Marlton? (Browns Mills, Allentown, Pemberton: section 8, houses, neighborhoods)

[Overwhelmed01]

My parents are going to be relocating, and have pretty much decided on South Jersey, as it's much closer to my brother than their current home on LI, and have been looking in the Cherry Hill area.

They are considering looking at a home in Marlton. Is that area OK for them? They're senior citizens, retired white collar Jewish professionals from LI. (They're not looking for new BFF's, just to feel comfortable). I'll be going with them, as I help them out when they need it.

Also, do you know of any senior developments with single family homes that have basements and garages? We saw pictures of one home in a development in Pemberton, but it might be a little too long of a trip to my brother's home in PA.

Thank you for any information you can give me.

[ocnjgirl]

I don't know anything about the senior housing, but Marlton is a nice, upper middle class area with a strong Jewish community. I lived there for 12 years, and the only thing I really couldn't tolerate was the traffic, but that is going to be the case in all the areas you mentioned, and if your parents don't work they can avoid the worst of it anyway. I don't know much about Pemberton, but I would be surprised if they have the jewish community centers, etc that Marlton/Cherry Hill has.

[Whoelsebutcharles]

I knew someone from Marlton who was Jewish and felt really out of place there, saying all her classmates at school were Catholic. She wasn't much of a fan of Cherry Hill either though for other reasons. In fact she was the only person I ever met from Marlton who was Jewish, and I know quite a few people from there.

I'd say they'd feel comfortable there. It's a regular middle class area, not a bad place at all. I personally like it better than Cherry Hill since it is a lot more spread out and much more affordable. Only problem you have there now is the construction they're doing now at that circle.

Pemberton is a very impoverished area. It's one of the Abbott school districts, which receives special funding due to its poor demographics. I wouldn't call it ghetto, but it's a depressed area full of mostly poor farms.

[Overwhelmed01]

Thank you both so much for the information.

This has been a tough decision for them to make, as we're all life-long Long Islanders, and it seems to strange to be looking in another state. I especially appreciate the information about Pemberton, as it's now off the list, and I'll concentrate searching mostly in Cherry Hill and the areas immediately around it.

Do you know if there are some other towns maybe a few miles north (but no further east) that would give a suburban feel to them? My brother is currently living outside Allentown in the Lehigh Valley, but I've just about given up on finding them something there, as it's all too different - the stores in South Jersey are mostly familiar (you have Costco and Trader Joe's without it involving an hour trip each way - yay - LOL) and from the Google street view maps, all the houses we're looking at seem to be on streets that give the same well kept neighborhood feel and mixed sizes and shapes of houses that would hopefully make my mother feel at home - that's our biggest concern - as she ages, change becomes more difficult, but luckily my dad's no problem... We realize it would be about 1 or 1 1/4 hours to my brother, but that's nothing compared to the 2 1/2 hours without traffic (translation 3 1/2 hours) it currently takes to get there.

Thanks again!!

[Whoelsebutcharles]

Originally Posted by Overwhelmed01

Thank you both so much for the information.

This has been a tough decision for them to make, as we're all life-long Long Islanders, and it seems to strange to be looking in another state. I especially appreciate the information about Pemberton, as it's now off the list, and I'll concentrate searching mostly in Cherry Hill and the areas immediately around it.

Do you know if there are some other towns maybe a few miles north (but no further east) that would give a suburban feel to them? My brother is currently living outside Allentown in the Lehigh Valley, but I've just about given up on finding them something there, as it's all too different - the stores in South Jersey are mostly familiar (you have Costco and Trader Joe's without it involving an hour trip each way - yay - LOL) and from the Google street view maps, all the houses we're looking at seem to be on streets that give the same well kept neighborhood feel and mixed sizes and shapes of houses that would hopefully make my mother feel at home - that's our biggest concern - as she ages, change becomes more difficult, but luckily my dad's no problem... We realize it would be about 1 or 1 1/4 hours to my brother, but that's nothing compared to the 2 1/2 hours without traffic (translation 3 1/2 hours) it currently takes to get there.

Thanks again!!

Well directly north of Evesham/Marlton is Mount Laurel which is right on exit 4 of the Turnpike. So that would be a nice convenience and it has plenty of desirable neighborhoods as well. It contains a larger amount of affordable housing than Evesham or Cherry Hill, but the same house will be a bit more expensive than in Evesham, but not as high as Cherry Hill. Mt. Laurel's taxes are lower too because there's a lot of business in the area.

Or you can look a little further up on Rt 130 in Cinnaminson or Delran, which have nice areas, but from what I hear try to stay east of 130 in these towns. Closer to the bridges into PA, and you have a decent amount of regional shopping along 130 as well.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by Whoelsebutcharles

Pemberton is a very impoverished area. It's one of the Abbott school districts, which receives special funding due to its poor demographics. I wouldn't call it ghetto, but it's a depressed area full of mostly poor farms.

Pemberton is not bad; it depends on where in Pemberton.
This specific location has a very poor neighborhood around the corner. We looked at homes in the area; homes were beautiful but the area in front of it is horrible. I know this because I used to drive through going to the mall & schools. I was in Browns Mills at the time. My kids went to school with people in the section 8 housing; it's referred to as scum-berry village. Back when I was "local" there were lots of drugs. The section 8 housing is 2 houses together. Some people would fix their side up, with the other looking like a dump.

The senior housing is over by land that could not be sold; as of 2 years ago when I moved out of the area. People were afraid to touch the land because there was a factory on it. Wawa was supposed to buy the land at one time; don't know if they did.

[Sandi Lichtman]

The center of the Jewish population is Cherry Hill -we have a fabulous JCC there -with extensive senior programming. If your parents want a 55+ community (probably better for them socially) there are 2 in Voorhees (the town next to CH). Both will offer them detached beautiful homes with garages. Both are located close to the JCC and easy access to the NJ turnpike. Another option to conisider is Holday Village in Mt Laurel. This development is older than the Voorhees communities but it is well maintained. There is a lower Jewish population here-but they will still be comfortable. They can buy a 2BR/2ba house with garage (no basement) for under $200,000. All of these communities will offer clubhouse, activities, pool , etc. There are a few other 55+ communities in the area, but I cant vouch for the Jewish population.