Newtown neighborhoods? (Newtown Grant, Yardley, Langhorne: fit in, home, elementary school)

[IrinaV]

If school are really important for you, be carefull with Yardley area. AFAIK, Yardley is in the Pennsbury school district. It is not bad at all, but Concil Rock is much better. The problem with Pennsbury is that is has good and not-so-good schools, so when looking for the house, make sure you check what school you are going to be. I have a friend who lives in the Stony Hill area and she was complaining recently that because of redistrictning their home was reassigned from the good elementary school to the sloppier one. In Concil Rock you can not go wrong, all schools are good.
Btw, you may want to check out Newtown Crossing, there is mix of singles and townhomes there, I believe that they are in the price range you are looking.
Good luck anyway.

[FloridaGypsies]

Thanks for the warning. I was talking to my realtor about Feasterville since it looks like it is right on the turnpike, although a bit west. Anyway, it's in Neshaminy S.D. which he says is not bad but not as good as C.R. I guess it will boil down to commute time.

[Tracysherm]

Stay out of Eagle Ridge in Newtown! They were built very cheaply and flimsily. I know two families who live there and there have been major roof issues, and they have fireplaces that they are not allowed to use. A fireplace, in your own home, that you are not allowed to use because it's been determined to be unsafe!

[FloridaGypsies]

Wow! Thanks for the warning re: Eagle Ridge. We are coming out tomorrow to finally see PA/NJ!

[kimrocktherealtor]

100 Acre woods is great. I sold my friend a house there last year and she loves it.. It's council rock schools, low taxes, good quiet neighborhood and near the turnpike and not far from 95. I also like Tyler Walk a lot because it's very close to the center or town and the park. When looking at 100 acre woods, some have diff floor plans so be sure to check out a few models if more than one is on the market - some have basements, some dont just so you know.

[FloridaGypsies]

Thanks. We are here in PA and will be going to 100 Acre Woods tomorrow. Saw Newtown Grant yesterday and really liked a TH there. Also saw a beautiful SFH in Pine Tree Farms but not crazy about the proximity to the busy (Street?) road in Feasterville, although it was very close to the turnpike. Wasn't so sure about the area either...

[kimrocktherealtor]

The closer to street road the more riff raff you get coming into your neighborhood as a general tip. Newtown grant is great.. nice community too (pools, exercise, even a community daycare)

[FloridaGypsies]

Thanks for everyone's input. We found a place in Newtown Grant. Very happy about the place. See you around town

[veuvegirl]

Glad you found a place! You went through the same thing we did, choosing between Yardley and Newtown Grant. We ended up in Yardley, mostly because the house we found was the same price and twice the size, plus easier to commute to NJ.

I think you will love the Newtown Grant area!

[momma said no]

Good move on Newtown Grant.
Nice neighborhood. Well built and convenient to everything that you need. Tyler state park is a big bonus. (love that park!)

To all future readers who find this thread - A poster above commented that Pennsbury schools are not as good as CR.
I was a CR grad and all my kids went to Pennsbury. PHS is really good school system.
The perception that its "not as good as CR" usually means (and I am not pointing this at the poster above at all) USUALLY means "there are black kids at PHS".
True PHS has some lower income areas that go to it - and CR has none. That's the difference. SAT scores, Scholarships awarded to, etc are the same - especially for the AP kids.

Personally - I wanted my kids to go someplace with great academics that also has a nice cross section of kids from all income levels and races. Its the real world.

My attorney once offered his opinion on why he too chose PHS for his kids.
His point was that in the social structure of a HS some group of kids ends up on the bottom and at CR they are particularly cruel on "different" kids (not as smart, artsy, weirdos - which I think are the cooler kids, etc).
PHS is more diverse so the odds of your kid getting the short end of the HS social structure is slim to none. Just too many different groups of kids for any one group to take the brunt of it.

Same goes for the difference between Yardley and Newtown.
Newtown is 99.9% white. Yardley has always historically had a small black community (and a black church!). In fact Yardley had a Black Mayor back in the 1960's.
Yardley has just that bit of diversity that keeps it from getting all waspy and uptight.
Zero crime, great schools, great houses, Nice little downtown, convenient to Phila, NYC, I95, TPK.
Just a bit more relaxed feeling. And no pretentious Uber Republican, Hummer driving, cigar smoking, arrogant morons. (come on people - You ALL know this guy! lol.)
Just nice people - zero pretentiousness.

Just trying to offer a different view point on the contrast between two wonderful towns.
Plus - Newtown USED to have Goodnoes farm/ice cream resteraunt. Its been replaced by a shopping center that looks like it got airlifted out of Scottsdale AZ. and dropped into Newtown. Bummer.
If Newtown still had Goodnoes .....