What keeps you in Philly as opposed to elsewhere? (Philadelphia: condo, how much)

[Cheesesteak Cravings]

Just like to know why others have moved to and stayed, moved from and came back, or just never left.

What's the draw?

[solibs]

you're really blowin' up the forum, huh?

I've travelled and lived in a lot of different places and there are maybe a dozen other US/Canadian cities I would choose to live in. Any of the cities that have what Philly has to offer (or more) are ridiculously expensive, with the exception of Chicago. In most cases, they have less to offer and they're still more expensive.

So, why do i stay here:

1. Value
2. Location (near other big cities, the beach, etc)
3. Friends/Family

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by solibs

you're really blowin' up the forum, huh?

LOL.

I'm here because of family, but in the event there is no more family, I'll pack up for Ohio faster than you can say "Cheesesteaks are gross".

Philadelphia has a lot to offer. But it's too big; I can move back to Cleveland or Cincinnati and enjoy the same or better quality of life ... for a lot less money.

[The Rox]

I'm right there with solibs. Family and friends are a huge part of life in Philadelphia. A large portion of the people who grow up in Philadelphia go to college here, buy a house here, get married here, and start a family here. Plus, there is a huge culture for sports, food, and heritage that make everyday life great. If you enjoy culture, history, and the option for big city life with beautiful rural areas nearby, Philadelphia is a great place to live.

I will also have to agree that location is also key here. The Poconos are close, the beach is close, other big cities are close, and global travel options are close. Philadelphia's got a little bit of everything if you like urban areas and the price to do so is not too high.

Also, I think the fact that people are pretty upfront here (i.e. most people wear their "heart on their sleeve"), believe it or not, keeps people here. People who are not from here might consider it rude or off-putting, but even those folks get used to it after a while and enjoy it; you know where you stand. There isn't as much surface/materialistic personality as there is in other major US cities I've visited.

Again, please take this with a grain of salt because this is just one man's opinion.

[bryson662001]

Everything you could possibly want is right here. There isn't anything seriously objectional. In other words there is no good reason to move somewhere else and if there were i don't know where it would be......and I have been everywhere pretty much. If I were very rich i might spend the winter in florida and the summer at a summer resort but i would still keep my base right here.

[Shino306]

My DH's job, he's finishing up residency at an academic hospital in Center City and when he's done, we're outta here!
Philadelphia does have a lot to offer...restaurants, history, culture, etc, which we have enjoyed during our time here.
However, ultimately, we don't feel the cost of living, mostly housing related, in the city (because I am not a fan of the burbs here after a one-year stint in them) is worth what you get for the money vs. other places we've lived.
Ex: My father sold his 3000 sq foot house in Denver for what a person might be able to get a 2 bdrm condo that's a hair over 1000 sq ft here. I understand people live in different parts of the country for different reasons, so please don't start an argument about not comparing "apples to apples" but when you compare how much house you can buy, the public school districts in both places, the difference is striking.
Plus for my DH, wages when he's done, here are lower than in other places, so for us personally we can have a better quality of life somewhere else.
Again this is just my personal experience...everyone has their own opinions. Thanks in advance for respecting mine.

[Cheesesteak Cravings]

Originally Posted by Shino306

Ex: My father sold his 3000 sq foot house in Denver for what a person might be able to get a 2 bdrm condo that's a hair over 1000 sq ft here. I understand people live in different parts of the country for different reasons, so please don't start an argument about not comparing "apples to apples" but when you compare how much house you can buy, the public school districts in both places, the difference is striking.
Plus for my DH, wages when he's done, here are lower than in other places, so for us personally we can have a better quality of life somewhere else.
Again this is just my personal experience...everyone has their own opinions. Thanks in advance for respecting mine.

Honestly? We were considering Denver, because I hear it's a wonderful place to live. But the sad truth is that we don't know anyone there, at all. And I've gotten pretty lonely at time even down here where we have a small circle of acquaintances.

[Boompa]

WORK.
First my job moved me to New Jersey, then Coatesville, then California.
By the time I retired my family had moved to Florida and there was no reason to return there.
I also retired from the military and wanted to be near a base

[Shino306]

Originally Posted by Cheesesteak Cravings

Honestly? We were considering Denver, because I hear it's a wonderful place to live. But the sad truth is that we don't know anyone there, at all. And I've gotten pretty lonely at time even down here where we have a small circle of acquaintances.

I've lived a lot of places and find Denver great...it's very clean, lots of sunshine, lots of outdoor activities (if that's your thing), people have a "healthy" mindset, i.e. it's constantly rated as one of the thinner, if not thinnest, states for BMI, most likely due to the plethora of activities to do, there's lots to do downtown if you want "city" activities, and the cost of living is very reasonable, especially compared to here. It can have crazy weather, for example what's going on now, but that is rare. Generally, it'll snow and be melted by the next day because the sun comes out and warms every thing up.
I find the people to be very friendly and open, not to mention pretty laid back (the Northeastern mentality of "go, go go" doesn't really exist so strongly there) . I think all you'd need to do is get involved in some sort of activity/club and you'd make a ton of friends, or just go to the local bar to watch a sporting event and strike up a conversation. My father is constantly making friends at the local wine bar he frequents and he's lived there for 20 years.
My best friend lives in New Orleans...born and bred there, and I can definitely see that if you weren't from there, went to High School there (because we all know which HS you went to in NO ranks you in the social pecking order), it would be harder to make friends there just because the general population is pretty insular.