From the City to the Suburbs | Bill Samson

Bill Samson grew up in the suburbs of Yardley and Newtown, Pennsylvania but has lived for the past 15 years in Philadelphia and recently became a resident of Fitler Square. He is a rare real estate agent who has been successful in multiple counties including Bucks County, Delaware County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia County. His knowledge and appreciation of each county is extremely helpful when individuals are considering relocations. Wether you’re considering a move from the city to the suburbs or the suburbs to the city, Bill’s got it covered.

“I love both suburban and city living and can appreciate the preferences that people have for where they want to live,” says Bill. “There are always positive and negative aspects of both but it really depends on the buyer or seller’s desires. In the right situation, each can offer a tremendous sense of community and can be the hub for a person or family’s life stages.” 

As you might have heard, many people have recently made the decision to leave the city for homes in the suburbs. This is a normal trend that particularly happens when people with young families opt for suburban living — but in some ways the Pandemic has escalated that anticipated timeline for these individuals. Bill says a surprising trend he’s seeing, however, is that older individuals are also moving back to the city they grew up in to downsize and retire. His older clients are selling their larger homes in favor of city living. Of course the Pandemic has also resulted in many New Yorkers relocating to the smaller and more affordable city of Philadelphia.

If you’re considering a relocation from the city to the suburbs or the suburbs to the city, Bill wants you to be aware of the differences below for urban vs. suburban life. 

Urban Life

• Close proximity to everything (including neighbors)
• Less property maintenance or gardening needed
• Lower property taxes in general or tax abatements in some cases (trash removal is included in taxes too, while it isn’t in the suburbs)

Suburban Life

• Transfer tax is less than half in the suburbs versus the city (1% in suburban counties vs. 2.14% in Philadelphia County)
• More green space and therefore, property boundaries are more important in suburban real estate
• Water and sanitation services are two aspects to consider – (township provides versus private alternatives) (Well water and septic tanks are not uncommon)

Want to discuss a potential relocation with Bill? He would be glad to help. Contact him at Bills@phillyliving.com or 267-566-6111.