Radek 73 Posted September 5, 2010 I am thinking of crossing the border ... to PA! I am tired of NJ laws, especially 2A related, but many others. There are many other negatives, and I don't want to even go there ... Unfortunately, my kids don't want to move (they don't know any better). My wife certainly would move anywhere with me. So, I am kinda stuck here and this is really getting to me at a personal level ... I don't want to waste time, so I figure I would get a second home in PA and sometime later sell the NJ house. In all this, I need to become "resident of PA". For some time, it could be dual residency ... whatever works. (I am also considering upstate NY, but need to do some basic research on firearms laws, location ...) I travel to client sites on projects, so I can't be too far away from a major airport. That quickly narrows down to Philadelphia airport. I don't want to live in the city, I prefer the outdoors. An hour to hour and a half from the airport would work fine. My needs: - Few acres of land (10-15% cleared, rest wooded); I live on a cramped 50x100 property While growing up I have gotten used to large houses/land (seems like such a long time ago!) - Has fast net connection (has become a must) - Has access to electricity (if not, have to fall back on Solar + generator) - Relatively low tax area (I am already getting socked in property taxes in NJ) - Safe and friendly surroundings for kids (my younger one is turning 12 on 9/11! Yes, that's her B'day.) My wants: - Has small (1-2 BR) but ready to move in construction, ranch style ... (alternative is a trailer) - Out in the boonies where I can shoot in my backyard - Within reasonable distance of an outdoor range - Water stream / lake nearby would be ideal ... It's been over 25 years I went looking for property! I am looking for advice on the best places to look in the Philly surroundings. Anyone on the forum has lived in that area for long and assist? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigBlueQ 7 Posted September 5, 2010 I'm not too sure about the Philly area, but you're still looking at a suburb of a major city. Prices may reflect that. If you're willing to move a bit further west, you can probably find all you are looking for, and more, for what you're willing to pay if you head closer to Harrisburg. It has an airport, and is pretty close (from NE Jersey it's about 3 hrs). Plus it's very close to the Hamburg Cabela's! You also have the added benefit of a relatively short drive to Philly, D.C., and Baltimore. You may have to get used to the smell of farm manure outside of the city though! You do get used to it, I can tell you from experience. I lived for 4 years in Gettysburg, about 30-45 minutes south of Harrisburg when I was in college. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Radek 73 Posted September 5, 2010 Harrisburg is the 3rd largest airport in PA in terms of handling passengers per year. It's about 2 hours 40 minutes from my current location. Hmmm. will look into it. Thanks for the suggestion. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shane45 807 Posted September 5, 2010 I am this close --> <-- to moving across the border! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sirsloop 1 Posted September 6, 2010 Screw upstate NY... property taxes are jacked up there as well, and they have some pretty wacky gun laws as well. Sounds like you need to score a wooded lot and put a freakin double wide there with a mail box! HAHAH! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
raceruss2003 0 Posted September 6, 2010 I hate browsing through all the classifieds on the PFOA site and seeing all the guns I can't own. Same thing goes with gunbroker, etc... Then my friends tell me their tax rates and I hate this place even more. NJ is hard to beat though when it comes to location...NYC, Phily, Boston, DC and Baltimore, the shore, and the mountains are all within a couple hours of one another. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damjan 73 Posted September 6, 2010 Upstate is going NJ way for taxes Try West PA , Pittsburgh is fairly close if you need a big city = 112Acres 150K. http://www.eaglestar.net/cgi-bin/db/pag ... e;ID=26690 http://www.eaglestar.net/ Price: $ 150,000 USD Parcel Size: 112.5 (+/-) Acres Special Conditions: No OGM. Timber is not valuable Property Location: East Brady, PA Armstrong County, USA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Radek 73 Posted September 6, 2010 Screw upstate NY... property taxes are jacked up there as well, and they have some pretty wacky gun laws as well. Sounds like you need to score a wooded lot and put a freakin double wide there with a mail box! HAHAH! Yeah, read up on NY guns laws, pretty wacky too, so that's a no go. Back to PA! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Radek 73 Posted September 6, 2010 Upstate is going NJ way for taxes Try West PA , Pittsburgh is fairly close if you need a big city = 112Acres 150K. http://www.eaglestar.net/cgi-bin/db/pag ... e;ID=26690 http://www.eaglestar.net/ Price: $ 150,000 USD Parcel Size: 112.5 (+/-) Acres Special Conditions: No OGM. Timber is not valuable Property Location: East Brady, PA Armstrong County, USA Man you are really putting me out there! Remember, initially I will be in PA less often than in NJ, so I would like to be able to drive to it in reasonable time. Maybe the target location is west of Philly / east of Harrisburg? I am looking for a smaller parcel, maybe 25-50 acres. I need to keep some money budgeted to build a cabin or something overhead. I think I will make a motorcycle trip over and see what the scenery looks like! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Krdshrk 3,871 Posted September 6, 2010 Try Vermont? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damjan 73 Posted September 6, 2010 Man you are really putting me out there! Remember, initially I will be in PA less often than in NJ, so I would like to be able to drive to it in reasonable time. Maybe the target location is west of Philly / east of Harrisburg? I am looking for a smaller parcel, maybe 25-50 acres. I need to keep some money budgeted to build a cabin or something overhead. I think I will make a motorcycle trip over and see what the scenery looks like! Plenty of lots/land on Trulia.com .......I did go way out west though......subconscious desire to get away myself as far as possibble :mrgreen: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
savageshooter 10 Posted September 6, 2010 I lived in Pa. back in the mid 80's. I was in Tannersville, which has gotten really over populated since then. I wouldn't live there again. Rented a 2 bedroom home on a lake where my next door neighbor would walk out of his house and shoot his dinner out of the sky regardless of if it was season or not. I was spending what I though was a lot of money on ammo even at 1985 prices, I could only imagine having the luxury of shooting whenever I wanted now. I'd be reloading. I'd sometimes bump into neighbors that lived on the other side of the lake, and we would talk about shooting. One of them once said "So you're the guy making all of that noise eh?" Yeah, I shot a lot. Funny that the OP started this thread. We've been talking about leaving here soon, and Pa. is an option. We'll be taking a few weekend rides out there in the next couple of months to look around. But yes, it's time to leave. The 2A laws are only a part of it. I'm tired of a lot of things we go through living in this state. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Radek 73 Posted September 6, 2010 Try Vermont? Yes, VT would be the last bastion, but not yet :violin: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sleeper 8 Posted September 6, 2010 I live in NW jersey and use Lehigh Valley Airport sometimes. http://www.lvia.org/ You can get almost anywhere you just have to connect for most locations. I think I have flown direct to Florida and Charlottte form there. Get about 30-45 minutes from there and you can be pretty remote. Might be an other option. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
njpilot 671 Posted September 6, 2010 I live in NW jersey and use Lehigh Valley Airport sometimes. http://www.lvia.org/You can get almost anywhere you just have to connect for most locations. I think I have flown direct to Florida and Charlottte form there. Get about 30-45 minutes from there and you can be pretty remote. Might be an other option. Was going to suggest the same thing. I work out of ABE and with a connecting flight, as said you can get to just about anywhere. As far as shooting on your own property, I don't know for sure, but would think in the suburbs around Philly, you wouldn't get away with that. A friend of mine whose parents live in PA mentioned about being north of a certain highway to be able to still shoot on your own property. Don't know how true that is. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sirsloop 1 Posted September 6, 2010 If you end up getting something out in the boonies, just be sure you can actually reach it with a bike! LOL! I've been up some dirt roads in PA that would be hell on anything short of a dirt bike. Another option would be to buy some land OUTSIDE driving distance. I bet land down in TN or KY is pretty cheap, and their CCW is honored in most "non-PR" states. You could also look in NE WV, which is within reasonable driving distance. They have some really nice wooded land down there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Radek 73 Posted September 6, 2010 If you end up getting something out in the boonies, just be sure you can actually reach it with a bike! LOL! I've been up some dirt roads in PA that would be hell on anything short of a dirt bike. Another option would be to buy some land OUTSIDE driving distance. I bet land down in TN or KY are pretty cheap, and their CCW is honored in most "non-PR" states. You could also look in WV, which is within reasonable driving distance. They have some really nice land down there. Yeah! WV great for riding along the blue ridge pkway! Dirt is good, then I have an excuse to buy a dirt bike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Radek 73 Posted September 6, 2010 I am using trulia.com and eaglestar.net to search, but so far I have come across really expensive land, probably because it's near some town or major highway. Tried within 10 miles of town / location (the only option), but no dice. What's the best way to find land away from actual named towns in the boonies! My guess is local listings, but does any site do consolidation? What are the other recommended search engines for land/lots? For now, I am still looking at PA. Thanks all for the help! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigBlueQ 7 Posted September 6, 2010 Try www.Zillow.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tactical Monkey 51 Posted September 6, 2010 I've had the same conversation with my wife at least twice in the last 3 months. We looked around North of Scranton. Good prices, lots of land, but school systems suck.... SBR w/30rd PMag suppressed or "future" child's education? decisions decisions Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimmyAGR 54 Posted September 7, 2010 I've had the same conversation with my wife at least twice in the last 3 months. We looked around North of Scranton. Good prices, lots of land, but school systems suck.... SBR w/30rd PMag suppressed or "future" child's education? decisions decisions You can always home school. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sirsloop 1 Posted September 7, 2010 You could always choose a target area and go for a ride! You may see wooded lots listed, or if a particular lot interests you you can ask around. My grandparents went around a small upstate NY town asking about empty lots. Turns out they knocked on the door of an older lady, she owned some lot, had no use for it...so they bought it and put up a real nice house! HA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Krdshrk 3,871 Posted September 7, 2010 You can always home school. That just opens a whole other can of worms I don't want to get into... ugh. I personally don't agree with home schooling. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Radek 73 Posted September 7, 2010 You could always choose a target area and go for a ride! You may see wooded lots listed, or if a particular lot interests you you can ask around. My grandparents went around a small upstate NY town asking about empty lots. Turns out they knocked on the door of an older lady, she owned some lot, had no use for it...so they bought it and put up a real nice house! HA Nice story, find a place the old fashioned way ... sounds great! I will take a ride across the border. If nothing turns up, at least I will enjoy the ride and scenery. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drew 4 Posted September 7, 2010 You could try looking around Upper Black Eddy, PA. It is pretty out in the sticks, but does offer everything your looking for. The down side is that the house prices out there have gone rapidly up as people have been moving out of Jersey. On the plus side: - 1 acre plus land sizes are normal. - A lot of that area is state game land. - High speed cable internet is available. - Its right across the river, so that area is about 5 mins from Milford or Frenchtown and approx 1hr from PHL. On the down side: - Not as cheap as other parts of PA. - Not likely to be natural gas, so oil or electric. - Not likely to be public sewers, so septic. - Not likely to be public water, so well water (although this could be a plus). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tommy3rd 132 Posted September 7, 2010 How far out from jersey do you want to go? 1hr drive to the jersey border? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Radek 73 Posted September 7, 2010 Thanks for your inputs. I would prefer to be about 2-3 hours from 07095 (Woodbridge) in PA; that puts me in 1-2 hour radius around Philly ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tommy3rd 132 Posted September 7, 2010 Hamburg,Pa is 2hrs away from woodbridge, 45 mins from lehigh valley airport, and also 2hrs from Newark airport, and 1 1/2 hrs to Philadelphia int'l airport. Or is hamburg too dangerous for you financially because of its proximity to cabela's? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sirsloop 1 Posted September 7, 2010 You could theoretically go as far north as Binghampton on 81N or Harrisburg down 78W... if you consider 3hrs the limit. There's some real back woods area north of scranton around rt81... same just west of Scranton/Wilkes Barre Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites