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Old 01-27-2018, 10:23 AM
 
3 posts, read 5,686 times
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Hello All-
We are looking to purchase a home in PA after renting for 7 months. We have pretty much narrowed it down between the Media, Phoenixville, and West Chester areas. We are flexible on location due (~2 hours of Philly) to a remote working situation. We have family just NW of Baltimore and would like to be within 2 hours driving from them. The towns mentioned above of where we have traveled and enjoyed the atmosphere. If any locals from each area can provide their insight (pros/cons) to each area that would be appreciated! Here is the rest of the info:

When are you moving? Looking to move this spring
Where are you coming from? We have been renting in Perkasie for the past 7 months and relocated from CO before that.
Why are you moving? Looking to move towards a more vibrant area and closer to amenities, airport, city
Where will you be working? Me: 60% Work from Home. 40% Travel. Most travel is ~2 hours outside Philly (to North NJ) and air travel ~ 1-2x/month.. Wife: Works from home 100%

Will you buy or rent? Buy. Hoping to spend within a range of $350k - $450k. Do not want an HOA. Would like to keep the property taxes reasonable (under 6K/yr). I would also like a garage or workshop for woodworking.


Are you married or single? Do you have children? My wife and I are 30 with no kids yet, but looking to start a family soon.

Do you prefer public or private schools? Public

Do you have pets? Yes, 1 dog

Do you want or need a yard? Yes, a fenced yard would be preferred with our dog

Are you keeping a car? Yes

Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? We would enjoy a quiet road but within driving distance to activity.

Thanks so much for your help!
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Old 01-27-2018, 10:52 AM
 
Location: Philadelphia
2,539 posts, read 2,268,989 times
Reputation: 2695
Phoenixville you will be able to buy the most for your money. Although real estate costs have increased there due to its increased popularity and vibrancy. With that you are furthest from the City and being 30, I would feel that there are still a large number of viable amenities/events/etc. you would like to take advantage of in Philadelphia, which living in Phoenixville would make it a little far removed.

Media is the most accessible to the city. Real Estate is going to be more here. It is extremely vibrant, lots to offer, and a quick transit ride or drive up 95 to the city. (I would 100% choose Media being a DINK @ 30 years old).

West Chester. Charming town, vibrant. But again you are removed from the city, and it surely cuts on your opportunities to access all the amazing things that happen in Philadelphia.

Therefore given your age. Your DINK status. And the 3 places you mentioned. I would 100% look within Media.

ALSO something to consider. Since you are both 30 & DINK. The City of Philadelphia has a 10 year property tax abatement on new or extensively renovated properties. Real Estate costs in the city, tend to be a bit more affordable than the suburbs. And your price point offers some nice options.

Neighborhoods like : Manayunk and East Falls would suit you well. Both vibrant, accessible to the suburbs and Center City. Right on the Schuylkill River, with Fairmount Park and all the recreational opportunities.

Mind you a place like Media on average is going to have property taxes within your budget of say: $6000 - $8000 a year. So you are looking at an approximate 60,000 tax savings. So even in terms of education down the road, for probable kids, your tax savings should come in handy.

If you have not been to East Falls or Manayunk, I recommend it. Here is a small picture to show you how much character both neighborhoods have. Both of these neighborhoods in many ways feel as if you are in a town or much smaller area. It is nothing like Center City Philadelphia or the immediate neighborhoods. The area is quite lovely.

Grace Kelly 's childhood home is in East Falls. And our former Philadelphia Mayor and Pennsylvania Governor, Ed Rendell also resides in East Falls. Check it out!

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0152...7i13312!8i6656

Last edited by rowhomecity; 01-27-2018 at 11:01 AM..
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Old 01-27-2018, 04:04 PM
 
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Does $450k go very far for a nice house in Media? Or are we talking a smaller outdated ranch for 400??
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Old 01-28-2018, 06:22 AM
 
Location: Germantown, Philadelphia
13,946 posts, read 8,803,230 times
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My impression is that if the OP settles on Media he will have to consider the townships that surround it, Middletown, Upper Providence and Nether Providence, as well. Since he will be using a car regularly, being within walking distance of the vibrant stuff is less important than it otherwise might be, and something tells me he's not looking to go out carousing in the local watering holes, which is what would make walkability important.

I'd second rowhomecity's suggestion that he consider Manayunk and East Falls as well and add Conshohocken to the list too. Property taxes are lower in Philadelphia than in its suburbs. Conshohocken, which has a pretty lively town center as well, is right where the Schuylkill Expressway and Blue Route cross, which means that you could hop on 476 southbound (at off-peak hours) and be on 95 headed towards Baltimore in minutes.
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Old 01-28-2018, 07:42 AM
 
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Thank you for the recommendations. I have not yet been the Manuyunk or East Falls area.

Does the 10 Year tax abatement only apply to homes with a Philadelphia zip code?
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Old 01-28-2018, 08:03 AM
 
Location: Germantown, Philadelphia
13,946 posts, read 8,803,230 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eascott15 View Post
Thank you for the recommendations. I have not yet been the Manuyunk or East Falls area.

Does the 10 Year tax abatement only apply to homes with a Philadelphia zip code?
Only those within the Philadelphia city limits.

Some of the zip codes in SCF 191 include addresses outside the city limits.
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Old 01-28-2018, 01:12 PM
 
Location: Philadelphia
2,539 posts, read 2,268,989 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eascott15 View Post
Thank you for the recommendations. I have not yet been the Manuyunk or East Falls area.

Does the 10 Year tax abatement only apply to homes with a Philadelphia zip code?

Yea I would 100% consider the neighborhoods of East Falls and Manayunk before moving to somewhere like West Chester or Phoenixville. All 3 of the areas you are considering are vibrant, for being in a suburban setting. But given your age (I am 28), I truly feel you will be HAPPIEST in East Falls and secondary Manayunk.

East Falls has a more diverse housing stock than Manayunk, meaning you have much more availability in terms of Single Family, Twins and Rowhomes.

Manayunk has a more vibrant Main Street core, and predominately is comprised of Rowhomes.

Relative to Fairmount Park; the two neighborhoods are actually very close to one another, and living in one, would make it very accessible to access the other.

Other amazing qualities. They are adjacent to the Schuylkill River. Which is Philadelphia's recreational waterway, lined with the largest Urban Park in the Nation; Fairmount Park; and offers a truly impressive and very 'unurban' experience, especially for maintaining a Philadelphia address for either East Falls or Manayunk.

PLUS that 10 year property tax abatement is quite impressive. And would save you approximately $60,000 +. Which is not small change.

You moved to Southeast Pennsylvania quite far out in Upper Bucks County. The City of Philadelphia is a VERY desirable place to live, and to be frank, in your day to day, you are going to spend significantly less and have a higher quality of life than living in the suburbs, given your age and having no children.

Here is an article on East Falls!

Why East Falls is Philly's best neighborhood | PhillyVoice

And a quirky and slightly dated video on Manayunk!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkofy7l7oKA

Let me know if you have any questions about either neighborhood

Oh I should ALSO note that both of these locations ALSO give you direct access to the following:

1) Center City Philadelphia
2) City Ave. ( an amenity rich corridor with the likes of Target, Lord & Taylor, business services, etc)
3) Bala Cynwyd/Lower Merion TWP, PA a historical inner ring suburb with TONS of character and additional offerings.
4) Chestnut Hill, PA (a historic neighborhood within Philadelphia with a very charming and architectural rich and vibrant corridor, surrounded by just utter beauty

Ill add a Chestnut Hill video too. Because well the more you know about NW Philadelphia, the more I am sure you will fall in love I provided the link below.

https://vimeo.com/189041835

Last edited by rowhomecity; 01-28-2018 at 01:24 PM..
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Old 01-28-2018, 04:14 PM
 
Location: East Mt Airy, Philadelphia
1,119 posts, read 1,452,534 times
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OP said currently no kids, but looking to start a family soon. As much as I love Philly, I'd hesitate to recommend it to people who have a stated preference for public schools. Granted, the school issue would be at least 5 years away for OP, but still, schools have to be part of the current relo decision.
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Old 01-28-2018, 04:44 PM
 
Location: Germantown, Philadelphia
13,946 posts, read 8,803,230 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankInPhilly View Post
OP said currently no kids, but looking to start a family soon. As much as I love Philly, I'd hesitate to recommend it to people who have a stated preference for public schools. Granted, the school issue would be at least 5 years away for OP, but still, schools have to be part of the current relo decision.
I'm not sure that's as hard-and-fast a deal-breaker as it once was.

Mt. Airy USA, that neighborhood's community development corporation, sponsors broker tours of the neighborhood's three elementary schools, and from what I hear, the agents like what they see.

Under the current School Superintendent, district school administrators enjoy a great deal more autonomy in running their schools than they once did. Even if they still have to work within the confines of the teachers' union contract, this still gives them more ability to improve their schools, and some have taken advantage of it.

The spread of the Friends groups - organizations of neighborhood residents who are not parents of kids in the local public school but band together to support it anyway - have also strengthened school-community ties in a number of neighborhoods.

These changes may not show up yet in the GreatSchools.org or Niche.com rankings, but the anecdotal evidence I've gotten from some public school parents is that these things are beginning to make a difference.

Then there are the public charters, not all of which are difficult to get into. Some are stronger than others, and some perform no better than mediocre neighborhood schools, but Northwest Philly has several decent ones.
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Old 01-28-2018, 04:49 PM
 
Location: Germantown, Philadelphia
13,946 posts, read 8,803,230 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by rowhomecity View Post

Ill add a Chestnut Hill video too. Because well the more you know about NW Philadelphia, the more I am sure you will fall in love I provided the link below.

[vimeo]189041835[/vimeo]
https://vimeo.com/189041835
Um, why stop at Chestnut Hill?

All three of the Northwest Philly neighborhoods above the Wissahickon have strengths and attractive qualities.

However, even though "the Avenue" in Chestnut Hill swings these days, I'd say that their overall vibe is a little more mature than that of Manayunk, if that makes any difference.

And highway access isn't as convenient for any of them save parts of Germantown, if commute-to-Baltimore time is an issue.
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