From KS - taking a job in Trainer, PA but where to live? (Chester: condo)

[superabimus]

Yikes! Just found out both my husband and I will likely be getting job offers at a refinery outside of Philly. Don't really know the area at all but will have to be moving quick. Any suggestions on good family areas? Not familiar with PA at all. Thanks in advance

When are you moving? possibly the next month
Where are you coming from? Wichita, KS
Why are you moving? job
Where will you be working? Trainer, PA
Have you been here yet? will be visiting in about 2 weeks

Will you buy or rent? buy
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend? house ~300k (depends on what official job offers are)

Are you married or single? Do you have children? married, 3yo son
Do you prefer public or private schools? doesn't matter as long as they are good schools - need preschool right now
Do you have pets? dog
Do you want or need a yard? yes!
Are you keeping a car? yes
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? more on the calm and quiet

What do you want to be closest to?
Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.) - although we don't have to live directly in a town


Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? would like to be around people our age (30's)/kids around our son's age but otherwise doesn't matter

[Ms_Christina]

You want to look North or West , maybe even Delaware, Trainer and the surrounding area of Chester and land closer to the airport is a depressed ghetto. High crime, bad schools. West Chester and the surrounding area is Awesome. The area North with Media puts you on the main line and will be much more expensive. Great area but houses are more 600k-900k around the main line.

[rainrock]

In Pa I would suggest researching Bethel Township, Concord Township, Glen Mills,Boothwyn,Middletown Township.

In Delaware. Concord and the northern neighborhoods of Wilmington are very nice.

Good luck.

[superabimus]

Thank you very much for your suggestions! With both of us starting new jobs we will have limited time for house hunting and can use all the help we can get

[soulsurv]

Originally Posted by rainrock

In Pa I would suggest researching Bethel Township, Concord Township, Glen Mills,Boothwyn,Middletown Township.

In Delaware. Concord and the northern neighborhoods of Wilmington are very nice.

Good luck.

Rain, I don't think she's goning to be able to get a single home (in your list) for under 300K anywhere but Boothwyn. I think it's more likely in, say, Brookhaven, Ridley Park (nice little town). I would definitley look at Delaware. Much lower taxes there as well.

[BPP1999]

Is this one of the refineries that closed down but is now re-opening? Good luck and welcome to the area.

[UDResident]

Trainer is the refinery that was bought by Delta.

Such misinformation about neighborhoods on these sites! Ridley township is absolutely solid and has great schools. Aston is great and is in a good school district. The only "bad" or even remotely "ghetto" parts of Delco are Chester city and the places that are getting worst nearest it and the working class communities outside of the Kingsessing and Eastwick sections of Southwest Philly, specifically the places below McDade Boulevard that are a part of the Southeast Delco School District. Anybody who thinks places outside of these parts are even remotely ghetto or dangerous has never seen a real ghetto or real dangerous neighborhood. My suggestion to somebody with the same criteria as the OP is to just drive around all of Delco and see which places you think are the best fit. Delaware as in the state is also a good idea because of its proximity driving-wise to Marcus Hook, Trainer, and Chester. Many parts of northern Delaware aren't anywhere near close enough to see any negatives from that proximity though so don't worry about that.