Have you hung out in Manayunk? Do you like what the neighborhood has to offer?

Life is as fun as you make it.

Yes I grew up in the area and have hung out there a few times in my early mid twenties and I always enjoyed it. My gf and I are thinking of moving there since it’s halfway between both our families - just asking more as a gauge of people who live their currently. I love to go out for a drink but I no longer enjoy college style party bars as much.

Personally, I think it's a mistake. Sure, it's fun and all, but paying the City Wage tax and then having to deal with the awful parking and snow situation would piss me off. I can understand wanting to live in the city and have a cool neighborhood, but Manayunk is rough living (I think crime is fine there btw, not my issue). At the very least get closer to the Wissahickon stop. But, I think you'd be better off in Fairmount or out in Conshy (or some lively burb).

> (or some lively burb).

Yeah, those are really tough to name...

Think of the long game here. Are you planning to have children together? If so, there are limited daycare options and the public schools in that area are not great. Friends with soon-to-be school aged children are now looking to move.

However, if you plan to be childfree or not have them for a long long time then go for it.

Does it not snow in Fairmount or the burbs? Wild!

Current homeowner in Manayunk on the cusp of Roxborough. Husband and I are in late 30s and early 40s. The neighborhood is awesome. Yes parking can be a pain the ass, you might have occasional porch/car burglaries. You get more bang for your buck vs other 'cool' neighborhoods in the city like Fishtown and Passyunk, etc, which is probably why we've had a lot more families and couples moving in. Lots of great restaurants, boutiques and coffee on Main Street, but houses with yards etc. You get a mix of all ages, and again, a lot more couples/couples with kids moving in with a lot of rentals selling off recently. Still have the occasional college party or house, but nothing unreasonable. Quick drive to the Main Lline for Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, quick drive to Mt Airy and Chestnut Hill, King of Prussia. Great train options and close to the Wissahickon which is a godsend, as well as the Bala Cynwyd trail, etc. A very unique neighborhood geographically as well- grew up in the city and always had a fascination with the lower NW driving past all the houses on the cliffside while on I-76. We love it.

Ardmore, media, Conshohocken, collingswood…

There are a few good schools for young kids in the area, actually. Both public, Catholic, and charters. Lots of great daycares as well.

Do both of you work in the city? If not you should absolutely move to an adjacent suburb and save on the wage tax.

Lol, I work in Conshohocken, it's boring and bland as fuck. Collingwood, media and Ardmore are nice but none are "lively" like good neighborhoods in the City.

It’s full of young couples, babies, and dogs. There’s still college-y bars of course, but there’s so much to do for your age range. Safe and affordable too.

It's not as collegey as it used to be from what I've heard

Also going to pitch for considering the long range goal if you want to have kids. You will rely on a car a lot and need be able to have parking near your house to load baby in and take places. Having a driveway would be a must for me. There's also a lot to be said for having a large yard for kids to play in. They love spending time outside and you don't always want to have to go to a park. It's nice to have ample grass to kick a ball around, add a swing set, ride some power wheels around, etc.

Why not rent there for a bit and see if you like it? Buying a house is a big commitment.

I don’t know first hand (I live in Fairmount) but I know my friends with young kids are looking to move due to the school situation.

Not sure why this is downvoted, but just want to add that you get more in the burbs for your taxes, too, like twice a week trash collection that always comes on time. 9-1-1 calls answered immediately and police dispatched quickly for any small issue. Traffic laws enforced so you don't have people running red lights around you. Just something to consider.

When it snows, the municipality can clear the roads and get people mobile again inside of 12 hours. Doesn't happen in Manayunk. And the burbs are way better for snow and parking. Sorry if I hurt your sensitivities and sense of home...

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You know people have raised kids successfully in the City for generations, right? I very rarely have to use my car for kid related things, definitely don't rely on it. And there's something to be said about the sense of community and daily interactions in good neighborhoods in the City you don't get in the burbs. We've also been very happy with a small backyard and bigger park a block away. People have different values.

Sure, I did it for a few years and it wasn't for me. I didn't have great neighbors in the city, though, so that is one positive you have that I didn't. Bonus of the suburbs is that I get trash picked up twice a week on time, 9-1-1 calls answered immediately and police dispatched quickly for anything. Just throwing out considerations.

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> Bonus of the suburbs is that I get trash picked up twice a week on time,

This is specific to your town, most suburbs also do only once a week. I haven't had any issues with the trash for like a year now when other municipalities were dealing with labor shortages too.

Let them know to join Roxborough Mommas on FB- there are a ton of informative and involved parents in there. I was assuming that the public elementary schools were just so so, but through the group I've heard tons of parents singing the praises of the two local elementary public schools, with even some well to do parents opting to keep their kids in the public schools rather than private or charter because they've found the parent and teacher community *that* good. I've heard great things about Dobson and Cook-Wissahickon, and then there is Green Woods charter, which has people from East Falls, Mt Airy and Chestnut Hill trying to enroll there.

There are plenty of green spaces in Manayunk. Most houses here have ample yards. In fact, one could argue its one of the greener areas of the city. I know a ton of people that are having kids with the intention of staying. I know a ton of people who raised kids here and still are here. I was raised in the city, and hell, I think my life is pretty good. I want my kid to also have a good experience, and to take advantage of what living in a city has to offer. Just because it's a different experience than the suburbs doesn't mean its bad.

You will eventually grow tired of most things you think are cool now. Happens everywhere. Just keep that in mind when you consider the cost of the home.

You know there are problems in suburbs, too right? Or does fentanyl not exist there? I don't know about you, but I grew up in Philly and I know that the suburbs aren't all sunshine and rainbows for kids that grow up there. Drunk driving, addiction, rehab- kids can fall into that stuff no matter where they grow up.

Get outta here BOOMERS! Go to FLORIDA!

^just ^kidding, ^you'll ^be ^fine.

Please use our weekly Moving Mondays thread for recommendations related to moving or Philadelphia neighborhoods, or feel free to post in our Tuesday and Friday general chat threads.

I never said it was sunshine and rainbows, nor did I say fentanyl doesn't exist there. 🤣 I said it worked better for me and listed some considerations for OP to take into account. That is all.

1. Lmao, couple posts to r/Philadelphia, 'thinking of buying a home in a perfectly safe/nice part of the city I happen to be from'.
2. Is met by a thousand people from surrounding suburbs who've joined r/Philadelphia cautioning them with their own extreme bias!

Isn't there an r/Ardmore or r/Conshy Reddit you could go jazz up?

That's great! That wasn't my experience when I lived in the city. I think the 9-1-1 problem is still an issue though. I would much rather be a crime victim in the burbs (because crime is still an issue here) where I can get help and clearance rates are much better. Suburban police even pursue reckless ATV drivers because they have the time and resources to do so.

> Suburban police even pursue reckless ATV drivers because they have the time and resources to do so.

No they don't. Did you even read the article you shared? They issued a warrant days later because of the video of a possible attempted car jacking. Cops don't chase the ATVs anywhere that's densely populated because it would be more dangerous for everyone, not a lack of resources. FWIW I noticed a lot less in the City this year, maybe it was high gas prices and destroying all the confiscated ones.

I don't really build my life around the highly unlikely possibility of random violent crime but my only experience with 911 in the last couple years was calling for a neighbor's stolen package and they picked up and sent someone right away.

Right, but would PPD act on the video? Likely not.

r/Philadelphia says it's for in and around the Philadelphia area. I lived in the city for 20 years and just moved out a few years ago. I still pay a lot of wage tax, yet have no voting rights in the city. If I can't pick who gets paid with my taxes, I would at least like some input in the Philly sub. 😉 I have only mentioned things to take into consideration though, as everyone should when making such a big decision. I bought in 2009 at the height of the market and took a loss when selling my house. I think the advice to rent in the area you want to live in first is solid, so you can make sure it's a forever home and not potentially lose a boatload of money like me if you find your situation changes.

A quick glance at your comment history in this sub, and 50% of it is how this sucks living in Philly, that sucks living in Philly, even this response to me is a complaint about Philadelphia.

Dude asked for some advice about a neighborhood in the city he wants to live in, and you immediately tried to steer him into living in the suburbs! Yes, renting in an area before you buy is solid advice, but that's not even advice that you gave. If it was, I wouldn't be pointing out your bias to you. ' If you have kids "no", if you want green space, "no", if you want parking, "no" '- that was your advice to this guy who wants to live in the city.

I didn't say you shouldn't get to contribute in the sub, but your bias is showing.

Will do - thanks!!

Different strokes for different folks. Yes, I'm biased, just like those biased to the city and calling the suburbs boring and full of drugs for teens? I've lived in the city a lot longer than the burbs, but at least I have the experience of both to offer my biased insight. Some are too afraid to try one over the other.

Of course different strokes for different strokes! I would gather to ascertain that the couple's preferred stroke is the city, considering he's literally asking about a neighborhood in it, with not a mention of a single suburb?

If the guy says he wants to live in your rural town or that rural town- then maybe you can counsel him! But he specifically said he was looking to live in the city, and you said the suburbs are better and that the city sucks for a number of reasons.

PS. I didn't call the suburbs boring, nor did I say they were full of drugs. You aren't necessarily more brave or better than someone else because you have the experience of living in the city vs the burbs. You're coming across as having a chip on your shoulder, or that you are still sour about 2009.

Exactly. We pay less taxes living in a a bigger nicer house in Haverford Township in Delco (with fantastic municipal services) than we would if we still lived in Fishtown, since my partner was able to change office assignments to outside the city and I earn about half my income outside the city. People on this sub love to downvote the reality that for many people it’s simply cheaper to live in near suburb than in many Philadelphia neighborhoods.

I guess it depends on what you definition of lively is. All of those places have a downtown with many bars, restaurants, coffee shops, stores (including small business), gyms, salons, and other services. They have parks and other recreation areas. Also good access to regional rail.

I go out to happy hour in Ardmore with friends and have great conversations with others while there. We go out to brunch and chill sipping bloody Marys. You can go to a show at Ardmore music hall. Go see a independent movie at Bryn Mawr movie theater. In summer there’s multiple farmers markets that are always swarming with people. My neighborhood has a block parties a few times a year and all the neighbors come and hang out. At this point in my life this is the liveliness I’m looking for. It may not seem lively if you are 22, but a place like Ardmore is in fact really awesome and full of life.