My Problem with Collingswood (Camden, Fairview: to rent, house, pharmacies)

[spookerr]

Originally Posted by thegreengrass

So... people who live in Collingswood, do you like it? I'm 28 and my fiancee and I are going to be moving back to the South Jersey area within the next few years, and we're trying to find an area that's walkable/not-entirely-car-dependent. I really want to be able to get to Philly easily for work, so the focus has been around PATCO towns or areas that aren't too far of a drive from stations on the line. And we're honestly not looking for super high-end places like Haddonfield or most of Cherry Hill... We want cozy, but not cul-de-sac and cut off from the world. Th. at said, school quality is an issue, and the high school situation sounds less than awesome. At any rate, I was hoping to hear what people who currently live in Collingswood would say to someone considering moving there.

I am very sorry to report that I do not like this town anymore. I know what I am talking about I have lived there for 40 years.

There is no 'walkability'. You have to drive out of this CROWDED town just to go to supermarkets, Walmart, EVERYTHING except a few pizza joints. Where I moved to now. EVERYTHING and them some, is all within my new town. Plus I have 2 minute access to PATCO. 20 min access to Phila. 3 minute access to a mall. And 1 minute access to a $4 million dollar newly revamped longtime restaurant. And all this and ALOT more land is NOT in Collingswood.

Every Collingswood house now is no longer 50-80 years old when I moved there. Now, these houses are over 100 years old. Sounds charming?? You can have it. Good Luck.

The hype or hysteria is laughable to me. property taxes have doubled withing the last 9 years. Why? I dont really know.

How long can one live as a 'hipster'? Til age 40? 50? 75? Seems like thats ALL these businesses in Colls will accomodate. What if you want to get food, watch a movie, goto Applebees? Yup, hop in your car and DRIVE OUT of your own town.

There are currently 18 Foreclosures and Pre-Foreclosures within a 2 block radius of where I lived. Not including the house, NEXT DOOR. Lookit up.

It took me 25-30 minutes to get to my Philly workplace from Colls. Now it takes me 30-35 minutes from a town several miles further? Yes, this is how crowded my town became. If one REALLY needs to be close to Philly..... Simple. Just STAY in Philly. Even the gas is cheaper where I am now. Which I will not disclose as it is very possibly a future goldmine. And the rest of you are welcome to hype towns.

There are many spillovers from Camden. So be ready for the occassional 'out of place' individual walking infront of your house. This is not Collingswood's fault as I am SURE if Collingswood itself could majically re-locate, it would!

I have it all where I am now, even major 24 hour shopping.

Most house prices are flatlined or decreasing. Where is everyone getting these 'ideal' futurenhouse values? I know houses for sale for 2 yrs now or longer that have dropped $70k in price and will still not sell. And at least according to Zillow, their asking price should still come down more. Now at my NEW place bought 3 months ago and according to same said Zillow, I have GAINED $6000 on top of what I paid. And I paid CASH.

It is quiet where I am now and does not have cars rolling up and down the streets at ALL hours of the night and day. Doesnt help theres a takeout pizza joint nearby contributing to this mess. I went from a house that was 0.19 acres, typical of Colls houses, to almost HALF an acre and $1500 less per yr in taxes. With the same or better low crime rate.

Every house in Colls is like 15-20 feet from eachother in a long rectangular setup. Well, at least in a Phila row house, you CANT see neighbors on both sides. But in Colls, everybody sees everybody 3D. There is no privacy unless you want to cover all your windows and look like a freak.

Oh yes, and the 'Blue Laws'. If your owned a house with driveway and all. You CANT park on the street after a certain hour at nite. Try realising this at 11pm and its snowing outside and Oops! Gotta jump out to your car on the street in your jammies and move it in. Oh, did I say it was freezing and its a Sunday nite when you gotta goto work tomorrow? WherenI am now, I park in the driveway, but if I left it in the street, I left it in the street, BFD.

This town whent thru 're-vitalisation'. I am sorry, I dont see it that way. It seemed more like gentrification. Again, Collingswood itself wants to move out, but they cant, so its a decades long battle to shuffle people around instead.

Bottom Line. Imam SO HAPPY I left. And am SO HAPPY w my new place.

Later suckers...

[drive carephilly]

Originally Posted by GraysFerryB4

Definitely a poor biz model but at least they tried. I didnt feel it had the stock of prepared foods that I imagined. Plus you compete with the popular farmers market 2/3 of the year in your back parking lot. A market so successful, people PATCO over from Philly. The competition from the new Whole Foods didn't help and MacFarlanes is coming. My only surprise is how little reserve they had to make it only 3 weeks.

That space really needs to be the farmer's market. Like a year round space where the farmer's market can operate even if most of the space is given over to vendors (like Reading Terminal). When all of the in-season produce hits the shelves then you open up the back door to where the Farmer's Market normally is.

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by spookerr

I am very sorry to report that I do not like this town anymore. I know what I am talking about I have lived there for 40 years....

Bottom Line. Imam SO HAPPY I left. And am SO HAPPY w my new place.

Later suckers...

You didn't realize decades ago that you could move to a different town and live in a newer house with a bigger yard on a quieter street? Ha ha ha! Who's the fool?

[Keroberos]

Originally Posted by spookerr

Where I moved to now. EVERYTHING and them some, is all within my new town. Plus I have 2 minute access to PATCO. 20 min access to Phila. 3 minute access to a mall. And 1 minute access to a $4 million dollar newly revamped longtime restaurant. And all this and ALOT more land is NOT in Collingswood.

It took me 25-30 minutes to get to my Philly workplace from Colls. Now it takes me 30-35 minutes from a town several miles further? Yes, this is how crowded my town became. If one REALLY needs to be close to Philly..... Simple. Just STAY in Philly. Even the gas is cheaper where I am now. Which I will not disclose as it is very possibly a future goldmine. And the rest of you are welcome to hype towns.

You provided enough information to narrow down the area you live now: 2 minutes to PATCO, 3 minutes to a mall. The mall is obviously Voorhees Town Center, as it's the only mall that includes PATCO stations within a five minute radius. Assuming 30 miles per hour/0.5 miles per minute, that leaves towns within a 1.5 mile radius of Voorhees Town Center.



I don't blame you for moving out of Collingswood for greener pastures and closer amenities that matter to you. My wife and I searched for a home in Westmont, where we were renting, but the value just wasn't there. We ended up buying in Cherry Hill and got a lot more of what we wanted for our money. We will still visit Collingswood for the dining and farmer's market, Westmont for Pour House and Keg & Kitchen, and Haddonfield for the shopping and gluten-free bakeries (my wife has Celiac disease).

I agree with many of the comments you, NJGOAT, and others have made about Collingswood and the Haddons. They're somewhat walkable, but you can't go without a car, even if you ride the PATCO to work. They're not self-sufficient.

[Gerania]

Very well done Keroberos. What restaurant is he talking about?

[Keroberos]

Originally Posted by Gerania

Very well done Keroberos. What restaurant is he talking about?

Thanks. I have no idea on the restaurant; it must be impressive to warrant $4m in renovations. Perhaps someone with more intimate knowledge of that area might have a clue.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by Keroberos

Thanks. I have no idea on the restaurant; it must be impressive to warrant $4m in renovations. Perhaps someone with more intimate knowledge of that area might have a clue.

Beats me. . .unless the Cow Tail Bar is still standing & got renovated.

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

Beats me. . .unless the Cow Tail Bar is still standing & got renovated.

Well, I know it's not Lena's on Chapel Ave. I think that was the first bar that the Ott's group bought. They ran the business into ground, closed it and sold the property. Now, it's a parking lot--or it was the last time I saw it.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by Gerania

Well, I know it's not Lena's on Chapel Ave. I think that was the first bar that the Ott's group bought. They ran the business into ground, closed it and sold the property. Now, it's a parking lot--or it was the last time I saw it.

I can think of several places that have been around for a long time but they don't fit in that area.

[GoVelo]

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