We live in Doylestown, Bucks County and love it! My DH is an uprooted New Yorker who followed his parents here when they retired. I grew up in Philly and still work there. I always kid that I'm 20 minutes from everything - 20 minutes to the mall, 20 minutes to the turnpike, etc. Of course, Philadelphia, NYC, the Poconos, are quick rides.
Yes, our taxes are higher than some areas but we are supporting a great school district (Central Bucks) and the property values are higher than other areas, and higher taxes go with higher value (at least in Bucks).
As someone mentioned earlier, I would stay away from new construction unless you have your heart set on it and the money to deal with the taxes. We looked at new construction a few years back and the taxes were starting around $8,500 a year which just freaked us out. We bought a same priced house that was 5 years old at the time and our taxes were 25% less.
The best of Bucks County is watching the seasons change. Right now the trees are so beautiful it almost takes your breath away. The snow in the winter is largely untouched (except on the streets) and I love watching spring turn into summer with all the trees and flowers. I also love driving down country roads with horses and cows in the fields and yet I live in a developed neighborhood with 16 homes on my cul-li-sac. This was extremely important when we were looking for a home because we wanted our kids to be able to rollerskate and ride their bikes outside buy we wanted them to be safe. We also realized that we needed to see people every day, so buying a home on an acre outside of a community was just not for us. We actually paid a little more to get what we wanted but it was worth it!
And if your find the right place in BC, you can drive for miles without a stop sign or traffic light.
I hope you enjoy your visit over the weekend. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
P.S. Signs was actually filmed a few miles from me near Del Val College. We used to drive by trying to see something but never did.
