By Josh McKnight | The McKnight Team
A developer has proposed an 86 unit apartment building near the Jenkintown-Wyncote train station, one of the busiest regional rail stops in Montgomery County. The project still needs local approval, but the direction is clear. Builders want to put homes where the trains are.
If you own a home in Jenkintown, Glenside, or the surrounding Cheltenham area, you should care about this. Development near a train station tends to change a neighborhood’s housing market, and usually not in the way people fear.
Why Builders Love This Spot
The Jenkintown-Wyncote station puts riders in Center City in under 30 minutes. That kind of commute is gold for young professionals and downsizers alike, and it’s a big reason demand in this pocket of Montgomery County stays strong.
The numbers back it up. According to Zillow, the average home value in Jenkintown is about $485,000 as of mid 2026, up 5% over the past year, and homes go pending in about seven days. Seven days. That’s not a market with too much housing. That’s a market starving for it.
What New Apartments Mean for Home Values
Here’s the fear I hear from homeowners: new apartments will hurt my value. Here’s what usually happens instead. New residents support local restaurants and shops. Foot traffic near the station grows. The town becomes more attractive to the next wave of buyers, many of whom rent in a community first and buy there later.
Renters near train stations are often future buyers. When they’re ready to buy, they look in Glenside, Jenkintown, and the neighborhoods they already know. That’s demand landing on your doorstep in three to five years.
There are real questions worth asking too. Parking, traffic, and stormwater all matter, and that’s what the township approval process is for. Residents who want a say should show up to those meetings. That’s how the plan gets better.
What This Means for You
If you own near the station, this proposal is a signal, not a threat. Developers spend millions only where they believe demand is durable, and they believe in this corner of Montgomery County. If you’ve been thinking about selling in the next few years, transit access is already one of your home’s best selling points and it’s becoming more valuable, not less. If you’re a buyer, understand that the towns along this rail line are only getting more competitive. Our Glenside community page covers the neighborhoods closest to this stretch of Montgomery County if you want to explore the area.
Thinking about buying or selling in Jenkintown or Glenside? Let’s talk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do new apartments lower nearby home values?
Research on transit area development generally shows the opposite in high demand suburbs. New residents support local businesses and add future buyers to the area. Location fundamentals like commute time and walkability drive values far more than a single new building.
What is being built near the Jenkintown-Wyncote train station?
A developer has proposed an 86 unit apartment building near the station. The project still needs to go through the local approval process, so the plan could change. Residents can weigh in at public meetings before anything is final.
Is Jenkintown a good place to buy a house?
Demand is strong. Zillow puts the average Jenkintown home value near $485,000 as of mid 2026, up 5% in a year, with homes going pending in about a week. Buyers here should come prepared with financing ready.
Why is there so much building near train stations in Montgomery County?
Housing near rail lines rents and sells quickly because commuters want shorter trips to Center City. Municipalities also see station area projects as a way to add homes without spreading traffic across whole neighborhoods. Expect more proposals like this one along the regional rail lines.
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