areas to live near Vilanova (Chester, West Chester: appointed, real estate market, how much)

[krisanddave]

My family is considering a move to the Philly area for my husband's job--which will be located in Villanova. We are midwesterners from Overland Park Kansas (Kansas City area) and we are nervous about what we will find out there in the northeast! We LOVE the midwestern values and VALUE of housing, great schools, caring neighbors and elbow room. Any chance at all of finding anything like that out in Philly? Oh--and we would also love not much of a commute--my husband currently only drives 20 minutes each way. I know this may not be possible, but I thought I would ask for our dream list. We would prefer NEW home around 3000sf. Thanks in advance for all your GREAT COMMENTS--love reading these posts!

[sbhubbell]

Whoa boy I think you're in for a serious shock, unless you have TONS of money socked away. A new house at 3000sf within 20 minutes of Villanova is gonna cost a pretty penny. I'm not sure where to even suggest. You'd have a longer commute but I'd suggest some of the new developments up the 422 corridor, in the Royersford, Limerick, Upper Providence, or Collegeville area. The traffic isn't pretty but the further out of the city you get the closer to midwestern values/lifestyle you get. Also consider Chester County...

Overland Park is a very nice area, I've been there a few times.

[orrmobl]

I put a comparison of Overland Park into a city compariston site and came up with:

Paoli
Malvern
Downingtown

You just have to choose between commute and new big house for a reasonable price. Schools in these areas fom best to worst - Tredyffrin-Easttown (Paoli, Berwyn, Wayne, parts of Devon, parts of Malvern), then Great Valley (Malvern), then Downingtown...you will get more house and I think less snobbery in Downingtown, but that is the furthest commute...

[JHG722]

I've heard great things about Overland Park. I'll definitely get there sometime. Nova itself wouldn't be the best choice, because the real estate is extremely expensive, and it has a bit of a keeping up with the Joneses attitude (although not nearly as bad as many wealthy areas in this country). Paoli, Berwyn, Devon, Malvern are all nice. Maybe look into some of the Main Line, although generally the value isn't that good. Bala Cynwyd, Merion, Wynnewood.

[solibs]

How much are you looking to spend? Will your husband be working at the university? I'm assuming by "new house" you mean "new construction"?

It's the new construction that's going to make your search more difficult. You can be 20 minutes from 'nova or you can have a new house.

If your husband has a job at the university and can avoid commuting at the traditional times (or takes the train - there's a station on campus) then the commute from a place like Collegeville really won't be that bad. I would second the western Montgomery County and Chester County suggestions - to me the midwest starts around Route 202.

You won't make many friends assuming that people here lack values or that our values are inferior to those in the midwest or that we're less friendly or caring as neighbors or that our schools are inferior (quite the contrary on the latter).

[sbhubbell]

Just one clarification...there are some new construction homes on the Main Line and in the Villanova or Wayne area....but they start at around a million dollars. There seems to be quite a bit of inventory of them right now though, since those are the kind of houses that sit the longest in this slow real estate market.

[solibs]

My parents are having a house built in western Chester County about 10 minutes drive past the end of the Regional Rail system. They're empty nesters so they don't need 3000 s/f but a nicely appointed 2000 s/f is going to run them in the high 300's.

[krisanddave]

Thanks for the many suggestions. And my sincere apologies to you Pennsylvanians--I certainly did not mean to insinuate that you did not have the values and friendliness of those of us from the Midwest. I know that there are great and caring people all over the country.

We seem to be hearing about the north and west areas outside Philly...will be anxious to get out there and have a look. I hear the landscape there is absolutely beautiful.

[krisanddave]

We are looking into Downingtown--seems to be a lot of building going on there, and excellent schools...thanks for the tip! How far of a commute would you say it is to Villanova from there?

[orrmobl]

I would guess 40+ minutes during rush hour...really depends where in Downingtown to where in Villanova...that's why I would consider Malvern, Exton, West Chester if commute is the priority...but again it really depends where in the area you are living...