Phoenixville Area (Chester, Pottstown, King of Prussia: mcmansions, work, housing)

[Marty Cole]

Hi All,

I have just learned of this forum and find the information posted to be extremely helpful.

I am looking to move my young family out to the Phoenixville area in the next six months. Currently I am in Essex County NJ about 20 minutes outside of NYC.

Below is some criteria to hopefully help you with your advice:

1. Within 20 minutes of Phoenixville or in Phoenixville itself.
2. Looking for an older house, farmhouse or historic house. Have restored houses before so feel comfortable with renovating.
3. Need property - would like to be on mutliple acres.
4. Will spend decent money on a home but would like to get some kind of value.
5. Respectable taxes - coming from an area where the avg. property tax is 12K.
6. Would like a Main Street or small downtown area if possible.
7, Good schools of course, but especially high school.
8. Will be working from home so no commute - need to be within 45 minutes to 1 hour from airport.
9. Hope this doesn't sound bad but not interested in a town filled with new housing developments. I don't mind a few but would prefer an area with older houses.
10. Near good supermarket and houses of Worship.
11. Good community feel.

From the little research I have done seems like Malvern, Chester Springs, Exton, Phoenixville, Collegeville, Paoli and Berwyn might be my best bet.

Any opinions will be appreciated.

[rainrock]

Walkable downtown is going to limit you to Phoenixville, Pottstown,West Chester, Malvern, Downingtown.

Chester Springs is rolling farmland with some great old historic homes but starting to get filled up with Mcmansions.

Exton is pretty much a commercial strip, a very nice one at that.

You could throw a dart anyplace west/northwest of Philadlephia and you wont be more than 5 minute drive to a supermarket and your strip package of Borders/Starbucks/Target etc.

I personally like the West Chester area which has loads of farmhouses surrounding WC,but I also like Phoenixville as well and you'll find better bargains up that way. There are a bunch very small towns between Phoenixvile and Pottstown like Yellow Springs, St peters, Springtown that are definitely worth a look.

My advice, grab a map and come on down and check the area out from Phoenixville to Downingtown to West Chester.

[Marty Cole]

rainrock: Thanks. We plan on visiting this weekend.

[Custom Draper]

Hi there,

My family of 4 is moving to Chester County. We've been renting for a couple of months and still have not settled on a home. We've looked at areas from West Chester to Downingtown to Exton to Chester Springs.

Recently, my realtor introduced me to a lovely community called Valley Forge Woods in Phoenixville. We fell in love with the neighborhood, as well as its proximity to the main line. But it utilizes Phoenixville schools and I'm very concerned about the quality of schools there. Does anyone have insight to this?? Please help!

Thank you

[burana22]

Does anyone know what the commute from phoenixville to philadelphia is like. I work in center city and am considerign moving out there. How long would it. Ideally I would like to par and ride and need to know ho long it would take me to get to the closest train station during rush hour.(egypt road and longford road starting point)

[KristyLiz]

Have you looked into Skipack Village?

It is absolutely adorable there, check it out Skippack Historical Society, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

[KristyLiz]

Originally Posted by burana22

Does anyone know what the commute from phoenixville to philadelphia is like. I work in center city and am considerign moving out there. How long would it. Ideally I would like to par and ride and need to know ho long it would take me to get to the closest train station during rush hour.(egypt road and longford road starting point)

We live in Limerick - not too far from Phoenixville - and my husband commuted into Philly for two years - it's not easy!

King of Prussia is your problem. Heading east on 422 is a nightmare in the morning, it starts building up around the Trooper exit (which you'd still have to pass coming from Phoenixville) and just doesn't stop. My husband would leave at 6:15 a.m. and be pretty OK, but coming home there was no time that was good - again, King of Prussia is the problem.

As for the train, I'm sure it'a an option, but I don't know the details.

Good luck!

[KristyLiz]

Originally Posted by rainrock

Walkable downtown is going to limit you to Phoenixville, Pottstown,West Chester, Malvern, Downingtown.

No Pottstown, it's too far out and probably not what you're looking for.