[quote=UCGal][quote=sdrealtor]OK UCGal
You are spoiled. Rememeber those Philly commutes? 10 minutes to the train station. 10 minutes waiting for the train. 30 minutes on the train. 10 minutes to walk to the office. And its 20 degrees and you are walking through slush. Remember that its like to get to work with cold, wet feet? And that is an easy commute.
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Nope – I lived in Glenside (north of Chestnut Hill) and worked in Hatboro, then Horsham (north of that. It was a 10-15) minute commute. 25 minutes by bike.
If I chose to take the train it was 3 blocks away and 30 minutes into center city. Hubster did that when he moved in with me. Glenside station had the R1, R3, and R5 trains so it was never more than a few minutes till the next train.
I refused to move into hubsters house, even though it was a beautifully restored turn of the century home… because he was in Frankford – 40 minute commute for me. Not worth it. It was great for him – he took the El to center city and was there in less than 30 minutes. It was a similar commute for him from my house – and no wage taxes for me… so I won that battle.
Like I said – after my 40 minute commute I swore never again – and have picked homes on that basis ever since.[/quote]
Exactly our perspective as well, UCGal. We refuse to live farther than 20-30 minutes on side streets (less if we use a freeway). Of course, we’re stuck in a rental because of this requirement, but it works for us.
BTW, even when I lived in LA, it was my goal to never have to commute more than 20 minutes, and most of the time, my drive was 10 minutes or less. There was only one job that required me to drive ~30 minutes (up to an hour with heavy traffic), and never want to do that again.
You are 100% right — the most precious thing we all have is time. Not enough people value it as such, IMHO.