Commute East Stroudsburg, PA to NYC and back (2013, rent)

[Summering]

Me either...........loveinbloom..........No one could pay me enough to be that far away in NYC and have my kids home in PA. They get sick, schools close due to weather, the buses have on occasion stopped running into the Poconos.........
The trains have been promised for over 20 years.......
The bus prices go up constantly.........
A gorgeous home by LTS wouldn't be reason enough to make that long trip.

[businezguy]

Originally Posted by Topsy

Better think twice before you move out to the Poconos. The roads are narrow, twisting, unlighted and dangerous. The schools are scattered by miles and miles and the kids huddle together in the freezing morning cold waiting for the bus. You'll have to landscape that big property of yours at a cost of about $15,000 on average. You'll need to put in a driveway cause what is supplied will wash out with the first substantial rainfall, avaerage cost of black top drive $6,000. The list goes on and on, trust me it's a nightmare, and not at all like the pictures in the Daily News. The builders are on the balls of their a-- right now because of the recession and are making promises they can't keep.
The crime rate in Monroe County is very high and there is always a shooting in the news. (See Pocono News online). To top it all off, school taxes are sky high (because state doesn't contribute as is done in most other states.) The average school tax on those houses advertised in the Daily News is about $4,800 and that's not counting the county tax!

Honestly your assessment of the Poconos could literally describe any (and almost all) suburbs. I grew up in Lake Hopatcong and had the following:

-Roads that were narrow, twisted, poorly lit, and dangerous
-A bus route that went for over a dozen miles, and which kids like myself had to wait for while we huddled together in the cold
-My mom paid higher annual taxes on her home which was (at the time and not factoring inflation) worth HALF of the price of the home I just purchased, and had DOUBLE the property taxes 18 years ago that I pay on my home in PA today
-Lake Hopatcong had many issues with crime, primarily drugs. In fact about 20 percent of Lake Hopatcong's police force was DEALING drugs until they got caught
-After I finished high school, the school had a crises in which a bunch of tenured teachers reached their highest level of pensions and found it more economically beneficial to retire and work part time then to continue teaching

With all of the above, Lake Hopatcong was a great place to raise a family, and I had a happy childhood there for the 7 years I lived there. The point is, all of the concerns you have provided sum up pretty much every suburb in NJ.

Let's see....just off the top of my head you could be describing...Randolph (very wealthy area), Mendham (even more wealthy), Chester (which is still more wealthy but in all fairness has virtually no crime statistically), Bloomfield (much higher crime rate then Monroe County, some of the highest taxes in the entire nation, poor school system, housing values at over 2.5 times the cost of your average Pocono house), Montclair (same as Bloomfield except very wealthy and some of the best schools in the nation *if* your child attends private school), Nutley (same as Bloomfield), Short Hills (excellent school system, but high crime, and some of the highest property taxes in entire nation), Glen Ridge (same as Monclair but more wealthy), etc.

Being that I have lived in NJ for over 30 years, I could have provided 100 times more examples then I just did above. All of those places have most if not all of the complaints you provided regarding Monroe County. All have issues with crime except for Chester (yes, Randolph and Mendham have issues with crime). All have windy roads, even the ones in Essex County (Essex County also has some of the poorest maintained roads in the entire nation). None of the PUBLIC school systems is anything to write home about except for Short Hills (if you want to pay $500 for a starter home with $25k in annual property taxes, I kid you not).

This is why people move to PA. You get the suburban experience but you actually get LESS crime, perhaps more windy roads, similar if not SUPERIOR public education, all while paying significantly less for your house and property taxes. You mention that the average home in Monroe County comes with $4,800 in annual taxes. That aint nothin' my friend. Double that and you will ALMOST reach the average in property taxes somebody in NJ pays, and that's with the STATE subsidizing much of the cost unlike PA.

With all of that, let me leave you with one more thought. I may spend 3 hours per day commuting, and as a result pay more for commuting then most Americans, but on the weekends everything is right at my finger tips. In addition, there's more stuff to do on the weekend within a five mile radius (and the stuff to do is more affordable and FUN), then I had available in all of Northern NJ. Now pardon me while I get some sleep so I can get into work early and then leave work early so I can get in some night skiing tomorrow night (at a resort that's less then 2 miles from my home).

[Retired Law 08]

very interesting...

Exclusive: Obama endorses rail projects; Scranton-NYC line may find support | News | thetimes-tribune.com - The Times-Tribune (http://www.scrantontimes.com/articles/2009/03/24/news/sc_times_trib.20090324.a.pg1.tt24obama_s1.2391453_ top2.txt - broken link)

[rcb1966]

I knew the costs were outrageous in NJ, but I didn't realize the demographics of the schools, communities, & crime as you described. For the record, I am a builder in the Pocono's & Luzerne county. My driveway's don't wash out, I am not on the balls of my a#@, & I have yet heard of a typical drive costing $6000 or landscaping costing $15K!!! Should've done your homework before you aligned yourself with whomever did the work for you. Yes some builders got bad raps in the Pocono's, but like everything else...there is good & bad. My promises are in written form & it is called a contract. It is a shame, because most folks research their new car or flat screen than they do their new home/homebuilder. Before signing any contract, read it and re-read it. Then have your attorney read it and make his comments. If anyone needs a sample of a good contract...DM me, I'd be happy to share with you.

[INPASINCE68]

Originally Posted by Topsy

Better think twice before you move out to the Poconos. The roads are narrow, twisting, unlighted and dangerous. The schools are scattered by miles and miles and the kids huddle together in the freezing morning cold waiting for the bus. You'll have to landscape that big property of yours at a cost of about $15,000 on average. You'll need to put in a driveway cause what is supplied will wash out with the first substantial rainfall, avaerage cost of black top drive $6,000. The list goes on and on, trust me it's a nightmare, and not at all like the pictures in the Daily News. The builders are on the balls of their a-- right now because of the recession and are making promises they can't keep.
The crime rate in Monroe County is very high and there is always a shooting in the news. (See Pocono News online). To top it all off, school taxes are sky high (because state doesn't contribute as is done in most other states.) The average school tax on those houses advertised in the Daily News is about $4,800 and that's not counting the county tax!

Sounds like you did not do any research on who you built with or anything on the area. You simply shopped on price! You should have at least a builder warranty that covers your driveway washing out! You do have one, right?Before you type things, maybe you should do some homework. The state does contribute to the school systems, the casinos do contribute to the school systems, crime rate is much lower that where you came from. It's cold in the winter and hot in the summers and there are over 20 schools buildings spread through out the county. To get milk you have to drive to get it. It's a different way of life. Last I looked 80 is a four lane highway. Two of them heading west and two heading east.

[Janett Jones]

I agree that having two parents working in new york city can be a problem. Im planning on moving to PA and having LTS to build my home could you tell which town is near the bus to NYC. Im currently leaving near central park. the problem is sometimes Im scarred to sit in the park moving to PA would be a mental health change for me and my son,

[F-Shaikh]

how are LTS builders charging you? is it land plus construction package?

[krp123]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I went to high school in this very same area - and I refuse to send my children there. I'm sure that what you are hoping for is a better school for your kids, and a safer environment, but honestly it is becoming exactly what you don't want. 2 cents.

[teddy 1]

stroudsburg / east stroudsburg are the closest areas to the bus

[jrc123456]

how is east stroudburg or stroudsburg?