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One night my husband and I had a 'heart to heart' talk. We had to confess and to admit to each we'd made a mistake. We moved to the South 7 long years ago. Nashville. Tennessee. Swimming pools. Country stars. We have a good life here, a beautiful home and good friends. It's very pleasant. No one honks there horn. EVER. People don't swear. NEVER. Everyone (except for 37 people ) goes to church on Sunday.
I miss the North. I miss the edge. I miss the attitude. I miss the crunch. I miss the individualism honed by overpopulation that grinds one into a unique, uneven specimen. I miss some ill-tempered driver flipping me the bird because ... just because. I miss the intellectualism meshed with people searching their souls out loud and challenging every convention. I miss the cold that chills your bones and makes you aware of your precious mortality. I miss the racial, cultural and religious diversities. I miss the cuisine. (I'd kill for a slice of New York's Ray's Pizza right now.) But, mostly I miss my friends who I've learned to appreciate SO much from a far. I can't wait to get back to our late night debates and crazy good times.
Our house is on the market. We have an offer. I'm spending hours on the computer researching ... where to live up North? Where to live? Can't live in NYC. Too expensive. Can't live in Montclair, NJ again. Too expensive. Where do professional artists/ musicians/ writers go? Woodstock? Too far. Hoboken? Nah. Brooklyn? Nah. Then I see them. Right there in the MLS. Right there on my computer monitor. I can almost touch them. The contemporary homes! Contemporaries I can afford! HoLY MoLY!!! They've captured my imagination. I could make one SO incredibly cool. But they seem to be sprinkled in and out of gated communities and all over the various counties of a beautiful state I know little about. Pennsylvania.
I'm coming north to look in a matter of weeks, but I would love to have my long list narrowed down. Summering has been a true help. Thank you! I would love to hear of other's experiences and insights into the search for their contemporary or newer home.
I am in your position at the moment, looking, where do live, raise kids, meet interesting people, etc. We DID consider TN because of the no taxes, being singers, it makes a difference. OK, what I have been told so far for what I need is: Brodheadsville: because bang for buck, land, great schools. More north is: West Country Club(E. Stroud), near Marshalls Creek(which looked like millionaire homes). I have never been in these areas, I have to rent first because I am committing from Europe, without making a trip back. etc. ALso, I was told if I want a bit more rural to try: Dingmans, and the towns going up to Milford, which is a good town. ALSO, a bit different: I have friends in Callicoon, NY which has a lot of artists, transplants from the city. THe town is a one street town, but cute, you can find some interesting properties. My husband didn't like it, I did. The taxes supposedly are cheaper in PA compared to anywhere in NY. We wanted to find a place in Rhinebeck, near Bard College, really great town(Hudson Valley) but we could not find anything.
Hope this is not repetitive for you, good luck!
Cara
Gosh, You both have such huge decisions to make.
Just take the time to be in the area so you can choose wisely.
CLjovan maybe you would be happiest closer to your friends area, since you enjoy their company. It could be a long, long, ride to Milford from say....even East Stroudsburg.
The town of Stroudsburg does have interesting happenings.
The Sherman theater holds events. Some times during the year there is artist shows along the sidewalk.
My favorite is at Christmas time.
There is an event where you go from church to church walking along the Main Street of Stroudsburg. Starting usually at the Presbyterian Church, with bugles and song.......on to the Methodist next door. Later walking down to the Zion Church or St. Lukes which has a bell choir. Oh, how I love those bells at Christmas time. Again later walking to the Baptist Church listening to all the gospel songs sung by the young and old. Along the way are carolers, and barbershop quartets......stops at the Tastefully Yours for a snack and some special teas. A hayride around the town, Santa..........maybe dinner at the Willowtree by the river. I think you both would like that........( just a guess though)
This coming weekend we have an Artists show in Brodheadsville at the center.
There are Artist shows up in Canadensis in the Spring.
Pennsylvania does not have the feel of city. There is a peacefullness in the air and mountains. But, the towns do usually have many artistic events.
I always feel personally that I can hop on a bus and visit NYC so easily, attend the Broadway shows that I love. Then head back to the lovely lands of Pa.
You might also like Lake Harmony, where you can have a meal at Nicks Lake House and sit outside and watch the water and boats go by. Lake Harmony has fun clubs and things to do, also they hold a wine fest and craft shows ...quite an interesting place. Some contemporary homes there also.
Plus golf there, skiiing.........
PS.......Mikes Pizza in Brodheadsville, is emmmmmmm good!!
One other short note........watch the news on CCof the Poconos.
There is land issues. Seems people thought they "owned" their land under their homes and " do not". Big news lately in the papers.
You are so sweet! I want it to be Christmas now with your descriptions! I will look forward to all of that. I do love the peaceful mountain air. We always said our dream was a house in the mtns. or on the ocean. I recently went to visit my husband in Austria, and it cemented my need to be around mtns, not to mention the way the kids react to space, fresh air, and hiking. Grand for the soul. I am still looking, I have not heard from the realtors for a bit, so I must touch base. Be well!
Are you still considering Nashville? My husband is a professional musician and did well here doing sessions, tours and playing out. But as someone with a degree in jazz/ rock performance he longs for the NY music scene again. No rock or jazz comes out of Nashville. As singers, if you are into Country or Christian music ... then Nashville is perfect.
Wow ... I think I'm frustrated from my long distance ... it must be very hard from overseas. I'll be taking a trip North during this summer to begin scouring the different areas for my contemporary dream house and I'll report back with my findings. If I can help you in any way with your search, please let me know.
Summering ~
Thank you VERY much for your vivid descriptions . It's really helping me get the local flavor of the area that only an insider could provide. And thanks for the heads up on CC of the Poconos. Posts like that help to save people's lives. Literally!
I called one of the realltors you recommended today and had a long talk. She recommended looking in Penn Estates and Saw Creek for the contemporary I want??? Being our first conversation and over the phone long distance I didn't want to be rude, so I just let her talk. She did say that homes outside of the gated communities tend to have more value and I did press her a little bit and asked, "If you had to choose, would you live in Penn Estates or Lake Naomi. She said Lake Naomi. She also told me it's been a buyer's market since the beginning of the year and as the number of houses on the market continues to increase, people are getting more and more desperate and dropping their prices. I wonder how long this trend will continue and how low the prices will drop???
My husband is a custom home builder here in the Pocono's, If you would like to see pictures of his work you can contact him by emailing larry.marhefka@gmail.com
Well you know how those things go. It is a buyers market in most states right now. As usual, it will turn around......it always does.
For contemporary homes one might tend to say P Est. or S Creek, as they have the majority of them. I did look today to see what ones are for sale. 07-4585 is one that I did live near. It was mostly a second home, rarely was there anyone there. Great lot with green belt ( which in there is trees) behind it. It was a good location. There are a few I recalled from living there.
I can't say that I did not orginally love that place. I sure did.
The homes made my eyes open wide too. I had wanted a contemporary home my entire life. Here they were before me, large and beautiful. We loved swimming at the lake early in the summer. We also loved going to the pool as soon as it opened. Later the pool would get to crowded and hardly swimable.
My first two to three years there were great. Lots of deer.........even a few bears. One was at our back yard. Tall and large.........my dog backed me up on my porch with a gosh awful growl. He was a big black bear.........and I was glad when he ran away. One smaller one blocked our daughter from getting off to work, it was by her car door. Onetime we all drove around following a large husky one who was walking in the woods........he was gorgeous. A man walking almost jumped into our car
So I must say we did love the place when we first arrived and for a time.
The realtor is right when she says homes sell for more outside a community.
That has been the case for as long as I can remember.
Get all the info you can.........and find the right place for you.
Only you will have that feel that this is right!
One thing is.......these mountains do call you home. I never stop looking at them, and thinking they are so grand. The State Parks are wonderful......
You can kayak on Beltzville Lake, or swim or even motor boat there. We go in the coves and just swim all alone on our own. Its so, so, calming........
I hope that others post to tell you about these places.......I just don't want to be the only opinion.......Just buzz if you need some othe info....
PS gardening with the deer is very very hard. They will eat everything........especially in a cold, snowy winter. You have to have the list of deer safe plants and hope that they still don't touch them. Me .........I now have bunnies. They are loving the black eyed susans, and the beloved Cone Flowers, plus I find them in my planters eating away. Deer are worse though, I lost so, so, many green shrubs over the years, and gave up on ground flowers!!
Last edited by Summering; 07-18-2007 at 06:06 PM..
An update ... I've been talking to several realtors in Monroe Cty. and everything Summering has said has been right on the money. This lady knows her stuff about NEPA!!! Thank you Summering!
You brought up deer and my first thought was TICKS!!!! And Lyme Disease!!! Major YUCK!!!! Damn ... I hate those creepy crawling, disease carrying, useless, little buggers! What's the tick situation like in the mountains of the Poconos???
Excuse me ... I'm going to go roll around and scratch in some dirt.
An update ... I've been talking to several realtors in Monroe Cty. and everything Summering has said has been right on the money. This lady knows her stuff about NEPA!!! Thank you Summering!
You brought up deer and my first thought was TICKS!!!! And Lyme Disease!!! Major YUCK!!!! Damn ... I hate those creepy crawling, disease carrying, useless, little buggers! What's the tick situation like in the mountains of the Poconos???
Excuse me ... I'm going to go roll around and scratch in some dirt.
LOL, I just pulled two ticks off my daughter the other day, Ma and baby ticks! I was suprised to read that you don't use hot needle or vaseline to get them to back out, but just use a simple tweezer. My Mom always did those two methods with the tweezer. It also said that it takes 72 hours of head/tick contact for contraction of lime disease, so there is some time there to get it out.
An update ... I've been talking to several realtors in Monroe Cty. and everything Summering has said has been right on the money. This lady knows her stuff about NEPA!!! Thank you Summering!
You brought up deer and my first thought was TICKS!!!! And Lyme Disease!!! Major YUCK!!!! Damn ... I hate those creepy crawling, disease carrying, useless, little buggers! What's the tick situation like in the mountains of the Poconos???
Excuse me ... I'm going to go roll around and scratch in some dirt.
Jane Law you are too sweet.............
Well, like I said in our PM......use Frontline........and spray ( just once did it)
And don't you worry..........there are lots of contemporary homes to be had.
One is going to have your name on it sooner or later........
Probably.........sooner.........because you are so wanting one...
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) goes to church on Sunday.
The artists way
