Urban neighborhoods / suburban, city adjacent areas $650K budget (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: cul-de-sac, middle-class)

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Technically Uber St is in Francisville because it's north of Fairmount Ave. In any case there are better and newer options right on Uber as there are on Poplar. But are any of them on the market right now? Probably not.

I think you may be telling me something that I didn't know. What's the east/west border of Francsiville (at least as far as you are concerned)? To be honest, the borders between Fairmount, Spring Garden, and Francisville have always been confusing to me if you want to elaborate on that as well. Thanks!

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Avalon08

Wouldn't we assume "South Park, San Diego", since that's what his Location says?

I tend to gloss right over that info on the right side of the header sometimes.

T. Damon: You may ignore that question and answer this one instead:

in your travels around disgustingly sunny San Diego, have you run across a woman by the name of Ellen Brenner?

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by PHL10

I think you may be telling me something that I didn't know. What's the east/west border of Francsiville (at least as far as you are concerned)? To be honest, the borders between Fairmount, Spring Garden, and Francisville have always been confusing to me if you want to elaborate on that as well. Thanks!

Fairmount Avenue on the south, Girard Avenue on the north, Broad Street on the east and Eastern State Penitentiary / Corinthian Avenue on the west.

Its distinctive feature: it has a street grid that follows Ridge Avenue rather than the city's axes in the heart of the neighborhood.

Fairmount lies to Francisville's west, and Spring Garden lies to the south of both.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Avalon08

I am always so excited when I hear that someone loves my hometown! So I'm from the Philly suburbs and have also lived in Huntington Beach and am now in Florida. I don't have direct Center-City-living experience, but that's where I would want to be. I'm not that familiar with all the neighborhoods but of course I love the Rittenhouse Square area. My dentist (and I still fly up from Florida to see her) is at 15th and Locust and I just love the energy and vibrancy of being in the city.

Of course, my primary caution to you is going to be the weather. I know you're already aware of the winters, which really are not all that bad -- 40s day/30s night except for occasional colder snaps. Snow is all over the map -- sometimes it's a lot, sometimes hardly any. The summer heat/humidity can be brutal, though, and it can last a long time. I actually find it more oppressive than where I am in Florida, but maybe that's because I'm near the water. So I was in HEAVEN when I lived in Southern CA. They would complain sometimes about humidity and I would laughhhh! I know it's gotten hotter since I lived there almost 20 years ago, but still.

The other thing I notice when I go home now is that it's grayer and more dreary, I guess because I'm so used now to year-round lush tropical vegetation, palm trees, turquoise water and sunshine. You would have the same thing, coming from San Diego.

OK, so that's the only drawbacks I can think of for you! I think Philly is the most wonderful city in the country -- it's a big city but not TOO big, so it still has a strong community spirit. Good luck in your decision!

Whether it was to save money(you're retired right ?) or the weather why did you leave? You obviously have a lot of affection for Philadelphia. If you think it "the most wonderful city in the country" why? Other than finances it seems strange that you would leave if it's a place you love so much.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by PHL10

I think you may be telling me something that I didn't know. What's the east/west border of Francsiville (at least as far as you are concerned)? To be honest, the borders between Fairmount, Spring Garden, and Francisville have always been confusing to me if you want to elaborate on that as well. Thanks!

The western border of Francisville is Corinthian Ave, southern border is Fairmount Ave, northern border Girard Ave., eastern border is Broad St. Of course realtors like to shift names around.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Whether it was to save money(you're retired right ?) or the weather why did you leave? You obviously have a lot of affection for Philadelphia. If you think it "the most wonderful city in the country" why? Other than finances it seems strange that you would leave if it's a place you love so much.

I love Kansas City to death.

It's quite likely that I will never live there again.

There are many reasons why someone who dearly loves their hometown might leave it. There may be more or better work opportunities in one's chosen field in another city. College is a common reason young people leave their hometowns, and after they've been exposed to a different environment, they may find it enticing enough to stay there. A person might fall in love with another who lives elsewhere, and after weighing the possible options for living together, decides the wiser choice would be to follow the spouse(-to-be) to where they live.

And you know that many Americans find winter an affront to their sensibilities.

Those are the ones that spring to mind first.

[Avalon08]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Whether it was to save money(you're retired right ?) or the weather why did you leave? You obviously have a lot of affection for Philadelphia. If you think it "the most wonderful city in the country" why? Other than finances it seems strange that you would leave if it's a place you love so much.

Because I'm retired and I inherited a paid-for condo. And beyond that, my taxes are now $800 v. $3600 in Philly. Secondarily, the cold is actually painful for me. And I don't hate Florida -- it's beautiful, at least where I am. Have met a lot of Philly transplants at the Eagles bar so that's a little taste of home!

ETA: I still keep my subscriptions to the Inquirer and Philadelphia Magazine so I can stay connected to city goings-on. I go home for vacation or family reunions or weddings, or to the aforementioned dentist, usually two or three times a year. As soon as the Eagles won the Super Bowl, I booked a room in center city and a flight up for the parade. It is very much still my hometown.

[Avalon08]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

I love Kansas City to death.

It's quite likely that I will never live there again.

There are many reasons why someone who dearly loves their hometown might leave it. There may be more or better work opportunities in one's chosen field in another city. College is a common reason young people leave their hometowns, and after they've been exposed to a different environment, they may find it enticing enough to stay there. A person might fall in love with another who lives elsewhere, and after weighing the possible options for living together, decides the wiser choice would be to follow the spouse(-to-be) to where they live.

And you know that many Americans find winter an affront to their sensibilities.

Those are the ones that spring to mind first.

Conversely, how about the number of athletes who play for Philly teams and end up staying even after they're not on the Philly team anymore? Brent Celek. originally from Cincinnati, just retired, is staying in Philly and starting a real estate career. I think Jon Dorenbos also stayed. I even was surprised to read that Donovan McNabb, who I thought would have high-tailed it outta Philly, still has a place (Moorestown I think) and splits his time between there and Arizona. And there are many others.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

I love Kansas City to death.

It's quite likely that I will never live there again.

There are many reasons why someone who dearly loves their hometown might leave it. There may be more or better work opportunities in one's chosen field in another city. College is a common reason young people leave their hometowns, and after they've been exposed to a different environment, they may find it enticing enough to stay there. A person might fall in love with another who lives elsewhere, and after weighing the possible options for living together, decides the wiser choice would be to follow the spouse(-to-be) to where they live.

And you know that many Americans find winter an affront to their sensibilities.

Those are the ones that spring to mind first.

Well, sure all of those reasons are valid. And I didn't mean that supporting a place from afar was wrong.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Avalon08

Because I'm retired and I inherited a paid-for condo. And beyond that, my taxes are now $800 v. $3600 in Philly. Secondarily, the cold is actually painful for me. And I don't hate Florida -- it's beautiful, at least where I am. Have met a lot of Philly transplants at the Eagles bar so that's a little taste of home!

ETA: I still keep my subscriptions to the Inquirer and Philadelphia Magazine so I can stay connected to city goings-on. I go home for vacation or family reunions or weddings, or to the aforementioned dentist, usually two or three times a year. As soon as the Eagles won the Super Bowl, I booked a room in center city and a flight up for the parade. It is very much still my hometown.

I often make the wrong assumptions when people leave the Phila. area. That they're mostly negadelphians who left because they hated the area. It seems more true, though, that many of those negadelphians are still in Philly.