Best Areas for Young Family (Philadelphia, Drexel Hill: 2013, condo, credit)

[Stereofoam]

So my wife and I and our 2 preschool-aged children are planning on moving out to the Philadelphia area in the summer. My wife's family lives in Bucks County and we will be staying with the in-laws until we find our own place and acquire jobs. So what areas would you recommend for a young family like ours looking for good schools and finding a home under 200k? We have been thinking maybe the Abington & Willow Grove area? What about the west side, like Drexel Hill or Morton?

Also, what's the story with the NJ side? I hear the property taxes are more but have thought the houses I have seen in our price range in NJ look nicer than those in PA? How do public schools in PA & NJ compare?

When are you moving? Summer 2013
Where are you coming from? AZ
Why are you moving? Climate & culture
Have you been here yet? Yes, twice a few years ago
Will you buy or rent? Depends on pricing, location
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend? 100k - 200k
Do you have a preference of living in a NJ or PA suburb? Please advise
Are you married or single? Do you have children? Married, 2 kids
Do you prefer public or private schools? Good public or affordable private?
Do you want or need a yard? Prefer a yard
Are you keeping a car? 2 cars
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? A little of both? We like going out on the town when we can.

[maf763]

Under $200K will probably mean a fixer-upper in Abington or Willow Grove, but until you have a job, it's hard to say where you should look. If you're working in Center City, you can easily commute by train. If you're at, say, the Navy Yard, you'd be better off in Delaware County.

[frankgn87]

Like maf said... And you are correct about NJ homes. They are cheaper for the most part. Taxes are aprox the same as Bucks or Montgomery counties in pa too. You should be looking at Paymyra and Pennsaken nj

[BTA88]

Public schools in NJ are far superior. By a long shot.

Having gone to two of the bottom 3 school districts in New Jersey (Camden and Pennsauken) then spending my final 3 years of high school in a middle of the road Pennsylvania school, it's no contest.

That's not to say PA schools are bad, they just can't measure up to New Jersey Schools.

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by BTA88

Public schools in NJ are far superior. By a long shot.

Having gone to two of the bottom 3 school districts in New Jersey (Camden and Pennsauken) then spending my final 3 years of high school in a middle of the road Pennsylvania school, it's no contest.

That's not to say PA schools are bad, they just can't measure up to New Jersey Schools.

You are way off. Way off.

Look at the Philadelphia Magazine ranking of schools which came out last month or the month before. Look at the Philly.com rankings. Just because you had some sort of bad experience with a PA school does not mean that your statement is remotely true.

[tom_567]

A lot of how convenient your location is in the area depends upon where you work. If you work in the city, some of the NJ suburbs along the PATCO line offer unbeatable access to Center City. Philadelphia has a wage tax, so if you work in the city, factor that into your job offer. NJ offers a state income tax credit against the Philadelphia wage tax, so you can have a big tax advantage living in NJ if you work in Philadelphia. Otherwise, the PA suburbs may come out slightly ahead due to PA's flat income tax and NJ's graudated tax. As Frank suggested, the higher priced PA counties (Bucks, MontCo, etc.) are going to be comparable in expenses when compared to NJ.

NJ homes on the whole are priced less because the property tax burdens are higher and depress the home values. People can only afford so much money for housing expense. I think you're going to have an easier time finding sub 200k houses in desirable neighborhoods in NJ versus PA for this reason.

NJ public schools are very good, especially for the money if you have a few kids. The higher property tax bill in many towns assures you don't need private school from K-12. Many PA burbs have excellent schools too, but I think you'll find few combinations of sub-200k liveable housing, excellent schools, and low expenses. A few that come to mind are Logan Township in NJ, lower priced homes in Collingswood/Haddon Township, Cherry Hill West, and maybe some of the older burbs others suggested on the PA side.

Good luck!

[BTA88]

Originally Posted by BPP1999

You are way off. Way off.

Look at the Philadelphia Magazine ranking of schools which came out last month or the month before. Look at the Philly.com rankings. Just because you had some sort of bad experience with a PA school does not mean that your statement is remotely true.

Typical. Some rag posts numbers contrary to real world experience and CD opinion is clearly I experienced it wrong.

[LHM]

Originally Posted by BTA88

Public schools in NJ are far superior. By a long shot.

This is quite a generalization, and therefore it has no merit.

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by BTA88

Typical. Some rag posts numbers contrary to real world experience and CD opinion is clearly I experienced it wrong.

I would suggest that your posts are typical of someone who had a bad experience and therefore is generalizing reality to make it fit your situation. You are originally from NJ and you have that bias. I get that. But don't extrapolate when what you are saying has no merit and cannot be proved in the slightest way.

The OP should check Philly.com, Philadelphia Magazine, schoolmatters.com, greatschools.com, etc. for schools in both states. If anything, the local media (philly.com, Phila Mag) surveys indicate that, when comparing suburban Philadelphia schools on the PA and NJ side, most of the well-performing schools perform pretty much at the same levels, most of the good schools perform good, and most of the not-so-good schools perform not-so-good. Your statement was ridiculous.

[RightonWalnut]

This site is filled with so much wrong information

Stereofoam... it depends where you want to live really. Both NJ and PA burbs will offer you and your family a good living experience and both PA and NJ burbs have FANTASTIC schools. Some of the best in the nation. Most of the homes in NJ seem to have been built around the 60s and 70s where some homes in PA bordering the city will be MUCH older. You'll have to go out a little further to find something newer. There are new construction in both burbs of course but generally you'll be moving further from the city for newer construction. As Frank said, NJ taxes are basically on par with Bucks or Montco taxes. Remember though that Montco and Bucks are generally wealthier areas so you will likely pay more money for a house. Bucks has a ton of new construction... I'm sure NJ does too but I haven't been there recently so I can't speak honestly on that subject. In Bucks you can check out Langhorne area. You may want to check some areas in Delaware County as well like Media, PA... you may be able to find what you are looking for there. In Montco you can check out Willow Grove, Ambler, Abington, Conshohocken, Elkins Park, Cheltenham. In the city, you can check out the Northeast section of the city like Somerton or Bustleton... just be wary, generally public schools in the city aren't too great... you could send your kid to private school or catholic school if you want to live in the city however. In NJ, you may want to ask the New Jersey Suburbs thread for some good suggestions if that is where you would like to live. Ask Frank too, he knows NJ well. I know they are pretty fond of Collingswood in NJ.