Where should they live? 500-600k house and midtown commute

[Anonymous]

My sister and her husband live in Greenpoint, Brooklyn in a rental that is way below market rate, but too small for their current family.

They have a 4 year old starting preK in the fall, and a baby. They both work full time in midtown (50s) but are working 100% remotely due to Covid.

They want to stay in their neighborhood but there aren’t a lot of options for housing in their price range.

They want a progressive neighborhood with a lot of walk ability and a commute no more than 1 hour (ideally 45 min) to midtown.

Their budget is 500-600k if they buy a house, or 3000-3400 if they rent.

I’ve been encouraging them to look at houses to buy in close-in NJ that might work, as a longer term investment for their family. (Their jobs are tied to NYC and they want to stay for the long term.) They are concerned (rightly so) about the commutes, for what they can afford.

What specific towns should they look at? Would you buy or rent and why?

[Anonymous]

The commute from NJ is horrible unless you’re going to Wall Street. Misery to live there and commute as a dual working family with a young kid. Terrible idea.

[Anonymous]

My cousin moved to Maplewood NJ from Brooklyn, and seems to be surrounded by a gazillion families who did the same. I’m not sure what the commute to midtown is like, but it’s worth checking out. Here’s a house that would fit their budget. https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Maplewood/17-Burroughs-Way-07040/home/36371095?utm_source=ios_share&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=copy_link&utm_nooverride=1&utm_content=link

[Anonymous]

Valley Steam, NY. Very close Brooklyn much cheaper

[Anonymous]

It sounds like they'll have more options if they rent.

[Anonymous]

They may have some options in Jersey City. But the schools suck unless you go charter or private.

[Anonymous]

Nassau County. Look at Merrick and Bellmore. We paid 500K for our 1800 sq feet house on a quiet dead end street in one of the above mentioned towns. Commute is 45 min to Penn Station at rush hour..1 hr-1.25 hrs door to door depending on office location. My old office was by Grand Central.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My cousin moved to Maplewood NJ from Brooklyn, and seems to be surrounded by a gazillion families who did the same. I’m not sure what the commute to midtown is like, but it’s worth checking out. Here’s a house that would fit their budget. https://www.redfin.com/NJ/Maplewood/17-Burroughs-Way-07040/home/36371095?utm_source=ios_share&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=copy_link&utm_nooverride=1&utm_content=link

I live in Maplewood. Amazing community and town but the train ride into Penn is ~40 mins. Could easily be an hour door to door, depending on where their house and office are located. And NJ Transit is not reliable. The commute is the worst part about living here (oh, and the extremely high property taxes).

[Anonymous]

Look into the bay shore towns - Highlands, Atlantic Highlands, Belford - with a commute on the Seastreak.

[Anonymous]

Northwestern Queens?

[Anonymous]

Bump

[Anonymous]

I agree renting is more likely option with that budget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sister and her husband live in Greenpoint, Brooklyn in a rental that is way below market rate, but too small for their current family.

They have a 4 year old starting preK in the fall, and a baby. They both work full time in midtown (50s) but are working 100% remotely due to Covid.

They want to stay in their neighborhood but there aren’t a lot of options for housing in their price range.

They want a progressive neighborhood with a lot of walk ability and a commute no more than 1 hour (ideally 45 min) to midtown.

Their budget is 500-600k if they buy a house, or 3000-3400 if they rent.

I’ve been encouraging them to look at houses to buy in close-in NJ that might work, as a longer term investment for their family. (Their jobs are tied to NYC and they want to stay for the long term.) They are concerned (rightly so) about the commutes, for what they can afford.

What specific towns should they look at? Would you buy or rent and why?

Maybe Westchester County in New York.

See, for example: https://www.nenyhomes.com/homes-for-sale-in-westchester-county-ny-500000-to-700000

I think New York state is better for people with kids because the SUNY system is better and cheaper than New Jersey’s state university system.

[Anonymous]

Chathem, NJ

[Anonymous]

Secaucus, NJ and ride the bus to Port Authority. They have reasonable taxes for NJ.