Kingston is one of the smaller towns in Pennsylvania, and it is the birthplace of a number of notable people, such as singer and comedienne Edie Adams and Frank Zane, three-time Mr. Olympia winning bodybuilder.
According to the 2012 census, Kingston is home to about 13,131 people, a population that has been steadily declining since 1930. There are six schools in Kingston, which also has an impressive WalkScore of 72. Also, according to Walk Score, the rents in the city for one, two, and three bedroom apartments and homes are quite reasonable.
Moving to Kingston
The best time of year to move and rent is the summer. The weather is more favorable and people are more willing to sign on the dotted line. If you negotiate the lease, you will be able to get pretty good deals. On the other hand, if you are forced to move in winter through circumstance, and you are on a limited budget, you may find the rent being dropped because of the lack of demand. Don't be shy to ask! Haggling is not out of fashion and with today's economy; we have to take care of our pocketbooks. You may try to bargain in order to save on rent - you could offer to take care of the garden. If your husband is a handyman, he could look after the tenant's plumbing jobs. There are many ways to cut down on expenses.
Everyone's mileage will vary, but generally speaking, in order to rent an apartment anywhere, you'll need first and last month's rent and a security deposit. If you have a pet, there may be an additional fee involved or the possibility that they may not rent to you at all. You'll want to do your due diligence and check out the requirements of every apartment you look at. Doing research on the area by contacting the Chamber of Commerce or getting the Sunday classifieds will give you a better idea of what's available in the housing market.
While it may be tedious to read through pages of legal documents for apartment homes, take into account that your Lease Agreement is a legally binding document and you need to know what you are signing. A couple of points one tends to forget in the excitement:
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Find out which, if any utility bills are included in the rent
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Ask whether the agreement is month to month
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Double check on trash removal
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How much is the application fee - if any
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Is the application fee refundable?
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Are there penalties for moving out too early / late?
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Do you need Renter's Insurance?
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What maintenance are you responsible for?
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Check on pet policies
Once you have signed everything and you have moved in, get to know your neighborhood, greet the people, check out the local eateries, grocery stores, entertainment centers, schools, pharmacies and libraries. If you have a dog, finding the nearest park should be the first thing on your list - he will thank you! Kingston is a jumping, lively place filled with good music, good food and good people!
Neighborhoods
Kingston is super easy to get around and is convenient to many places, such as the Gataway Shopping Center, downtown Wilkes-Barre, a 24-hour Walgreens and Price Chopper. It is relatively inexpensive to live and you would do well to stay within Kingston.
Main Street / North Sprague Ave: Hip, trendy and super walkable, this neighborhoods consists of mostly single-family homes for rent and for sale.
Borough Center: If you like being able to walk to a convenient store, restaurants and all the nearby shopping, this place is for you! There are quite a few rental properties in this bustling area.
Rutter Ave / Church Street: This area is made up of mostly urban sophisticates. You'll find a lot of older, single-family homes.
3rd Ave / Davis Street: This is where you can find a lot of small apartment buildings and single-family homes. It's a good place to search for two bedroom apartments - the real estate is primarily made up of these.
Living in Kingston
Getting Around Town
It's a good thing that Kingston is so walkable because there is no public transportation in the town. The nearest big city is Scranton, which is half an hour's drive away however, all of your grocery needs and entertainment needs are met right in the city. Movie theaters, live theaters and museums provide quite a few things to see and do if you're into movies and learning.
Enjoying Some Culture
There's also a mall and art galleries and other mom and pop shops around the city center. Kingston also has 29 bars, saloons and lounges. For the health-conscious,the Susquehanna River runs nearby and there are eight parks within a five mile radius of Kingston. The Wilkes-Barre Airport is also nearby.
The Weather
The weather in Kingston is fairly typical of the area. There's very little sunshine, and the average high in the summer is in the high 60s, while the average winter low is usually in the upper teens. The city gets higher than average snowfall in the peak winter months, but never much more than four inches of precipitation.