Nice areas to live in/around Philadelphia (York, Chester: apartment, insurance)

[vetteracing46]

Hi all, I am new to this forum and think it could greatly help me. I currently recieved a very nice job offer in Philadelphia and am contemplating the idea of moving. Since I've only been to Philadelphia a select number of times and really don't know the area I am turning to anyone for some insight. I currently reside 5min outside of New York City where I currently work, so commuting from North Jersey is not an option for me. I'm getting married in June so I'm looking to buy a house or upscale apt/condo in a nice neighborhood with a preferably younger crowd, myself being 25. All help is greatly appreciated and I hope to hear from you.

[newmarlig]

C/P the questions in the Questions For Future and Potential Residents thread and post your answers here. A lot depends on where you will be working, if you will be using a car or public transportation and how much you can afford to spend on housing.

[vetteracing46]

Originally Posted by newmarlig

C/P the questions in the Questions For Future and Potential Residents thread and post your answers here. A lot depends on where you will be working, if you will be using a car or public transportation and how much you can afford to spend on housing.

great thanks that helped a lot, I see where you're coming from I should of been a little more specific. Well here ya go :

When are you moving?
Within the next 4 months

Where are you coming from?
Bergen County, Northern NJ

Why are you moving?
Job

Where will you be working?
Philly

Have you been here yet?
A couple of times, but know nothing about living in the area.

Will you buy or rent?
Either, which ever is a better deal for what I get.

If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend?
House or NICE Condo, budgets in the 600k range

Are you married or single? Do you have children?
Soon to be married

Do you prefer public or private schools?
public until high school, then private

Do you have pets?
1 dog (labrador)

Do you want or need a yard?
yes

Are you keeping a car?
2

Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet?
both have their perks, but I prefer calm and quiet.

What do you want to be closest to?
IN ORDER:
Train or subway stations
Work
Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.)
Shopping
Nightlife

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood?
I would prefer a younger crowd. Religion, race, and sexual preference are not deciding factors.

[newmarlig]

Great, but where in Philly will you be working. It's a large, spread out city. If you'll be working in center city, and keeping in mind that you prefer calm and have a dog, and two cars, you might want to consider Haddonfield or Collingswood, NJ. You can easily take the Lindenwold High Speed Train into center city in about 20 minutes and you can get housing in your range. Both areas have good school systems as well. Good luck. But if you are not working in center city, the answer might be different.

ETA - property taxes in NJ are quite high, but since you already live there you know that.

[solibs]

Where you'll be working, more specific than "Philly" is important.

That's a pretty impressive budget for a 25 year old. In this market you should be able to afford to a lot of the new townhouses and condos in and around Center City . . . if that's what you're looking for. A lot of the townhouses have a one car garage and most condos come with a parking space but more and more developers are unbundling the spaces from the units so you could probably buy an extra space . . . or get rid of a car if that works out.

I'm not sure what direction you're headed in. You mentioned a school preference but it's not clear if you have kids or not or plan on them in the near future. Do you want to stay in a suburban type place like Bergen Co. or do you want to be in the city? If it's the city I would check out Welcome to Naval Square - sounds like what you're looking for.

[mltimes]

Don't forget to factor at least few hundred dollars a month in condo fees and taxes and parking into your budget. My condo fee for a 1200 sq ft apartment + property taxes + parking space for one car in a high rise building in the city is well over $1200 a month. Though with a dog, you won't have many high rise options and (though this is a gross overgeneralization) at age 25, you might not want to be in one of the more "grown up" buildings in Center City and may want to focus on the new construction in Northern Liberties or Naval Square.

[DailyJournalist]

I was in the Philly area last week and checked out Collingswood, NJ and was very impressed. It seems like Collingswood would meet your requirments.

[serpent_of_old]

the collingswood or just west of there should be ok. see PATCO :: Port Authority Transit Corporation for the patco train which would take you right to center city, as deep in as like 17th street. i'd rather take THAT to work than the orange line or EL (blue line) ANY day

i was born and raised here and i still love philly (minus the burbs...two different animals)
am not to thrilled about what philly has changed into over the last 10-12 years
thus i say philly is better enjoyed (safer) if you live just outside of it
am still working on this feat myself

[Rhow411]

Hey!! as a young proffesional at the same age as you I can tell you where is a good place to be depending on your what you are really looking for... Center City would be a great choice in the rittenhouse square and society hill area.. you can get great upscale condos for a GREAT PRICE, .. If you dont see yourself living int he actual city, the western suburbs are great as well... From Narberth to Villanova to West Chester- there is a ton to choose from, great school districts ( which help your value , even if you dont have kids attending them ).. Parts of NJ are okay, but two totally different worlds in compared to PA.. I tend to like PA better than NJ, NJ has HIGH HIGH TAXES AND HIGH INSURANCE! I would stick with PA!!