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Old 01-27-2016, 04:36 PM
 
4 posts, read 7,546 times
Reputation: 10

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Hello All -

Looking to move to a nice Western/NWestern suburb and am deciding between the Bryn Mawr / Villanova section of Lower Merion or Blue Bell.

Our price point is $1.3m - which goes a little further in Blue Bell. Also, the taxes are lower in BB versus Lower Merion. Any thoughts on comparing the two areas?

Just curious to hear a few opinions and I appreciate anyone taking the time to reply.
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Old 01-27-2016, 05:43 PM
 
Location: Villanova Pa.
4,927 posts, read 14,166,942 times
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Both are great choices.

Pros for Bryn Mawr. Top notch public schools, close proximity to the city and other great small towns, sits on the Paoli Thorndale rail line, old world ivy league walkable charm, great older unique housing stock.

Pros for Blue Bell. Very good public schools, bit more room to breathe, newer area with newer amenities, housing stock very nice and modern at least by Philadephia region standards.
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Old 01-27-2016, 06:30 PM
 
Location: North by Northwest
9,316 posts, read 12,920,013 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rainrock View Post
Both are great choices.

Pros for Bryn Mawr. Top notch public schools, close proximity to the city and other great small towns, sits on the Paoli Thorndale rail line, old world ivy league walkable charm, great older unique housing stock.

Pros for Blue Bell. Very good public schools, bit more room to breathe, newer area with newer amenities, housing stock very nice and modern at least by Philadephia region standards.
In sum, you're basically choosing between newer (and somewhat better-value) homes and older, more infrastructurally cohesive communities. Are you at the point where you're deciding between two houses, because in addition to LM and Blue Bell (Whitpain), there's Radnor, Tredyffrin, Easttown, etc. on the Main Line side and Whitemarsh, Upper Dublin, Lower Gwynedd, etc. in near/NW MontCo.
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Old 01-28-2016, 09:25 AM
 
4 posts, read 7,546 times
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Thanks - some great advice; much appreciated.

T/E and Radnor are very nice, but a touch outside of our geographic circle of friends, family and work. Same goes for Lower Gwynedd and Upper Dublin. We are willing to spend up to 1.5mm and I don't see enough homes in Plymouth/Whitemarsh priced in this range to make me comfortable spending this amount there. My wife works in Blue Bell and I work in West Conshohocken, so you can see how we arrived at the decision of LM or Blue Bell.

I am sure we will be happy in either area, but we plan on staying in this home for many years, so I want be sure I get it right!
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Old 01-28-2016, 09:33 AM
 
Location: North by Northwest
9,316 posts, read 12,920,013 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 76ersFan View Post
Thanks - some great advice; much appreciated.

T/E and Radnor are very nice, but a touch outside of our geographic circle of friends, family and work. Same goes for Lower Gwynedd and Upper Dublin. We are willing to spend up to 1.5mm and I don't see enough homes in Plymouth/Whitemarsh priced in this range to make me comfortable spending this amount there. My wife works in Blue Bell and I work in West Conshohocken, so you can see how we arrived at the decision of LM or Blue Bell.

I am sure we will be happy in either area, but we plan on staying in this home for many years, so I want be sure I get it right!
Since it sounds like you're most concerned about the house, just pick whatever home/neighborhood aesthetic suits you more. Beyond that, based on the information you've given us, I don't think you can go "wrong."
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Old 01-28-2016, 09:19 PM
 
Location: Dude...., I'm right here
1,763 posts, read 1,530,734 times
Reputation: 1987
Have you checked out Wayne, it's close by and there's a lot of expensive homes.

BTW, I'm surprised you are willing to pay up to $1.5M but you are tax sensitive. I mean, what's a couple of more thousand dollars in taxes? Really. What is money?

Quote:
Originally Posted by 76ersFan View Post
Thanks - some great advice; much appreciated.

T/E and Radnor are very nice, but a touch outside of our geographic circle of friends, family and work. Same goes for Lower Gwynedd and Upper Dublin. We are willing to spend up to 1.5mm and I don't see enough homes in Plymouth/Whitemarsh priced in this range to make me comfortable spending this amount there. My wife works in Blue Bell and I work in West Conshohocken, so you can see how we arrived at the decision of LM or Blue Bell.

I am sure we will be happy in either area, but we plan on staying in this home for many years, so I want be sure I get it right!
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Old 01-29-2016, 11:15 PM
 
4 posts, read 7,546 times
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I am not overly tax sensitive, but I have found that Northside Bryn Mawr and Villanova homes in our price range have annual taxes in the neighborhood of $25 to 30k. Alternatively, the same price point in Blue Bell runs about 15k. Not a deal breaker, but a $10 - 15k additional annual cost is still a consideration.

Wayne sure has its devotees; it has been suggested to me more than any area. The town seems congested, but given all of the fanfare, I am compelled to give it a serious look.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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Old 01-31-2016, 02:26 PM
 
Location: Blue Bell, PA and Jim Thorpe, PA
130 posts, read 308,925 times
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Check out Lower Gwynedd before ruling it out. I live in Blue Bell and take the train from Lower Gwynedd. It is closer than you may think. Five minute drive from my house.

I would say pick the neighborhood you like best and go from there. The same house you would pay 1.5 million for in Gladwyne will be less in Blue Bell.

Both Blue Bell and the main line towns have a lot to offer. Really comes down to which area you like better. I find many of the main line areas too congested for me. But I have friends who would never want to live anywhere else.
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Old 02-01-2016, 09:06 PM
 
4 posts, read 7,546 times
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Thanks all.

We did some heavy canvassing this weekend, and the mainline is just too congested for me. It is clearly a great area, but I prefer Blue Bell which is not as densely populated. Hopefully, a decent house comes up for sale soon!
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