East Falls or Manayunk for a single 50 something? (Philadelphia, Chester: apartment, renting)

[curlygirl61]

I'm just starting to look to buy after renting in Bryn Mawr for 4 years having moved here from Maine. I love the walkability of where I live and would love to stay here ( I work in Malvern so the commute is not bad) I do a lot of my activities in Valley Forge Park and Betzwood and I also love to go down to Kelly Drive to run.

I want continued walkability and decent access to highways. I want to be near my daughter, who is in Manayunk and other family in Bala Cynwyd.

I don't think I can afford to buy something decent where I am, although there are homes in my range available. I can spend maybe up to 240k or 250k. There are gorgeous townhomes/row homes in both Manayunk and East Falls for around 209k to 214K.

know nothing about East Falls.. please tell me all you know! Thanks!

[2e1m5a]

I would choose East Falls over Manayunk.

East Falls is bordered by Manayunk/Roxborough to the North, Germantown to the East, The Schuylkill River and Fairmount Park to the West and North Philly to the South. Ridge Ave is the main street in East Falls and features several restaurants and bars. Going up the hill from Ridge on the way to Germantown the homes get larger and grander and it becomes a little less walkable although very beautiful. Main Street is the main street in Manayunk hah and nearly all of MYK is dense/walkable/rowhomes.


Both neighborhoods have plenty of College students but Manayunk can sometimes seem to have nothing but. That is an exaggeration but East Falls has a very healthy mix of families, young professionals, students, single adults and has better access to 76, Kelly/MLK Drive, City Ave, Roosevelt Blvd, Center City.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by 2e1m5a

I would choose East Falls over Manayunk.

I would as well.

Not only am I a single 50-something like you, but I'm also claustrophobic as far as residential density, and East Falls, to me, seems a little less congested than Manayunk.

[curlygirl61]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

I would as well.

Not only am I a single 50-something like you, but I'm also claustrophobic as far as residential density, and East Falls, to me, seems a little less congested than Manayunk.

Do you live in East Falls? My daughter says it's a bit sketchy/unsafe in areas.. How do you get on 76 from there?

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by curlygirl61

Do you live in East Falls? My daughter says it's a bit sketchy/unsafe in areas.. How do you get on 76 from there?

One of my offices is on Midvale. You can get on 76 from Ridge Avenue.

I don't think East Falls is unsafe at all; I've never felt uncomfortable walking around. I'm not often there after dark, though, except during the winter (when it's always dark!). There always seem to be people out and about.

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

Originally Posted by curlygirl61

Do you live in East Falls? My daughter says it's a bit sketchy/unsafe in areas.. How do you get on 76 from there?

East Falls is a fairly desirable neighborhood. There's really nothing bad at all about East Falls, if anything, it can be fairly quiet - they have a small neighborhood center along Ridge and Midvale is a few stores, some restaurants, a library, and a train station. It's literally right off of 76.

It borders...I guess Swampoodle (?) on one end, which is a part of North Philadelphia and a slightly more desolate area of Germantown on another end. So perhaps your daughter is just a little unclear about the actual boundaries of East Falls. But there are no real problems with it, and even its bordering neighborhoods aren't all that bad. I think a person in your situation would definitely prefer it to Manayunk.

Among notable residents and former residents are Ed Rendell, Arlen Specer, and Grace Kelley. If that says anything about how "sketchy" it is.

[Debbie1125]

Sounds like Manayunk would be a better fit for you. It's a convenient area and close to Bala Cynwyd and Roxborough as well.

I am over 40 but not 50 yet. I've lived in the area for over 10 years and I love it. You have a good choice of supermarkets and shopping on Ridge Avenue as well as Main Street.

East Falls is nice too but if you want walkability and convenience, I think that Manayunk would be the better choice. Also, have you considered Roxborough? It has an older demographic than Manayunk.

[curlygirl61]

Originally Posted by Debbie1125

Sounds like Manayunk would be a better fit for you. It's a convenient area and close to Bala Cynwyd and Roxborough as well.

I am over 40 but not 50 yet. I've lived in the area for over 10 years and I love it. You have a good choice of supermarkets and shopping on Ridge Avenue as well as Main Street.

East Falls is nice too but if you want walkability and convenience, I think that Manayunk would be the better choice. Also, have you considered Roxborough? It has an older demographic than Manayunk.

No, but thanks for the input. I'm concerned with how my commute to Malvern would be in any of these places.

[drive carephilly]

I would go with East Falls. Better access and there's really nothing sketchy about it at all.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by curlygirl61

No, but thanks for the input. I'm concerned with how my commute to Malvern would be in any of these places.

A commute to Malvern wouldn't be great from any of them. You'd probably be looking at an hour each way in traffic, and that's taking the backroads. Have you thought about Media? You wouldn't be next door to Malvern, but you could cut your commute time in half and you still wouldn't be terribly far from Manayunk or Bala-Cynwyd for weekend visits.

Taking the train (or driving along backroads) from Narberth, Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, or Wayne would be good choices as well if you're willing to settle for an apartment.

If you want more house for your money but still want to live in a walkable community convenient to work, you could try Paoli, West Chester, Phoenixville, or Downingtown. You'd be further removed from Bala-Cynwyd or Manayunk though.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that you won't *quite* be able to get everything you're after at your price point. However, you can get most of the things you desire. It's a question of balancing work commute, bang for buck, and convenience to family and friends. IMO, Ardmore seems like the best happy medium.