Relocating to Philly/Reading PA- Which area should we focus on? (Chester: houses, neighborhood)

[addicat]

My husband and I are relocating (kids age 8, 6, 3) and I need to have a better understanding of possible towns to live in. He will be working south of reading off of route 176 (Flying Hills PA) so I think Chester Springs/Downingtown, Exton are a possiblility? or should I stick with Wyommising? Open to other ideas. I only chose those because of some brief information I found on line. We are moving from a place that is a real gem and would love to find another if possible.

I need convenience (shopping/restaurants) and I want the best district that we can afford. I don't want his communte longer than 30 minutes but would go to 45 if it made a big difference in regards to community and schools.

Ideally, I don't want a cookie cutter neighborhood but would like a development were you can buy the the land and use a custom builder. I do however want a neighborhood for the kids so they can make new friends. We are getting smarter on our 4th move about what we specifically need. Also, any advice on a knowledgeable realtor/office to use would be welcome.

I would not like to go over $600K total.

[Jeanie Beanie]

Flying Hills is a golf course development in Berks County. It is not a postal address. If you live in Flying Hills you are postally in 19607 which is Shillington.

Honestly, with a $600,000 housing budget you could just about get a castle in Berks County. Go on realtor.com or a specific realtor web site and type in 19607 and you'll get lots of pictures of beautiful homes in the area. Shillington is Governor Mifflin school district which is a fabulous district. Slightly to the south is Twin Valley School District which is also excellent, except for the fact that lots of Philly area commuters are discovering the convenience of a Turnpike commute to the exurbs and the school district is experiencing growing pains as a result.

You could live in Wyomissing (19610), yes, and that will give you a village feel in a great school district, but for rural, check out the properties close to your husbands' work. Wyomissing would be 20 -25 minutes to work for your husband depending on the traffic.

Good Luck! And Welcome!

[FindingZen]

Unless you want to be closer to Philly's amenities, living in Chester Springs, Downingtown and Exton will be generally more expensive than equivalent areas in Berks County.

Note that the Reading area is technically outside the Philly metro so it may be more beneficial to post on the general Pennsylvania forum as well.

[Catherine SW]

You might like Old Wyomissing, which is very charming and pretty. Each house is different, and the area is full of mature trees and birds. Some of the houses are mansions. The schools are very good. Another possibility would be Elverson. There are antique houses, farms, new developments, and it's super convenient to I-76.