxed mood

To say the pace is slower is a gross understatement

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by mikka1

I ended up renting in Pittston area and I like it so far, though rent is a little on a higher side (but in all fairness it is nowhere even near what I've been paying in NJ).

I grew up in the Pittston area myself. Glad to hear it's working out for you!

[bloominscranton]

Originally Posted by nepa76

That's how it used to be, but after the older folks have sadly died off their relatives ended up selling off the homes to all these out of staters (seems like buyers are mainly from NY/NJ), who put minimum money into doing basic repairs and then convert one single family house into four+ apartments, who then rent to low income out of staters/immigrants who then trash the property. Not saying all renters do that, but on my street alone one house was condemned and torn down because of that happening repeatedly, another ended up being sold and resold three times because renters kept trashing it. The house directly across the street from my own was sold to an out of state person, who rented to a hispanic family that ended up trashing the house and vanishing overnight, they demolished the wood railings on the front porch, broke the kitchen floor, and took all the appliances. That house was eventually sold to a nice young female lawyer, who ended up selling it after two years because it was broken into twice while she was at work. The street up from us has had the same thing going on with big old one family homes converted into lower income apts. My ex, who lives several streets up and over in a big newer home recently bought a handgun and a home alarm system because he found two black guys just sitting on his front porch in the middle of the night. There's also an abandoned house next door to him that people seem to use for doing drugs. He said he went in one day after seeing the side door open, and found clothes, used condoms, and syringes on the floor.

Sounds like a crazy amount of stuff, and there's even more the more I think about it, but when you've been in an area long enough, and still have some old original neighbors who are pretty nosy about what's going on, you find out a lot that you normally wouldn't. We get a weekly update about this and that from neighbors, and it's never good news lol.

Yes, it is always someone else's fault!!! If locals do not like what is going on...buy the properties yourself. This ****e has been going on in Scranton for decades...the tan is what is getting to everyone. As long as lower class was white...sitting on the broken down porches having "domestic problems: it was all good in your hood? LMAO...ps I never thought west side was so special! Said it in 1987 and say it today!

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by bloominscranton

Yes, it is always someone else's fault!!! If locals do not like what is going on...buy the properties yourself. This ****e has been going on in Scranton for decades...the tan is what is getting to everyone. As long as lower class was white...sitting on the broken down porches having "domestic problems: it was all good in your hood? LMAO...ps I never thought west side was so special! Said it in 1987 and say it today!

it's not ok now and it wasn't ok then. people who own or are making payments on a house aren't going to buy a second just because it won't sell. most people aren't in the position to do that. small older homes, which were never very special to begin with, and large, once grand homes, which are expensive to maintain, are the ones which have been bought by slumlords. once that happens, it's the beginning of the end for the whole block.

[nepa76]

Thing is, when it was lower income white folks sitting on their well kept porches having fights you werent fearful of someone going inside and coming back out with a machete or a gun. Or going and calling all thirty of their extended clan outside to cheer on the event. Single family homes, middle or lower class, were always well kept because people had pride in their homes. A lot of renters today don't have any thought to maintaining the places they're in this month, not when they can just demolish it, skip out at 2am, and just have brother in-law #12 rent out the next flophouse for the twenty member brood. People aren't just sick to death of Juan and Shaquanda for no reason, they've given ample reasons as to why longtime residents don't want them moving in next door or down the street.

[Gerania]

even when there were people sitting on a saggy couch on the porch of their dilapidated rental (i remember a few) there weren't any problems with crime in the neighborhood. people had furniture, plants and seasonal decorations outside, didn't lock their car and sometimes not even the front door. my father used to lock the front door, but in the summer, all of the windows were open.

i remember the older women who used to sweep and wash their steps and sidewalk every day from spring until it got cold. when a police car or an ambulance came to the neighborhood, it meant that someone had been injured or had a heart attack, or died. that was it. even the alcoholics and people who got into trouble with the law didn't make noise late at night, vandalize your property or try to steal your car. yep, those were the days.

[auntieannie68]

Originally Posted by nepa76

Thing is, when it was lower income white folks sitting on their well kept porches having fights you werent fearful of someone going inside and coming back out with a machete or a gun. Or going and calling all thirty of their extended clan outside to cheer on the event. Single family homes, middle or lower class, were always well kept because people had pride in their homes. A lot of renters today don't have any thought to maintaining the places they're in this month, not when they can just demolish it, skip out at 2am, and just have brother in-law #12 rent out the next flophouse for the twenty member brood. People aren't just sick to death of Juan and Shaquanda for no reason, they've given ample reasons as to why longtime residents don't want them moving in next door or down the street.

those names are not the problem here in this area --in my neighborhood it's the johns and sues and carols--the white trash that behave like animals have 9 people in a 3 bed apt(subsidized) none work--all on drugs and cnstant source of problems to those who want to live peacefully---the local non whites are better behaved

[Buck3]

I would look into the towns of Clarks Summit and Dunmore. Abington Heights High School was just listed as one of the best in the country!

Here's the link http://www.newsweek.com/high-schools...h-schools-2015


If you can land a good job..which can be done with some hard work I think this move would be a good one.