Moving to Chester County... feedback please! (Avon, Montgomery: crime rate, homes, new construction)

[kateonthemove]

Hi - My husband & I are looking to move to Chester County. We just saw a beautiful home in Landenberg, but it's next to some type of mushroom processing center. It didn't smell today, but I know they can be bad. Can someone please explain exactly HOW bad it is? Does the smell last 24/7, or is it like someone else said - that it can last for an hour or so, but then goes away? I wouldn't want to smell it all the time, but sometimes would be ok I guess. My husband would be commuting to Newark DE every day... we're open to other areas but aren't sure where to look. We're hoping for a 3-4 bedroom home, about an acre of land, for about $300K. We don't have kids yet but hope to start a family soon, so schools are important. Oh, and we do not want "new construction." Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks so much

[SnowBunny]

We used to live in Montgomery County, they have some beautiful homes, and I think the crime rate was better there than Chester. I know the mushroom places can smell pretty bad, but I don't know if it is contant or only some times. Good luck!

[toobusytoday]

We lived about two miles from a mushroom farm in Delaware county and it would smell quite often in the summer and I was always glad that we didn't live any closer. I don't know what made some days worse than others, maybe when they turn over the soil? I would not want to live next to it and I do think it would hurt re-sale value.

Since mushroom soil is primarily horse manure, you know it's got to smell pretty bad. That said, I understand that many operations really do work to control the smell so I would investigate carefully and maybe it would be okay. Just do a google search with the keywords, Pennsylvania mushroom farm smells and you'll see some interesting articles - not all bad!

[dukewm]

Lived there for 13 years on South Bank Rd far from the mushroom STENCH.
You do NOT want to be anywhere near any mushroom operation. You will regret it most days. Depending on wind conditions, some days you might not smell it, but MOST of the time you KNOW it's there. Even driving through the area can be disgusting in concentrated zones like Toughkenamon along Newark Rd, Elllicott Rd, Starr Rd and Penn Green Rd north of Egypt Run.

Avon Grove School District is pretty good BUT, taxes are HIGH due to lack of industry. You can check out the tax tables at "http://dsf.chesco.org" , the Official Chester County website.

Good Luck!