i want to move to Philly ... (Philadelphia, Conshohocken: real estate, apartment complexes, rental)

[CLTGoBlue]

my name is Ben, i'm 25 and live/work in Charlotte, NC. things are getting kind of stale for me right now, so i'm thinking about transferring to my company's HQ in Malvern, PA. no specific reason, just a change of scenery, doesn't seem like there's much to do & see in Charlotte these days, so i'm hoping to find a sweet neighborhood with other YUPs that offers a more culturally diverse scene. from my informal research, Manayunk seems to be the leading candidate, based on location it would seem to manage my commute the best. but i think areas like Northern Liberties may be more of my vibe ...

well anyways, i filled out the questionaire pinned at the top, TIA for your replies ...

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When are you moving? 3-6 mo
Where are you coming from? Charlotte, NC
Why are you moving? #1 lifestyle, #2 career
Where will you be working? Vanguard
Have you been here yet? never

Will you buy or rent? rent
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend? NA
If renting, are you looking for an apartment, a townhouse or loft? How much can you spend? up to $800 ... would be nice if that included some utilities
Do you prefer hi-rise or walk up? no preference

Are you married or single? Do you have children? Single, no kids
Do you prefer public or private schools? no preference
Do you have pets? no, i would like one though
Do you want or need a yard? yard or balcony is important, share spaces are cool
Are you keeping a car? yes
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? bustling activity

What do you want to be closest to?
Work ha ha, willing to accept that won't happen
Shopping sure
Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.) sure
Nightlife pretty important
Train or subway stations very important, want to see all Philly has offer

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? age would be the only consideration, would prefer a diverse neighborhood overall

Coke or Pepsi? Faygo

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PS: does anyone know where Michigan alumni watch football games?

[kyle19125]

[QUOTE

When are you moving? 3-6 mo
Where are you coming from? Charlotte, NC
Why are you moving? #1 lifestyle, #2 career
Where will you be working? Vanguard
Have you been here yet? never

Will you buy or rent? rent
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend? NA
If renting, are you looking for an apartment, a townhouse or loft? How much can you spend? up to $800 ... would be nice if that included some utilities
Do you prefer hi-rise or walk up? no preference

Are you married or single? Do you have children? Single, no kids
Do you prefer public or private schools? no preference
Do you have pets? no, i would like one though
Do you want or need a yard? yard or balcony is important, share spaces are cool
Are you keeping a car? yes
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? bustling activity

What do you want to be closest to?
Work ha ha, willing to accept that won't happen
Shopping sure
Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.) sure
Nightlife pretty important
Train or subway stations very important, want to see all Philly has offer

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? age would be the only consideration, would prefer a diverse neighborhood overall

Coke or Pepsi? Faygo

---------------------------------

PS: does anyone know where Michigan alumni watch football games?[/quote]

Hi Ben, welcome to Philadelphia.

Manayunk would probably be your best bet, especially since you are tied to your car. Parking in the city core is a nightmare. As is the insurance rate.
About all you'd be giving up is diversity, Manayunk is going to be a mirror image of yourself for the most part, as is Northern Liberties. Northern Liberties might be diverse from an occupational standpoint (artists to professionals), but otherwise heavily white twenty-somethings.

You might also want to consider the Bella Vista neighborhood.
Bella Vista, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bella Vista is just below South Street's nightlife and has much going on in it's own right. You're actually able to walk to the downtown core (Center City) and pretty much anything you'd ever need in terms of services...unlike Northern Liberties. Rental price ranges are similar. The rental listings often cross reference Italian Market (just to the west) and Queen Village (just to the east). Attached are some apartment share examples which won't be around in 3-6 months obviously but will give you an idea of what the neighborhood has to offer.

Have the entire 3rd floor of a newly renovated Trinity! (http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/roo/1398956144.html - broken link)
All Utilities & Extras Included -Spacious, Bckyrd, Garden, Free Prking (http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/roo/1399893649.html - broken link)
Amazing Big Room in Beautiful House Available Now or Oct 1st. (http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/roo/1365572435.html - broken link)
Room Share in Furnished Gallery Style House (http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/roo/1402849446.html - broken link)

Good luck!

[CLTGoBlue]

thanks Kyle. any thoughts on the commute from CC to Malvern, PA? would my life just suck if i had to drive out there 4 days a week? i've heard that it's not easy to get to from CC, which is why Manayunk or Conshy seem like the most logical places, i'm sorta looking for the full city experience though, so if living in Fishtown/NoLibs area is doable with the commute, i would probably focus there. i'm a pretty typical yuppie but do enjoy a more hippy/artsy sort of vibe. everything i've read though makes it seem like doing the commute would be unbearable. does it help at all i go in early and leave late my four days a weeK? (7 am - 7 pm)

TIA

[Commuting North]

Hey Ben,
Based on the questionaire and your work location, I would say stick to Manayunk or Conshohocken for your first year. This will give you an opportunity to explore downtown Philly without having to jump right into a living situation there. City neighborhoods are so different and eclectic, I don't think moving in sight unseen is the way to go.

Both Manayunk and Conshy will be relatively easy commutes (well easy in Philly terms) to the Malvern area, and they have good social scenes. Manayunk's nightlife scene is a little more extensive than is Conshy's, but you can have fun in either town. Rent should be comparable in both locations, but in Conshy parking will be much easier, you'll knock a good 20 minutes off your commute (during rush hour), and you won't have to pay City Wage Tax. 800/mo is a little tight for those areas if you're planning on living by yourself, but you should be able to make it work.

Look on Craig's List for apts., Google Apartments in Manayunk/Conshy and see what's out there in your price range. If you need input on specific apt. locations, just post and we'll get back to ya. Good luck!

[CLTGoBlue]

this city wage tax keeps comin up in my search. what's the deal there?

[bryson662001]

If you live within the borders of the city you will pay 4.219% of your gross salary to the city as a wage tax no matter where you work. There is nothing to file and there are no deductions, it's taken out of your check automaticly like fica. It's a major way the city raises tax money since Real Estate tax is relativly low compared to the suburbs.

Philadelphia Apartments - Rent Philadelphia PA Apartments
may be helpful for apartments. It is the most inclusive site I know of for apartment complexes.

[CLTGoBlue]

Originally Posted by CLTGoBlue

this city wage tax keeps comin up in my search. what's the deal there?

damn, 4%? i'm don't make tons of money so that's sort of troubling, if i went with Conshy i guess that would not apply? starting to seem like the way to go, especially since i don't know Philly well. i guess i really wanted to have a Philly zip code though, i'm making this move to experience big city life as much as i'm making it to advance my career w/ my current employer. if living in a city like Conshy would hinder that experience then i guess i'd have to eat that tax ...

any Conshy residents have a take on this? it seems like Philly has pretty good public transportation, is it pretty easy to get to and from CC from this location?

thanks for everything guys, this forum rocks

[G Goo]

Originally Posted by CLTGoBlue

damn, 4%? i'm don't make tons of money so that's sort of troubling, if i went with Conshy i guess that would not apply? starting to seem like the way to go, especially since i don't know Philly well. i guess i really wanted to have a Philly zip code though, i'm making this move to experience big city life as much as i'm making it to advance my career w/ my current employer. if living in a city like Conshy would hinder that experience then i guess i'd have to eat that tax ...

any Conshy residents have a take on this? it seems like Philly has pretty good public transportation, is it pretty easy to get to and from CC from this location?

thanks for everything guys, this forum rocks

My cousin works for Vanguard and lives in Roxborough. I think he is in a carpool with someone else from the area. We are getting together for the Phils game tomorrow (Go Phils!) so I'll talk to him and get his opinion on the commute. I'll get back to you, I promise!

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by CLTGoBlue

damn, 4%? i'm don't make tons of money so that's sort of troubling, if i went with Conshy i guess that would not apply? starting to seem like the way to go, especially since i don't know Philly well. i guess i really wanted to have a Philly zip code though, i'm making this move to experience big city life as much as i'm making it to advance my career w/ my current employer. if living in a city like Conshy would hinder that experience then i guess i'd have to eat that tax ...

any Conshy residents have a take on this? it seems like Philly has pretty good public transportation, is it pretty easy to get to and from CC from this location?

thanks for everything guys, this forum rocks

I believe Conshohocken has a 1% wage tax. I'm not sure whether or not the locality in which Vanguard is located in (not Malvern) has one, but if they do, you'll only pay it once. You won't pay 2 local taxes.

It's not impossible that you could live in CC and tax public transportation out to Malvern. There's several train stations that are about a 5 minute drive from Vanguard's campus. I'm pretty sure that there are shuttles to and from the train stations.

[CLTGoBlue]

Originally Posted by G Goo

My cousin works for Vanguard and lives in Roxborough. I think he is in a carpool with someone else from the area. We are getting together for the Phils game tomorrow (Go Phils!) so I'll talk to him and get his opinion on the commute. I'll get back to you, I promise!

that'd be awesome, thanks G Goo. i've read about Roxborough and it seems like a good location commute wise and is still very close to the city. any idea what the nightlife is like around there? i would assume most residents just hit up Manayunk ...

on the Phillies, are tickets relatively affordable? do y'all have bleacher seats? i'm a diehard Detroit Tigers fan and have really missed summer baseball the past few years. plus the Phils are good, so it'd be easy to become a fan