[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Asil65

Thanks for the great responses. We were looking at New Fairfield too as it seems you can get more bang for your buck a little farther north. The commute would be longer to Tarrytown. Mom of too why did you feel New Fairfiled was friendlier than Ridgefield? Please don't tell me it is another snobby town.I did look at Somers NY. It just seems a little too far out there for me. No real downtown which I would like. We are still looking at Katonah and Croton in NY as well. My dh would like at least an acre of propert so I think Irvington would be out.

Ridgefield is a very nice town, and given the amount of wealth that has flooded the town in the past two decades, you will find a certain percentage of residents pretentious. That said, most of the people there are friendly and hard working - there are plenty of soccermoms (as with most towns in CT). Ridgefield's pretentiousness is nothing compared to the attitudes of some people in Westchester's suburbs. I spent quite a while working in Yorktown (an upper middle class suburb that's cheaper than Ridgefield) and the attitudes there were a huge turnoff.

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Ridgefield is a very nice town, and given the amount of wealth that has flooded the town in the past two decades, you will find a certain percentage of residents pretentious. That said, most of the people there are friendly and hard working - there are plenty of soccermoms (as with most towns in CT). Ridgefield's pretentiousness is nothing compared to the attitudes of some people in Westchester's suburbs. I spent quite a while working in Yorktown (an upper middle class suburb that's cheaper than Ridgefield) and the attitudes there were a huge turnoff.

Well-said. I totally agree. The Ridgefield attitude can be there, but it is far more prevalent to the south--in Westport, New Canaan, Darien, and many parts of Westchester County.

[Asil65]

Thanks for the info about attitudes. A snobby town is a real turn off for me. I guess almost all towns can have a bit of that. Jenna thanks for the info about Croton. I was thinking that commuting on 9 to Tarrytown would be a nice drive. It sounds busy too. I wish the schools were better in Tarrytown. That is the major problem. My dh also wants around an acre of land so that puts most of southern westchester out of reach- ie Pleasantville. My husband actually grew up in New Milford so we are familiar with Brookfield . I think that would be a tough commute to Tarrytown. I was suprised to hear that people have an attitude in Yorktown. I thought that was pretty much a blue collar town. We were looking at YH not Yorktown. Is there a difference in attitude?

[jeena]

I don't differentiate between Yorktown and Yorktown Hts., I go all over that area and really didn't find attitude, but I did find it in Mt. Kisco, I cannot believe the people in Mt. Kisco won't even thank me for holding the door for them in the shops, it's just common courtesy! I couldn't wait to come home to East Yonkers (where most people are normal and curteous) after my last shopping trip to Mt. Kisco! Even in the "less wealthy" areas of Yonkers, people are usually nice and mannerly.
I agree that Westchester people for some reason are very unfriendly, I spent three months in San Diego this year, and I was treated like a princess by everyone, I can't tell you how many people (men and women) spoke to me at the shopping centers, beaches, museums, etc. I didn't want to leave Ca. and come home to the unfriendliness here. One day in the summer I went to Mamaroneck and sat on the beach on Long Island Sound and a woman in her 30's started talking to me, and I was surprised at meeting such a friendly person around here. It turns out she was from Colorado and said she couldn't wait to get back home out West where the people are nicer!
Anyway, Yorktown Hts. always had high property taxes from years back. Mahopac taxes are on the rise, the seniors keep voting down tax increases, but the young wealthier families want to raise them to keep all the programs in the schools for their kids.
My friend lives in Cortlandt Manor, next to YH, I think the homes are cheaper there, but he is complaining about the property taxes and said he should have moved over the line to Conn. years ago.
Ardsley is nice with one of the best school systems, my best friend is a teacher and moved in an upscale condo there for her son to go to the schools. Actually, it's ironic, she said if her son was in an inner city school, for example in Yonkers, he probably would be one of the best performers and get a scholarship, but in the Ardsley school there are so many smart kids that he is just an average student in comparison to them. I guess there are pros and cons to everything.
Did you consider Nyack, NY, over the Tappan Zee? I don't know how the prices are, but the town has really nice shops, jazz clubs, outdoor cafe's, the Palisade Mall. I wouldn't go too far into Rockland though, too crowded, too much rush hour traffic!
I was checking out this board because I was thinking about getting a condo with a pool in Danbury/Brookfield to have a place to go swimming in the summer, but also keeping my Yonkers home. I was thinking about maybe looking further up closer the the Mohegun Sun area, but I don't know yet.
Maybe you could afford a small condo/coop somewhere near Tarrytown, but maintain a home with acreage in Conn. and go there on the weekends? I know some people who do that.
Good Luck in your search!

[Asil65]

Hey Jeena, I grew up in Ct then after my dh got married we moved to California. I actually feel like more of a Californian rather than a Connecticution. That word cracks me up. I am one of those people that will strike up a conversation with anyone. We live in a pretty liberal, friendly area in Va. I am wondering how I will adjust to the northeast. That is why we are trying to look for a nice town, not snobby and good schools. We did think about Pearl river in NY. The commute over the Tappan Zee seems daunting. The acre of land seems to be an issue too. Not much in Southern Westchester with an acre in our price range.Can you tell me why NY taxes are so high? It is scary to think about what kind of mortgage we could have.

[usmcfamily]

Originally Posted by Asil65

My dh and I are originally from CT. We now live in Va and my husband will likely be accepting a job in Tarrytown NY. We are looking at Ridgefield for a possiblity. We have a 9 and 11 yr old so schools are really important. How are the Ridgefield schools? The stats look pretty good. It is a friendly town? Being a Yankee I know how some parts of Ct are not quite as welcoming as others. Taxes in NY are insane. So we are looking at various options.Thanks.

Asil65,
You can't go wrong with Ridgefield or New Fairfield. Both are beautiful towns, great schools, wonderful places to raise families. Ridgefield is not a snobby town by any means. I grew up in a neighboring town. Graduated college, got married, moved away. Moved back 20 years later, financially now middle/upper middle class. I have found that people here are intimidated by people with more money than themselves, thus labeling these people as "snobs." Sometimes, I don't even like to tell people where I grew up because of these assumptions. Ridgefield is a wonderful town to live!!!

[jeena]

It's funny that you're a Californian, the woman who rented me a house in the North San Diego hills calls me a "part time Californian" I've been there several times and miss the people and beaches. I almost bought a condo in S.D., it was a short sale and the bank dropped the price to $120,000, it went for $430.000 at the top of the market. It was only listed for two days before someone grabbed it, I knew it was a good deal, but changed my mind because of the distance.

I have relatives in Newport News and Alexandria, I like both places.

Anyway, West. County has the highest taxes in the nation. We have to pay West. County tax and Yonkers City tax. There has been talk of doing away with the county government like Connecticut did to save money. There is a property tax rebate in NY called the Star Program, everyone is entitled to it,
seniors get more of a rebate. A good thing about Yonkers is all the city services are included in the taxes like garbage removal, ambulance service, etc. My neighbor moved here from Mahopac a few years ago, even though he said he had a lot of property and inground pool, he had to pay high taxes without any services, which cost extra, so he moved back to Yonkers.

I think the tax situation in NY is going to get worse with all the loss of jobs in the banks/Wall St. The state tax revenue is going to be down, the governor has gone to Washington to get money (another bailout). Yonkers is talking about laying off 300 city workers. Personally, I don't think it's fair that New Yorkers have to pay more taxes for these job loses just because they happen to be in our state, those jobs benefit everyone, not only New Yorkers.

I don't know if you realize what the heating oil costs in New York were. I paid $1400.00 a month for oil last winter. If oil prices go up again it's a big additional expense, you might want to look for a home that uses gas, it's a little cheaper. Additionally I paid $900.00 a month for property taxes, and $1100.00 a month for mortgage ( 5.2% fixed), and Yonkers is supposed to be cheap! One good thing is that the homes appreciate much more here than in most parts of the country because it's close to NYC, so the extra expenses have to be balanced against the home appreciation, so I guess it evens out.

I have been to the major cities in the country, LA, Miami, Boston, etc. and I still think NY is the best, I like living here and being close to all the city has to offer, even if the people aren't that friendly.....

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

Well-said. I totally agree. The Ridgefield attitude can be there, but it is far more prevalent to the south--in Westport, New Canaan, Darien, and many parts of Westchester County.

I have to disagree with you on New Canaan. Most of the residents are reserved, tactful, and cordial. They don't shout $$$$.

Stamford? It's an interesting city that's way too hubristic for me. Note that i live in Stratford, which is still considered to be "blue collar". I'll take New Canaan "attitude" over Stamford "attitude" any day.

[jeena]

I forgot to tell you one more thing, if you decide to look in parts of Rockland County, I heard that some properties are being bought up by religious groups looking to accumulate more and more land, so they will be living there "tax free" and the tax burden will be on the remaining residents. A friend of mine lived in one such area and moved out because of the problem. I don't know if Pearl River is affected, maybe you should check out each message board of an area you are considering if you haven't already done so.....

Again, best of luck in your search!

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

I have to disagree with you on New Canaan. Most of the residents are reserved, tactful, and cordial. They don't shout $$$$.

Stamford? It's an interesting city that's way too hubristic for me. Note that i live in Stratford, which is still considered to be "blue collar". I'll take New Canaan "attitude" over Stamford "attitude" any day.

I'd have to agree for the most part. I lived in NC for a few years and people there are pretty modest for what they have. Greenwich, Darien and Westport, though, do have a slight 'tude. But even there, modesty says a lot more than being showy, as pretentiousness is largely looked down upon by the towns' most prominent residents.

But Ridgefield still has those middle class roots that I love. I still think upper middle class towns like Trumbull, Newtown and Glastonbury have more snootiness than the old money communities.