We have been looking at some amazing homes in Lansdowne for a few months now, and are very interested in moving there. We like the access to the train, the quiet streets, and the emerging retail scene.

We're a bit nervous though, as we have seen many posts about the decline of areas between Lansdowne and West Philly.

We do have a child, but are OK with exploring private schools at some point - so I am not overly concerned about the schools. Nor do we need to make a score on this house - we did very well on our first two. So, we do not need the house to appreciate much...but I do not want it to depreciate.

This would be our long-term home, so the future of the local and surrounding area is a huge concern.

What are the opinions out there? Is Lansdowne on the way up, or in danger of becoming the next Yeadon?

Go for it! I've long been an advocate for Lansdowne, even though I don't live there. Landsowne has too many things going for it to fully decline...great architecture, cute downtown, great access to the city, etc.

Its really poised for a great comeback...it just takes a few dedicated people like yourself to really make it happen.

__________________
- George -

http://www.nutter2007.com

The ONLY thing Lansdowne has going for it is the architecture and that it's cheap. I lived there for a year. I would say no no no no no.

Yeadon, East Lansdowne, Upper Darby, Clifton...all slummy. I would look elsewhere.

We've been living here in Lansdowne, in the Gladstone Manor section, for 2 years and we are really happy. The community here is amazingly friendly and close knit in an old time, small town way.

When we looked for a house in the neighborhood we live in, people -almost everyone we passed- waved at us as we drove by. We were both taken aback in a we're-from-the-big-city-why-are-you-being-friendly-to-a-stranger kind of way. But we've adjusted now.

There are many families with small children and about 2 millions dogs. It's a very pet friendly area, but despite this it's also amazingly quiet. Where we live, there's no through traffic so that makes it even more quiet.

From what I've heard from actual residents of Lansdowne whose children attend the district's schools, the description of the school district is greatly exagerated. It's not the best - but it's closer to the best than the worst. Folks feel that with parental involvement, your child can get a good education. We don't have children, so I can only explain anecdotally. I have spoken with members of borough council about this last fall and there is a plan to address making the district better -head on.

Not only do I not see signs of a neighborhood in decline, I am seeing the opposite. Many of my neighbors tell me they don't lock their doors! As a, previous to my move, life long city resident, I can't wrap my head around that, but it speaks volumes that folks feel comfortable doing that.

Our neighbors all seem to be involved with the borough council and with supporting neighborhood businesses and each other. I think with the kind of close knit follks who care like this, decline isn't likely.

As you mentioned, the retail scene is actually been growing, due to efforts from borough council and the mayor. I've heard there is plan underway to reuse the Lansdowne theater and add more shops in our main shopping area. If you haven't already seen it, the borough website has a video about Lansdowne and the direction they want to head in at http://www.lansdowneborough.com/videos/

Ironically, we left West Philly (46th and Locust) not because of crime or decline, but because many of the people willing to pay $400,000 for a rowhouse and move in from the boroughs of New York were snooty and un-neighborly.

If you have any direct questions for us about Lansdowne, post away.

As I mentioned, we are not looking for the "next Manyunk or Northern Liberties". We do not need to have our house double in value. We want a nice place with nice neighbors and a yard for our daughter to run around in.

I understand people who say there is not much "to do" - if I was 26 and single or even married w/o kids, we would not be that excited about Lansdowne. But our lifestyle has changed, as we are more about our home life and family.

We live in one of the better city areas - that is not all that diverse, but is about 5 blocks from a "developing" neighborhood that is going to take 20 years to get there. A few blocks away, vandalism and theft are common. We had a shooting a block away last Fall.

Question - Are Yeadon and East Lansdowne really bad? I mean, like North Philly or West Philly bad? Or is it more like what we went through in Providence - where people told us we lived in "the hood" but it was nothing near Union City NJ much less Harlem.

We are in the same spot - we can sell our home in the city for a ridiculous amount and get so much more in return. I think, as city residents, we have more of a willingness to deal with these trade-offs. But if people really feel there is a wave of displaced residents coming in that direction, it is something to think about.

Thanks for the input!

I think the scenarios in Yeadon or East Lansdowne are like you describe above. There are areas pretty nice, espcially in Yeadon, and there are areas where most residents are lower middle class. That doesn't mean the areas are bad, at least not to me. I don't hear of incidents of crime. I would never compare it to West Philly, where I grew up or North Philly, where I work.

But then again, I know folks I work with who think living anywhere in the City of Philadelphia makes you a resident of "the hood". I guess its all in the perspective.

The part of Lansdowne I live in is diverse and has been for a couple of decades now. We have families of many different ethnicities and races living around us. To me that's a good thing. To my great Aunt, she saw one black face walking down the street with a stroller and criticized the neighboorhood as "ghetto" , so again, I guess it's all in the perspective.

Are gay men moving to Lansdowne? I think I read somewhere it was known as a gay-friendly enclave. But I am not sure. I ask because I consider that to be one of the biggest indicators of an area going up or down. These residents usually have a huge positive influence on the quality of life, culture, etc in a given area.

I've often contemplated Lansdowne as a potential place to invest in a property in somewhere down the road. My original plans were west philly, but the market value got too high. I've heard some great things about the town and I've checked out a few places around there like Regency Cafe and Mission Burrito. What else does the town have to go for?

And what is Yeadon like in comparison?

And what's the property value in both places?

Just curious...

We're a gay couple and I know of two other couples who moved in to the immediate area since we did. Can't say beyond that....

i live in Yeadon, and its not as bad as everyone thinks. There are some shaky pockets of town, primarily on the side closer to Darby.
The house prices are decent, but the taxes are a little on the high side. I'm begining to see more houses going for in the 200K range.