Relocating to Wellsboro, pa (Tioga, Penn: to buy, live, move)

[DowntownHarrisburg]

Originally Posted by whitneyd970

Should we avoid electric heating? I know down here if it gets to cold the lines freeze rather quickly and the electricity goes off and you will freeze. So a lot of people either have fireplaces, or backup gas/propane heaters. Is this a problem up there?

All other things being equal, electric is probably the most expensive way to heat your house. There are so many factors to consider -- insulation, window quality, drafts, sun exposure, cost of renting this electric-heat house versus that oil-heat house, etc. But all else being equal, I'd avoid electric and choose just about anything else. Coal is still a popular option, and as an added bonus you get a really good workout every morning!

[ki0eh]

Wood isn't uncommon as a heat source, and natural gas is piped much further into the country in Tioga County than it is in many other areas (like south-central PA where you see row homes with oil heat). I think electricity as a sole heat source is fairly rare around the area due to the expense and what happens if you're without it for days out in the country.

[ki0eh]

Still a Pudgie's in Mansfield in the convenience store across from Walmart unless something changed really recently. I am amazed that any vestige of that chain has lasted this long.

[ki0eh]

Originally Posted by whitneyd970

Thanks for all of the information. I sense there is some hard feelings toward the gas companies, not that I blame you. The quaint rural look of the town is what attracted us in the first place, we thought it looked like a great place to raise two boys. This was a major factor when my husband was considering the job.

I've seen a lot of the rural regions of PA and NY and I would say it is a great place to grow up especially if your tastes run not so much to conspicuous consumption of the latest and greatest and to the enjoyment of outdoor activities and grow-your-own culture. There are not much better and many far worse places to be.

Back B.G. the locals resented the "flatlanders" who bought abandoned farms and posted them as their own hunting grounds, as young people moved away and the ranks of little factories kept dwindling. It was a quiet and pretty area in many cases without a pot to **** in. Tourism in the recently branded Pennsylvania Wilds had been seen as the only real hope to bring in any money from outside the area to try to balance the inevitable outflow of money to China through Walmart. Tioga County especially Wellsboro was somewhat more successful at doing this than its neighbors to the east and west.

The sudden switch to the extractive economy is a bit harder to take there as a result, compared to PA areas that either had nothing but hardscrabble farming (Bradford and Susquehanna, for the most part) or pretty much was based on coal (Clinton, Clearfield, Washington, etc., oversimplifying a bit). But in those other areas attractiveness to outsiders was and is far lower, with remoteness not balanced by as much outdoor beauty or cultural refinement.

Besides, many who might be resentful at the situation are able to separate it from their view of gas worker families. Neither the companies nor the workers are responsible for what many see as serious shortcomings of state policy concerning gas development, as you didn't vote for the folks who were and are in charge in Harrisburg. You're not the people in PENNDOT whose plan for infrastructure development to support a trucking-intensive industry is to print up a couple of thousand signs that say "Weight Limit 10 Tons."

[wanneroo]

Originally Posted by DowntownHarrisburg

All this talk of Tioga County makes me want to go back to my alma matter (Mansfield) and see how things have changed. Haven't been there since ... wow, 1995, maybe?

I heard the biggest change was that Pudiges and Berrigan's closed, and North Hall is open. Mansfield, progress!

Lots of construction going on at the university. They are building a sizable student housing complex as students have no place to rent locally anymore.

There is also lots of construction at the I-99 and US 6 interchange, one hotel built last year, another going up as well as a restaurant or two. Then there is the new Lowe's about a mile or 2 south of Wal Mart.

If you remember that red dairy barn on the west side of town on US 6(you could get ice cream there i remember when visiting in 1994), that has been bulldozed and a new Sheetz has been practically built overnight.

Mansfield will probably get the bigger commercial development due to I-99 and more space there. No space in compact Wellsboro.

[wanneroo]

Originally Posted by whitneyd970

Thanks for all of the information. I sense there is some hard feelings toward the gas companies, not that I blame you. The quaint rural look of the town is what attracted us in the first place, we thought it looked like a great place to raise two boys. This was a major factor when my husband was considering the job. From what I have seen browsing through the internet rent prices are high there, but there is the problem of trying to buy a house from almost 2000 miles away. So we figured we would rent for now, and later buy something. The first poster was correct in that the biggest change I will have to deal with is the cold. It usually doesn't get below 30 in the winter anywhere in the state, and even if it does the most we ge tis some ice from all the water, and that is usually gone in a day or two. I am hoping I get used to it quickly. One more question for yall. Should we avoid electric heating? I know down here if it gets to cold the lines freeze rather quickly and the electricity goes off and you will freeze. So a lot of people either have fireplaces, or backup gas/propane heaters. Is this a problem up there?

It's not a bad idea at all to have a gas fireplace in the living room or something as a back up. Around Wellsboro, I'd say the power goes out frequently in winter, tree limbs fall on power lines or there is ice or some other issue. The gas stove for me is a saver, keeps the house warm enough. Also a lot of people have a permanent electric generator as well.

The bigger issue to me is actually how well the insulation is in the house, not what type of main heat you have. So many of these old homes are poorly insulated or drafty and cost a fortune to heat.

Renting, I would not rent unseen. It was a tight rental market before gas and is even tighter now. It should be clear by now Tioga county is rural, most housing dates to before 1950 and there have never been big real estate developments with tons of modern tract homes for sale. I've done a tour of rentals in the area before gas and everything I looked at was crap.

Pretty much in winter from Thanksgiving on to mid March, every day during day is going to be below 35F degrees. Every once in a while there might be a sunny day where it hits 40-45, but mostly the temps are going to be between 20-30F and at night sometimes it can go below zero. Last year I remember seeing -10F and below a number of times on the thermometer.

[wanneroo]

Originally Posted by ki0eh

Still a Pudgie's in Mansfield in the convenience store across from Walmart unless something changed really recently. I am amazed that any vestige of that chain has lasted this long.

They don't have the best rep and I never hear anything good. Had it once, wasn't impressed.

Tony's in Wellsboro is where to go for regular pizza. He makes his own dough twice a day and he knows how to make pizza.

If you want a more gourmet type pizza, Timeless Destination makes really good pizza, but it is more pricey.

[whitneyd970]

I think we are going to get someone to help us find a place before we get there. If all else fails maybe we can find a fixer-uper to buy at a reasonable cost. One that is liveable for the time being anyway...I am hoping for the best. I have a feeling I am going to be in for a huge shock when we finally do get up there. Especially with the freezing cold weather, the coldest I have ever seen is 11 degrees and I thought I was going to freeze to death. I am still excited though, just hope everything in the housing area works out. That has me a little stressed.

[whitneyd970]

Oh btw....We are going to be extreme outsiders. I am from the south, we acept anyone with a few good humored jokes at the outsiders expense. How are the locals when it ccomes to outsiders? We are friendly people and it doesn't matter who you are we will invite you over for beer, gumbo, and football. It is just the way we do things, if we don't particularly like you then you don't get a second invite. Are they the type that brings over an apple pie when you move into town, or do they stare at you through the blinds then pretend they didn't know you moved in?

[PAhippo]

both, or either, depending on where you move. Sort of a draw of the cards; some neighbors don't socialize but will help if you need it. Some have local picnics (sort of block parties but there's no blocks). And of course about anything in between.

Brush up on Penn State football stuff, have hubby get a baseball cap (maybe put in the driveway and run over it a few times-new is not cool!) and be ready to hear about how funny you talk and I think you'll do fine.