July 21, 2026

— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs

There’s lots of talk about “affordable housing” in the Lehigh Valley and it’s just that: talk.

As long as prices in New Jersey and the Philadelphia area continue to rise, prices here will rise too. The Lehigh Valley has an increasing number of million-dollar single-family home sales, following the lead of our neighboring regions where prices are considerably higher.

Here’s an example from Toll Brothers, which is putting up 47 homes on half-acre lots in Yardley, Bucks County.

The development, Oakvale at Yardley (where do they come up with these names?), will start at $1.59 million.

Here’s a description: “The community features spacious home designs ranging from 3,677 to over 5,210 square feet. Homes include 4 to 5 bedrooms, 3 to 6 bathrooms, and 2- to 4-car garages, with pricing starting from $1.59 million. Features such as airy lofts, elegant dining rooms, and convenient side-entry garages, along with options for soaring two-story great rooms and first-floor bedroom suites, are designed to enhance everyday living.”

Yardley has some things the Lehigh Valley doesn’t. It’s closer to Philadelphia, it has a SEPTA station and Bucks County carries a little extra cachet. Some people will look down on what they call tract housing, but these big houses with lots of bathrooms draw buyers.

On the other hand, somebody looking to relocate to Bucks County may happen upon lower prices up here and decide to commute a little farther to save $500,000 or so. I used to work with people from Yardley in New York City and in Princeton. Commuting is part of the lifestyle.

So the chatter about local affordable housing is just that: chatter. High prices elsewhere draw people in, lead to higher prices here, and that’s how the economy works.

The economy is driven by supply and demand, not wishful thinking and vague government talk. I don’t have any answers but neither does local government. At least I’m not pretending.

Rent control isn’t coming this way, and the government isn’t going to provide housing for very many people. False promises abound and solutions, well there aren’t any.

Here’s a link to the Toll Brothers’ description of Oakvale and below is a cut-and-paste statement:

Toll Brothers Announces New Luxury Home Community Now Open in Yardley, Pennsylvania

Oakvale at Yardley offers luxury homes on expansive half-acre home sites in a prime Bucks County location

July 16, 2026 14:54 ET  | Source: Toll Brothers, Inc.

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YARDLEY, Pa., July 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL), the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes, today announced its newest community, Oakvale at Yardley, is now open in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This exclusive community features 47 single-family luxury homes on half-acre home sites, offering an exceptional lifestyle in a highly desirable location. Site work is underway at 1057 Surrey Lane in Yardley, and the community is now open for sale from the Company’s nearby Lyondale Meadows community at 6 Augusta Drive in Newtown.

Located less than four miles from the Delaware River and minutes from Interstate 295, Oakvale at Yardley presents a rare opportunity to own a new construction home in charming Yardley, Pennsylvania. The community features spacious home designs ranging from 3,677 to over 5,210 square feet. Homes include 4 to 5 bedrooms, 3 to 6 bathrooms, and 2- to 4-car garages, with pricing starting from $1.59 million. Features such as airy lofts, elegant dining rooms, and convenient side-entry garages, along with options for soaring two-story great rooms and first-floor bedroom suites, are designed to enhance everyday living.

Toll Brothers customers will experience one-stop shopping at the Toll Brothers Design Studio. The state-of-the-art Design Studio allows home shoppers to choose from a wide array of selections to personalize their dream home with the assistance of Toll Brothers professional Design Consultants.

Situated just minutes from Interstate 295, Interstate 95, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Oakvale at Yardley offers convenient access to Princeton, Center City Philadelphia, northern New Jersey, and New York City. Residents will also enjoy proximity to New Hope, Doylestown, and Newtown, as well as nearby shopping and dining in Yardley and Newtown boroughs.

“We are excited to bring this exceptional new community to Bucks County,” said John Dean, Division President of Toll Brothers in Pennsylvania. “With expansive home sites, stunning home designs, and a location close to major commuter routes and charming small towns, Oakvale at Yardley offers an unparalleled lifestyle for residents.”

Children in this community may attend schools in the highly regarded Pennsbury School District, making Oakvale at Yardley an ideal choice for families seeking both luxury and convenience.

For more information on Oakvale at Yardley and other Toll Brothers communities in Pennsylvania, call (855) 872-8205 or visit TollBrothers.com/PA.

About Toll Brothers

Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded in 1967 and became a public company in 1986 with common stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TOL.” Toll Brothers builds new homes and communities in over 60 markets across the United States, serving first-time, move-up, active-adult, and second-home buyers. The Company also operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, smart home technology, landscape, and building components manufacturing businesses.

Toll Brothers was named the #1 Most Admired Home Builder in Fortune magazine’s 2026 list of the World’s Most Admired Companies^®, the ninth year the Company has achieved this honor. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com.