Scranton and surrounding area (Apartments) (Dunmore, Clarks Summit: apartment complexes, rentals, crime)

[sjgphoto]

Why is is so difficult for me to find an apartment in the scranton area? My family is moving there in less than 2 weeks. We had alot of help about the area from people like ScrantonWilksBarre, and I do appreciate it. I certainly don't want to sound like a broken record with this topic, but, when I go on the internet and look for apartments, all I see is the same dried up photos of places. Alot of them do not even show good pics. One place show the front sign (oh that helps).

I don't mean to sound upset, because I am really asking for help. I'll post what I have so far, if anybody has any comments on these places that would be SUPER. If you can suggest something else, that would be SUPER SUPER.

Tall Trees Apartments (http://www.rpmgt.com/Portfolio/TallTrees/)
- looks really nice. the only negative I heard is the roads leading to the place
- In the Dunmore school district (I'm guessing on this one).

Summit Pointe
- Looks nice. However, reviews at http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/PA-Scranton.html say different.

Laurelwood
- My best option I think, with the schools and everything. I don't have any pics though, just a few from the outside (http://www.rentnet.com/apartments/fy...0131DCA04A4A92)

Does anybody have any comments on these or suggest anything different?

Does Moscow have any apartments? That would be ideal

Thanks everybody!

[SteelCityRising]

[quote=sjgphoto;475407]

Hello again!

My sister and her husband used to live in Tall Trees before they married and settled down in a nice older home south of Scranton, and they enjoyed their time there. The complex was safe, quiet, and secure. It's in a quiet, "out-of-the-way" neighborhood that straddles the Scranton/Dunmore city lines. You're very near to Lake Scranton, and my sister and her husband used to walk there all the time to do a lap or two on nicer days after work. There is a high population of Asian-Americans in that complex, especially Indian-Americans, many of whom work for Prudential, IBM, MetLife, and other high-tech types of companies where they may be doing short-term contracting work before shipping off for somewhere else (hence the reason to move to a complex like Tall Trees and not be saddled with a mortgage). My father used to work for IBM in Scranton, and one of his co-workers resided at Tall Trees. You're correct about the roads. I haven't been up there since the Fall, but the roads linking Route 307 to the complex were beaten up with potholes galore at that time. Thankfully, the complex isn't very far off of 307, so your time on those back roads (Lake Scranton Road and Elmhurst Boulevard) is minimized. My sister and her husband said the neighbors mostly "kept to themselves", and they never really made any friends in the year they lived there. That complex is in the Dunmore School District, but it uses a Scranton mailing address, as its on the border between the two communities. Overall, the neighborhood is "upscale." Just past the complex on Elmhurst Boulevard is "Mt. Margaret Estates" which houses a large number of mid-six-figure and even some seven-figure homes. My opinion of the units themselves though were that they were a bit on the "smallish" side, but they were very well-kept.

Summit Pointe always looked like a nice complex too, but it's in a rather awkward (somewhat AWFUL) location. It's right along busy Route 6 near the Viewmont Mall, and it's VERY difficult to make a left-hand turn in or out of the complex. It appears as if whoever did the traffic study when planning out Summit Pointe didn't know how to do their job very well. You're literally 30 seconds from the onramps/offramps to I-81 for a quick commute, but the traffic is just horrendous up there, especially on Fridays and weekends when all of the Scranton and Abington people head to the Viewmont Mall area to shop and dine. If you don't mind a hairy traffic situation, then this complex might be better than it seems. I'd still advise you to steer clear though.

I'm unfamiliar with Laurelwood, sorry. Just from looking at the ad, I can tell you that Clarks Summit is located in the Abington Heights School District, and it's by far Scranton's most upscale suburb. Crime won't be an issue for you, and traffic shouldn't be either. Routes 6 & 11 (Northern Boulevard) between Clarks Summit and Scranton is VERY congested at rush-hour in and out of the city, but that's the price many people in the Abingtons are willing to pay for such "prestige." Laurelwood should be a bit more "down-to-earth" though, and I'd definitely give it a shot. The rest of the town tends to be a bit "stuffy", with a blend of old money and "keeping up with the Jones's" types of people in newer housing developments, but they're still good people (just a tad too materialistic for my tastes). Abington Heights is also a highly-reputable local school district.

Here's my picks, in descending order.
1. Laurelwood
2. Tall Trees
3. Summit Pointe

Also, Moscow doesn't have any apartment complexes, to my knowledge; it's still too "rural" for that. There may be some house rentals in that area though. Check out the classifieds at the Scranton Times for more information. http://www.scrantontimes.com

Good luck!

[ChristinaIUP]

I lived at Summit by the Lake for two years. Thats the complex that is situated before Tall Trees. The apartment that I lived in was bigger than the one at Tall Trees for the same price per month. I have no complaints about the place, while it may have needed some updating it was always clean and if you ever had a problem with anything it was always quickly addressed.
Have you ever thought to look into a duplex?

[new2pa]

I don't have any advice really as we are looking to buy and not rent in the Scranton area but I sympathize with you on the horrible listings on the internet. Not to go off topic but do homes in the area NOT have central air? Because 80% of the listings have homes with no cooling system. . . .seems VERY odd to me!!

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by new2pa

I don't have any advice really as we are looking to buy and not rent in the Scranton area but I sympathize with you on the horrible listings on the internet. Not to go off topic but do homes in the area NOT have central air? Because 80% of the listings have homes with no cooling system. . . .seems VERY odd to me!!

Most homes around here do not have central air. You can always have it installed, but its not really a necessity here, as the very hot part of summer is relatively short in NEPA compared to further south. We do just fine with window-mounted air conditioners, and find that we only need to use them when its extremely hot and muggy.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by conorsdad

Most homes around here do not have central air. You can always have it installed, but its not really a necessity here, as the very hot part of summer is relatively short in NEPA compared to further south. We do just fine with window-mounted air conditioners, and find that we only need to use them when its extremely hot and muggy.

I agree. We have central air in our home because it is all brick, which tends to absorb heat and send that warmth back inside, and it only makes things feel warmer. However, our old home was aluminum-sided, and we didn't even have a window-unit, much less central air. There were some nights that I couldn't fall asleep from being so sweaty, but they were few and far between. The past couple of summers have been warmer than usual around here (global warming perhaps?), so I'd advise you to look into a window unit for sure if this trend continues. The heat around here is bearable during the daytime when you could drink fluids, take cold showers, etc. to cool off, but when you're lying in your boxers, soaked in sweat, trying desperately to sleep, you'll gladly stomach forking over $300 for some cooler air.

[lisaraye9019]

Too Pricey for the quality of apartments & services provided

My Fiancé and I have lived here almost a year. The only thing that has stopped us from moving is our lease agreement. The carpet is cheap and if you try to clean it or scrub a stain, pieces of the carpet will tear out.
Grizzly bears frequent these apartments, so if you have kids think twice
Not to mention the maintenance guys
Old apartments buildings, hence frequent issues with old equipment like Air-conditioning, washers & Door locks.
There will be no maintenance at week end.
Bad insulated houses & expect high energy bills of 180-250$ in summer & winter.
Management Susan is not concerned with keeping 'good tenant’s long term'.
The road coming into Tall Trees is treacherous

Pros: - good white-collar professionals live in this community due to proximity to Hospitals , so not many issues with neighbors

[Gerania]

Grizzly bears? Is that a euphemism?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Gerania

Grizzly bears? Is that a euphemism?

Maybe she means angry-looking shirtless heavyset Italian males?

[mr.magoo]

maybe not shirtless, wearing 'Wife-Beaters' with Nonnas Marinara sauce stains on them...:-)

Hey, Steel City...you are a font of information on the area...good a at ya for taking the time to share.