Lancaster - Whole Foods area? (Philadelphia, Harrisburg: real estate market, condo, loan)

[JT-3]

Visited family last weekend and had a really nice time. This of course got us thinking about the possibility of moving back East.

We had dinner at Iron Hill and it seems there is plenty of development happening. We checked out some of the neighborhoods and drove around. Wheatland is super nice but don't think we can swing it. I prefer an older home while she prefers a newer one.

Is this area hot, any new neighborhoods worth mentioning or any tips? We may or may not be able to take our jobs, just depends. I appreciate your time and feedback.

When are you moving?
---Undecided
Where are you coming from?
---Austin
Why are you moving?
---Family in Lancaster, change of pace, better schools for sure.
Where will you be working?
---Most likely home based
Have you been here yet?
---Yes

Will you buy or rent?
---Buy
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend?
---Home, price depends on many considerations.

Are you married or single? Do you have children?
---Married with children
Do you prefer public or private schools?
---Public, ideally
Do you have pets?
---A dog and some snails in a jar
Do you want or need a yard?
---Yes
Are you keeping a car?
---Yes
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet?
---A mix of nearby activity and quiet would be ideal.

What do you want to be closest to?
Work
Shopping
Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.)
Nightlife
Train or subway stations
---Work, shopping, grocery, restaurants

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood?
---Similar age I suppose, family oriented.

Phillies, Pirates or Mets?
---Phillies, but the family members prefer soccer and swimming.

[KevinE]

What is your budget?

[JT-3]

Thanks for the reply. I'd like to keep it below 300k, can pay more for the right home.

[rowhomecity]

Lancaster County is becoming quite popular these days and that boom is only going to continue as its neighbor to the east; Southeast Pennsylvania; real estate market is getting pricey. FAST.

300k in Southeast PA (SEPA) doesn't buy much anymore. Whereas in Lancaster County you can still get something quite nice.

Amtrak is only 1hr and 15 mins to Philadelphia and about 2.5 hours to NYC.

Lots of history and charm in Lancaster city, (it is one of the oldest inland cities in the USA and can rival anything up in New England in terms of history) and one MAJOR reason why it is attracting such a large creative class and given its proximity to major metro area of Philadelphia and SEPA.

Schools are great. I highly recommend the move.

[teachbeach]

Good school districts in Lancaster County (if you have school aged children)~Manheim Township and Hempfield. Also Warwick (which is where Lititz is) Donegal is improving~decent nightlife, decent shopping, Fulton Theatre and Apple Theater for culture, lots of history, good hospitals (Hershey/John Hopkins/Philly for super specialists), variety of housing (rural, larger subdivisions), close to Amtrak station for quick trips to NYC or Philly, proximity to airports (Harrisburg, Philly, and Baltimore) for get out of town travel.

Coming from Austin, the biggest change/challenge will be the winters, but if you're from the area and okay with snow you'll be fine. I'm sure the cost of living is considerably lower than what Austin is experiencing.

[toobirdies]

I definitely recommend the Manheim Township or Hempfield school districts. You can get something for 300k in those districts.

[JT-3]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Yes, the COL is here has skyrocketed (home prices and property taxes) and that is a motivating factor. We wonder how long it can last.

We've heard good things about Hempfield for sure, we have a 3 year old.

So one house we're considering has oil. This would be a "gotcha" I suppose but apparently the furnace was replaced recently with a more efficient one. I called a local company and was quoted ballpark $1500-$2k a year. It seems from research on this forum gas and electric is preferred. Has anyone regretted an oil home purchase?

[medievalbooks]

Up north, we had a house with oil heat. Supplemented the it with a wood stuff. Spent about 1500 on oil for an 11 room house and about the same amount for cords of wood for the wood stove. Now mind you, this was in Massachusetts in the snow belt. We didn't regret the purchase but the house was not the most heat efficient house in the world - it was old, and over the years we insulated, put in new windows, etc.

Now in PA, we spend about half that with gas only...but in a milder climate. However we are making up for it in costs in air conditioning :P

[teachbeach]

Originally Posted by JT-3

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Yes, the COL is here has skyrocketed (home prices and property taxes) and that is a motivating factor. We wonder how long it can last.

We've heard good things about Hempfield for sure, we have a 3 year old.

So one house we're considering has oil. This would be a "gotcha" I suppose but apparently the furnace was replaced recently with a more efficient one. I called a local company and was quoted ballpark $1500-$2k a year. It seems from research on this forum gas and electric is preferred. Has anyone regretted an oil home purchase?

Call the township and the utility company and see what the cost to convert to gas might cost you. Often you can get a low cost loan, negotiate the cost/split with the purchase price of house, or find out for sure if it's not feasible.