Saw Creek - How is it these days? (Scranton, Warren: section 8, renters)

[ForeverAndADave]

Hi all! Hoping for some quality feedback. We've been looking at homes around the Eastern PA area for a new start in a hopefully quiet, safe, laid-back neighborhood. I found some seemingly great homes on Zillow... but after doing some research on Saw Creek I'm finding a lot of mixed reviews (admittedly most are a bit old, from around 2017-ish). Some of the negative things I've been reading have a lot to do with crime (drugs, section 8, gangs, etc) or renters (loud music, partying, messing up the pool areas, etc), and the associations not caring. We're interested in a few houses here but the mixed reviews have got us a little worried... so I figured this would be a great place to ask. Is Saw Creek a safe area? Thanks!

[Wells5]

Does this new home have to be near the NYC/NJ area?

[ForeverAndADave]

We're looking to not be too far from NJ. But not sure how that's relevant

[DavidWebb]

Originally Posted by ForeverAndADave

We're looking to not be too far from NJ. But not sure how that's relevant

Its relevant in reference to whether you need to commute or not....you did not state specifically if you are going to or not....the more info you provide the better response and more info to your needs you'll get here....

[ForeverAndADave]

I appreciate it. But I just want to know about the question I asked (about the safety of the area, etc.)

[johnp292]

Sorry but I can't resist. And I will tell you up front, that I lived in Saw Creek 15-16 years ago so I can't comment on what its like now, but I'd be surprised if its gotten much better.

Its a beautiful area. Saw Creek has nice amenities but also fairly high dues that they are aggressive about collecting (as they should be). There were many issues with crime, gangs, drugs, and general quality-of-life issues. The Poconos are a tourist area, and you deal with a lot of tourists whenever you go anywhere. Some parts of the year are quieter than others, but in winter you get skiers and in summer you get people heading to the cooler mountains. Invariably, these people come from the more urban areas of NY and NJ. I'm not trying to be judgmental, I am originally from an urban area of NJ and I had many friends from Brooklyn and The Bronx when I lived in the Creek. But if you don't like that NY/NJ (especially NY) vibe you won't like the Poconos. We used to refer to the area as "The Bronx with trees" or the "6th borough" of NYC. There are issues with mail delivery (as in there is none...you have to drive to a central mailbox for mail and any packages that are shipped USPS you will have to go to the absolutely abysmal Bushkill Post Office to pick up, creating days of delay). There are issues with trash pickup. Again - there is none. You have to drive your garbage to a centrally located compactor. When I lived there, it was often full and leaving your trash on the ground at the non-working compactor was a violation that could get you fined. Getting in the gates on weekends was a horror show. You'd wait forever for Security to check in the visitors in line ahead of you. Your heat, which you will dearly need in the winter, will be either electric or propane or perhaps a wood burning stove to supplement it. Neither of those are economical. Getting a good quality contractor to come do any repairs on your house will be difficult and frustrating. There is very little nearby in the way of retail or entertainment. That part of NEPA has no local police. Should you need the police, you have to rely on the PA State Police, who are often far away. Saw Creek has its own security department, who are now armed (they were not when I lived there) but they are not armed to protect the residents, they are armed to protect themselves FROM the residents. So your security is basically slightly better than mall security guards with guns. (Sorry if that sounds mean, but I strongly believe that area needs actual, local police protection). We had a children's birthday party at one of the common buildings ruined by a knife fight between gang bangers in the parking lot. I could go on but I'm sure you get the idea.

Now, DavidWebb asked you a very relevant question in relation to needing to commute. You brushed him off, but it is a major concern. If you are considering moving to the Poconos and commuting to a job in NYC or anywhere in NJ other than the western parts of Sussex or Warren counties...don't do it! That is a soul-sucking commute and is the source of many of the quality-of-life issues with the Poconos, as many families have parents who leave for work at 5AM and don't get home many nights until 8PM. That is not an exaggeration. 80 through NJ is a parking lot on a good day, and there are not many good days.

In my 60+ years, I have lived in northern NJ, The Poconos (Saw Creek), the Wyoming Valley (Scranton/W-B area), the Lehigh Valley and now Arizona. I would return to any of those areas - except the Poconos. In fact, I would move back to Lehigh in a heartbeat, snow and all. If you want to live in eastern PA I strongly advise you to look in the Lehigh Valley - although the statement about commuting applies there as well.

So..I apologize if I offended any current NEPA residents here. As I said, its been 15+ years and some things may have improved...or gotten worse...so hopefully if that is the case, someone will come on here and let us know.

[ForeverAndADave]

Thanks for the info, johnp292. I didn't mean to brush off DavidWebb, I guess I just thought it was weird that when I asked about the safety of the area he asked if I plan to commute... no offense was intended. <3

I'll take a look at Lehigh Valley... thanks again!

[quiet life]

Originally Posted by johnp292

Sorry but I can't resist. And I will tell you up front, that I lived in Saw Creek 15-16 years ago so I can't comment on what its like now, but I'd be surprised if its gotten much better.

Its a beautiful area. Saw Creek has nice amenities but also fairly high dues that they are aggressive about collecting (as they should be). There were many issues with crime, gangs, drugs, and general quality-of-life issues. The Poconos are a tourist area, and you deal with a lot of tourists whenever you go anywhere. Some parts of the year are quieter than others, but in winter you get skiers and in summer you get people heading to the cooler mountains. Invariably, these people come from the more urban areas of NY and NJ. I'm not trying to be judgmental, I am originally from an urban area of NJ and I had many friends from Brooklyn and The Bronx when I lived in the Creek. But if you don't like that NY/NJ (especially NY) vibe you won't like the Poconos. We used to refer to the area as "The Bronx with trees" or the "6th borough" of NYC. There are issues with mail delivery (as in there is none...you have to drive to a central mailbox for mail and any packages that are shipped USPS you will have to go to the absolutely abysmal Bushkill Post Office to pick up, creating days of delay). There are issues with trash pickup. Again - there is none. You have to drive your garbage to a centrally located compactor. When I lived there, it was often full and leaving your trash on the ground at the non-working compactor was a violation that could get you fined. Getting in the gates on weekends was a horror show. You'd wait forever for Security to check in the visitors in line ahead of you. Your heat, which you will dearly need in the winter, will be either electric or propane or perhaps a wood burning stove to supplement it. Neither of those are economical. Getting a good quality contractor to come do any repairs on your house will be difficult and frustrating. There is very little nearby in the way of retail or entertainment. That part of NEPA has no local police. Should you need the police, you have to rely on the PA State Police, who are often far away. Saw Creek has its own security department, who are now armed (they were not when I lived there) but they are not armed to protect the residents, they are armed to protect themselves FROM the residents. So your security is basically slightly better than mall security guards with guns. (Sorry if that sounds mean, but I strongly believe that area needs actual, local police protection). We had a children's birthday party at one of the common buildings ruined by a knife fight between gang bangers in the parking lot. I could go on but I'm sure you get the idea.

Now, DavidWebb asked you a very relevant question in relation to needing to commute. You brushed him off, but it is a major concern. If you are considering moving to the Poconos and commuting to a job in NYC or anywhere in NJ other than the western parts of Sussex or Warren counties...don't do it! That is a soul-sucking commute and is the source of many of the quality-of-life issues with the Poconos, as many families have parents who leave for work at 5AM and don't get home many nights until 8PM. That is not an exaggeration. 80 through NJ is a parking lot on a good day, and there are not many good days.

In my 60+ years, I have lived in northern NJ, The Poconos (Saw Creek), the Wyoming Valley (Scranton/W-B area), the Lehigh Valley and now Arizona. I would return to any of those areas - except the Poconos. In fact, I would move back to Lehigh in a heartbeat, snow and all. If you want to live in eastern PA I strongly advise you to look in the Lehigh Valley - although the statement about commuting applies there as well.

So..I apologize if I offended any current NEPA residents here. As I said, its been 15+ years and some things may have improved...or gotten worse...so hopefully if that is the case, someone will come on here and let us know.

To piggyback off of your comments, Saw Creek still has issues. Probably not as bad as when you were there but they have occasional crime issues that pop up in the news.

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/new...c90f6f7cb.html

https://www.pahomepage.com/news/saw-...g-victim-dies/

I live in Tamiment which is just up the road so I am familiar with Saw Creek. Know several folks in Saw Creek as well. I would look elsewhere. If you are bent on being in Bushkill, there are options outside the gates.

[DavidWebb]

Originally Posted by johnp292

Now, DavidWebb asked you a very relevant question in relation to needing to commute. You brushed him off, but it is a major concern. If you are considering moving to the Poconos and commuting to a job in NYC or anywhere in NJ other than the western parts of Sussex or Warren counties...don't do it! That is a soul-sucking commute and is the source of many of the quality-of-life issues with the Poconos, as many families have parents who leave for work at 5AM and don't get home many nights until 8PM. That is not an exaggeration. 80 through NJ is a parking lot on a good day, and there are not many good days.

Exactly the reason I asked!! Give that man a CEEGAR!! (as they said in the movie "Rambo: First Blood") I did the exact commute but on I-78 and it was no piece of cake at 3 hours round-trip plus an 8 hour shift for an 11 hour day.