Any info on Mt.Pocono? (York, East Stroudsburg: real estate, foreclosure, high crime)

[Annie Diamond]

Hi,

I'm considering relocating to Pennsylvania. Does anyone have any information on the Mt. Pocono area? Including but not limited to housing, schools, the commute to NYC, etc. Any information would be immensely appreciated!

[g-mar]

We live a few miles from Mt. Pocono in nearby Wayne County. Sadly, Mt. Pocono is in free-fall decline over the past ten years, following a wave of real estate fraud. There are large communities featuring boarded-up, blighted and abandoned homes. A news story recently reported 20% of homes sold in Monroe County are in foreclosure.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/147-04092007-1327369.html (broken link)

A day doesn't go by without stories of gangs, graffiti, shootings, beatings and other urban ills. Mt. Pocono recently enacted a teen curfew. If you're looking for a pristine escape from city life, Mt. Pocono is NOT it. On your trip to see for yourself, walk around the local Wal-mart, the grocery stores and have a visit to the high school.

Curtis Sliwa of the Guardian Angels was called in last year to help with the gang problem, but the opposing faction who didn't want publicity of it all, asked him to leave.

Commuting? New York commuters will find frustrating traffic, if you drive yourself. Take one of the regularly scheduled Martz busses from Mt. Pocono to Manhattan.

[CAVALLERI]

I have to agree - I moved here 9 years ago and was told not to move to mt.pocono. I live in East Stroudsburg, Stroudsburg school. It is closer to everything and I like the schools better. The home prices are higher and so are ther taxes but for reason. I would stay away from Mt. pocono.

[bldginpa]

Not sure if the commute to NYC is important, but you might want to consider Pike County, which is further north from Mt. Pocono. Close to I-84, lower taxes, more rural.

[jjj]

After owning property in the Poconos for 10 plus years we sold it back in 2000. We have seen what has happened to a good portion of the Poconos in the last 20 years. We actually considered buying in Mt Pocono in the mid 80's but it had already started its downward slide. With super cheap homes and Realtors targeting lower income families from the cities , this area turned into an urban area so to speak real quickly. A friend who tried to get out of Mt Pocono in early 2000 could not even sell his home that he bought there 15 years ago. Houses were boarded up in his community and it turned into a high crime community. Police calls there were an all day affair. After 2 years of trying to sell and gaining almost no equity in the house he just put the key in the door and walked out letting the bank foreclose. As far as the commute, only the people that do it will say its managable. Its atleast 2 1/2 hrs plus to NYC during rush hour and make that 3 1/2 on the Friday afternoon rush home. Take the time and do the trip to and from NYC during normal commuting time to see for yourself. Go to the Pocono's on a Thursday night. Commute to NYC Friday morning and then retrn Friday afternoon. The inconvience of doing this test run is miniscule of making this trip 5 days a week all year.

[jimthorpe]

I agree, w/ jjj concerning the commute. Most people do it for a while and either end up selling or looking for work closer to home (expecting a pay cut). Do a few dry runs before making the decision to stay.

As far as quality of life, check out Carbon County, just over the Monroe border. It's a few minutes further from highways, shopping, etc. We have no chain stores or stop lights. Jim Thorpe school district is good, both my girls go there and do well.



Good luck!

[BravoSix]

Originally Posted by g-mar

We live a few miles from Mt. Pocono in nearby Wayne County. Sadly, Mt. Pocono is in free-fall decline over the past ten years, following a wave of real estate fraud. There are large communities featuring boarded-up, blighted and abandoned homes. A news story recently reported 20% of homes sold in Monroe County are in foreclosure.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/147-04092007-1327369.html (broken link)

A day doesn't go by without stories of gangs, graffiti, shootings, beatings and other urban ills. Mt. Pocono recently enacted a teen curfew. If you're looking for a pristine escape from city life, Mt. Pocono is NOT it. On your trip to see for yourself, walk around the local Wal-mart, the grocery stores and have a visit to the high school.

Curtis Sliwa of the Guardian Angels was called in last year to help with the gang problem, but the opposing faction who didn't want publicity of it all, asked him to leave.

Commuting? New York commuters will find frustrating traffic, if you drive yourself. Take one of the regularly scheduled Martz busses from Mt. Pocono to Manhattan.

I agree 100%.

I too live in nearby Wayne County, about 15 miles north of Mount Pocono. I grew up in Stroudsburg, worked in the oh-so-lovely Pocono Country Place as security, and eventually became a cop in jurisdiction near Mount Pocono and within the same school district.

If schools are an issue, I would certainly suggest avoiding all of the Pocono Mountain district.

I chose to move into Wayne County - cheaper housing, cheaper taxes, and the North Pocono School District is top notch.

[churchman]

it is true that commutting back and forth is difficult although i don't mind it that much. some people go to dover and take the train which is not bad at all.

unfortunatley the train won't be here for at least another 5 years at best and most likely 10.

i know this because a friend was part of the enviromental study. one way to speed it up however is to make what ever next local and regional election a referendum on getting the train here and also to hold martz bus and LTS accountable for trying to block it