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Sorry if this is not the correct forum, not sure if I should go here or on real estate forum but I was hoping for some home buying advice.
I'd really love to purchase my first home in the suburbs and commute into Philly via PATCO for work. Right now I'm working with a 40k Salary and can expect about 5k in overtime over the course of the year. I have 20-30k for a down-payment saved and am hoping to find a home in the 100-150k range. Some areas that seem to fit that range include Berlin, West Berlin, Lindenwold. I see Collingswood and Haddonfield mentioned a lot on here, but I believe they would be too pricey for me at this time.
Any areas that I should consider would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Berlin is not that close to the PATCO but should have something you can afford, but maybe not a whole lot. Avoid Lindenwold. It's pretty crappy and more or less a suburban ghetto. A home as an investment there will not be good. Maybe Somerdale near the Ashland station is something to look into.
There are homes in Collingswood in that price range. Sure, they aren't the best homes in town, but as a general rule, buying the cheaper home in a more expensive town is usually a good bet. If you make more money you can use it to improve the home and are more likely to realize an increase in value.
You may also want to take a look at some houses in communities that are adjacent to the PATCO towns, like Audubon or Haddon Heights. Lots of homes in those towns are a ten minute or less drive from the Westmont or Haddonfield PATCO stations. In particular, I'd suggest the section of Audubon that's on the northeastern side of the White Horse Pike. I live nearby in Haddon Township and I take walks in this neighborhood frequently. It's a quick drive to the Westmont PATCO, the neighborhood is totally safe and decent with lots of families. The houses are on the smaller starter home side of things, but they are well maintained, and most are within the price range you mention.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,814 posts, read 34,741,920 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SlayerEssence
Hi All,
Sorry if this is not the correct forum, not sure if I should go here or on real estate forum but I was hoping for some home buying advice.
I'd really love to purchase my first home in the suburbs and commute into Philly via PATCO for work. Right now I'm working with a 40k Salary and can expect about 5k in overtime over the course of the year. I have 20-30k for a down-payment saved and am hoping to find a home in the 100-150k range. Some areas that seem to fit that range include Berlin, West Berlin, Lindenwold. I see Collingswood and Haddonfield mentioned a lot on here, but I believe they would be too pricey for me at this time.
Any areas that I should consider would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Look at Kingsway Village in Cherry Hill. If you find something there you would be in a better position if you need to sell, down the line, because of schools.
Thanks for all of the suggestions so far. It's great to know there are options at my price range because sometimes looking at houses and seeing the prices in many towns make me feel hopeless. I would be looking for a small 1-2 bedroom house and I'm totally OK with a house needing a little TLC. I can put more into it over the years as I grow as well, so it would make sense to try to find something cheaper in an expensive town.
Thank you again for all of the options you have provided.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,814 posts, read 34,741,920 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by SlayerEssence
Thanks for all of the suggestions so far. It's great to know there are options at my price range because sometimes looking at houses and seeing the prices in many towns make me feel hopeless. I would be looking for a small 1-2 bedroom house and I'm totally OK with a house needing a little TLC. I can put more into it over the years as I grow as well, so it would make sense to try to find something cheaper in an expensive town.
Thank you again for all of the options you have provided.
Most of the houses in Kingsway Village are 2 bedroom bungalows.
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