Philly burbs (Norristown, King of Prussia, Lansdale: middle-class, apartment complexes, rental)

[DonaldJTrump]

What can you Philly people tell me about working and living in the Horseham, King of Prussia, Ft washington area? Single person, would rent first for a year before buying.

I am applying for some jobs there as it seems big corporations are concentrated there. I'm a big corporation type of guy

I've visited Philly several times before, but would rather work outside but close to the city. I also like PA over NY; like northeast PA, but less jobs there, so SEPA is the logical choice

[chessimprov]

Nice areas to live in. Probably reasonable rent unless your budget is real low.

[KansastoSouthphilly]

Very stereotypical suburbs. Spread out. A lot of strip malls and office parks. If you like suburbia you will love those areas.

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by KansastoSouthphilly

Very stereotypical suburbs. Spread out. A lot of strip malls and office parks. If you like suburbia you will love those areas.

True, but there are a few non-typical suburbs in those areas as well. Ambler and Jenkintown come to mind. Perhaps Conshohocken or Bridgeport as well.

[KansastoSouthphilly]

Originally Posted by BPP1999

True, but there are a few non-typical suburbs in those areas as well. Ambler and Jenkintown come to mind. Perhaps Conshohocken or Bridgeport as well.

Agreed. I am a fan of walkable communities with main streets and I like all the towns you listed. I am particularly fond of Ambler.

[DonaldJTrump]

Are there any desirable condos in any of those towns?

How much should i expect to pay on average studio or 1 bdrm rent for?

[MarketStEl]

King of Prussia is our pre-eminent "edge city," the second-largest on the East Coast and home to the largest shopping mall in America when measured by leasable selling space. And just like they've been doing down the road in Washington's pre-eminent (and the East Coast's largest) edge city, Tysons Corner, Va., they're aggressively trying to retrofit walkability onto an autocentric archipelago of shopping malls, industrial facilities (KofP has more industrial space than Tysons does), offices and apartment complexes. The Village at Valley Forge is the epicenter of this action; ironically, if and when SEPTA completes the Norristown High-Speed Line spur the King of Prussia District is pushing hard for, it won't have a stop at this development.

There's a spurt of new housing construction and rehabilitation in the KofP area. Extended-stay communities and Toll Brothers townhouses are sprouting at the VatVF, and one of the older apartment communities, 251 DeKalb, got a total refresh recently. You can find garden apartments along Gulph and Henderson roads as well; the main bus routes connecting KofP with Center City follow these two streets.

All of the walkable suburban downtowns in this region have some apartments in them, but not many; Ardmore's in the process of getting a large new upmarket apartment building courtesy Carl Dranoff, one of our region's leading developers.You can add Ardmore, Bala, Bryn Mawr, Wayne, Glenside, Lansdale and Media to the list above.

I'm a big fan of Media, "Everybody's Hometown" and the Delaware County seat. It has a very walkable Main Street - with a streetcar running right down the middle of it. Loads of good restaurants, interesting shops and a lively theater with a full schedule of performances. And if you want to access other suburban job centers not found along the 101 trolley or the Regional Rail line, I-476 (the "Blue Route") skirts the town on its east. I think apartment rents there average about $800-900/month for a studio and $1000-1100 a month for a 1br, but don't quote me, for I'm not as up on rental trends as I am house prices.

But you're looking in the northern 'burbs, I see. If you're looking for work in KofP, you can consider the Main Line communities I listed as well, Wayne in particular. I think median rents are a little higher in those communities than they are in more middle-middle-class Media. Glenside and Lansdale are northern 'burbs like Jenkintown and Ambler.

[dmarch]

I may be relocating to the area for a potential job in Horsham. I do not want to live to far from work, but I am concerned about the water issues I have been reading about. Can anyone speak to those issues.