Suggestions for areas near Harrisburg? (rental, condo, how much)

[ThomasPaine]

I’m going to be relocating to the Harrisburg area in the next few months. I am looking for suggestions on areas to look for homes. I’m 30 years-old, single, and have no children. I’m interested in an area with other younger professional single people. I also do not want an excessive commute. My searches of this forum show downtown and midtown Harrisburg to be areas to look into, but I’m interested in any other suggestions. I have some concerns about the Harrisburg debt issues, but I’m not sure how much I should be worried about this. Further data as suggested in the tacked thread is below. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

When are you moving? March 2012
Where are you coming from? Northern Delaware
Why are you moving? Employer relocation
Where will you be working? Harrisburg, near Susquehanna Township High School
Have you been here yet? Yes, but only briefly

Will you buy or rent? Buying
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? Either
How much can you spend? Up to $200,000 but would prefer to keep it in the $150 area if possible.

Are you married or single? Single
Do you have children? No
Do you prefer public or private schools? N/A
Do you have pets? Dog
Do you want or need a yard? I would prefer a small yard… I would also like to have a garage, although I realize that this might be difficult in the downtown and midtown Harrisburg area.
Are you keeping a car? Yes; a car and motorcycle

Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? Activity

What do you want to be closest to?
Work ***Priority. I don’t want to commute more than 30 minutes and would prefer 15 minutes.
Nightlife - I would like to be near some type of bar(s), restaurant(s), etc, but it is not a necessity

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? No preference except that I would like to be around some people my age.

[DowntownHarrisburg]

Sounds like you've already done your homework! Midtown is rapidly becoming the city's arts & cultural center, and downtown is the city's nightlife & entertainment district. Both are within a 10- to 15-minute walk of each other, so don't feel locked into one or the other.

You might want to look around the area of Old Uptown. I don't know the exact boundaries, but I would unofficially call this the area from around Third & Reily to around Second & Maclay. This is the current "up and coming" residential area of the city, IMHO. I'm seeing a lot of young professionals moving into that area over the last year or so. The only catch is that there are some pockets of troublemakers still causing problems up that way, so you need to be a little more aware of your surroundings. It's by no means dangerous, but you should know how to handle yourself and avoid trouble in a city. Personally I wouldn't be thrilled about walking home through back alleys there at 2:30am on a Saturday.

Failing that, midtown is still an excellent choice. Downtown will be a little tricky, as most of the properties down there are rental or commercial. You will definitely be able to find a very nice townhome in a great neighborhood for under $200k, and you will PROBABLY be able to find a decent home in a decent neighborhood in the city with a garage for under $200k. $150k with a garage in the city will be a tall order, but probably not impossible.

The debt issues will impact you if you buy a home in the city. The problem is, nobody is exactly sure HOW they'll impact us. A worst-case scenario has funding for the police & fire departments slashed, road maintenance deferred, taxes skyrocketing, and your home value plummeting by 50% overnight. It's also entirely possible that the impact will be much less severe and contained to a year or two. It is a risk, but the only way to avoid it is to rent.

[ThomasPaine]

Thanks for the input. I'll add Old Uptown to my list.