<p>Ok…</p>
<p>So what does work?</p>
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<p>Yes, SEPTA has its problems: rain, leaves on the tracks, freezing weather, hot weather, Amtrak power issues, alignment of the planets - all these things can lead to delays. But compared to MetroNorth or the LIRR, on a daily basis it’s paradise. I agree with you about the old cars, but the new ones are terrific.</p>
<p>If you’ve got 5 acres in the Chicago suburbs, I think I know where you are. You’ll find similar communities around Philly, but not with quite as much land.</p>
<p>Well, we do have excellent trains out here. So that’s sad. But I still prefer public transportation, to any walkable city.</p>
<p>Don’t worry so much about the 5 acres. I get that I have to revise down to one or two. I have also ruled out New Jersey based on the tax issues you guys raised.</p>
<p>So, I feel as if I’m getting a good list of places to explore, and I really appreciate it.</p>
<p>thanks again.</p>
<p>Many communities in Bucks County, such as Buckingham,Doylestown would have the acreage without being in the middle of nowhere…trains from Doylestown to Philly, great restaurants in Doylestown,</p>
<p>Poetgirl, what is your price range, house size you’ d like, rural or suburban ?..and the trains are fine, have had no problems in 6 years</p>
<p>If you can get by;) on 1-2 acres, your choices are unlimited</p>
<p>And as a former NJ resident, it s true taxes are higher, but in PA you will be fee’d to death…</p>
<p>Examples are wage taxes not only in Philly (3.75%±) but many communities have 1% wage taxes on employees who work in those towns and those who reside in those towns that have wage taxes, in addition to property taxes…</p>
<p>You must have your car inspected every year, and the cost is90 bucks±</p>
<p>Liquor/wine business is state run ,and significantly more costly then NJ or Delaware</p>
<p>Real estate transfer taxes are levied on both buy and sell…</p>
<p>And the list goes on</p>
<p>I know this is too far for you, but when I hear land, large house, and train commute, I have to recommend Lancaster. Many people commute to Philly from the Lancaster train station, and you could find the home and land for a more reasonable price than Bucks County. Lancaster, and the county have a lot to offer, although Bucks County is much more prestigious. Just a thought. Can’t help it. Because…I LOVE LANCASTER!</p>
<p>Poetgrl, are you in the Barrington area currently? </p>
<p>If you give us a general idea of the Chicago suburb area /feel you like, that might help people match it to a similar location in Philly.</p>
<p>dstark – There are 5-acre lots in Bryn Mawr and elsewhere on the Main Line, but they formerly belonged to people like Walter Annenberg. If you want that much land, there are a few places here and there along the northwestern edge of the city, or in the near northern suburbs. Brian Roberts (CEO of Comcast/NBC) probably has about a 3-acre lot in a nice neighborhood just inside the city limits, and there are lots of places like that or a little smaller. Or you have to go way out (Doylestown, Quakertown, West Chester, Kennett Square and beyond). Jersey might work – I’m not exactly sure where, but there’s lots of under-developed areas in Burlington County and in the Pinelands.</p>
<p>lancaster is scenic, but the commute would kill most people. ;)</p>
<p>I live less then 5 miles from Doylestown, and it is not far out,lol…Less then .30 minute express train from Fort washington to City Hall</p>
<p>Quakertown IS far out however</p>
<p>I don’t really want to say where I am, but I have gotten excellent feedback and know where I want to go have a look. I think a lot of this sounds really interesting. Haven’t moved in a long, long time.</p>
<p>I really am grateful for all the input.</p>
<p>Say more about Lancaster. How long of a commute and is it really out in the country, farms and whatnot, and are there towns? H loves farms, and since this would be my move… He no longer “needs” to work, financially, and we’ve done his thing for years, but, still, he might enjoy gentleman farming. I use the term farming quite loosely.</p>
<p>JHS, thanks.</p>
<p>Phillyfed, thanks.</p>
<p>Lancaster would be a nasty commute, in my opinion. But, it would be significantly cheaper than Bucks County or any of the other counties that border on Philadelphia. You may want to consider Berks County. There is no train service, but if you are on the eastern side of the county the commute is doable, depending upon where you need to be in Philly. </p>
<p>You could get your five acres easily in Berks or Lancaster County.</p>
<p>Funny timing. I just got a text alert to my phone telling me service suspended on SEPTA’s Manayunk/Norristown line between Elm Street Station and Norristown due to high water on rails.</p>
<p>Considering i have gotten 3" of rain in the last 2 hours, i am not surprised of flooding in Manayunk,which floods regularly</p>
<p>I’m going to go and have a look in Bucks county, just because I might trade off town and neighborhood for a bigger property, and it looks as if there are some great properties up against the river, which might be interesting, even just to look at. (it’s flat here.)</p>
<p>Also, I think a couple of acres in somewhere like Bryn Mawr, just because I had that link from Kathie… </p>
<p>Also, I might have a look in the city itself, just in case there are some places with an acre or so, which I would do that for the ability to live in a walkable city. If I didn’t have the dogs, I’d do that anyway. But, the dogs needs space, as does H.</p>
<p>Lancaster is sort of the capital of Pennsylvania Dutch country. It’s a charming small city about 70 miles from Philadelphia and maybe 30 from Harrisburg and York. It’s actually about equidistant from Philadelphia and Baltimore; there are lots of Orioles/Ravens fans in that part of the state. Franklin & Marshall is there. The country around there is real farming country. You can find “gentleman’s farms” a lot closer in – lots of Chester County, or northern Bucks County. I have the impression that farmland around Lancaster isn’t necessarily cheap because the Amish care a lot about living close to one another, so it’s a little bit like buying apartment buildings in Chinatown – they cost a lot more than you might think.</p>
<p>I know the suburbs west of Philly best. On SEPTA Regional Rail you could get from Media or Exton / Malvern / Paoli to Center City in 45 minutes or less (at least according to the schedule). Did a quick look on Zillow and there are homes with ~1 acre lots for ~$500K. School districts are pretty good. Out in Malvern / Exton most of the land used to be farms and was developed into housing relatively recently, so it is more possible to find large lots there than closer in suburbs like Montgomery County Main Line towns. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t drive to commute to Center City - they call it the Sure-kill Crawlway for a reason.</p>
<p>My favorite towns surrounding Philadelphia are Media (Delaware County), West Chester (Chester County) and Doylestown (Bucks County). All have wonderful walkable downtown areas. Agree about not driving into the city daily if you can help it.</p>
<p>I love the Lancaster area also, but no way would I want to commute it every day given that you’ve said that the five acre size is not a must have.</p>