Neighborhood Suggestions! Late 30s Couple (Chester, West Chester: transplants, to rent, HOA fees)

[cadmia]

Hello!

I've done a lot of reading here, but I wanted to fill out the form to make sure I wasn't overlooking neighborhoods that might be worth looking into.

We would be transplants from Baltimore County, but I grew up in southern NJ and part of why I want to move back is to be closer to my family who are still there. Ideally I'd like to be no further than ~45 minutes from Glassboro, NJ. We're also big Longwood Gardens fans! Easy access to the city is a plus!

We're seriously looking at Media, Wyndmoor / Glenside, Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy and perhaps East Falls. I've looked a little at West Chester (would this skew too young? That's what we are trying to get away from). Is Bucks County worth looking at based on our other parameters? There's also the darkhorse candidate of Kennett Square although that doesn't quite meet my close to Glassboro requirement.

When are you moving? Variable - There is nothing compelling about moving other than to be closer to family and have a change of pace. We like our home, but live in a college town so it's a bit younger than we'd like.
Where are you coming from? Baltimore County
Why are you moving? See above - to be closer to family and hopefully find something that meshes a little more closely with our priorities
Where will you be working? I work remotely; my husband is a phlebotomist so he's pretty flexible
Have you been here yet? I'm familiar with a lot of the area as a visitor, but still reprogramming my brain to think of the areas as a resident

Will you buy or rent? Interested in buying, but not adverse to renting. Again, since timing isn't a huge issue, we are pretty flexible
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend? We don't love yard work so a very small lawn in a SFH could work, but we are more TH people. That's what we have now and like it. Townhouse / row home would be fine. Condo could be ok if the fees aren't insane. Budget is probably anywhere between $350k-$450k depending on the composition of taxes and HOA fees (which are all over the place).

Do you have a preference of living in a NJ or PA suburb? PA - No NJ taxes for me.

Are you married or single? Do you have children? Married. Children are still possible, but not imminent. Good schools are nice to have.
Do you prefer public or private schools? Public
Do you have pets? Yes, cats!
Do you want or need a yard? Not really
Are you keeping a car? We currently have two small cars (Honda Fit / Chevy Spark). Depending on our ultimate location, we will probably get rid of one
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? We like a nice, walkable downtown / mainstreet area, but night time quiet.

What do you want to be closest to? Transit, community events, outdoor activities such as parks would be a plus.

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? We enjoy diversity, but are really looking for a strong sense of community.

Coke or Pepsi? Rootbeer!

[MarketStEl]

You left Germantown off your list.

It's varied as far as safety and attractiveness goes, but it has many very nice areas within its borders. And much of the housing is both in great shape and affordable. Public transportation is very convenient as well.

And as far as "close to Glassboro" is concerned, I'm surprised you aren't looking anywhere in South Philly. East Passyunk especially should appeal to you: the houses have no yards to speak of - small paved patios in back are the most common form of outdoor space - the main drag (East Passyunk Avenue) has great shopping and dining, and it's very convenient to the city center as well.