Chadds Ford Area Question (Chester, Drexel Hill: real estate, foreclosure, houses)

[Jax2PVB]

Our family (husband is 41, I am 43 and kids are 5,11,15 & 16) are just starting to research areas of PA and this suburb (may be a bit further out than "suburb" call for, but this Philly area forum seemed my best option) comes up for great schools, low taxes, do-able distance for airports, getting away on weekends, and having nice home on 2-4 acre lots.

Chadds Ford seems to "look" good online and we will visit later this fall, but wanted to ask here...
My question is whether or not this is too good to be true? I am finding homes $450-$650k and taxes are low (under $3k) and the schools are all very highly rated. What's the draw back? Is there some hidden down side of this area like high foreclosure rates, redneck backward people, all retirees (I don't want to be the oldest or the youngest, so trying to find a good balance) - maybe it really is a great place to move and I am just a skeptic?

We are both self employed and can live anywhere as we work from home, so no commuting. We would likely wait another 18 months so our oldest graduates HS before we move, but we would (at that time) have a HS Junior, an 8th grader and a 2nd grader, so schools are important.

Any inside scoop about this area? Is it very "rural" or more like distant suburbs? Is it growing? (We are trying to leave an area of Florida that is experiencing unprecedented growth and causing horrible traffic, price gauging on real estate and over crowded schools. It is important that we find a place that isn't throwing up massive subdivisions with "spit and glue" houses and 10 feet between homes)

Thanks all...

[Pocopsonite]

Chadds Ford is lovely. Suburban leaning toward rural, depending on the specific location. You want to be in the Unionville/Chadds Ford School District. (That could be either Chester County or Delaware County.)

In the past 10 years, there has been tremendous growth in the area. There's now a huge amount of shopping in the area of the intersection of Routes 1 and 202. If you're looking at 2-4 acre properties, the effect is mostly good for you; it doesn't change the ambience of the neighborhoods with large lots. The traffic has gotten worse, but PennDOT is working on that. There's a current project to widen Route 322, which is how you'd get to the airport.

The only thing I don't understand is the tax information you've found. A $500,000 house on that size lot would normally have taxes around $6-8K and even higher.

We have lived in the area for 33 years and we think it's one of the best places in the country to live, work, and retire. Hope you find something that suits you.

[WaffleCone]

CF is a beautiful area. Andrew Weyeth country-- plenty of rolling hills and old farmhouses with postcard charm. The lots are large with well taken care of homes of different styles. There are a few newer shopping centers nearby and restaurants in surrounding towns (Kennett Square, Concordville, and just over the state line in DE). It's not an area that will be overrun with development and even the new McMansions usually have 1+ acre lots. Great schools as you mentioned. NOT a great place for commuting, figure on 45+ minutes to get to the airport or into the city.

Despite being a wealthy area it's not at all uppity. Sure, you'll find Volvos and Mercedes in driveways but right next to them you'll see someone fixing their own tractor. I don't spend much time there but the people I've met are very approachable and tend to be hands-on taking care of their own property.

A word about taxes... a $450k house will be more like $6000 not $3000 as you state. If it's a newer home it could be $10000. zillow is reporting only one component of the full property tax. Unionville-CF school district will have higher taxes but in that district you're getting your money's worth. Just be aware of costs. I use redfin or everyhome.com when looking at taxes.

[mslhu]

I don’t think Zillow captures school taxes, which are generally more than property taxes.

[Jax2PVB]

I was on the county site and the taxes I see are under $2k for homes that sold recently (in the last four years) for $500k or more. I should probably mention that I am a licensed realtor so I do not trust zillow to be accurate and I research the county site.
Another home we like is in the same school zone, sold in 2004 for $553k and is listed now at $640k - it also has taxes on the county site listed as $1723 a year.

Where do I find the school tax page to see the full picture? Also, can someone explain the Pennsylvania Homestead to me? We have it in Florida, and here we get $50k off our assessed value for Homestead. That means that if your home is assessed at $700k it is only taxed at an assessment of $650k, so it really only saves $500-700 a year, which when your taxes are over $12,000 is nice but it isn't making me super excited for hitting the jackpot in tax savings!

What is the Pennsylvania Homestead tax break?

Any further insight will be great. I love the idea of upscale but without the snooty aspect. We too drive a nice car, but my husband drives his own lawn tractor, we maintain the house ourselves and we love getting our hands dirty in the garden. Where we are now, the area is so affluent that I worry we will not be able to keep up as we get older and I would rather live comfortably in retirement than be the one that tries to hold on as the house falls to disrepair because of all the pressures to "put on a show" and hire everyone for everything....

[Philly246]

In the last few years, a Whole Foods, and Maseratti dealer have opened on the main commercial drag-so that should give you some idea of the demographics of the area. But those taxes are way off. My home is above your higher limit (although not that much) and my taxes are closer to 16k.
PS. Unionville is one of the best schools in the state

Perhaps your searching over the Delaware state line by accident - taxes are MUCH cheaper in DE.

[toobusytoday]

This may help you with taxes: Tax Information - Chadds Ford Township * And this will give you an idea of taxes in different areas: https://smartasset.com/taxes/pennsyl...tor#eoFC6bprm9 The second link is one I have in the sticky at the top of this forum, "Help for new posters"

[grm215]

Another thing to keep in mind is that Delaware County (which includes part of Chadds Ford) is in the middle of a property reassessment.

[youngprodigy21]

202 into PA is congested as hell. That's the biggest drawback.

[chessimprov]

If your older children are self-disciplined, independent type learners, and if you can be and want to be with younger ones for education during the day, cyber school is definitely an option. This would also open up your options more to areas with lower tax brackets. Near Kennett Square is Avon Grove and Octorara, both respectable school districts too even though they are no Unionville-Chaddsford. Maybe even consider cyber for your HS children and regular brick and mortar for the younger ones.



You could go up near the airport- I think places in Essington have yards. Folcroft, Clifton Heights, Ridley Park, Drexel Hill all might be worth considering. Ridley Park is in a respectable school district, and the other places might be in so-so school districts overall unless you have a child in a competitive sport at said school of that district (Upper Darby HS I think has a competitive cheer leading squad, for instance). Places with so-so school districts may have the tax bracket you are looking for, but still that environment of some space and with respectable safety overall. Since you might not get the quality education from the brick and mortar school district, you can certainly get it from a cyber school "at your fingertips".