Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a real challenge but you have a good budget to work with. You could get a really nice house, with good schools, in NJ, but the commute will be rough. Most NJ "nice" suburbs feed into Penn Station. That will mean an hour on the train to Penn, and then taking the 2/3 train all the way downtown to DUMBO. For the same reason, I wouldn't live north of the city in Westchester and around there.

You're better off looking east into Brooklyn/Queens or into commuter towns in Long Island and using the Long Island Railroad. The LIRR trains come into Atlantic Ave/Barclay Center and it's a fairly short jump from there to DUMBO. In some cases, it will be faster to live farther out and take the LIRR than it would be to live on the subway. Hopefully this goes without saying, but do not drive to work.

There are little pockets of nice suburbia all over the place in Brooklyn: places like Forrest Hills, Kew Gardens, Bay Ridge. Don't lose hope.

Forrest Hills and Kew Gardens are in Queens.

Forrest Hills and Kew Gardens are also far from DUMBO, even driving it would be about 40 mins+ and more with traffic. If OP's willing to live in Queens, then Astoria of LIC is a better option.

Brooklyn is made up of many different neighborhoods. You should rent first and explore before committing to a house.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a real challenge but you have a good budget to work with. You could get a really nice house, with good schools, in NJ, but the commute will be rough. Most NJ "nice" suburbs feed into Penn Station. That will mean an hour on the train to Penn, and then taking the 2/3 train all the way downtown to DUMBO. For the same reason, I wouldn't live north of the city in Westchester and around there.

You're better off looking east into Brooklyn/Queens or into commuter towns in Long Island and using the Long Island Railroad. The LIRR trains come into Atlantic Ave/Barclay Center and it's a fairly short jump from there to DUMBO. In some cases, it will be faster to live farther out and take the LIRR than it would be to live on the subway. Hopefully this goes without saying, but do not drive to work.

There are little pockets of nice suburbia all over the place in Brooklyn: places like Forrest Hills, Kew Gardens, Bay Ridge. Don't lose hope.

Forrest Hills and Kew Gardens are in Queens.

Anonymous wrote:This is a real challenge but you have a good budget to work with. You could get a really nice house, with good schools, in NJ, but the commute will be rough. Most NJ "nice" suburbs feed into Penn Station. That will mean an hour on the train to Penn, and then taking the 2/3 train all the way downtown to DUMBO. For the same reason, I wouldn't live north of the city in Westchester and around there.

You're better off looking east into Brooklyn/Queens or into commuter towns in Long Island and using the Long Island Railroad. The LIRR trains come into Atlantic Ave/Barclay Center and it's a fairly short jump from there to DUMBO. In some cases, it will be faster to live farther out and take the LIRR than it would be to live on the subway. Hopefully this goes without saying, but do not drive to work.

There are little pockets of nice suburbia all over the place in Brooklyn: places like Forrest Hills, Kew Gardens, Bay Ridge. Don't lose hope.

Anonymous wrote:OP,

If you’re unfamiliar with BK, I would rent close to work for a year to get your bearings. All of the neighborhoods in that part of Brooklyn are filled with families with multiple children, and there are so many benefits to living in a smaller place in brooklyn heights, cobble hill, Carroll gardens, park slope, etc. It is just so different from here that you may find that what you desire for housing is not at all what you initially thought. Before moving to DC, I lived and worked in Brooklyn heights (with kids and a dog). I would go back in a heartbeat if I had your housing budget. Just like here, you’re going to need to be there a while before you have a good handle on which neighborhood is best for your family. If, after a year you still want the big house and a yard, you’ll also have a better idea of commuting distances/times and schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope etc.

I checked park slope on Zillow and could only find 2 or 3 bedroom places in that price range. Do you think Zillow is off?

No nyc is expensive. Check Long Island and see what you think of the commute.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Considering a move from DC. I have 3 young kids and a dog so ideally will have a 4+ bedroom house with a yard. We can afford a maximum of $3m - prefer less obviously. Want to minimize commute to extent possible, live in a place that’s great for families, and has a nice sense of community. How far out will I have to go to get this space in this price range and where should I look? Thank you!

I think the problem you're having is that you're too unfamiliar with Brooklyn to Zillow it well.

When I search for single-family homes with a yard, in Brooklyn, with 4 or more bedrooms, I see hundreds of results. Many are under 1 million. I think you just have to go there and drive around Brooklyn and Queens till you see something great.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Considering a move from DC. I have 3 young kids and a dog so ideally will have a 4+ bedroom house with a yard. We can afford a maximum of $3m - prefer less obviously. Want to minimize commute to extent possible, live in a place that’s great for families, and has a nice sense of community. How far out will I have to go to get this space in this price range and where should I look? Thank you!

I think the problem you're having is that you're too unfamiliar with Brooklyn to Zillow it well.

When I search for single-family homes with a yard, in Brooklyn, with 4 or more bedrooms, I see hundreds of results. Many are under 1 million. I think you just have to go there and drive around Brooklyn and Queens till you see something great.

Anonymous wrote:Considering a move from DC. I have 3 young kids and a dog so ideally will have a 4+ bedroom house with a yard. We can afford a maximum of $3m - prefer less obviously. Want to minimize commute to extent possible, live in a place that’s great for families, and has a nice sense of community. How far out will I have to go to get this space in this price range and where should I look? Thank you!