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When are you moving? 2018
Where are you coming from? New York, NY Why are you moving? Recently married and New York is just way too expensive to stay. Where will you be working? I work from home. The wife is a Nurse. Have you been here yet? I've been to Philly about 7-10 times
Will you buy or rent? Going to rent for awhile before deciding to buy If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend? Not that picky and can spend between $650k to $800k If renting, are you looking for an apartment, a townhouse or loft? How much can you spend?
Do you prefer hi-rise or walk up? Doesn't really matter to me. Probably no more than $2,000/month
Do you have a preference of living in a NJ or PA suburb? Not really a fan of Suburbia (If you answered NJ - post your answers here: //www.city-data.com/forum/new-j...-philadelphia/)
Are you married or single? Do you have children? Recently Married. No Kids. Do you prefer public or private schools? Prefer Public. Do you have pets? No, but might get a dog. Do you want or need a yard? NY has no outdoor space. It might be nice to have something with a little greenery or even a view of something. Are you keeping a car? No Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? I prefer a little of both. Philadelphia attracted us a lot due to the big town/little city vibe we felt in many of the neighborhoods. We don't get run over by other pedestrians taking while on the sidewalk (unlike in NY)
What do you want to be closest to? Would like to be someplace near public transportation and some nice restaurants Work I work from home Shopping Not a big deal Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.) Would be nice to have a grocery in the area Nightlife Not big on the party scene Train or subway stations Would be nice to be within 10 mins walking distance
Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? Doesn't matter
Coke or Pepsi? Cherry Coke
Right now my Wife and I are in a bit of a crossroads because we know we can't stay in a nice part of NY and raise a family with a home we can comfortably afford. A lot of the other Northeastern cities are much the same with Boston and DC also being completely overpriced (in my opinion). Philadelphia, which we enjoy, seems like the obvious choice. However, we do have our concerns, and as an alternative choice we are very much considering the Chicago area too.
From where we stand Philadelphia seems like the better choice on paper. It's a quick drive from home, property taxes are low (compared to Chicago & NY), homes cost less, and it provides a good mixture of urban with a bit more greenery than we're used to and many of the same amenities.
However, there are things that we do find as questionable. The job market in Philadelphia? My Wife's a nurse, so maybe it won't be as hard for her to find work, and even though I work from home, should I have to go out into the job market I imagine it might be infinitely easier for me to land a job (sales or real estate) someplace in downtown Chicago than in Philadelphia.
School system? While Chicago isn't perfect in this area either I think they probably rank higher than what Philadelphia seems to reflect lately.
The gentrification/appreciation value in the coming years of Philadelphia? Chicago is definitely on the up-and-up in regards to real estate. Neighborhoods keep improving and if I were to buy a place within subway commute distance to downtown I'm sure in 20 years I could rake in a nice profit on whatever real estate I own there. While this isn't a huge motivator in my decision-making it doesn't hurt either. I absolutely know Philadelphia is getting better and changing, but I'm less familiar with this topic and I don't know how quickly things are improving and if they'll continue to improve. Better jobs, better schools, transportation, etc... all stimulate growth. I think I'd be a bit disappointed to buy a home and in 20 years have it be worth more-or-less what I paid for it.
Apologies for the long-winded post. I think we're leaning toward Philadelphia, but we need a little bit of motivation.
When are you moving? 2018
Where are you coming from? New York, NY Why are you moving? Recently married and New York is just way too expensive to stay. Where will you be working? I work from home. The wife is a Nurse. Have you been here yet? I've been to Philly about 7-10 times
Will you buy or rent? Going to rent for awhile before deciding to buy If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend? Not that picky and can spend between $650k to $800k If renting, are you looking for an apartment, a townhouse or loft? How much can you spend?
Do you prefer hi-rise or walk up? Doesn't really matter to me. Probably no more than $2,000/month
Do you have a preference of living in a NJ or PA suburb? Not really a fan of Suburbia (If you answered NJ - post your answers here: //www.city-data.com/forum/new-j...-philadelphia/)
Are you married or single? Do you have children? Recently Married. No Kids. Do you prefer public or private schools? Prefer Public. Do you have pets? No, but might get a dog. Do you want or need a yard? NY has no outdoor space. It might be nice to have something with a little greenery or even a view of something. Are you keeping a car? No Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? I prefer a little of both. Philadelphia attracted us a lot due to the big town/little city vibe we felt in many of the neighborhoods. We don't get run over by other pedestrians taking while on the sidewalk (unlike in NY)
What do you want to be closest to? Would like to be someplace near public transportation and some nice restaurants Work I work from home Shopping Not a big deal Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.) Would be nice to have a grocery in the area Nightlife Not big on the party scene Train or subway stations Would be nice to be within 10 mins walking distance
Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? Doesn't matter
Coke or Pepsi? Cherry Coke
Right now my Wife and I are in a bit of a crossroads because we know we can't stay in a nice part of NY and raise a family with a home we can comfortably afford. A lot of the other Northeastern cities are much the same with Boston and DC also being completely overpriced (in my opinion). Philadelphia, which we enjoy, seems like the obvious choice. However, we do have our concerns, and as an alternative choice we are very much considering the Chicago area too.
From where we stand Philadelphia seems like the better choice on paper. It's a quick drive from home, property taxes are low (compared to Chicago & NY), homes cost less, and it provides a good mixture of urban with a bit more greenery than we're used to and many of the same amenities.
However, there are things that we do find as questionable. The job market in Philadelphia? My Wife's a nurse, so maybe it won't be as hard for her to find work, and even though I work from home, should I have to go out into the job market I imagine it might be infinitely easier for me to land a job (sales or real estate) someplace in downtown Chicago than in Philadelphia.
School system? While Chicago isn't perfect in this area either I think they probably rank higher than what Philadelphia seems to reflect lately.
The gentrification/appreciation value in the coming years of Philadelphia? Chicago is definitely on the up-and-up in regards to real estate. Neighborhoods keep improving and if I were to buy a place within subway commute distance to downtown I'm sure in 20 years I could rake in a nice profit on whatever real estate I own there. While this isn't a huge motivator in my decision-making it doesn't hurt either. I absolutely know Philadelphia is getting better and changing, but I'm less familiar with this topic and I don't know how quickly things are improving and if they'll continue to improve. Better jobs, better schools, transportation, etc... all stimulate growth. I think I'd be a bit disappointed to buy a home and in 20 years have it be worth more-or-less what I paid for it.
Apologies for the long-winded post. I think we're leaning toward Philadelphia, but we need a little bit of motivation.
Since you've been to Philly several times already can you elaborate on what neighborhoods you've been to and what you felt about them wrt possibly living in them? That will help with responses, I think.
I see lots of NY licence plates so people may be thinking the way you are about moving here or at least investigating that they should.
Your housing budget will be fine with many good neighborhoods in the city.
I haven't had the chance to visit all the neighborhoods yet but. On my next trip I'll probably be checking out Spruce Hill. I've seen some of the Victorian homes for sale and they're very beautiful on the outside and it seems to provide a good balance of being in a city, but not right in the middle of the city. A lot of those homes look like they need work and care though.
For what it's worth, I'm okay living in the not-as-established neighborhoods to get more for my dollar. I'm also keen on seeing Northern Liberties. On my last trip I walked through Fairmount toward Girard Avenue. There were some nice homes there, but I've heard (here on this forum) that Girard Avenue acts as sort of the Mason-Dixon line .. Once you get that far north taking the subway also seems impractical?
I also walked south of Washington Ave near Capitolo Playground and then over to Jefferson Square in a previous trip, which was an interesting experience. I had heard Pennsport/Dickinson Narrows was a neighborhood to look at, but I didn't quite make it.
Frankly, so long as my wife and I can walk home at night and feel safe I'm sure it would be something to consider
I live in University City, and I'm a real University City booster. I love this residential neighborhood of leafy shady streets, Victorian homes, excellent transportation to Center City by trolley or bus, pretty Clark Park, dozens of ethnic restaurants and shops that are not chain stores.
My home is a three story 6 bedroom c.1894 Second Empire Victorian "Twin" (that is Philly talk for a semi-detached townhouse). I bought it in 2003 for about $170K. Today the fair market value is about $550K to $575. I made a wise investment, but even 13 years ago I saw gentrification was taking place and someone said "buy it now, or you'll regret you didn't for the rest of your life." My NYC relatives, when they see my high ceilings, stained glass windows, three fireplaces, etc. tell me a house like mine in Park Slope or Cobble Hill would go for 3 or 4 million.
So I guess my point is this: I think you get the most bang for your buck here in Philly. It's getting expensive, but compared to NYC or Boston or Washington or even Baltimore ... Philly is a bargain!
Besides our winters are much milder than Chicago's.
I live in University City, and I'm a real University City booster. I love this residential neighborhood of leafy shady streets, Victorian homes, excellent transportation to Center City by trolley or bus, pretty Clark Park, dozens of ethnic restaurants and shops that are not chain stores.
My home is a three story 6 bedroom c.1894 Second Empire Victorian "Twin" (that is Philly talk for a semi-detached townhouse). I bought it in 2003 for about $170K. Today the fair market value is about $550K to $575. I made a wise investment, but even 13 years ago I saw gentrification was taking place and someone said "buy it now, or you'll regret you didn't for the rest of your life." My NYC relatives, when they see my high ceilings, stained glass windows, three fireplaces, etc. tell me a house like mine in Park Slope or Cobble Hill would go for 3 or 4 million.
So I guess my point is this: I think you get the most bang for your buck here in Philly. It's getting expensive, but compared to NYC or Boston or Washington or even Baltimore ... Philly is a bargain!
Besides our winters are much milder than Chicago's.
I love your post, but Philadelphia is definitely more expensive than Baltimore.
My wife and I just went through the house buying process, although our target range was a bit lower, I think we have a pretty good lay of the land. At $650k-$800k you pretty much have your choice of neighborhood, except maybe Rittenhouse and Society.
Spruce Hill/University city have already been brought up for good reason. It's a beautiful neighborhood, right next to Penn and U of Sciences. Real estate has gone through the roof with the Penn Alexander elementary school attracting a ton of young families. If you're concerned about schools, this one is a slam dunk. Crime is pretty low, though our friends have had stuff taken from their cars. I feel totally safe in that area at all times. Public transit is ok, the further south you, the further from the subway and closer to the trolley. Great access to the job generator that is Penn, CHOP, etc...Housing inventory super tight, though again, we were looking a bit down in price range.
Fitler Square- Part of Center City proper, between Rittenhouse and Graduate hospital. If I wanted to live in Center City, this would be the hood. Quaint, walkable, somewhat reasonably price, super accessible to all that Center City has to offer but also more laid back. Depending on where you buy, 4-8 block walk to the subway.
Northern Liberties- we lived in Fishtown for 10 years, which is one neighborhood over. I have mixed feelings about NoLibs. Some parts are great, but there's a ton of ugly new, auto oriented construction. Not sure about the schools. Lots of great dining/drinking options, but there's some serious broverflow on Second Street. Between two El stops, but not super convenient to either. Go check it out. It's an interesting hood. Some love it, some not so much. I think it has its pros, but its moment has passed. Girard ave is fine, property crime is a serious issue. Sometimes you hear about stuff worse than just property crime, but overall pretty safe.
Queen village/bella vista- great local elementary school. Lovely rowhouse housing stock, close to Italian Market which is the real deal. Not great public transit, Bella Vista is closer. Cool urban vibe, but very much yuppified at this point.
I haven't had the chance to visit all the neighborhoods yet but. On my next trip I'll probably be checking out Spruce Hill. I've seen some of the Victorian homes for sale and they're very beautiful on the outside and it seems to provide a good balance of being in a city, but not right in the middle of the city. A lot of those homes look like they need work and care though.
For what it's worth, I'm okay living in the not-as-established neighborhoods to get more for my dollar. I'm also keen on seeing Northern Liberties. On my last trip I walked through Fairmount toward Girard Avenue. There were some nice homes there, but I've heard (here on this forum) that Girard Avenue acts as sort of the Mason-Dixon line .. Once you get that far north taking the subway also seems impractical?
I also walked south of Washington Ave near Capitolo Playground and then over to Jefferson Square in a previous trip, which was an interesting experience. I had heard Pennsport/Dickinson Narrows was a neighborhood to look at, but I didn't quite make it.
Frankly, so long as my wife and I can walk home at night and feel safe I'm sure it would be something to consider
Yes, continue your exploration of S. Phila(Passyunk Sq, Bella Vista, Queen Village). You should also look at Graduate Hospital, Hawthorne, Spring Garden, Francisville and Fishtown. There are Center City neighborhoods that you might look into like Fitler Sq ,Logan Circle or Old City.
Plenty of Temple U. students live north of Girard Ave and they're on the subway all the time. But, of course, they're not looking for permanent residency in those areas.
The neighborhoods in the NW part of the city(Manayunk, Mt Airy(east and west), Chestnut Hill, Roxborough, parts of Germantown) are worth a look. Terrific houses with character and tree lined streets. However our regional rail system is a mess right now and commuting would be a nightmare in the short run from some of those places. If the trains were running properly some commutes from these communities would be similar to taking a Metro North train from Grand Central to the Bronx near the Botanical Garden as a comparison.
My wife and I just went through the house buying process, although our target range was a bit lower, I think we have a pretty good lay of the land. At $650k-$800k you pretty much have your choice of neighborhood, except maybe Rittenhouse and Society.
Spruce Hill/University city have already been brought up for good reason. It's a beautiful neighborhood, right next to Penn and U of Sciences. Real estate has gone through the roof with the Penn Alexander elementary school attracting a ton of young families. If you're concerned about schools, this one is a slam dunk. Crime is pretty low, though our friends have had stuff taken from their cars. I feel totally safe in that area at all times. Public transit is ok, the further south you, the further from the subway and closer to the trolley. Great access to the job generator that is Penn, CHOP, etc...Housing inventory super tight, though again, we were looking a bit down in price range.
Fitler Square- Part of Center City proper, between Rittenhouse and Graduate hospital. If I wanted to live in Center City, this would be the hood. Quaint, walkable, somewhat reasonably price, super accessible to all that Center City has to offer but also more laid back. Depending on where you buy, 4-8 block walk to the subway.
Northern Liberties- we lived in Fishtown for 10 years, which is one neighborhood over. I have mixed feelings about NoLibs. Some parts are great, but there's a ton of ugly new, auto oriented construction. Not sure about the schools. Lots of great dining/drinking options, but there's some serious broverflow on Second Street. Between two El stops, but not super convenient to either. Go check it out. It's an interesting hood. Some love it, some not so much. I think it has its pros, but its moment has passed. Girard ave is fine, property crime is a serious issue. Sometimes you hear about stuff worse than just property crime, but overall pretty safe.
Queen village/bella vista- great local elementary school. Lovely rowhouse housing stock, close to Italian Market which is the real deal. Not great public transit, Bella Vista is closer. Cool urban vibe, but very much yuppified at this point.
Good advice but being in the Penn Alexander catchment does not guarantee enrollment now. There's a lottery systsm for admission. The price of neighborhood success and popularity, I guess.
The OP, wrt W. Philly/ University City , should also look in Powelton Village near Drexel. The Powel School is pretty good from what I've heard.
Does anyone have any experience with the Dickinson Narrows/Pennsport area?
It seems a bit far for my taste, but I read that it's up-and-coming and it looks like it has a big park nearby
I lived in South Philly for 12 years in a few different neighborhoods. I like to say I'm taking an extended vacation on the West Coast but in the words of the Terminator . . .
Anyway, there's nothing wrong with Dickinson or Pennsport although with the latter I think you're a little late to get in cheap - not that it's not within your budget I just don't see the value there at that price. The problem for me personally is that it's a far walk from everything and the transit is not that great. The 47 bus especially is one of the most crowded in the whole SEPTA system.
The next time you're in Philly start at 10th & South and walk south on 10th until you hit Passyunk. Then continue down Passyunk until you hit Broad, then cross Broad continuing on West Passyunk until 18th St. then turn around and head up 15th to Tasker St. and jump on the subway there. This gives you a pretty solid cross-section of South Philly that's close to the subway. The Acme at the intersection of 10th/Passyunk/Reed used to be one of my favorite places to people watch the crazy jumble of South Philly humanity.
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Cherry Coke
.. Once you get that far north taking the subway also seems impractical? 
