Relocating to Center City w/5 kids (Philadelphia, Narberth: real estate, apartment, rental)

[troid]

Help - We need someone who can help us relocate from upstate NY into Philly. Need steerage on schools, neighborhoods for a rental. (min. 3 bedroom or ~2500SF) We don't want a simple RE agent (that's easy) but someone who can show us areas and living options based on our family (5 kids: 13 to 4), AND knows school options(public/magnet/charter not private) AND common sense things to know about these options/areas(crime, parking, commutes, etc.) $3K is max. rent. We don't have the time/knowledge to do our own due diligence. We really need an experienced, efficient, sophisticated insider to help us distill these many issues and laser-beam our efforts.

Are there these type people (consultants?) out there? seems like a great business idea....

We've slowly been probing areas: Chestnut Hill, Collingwood, NJ, etc. but want to be back inside a city (we spent 15 yrs in NYC's East Village). We're afraid to commit to a rental somewhere without more insight to the scary stories heard about public schools and the iffy lottery chances for magnet & charter scholls. Can't afford privates. (Also, we can't overcome our quasi-bias against NJ so want Center City)

thanks for thoughts/references/leads...
that was a mouthful

[orrmobl]

Bite the bullet and move to the Tredyffrin Easttown school district - best suburban hs in PA...

Masterman in the city is a magnet hs that is even better...but you have to navigate the mostly bad school system up until that point...or go private...not worth it IMO...

Check out Narberth too as it in on the city limits, small town feel, great schools as well...

[fifi le pew]

I wish I could help you find the sort of professional gudance you seek, but just not sure if you're going to find such a person. Most agents who want to move a rental aren't going to have the insight, especially into the school issues, that I think you want/need.

First, assuming that you want to stay in Center City or the general area, you should check out the website: centercityschools.com It lists all the websites for the local schools as well as their catchement boundaries. You can click on the map and zoom in to see exactly what school you are zoned for. Philadelphia does allow for voluntary transfers to other schools. However, for the "good" public schools, it is VERY HARD to transfer in. So, I would advise having a few schools that you might feel comfortable in and then base your apartment search on that criteria. Then, BEFORE you sign the rental agreement, call or go to the local school and have them verify that your address is in that catchement.

I live in Center City and know tons of families who attend Center City schools, my child included. There is a knee jerk reaction that all are bad, and I don't believe this is so. My child is, thus far, getting a great education and is benefitting from attending a racially and economically diverse school. High school is a matter of some importance, and a little bit dicier. Masterman and Central are top notch--even better than most, if not all of the top suburban high schools. THe problem is that not every kid will have the scores to get in. There are a number of other magnet high schools that are highly regarded (CAPA, GAMP, Girl's High,). But, once again, it is an unkown factor for those who stick it out in the city.

Standard "wisdom" is that Meredith, McCall and Greenfield are the cream of the crop of the CC elementaries. Meredith roughly corresponds to the Queen Village area, McCall to Wash West and Sociey Hill areas, and Greenfield to the Rittenhouse/Logan Square areas. You could probably get the most bang for your rental buck in the Queen Village are.

However, I know a couple people who are enrolled in Nebinger and Stanton elementary schools. Although they don't receive the same word of mouth praise, these parents are extremely happy with the education they are receiving.

There is also a very good elementary school in West Philly--the Sadie Alexander school. It has a relatively small catchement area, so might not be easy to find a rental in this zone. Both Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill have elementary schools that are considered good by many, although those neighborhoods are outside Center City and more "suburban" in feel.

[akorosdc]

I don't know about schools in Center City, but if you do research it's entirely possible to get a good education in the public school system. Regarding high school, unless you're happy with your neighborhood school you can apply for any HS in the city. Some have programs centered around a particular interest (i.e. politics, sciences, arts), and then there's magnate schools and the neighborhood schools. Essentially, if you don't like your neighborhood HS, you can apply to just about any other high school. Central, Masterman, and Girls' are the best, and I've also heard good things about Lankenau and a few others. If you talk to the middle school counselor he/she should know, they generally start talking about high school in 7th grade and then get into the application process in 8th.

Jenks Elementary in Chestnut Hill is good, I actually think I know the new principal there. There's also a good magnate middle school (Hill Freedman) in Mt Airy. Many of their graduates go on to Central, Girls', and Masterman for high school. It's more of a "small town" feel in CH, but if you live close to Germantown Avenue you can walk to the coffee shops, restaurants, shops, and train station.

If you get a chance to visit the areas you're interested in, find the local school(s) and try to go in and talk to the principal, vice principal, or counselor.

[solibs]

Real Estate agents are prohibited (by federal law) from discussing demographics with their clients. You can't talk about crime, religion, race, ethnicity or family status. AFAIK, the Greater Philadelphia Association Realtors also bars its members from discussing sexual orientation.

Clients have to give their agents a fairly detailed description of what they're looking for. Making assumptions about what someone wants and "steering" them to certain areas can also get your license yanked.

[Philly Dave]

Think of your kids and move to the suburbs!
I would like to live in Center City near my job, but I have three kids (ages 13 to 6), and I don't hate them enough to send them to the public schools here -- even the better ones mentioned by a previous poster. If you absolutely have to live in the city, pony up and send the kids to a private school, such as Friends Select (but it will cost you big time).
If you want a compromise, then move to the Bala Cynwyd/Wynnewood/Merion area, where you are just a few miles from downtown (and right on the R5 regional rail line), but you are in the prestigious (suburban) Lower Merion school district. You should be able to easily afford a nice, large apartment out there for less than $3,000. Although if you plan to stay awhile, you should really consider buying further out in the suburbs. (And no, I'm not a real estate agent pushing home sales.)

[FindingZen]

After spending 15 years in the East Village, it sounds like you're prepared for the general benefits and challenges of city living.

As already said, there are good schools in the Center City area and beyond; if you live within the boundaries (aka catchment areas) that these schools serve, then you're golden. If not, then it will indeed be a fight to get your kids into the better schools. You may have to be particularly proactive regarding your 13 YO unless s/he tests as gifted and can qualify for Masterman. IMO it may be particularly difficult to find a quality junior high school.

I'm not sure how far $3000/month will get you for space with 7 people in Center City neighborhoods. You may do a little better out in University City which is still very urban but more laid-back and slightly more affordable. The Alexander school is definitely well-regarded and is supported by the University of Pennsylvania whose faculty children can be found there.

Are you connected to an employer who can direct you to a relocation specialist? If not, perhaps type that occupation and "Philadelphia" into your preferred search engine and see what comes up.

[solibs]

Originally Posted by Tone509

I'm not sure how far $3000/month will get you for space with 7 people in Center City neighborhoods. You may do a little better out in University City which is still very urban but more laid-back and slightly more affordable. The Alexander school is definitely well-regarded and is supported by the University of Pennsylvania whose faculty children can be found there.

I was thinking the same thing. Penn Alexander.
Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander - The School District of Philadelphia

That covers k-8.

Masterman isn't the only public school of note in the city. There's Central, Girls, CAPA, GAMP, Academy at Palumbo and, of course, it might be worth looking into a "scholarship" to places like Penn Charter.

[RoysGuy1729]

Originally Posted by troid

Help - We need someone who can help us relocate from upstate NY into Philly. Need steerage on schools, neighborhoods for a rental. (min. 3 bedroom or ~2500SF) We don't want a simple RE agent (that's easy) but someone who can show us areas and living options based on our family (5 kids: 13 to 4), AND knows school options(public/magnet/charter not private) AND common sense things to know about these options/areas(crime, parking, commutes, etc.) $3K is max. rent. We don't have the time/knowledge to do our own due diligence. We really need an experienced, efficient, sophisticated insider to help us distill these many issues and laser-beam our efforts.

Are there these type people (consultants?) out there? seems like a great business idea....

We've slowly been probing areas: Chestnut Hill, Collingwood, NJ, etc. but want to be back inside a city (we spent 15 yrs in NYC's East Village). We're afraid to commit to a rental somewhere without more insight to the scary stories heard about public schools and the iffy lottery chances for magnet & charter scholls. Can't afford privates. (Also, we can't overcome our quasi-bias against NJ so want Center City)

thanks for thoughts/references/leads...
that was a mouthful

To be honest with your budget and preference. I'd look in South Philly. I have seen large houses go for rent for decent pricing. Not very familiar with the schooling, but for a family in the city, its a definite suggestion. If you look at West Philly you can find brownstones with finished basements around $2000 or so but make sure you keep it as close to 40th as possible. One downfall would be the high college student population on one side and the neighborhood realtors can't mention, which is not safe at all on the other side. But like I said 40th is a solid area to start and there are houses in the area that might fit you.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by solibs

I was thinking the same thing. Penn Alexander.
Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander - The School District of Philadelphia

That covers k-8.

Masterman isn't the only public school of note in the city. There's Central, Girls, CAPA, GAMP, Academy at Palumbo and, of course, it might be worth looking into a "scholarship" to places like Penn Charter.

Oh I definitely agree with you about there being more quality high schools besides Masterman. I'm just not sure if all elementary schools are K-8 or where kids go for for junior high these days.