is Bucks co. really worth it? (Philadelphia, Doylestown: rental, condos, home)

[The Trailing Spouse]

I hope people are still posting on this site.... L.K. we move into temporary living on Sunday and we chose Yardley to get us through til end of year... keeping all of our options open... we have to get the 2 (8 and 5) kids into school and we chose the local Catholic school in Newtown, PA, to get us started although our goal is Public school for the -07-08 school year (we need to get First Communion under our belt for our second grader)... I think unionville is probably too far out for you and your husband to commute to Newark... I think unionville is closer to my parents in Wilmington, De than it is to Newark...
Does anyone have an opinion on a good OBGYN and what hospitals if you are in Newtown area?

[ltguid]

Just FYI, I was replying to Rosanne and not LK... Unionville would definitely not be someplace LK would want to go - way too far away from Newark NJ!

If LK wants a small town, I would not go out into Warrington Township. What you may or may not know is that we have our towns here within townships, or along with them, for the most part. Warrington is not a town. It's a huge area west of Doylestown.

Truthfully I think Newtown would suit her better, if only because of being closer to I-95. Plus - she is coming from WI - and I have to ask if you are coming from a more upscale community or a more country type area? Because the areas of Bucks you are looking in are most definitely upscale, and while definitely nice areas, *can* tend to be a bit more "snobby", as another poster posted.

Also, if you have children with special needs or learning disabilities, CB may not be the district for you. CR has it over CB there hands down. Don't necessarily believe what they tell you. (I am a teacher and parent of a special needs child.)

[L.K.]

hello and thanks for the advise.We are actually in a friendly,upscale area in Wi,but also slightly out in suburbia,a short drive to our downtown area.We do not have children with special needs or learning disabilities.But I'm curious why that would make a difference.re those issues not addressed in any school in CB?

[skivino]

I live in Yardley and have 3 children 14, 8 and 7. The OBGYN I use is Great!! I had all my 3 children with them. They are Lawrence Ob-Gyn and have an office in Yardley (acutally Lower Makefield) and Lawrenceville, NJ.
You can email me if you want more info or just want to meet for coffee for some local info!

Welcome to the area, it's a great and very convenient place to live. (I should know I've lived here for the majority of my 41 years!

[cindyg]

Hi. I was born and raised in Bucks Co. and lived there for 45 years. So I feel like an expert!
If education is your priority, the schools in Central Bucks really are great. You didn't mention how old your gifted child is.... Even though Doylestown, the county seat, is a charming, charming town, the high school there - Central Bucks West, is an older building and does not have the amenities that the newer schools have. Central Bucks East, for instance, has a wonderful pool and a planetarium. Central Bucks South is a brand new school, so is probably really well-equipped. Towns/villages for East include Holicong, Buckingham, Danboro, Plumsteadville, I believe New Hope and Carversville. Many of these places are still quite picturesque and rural. Carversville, for instance, is among the most picturesque and quaint places in all of Bucks, in my opinion. Other places are getting very developed. Some people prefer that because there are more neighbors and nearby kids for your child to play with.
The best thing to do is probably contact the administrators of the school district and ask questions there. Look in the blue pages of the Central Bucks phone book.
There are definitely many opportunities in Bucks, and it is a commutable distance to Philadelphia and New York (train or bus is the way to go to NYC). However, it is very hard to find an affordable home. If you're willing to rent, you can get pretty good deals renting a house. I lived in two beautiful historic farmhouses in beautiful settings because I was willing to rent.
Good luck to you in your decision-making!

[L.K.]

Thanks for your opinion.After much thought and research,we have decided on the Doylestown area to be in the Central Bucks school district.Which exact area will come down to where we find a house.We have not been there yet,so we may see areas we like better than others.The great thing is that all the schools are rated so high it gives alot of options.I may be wrong,but I think that New Hope and Carversville would be in the New Hope/Solebury school district.Can't wait to come out and look around!

[megconlon]

I have been offered a job in Yardley. Doylestown sounds like a nice area with good schools and an interesting downtown. Can you find a nice, well-built small house that's not in a development? Basically something that has a rural feel, but access to an interesting town. Is there a better choice than Doylestown? I don't want to end up commuting more than 30 minutes. Is this doable?

[megconlon]

I've been offered a job in Yardley. Doylestown seems like a good choice to live in/near with good schools and an interesting downtown. Is it possible to find a small, well-built house in an area with a rural feel, but with access to an interesting town (ie. not in a subdivision). I really don't want to commute more than 30 minutes to Yardley. We don't know the area as we would be moving from out-of-state. Is there a better choice than Doylestown?

[megconlon]

CindyG -- We would definitely be interested in renting for a year on the east side of Doylesville. What is the best way to go about renting a nice place (like th historic farmouses you mentioned)? Thanks

[ltguid]

LK - If you don't have children who are special ed students, I'm not going to explain it, it would take a year. Trust me, there's a major difference.

Megconlon - if you want to rent, you should call some of the local realtors there and buy the newspapers, see who rent a lot of places. Yardley is a very neat town itself and probably more rural than Doylestown (which is very built up now).

Good luck all!