Back To the Future--in Coopersburg Perhaps? (Philadelphia, Scranton: for sale, 2014, apartment)

[jerseygone]

Hi:

Even though I'm 58 and have lived most of my life in the state I was born (NJ), I'm ready to return to the ancestral state of PA for the next phase of my life. Way back when a branch of the family settled in and around Scranton/WB. Even though I have fond memories of spending time with my relatives in Moosic as a kid, I would rather be a bit closer to the NJ border and have looked around Coopersburg recently, liking what I see.

I was just wondering if any of the members here could add any input as to the general characteristics of the area; the long-term outlook, re: development, economic, etc.? I love a semi-rural area within reasonable driving distance of stores, nightlife, etc. A large yard, some decent space between homes, and peace and quiet are all good things in my mind. Ideally, a ranch home across the street from a cemetery would fit the bill, LOL.

Here are my vitals:



When are you moving? Later this year (2014).
Where are you coming from? Hudson County, NJ.
Why are you moving? Divorced; selling home .
Where will you be working? On disability retirement.
Have you been here yet? Yes, just some day trips out to check out some towns in the area.

Will you buy or rent? May want to rent for 6 months before deciding to buy.
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend? House. $175k limit.
If renting, are you looking for an apartment, a townhouse or loft? How much can you spend? A home rental, ideally, although a townhouse would be okay. $1,000k month.
Do you prefer hi-rise or walk up? Walk up; ranch.

Are you married or single? Do you have children? Divorced. Kids grown and gone.
Do you prefer public or private schools? N/A
Do you have pets? Two dachshunds, house-broken and well-behaved.
Do you want or need a yard? Yes...both.
Are you keeping a car? Yes.
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? Calm and quiet where I live; bustling activity within a half hour drive.

What do you want to be closest to?
Work
Shopping Yes, within 20 minutes or so.
Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.) Ditto.
Nightlife I like good music and a good microbrew.
Near Bus stop? Please note that there is NO rail service in the Lehigh Valley. Not a priority for me.

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? As long as they are decent human beings who have pride in where they live, I have no preference whatsoever.

Phillies or Mets? Hah! Even though I'm a Yankees fan I have grown fond of going to Iron Pigs and Trenton Thunder games.

Thanks a million in advance, folks!

[toobusytoday]

Sounds like you would like to live right in the borough of Coopersburg. I think you are going to find it pretty difficult to find a home in good shape in your price range (the avg. home price is more than double that), but if you contact a realtor, let him know your bottom line and have some patience, it could work. I like the town of Coopersburg and think you might too. Renting may be much more difficult, especially if you are looking for less than a years lease and have two dogs. :-( It's not uncommon around here to just see a sign up on a front lawn advertising a rental and having it gone within a week or two. Since Coopersburg is a small town in a good school district, reasonably priced houses and rentals do go fast.

[blazerj]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

Sounds like you would like to live right in the borough of Coopersburg. I think you are going to find it pretty difficult to find a home in good shape in your price range (the avg. home price is more than double that), but if you contact a realtor, let him know your bottom line and have some patience, it could work. I like the town of Coopersburg and think you might too. Renting may be much more difficult, especially if you are looking for less than a years lease and have two dogs. :-( It's not uncommon around here to just see a sign up on a front lawn advertising a rental and having it gone within a week or two. Since Coopersburg is a small town in a good school district, reasonably priced houses and rentals do go fast.

Agree. I don't think you could rent a townhouse for 1K or buy a house for 170K, but you could likely buy a nice townhouse for slightly more than 170K. Also, I think it may be hard to get a 6 month lease.

[loose cannon]

Coopersburg is a premium spot. There is the great Southern Lehigh Public library in Center Valley where you can buy books for a $1.00 at their ongoing book sale. Outside is a park area where you can go for a nice walk. Close by is the Promenade shopping center where I hang out quite often.

[JohnZ963]

There are occasionally small ranch houses for sale in Coopersburg and surrounding Upper Saucon for $175k or less, but they are often worn out/in need of updating. Doesn't sound like work you would want to be doing yourself if you're on disability. If you can live with 1970s bathrooms or formica countertops, you may be able to make it happen.

[toobusytoday]

Another suggestion is Hellertown. A friend just found a small house there for her parents in your price range. They have a nicer downtown than Coopersburg and without school age kids to consider you don't have to worry about their on-going teacher contract problems, although that may impact taxes.... Hellertown also features the Bieber bus stop for easy transportation to NYC or Philadelphia.

[jerseygone]

Thanks all for the great insights and opinions! I did indeed spend an afternoon looking at some listings in Hellertown and was quite pleased with the location and prices. The downtown area there is convenient and interesting, and the several folks I met were friendly and outgoing. One thing I did notice was the tremendous traffic tie-up at the Hellertown/Bethlehem exit off of Rt. 78. Wow. I was aware of the ongoing construction on the Bethlehem side, but must have sat through ten lights before I could make the left into Hellertown.

Thank you again for sharing your knowledge with me.

[blazerj]

Originally Posted by jerseygone

Thanks all for the great insights and opinions! I did indeed spend an afternoon looking at some listings in Hellertown and was quite pleased with the location and prices. The downtown area there is convenient and interesting, and the several folks I met were friendly and outgoing. One thing I did notice was the tremendous traffic tie-up at the Hellertown/Bethlehem exit off of Rt. 78. Wow. I was aware of the ongoing construction on the Bethlehem side, but must have sat through ten lights before I could make the left into Hellertown.

Thank you again for sharing your knowledge with me.

I think they just extended the construction timeframe. We did not buy a great house in that area simply because of that exit being a disaster.