Help me Choose a Town to Relocate to (Drexel Hill, Springfield: insurance, low crime)

[Sassygirl18]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the board and glad I found you! I need help. Hubby and me currently live in Cherry Hill, NJ and we LOVE our house and love the area, but with the way the economy is going, and the never-ending tax increases in NJ, I think we're going to be squeezed out. The other factor is that my hubby recently started working in Malvern and the commute (and the gasoline cost) is killing him. I work in West Philly (near UPenn).

Can you recommend a town/neighborhood that fits this description:

1. About halfway between Malvern and Center City, PA so we each have a reasonable commute (i.e. 30 minutes each way or less)
2. Easy access to public transportation (I would probably take public transportation into Philly to work), hubby drives to Malvern.
3. Reasonable property and school taxes (we currently pay $8,000/year and are looking to cut that in half or better.)
4. We prefer older, established areas with quaint older homes (our current home is a 1928 center hall colonial and we LOVE it), we like old towns with main streets, mature trees. We're don't like housing developments or modern houses. The era of home we prefer is 1920s - 1930s.
5. We're childfree, so schools are not an issue, but we do want a nice area with low crime, where people take care of their properties. We're educated professionals, but not "elite" and don't care for snobby areas.
6. Looking for 3-4 bedroom house in the range of $300-$325K.

Any suggestions?

Thanks a million for any advice.

[orrmobl]

I would suggest you look along the main regional rail lines - R2, R3, R5 and pick a town that's equidistant...Media comes to mind as a good choice but I'm not sure if it gets you a 30 minute commute to both locales...

[loose cannon]

Get out of the East Coast and go South!

[Tone509]

I'm afraid that going South would make for a long commute between Center City and Malvern....

Originally Posted by loose cannon

Get out of the East Coast and go South!

[rainrock]

I agree with orrmobl. Media sounds like it would be a good fit. Ardmore and Narberth also sound like a good match and would cut your commute down a bit compared to Media.

Good luck

[Sassygirl18]

It's funny you guys are suggesting Media because we actually have put that town on our list of potentials. Last summer, we took a day trip to Ridley Creek State Park and afterwards, we went to dinner in Media. I immediately liked that town - it's got the feel we are looking for.

I'll also bookmark the other towns you have recommended to check into them.

Keep the ideas coming and thanks!

[BPP1999]

Just watch the taxes in some of these areas (Media, etc.). You might also want to check out Swarthmore, which has tons of character, but the taxes there are very high.

[pl_silverado]

Coming from someone who lives in Media, a commute to Center City or Malvern is not too bad. I drive from Media to Port Richmond everyday.

[thesixth]

I'd also consider Ridley Park and Springfield/Morton areas too. Not so much of a downtown, but you are still close to Media & the housing prices will be cheaper.

Another area with great older homes is Drexel Hill -but taxes might be higher. They have some really lovely old colonials and English Tudors esp. the area between Township Line (Rte 1) and State Rd.

For fairly low taxes, but only 50 yr. old split level type homes, try Broomall.

[Norm Barnes]

Hope you have already relocated. If you hadn't consider the costs of transportation for you and the husband then; I am sure you are now. Excel W/S is a fabulous tool -- provides the ability to do a cost study by setting up a worksheet. Yours should include: Purchase Price, Down Payment, Mortgage Amount, (with function) you can arrive at the P&I Payment, Taxes, Insurance and PMI Insurance(OVer 80% Financing) and Association fees. All these columns can be tied in to determine the costs of housing. You then can expand it to include utilities, transportation costs and arrive at the true costs of living where you choose to live. Now what does this have to do with your question of location -- you may find that your fuel and transportaion expense dictates that you must move close to work.

Here's another angle --lets say taxes are $3000 more from Broomall to say Drexel Hill which is a transportaion Mecca. This is about $250.00 more monthly all other facts being equal. I have many a friend who boasts about a $3000 tax refund which to me is pretty crazy because it winds up spent on impulse spending. In your case if you normally get a refund preplan your taxes, see your payroll department and get that money in your paycheck and live where you choose to live not where you have to live.

$250.00 per month is about $40K more house.