Philly 'burbs (Horsham, Ardmore, Glenside: fit in, real estate, condo)

[jerseyborninDC]

So I'm a college student from South Jersey, in DC for college, looking at Philly suburbs as a place to settle down in the near future. My boyfriend and I want to start a family, but we are unsure where is best. We've visited a few places but need some input.

What we are looking for;
Walkable area. I'm from a small town where you could walk everywhere, and it was residential around a small downtown with a few shops. I couldn't live somewhere that sprawled out endlessly with strip malls and stuff. No McMansions either!!

Good schools. I am not concerned with having "the best" schools, I just want a solid education for my future kids (as in, planning for next 10-20 years).

SEPTA accessible. But not crazy far away, which leads into;


Short-ish commute. I know the Philly commutes can be horrendous depending on where you live and SEPTA kinda has a mind of its own, but I'd prefer to stick close by. At most a 20-30 minute commute is acceptable. The commute from my home town to Center City, Philly was only 10 minutes hahah I have high standards (<3 PATCO!). I'd be looking to get a job in Center City.

I want a HOUSE, not a condo, penthouse, or whatever. I want a 3-4 bedroom, 1-2 bathroom with a front and back yard, sidewalks, and a park within walking distance. Maybe this is a lot to ask for but where I am from, this stuff is plentiful. Problem is, jobs aren't plentiful there

Honestly, just looking for a stable, safe-feeling, comfortable suburb that is walkable and has a 'small-town' feel.

Towns I have looked into; Jenkintown (but is it TOO small?), Cheltenham Township, Ambler (for Wissahickon High School), Ridley Park, Abington (I have family in Horsham but it seems a bit cookie cutter to me), Narbeth, Wynnewood, and Upper Dublin.

If it means anything my boyfriend is upper class while I am lower middle class, in regards to economic standpoints. We are both white, left-of-center politically standing, and non-religious.

[ElijahAstin]

Price is an important factor.

[jerseyborninDC]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

Price is an important factor.

We would like to keep it cheapish. 500k is probably the most I would want to pay but we could manage a bit more.

[templeu]

I think your DC mindset might cause you to equate 500K with cheap, but you'll be happy with what you can buy in the surrounding Phila burbs with 500K. I say this jokingly..but you will want to do a lot of homework before buying to get into a Philly frame of mind. I lived in DC for a while too, and was blown away by how much more affordable home prices were. I think I wound up overpaying a bit b/c I felt I was getting such a great deal (again by DC standards).

Based on your criteria, personally, I like Narberth the most. It has a walkable, small town vibe. Politically, I think you'll fit in nicely. And you'll get into the city quickly (I think Narberth is probably closest in both driving and by train, of the areas you list).

If you're so inclined to give NJ another try, you might like Collingswood or Westmont/Haddonleigh sections of Haddon Township, or Haddon Heights (though you're a little further from Patco).

You don't have Media on your list, but that would also fit your criteria. It would be further out from the city than Narberth, but no further (and probably closer than) Abington, Ambler, or Upper Dublin.

[kidphilly]

Sounds like the main line or haddonfield to me

[jerseyborninDC]

Originally Posted by templeu

I think your DC mindset might cause you to equate 500K with cheap, but you'll be happy with what you can buy in the surrounding Phila burbs with 500K. I say this jokingly..but you will want to do a lot of homework before buying to get into a Philly frame of mind. I lived in DC for a while too, and was blown away by how much more affordable home prices were. I think I wound up overpaying a bit b/c I felt I was getting such a great deal (again by DC standards).

Based on your criteria, personally, I like Narberth the most. It has a walkable, small town vibe. Politically, I think you'll fit in nicely. And you'll get into the city quickly (I think Narberth is probably closest in both driving and by train, of the areas you list).

If you're so inclined to give NJ another try, you might like Collingswood or Westmont/Haddonleigh sections of Haddon Township, or Haddon Heights (though you're a little further from Patco).

You don't have Media on your list, but that would also fit your criteria. It would be further out from the city than Narberth, but no further (and probably closer than) Abington, Ambler, or Upper Dublin.

You are so right. My standards of home prices were drastically changed when I came down here. I was used to big homes for 200k in my small town in Camden County NJ but then in the DC area it's a complete turnaround. Which is why I am leaning towards the Philly area again (and also because I miss it so much!). I have been looking at Collingswood, but I have heard that even though it has experienced major revamps, that it is on a downturn. But I really like the area, the town, and the people so I'd be curious to learn more if you can offer any information

I looked into Narbeth, it looks great too! The Lower Merion school system seems pretty solid. I quite like the Montgomery County towns just above Philly. I have also checked out Media but was turned off because it is so far away SEPTA-station-wise. Do you have any input on the commute to Center City from there??

Decisions, decisions!

[GraysFerryB4]

I live in Collingswood now and yes, it is experiencing a downturn. The main culprit is the Lumberyard Condo project which was a great idea but implemented horribly from the starting point. They are trying to reconfigure the loan status while getting out of debt AND not raising taxes. Good luck.
I think if the mayor and commishioners are flushed out and the right crew gets it, Collingswood will only get better; so with proximity to Philly, you may want to jump on the low market and get a great place.
You could look into Haddonfield with better schools, but the taxes there are known to travel higher and with a home around $500k, expect to pay about 13K a year for taxes in Haddonfield. You could get Collingswood for a bit less.

[templeu]

I think the "downturn" should be tempered a bit. Folks in the know, understand that the mayor is in trouble and that fiscally he's gotten into trouble. Day to day life, is completely fine though. Crime is not a problem. It seems real estate, other than the lumberyards, is still moving. Restaurants and shops are still popping up. I don't live in Collingswood, but try to enjoy the amenities (farmers market, restaurants, etc) - and am there nearly daily. And I quite honestly, have seen no change since I've moved to this area. I think when a lot of folks think of a downturn, they think that crime rates are going up, there are abandoned properties. There is NONE of that going on.

With respect to Media - you're right, depending on where you live, you might be a little drive from the train station. The 19063 zip code (which is commonly used to encompass all of Media) is large...but actually includes parts of other townships. If you live in Media boro...(near downtown Media, by State St where the main strip of little stores and restaurants are), you'll be close to the train.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by jerseyborninDC

I looked into Narbeth, it looks great too! The Lower Merion school system seems pretty solid. I quite like the Montgomery County towns just above Philly.

Lower Merion is a wonderful place to grow up. 500k won't get you a palace, but you can still afford a nice home in Bala-Cynwyd, Merion, Wynnewood, Penn Wynne, Ardmore, and Narberth, all of which would suit your interests.

If you want more bang for your buck, Jenkintown/Glenside are "Narberth-like" but much more affordable.

[jerseyborninDC]

Originally Posted by GraysFerryB4

I live in Collingswood now and yes, it is experiencing a downturn. The main culprit is the Lumberyard Condo project which was a great idea but implemented horribly from the starting point. They are trying to reconfigure the loan status while getting out of debt AND not raising taxes. Good luck.
I think if the mayor and commishioners are flushed out and the right crew gets it, Collingswood will only get better; so with proximity to Philly, you may want to jump on the low market and get a great place.
You could look into Haddonfield with better schools, but the taxes there are known to travel higher and with a home around $500k, expect to pay about 13K a year for taxes in Haddonfield. You could get Collingswood for a bit less.

I'd prefer to avoid Haddonfield if possible. Grew up right nearby and wasn't too fond of it. As for Collingswood, are the home prices crazy high? Could I get a decent 3br+, 2ba home for 300k?

Are NJ taxes much more than PA?