I live in lansdale and LOVE it. Close to the turnpike and 309. 309 takes you from the city all the way up to Allentown. Have you tried looking at a map? Bucks county has higher taxes so if you decide to stay along route 309, watch how far north you go. Good luc and call if you need anything.

caution on the advice you are getting:
Manyunk / Conshohoken etc are yesterday's hype, I certainly wouldn't want you to buy overpriced property because of some over zealous people here.

I suggest that Pymouth meeting, Lafayette Hill are areas that will hold their value. The rest are yuppy areas property (sardine in a can) is hyped by builders and realtors who know how to 'get you'. Manyunk has serious flood issues and drinking kid problems and Conshohoken is more of a business district.

I think that a good midway point, would be Conshohocken. This town in the last few years has had major changes:buisness, restaurants etc. Conchohocken is nestled on the northeast side of 476 and 76. Manayunk is a section in Phila. which is 10 minutes from Conshohocken, and is very trendy. Manayunk has the shops, boutiques, the restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Let me know, if you need some help.

Hi Keitha,

Check out MLS #5331558. This is the perfect condo in the safe & beautiful area of Ambler, PA. The property is 3 miles from the PA Turnpike and very convenient to the Ambler and Fort Washington train stations. The condo is on the 2nd floor and is an end unit. The community is great filled with great restaurants and local shopping. Good luck!

Keitha,
I would choose somewhere near the Route 476 (lansdale exit)...that way you have access towards Allentown and you are only 15 minutes from the major interchanges for Philadelphia. I would reccommend Harleysville, Souderton, North Wales area. There are a lot of great places to see around there. No matter where you choose you are picking a great central area to both cities and major shopping!

Keitha,
For easy access between Allentown and Philadelphia, I recommend Harleysville, Lansdale, North Wales or Skippack. These are easily accessible to the Lansdale interchange of the PA Turnpike which connects the two cities. Plus, train station in N Wales is a great option to get to Phila. Lots of styles & price range of homes to choose from as well. Feel free to contact me should you need further assistance. Paul

-Keitha - I use to live in the area for many years. Lafayette Hill, Plymouth Meeting, Blue Bell area - you may want to look at Manyunk just outside philly - lansdale i would figure for more family orientated people. Sorry to but in - just thought you may want some info from a person other than a realtor. Dr. Horvath

Keitha, congradulations on deciding to purchase a home and you even have an idea of where you want to be. As you review all the answers keep in your thoughts 79% of all buyers use a real estate agent.. moving to a new area a great agent will assist you in locating, previewing, and verifying a property its condition and its future saleability. Interview at least 3 agents and pick the one that listens to you and your comfortable with. Think of it like picking a date... I am sure you will receive lots of tips and find a great agent. Once again congradulations and have a safe and stress free move...:)

You may want to decide if public transportaion works or if you will be driving. You may want to purchase near a train if your Philly job is near the train. If you will be driving in then you may want to decide how far you will be willing to commute. That will narrow your search. That Philly to Allentown market area is large. You should talk to a mortgage consultant to be pre-approved and that will narrow your search. You may visit my website for more info on homebuying. Let me know if I can help with your home search. I welcome you to the Philly area!

Keitha,

A couple of things to keep in mind. 1) Have you been pre-approved(i strongly encourage clients to get pre-approved before the go looking at home then find out their not approved) 2) Find a good buyers agent that is going to listen to your needs and wants 3) Becareful with some philly areas because lenders are considering parts of philly a "decling market" and there fore will cut your loan to value by 5%. If I can be of further assistance please feel free to contact me. Thanks and good luck

Keitha,
It seems that the main sentiment in many of your responses is that we need more information. However, from your territory it would seem that Bucks County could be a great option for you. Being a resident myself, I may be a bit biased, but I believe it is quite trendy on the whole. Montgomery County is not too far out of the way either and tends to be a bit more affordable with lots of up and coming areas as well.
In Bucks County, New Hope is a great place to start, there are many options in terms of dining and small shops and you're not far from some great parks as well. Solebury/Buckingham is very popular as well, again great dining and good shopping, it is a bit more rural though.
If you want to stay in Bucks County and don't mind being in "Upper Bucks County", Quakertown could be a great option. The area has a reputation for being a bit backwards, but having lived there myself and talking with other residents it really isn't justified, just avoid the farmer's market and you'll be fine. Quakertown is a rapidly growing area and has lots to offer in terms of parks and shopping, although a bit more limited in dining. They have several street festivals a year and it still has a community feel to it, which should make it easier to meet people. Unlike the other options I listed, you are close to the turnpike, route 78, 313 and 309 which could make covering your territory fairly easy although you won't be as central. Plus the housing prices there are a lower as well.
Happy house hunting and should you need any further assistance, don't hesitate to contact us.

Skippack might be a good option too since it is close to Lansdale interchange of the Turnpike so you would be in between Philly and Allentown.

Bethlehem,pa by allentown has a lot of great stuff
http://www.bethlehem.info/recreation/parks/

Conshohocken, Collegeville, Olde City (Philly)

DOYLESTOWN or NEW HOPE could be options.We need more info to really be helpful. Price range or monthly housing budget. Your idea of trendy would help.Maybe if we knew where you are moving from it would give some idea as to your likes. You can contact us for homes that meet your criteria. jean or john@jbrealtyservice.com

The first areas that come to mind between philly and allentown would be Manyunk and Conshohocken.
I'm not sure how far you want to drive each day -depending on where you will be spending most of your traveling, as this is on the Philly side versus Allentown. Another area you may consider is Skippack-depending on what your idea of trendy is., but it is in between both areas and certainly has a village flair.

Keitha,

That is a huge area to cover as far as real estate is concerned. 1) How long will you be in the area? Maybe renting is a better idea if you will only be around for a year. 2) Our suggestion is to make a list of all of the things you want in a home and in a neighborhood. Narrow it down to living in a CITY or SUBURB or RURAL living, and ask yourself " you I like CONDOS or a SINGLE HOME that backs up to the woods?" and how many bedrooms, 2 bedroom or 4 bedroom?... that sort of thing. Knowing what you want will help decide where to look. 3) Oh, and of course, most important, find out what you can afford by contacting a mortgage broker. You will need to be able to qualify for a mortgage unles you can pay for the home with cash.