Advice for NYC-ers on renting a home in Tannersville (East Stroudsburg: fit in, transplants)

[Abundantly_Above]

Hi, all, thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience in these forums. I've been doing a lot of reading and thought I'd ask about my specific situation.

My husband and I are living in Brooklyn now...you can guess what I'm about to say next. We have vacationed in the Poconos and loved it. What we'd like to do is keep our tiny studio apartment in Brooklyn (it's rent-controlled and therefore cheap) and stay there 3 days a week and stay in a home in PA the rest of the week. My husband and I are both self-employed and have very flexible schedules--we would be able to coordinate our days in the city so we'd be together, and drive in off-peak hours for that one round trip each week.

We aren't looking for any place with a "scene"--we want peace and quiet and nature. I've read about the growing crime and traffic in Monroe County but still think it sounds like the best option for us. Schools are not a concern as we don't have kids, and we like the cold and the snow. (I think those are the main possible drawbacks about living in the Poconos, based on what I read here.)

We're considering renting for a year to see if the lifestyle is for us, then possibly cutting back our hours in the city, buying something in the Poconos, and letting go of the Brooklyn apartment. I've been searching Homes.com and have found two seemingly amazing and affordable places in East Stroudsburg. Both are in Penn Estates in the Tannersville area. We plan to check them out at the end of the month.

Does anyone know about that particular community? Any other thoughts on our plan or the Tannersville area? I really appreciate your advice.

[fisheye]

I believe that is in Penn Estates? There should be others that will tell you more about that particular development. I live close (about seven miles away); but I do not know anything about the development. I do know (from looking at Google 'Earth') that it is centrally located. Tannersville can get congested with all of the vacationers and construction/accidents on I 80. But, from that location, you can easily take back roads around most of the problems. Plus; it is not far from E. Stroudsburg.

From my location we do most of our shopping in Mount Pocono. But from Penn Estates you would have more options.

I am hoping that you hear form some residents. I would rather have people with first hand knowledge advise you.

[Wells5]

I can't tell you about the specific developments that you mentioned, but I would consider buying not renting. There are plenty of homes on the market and good deals to be had. Interest rates are heading up, but are still historically cheap and you can buy a home through Freddie Mac for 5% down or through the FHA with 3.5% down with closing costs folded into the mortgage. Then there are the federal tax advantages from owning a home: interest and property taxes are fully deductible. If you're not satisfied for any reason, you could always rent out the property and use it as a tax loss.

[Abundantly_Above]

Thank you both for your responses. I did do some research on Penn Estates once I found out that's the name of the community, and the threads here weren't very positive ("different type of home buyers since 9/11"). Then again, I see people on the forums lamenting the NY/NJ transplants and associated crime increase everywhere in Monroe County so I can't tell if it's especially bad in Penn Estates or just how these people feel in general about the area. I don't want to live somewhere unsafe but I have managed expectations about a community just 75 miles from NYC in 2013 and I don't expect it to be like Mayberry.

I appreciate the advice on buying--we will consider that more fully. I'm just hesitant to buy when I know so little about the area...also, getting a loan is almost impossible for two self-employed people, no matter how good your credit score and income. Maybe lenders are more generous in PA...we've had trouble even renting in NY.

[fisheye]

I did find this pdf file on the homeowner rules for Penn Estates: http://www.auctionaz.com/images/phot...Rules_Regs.pdf Of course; I am not 100% sure that both the houses you are going to check out are in that development. Some people like living with rules and some do not. With rules come dues - so make sure you know all of the cost.

Anyway; good luck. I hope your job works out and you get what you are looking for. Just be very careful and do extensive checking before you leap. If you keep checking back maybe somebody will get on your post with experience in that development.

Also; try doing searches on this forum. I do remember some post about Penn Estates.

If you do look at the houses; check out the neighborhood for details. Don't rent along side of run down housing or people that look like trouble. You might want to even ask at any office or security patrol about a particular area.

PS Here is a link to one older thread about the development: //www.city-data.com/forum/north...roudsburg.html

[Wells5]

Originally Posted by Abundantly_Above

I appreciate the advice on buying--we will consider that more fully. I'm just hesitant to buy when I know so little about the area...also, getting a loan is almost impossible for two self-employed people, no matter how good your credit score and income. Maybe lenders are more generous in PA...we've had trouble even renting in NY.

In addition to the two federal agencies that I mentioned, (Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) HOME PAGE) has helped people with limited means or even bad credit buy a home. They also have Pocono foreclosures available for sale.

Another reason to buy in PA is the difference between the PA income tax rate of 3.04% + 1% wage tax in Monroe County vs a maximum combined NYS +NYC tax rate of about 10.5% and car registration of $36 per year for any make or model. Even if you rent the home out, you can still claim a PA residence especially if you're self-employed. (Lots of folks do that.)

[theatergypsy]

While I do agree that financially it makes sense to buy, given the lower tax rate, etc., I think the OP has the right idea about renting to find out how they fit in to a given area before locking themselves into a community that might not be what they thought they wanted.

Renting gives them the opportunity to live in and explore the area to make sure when they plunk down their cash they are going to be living (and loving) their new home.

As far as a "community" is concerned, fisheye is right; there are costs that may not be what you counted on and they do tend to rise each year, just like everything else.

I don't live in the Poconos, so my input is very general and I'd say the same to anyone looking to make such a dramatic change in their life. Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

[DavidWebb]

Originally Posted by Abundantly_Above

We aren't looking for any place with a "scene"--we want peace and quiet and nature. I've read about the growing crime and traffic in Monroe County but still think it sounds like the best option for us.

We're considering renting for a year to see if the lifestyle is for us, then possibly cutting back our hours in the city, buying something in the Poconos, and letting go of the Brooklyn apartment. I've been searching Homes.com and have found two seemingly amazing and affordable places in East Stroudsburg. Both are in Penn Estates in the Tannersville area. We plan to check them out at the end of the month.

Does anyone know about that particular community? Any other thoughts on our plan or the Tannersville area? I really appreciate your advice.

Definitely renting is a good idea but not entirely necessary in your case since your familiar with the area anyway...as for the Tannersville/E. Stroudsburg area the roads in those areas do tend to get crowded during the holidays and major shopping events (Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day for the back to school sales, Black Friday, and Christmas)...so start learning the back roads as quickly as possible as they will save you time & aggravation...I would strongly suggest against communities unless you like being told what you can & cannot do by a governing board that, in most of the communities, are corrupt and money/position hounds who do nothing for the community and pocket the money...other areas to consider are Sciota, McMichaels, Gilbert, Brodheadsville, Kresgeville, Saylorsburg, Wind Gap, and anywhere south of the Poconos...I live in Saylorsburg which is approximately 1/2 hour south of the Poconos and away from the madness...Brodheadsville is 5 mins from me where there is a new 95K sq. ft. ShopRite, Weiss supermarket, Drunkin' Donuts, and other establishments for shopping...if you want a real estate agent I can recommend you one via Direct Message if you'd like...she's an ex-Staten Islander very knowledgeable about the area and not pushy...contact me via DM and I'll give you her info...need any other advice just let me know...I started coming out here in '96, lived out here '99-2000, moved back to NJ in 2000, and then bought out here in Nov. 2007 so I'm pretty familiar with the area...

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by DavidWebb

Definitely renting is a good idea but not entirely necessary in your case since your familiar with the area anyway...as for the Tannersville/E. Stroudsburg area the roads in those areas do tend to get crowded during the holidays and major shopping events (Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day for the back to school sales, Black Friday, and Christmas)...so start learning the back roads as quickly as possible as they will save you time & aggravation...I would strongly suggest against communities unless you like being told what you can & cannot do by a governing board that, in most of the communities, are corrupt and money/position hounds who do nothing for the community and pocket the money...other areas to consider are Sciota, McMichaels, Gilbert, Brodheadsville, Kresgeville, Saylorsburg, Wind Gap, and anywhere south of the Poconos...I live in Saylorsburg which is approximately 1/2 hour south of the Poconos and away from the madness...Brodheadsville is 5 mins from me where there is a new 95K sq. ft. ShopRite, Weiss supermarket, Drunkin' Donuts, and other establishments for shopping...if you want a real estate agent I can recommend you one via Direct Message if you'd like...she's an ex-Staten Islander very knowledgeable about the area and not pushy...contact me via DM and I'll give you her info...need any other advice just let me know...I started coming out here in '96, lived out here '99-2000, moved back to NJ in 2000, and then bought out here in Nov. 2007 so I'm pretty familiar with the area...

Where they are looking is centrally located and has back roads going in all directions. It would be very easy to avoid traffic. Especially as they become more familiar with their surroundings.

But I cannot give them specific information on that development.

More of an issue is the job security of the potential new job. Many of us know how hard jobs are to come by in our area. People do not commute to NYC for their health. Hopefully the position is everything that it claims to be - but many commuters have looked for years to find employment closer to home. She did not specify what the job was - I just worry that we have many job offers that are scams. Hopefully that is not the case here.

[DavidWebb]

Originally Posted by fisheye

She did not specify what the job was - I just worry that we have many job offers that are scams. Hopefully that is not the case here.

If you read the post again you'll see that they are both self-employed...