Can we get some sort of format . . . (Philadelphia, Glenside: best towns, apartment)

[solibs]

So many people come on here asking for advice on where to move and other posters usually have to tease the necessary information out of them - can we put together some stock questions and make it sticky so that everyone at least starts with the basic info necessary to answer the question.

[FromGA]

I would suggest the following sticky threads (keep on top):
General pointers (eg. forum/northern-virginia)
Commuting options (eg. forum/northern-virginia)
Photos (eg. forum/atlanta)

[bryson662001]

It does seem like new posters come on and ask the same questions over and over again but it has been my experience that when a thread becomes a sticky then it is pretty much ignored. Don't know the solution except to tell people with questions to read back through the posts which most don't bother to do.

[solibs]

Originally Posted by bryson662001

It does seem like new posters come on and ask the same questions over and over again but it has been my experience that when a thread becomes a sticky then it is pretty much ignored. Don't know the solution except to tell people with questions to read back through the posts which most don't bother to do.

No, I don't mean to make the thread sticky.

If we come up with a list of commonly asked questions and post it under the title "If you're thinking of moving to Philadelphia look here first" or something like that then people can see the list of questions and answer them for us in their own post.

For instance:

When are you moving?
Where are you coming from?
Why are you moving?
Where will you be working?
Have you been here yet?

Will you buy or rent?
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend?
If renting, are you looking for an apartment, a townhouse or loft? How much can you spend?
Do you prefer hi-rise or walk up?

Are you married or single? Do you have children?
Do you prefer public or private schools?
Do you have pets?
Do you want or need a yard?
Are you keeping a car?
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet?

What do you want to be closest to?
Work
Shopping
Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.)
Nightlife
Train or subway stations

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood?

[newmarlig]

First of all, it would have to be a sticky otherwise it will move off the first page, never to be seen again. Second, I can't imagine what forum you copied this from.

[solibs]

Originally Posted by newmarlig

First of all, it would have to be a sticky otherwise it will move off the first page, never to be seen again. Second, I can't imagine what forum you copied this from.

Yeah, i mean, where would anyone have ever gotten an idea like that?

It should be sticky - but it shouldn't be a thread. Just open and close it.

[FindingZen]

Hey Gang,

We already have a commuting sticky. The general pointers sticky is a good idea. I know that we have pictures posted here from time to time. Both ideas are certainly popular in other forums.

How about this: I'll start a "general pointers" thread and "sticky" it. I'll also start an unstuck photo thread; if that one maintains popularity, then I'll stick that one too.

[Sassygirl18]

I think it would be helpful to have this board organized into counties, and then within each county section, there could be a thread for each town where all the comments about that one town are placed. That way, it would be easy to find information (and give advice) about different areas without having so many repeats scattered all over the board.

[solibs]

If someone is moving to the area they're usually asking questions because they're not sure what town or neighborhood is right for them. The more they tell us about themselves the more we're able to help. It's not that I think too many people are asking questions, it's that few people seem to provide enough information - "i'm thinking of moving to the Philly area. What are the best towns?" is the sort of unhelpful question i'm thinking of.

Having an individual thread for all 300+ towns in the metro area would be overwhelming and no one would read it.

[Sassygirl18]

I think one section could be called "Help Me Decide Where to Move" and then there could also be sections for areas - it wouldn't have to be 300 separate threads...maybe several towns could be lumped in one thread, for example Abington/Jenkintown/Glenside/Elkins Park, etc. That way, if you were interested in information about a certain area, you could find all the comments in one thread, instead of having to search all over the forum.