looking to relocate to lancaster/lebanon/reading area....need advice from "locals" (fit in, school districts)

[Wolfman89]

The more rural areas.

Well around Reading the rural areas would be Leesport, Womelsdorf, Millersville, Mohton, Sinking Springs..thats about all I can remember.

Out of them I suggest Leesport.

[SerenityWriter]

<quote> The City of Lebanon, well, it relates to Lebanon County about as the City of Reading relates to Berks.<unquote>

Thanks for your comments, but can you please explain the above quote? I don't know the area so I don't understand what you are saying. Please understand, I have visited Hershey for part of a day and spent part of two days in Annville at Lebanon Valley College. That is the extent of my knowledge of Lebanon County.

Our overriding reason to move is to move into an active adult community. We found Lebanon County through searching for active-adult communities. The draw for us then is not the city of Lebanon or Lebanon County, but affordable 55+ housing that meets our needs and is within two or so hours of Princeton NJ and the area immediately east of Philadelphia in NJ. Basically, we've drawn a circle representing a two-hour drive that has its center in Camden County NJ and we're looking at all 55+ communities that we can afford within that circle. We've looked at everything in DE and NJ and are now concentrating on PA.

No place will be perfect. Everything involves compromise and we understand that after three years of searching. I'll look at the communities you mentioned, but I don't recall any of them having 55+ communities.

Thanks again.

[yourlancasterhome]

Hi all - if you're looking to live in the Lancaster/Lebanon area, there's a lot of choices. Price will be an important consideration, and also the style of home you are preferring (townhome, condo, detached, yard/no yard etc). Stephanie, if your husband needs to commute to Sinking Spring there's a brand-new highway running right past it - so you can live almost anywhere. Lebanon, though, would have to be a ll backroads.

I would dispute the comments about Lancaster City - it's a hopping place. Here are some good Lancaster City articles to review - arts, food, museums, everything. If you're a city person you'll like it. Of course, there are lots of small towns in between and I'm quite familiar with all of them, so please feel free to give me a buzz at 717-799-0851 Or email me at jgeoghan@yourlancasterhome.com

Best,

Jeff Geoghan
The Jeff Geoghan Realty Group
Coldwell Banker
www.YourLancasterHome.com
Offering Lancaster PA Real Estate and Lebanon PA Real Estate, Relocation Services

[ki0eh]

Originally Posted by SerenityWriter

<quote> The City of Lebanon, well, it relates to Lebanon County about as the City of Reading relates to Berks.<unquote>

Thanks for your comments, but can you please explain the above quote? I don't know the area so I don't understand what you are saying.

What I meant to say, is that with the social and economic challenges and level of crime others in this thread report for the City of Reading vs. surrounding communities, that a similar relationship holds for the City of Lebanon vs. its surroundings.

Originally Posted by SerenityWriter

Our overriding reason to move is to move into an active adult community. We found Lebanon County through searching for active-adult communities. The draw for us then is not the city of Lebanon or Lebanon County, but affordable 55+ housing that meets our needs and is within two or so hours of Princeton NJ and the area immediately east of Philadelphia in NJ. Basically, we've drawn a circle representing a two-hour drive that has its center in Camden County NJ and we're looking at all 55+ communities that we can afford within that circle. We've looked at everything in DE and NJ and are now concentrating on PA.

No place will be perfect. Everything involves compromise and we understand that after three years of searching. I'll look at the communities you mentioned, but I don't recall any of them having 55+ communities.

Although I'm not in your position in life, I've wound up with hobbies that cause me often to associate with empty nesters and retirees. Due to PA's tax laws that tax those with earned income and job positions relatively heavily, it seems retirees have more incentive either to move in, or not to move away, vs. such folks in surrounding states. These folks do tend to live in certain communities within a larger area, many of which are older communities that don't have the specific restrictive covenants and developers' marketing labels as "active-adult" subdivisions.

Should you next search come up empty and you might think about re-focusing your criteria, there seem to be many folks on this forum who could offer at least some pointers. Good luck to you!

[jmay2]

Originally Posted by SerenityWriter

<quote> The City of Lebanon, well, it relates to Lebanon County about as the City of Reading relates to Berks.<unquote>

Thanks for your comments, but can you please explain the above quote? I don't know the area so I don't understand what you are saying. Please understand, I have visited Hershey for part of a day and spent part of two days in Annville at Lebanon Valley College. That is the extent of my knowledge of Lebanon County.

Our overriding reason to move is to move into an active adult community. We found Lebanon County through searching for active-adult communities. The draw for us then is not the city of Lebanon or Lebanon County, but affordable 55+ housing that meets our needs and is within two or so hours of Princeton NJ and the area immediately east of Philadelphia in NJ. Basically, we've drawn a circle representing a two-hour drive that has its center in Camden County NJ and we're looking at all 55+ communities that we can afford within that circle. We've looked at everything in DE and NJ and are now concentrating on PA.

No place will be perfect. Everything involves compromise and we understand that after three years of searching. I'll look at the communities you mentioned, but I don't recall any of them having 55+ communities.

Thanks again.

I live in northern Lanc county not far from the Leb county line. Alden Place is in Cornwall, in southern Leb county. There is also Elm Tree, over 55 community that is about a 30 minute drive from Cornwall. Both could be toured at the same time without any problem and it's easy to get from one to the other. I travel from Manheim to Allentown NJ a few times a year and its 2 hours door to door, all but about 15 minutes is turnpike driving so getting to Princeton should be a snap. It's a beautiful area, close to all kinds of shopping, yet has the flavor of small town/rural life.

[Househuntingcouple]

Hi all!!! there are so many posts here, ive read them all and at the risk of having ppl repeat themselves, im going to have to ask more specifically, for some info for the locals! Im getting married and my fiance is looking at a job in hershey, PA, but we both from central jersey. We are looking for a nice town, not too rural, hopefully something where u dont need to drive 20 min to the supermarket, that is a little east of hershey (up to 30 min commute) to keep our drive home to central jersey to our families around 2 hours. we are young professionals so want something more up and coming but still safe, and we are looking in the 300-400 k price range. Plus, i tried to find tax info online, and there seems to be some strange method for calculating prop tax in PA. Can Anyone give me a range of prop tax over there? THANKS

[jmay2]

Originally Posted by Househuntingcouple

Hi all!!! there are so many posts here, ive read them all and at the risk of having ppl repeat themselves, im going to have to ask more specifically, for some info for the locals! Im getting married and my fiance is looking at a job in hershey, PA, but we both from central jersey. We are looking for a nice town, not too rural, hopefully something where u dont need to drive 20 min to the supermarket, that is a little east of hershey (up to 30 min commute) to keep our drive home to central jersey to our families around 2 hours. we are young professionals so want something more up and coming but still safe, and we are looking in the 300-400 k price range. Plus, i tried to find tax info online, and there seems to be some strange method for calculating prop tax in PA. Can Anyone give me a range of prop tax over there? THANKS

There are some great small towns in the area. My daughter and her fiance live in Hershey (he grew up there) and it's a great town although housing prices might be a bit on the high side in the town. There are great communities to the east of Hershey, Palmyra (my son teaches 5th grade) and Annville are both less than 10 miles away and have an actual town hub, albeit small but quaint. There are numerous developments in the area that would fall within your range to buy a home. $300,000 would buy a new home, probably 4 BR, 2+ baths and would include some upgrades. It's difficult to say since housing is in such turmoil now. There is also a town called Mt. Gretna that used to be a vacation community with small summer homes, a central lake (with swimming, lifeguards, etc) a summer theater. It's artsy and has a vacation feel although there is not really a main street per se. My estimate for the area in general is that homes of $300,000 would have total real estate taxes, running from at least $3500 and going higher depending on the area and the assessed value of the home. Our taxes in this area are paid to the school district, county, and boro or township. Each area is different with school taxes being the highest. Write back if you want more detailed info.

[Househuntingcouple]

Originally Posted by jmay2

There are some great small towns in the area. My daughter and her fiance live in Hershey (he grew up there) and it's a great town although housing prices might be a bit on the high side in the town. There are great communities to the east of Hershey, Palmyra (my son teaches 5th grade) and Annville are both less than 10 miles away and have an actual town hub, albeit small but quaint. There are numerous developments in the area that would fall within your range to buy a home. $300,000 would buy a new home, probably 4 BR, 2+ baths and would include some upgrades. It's difficult to say since housing is in such turmoil now. There is also a town called Mt. Gretna that used to be a vacation community with small summer homes, a central lake (with swimming, lifeguards, etc) a summer theater. It's artsy and has a vacation feel although there is not really a main street per se. My estimate for the area in general is that homes of $300,000 would have total real estate taxes, running from at least $3500 and going higher depending on the area and the assessed value of the home. Our taxes in this area are paid to the school district, county, and boro or township. Each area is different with school taxes being the highest. Write back if you want more detailed info.

Taxes of 3500 is the property tax correct? and then u have seperate taxes for school and town? thats very diff than jersey. Palmyra and Annville sound good, quaint but still has things. I love to go out to eat and try new places and would be so disappointed if there were no restaurants around. Any thoughts on bigger cities like harrisburg or lancaster? Thanks soo much!

[CosmicWizard]

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[ki0eh]

Originally Posted by Househuntingcouple

Hi all!!! there are so many posts here, ive read them all and at the risk of having ppl repeat themselves, im going to have to ask more specifically, for some info for the locals! Im getting married and my fiance is looking at a job in hershey, PA, but we both from central jersey. We are looking for a nice town, not too rural, hopefully something where u dont need to drive 20 min to the supermarket, that is a little east of hershey (up to 30 min commute) to keep our drive home to central jersey to our families around 2 hours.

If you are interested in relative convenience but not necessarily an old "town center", the Meadows family of developments in South Hanover Twp/Hummelstown 17036 address might be good for you. It has a newer strip mall with supermarket and other services right there, on PA Route 39 north of Hershey. Fairly close to the Harrisburg east side power center shopping as well - you will quickly learn the back roads to cut over away from the summer tourist traffic. Lower Dauphin school district which is considered fairly good.

Palmyra/Annville doesn't get you closer to work or to families because the roads aren't very good. But you might like the area better. Many of the Hershey Co. employees locate in the Palmyra and Campbelltown areas whree there are also newer home communities. Mt. Gretna/Cornwall older town and newer developments have a bit more character and proximity to the Turnpike. Honestly I-78 is frequently a traffic nightmare with trucks and never ending road work and we've found to, say, the Edison area that the Turnpikes are reliably shorter travel time on weekends than I-78.