Considering a Move to Stroudsburg/East Stroudsburg (Allentown, Scranton: section 8, foreclosures)

[Limelight1000]

Wells5: Thanks for the comments. I have read a lot about LTS Builders on this site, but I don't know if the homes that I saw online that are selling in the $350k range in Monroe County were newer LTS homes or older ones.

In any event, I agree that it's a tough slog to NYC during the work week, and that is a serious concern for us. With respect to easier commutes in NJ/NY along the NJ Transit Line and AMTRAK, we have actually looked pretty extensively there but ruled them out for various reasons.

With respect to NJ, I cannot practice law in NJ, as the state does not allow me to reciprocate my bar admission the way PA does. I'd have to actually sit for the Bar Exam again, which is absurd. Therefore, I wouldn't be able to maintain an office in NJ, but I could in PA.

With respect to north of NY like Orange and Dutchess, those are possibilities, but have their own issues. For example, Orange County has an exploding population of Hasidim that are causing a lot of conflicts there.

There's one other consideration for us: my in-laws live in the Binghamton area, so it would be nice to be only 2 hours from them.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by Limelight1000

We liked Stroudsburg's main street. The used bookstore, small restaurants, bars and shops were nice. We popped into Starbucks around 3 pm, and it was bustling and had a nice feel to it. I also noticed that there were a decent number of small law firms located on the Main Street near the Courthouse, and so I assume that finding office space and paralegals/secretaries would be possible.

Stroudsburg has really kept up their Main Street! I'm proud that we have a book store on Main Street while you're hard-pressed to find one in a mall these days!

The East Stroudsburg area seemed a lot quieter. We popped into a pizza place for a slice and it was fairly quiet.

We also noticed that the East Stroudsburg area seemed to have a lot more run-down houses along the streets. Stroudsburg homes seems better maintained.

East Stroudsburg has always been more blue-collar that Stroudsburg, plus it's partly a college town and the college is on break now. They also don't have the same concentrated Main Street that Stroudsburg has.

So, my follow-up question is: where do people live who work in Stroudsburg? We would be looking for a really nice home in a development that is near Stroudsburg's downtown area.

They could live anywhere in the area. Dreher Ave just outside of Stroudsburg has a lot of middle-class type houses. If you prefer more in-town, the area up the hill behind the courthouse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy...,_Pennsylvania)
Folks may also live in Shawnee (one prominent Stroudsburg attorney lived right across the street from me). FYI my dentist's house on Hollow Road is currently for sale - enter zip 18356 on Zillow to see it!

Further, we noticed that the Catholic School (ND) seemed really nice, but it was out in East Stroudsburg. So, if you live in Stroudsburg, but your kids are in school at ND, do they take a bus? Do you drive them?

I've always dropped off my kids on my way to work (except when my elder son was a junior and senior who drove himself; my younger guy has no interest in driving - another story). So, depending on what's more convenient for you, and the timing of the bus schedule, etc. you can use either bus or car. The public school district to which you pay taxes is required to bus your child to school if you want, as long as the school building is located within 10 miles of the closest border of your district. So yes, your child can ride the bus from Stroudsburg.

Hope this helps!

[Wells5]

Originally Posted by Limelight1000

With respect to NJ, I cannot practice law in NJ, as the state does not allow me to reciprocate my bar admission the way PA does. I'd have to actually sit for the Bar Exam again, which is absurd. Therefore, I wouldn't be able to maintain an office in NJ, but I could in PA.

With respect to north of NY like Orange and Dutchess, those are possibilities, but have their own issues. For example, Orange County has an exploding population of Hasidim that are causing a lot of conflicts there.

There's one other consideration for us: my in-laws live in the Binghamton area, so it would be nice to be only 2 hours from them.

Do you intend to move your law practice out of NYC entirely but use the NYS court system for the purpose of filing litigation papers and what not? Or do you want to hang your shingle in Stroudsburg and use the PA courts for whatever business might need adjudication? It's not clear to me.

As to Stroudsburg, it is not a "yuppified" area. You won't find too many residents whose resume matches yours or your wife's. Most of the residents are blue collar and working stiffs who must commute long distances to work. And crime is also an issue.

In my opinion, if you are intent on moving to PA then concentrate on the Bucks County area. Have you looked into the Towns of Patterson (Putnam County) and Pawling (Dutchess County)?

[Limelight1000]

Well, what I had been thinking was that I would open an office on Main Street in Stroudsburg, and try to bring my people with me.

My legal secretary (the most important member of my team!!) said that she and her husband would consider moving to PA, if we moved my Queens office. As for my part-time associate, he would probably stay in NYC and telecommute.

If I needed to hire local PA attorneys or paralegals to add to the team, I would do that.

However, I'd guesstimate that less than 50% of my cases are filed in NYC, and the rest are in places like Chicago, L.A., Arizona, Florida, D.C., etc. I mostly do work at the federal level.

Therefore, as long as I am within a reasonable distance of NYC, I can file papers there anytime. I am actually in the process of getting admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar right now, I just filed the papers yesterday. It takes awhile, though, they have to collect all the documentation, etc.

I think you are right that Stroudsburg is not fully "yuppified" and I think that's probably what we like about it. We are a little sick of the NYC yuppie culture. While we are both professionals, my wife and I both come from blue collar backgrounds (my Dad was NYPD, my father in law was a factory line worker).

However, I am concerned that you mentioned that "crime is also an issue." What types of crime are we talking about? Property crimes or violent? And how unsafe is it? Are you suggesting that going to the Wawa at night to pick up a gallon of milk is actually dangerous?

To your point about Bucks County, though, we have not expanded our search there yet, but we probably will. Thanks!

[Wells5]

Originally Posted by Limelight1000

I think you are right that Stroudsburg is not fully "yuppified" and I think that's probably what we like about it. We are a little sick of the NYC yuppie culture. While we are both professionals, my wife and I both come from blue collar backgrounds (my Dad was NYPD, my father in law was a factory line worker).

If I could ask, what is your social life like where you currently live? Do you and your wife hang out with cops or car salesmen or elevator repairmen? I wouldn't think so. That is the type of neighbor you are likely to have if you move to a private development in Monroe County.

Originally Posted by Limelight1000

However, I am concerned that you mentioned that "crime is also an issue." What types of crime are we talking about? Property crimes or violent? And how unsafe is it? Are you suggesting that going to the Wawa at night to pick up a gallon of milk is actually dangerous?

Make it a point to read the police and courts report every day in the Pocono Record. You may have to buy a subscription to read past reports but it will give you an inkling of what goes on in the Poconos. See link below.

Police And Courts - poconorecord.com - Stroudsburg, PA

[Southern Star]

The closest airport to Stroudsburg is Scranton International. Look in Bucks county. It's gorgeous there.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

The closest airport to Stroudsburg is Scranton International. Look in Bucks county. It's gorgeous there.

No, LVI is closer to Stroudsburg than W-B/Scranton Airport. LVI is also closer to Bucks County.

[Gettingouttahere]

If schools are very important to you, consider the Lehigh Valley. Between blue-collar East Stroudsburg and upscale Bucks County, the Lehigh Valley is kind of a rising middle ground. There are two or three top-notch school districts (whereas in the Stroudsburg area, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who would legitimately claim that). There are three distinct cities -- Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, and while you wouldn't want to live in them (except for Historic Bethlehem, but that's very expensive and a city, not a place you'd get a house & land for $350k), the surrounding communities can be quite nice. You have two counties, so two county seats with attendant courthouses and law offices. And there are commuter buses to NYC that take maybe 20 minutes more to get there. It's also 45 minutes closer to Philly, if that is a factor.

[jimazee]

Also you will consider Newark airport...just over an hour on a decent day, depending on some variables (like where you start and of course traffic). It is a similar travel time to Scranton-Wilkes Barre AVP. Allentown ABE is probably better than AVP from there, especially given the easier/closer drive.

As mediocre as Newark sometimes is as a big metro airport, the flights are often cheaper, better, faster, and more numerous than the two smaller PA airports (which have, costlier parking, many more double hops and fewer flights and airlines....e.g. maybe one or two a day to Chicago). It, of course, depends and YMMV.

[Limelight1000]

Update on our relocation from NYC...

We have pretty much written Stroudsburg off our list for a couple of reasons...

1. The trip to/from NYC is hellish. No direct train line.
2. The area is not built up enough for our tastes.
3. The medical care seems fairly limited.

Therefore, we have started to explore the Bucks County area of PA. We drove down today to take a look at Newtown, which was very nice. However, for a house to suit our tastes that is near the Newtown downtown area, I think we are looking at close to $750k, and that's going to be in a development. Any suggestions?