Moving from DC area to Philadelphia Suburbs

[HeavenWood]

Originally Posted by Duderino

Having lived in Bethesda myself at one point, the Philly area just does not have very robust, modern, built-up "edge cities" like the DC area has and that you may be accustomed to. Here you will find many historic, human-scaled type of downtowns and villages, much more like a bunch of Old Town Alexandrias.

That being said, I agree with the suggestions of Jenkintown, Glenside or Ambler coming the closest to what you're looking for in terms of top-rated schools, shopping amenities and a strong community feel, as well as a proximate commute to Spring House.

Good luck!

Lower Merion doesn't have the same downtown Bethesda does, but I would say it otherwise compares pretty closely.

[esciar1]

Thanks for all of the advice. We looked a several areas and did like Ambler. Are there better or worse areas in Ambler? Also, is it good to live very near the downtown area?

We also saw the downtown area of Skippack and loved it. Is that a nice area to live? Can you walk from the homes around there to the main street? Or is it very rural off the main path? Are there good schools, playgrounds etc? Is the main street lively during the day or just at night?

Thanks again!

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

Lower Merion doesn't have the same downtown Bethesda does, but I would say it otherwise compares pretty closely.

Absolutely. Lower Merion is extremely Bethesda-esque in terms of its demographics, amenities, etc.

In terms of not having the same type of downtown as Bethesda, that's definitely not a bad thing. Personally, while Bethesda is a very nice area and more modernized, I more appreciate LM's historic character and old world charm.

I guess it all depends on what an individual values more.

[Tone509]

Originally Posted by esciar1

Thanks for all of the advice. We looked a several areas and did like Ambler. Are there better or worse areas in Ambler? Also, is it good to live very near the downtown area?

Other than Norristown, there are no "bad" areas adjacent to Ambler. You would have to travel a bit before finding another suburban area with a walkable town center (e.g, Hatboro, Glenside, Jenkintown). Ambler's downtown can be lively but never rowdy; you might enjoy the convenience of living close to it if that's on your radar.

[MsChelle]

Originally Posted by esciar1

Husband may take a job in Spring House. I am trying to get some ideas of places to look to rent a house.

I am a stay-at-home mom and would like an area with lots of walking, downtownish, tree lined streets. Close access to restaurants, coffee shops, playgrounds. Prefer to be near a Whole Foods or Trader Joes. I was considering Media or Wynnewood although they would be a bit of a commute for my husband (at least against traffic I would assume). Is there anything closer I should consider? Looking for rent not too much more than 2k.

Ideally I would love a place where I can go out with a stroller, walk to a coffee shop, take my daughter (3) to a playground, and then stop at a food store on my walk home for ingredients for dinner. And this would be a walk on nice pretty streets with sidewalks, not too car congested and friendly people around. In the evenings, I would like my daughter to be able to play outside with other neighborhood kids and chat with the other parents. Oh, good schools too. Or as close as I can get to that.

Here are my answers...


When are you moving? –Within 2 months

Where are you coming from? -- DC metro area
Why are you moving? --Job
Where will you be working? --Husband - Spring House me - home
Have you been here yet? --No, but planing on going in the next few weeks to check out areas

Will you buy or rent? --Rent
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? –Either
How much can you spend? –2k/month

Are you married or single? –Married
Do you have children? – 3 Year Old
Do you prefer public or private schools? --Public
Do you have pets? --No
Do you want or need a yard? --not necessarily as long as we have a deck and some playgrounds
Are you keeping a car? --Yes
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? --Urban lifestyle in the suburbs

What do you want to be closest to? --Shopping, outdoor recreation, town center

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? --prefer diverse but will take either

Coke or Pepsi? --Water

Thanks!!

Wynnewood is nice and has a nice shopping center with a Bed, Bath & Beyond, Genuardi's (grocery store), and other shops. If your husband works in the city, he could take regional rail from the Wynnewood station on the Paoli/Thorndale line. You might consider Ardmore, which is near Wynnewood. There is a whole foods in Ardmore as well as a regional rail station on the Paoli/Thorndale line. Ardmore and Wynnewood are not particularly diverse, but they are both in the Lower Merion School District, which is excellent. Wynnewood isn't far from Philadelphia. Commuting on Lancaster Avenue (Route 30), which runs near both Ardmore and Wynnewood, can be a real pain in the behind.

Another place to consider is Bala Cynwyd, also in the Lower Merion School District. Springfield in Delaware County is nice, although less walkable than these previous places I have mentioned. Springfield has a good school district too. Hope this helps.

[HeavenWood]

^actually Ardmore is pretty diverse, especially as far as suburbs go.