Northern Delaware

[SagaLore]

How is the northern part of Delaware as far as real estate, schools, and jobs? What would you say is a decent salary for an IT position in that area?

 

[SouthPaW1227]

Do I sense a DuPonter??

Wilmington, DE is an AWESOME place...I was up there the last week in June for work and LOVED it. I'm hoping to land a full-time spot there. Real estate is slighty higher than average, but if you work your way 10-20 miles outside of the downtown Wilmington area, prices decline a lot. Plus, there's so much beauty in the backwoods...near the DE River and all, it's great.

Schools are everywhere and I'd say jobs were plentiful. You can't go wrong w/ cheap property tax and NO SALES TAX.

I'm not in IT so I wouldn't know

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: SouthPaW1227
Do I sense a DuPonter??

A whosie-whatsit?

I got a response back for a really good IT Security job, but they landed the "What are your salary requirements" question on me. I have no idea! What would be a decent salary in north central PA could be peanuts in other states especially around the cities.

 

[SouthPaW1227]

lol, Wilmington, DE is DuPont's US Headquarters. DuPont streets, DuPont hospitals, the whole city is Dupont...I just found it odd you mentioned that city and not DuPont

I'd say anything over $50k will get you started off right as a single person. I compared housing prices near there and down here in NC (supposedly cheap housing) and a $175k house here was like $195k there (very similar homes used for comparison). Over a 30 mortgage, that's not much.

 

[SagaLore]

I'm married, we're planning for a family, we want land, and my wife is going to stay at home with the kids....

 

[SagaLore]

Does nobody else here live in Delaware or at least are familiar with the area?

 

[SouthPaW1227]

Oooh wife staying home = sucks for income.

You better get a hella good offer to handle all that on your own. Being the sole breadwinner for a wife + 2 kids is hard anywhere.

 

[crab]

I live 10 minutes from there. I hate it. Too crowded.

 

[acemcmac]

I grew up in north wilmington and I must say that the schools are AWFUL. Because of the disparities in race/geography... you literally have a white/black line.... kids like me were often put on 1 hour, 15 minute bus rides from our nice neighborhoods into ghettos while we were in as young as 4th grade (court mandiated desegregation). Property values have already crested.... as MBNA does layoffs, thousands are trying to escape the city, property values will probably start tanking.... the area is very congested and overdeveloped..... what do you want to know?

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: crab
I live 10 minutes from there. I hate it. Too crowded.

I live in chester county pa, you?

 

[crab]

Originally posted by: acemcmac

Originally posted by: crab
I live 10 minutes from there. I hate it. Too crowded.

I live in chester county pa, you?

Salem County NJ...just over the "Del Mem Br".

 

[SouthPaW1227]

Yeah, there's a distinct line between the elite and the ghetto, but for heaven's sake don't live in downtown Wilmington. Pick a nice, cozy town 20 or so miles out.

 

[purbeast0]

"Hi

[pause]

I'm in Delaware"

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: crab

Originally posted by: acemcmac

Originally posted by: crab
I live 10 minutes from there. I hate it. Too crowded.

I live in chester county pa, you?

Salem County NJ...just over the "Del Mem Br".

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

we should meet up sometime

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: SouthPaW1227
Yeah, there's a distinct line between the elite and the ghetto, but for heaven's sake don't live in downtown Wilmington. Pick a nice, cozy town 20 or so miles out.

there isn't much "elite" you speak of

you are either in one of 3 groups

1) a dupont - you own all of the undeveloped land west of 202
2) a just barley white collar schmuck who works for dupont and is in fear of getting laid off... you live in a 3 bedroom splitlevel
3) you live in the ghetto

 

[SouthPaW1227]

^ Man, you've got a sour look at things.

I loved the area. The parts I drove around in were just fine. To each his own.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: SouthPaW1227
^ Man, you've got a sour look at things.

I loved the area. The parts I drove around in were just fine. To each his own.

Well, it is one thing to tour an area, another to live in it.

Some of the above posts are definite red flags - schools being one of them - so I think I'll pass on any job offers in that state.

 

[wiredspider]

I live in Wilmington, DE, right by the downtown area and in the ghetto area that most of the people speak of. It's the only place I have known, but schools are not that bad, you have a choice as to where your kids go. I went to a school that was a 10 minute walk from my house while my brother got bussed out 15 miles.

Besides Dupont, there is many financial places that have HQ or large workforce here including ING direct, MBNA, Bank One, Astra Zenica, and plenty more.