Lebanon or Berks County?? (Reading, Lancaster: real estate, crime, how much)

[bluemonday]

Hello,

My husband and I are looking to relocate from Lancaster County, to an area in Lebanon or Berks County (I work near Reading, he works in Lebanon). We are looking for a peaceful, rustic kind of place, and are seriously considering living somewhere in the Eastern Lebanon School District (i.e. Myerstown, Newmanstown, Richland, Shaefferstown, etc.). If not Eastern Lebanon, I thought areas within Tulpehocken or Conrad Weiser School District may be good options (Womelsdorf, Bernville, etc.).

Can anybody provide information about these areas, such as what the communities are like, what are the taxes like, is there much crime in these areas, etc. Also, what is the availability of rustic or older homes in these areas? What can I expect living there? Pro's and Con's would be helpful for us.

Thanks in Advance

[bluemonday]

Anybody have any comments on Lebanon or Berks County???

Going once, going twice...

[dcris]

Originally Posted by bluemonday

Anybody have any comments on Lebanon or Berks County???

Going once, going twice...

Have you researched school information at a site like this?

http://www.schoolmatters.com/

I've heard less than positive information regarding Tulpehocken, but haven't researched it further just yet.

[bluemonday]

Actually, I don't have children so I don't really care. I am looking in Tulpehocken because it is only 5-10 miles from where I work, and real estate searches typically go by school district. When it comes to school district, I care most about how much school taxes I am going to have to pay. It looks like Eastern Lebanon may have lower school taxes though??

[bboy36win]

Originally Posted by bluemonday

Hello,

My husband and I are looking to relocate from Lancaster County, to an area in Lebanon or Berks County (I work near Reading, he works in Lebanon). We are looking for a peaceful, rustic kind of place, and are seriously considering living somewhere in the Eastern Lebanon School District (i.e. Myerstown, Newmanstown, Richland, Shaefferstown, etc.). If not Eastern Lebanon, I thought areas within Tulpehocken or Conrad Weiser School District may be good options (Womelsdorf, Bernville, etc.).

Can anybody provide information about these areas, such as what the communities are like, what are the taxes like, is there much crime in these areas, etc. Also, what is the availability of rustic or older homes in these areas? What can I expect living there? Pro's and Con's would be helpful for us.

Thanks in Advance

I am a homeowner in southern Lebanon County. If you like living in wooded areas, you may want to check out the Spring Hill Acres neighborhood (off rt 72, just south of rt. 322), or Mt. Gretna (along route 117). Easy access to Lebanon, Hershey, Harrisburg, and Lancaster. A little farther to Reading, though. Cornwall-Lebanon school district is decent, I believe (though I have no children, so I don't know firsthand) - not stellar but well above Lebanon city.

Eastern Lebanon county is VERY rural. Depending on where in Lancaster County you are, this may be a bit of culture shock. Pretty country, though.

Good luck!

[dcris]

I did some looking on the MLS, as I am a Realtor, and found that taxes in Berks vary depending on what you are looking for. Some properties seemed to be a bit on the high side, for my tastes, anyway, while others appeared to be "average". If you want to give me some more criteria to work with, I'd be happy to do a little more research for you.

Lebanon County seems to be less expensive than Berks taxwise, while Lebanon PA itself doesn't seem to be much different than Berks.

[bluemonday]

Originally Posted by bboy36win

I am a homeowner in southern Lebanon County. If you like living in wooded areas, you may want to check out the Spring Hill Acres neighborhood (off rt 72, just south of rt. 322), or Mt. Gretna (along route 117). Easy access to Lebanon, Hershey, Harrisburg, and Lancaster. A little farther to Reading, though. Cornwall-Lebanon school district is decent, I believe (though I have no children, so I don't know firsthand) - not stellar but well above Lebanon city.

Eastern Lebanon county is VERY rural. Depending on where in Lancaster County you are, this may be a bit of culture shock. Pretty country, though.

Good luck!

I will check out that neighboorhood, thank you. What type of homes are in that community?

As far as the culture shock goes, I am living in the New Providence/Quarryville area of Lancaster County, so I am used to living in the country. I don't know if I would be happy in Lebanon City because of this, although I see a lot of properties in the Cornwall-Lebanon school district which have a Lebanon address. There seems to be a lot of nice, well kept ranchers in southern Lebanon especially, but I am skeptical because the homes are technically in Lebanon.

[bluemonday]

Originally Posted by dcris

I did some looking on the MLS, as I am a Realtor, and found that taxes in Berks vary depending on what you are looking for. Some properties seemed to be a bit on the high side, for my tastes, anyway, while others appeared to be "average". If you want to give me some more criteria to work with, I'd be happy to do a little more research for you.

Lebanon County seems to be less expensive than Berks taxwise, while Lebanon PA itself doesn't seem to be much different than Berks.

Thank you so much! I sent you a PM with more specific criteria.

[bboy36win]

Originally Posted by bluemonday

I will check out that neighboorhood, thank you. What type of homes are in that community?

As far as the culture shock goes, I am living in the New Providence/Quarryville area of Lancaster County, so I am used to living in the country. I don't know if I would be happy in Lebanon City because of this, although I see a lot of properties in the Cornwall-Lebanon school district which have a Lebanon address. There seems to be a lot of nice, well kept ranchers in southern Lebanon especially, but I am skeptical because the homes are technically in Lebanon.

Spring Hill is an electic mix - some modern, some colonial, some log. Since it is wooded, you don't get a feeling of discontinuity - you really can't see one home from the next, especially from spring through fall when the leaves are on the trees. Most homes come with a bit of property, so they can get expensive. There is just one entrance - on rt 72 just south of the 322 interchange - and many people don't even know it's there ... but I believe there are over 300 homes.

I own property in Mt. Gretna, which is a small village of Victorian homes and cottages. Very unique & pretty, but small. Real estate inventory is often relatively low.

As far as the address goes, don't be too concerned until you look at googlemaps or mapquest ... the 17042 zip covers a very large area, so just because the address says Lebanon doesn't mean it's anywhere close to being in Lebanon city.

Hope this helps!

[bluemonday]

Originally Posted by bboy36win

Spring Hill is an electic mix - some modern, some colonial, some log. Since it is wooded, you don't get a feeling of discontinuity - you really can't see one home from the next, especially from spring through fall when the leaves are on the trees. Most homes come with a bit of property, so they can get expensive. There is just one entrance - on rt 72 just south of the 322 interchange - and many people don't even know it's there ... but I believe there are over 300 homes.

I own property in Mt. Gretna, which is a small village of Victorian homes and cottages. Very unique & pretty, but small. Real estate inventory is often relatively low.

As far as the address goes, don't be too concerned until you look at googlemaps or mapquest ... the 17042 zip covers a very large area, so just because the address says Lebanon doesn't mean it's anywhere close to being in Lebanon city.

Hope this helps!

Sounds like it may be out of my price range (<$150K, preferrably), but I will check it out. I don't mind a "diamond in the rough", if there is one to be had in that area.