Moving to the Main Line? Family-Friendly Neighborhood Guides to Wynnewood, Havertown, Media, & Gladwyne
Whether you are moving from the city, or from another suburb, you’ll want to do your due diligence. This Sponsored Story supports the Main Line Parent Community and is presented by Compass.
Buying and selling a home is one of the largest financial transactions, and most emotional processes you will go through in your life. Not only are you choosing a house, but choosing a community that your family will become a part of for years to come.
One of the first steps to finding the perfect neighborhood is to research and tap into the neighborhood knowledge of those who live and work there! Keep reading to hear what Compass real estate experts have to say about four amazing neighborhoods: Wynnewood, Havertown, Media, and Gladwyne.
#1 Wynnewood, Pennsylvania
Overview: Wynnewood is historic and full of life. It is walkable to Suburban Square, Whole Foods and numerous parks and playgrounds. The sidewalks make biking and walking enjoyable for all!
Commuting: Septa Regional Rail system (R5) has a station in Wynnewood and is within a 10-15 min walk from most homes in the neighborhood making center city Philadelphia only 20 min away! Wynnewood is very close to the Schuylkill Expressway allowing easy access to Manayunk, Kelly Drive and downtown Philadelphia.
Favorite Family Activities: South Ardmore Park, Kaiserman JCC, Wynnewood Valley Park and Penn Wynne Park are perfect to stay active with your family. There are numerous activities for kids to join from sports to art to dance through the township and school programs.
Shops and restaurants your family will love: Favorites include Sabrina’s Café, Sang Kee, Whole Foods Café for healthy family favorites, and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza for incredible pizza, salad, and eggplant! Wynnewood Lanes is always a fun night out!
School District: Lower Merion School District
Moving here? Real estate tip from the expert: Jordan Wiener tells us, “We are currently in a strong sellers market with low inventory. An edge in this market could be to pre-inspect a home before submitting an offer in order to waive the contingency.”
Meet Wynnewood Real Estate Agent, Jordan Wiener
Jordan Wiener is one of the most trusted and sought after real estate professionals on the Main Line and Philadelphia. He has earned a stellar reputation by expertly guiding clients through the home buying and selling process for more than 19 years.
Jordan understands that in most cases, buying and selling a home is the single most important investment a person ever makes. Whether it’s a simple or complex transaction, Jordan promises to provide an unparalleled level of personal service and to always advocate in his client’s best interest.
“Jordan is in a league of his own. Having worked with many real estate agents in the past, Jordan’s expertise, responsiveness, and dependability are unparalleled. He has set a new standard the real estate industry, and he receives my highest possible recommendation.” – Adam G.
#2 Havertown, Pennsylvania
Overview: Home Sweet Havertown. Walkable neighborhoods, great schools, lots of playgrounds, great local restaurants, community feel, charming homes.
Commuting: Under 30 minutes to Center City by car, train or bus. Hop on 476 within minutes to get to 76 or 95.
Favorite Family Activities: Ice Skating at the Skatium, Walking the Pennsy Trail, Haverford Township Day, Freedom Playground, Township Sports and Classes at the CREC, Workout at the YMCA.
Shops and restaurants your family will love: House Cup Café for coffee, Kettle for breakfast, Cenzo’s for pizza, Brick & Brew for dinner with friends, Manoa Tavern to watch a game on tv, Crossbar for a Burger & Beer, Burrata or Pepperoncini for date night, Town Tap for family night.
School District: Haverford Township School District
Moving here? Real estate tip from the expert: Havertown has become more and more popular over the last few years. City lovers looking for a more suburban feel gravitate right to Havertown. Young families love the school district and all of the recreation options for kids. Prepare to be one of many buyers trying to secure a home here. Just be patient – there are many wonderful little neighborhoods inside Havertown to choose from.
Meet Havertown Real Estate Agent, Brooke Nelson-Grohol
Brooke currently lives in Havertown with her husband and two children. Her experience in corporate America brings professionalism and top notch negotiating to the table. Mix that together with her love for navigating families to their next abode and the outcome is a real estate experience that you simply can’t get anywhere else.
Whether you’re a first time buyer or ready for your forever home, her professional but more importantly—compassionate—real estate style takes the time to get to know all your needs.
Anyone can find you a house. But Brooke will bring you home.
“Brooke was very informative and helpful in our search for our first home. She had extensive knowledge in regards to the home buying process from start to finish; she walked us through the mortgage process, the pros and cons of the Springfield/Havertown area, things to look for in regards to differing aged homes, and helped us through the negotiation process. She was proactive and reliable. We would highly recommend Brooke to help you find a new home.” – Alexander
#3 Media, Pennsylvania
Overview: Media has a charming and walkable downtown that offers a small town feel with a spectrum of entertainment options for kids and grown-ups alike.
Commuting: The Septa regional rail Media/Elwyn line stops in Media, Blue Route access to 95 makes it about 25 minutes to drive to CC and about 15 mins to the airport.
Favorite Family Activities: Media Tot Lot and Library (with classes), farmers market, playground at Media Elementary School, Glen Providence Park, Wallingford Community Art Center, Rose Tree Park.
Shops and restaurants your family will love: Dos Gringos and plenty of pizza options for kids. Dining Under the Stars in the summer. Brunch at Bittersweet kitchen. For grownups, there’s Sterling Pig and Shere-e-Punjab.
School District: Rose Tree Media
Moving here? Real estate tip from the expert: The walkable Borough is fairly small but Upper Providence and Middletown townships that make up the Media mailing address – lots of options!
Meet Media Real Estate Agent, Ursula Rouse
Ursula is an experienced Realtor® focused on residential home buying and selling in Philadelphia, Delaware County, and on the Main Line. She prides herself on providing excellent personal attention throughout the entire process and beyond.
As a licensed attorney and former Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney, Ursula enjoys using her advocacy skills to help her clients. Ursula has lived and worked in many neighborhoods in the Philadelphia area which makes her the perfect agent for people who are narrowing down towns or deciding between the city or the suburbs.
“Ursula helped us with the sale of our home and the purchase of a new one. She was quick to respond, helpful, and offered excellent ideas throughout both processes. She even recommended we look in the town where we eventually bought. It hadn’t been on our list until we visited! I have already recommended her to friends that are looking to move to the Philadelphia area, and will continue to do so.” – Jim
#4 Gladwyne, Pennsylvania
Overview: Gladwyne was the first village established in Lower Merion Township. Gladwyne is a charming, walkable town with excellent schools, numerous parks, playgrounds with unique retail businesses. It’s minutes to Suburban Square shopping, and easy access to major highways.
Commuting: Gladwyne is a 5 minute drive to Ardmore or Haverford Train Stations. The Paoli/Thorndale Line is an easy 18 minute ride to Center City. Parking is available at both stations.
Favorite Family Activities:
Gladwyne Library offers weekly zoom Toddler Story hour plus an outdoor story time. Explore Rolling Hill Park with over 100 acres of picturesque hiking trails, a dog park, plus equestrian trails. Main Line Art Center offers classes for both children and adults. Music Training Center in Ardmore offers music classes for newborns plus theater and voice lessons for older kids.
Shops and restaurants your family will love: A quick drive to Suburban Square provides great options for family dining. Shake Shack, Lola’s Garden, Not Your Average Joe’s, Sweetgreen, Hip City Vedge plus soon to open DanDan for wonderful Chinese food. Families love dessert at Kilwins with great ice cream treats. A quick walk to Ripplewood in Ardmore allows kids to enjoy an award winning burger, while Mom and Dad have a craft cocktail.
School District: Gladwyne Elementary School is a top rated school in the Lower Merion School District. Gladwyne Elementary is a child-centered learning environment with a supportive and encouraging parent community.
Moving here? Real estate tip from the expert: Success in Gladwyne requires a Realtor with first hand knowledge of the area. Lisa Leven Kahn tells us, “I grew up in Lower Merion and chose to raise my family here. In this competitive market you need personalized service and attention to detail from start to finish. From our first interaction you will understand the current market conditions. My job is staying on top of the market so that you have a successful transaction.”
Meet Gladwyne Real Estate Agent, Lisa Leven Kahn
Top-producing Realtor Lisa Leven Kahn has been guiding Philadelphia buyers and sellers to success for more than three decades. Known for her careful listening skills and attention to detail, she delivers personalized service that makes clients feel supported and empowered throughout the process.
A native of the Main Line and current resident of Center City, Lisa serves clients in and out of the city with firsthand knowledge and expertise.
“As a seller, I found Lisa to be a true partner. The process of selling a home, and particularly an OLDER home, is far from simple. Lisa provided us with the knowledge, the expertise and the coaching that was very much needed. Always patient, friendly and professional, Lisa was available to us 24/7 throughout the process. BTW, when she did have an event or an obligation, and thought that she might not be available (should we need her), she ALWAYS alerted us in advance. With every decision and every advice, Lisa’s first concern was our wants and needs. While there was the rare tough love (you need that – believe me), we never felt any pressure. I fully and warmly recommend Lisa as your trusted, wise, experienced realtor.” – David
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