Thinking of Relocating to NEPA from LI, NY...Please Help!!! (Scranton: 2011, homeowners association)

[CheenaP]

Hello, I'm new to this forum and was wondering if anyone can help me? My husband and I are seriously considering moving out of LI to northeastern PA. We have checked out Wayne county and it's really beautiful but hubby works in Manhattan and I'm not sure the commute is realistic. We were looking into purchasing our first home and were told there are some great homes in The hideout, does anyone have any info on the community (taxes, dues, schools, people, etc..)? Also I have been told Milford, PA or Port Jervis, NY are also nice and a relatively close commute to Manhattan, is this true? I've been looking online for mass transit transportation into Manhattan with no real luck. Any info someone can offer would be great. As I said this would be our first home and it's all a little bit overwhelming. We are looking for a nice place to set down roots, so our lil boy can grow up happy and safe.

Thanks!

[bldginpa]

What part of Long Island are you moving from? We are also from LI and are building in Pike County (Greentown, to be exact). The property taxes are much lower in Wayne and Pike County. We hope to be paying approx. $2500 -3000. The school districts are also quite good. Wallenpaupack Schools and Delaware Schools (I believe this is the district for Milford) have good reputations. If you search this forum re mass transit, you will find information on previous posts regarding the bus service to NYC from Stroudsburg and also what is available from Port Jervis. Also, do a search on The Hideout and you will find numerous posts by ILovePA. She lives there and has provided quite a but of information on The Hideout. She is also a transplant from LI. Have you found a piece of property that you're interested in? I know how you feel, it's quite overwhelming. The only thing that helped us narrow down our search was by visiting frequently. Some communities offer 1/2 acre lots, some much larger. Depending on the amenities, the dues can range from $200.00 to as high as $1500.00. Some people do not like the idea of a Homeowners Association. I think that they probably help protect the quality of the community. Good luck and let me know if I can answer any questions for you.

[I LOVE PA!]

Hi CheenaP!
I moved from L.I. to The Hideout 13 years ago, following my parents when they retired here. I have never regretted it for a moment. Do some searches here on my posts about The Hideout, this is their web-site if you don't already have it, www.hideoutassoc.com. If you have any questions, you can post them here or PM me. I do not think the commute to Manhattan in unrealisitic, my hubby commuted to L.I. for awhile. Having that NY salary with the Pa. cost of living will really give your family a head start. Yes, a move to another state can be overwhelming, but it will all work out. And you will meet lots of people who have done just what you are doing. My taxes on my home are $2,000, it is 1,600 sq ft, 3 yrs old, with an 800 sq ft basement and 800 sq. ft. garage. Dues here are $1,175.00, but if you consider the low taxes, that is not much in total. There is a sewer and water fee of $180 a quarter. I had no problem iwth the schools, they would be happy to show you around. They are in the planning stage of building a new Elementary School to be opened I beleive in 2009. The principal of the Elementary schools (they have 2 right now) is AWESOME. The teachers are great too.
Well, if you think of anything else you would like to ask, I'd be happy to help!
Good Luck!

[ScranBarre]

Good evening, CheenaP!

These other two ex-Long Islanders have both been pretty helpful here. I'd also like to add that at some point in the not-so-distant future, there will be a high-speed commuter rail connection linking Scranton and NEPA to NYC, with at least one stop in the Poconos and a few in North Jersey. The anticipated date for this line to be in operation continually gets pushed back due to "red tape" between NJ and PA, but I think the latest estimate I heard was 2011. In this sense, you might want to consider an area within a half-hour's drive of either Mount Pocono and/or Stroudsburg, as I'm sure one or both of these communities will be a stop along the rail line. You could also consider moving closer to Scranton proper if you wanted to be nearer to "big-city" amenities such as minor-league sports, the Philharmonic, off-Broadway shows, etc., but bear in mind that this would make your husband's commute the longest.

A few good areas to look into would be the North Pocono School District (Moscow Area), which is wedged midway between Scranton and Monroe County, as well as southern Wayne County and Western Pike County (Gouldsboro, Newfoundland, Greentown areas). These areas, while growing, aren't succumbing to urban sprawl quite as quickly as the Stroudsburg Area has been in recent years, and these areas should remain peaceful and pleasant for a number of years to come.

I'm a budding urban photographer, and I've posted about a dozen photo tours from around the region so far on this forum, including both Honesdale and the Milford/Matamoras area, as well as from the more immediate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area. My next photo tour will be of the North Pocono School District (Moscow Area). Here's the links to the photo tours for Honesdale and Milford/Matamoras:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/penns...art-three.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/penns...hoto-tour.html

Commutes from NEPA to NYC are indeed lengthy, but they are manageable. If you decide to have children at some point in the near-future, you may want to bear in mind that your husband spending so much time commuting and such little time bonding with his loved ones will most certainly drain your family. Nevertheless, I'm an optimist about "Wall Street West" and the potential economic benefits it could have upon the Poconos and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area in terms of Manhattan firms locating satellite offices to NEPA in the upcoming years. Who knows? Maybe after several years of commuting to NYC, enough local positions will spring up to make the commute unnecessary? Major employers in the Pocono region thus far include Sanofi-Pasteur Pharmaceuticals, the Tobyhanna Army Depot, and Pocono Medical Center. More will certainly follow soon.

[weluvpa]

The time to commute from Scranton by train to NYC will actually make it unlikely that it will be used for commuters from that city. The train will be a better commute from Stroudsburg area or western NJ. The train will not be as quick as some think when you factor coming from Scranton, stopping at least twice in the poconos then around Lake Hopatcong NJ then at least 3 more stops then you have to get off the train in Hoboken and switch trains then you have to take the ferry or another train into the city. This ride will undoubtly be tooooo long for a commute from Scranton. It could be quicker to get from DC to NYC then it would from Scranton by train. High speed is not a option this will a standard commuter train no different then any train in NJ. The high speed lines are from NYC to DC. This is not a good thing for our area contrary to what some think it will be too far for it to be a effect means of commuting at least from Scranton. Its like taking the local bus from Scranton to Philly. Its a 4hr bus trip, when you can be there in 90 minutes by car. This is not a feasable way to commute from SCranton to NYC or NJ. If your husband has to commute then you would want to look in Stroudsburg or Blairstown NJ area.

[CheenaP]

Thank you lfrancone for your response. I currently reside in N. Babylon, but am originally from Queens. We really haven't found a property yet....still in more of the scouting phase....and though we are leaning towards a gated community, we would prefer something family oriented with reasonable dues. I have heard good things about the Wallenpaupack school district but I will have to look into the Delaware schools (even though we do not need schools yet [our son is less than a year old] I would like to move somewhere where he can get a quality education). I guess like you, we will have to make a few more trips to focus in and make our final decision.

[CheenaP]

Thanks for your very informative response I Love PA. Your right the NY salary would really help us out until he finds something in PA and that is the plan. Just out of curiosity do you know how long the commute took your husband? and what means of transportation he used? I just don't want the commute to end up consuming all of our family time, especially because of the baby. Also can you tell me what school district the hideout belongs to?

[I LOVE PA!]

CheenaP, if you are interested in the Wallenpaupack School District, there is Wallenpaupack Lake Estates, not far from The Hideout. I have seen a poster praising the benefits of living in Dingmans Ferry, and raving about the schools. You might want to check that out too since it is at least an hr closer to NYC than The Hideout. If you do a search on Dingmans Ferry on this board, I'm sure you will find some of her posts. My husband did miss a lot by working so many hours away from home, since you are young, if you can avoid this before you 'settle' for it, I would do so. Once it becomes a way of life, it will stay that way. My kids still badicaly only see my hubby on weekends. He missed sports games and all functions at school over the years. If you can avoid that, try.
Hope this helps a little, it is a long process, planning a move out of state, but it all falls into place.

[CheenaP]

Wow ScrantonWilkesBarre those pictures are amazing. You've truly captured the beauty of the small town. I can't wait to see your next tour! Thanks for the info, we do not really want to move to the Stroudsburg Area but want to be a decent commute from the city...we'll see what happens. Thanks again.

[CheenaP]

I love PA thanks again for the info...we will definately look into Dingmans Ferry. Like you said if we can avoid settling for that lifestyle we should do everything we can to avoid it. I want my son (and future children) to have a family life year round not just on weekends and vacations. Plus my husband doesn't want to miss out on his quality time all for the sake of a job. I'll let you guys know what we decide. Thanks again to all of you for your help.