Any Info on the Poconos area? (Allentown, Scranton: appointed, apartments, houses)

[Delray Patty]

If you are up near Hawley, Pa....try Woodloch Pines Resort..someone else had
mentioned it earlier...it is a beautiful place...the food there is great...Pocomont is nice too..a smaller resort but it was completely done over
some years ago. and is really nice. For a romantic weekend there is French
Chateau..owned by the same family that owns the Sterling Inn, I believe
it's up on 191...a simply gorgeous place..the do weddings there...a bit pricey
but what the heck for a special weekend, go for it...also Stroudsmoor Inn
is just great too. and you can just go there for dinner....or lunch it's up on
top of the mt. overlooking Stroudsburg...You can stay there or just stop by
they have cute little places to shop I think they are opened only on weekends
and a gorgeous indoor pool and spa..they also have an outdoor pool in the
summer....it's a very nice place. even to hold family reunions...Gee I sound
like a tourist board member for the Poconos...see I told you I still like it there.

[Janemas]

I'd like to thank everyone for providing their perspectives on life in the Poconos. Recently I've considered moving from Lehigh Valley's Whitehall area to Carbon county. The comments on transportation were very valid. Lately the trip to NYC for commuters is lasting 6 hours roundtrip due to I78 roadwork near Hellertown, near the Jersey border after exit 15, and near Newark. It's a nightmare. I have a friend who lives in Bushkill, Pike County and weekend traffic is worst than trying to get to the tunnel from Manhattan to NJ during bumper to bumper traffic.

Can anyone tell me the pros and cons on Lehighton and Nazareth? I'm trying to stay close to Lehigh County.

[MrTudo]

Originally Posted by WayneMeyers

There is an evolutionary process that is currently seeing people migrating away from their employment in order to afford their own homes, less crowded conditions, etc.

We also have the technology to enable most people to work from home, at least part time. That infrastructure needs a serious shot in the arm from the federeal government.

Remove the commute all together, save billions of dollars in gasoline, stop polluting the environment, have more time to spend with your family, be home if there is an emergency, or kids get a snow day, etc. without having to miss out on work, etc.

So why, as a nation, aren't we seeking to embrace this as at least a partial solution?

Because no one is speaking up for the commuters. Another project I am working on is organizing a national group that will represent the commuter, and you can take a look at the beta site here: http://commuterclub.org/

Wayne, as a nation we do NOT have the technology to support that. You would be amazed at how backwards this country really is from a standpoint of technolgy. My Wife and I spent 25K going back and forth from SW Fla to Western NC looking to relocate. 100% of my business is generated via leads and/or sales via the internet and as such we can work from anywhere that has a legitimate high speed connection which is consistent. It's been my experience that Cable provides that, and you would be amazed at how few of places actually have it available in places like that. Ditto on parts of Ga. Ditto on Northern Fla. You'd be even more shocked at the "what do I need that for" attitude in such places. These are the same people who whine about outsourcing when the fact of the matter is our infrastructure sucks, out taxes are WAY too high and in most cases when it comes to corporate taxes are much higher than in communist countries and as such, it's all leaving this place behind.

It's frustrating but that's the way it goes.

[jayman]

This forum is very interesting. I know someone who lives in Strousburg(?), he makes it sound so peacful and safe... as if nothing ever happens there.

TC works for somethings, but lets face it, if I have 50 applicants for a job (and I always have more than that) why would I hire the person I would rarely see? Futhermore, wouldn't all my 33 employees love to work in their underwear, regardless of where they live?

[WayneMeyers]

Stroudsburg used to be peaceful and safe, but these days there seems to be a lot more crime than say 5 years ago.

Telecommuting is a natural evolution, and some things will need to be gotten used to, like meeting via video camera instead of in person. Sometimes yes, you need to really be there, but most days for many jobs - not all of course - you only need access to your company's network and a phone.

We NEED to get our technology up to par to meet this demand. It may not be in our lifetime, or our children's lifetime, but just how many highway lanes, carpools, buses, and even trains can we fit within a finite space? Somewhere down the road we are going to reach a saturation point where the amount of commuters far exceeds the infrastructure to accomodate us.

Maybe you can implement programs of staggered commuting times to help offset this, but how long before it makes more sense to maximixze productivity and foster happy employee's who do not start their day stressed to the max, and eager to run out the door at the first crack of day's end to get an early start on their adventure home? Who will be more productive, who will wish to retain their job more, who will give back more as a result? The environment is happy, the infrastructure does not need to be improved to the point where we become one solid sheet of asphalt, the businesses are happy because happy employees make a better company, and they will get more time and energy out of them.

Are there negatives, sure, but it is not an insurmountable obstacle, and is indeed slowly catching on. The positives far outweigh the negatives.

[very involved]

Wow! I guess some people just don't live in the right part of the pocanos! I live in Dingmans Ferry right next to Milford PA. It's a beautiful town,VERY affordable, Totally Excellent schools, never been a bad word about them. As for crime, Please, petty little things from teenagers, can't compare to most places. Shopping about 30min. for serious shoppers and under 2 hours to NY city. Can't beat all that. Love it, Love it, love it!! It's beautiful for the person who loves the country. Anymore serious questions just ask!!!!!

[WayneMeyers]

Well, for some leaving the area they used to live in which may have had high crime, heavy traffic, smog, drugs, street gangs while they live in a small cramped apartment, the move is an attempt to achieve a better standard of family while giving up at least one parent to a difficult commute.

Unfortunately, they are not the only ones taking advantage of this paradise, and others move along with them to make sure all the great features of home they tried to leave behind would be there for them after they moved.

[elkangel2u]

Originally Posted by WayneMeyers

Its not quite as bad as I'm reading here. There has been an increase in crime in proportion to the population increase. People seem to think that everyone moving here are criminals, but most of them are hard working people just like everyone else trying to find a better life for their families.

Gangs have been in Wilkes-Barre and the Lehigh Valley for years, and yes they are trying to move into the Poconos, and the police are trying to deal with it before it gets worse. The biggest problem is that people downplay the truth about crime and gangs because it is bad for business, and for tourism, but you need to partner with the police in fighting it. If we all close our eyes it will only get worse, and when it reaches the point where it cannot be hidden anymore, it will be too late.

Anyhow, yes there have been some problems, and it will spread into Northern Pike as more people move there. Statistically speaking, you should expect a certain amount of crime as population rises. Drugs, gangs, and crime are everywhere. Anyone who tells you differently is only fooling themselves.

The Poconos are still beautiful, though all the development threatens that as well. The biggest problem is certainly not crime, but the increasing population without corresponding upkeep of the infrastructure. Traffic can bring main roads to a standstill on weekends, and that is something no one seems to be addressing. Yet more development continues to be permitted.

Oh, and the majority of people work in various parts of NJ, and even NY state. Not as many actually commute all the way into NYC.

The best thing to do is come out and spend a few weekends here, stay in different parts, drive around, and get a feel for yourself. If you move, rent and do not buy a house for a year. That gives you time to look around and find the best place you want to live, or to change your mind and leave. Home ownership makes that a lot harder to do. Trust me, its worth it - the inconvenience of moving twice is nothing compared to being stuck in a place you don't want to be.

Best of luck to you, if you want to visit our forums we have many people who live in the Poconos who can give you the very wide range of opinions. Take care, and good luck.

Wayne Meyers
President, Pocono Commuter, Inc.
link removed (advertising is not allowed on this forum)

Finnally some words of truth!! I feel you hit the nail on the head Wayne, I had lived in the Poconos for 53 years and have recently "fled " due to the "spawl" from the urban areas of the east. I have whitnessed first hand the distruction of this very beautiful area due to greed and finally couldn't take any more. To those moving here from the city I can see the the draw but as you say, come see first, "dont buy" rent for a year, check the situation out. you'll be alot better off than listening to those who TA_TA this as shangrila near the city. The Poconos mirror NYC in every aspect except it has trees!

[osomd1]

Good Lord!!!! You Make Stroudsburg Sound Like Fort Apache,
I've Lived And Worked Here For The Past Two Years, Have Roamed
The Downtown Areas At Any Time And Frequently, And Have Never Witnessed Any Problems, I Am Middle Aged And Pretty Much In Touch With The Reality Of Times, What Happens Is That There Is A Lot Of Old People Out There Affraid Of Their Own Shadows In Total Disconnect With Current Society, Everything Frightens Them
And Start Writing "crap" Like This.
Are There Some People Out There Screwing Up?, Sure!!!!, But Come On Lets Be Realistic.
People Like This Writer Will Never Be Happy Until Totaly Isolated,
Why Don't You Try A County In The Middle Of Nowhere In Western Pa, It Would Be Paradise, Dirt Cheap, No People, In Contact With
Nature, The Only Possible Downside Is That You May Be Close To The Real Scary Stuff In America; Serial Killers, True Crazy Terrorists Like Timothy Mcveigh, Rapists, And Pedophiles, By The Way I Can Get You A Dirt Cheap Trailer For You To Live In.

[WayneMeyers]

If you visit the website for the Pocono Record, do a search through their archives. There are many incidents in Downtown Stroudsburg. It may not be the same as BedStuy to anyone from parts east of PA, but to people who lived their whole lives without having to deal with this, the impact may well be the same.