Should we buy in New Jersey or Bucks County? (Yardley: renting, condo)

[Ann_in_NewJersey]

My husband and I both work at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. We are currently renting in Pennington and really like it, although the housing prices and property taxes make the are very expensive. We can afford to buy about a $300,00- $350,000 house and are wondering whether to buy in New Jersey or Bucks county. Our highest priority is excellent public schools, and then a relatively short commute to work since we have young kids.

Since we are new to the area, we are having trouble sorting out the quality of schools. We are specifically interested in buying in the Hopewell Valley district in New Jersey or the Pennsbury district in Bucks County. People in New Jersey have told us that the Hopewell Valley schools are head-and-shoulders above the Pennsbury ones, but then PA residents have said the Pennsbury schools are actually very good.

Other people have suggested that Council Rock schools are excellent, but then the Newtown area seems just as expensive as New Jersey and New Jersey would be a much shorter commute to work.

Thank you! We'd appreciate any help with this decision!

[solibs]

People can argue all they want about what the best school district is - 1. it's based on standardized testing and doesn't measure a lot of important aspects of what makes a school "good". 2. in the end the top 20 are only separated by a few points anyway.

To me it's just one more status symbol and since there are so many people out there who want to own a piece of it they drive the property values (and taxes) through the roof. The Acura doesn't really run better than the Honda but it has a nicer interior and you pay more money for it so you darn sure better get the ribbon that comes with it.

The property taxes in Bucks Co. are high for PA and the houses aren't cheap either. If I were you i'd look along the 295 corridor in Burlington Co. - it seems more in your price range but someone else can comment on la qualité des écoles

[orrmobl]

If it were New Hope, Central Bucks or Council Rock, I would say PA for sure; otherwise, I would probably choose New Jersey...

[MoorestownResident]

350K in a very good school district is not going to get you very far. In this market go find stressed sellers listed around 425K and make a lowball offer. The one thing about hopewell or pennington is that there is very little available in that price range. Unless you would consider a condo.

You best alternative is Bucks, then Burlington County, NJ then Pennington/Hopewell. Bucks has lots of supply and despite people claiming its expensive, it's really not when you figure in property tax, lower state income tax, etc. PA is very affordable.

[TracySam]

There are very motivated sellers in Yardley/Lower Makefield PA, in the Pennsbury School district. There are definitely homes in the 300s, just not the huge ones. The commute to TCNJ is very easy, either over the Calhoun St. Bridge and taking secondary roads into Ewing, or via 95 and the Route 31 exit.
I work right near there (ahh, my old school-TSC), and my commute is like 12 minutes.

[Ann_in_NewJersey]

Thank you so much! All these replies are extremely helpful.

--Ann

[kelb]

Do yourself a big favor and focus on Yardley. There are so many nice homes on the market in your price range. Your commute will be a breeze, and you will love the Pennsbury Schools. We moved to Yardley a year and a half ago and just love every aspect of life in this quaint historic town that is close to everything.
Good luck.