Bucks and Montgomery County schools (PA) (Lansdale, Horsham: middle-class, houses, neighborhoods)

[lookingforadvice]

My family and I might be moving to PA. We previously lived in Hatboro so I am somewhat familiar with the area. We would be looking for a house around 400K with good schools. His commute would be to NE Philly, so we are wanting to stay w/in about 15-25 miles. I would like to get some impressions/personal experience about the areas, specifically in Central Bucks SD, North Penn, Council Rock, Abington, Cheltenham, Upper Dublin and Wissahickon. We are looking at houses in Warrington, Lansdale, Holland, Abington (Glenside), Blue Bell and Ambler. I know the stats (test scores, demographics) but I would like to try to get more of a "feel" of these areas and their respective communities. Any info. (aside from what I can just research myself) would be greatly appreciated!

[FindingZen]

I don't think that any are appreciably different from each other - or Hatboro - besides from the details that you've already gathered. All are generally solid middle- to upper-middle-class communities. Your budget will get you a quality home that is not necessarily new construction but may have been renovated. There are no "bad" neighborhoods per se - at least by city standards - but the relatively few "not-so-nice" neighborhoods will stand out once you either visit or look at the housing values available. Certainly no place is like the OK Corral, though.

[lookingforadvice]

Thanks!

[kimrocktherealtor]

I agree with Tone. The best school district in most peoples opinion of the areas you are looking at would likely be Central Bucks, with Council Rock following closely behind.

[Angus215]

Honestly, these are all pretty similar suburban areas, with a few actual towns in the middle of them (which are the only areas that will probably have much of a different "feel"). All of them have very good public schools. Given your husband will be commuting to NE Philly, I'd probably focus my search based on geography. Council Rock and maybe Abington would probably be the closest. Pennsbury and Hatboro Horsham may be other areas worth looking at. That being said, i don't know that any of them would be too bad of a commute.

[lookingforadvice]

Thanks for the info.!