Where in Eastern PA for me? (Scranton, Harrisburg: sale, real estate, rent)

[Blue Darner]

When are you moving?
As soon as I settle on a place, I'll look for a job - once I have a job I'll move.

Where are you coming from?
Long Island

Why are you moving?
I can't afford to have the life I want on Long Island, cost of living and cost for property is too high. Average house prices here are in the 300K range. And often that'll get you a 30 year old house that needs a new roof and lots of updating.

Where will you be working?
Not sure yet. I need a place that will have opportunities for employment for an office manager/administrator type. I prefer smaller companies.

Have you been here yet?
Parts

Will you buy or rent? If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend?
I'd probably rent at first, but eventually I will buy. I guess I am looking to spend less than 200K for a small hobby farm - depends on the salary range for administrators and office managers in the area. I want enough property to have a horse or two, some chickens and privacy. I will have 50-75K as a down payment. I don't need a large house - 1000 square feet is more than large enough. 2br's is fine too - one for me and one for guests. I would consider purchasing land and having a modular put up on it as well if that would bring me into the right price range. I'm not sure if that's more or less expensive than buying existing.

Are you married or single? Do you have children?
I am divorced, no children. No plans to have children either.

Do you prefer public or private schools?
Doesn't matter

Do you have pets?
Yes, cats. Would like to get a horse too.

Do you want or need a yard?
Must have a yard for a nice sized vegetable garden and a barn with turnouts. On LI you can have a horse on as little as a half acre - I don't know what the restrictions are elsewhere. If the area has a lot of farmstands, I can happily deal with a smaller plot for just me and the horses - but having enough for a horse, or preferably 2 is a must.

Are you keeping a car?
Yes and perhaps a 'farm truck' that won't leave the farm except to go to the dumps.

Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet?
Calm and quiet.

What do you want to be closest to?
I'd like to be no more than 30-45 minutes to employment opportunities, no more than 30 to food shopping areas. And I'd like to be close to parks for hiking and outdoor recreation. I want to stay on the eastern side of PA as I have family ranging from Connecticut to the Carolinas and would like to be somewhere in the middle. I want to live in a farming community.

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood?
Diverse is fine as long as it's a safe neighborhood. I want to be near others that love the land.

[ki0eh]

There is a poster on here lialleycat who has sought very similar info - so if you search on her threads you will find a lot of opinions.

Septic tank regulations are much stricter in PA than they have been in NY. A place that burned and can be rebuilt upon less than a year after the fire will go through approvals a lot faster than the equivalent raw land.

Here's a few thoughts:

Susquehanna County - seems so far to have escaped the sprawl engine. Many beautiful stone walls - flagstone still is quarried for regional sale there. If you stay relatively close to I-81 you might have hope to stay within your commute/shopping radii of Binghamton or Scranton. Center realtor searches on New Milford and adjacent. (NOT Milford, New Milford. )

Bloomsburg area - search threads on here, some shopping including Tractor Supply, or head to Wilkes-Barre or Sunbury. Jobs, maybe a few local but otherwise Hazleton or WB. Realtor search on Bloomsburg out 20 mi.

Upper Dauphin County, lapping over into southern Northumberland and far western Schuylkill - Harrisburg would be source of jobs and most shopping but Elizabethville has a super Wal-Mart now and is rumored to be getting Tractor Supply. Sunbury area is alternate for shopping (actually across the river in Hummels Wharf and Shamokin Dam but referred to as "Selinsgrove" too ) Check auction links from Sentinelnow.com - The Upper Dauphin Sentinel Online , and realtor links on Elizabethville out 20 miles.

Perry County - Still has no traffic light, still located in the federally defined Appalachian Region, but more and more on the cusp of sprawl. Jobs in Harrisburg or maybe State College, shopping in Harrisburg or small strip in Newport, large strip mall in mid-approvals coming to the Newport exit from US 22/322. Local newspapers: About Us and realtor links from Newport out 15-20 miles.

[Blue Darner]

Thanks Ki0eh!

I've seen lialleycat's posts and Sheena12 and some others too. Didn't see any answers on the horse aspect though.

Do you (or anyone else out there) know what the requirements for horses are in any of those areas. Is it town by town or county wide rules? No horse would be a deal breaker for me for sure. I'd prefer two (one I'm bringing up from NC), one for me and one for my friend should I want to go riding. And a horse is better company for a horse than any other companion animal anyway. Though I know some people that use goats as companions. Not sure I like goats - their eyes freak me out and they are pushy things.

Oh - I forgot to mention proximity to trails for riding, but there are so many great places to ride in PA that it's almost anywhere!

[ki0eh]

Most definitely township by township rules. A few townships in the areas I mentioned still lack zoning of any sort. (In which case you want to be "grandfathered" when they get it. Think "Yes I had a horse before the zoning ordinance was advertised in the local paper." Not ADOPTED, initially advertised is what you can get hung by.)

And, actually there are a fair number of rules for horse riding on public land.

On State GAME LAND you are nominally restricted to certain "Designated Routes" for horse riding, see Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency: State Game Lands (http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/browse.asp?a=480&bc=0&c=69913&pgcNav - broken link)=| (hopefully this link works, if not click Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency then "State Game Lands" in the left nav menu). These "Designated Routes" are generally doubletrack mowed roads, rather than narrow dirt trails. There are also time of year restrictions.

On State FOREST riding is more open, will be OK except for one of these: National and State Forest Hiking Trails (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/hiking/index.aspx - broken link)

Beware, most PA real estate professionals don't seem to know the difference between State GAME LAND and State FOREST. I've seen each mistaken for the other in listings, seemingly more often wrong than right. Word to the wise, check for yourself the tract in question. Both are equally open to hunting.

[lialleycat]

I gave up asking the horse question, though I'd like horse property, being near a stable would be good enough for me. I could be quite happy letting someone else muck stalls!

I don't know if they exist, but you might try finding a horse property realtor. I know LI has them, I used to be one. Check the local barns, they probably know people.