Job in Valley Forge, where to live? (Philadelphia, York: for sale, real estate)

[kmb11]

My husband landed a job in the KOP area. We've visited and have driven through many areas to get an idea of the various communities. We are looking for a new (or almost new) townhouse in a "country like" setting around $350K-450K. We have put our townhouse on L.I. on the market and will rent in Malvern during the transition.

We've seen nice townhouses in Chester Springs, Malvern, Downingtown, Media, Kennett Square, Chadds Ford, KOP. We liked several in Downingtown, but we're concerned about traffic/commute time at rush hour. We've heard it's 45 min. to 1 hr. There are some nice golf course communities north of Valley Forge, but we've been told to avoid the area due to traffic on 422.

We also felt that the taxes on townhouses in Downingtown and Chester Springs were a bit higher than we expected ($6,000 - $7,000 range).

We have heard that Plymouth Meeting and Ambler are nice towns, but haven't looked at any townhouses there yet. I will need to land a job and it could be in Center City or the suburbs, so choosing a central suburban location with access to trains into the city would be our best bet.

We would appreciate getting feedback on which towns would offer nice townhouse communities, a reasonable commute to KOP and possibly lower taxes? We have also heard about the high radon levels in this region and are somewhat concerned about that issue.

[Duderino]

Congratulations on your husband's job offer!

Coming from Long Island, I'm sure you're used to traffic, so any job commute could not be any worse than what you'd find outside of New York City. With that said, the towns that you've mentioned are all excellent choices. The Philadelphia area has many gorgeous suburban enclaves with a variety of atmospheres, and with plenty of new developments (townhomes and single homes alike), I couldn't imagine you wouldn't find some place that fits your needs. For more commuting ease for both you and your husband, I'd stick to somewhere that is very easily accessible to Route 422. That would narrow your choices down more to towns like Malvern and Downingtown, but it would also give you more options to consider, such as Limerick, Phoenixville, Collegeville, or Royersford. Here are a few townhouse communities for those areas, just to give you an idea:

Limerick/Royersford
Galman Group - Chesterview (Royersford,PA)

Collegeville
Collegeville Townhomes/Condos for Sale. Real Estate in Collegeville, Pennsylvania

Phoenixville
http://www.americanhomeguides.com/ap...HPC-16132.html

Property taxes are, unfortunately, high across both Chester and Montgomery Counties, where you will be looking for a home. The trade off, however, is high-quality public schools. Radon is always something to consider, but you may certainly have your potential home tested. Good luck on your search!

[Will Kelly]

You have a number of options but I would stay away from the 422 corridor if possible. If you need to commute to center city there are limited choices off of 422. You will find more choices east of King of Prussia and there are a number of communities that fit your bill. You mentioned Golf communities and there is a number of town homes in the Blue Bell country club. They fit your price range. The Ambler area is another nice area with a lot of options. I showed a few townhomes in Dresherbrooke in Upper Dublin over the weekend. They are in the mid to high 300's. It is a very nice area with easy access to the turnpike for your husband and the regional rail lines for you to get to the city.

All the best.

[kmb11]

Thank you Duderino and Will for your suggestions. The information you've provided is very helpful. We are really excited about moving to PA. We have found the people to be very friendly and welcoming. Take care,

kmb

[toobusytoday]

I just wanted to comment on radon. Radon is very common in houses in SE PA. Our current house had radon but it was easily detected and fixed. It's commonly part of the home inspection.