Burbs of NYC-- what is best?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think 200 will get by in Maplewood. Maybe South Orange, but barely. I ended up in West Orange for a while. We got priced out of the others quickly. Even when the home prices were do-able for us, the taxes on a small 3br were 19k at the time, and that was around 2009ish. My West Orange taxes were 11k back then.

I dont agree, pretty sure we can do Maplewood because we are currently living in North Arlnigton. We have a down payment for a home already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have quite a few friends who recently moved to North Salem, South Salem, and Ketonah areas of northeast Westchester County, NY. Housing is definitely more affordable there, your money stretches a lot further. It's also on the commuter rail lines into the city. Excellent Westchester public schools.

I strongly agree with the poster who said you have A LOT more in-state college options in NY. The tuition is CHEAP too. Like $4K per year in tuition for 4-year college. NY state highly funds the colleges. CUNY, FIT, Stonybrook, Baruch, Brooklyn College, John Jay, Hunter, landgrant schools at Cornell, SUNY colleges (Albany is the best), Maritime college, etc.

It blows NJ and CT public university systems out of the water.

It's a hike to Grand Central from Salem's. Katonah is somewhat better but still a pain, unless you work in Midtown.

Northern westchester does have some more affordable housing and some great school districts, however, property taxes are insane. I grew up there and have many friends who still live there now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think 200 will get by in Maplewood. Maybe South Orange, but barely. I ended up in West Orange for a while. We got priced out of the others quickly. Even when the home prices were do-able for us, the taxes on a small 3br were 19k at the time, and that was around 2009ish. My West Orange taxes were 11k back then.

I dont agree, pretty sure we can do Maplewood because we are currently living in North Arlnigton. We have a down payment for a home already.

Read the PP’s post again. You really need to consider taxes in northern NJ and Westchester. They are 3-4 times higher than Virginia. For our $1.3million house we pay over $45k per year in property taxes. That’s over $3,500 a month on top of your mortgage.

[Anonymous]

Consider Putnam County, just above Westchester. Lower property taxes, money goes farther. But the commute would be longer.

I know people in Cold Spring and Garrison. About 60-70 minutes to Grand Central Station on the train.

Where is your office? (if you'll be commuting) Coming in from NY/CT you'll arrive to Grand Central, while NJ routes go into Penn Station. If you have another subway ride on top of that, that could add 20-30 minutes each way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Consider Putnam County, just above Westchester. Lower property taxes, money goes farther. But the commute would be longer.

I know people in Cold Spring and Garrison. About 60-70 minutes to Grand Central Station on the train.

Where is your office? (if you'll be commuting) Coming in from NY/CT you'll arrive to Grand Central, while NJ routes go into Penn Station. If you have another subway ride on top of that, that could add 20-30 minutes each way.

Unless you're an insane person, these two towns are likely a bit too far for normal commuting into NYC. They're both at best an hour and a half of train time alone (not 60-70 minutes) to GCT. That means your total one-way commute will probably be at least two hours each way.

It could work for someone with a very flexible WFH type of setup, but Garrison and Cold Spring are just too far to be considered normal NYC suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Montclair, NJ
Mamaroneck, Ny (Westchester County)
Mt kisco/Bedford, NY (Westchester County)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Consider Rockland County.

Uh…..hard no. Rockland is being overrun.

Sad but true. I grew up there. It’s not what it was and the future looks bleak.

[Anonymous]

Best SUNY are Binghamton and Geneseo. CUNY honors also a good option

[Anonymous]

Agree with Maplewood or South Orange. All of my New York friends have moved there after having kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Consider Rockland County.

Uh…..hard no. Rockland is being overrun.

Sad but true. I grew up there. It’s not what it was and the future looks bleak.

Overrun? By whom? I grew up there and have fond memories...

[Anonymous]

Westport

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Consider Rockland County.

Uh…..hard no. Rockland is being overrun.

Sad but true. I grew up there. It’s not what it was and the future looks bleak.

Overrun? By whom? I grew up there and have fond memories...

New Square is expanding exponentially. I grew up in New City and my sister still lives there.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in NY suburbs and have been in Bethesda/Potomac for almost 25 years. If I had to do it over again if you don’t have to be in nyc every day I would move to princeton

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in NY suburbs and have been in Bethesda/Potomac for almost 25 years. If I had to do it over again if you don’t have to be in nyc every day I would move to princeton

Not the worst idea. I actually know someone who lives there and commutes to NYC. Good schools, nice place to raise a family, easy enough to get to NY on the train, if a bit of a long ride.

[Anonymous]

Maplewood is nice