Would you move to NYC for a new job at 46 with 3 kids?

[Anonymous]

If you’re going to live outside the city, then don’t do it. Your suburban experience commuting from westchester or long island or new jersey is the same or arguably worse than a suburban experience commuting from virginia or maryland.

[Anonymous]

What an adventure! I would definitely consider it.

[Anonymous]

That sounds exhausting to me!

[Anonymous]

Don't forget NY City income tax ... at least $1.5 M to live like $500k here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would move to NYC for only a little more than what you are currently making but I only have one kid. We love NYC. But I'd bank on doing private all the way through for all kids. Maybe you get away with magnets for one or two but I wouldn't count on it. School is really hard in NYC and is the primary thing keeping us away.

But I also don't know what your standard of living is or what you want it to be. We'd be perfectly happy living in a 2 bedroom apartment in Brooklyn or Manhattan, no car, and cooking at home quite a bit. But again -- one kid. And her college is mostly saved for already.

We would spend a lot of money on museums and dance and theater. I'd also definitely spend more on clothes than I do currently because I love fashion and the standards are higher in NYC and I would want to keep up (but also it's easier to dress well on a budget there because the shopping is so much better). We'd be fine giving up some space and a car-dependent lifestyle. We like the subway and walking.

I don't know, I think it mostly depends on whether you are NYC people or not. I tend to think if you have 3 kids you may not be. Nothing against having a big family, just that the city is not conducive to larger families at all so I would wonder if other aspects of your lifestyle wouldn't work there either.

This is a good point. The city really isn't conducive to big families. Lots of one and done parents in NYC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’re going to live outside the city, then don’t do it. Your suburban experience commuting from westchester or long island or new jersey is the same or arguably worse than a suburban experience commuting from virginia or maryland.

Agree.

You won’t have the same standard of living. NY is a VHCOL. I travel there for work. Everything is expensed and I still have sticker shock (and I grew up in a coastal and expensive city).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget NY City income tax ... at least $1.5 M to live like $500k here.

NY doesn’t mess around. They tax like crazy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3 kids, 9th grade (could repeat grade if were to switch schools as very young for grade), 6th and 4th grade.

I may be offered a job in nyc. I make $350k in dc right now.

How much more would justify a move with a family from dc? Dh can work remotely $150k salary

I would need to make double and even then I wouldn't live in NYC, but a suburb. Do your kids want to move? Do they have close friendships? If they have good friends and you have a network in DC I would stay unless you may be laid off or something. Look for something new in DC. Also, what is commuting time? If it will be more if you move do you want to be away from your kids (if you take NJ transit, it can be a mess, take early trains).

I know a few families who lived in NYC with a higher HHI and they all moved/ say they are happier in the suburbs. One with 7 figure salary moved to Old Greenwich and loves it, another moved to Chatham, NJ and two who moved to Princeton, NJ. They lived in the city, loved it (some Brooklyn), but were tired of the crime, figuring out schools, and living in small apartments. Two families had kids in school and it worked out fine, the other has a toddler.

I would go look at some of these areas if you can if you are thinking of moving to see if you like certain areas/ cost of taxes etc (NJ and CT have high taxes) impact take home pay.

New Yorker here, in Manhattan. No one truly likes the suburbs all that much, they just say that. If OP is comfortable doing public school - and there are amazing publics but you have to work to get in them- living in Manhattan or Brooklyn or queens is highly preferable. Why move to NYC to not live in NYC?

Being a teenage in NYC is amazing. And not sure what you mean about crime. It’s really not that big of an issue despite what you might read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3 kids, 9th grade (could repeat grade if were to switch schools as very young for grade), 6th and 4th grade.

I may be offered a job in nyc. I make $350k in dc right now.

How much more would justify a move with a family from dc? Dh can work remotely $150k salary

I would need to make double and even then I wouldn't live in NYC, but a suburb. Do your kids want to move? Do they have close friendships? If they have good friends and you have a network in DC I would stay unless you may be laid off or something. Look for something new in DC. Also, what is commuting time? If it will be more if you move do you want to be away from your kids (if you take NJ transit, it can be a mess, take early trains).

I know a few families who lived in NYC with a higher HHI and they all moved/ say they are happier in the suburbs. One with 7 figure salary moved to Old Greenwich and loves it, another moved to Chatham, NJ and two who moved to Princeton, NJ. They lived in the city, loved it (some Brooklyn), but were tired of the crime, figuring out schools, and living in small apartments. Two families had kids in school and it worked out fine, the other has a toddler.

I would go look at some of these areas if you can if you are thinking of moving to see if you like certain areas/ cost of taxes etc (NJ and CT have high taxes) impact take home pay.

New Yorker here, in Manhattan. No one truly likes the suburbs all that much, they just say that. If OP is comfortable doing public school - and there are amazing publics but you have to work to get in them- living in Manhattan or Brooklyn or queens is highly preferable. Why move to NYC to not live in NYC?

Hey, Some people need to work for money 💰

[Anonymous]

Jesus no. Don’t uproot a 9th grader to live in a small apt in NYC. Unless your family loves NYC already this is such an upheaval. Consider commuting via train and getting a small apartment.

[Anonymous]

I personally wouldn't do it for less than a million. Taxes are high. My friends with 3 kids in the city have 3 million dollar apartments. Commuting from a suburb would be hell. Also rough for your high schooler to start over in NYC at a vulnerable time.

[Anonymous]

Getting a 9th grader into a magnet school or a private school at this point in the year probably won't be possible. This means a good zoned public outside of NYC proper is probably the best option. Is this the version of NYC that you are looking for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3 kids, 9th grade (could repeat grade if were to switch schools as very young for grade), 6th and 4th grade.

I may be offered a job in nyc. I make $350k in dc right now.

How much more would justify a move with a family from dc? Dh can work remotely $150k salary

I would need to make double and even then I wouldn't live in NYC, but a suburb. Do your kids want to move? Do they have close friendships? If they have good friends and you have a network in DC I would stay unless you may be laid off or something. Look for something new in DC. Also, what is commuting time? If it will be more if you move do you want to be away from your kids (if you take NJ transit, it can be a mess, take early trains).

I know a few families who lived in NYC with a higher HHI and they all moved/ say they are happier in the suburbs. One with 7 figure salary moved to Old Greenwich and loves it, another moved to Chatham, NJ and two who moved to Princeton, NJ. They lived in the city, loved it (some Brooklyn), but were tired of the crime, figuring out schools, and living in small apartments. Two families had kids in school and it worked out fine, the other has a toddler.

I would go look at some of these areas if you can if you are thinking of moving to see if you like certain areas/ cost of taxes etc (NJ and CT have high taxes) impact take home pay.

New Yorker here, in Manhattan. No one truly likes the suburbs all that much, they just say that. If OP is comfortable doing public school - and there are amazing publics but you have to work to get in them- living in Manhattan or Brooklyn or queens is highly preferable. Why move to NYC to not live in NYC?

Being a teenage in NYC is amazing. And not sure what you mean about crime. It’s really not that big of an issue despite what you might read.

Not true. There are many nice suburbs where people genuinely enjoy living. YOU may dislike suburbs but you’re not everyone.

I do agree that it doesn’t make a lot of sense to trade one suburb with another. Stay in the DC suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Do you own a property in dc? The fact you didn’t mention this makes me think you’re a troll. A huge % of people are stuck in their current houses due to mortgage rates.

Even if I did want to pick up and move to Westchester, a mortgage in a similar place would be an extra $8-9k a month. Not to mention restarting the 30 year clock on the mortgage. I’d need an extra $250k just to cover the post-tax additional housing expense. Not to mention the opportunity cost of a 30 year 2.75% mortgage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3 kids, 9th grade (could repeat grade if were to switch schools as very young for grade), 6th and 4th grade.

I may be offered a job in nyc. I make $350k in dc right now.

How much more would justify a move with a family from dc? Dh can work remotely $150k salary

I would need to make double and even then I wouldn't live in NYC, but a suburb. Do your kids want to move? Do they have close friendships? If they have good friends and you have a network in DC I would stay unless you may be laid off or something. Look for something new in DC. Also, what is commuting time? If it will be more if you move do you want to be away from your kids (if you take NJ transit, it can be a mess, take early trains).

I know a few families who lived in NYC with a higher HHI and they all moved/ say they are happier in the suburbs. One with 7 figure salary moved to Old Greenwich and loves it, another moved to Chatham, NJ and two who moved to Princeton, NJ. They lived in the city, loved it (some Brooklyn), but were tired of the crime, figuring out schools, and living in small apartments. Two families had kids in school and it worked out fine, the other has a toddler.

I would go look at some of these areas if you can if you are thinking of moving to see if you like certain areas/ cost of taxes etc (NJ and CT have high taxes) impact take home pay.

New Yorker here, in Manhattan. No one truly likes the suburbs all that much, they just say that. If OP is comfortable doing public school - and there are amazing publics but you have to work to get in them- living in Manhattan or Brooklyn or queens is highly preferable. Why move to NYC to not live in NYC?

Being a teenage in NYC is amazing. And not sure what you mean about crime. It’s really not that big of an issue despite what you might read.

Not true. There are many nice suburbs where people genuinely enjoy living. YOU may dislike suburbs but you’re not everyone.

I do agree that it doesn’t make a lot of sense to trade one suburb with another. Stay in the DC suburbs.

Even if they like their suburban house the commute to the city is dreary and soul sucking.