Need info about the Phil. area (Philadelphia, Drexel Hill: apartments, to rent, condo)

[norm]

We are looking to move to a nice town within a 1/2 hour drive to Philadelphia so my wife can have access to the cancer hospital there. We would also be interested in any other area with excellent hospital facilities that are within a 3 hour drive of NYC.

If possible we would prefer to rent a house that permits pets before we buy anything. When buying want to spend under $225K. Our other needs are being near a major supermarket, an easy drive to a major mall and a decent library in the area.

We are both retired so obviously schools are of no concern to us.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[mltimes]

We have a few cancer centers in Philadelphia-- Fox Chase, the Abramson Cancer Center at HUP (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania) and the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson Hospital. There's also a location of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America here. If you could let us know which one your wife will be going to, we can give better suggestions about convenient neighborhoods or towns in your price range. If you move to the wrong side of the city from where you want to be, "within a half hour of Philadelphia" doesn't mean much as you could actually be 60+ minutes from the hospital. Also, what kind and number of pets-- that will influence our suggestions.

Right off the top of my head, though, because I was just reading the post about Penn Valley, I would looking to rent or buy a condo or townhouse in the Oak Hill development, which is in your price range and very conveniently located in Penn Valley right at the Gladwyne entrance to the Schuylkill Expressway (Rt 76). From there you can get to any of the cancer centers within 15-30 minutes and are about 5 minutes from a few different supermarkets and pharmacies, several excellent libraries (Gladwyne, Narberth, Ardmore, Ludington) and everything else you might need (housewares store, book stores, deli, restaurants, banks). King of Prussia mall is about 20 minutes away, but Suburban Square is right in Ardmore and has a Macy's, Apple Store, Williams Sonoma, Gap, Banana Republic, etc. as well as a Trader Joe's grocery store and a farmers market. My only caveat is that Oak Hill is a bit park-like and not in a "town"-- people walk around for exercise (also there are pools, tennis courts and gyms within), but it's not in a place where you can walk "to something" like a library or restaurant.

[norm]

mltimes,

Thanks for the reply. Not knowing the area I don't know were my wife would go for treatment, I've only read about the Cancer Treatment Center of America.

We can't consider renting an apartment because we have 2 dogs & 4 cats, we might be force to buy instead of renting.

When I say town I am using the term loosely, we wouldn't mind living in an area outside of town, not quite rural but not with the houses one on top of another. I don't mind driving to a library or anything else (we do that now).

[orrmobl]

You can get a townhome in Drexel Hill or Westbrook Park, Clifton Heights, Delaware County. Or check Jersey, I think you will get good proximity and cheaper housing...

[norm]

orrmobl,

We want a house. My wife can't climb steps so a townhouse (even if we were so inclined) is out. As I wrote, we own 2 dogs & 4 cats so a house is better for us.

[mltimes]

Not to keep advocating for the Oak Hill, but that complex and others have garden style apartments where a first floor unit would be pet-friendly and okay for your wife. Oak Hill also has a lot of dogs and areas for walks and borders two township parks that I think are both off-leash.

I would keep in mind, too, that in your price range a lot of what you will see listed are rowhouses (what the rest of the world probably refers to as townhouses). It may be harder to find a home on a single storey.

Good luck, though, with your search.

[norm]

Thanks again mltimes. It looks like we will have to extend our search further out then a 1/2 hour from Phil. As a matter of fact as I check out hospitals I have found it's not neccesary to restrict me search to the Phil. suburbs.