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Old 06-07-2013, 01:19 PM
 
882 posts, read 1,665,744 times
Reputation: 685

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Greetings all!

After many weeks of lurking here (and many unproductive hours at work) I've decided to actually register and post.

Here is my situation

I am from North Jersey (Lake Hopatcong area to be specific) but am in the second year of a PhD program at Temple University so I'll be needing housing in the greater Philly area. Last year I commuted from home one semester (2 hours each way, not doing that again) and lived just off campus for one semester (very convenient, but now prefer somewhere where I can be outside after dark). I've spent a decent amount of time in both Philly and South Jersey the last few months, so I have sense of the area, but of course not the insight that comes with actually living somewhere full-time.

Here's my answers to your questionnaire
Where are you coming from?North Jersey

Why are you moving? Grad School
Where will you be working ? North Philadelphia, 3-4 days a week

Will you buy or rent? Rent
What is your budget ? around 800, 950 max with utilities. Would prefer under 800 if possible.
What kind of place are you looking for ? I'd love a downtown storefront upstairs apartment. Would be ok with a midrise or house. Would prefer to avoid a garden complex or high-rise.

Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ? No, though easier access to family in northwest Jersey and girlfriend in Newark are a consideration

Do you need/want good public schools? This will have no bearing in my decision.

Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in: I'd love somewhere with active young adults, but as I understand it most young adults in South Jersey spend their time in Philly. There's no Morristown/Montclair analogue south of 195 as far as I can tell. Thus I'll take anything with a walkable downtown nearby. Easy public transit access to Philly is a plus, but not a deal-breaker. (I have a car, public transit would be more for Friday/Saturday nights when driving would be a bad idea). Diversity, family friendliness don't really matter, and I'm not much for the artsy/alternative scene either.

List three things that are important to you in order of importance.(examples: nightlife, outdoor activities, rural/urban, safety, downtown area, charming, new construction, proximity to XYZ, family oriented, easy parking, short commute, etc)

Safety is of course a priority. I'd also say "entertainment" which I'd define quite broadly. I understand any trendy nightlife is going to be in the city, but locally available movies, food, and natural parks would be a nice substitute. Third would be quality of construction I guess. That is, a living space that is not crumbling/roach infested/paper-thin walls etc.

Some other points...

I've lurked here long enough to know that Collingswood and Haddonfield are the usual answers to posts like these. I actually like both a lot, especially Haddonfield. I know it's an expensive town, but I do occasionally see apts. listed in the 800s in the area. I've also heard you can sometimes find space rented in the old victorian homes. If anyone can reccomend a decent building or complex in the area I'd certainly be interested.

I'm also a bit curious about Westmont. It's frequently mentioned as a cheaper (and wet) alternative to its Haddon Ave. neighbors. When I drive through though, all I ever see is one block of storefronts, a few detached office buildings, and the P.J. Whelihan's. Is there more commercial activity to the town that I'm missing. And are there any plans to revitalize that awesome downtown theater?

Also, what can you tell me about the riverline towns? I have seen a few very cheap apartments advertised in Palmyra, whcih would offer an easy commute over the Tacony to Temple. Nearby Riverton and Cinnaminson seem decent, but I haven't spent enough time there to really know. Other towns up the river such as Riverside, Burlington, and Roebling seemed very run-down, but I'm not sure if this is true or just my North Jersey bias. I really liked Bordentown, which had some affordable options; I would love to hear anyone's thoughts on the town.

Sorry for the marathon message. In sum, I'm really just looking for information on life in tri-county area. Looking forward to some interesting discussion on the region. Thanks!
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Old 06-07-2013, 02:36 PM
 
Location: Collingswood
283 posts, read 606,036 times
Reputation: 138
Collingswood and Westmont are as close as you're getting to "hip" and close to Center City in South Jersey. They are good places to live, but I'd think about whether you're ready for the suburbs. Also, $800 rents in Collingswood will be in better shape (most likely) than $800 rentals in Haddonfield.

You may actually find comparable rents in the city. In your situation, I'm sure you spend a ton of time in the city. You may actually want to consider staying in the city but moving to another safer neighborhood. North Philadelphia is a bad representation of Philadelphia safety. There are many great, substantially safer neighborhoods with parks, more residential style housing, etc.

South Philadelphia has very easy access to Temple by the Broad Street Line and it's cheap to use. You could try to find a storefront apartment near Passyunk Square.

Alternatively, you could check out a quieter neighborhood in the Northeast or maybe the higher parts Manayunk/Roxborough (away from Main Street where there is better parking). From Manayunk/Roxborough, you could take the regional train right to campus.

Fishtown/Northern Liberties would be a decent place too.
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Old 06-07-2013, 03:19 PM
 
882 posts, read 1,665,744 times
Reputation: 685
Quote:
Collingswood and Westmont are as close as you're getting to "hip" and close to Center City in South Jersey. They are good places to live, but I'd think about whether you're ready for the suburbs. Also, $800 rents in Collingswood will be in better shape (most likely) than $800 rentals in Haddonfield.

You may actually find comparable rents in the city. In your situation, I'm sure you spend a ton of time in the city. You may actually want to consider staying in the city but moving to another safer neighborhood. North Philadelphia is a bad representation of Philadelphia safety. There are many great, substantially safer neighborhoods with parks, more residential style housing, etc.

South Philadelphia has very easy access to Temple by the Broad Street Line and it's cheap to use. You could try to find a storefront apartment near Passyunk Square.

Alternatively, you could check out a quieter neighborhood in the Northeast or maybe the higher parts Manayunk/Roxborough (away from Main Street where there is better parking). From Manayunk/Roxborough, you could take the regional train right to campus.

Fishtown/Northern Liberties would be a decent place too

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Thanks for the feedback!. I have considered living in Philadelphia itself. As I understand it, I could afford to live in Center City but my car could not, and I'm really not interested in giving up my car. Northern Liberties/Fishtown seem a bit overpriced; I rarely see anything for rent there under 1,000, and honestly neither area seems all that great to me. I really like the Art Museum area (at least the blocks along its western edge), but I've heard parking up there is a nightmare. South Philly and West Philly are affordable options; I've spent a decent amount of time in both areas and they're ok, though like anything in Philly seem very block-to-block, seeing so many bars over first floor windows and doors is depressing.

I do like some areas of the Northwest. Chestnut Hill is gorgeous. Manayunk has the hip crowd and some affordable options, but feels so crowded and it seems like there's still some run-down areas. Also, I prefer South Jersey to Philly for the easy Turnpike access, makes shooting up the Turnpike to Newark a breeze.
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Old 06-07-2013, 03:44 PM
 
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,809 posts, read 34,540,581 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJhighlands87 View Post
Greetings all!

After many weeks of lurking here (and many unproductive hours at work) I've decided to actually register and post.

Here is my situation

I am from North Jersey (Lake Hopatcong area to be specific) but am in the second year of a PhD program at Temple University so I'll be needing housing in the greater Philly area. Last year I commuted from home one semester (2 hours each way, not doing that again) and lived just off campus for one semester (very convenient, but now prefer somewhere where I can be outside after dark). I've spent a decent amount of time in both Philly and South Jersey the last few months, so I have sense of the area, but of course not the insight that comes with actually living somewhere full-time.

Here's my answers to your questionnaire
Where are you coming from?North Jersey

Why are you moving? Grad School
Where will you be working ? North Philadelphia, 3-4 days a week

Will you buy or rent? Rent
What is your budget ? around 800, 950 max with utilities. Would prefer under 800 if possible.
What kind of place are you looking for ? I'd love a downtown storefront upstairs apartment. Would be ok with a midrise or house. Would prefer to avoid a garden complex or high-rise.

Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ? No, though easier access to family in northwest Jersey and girlfriend in Newark are a consideration

Do you need/want good public schools? This will have no bearing in my decision.

Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in: I'd love somewhere with active young adults, but as I understand it most young adults in South Jersey spend their time in Philly. There's no Morristown/Montclair analogue south of 195 as far as I can tell. Thus I'll take anything with a walkable downtown nearby. Easy public transit access to Philly is a plus, but not a deal-breaker. (I have a car, public transit would be more for Friday/Saturday nights when driving would be a bad idea). Diversity, family friendliness don't really matter, and I'm not much for the artsy/alternative scene either.

List three things that are important to you in order of importance.(examples: nightlife, outdoor activities, rural/urban, safety, downtown area, charming, new construction, proximity to XYZ, family oriented, easy parking, short commute, etc)

Safety is of course a priority. I'd also say "entertainment" which I'd define quite broadly. I understand any trendy nightlife is going to be in the city, but locally available movies, food, and natural parks would be a nice substitute. Third would be quality of construction I guess. That is, a living space that is not crumbling/roach infested/paper-thin walls etc.

Some other points...

I've lurked here long enough to know that Collingswood and Haddonfield are the usual answers to posts like these. I actually like both a lot, especially Haddonfield. I know it's an expensive town, but I do occasionally see apts. listed in the 800s in the area. I've also heard you can sometimes find space rented in the old victorian homes. If anyone can reccomend a decent building or complex in the area I'd certainly be interested.

I'm also a bit curious about Westmont. It's frequently mentioned as a cheaper (and wet) alternative to its Haddon Ave. neighbors. When I drive through though, all I ever see is one block of storefronts, a few detached office buildings, and the P.J. Whelihan's. Is there more commercial activity to the town that I'm missing. And are there any plans to revitalize that awesome downtown theater?

Also, what can you tell me about the riverline towns? I have seen a few very cheap apartments advertised in Palmyra, whcih would offer an easy commute over the Tacony to Temple. Nearby Riverton and Cinnaminson seem decent, but I haven't spent enough time there to really know. Other towns up the river such as Riverside, Burlington, and Roebling seemed very run-down, but I'm not sure if this is true or just my North Jersey bias. I really liked Bordentown, which had some affordable options; I would love to hear anyone's thoughts on the town.

Sorry for the marathon message. In sum, I'm really just looking for information on life in tri-county area. Looking forward to some interesting discussion on the region. Thanks!
Have you looked at Merchantville? we don't usually mention it because of their secondary school problem, but you don't care about that. I don't know if there are many rentals, but they have a small downtown.
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Old 06-07-2013, 03:47 PM
 
882 posts, read 1,665,744 times
Reputation: 685
Quote:
Have you looked at Merchantville? we don't usually mention it because of their secondary school problem, but you don't care about that. I don't know if there are many rentals, but they have a small downtown.
I actually drove through Merchantville once by accident! Seemed to have a nice park nearby. Rarely see rentals there, but it's a consideration. A bit far from public transit, but I'll think about it if you guys think it's fairly safe.
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Old 06-07-2013, 03:57 PM
 
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,809 posts, read 34,540,581 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJhighlands87 View Post
I actually drove through Merchantville once by accident! Seemed to have a nice park nearby. Rarely see rentals there, but it's a consideration. A bit far from public transit, but I'll think about it if you guys think it's fairly safe.
Merchantville is safe, but they are stuck in a sending agreement to Pennsauken H.S. That's their problem.

Since you have a car, I'd look at the places that don't get brought up for rentals. Haddon Heights, Barrington, & Merchantville. If the busmaster shows up, he or she might even tell you what bus routes will get you to PATCO.
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Old 06-07-2013, 04:01 PM
 
882 posts, read 1,665,744 times
Reputation: 685
Quote:
Merchantville is safe, but they are stuck in a sending agreement to Pennsauken H.S. That's their problem.

Since you have a car, I'd look at the places that don't get brought up for rentals. Haddon Heights, Barrington, & Merchantville. If the busmaster shows up, he or she might even tell you what bus routes will get you to PATCO
nd

Yea that does sound good. I drove through Barrington a few weeks ago, seemed like a copy of a smaller town up here in the northwestern part of the state. Pretty short ride to Haddonfield too, and I've seen a few cheap rentals here too.
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Old 06-07-2013, 04:13 PM
 
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,809 posts, read 34,540,581 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJhighlands87 View Post
nd

Yea that does sound good. I drove through Barrington a few weeks ago, seemed like a copy of a smaller town up here in the northwestern part of the state. Pretty short ride to Haddonfield too, and I've seen a few cheap rentals here too.
You aren't asking for a lot. Those 3 towns have small downtowns. They are easy to get to Haddonfield & PATCO. FYI, I used to park at the Westmontg station 99% of the time. It's a big lot.
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Old 06-10-2013, 10:29 AM
 
14,780 posts, read 43,582,793 times
Reputation: 14621
You had mentioned Bordentown and that might not be too bad of an option. If you take the RiverLine north into Trenton, you can take the SEPTA Trenton Line straight to Temple and possibly work. That also moves you further north and slices at least 30 minutes off the drive to Newark.
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Old 06-10-2013, 10:32 AM
 
Location: South Jersey
7,780 posts, read 21,832,214 times
Reputation: 2353
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJhighlands87 View Post
I actually drove through Merchantville once by accident! Seemed to have a nice park nearby. Rarely see rentals there, but it's a consideration. A bit far from public transit, but I'll think about it if you guys think it's fairly safe.
Merchantville is many times safer then anywhere in Philly.. Its a fine location..
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