New York Neighbourhood help (Rye, Scarsdale: apartment, for rent, safe neighborhoods)

[TheWorldAtOurFingertips]

Hi it's my friends here asking for help

Hi,
My name's Lisa, my husbands got a job in New York in the financial district and we're due to move soon with our 4 children 15-3. We were directed here on British Expats forum.

What neighbourhoods are good for a family?
We've visited New York to look around and to make sure we'd be comfortable moving from the UK. We loved it, although we didn't seem to enjoy the Bronx but that was probably the area we visited (so I havn't ruled it out completly).
I've heard good things about the Upper East/West Sides, and the East Village but appreciate these are probably out ofour price range.

We're looking at $3500-4000 for rent for an apartment, preferably 3 bd but we've squeezed into a 2bd before so it won't be that much of a hardship if we can only afford a 2bd. We can get tuition help from my husbands company for my youngest two but I'm still looking at public school for my 15 year old and 13 year old, so 10th Grade and 8th Grade.

I'm also a teacher, and appreciate that there's a surplus of teachers in NY (or so I've heard) so it may be difficult for me to get a job but I definitly want to work. Can any of you confirm my suspisions?


Thanks

Lisa

[twist07]

Most of the Bronx is a little....I'm not going to offend anyone, but the good areas are very far from the city.

Manhattan for families: Upper West Side, Morningside Heights, Upper East Side, and parts of Greenwhich village. Out of these I would say Upper West Side is best.

Brooklyn: Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens and Boreum Hill. Out of these Park Slope is best for your range and for your kids.

Queens: Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside. The best? probably Astoria.

There are several safe neighborhoods in NYC, but I mention specifically these areas because they 1) your price range is resonable for them. 2) They have an abundance of parks and recreational things to do with your kids. Some neighborhoods I left out well, because they are close to me and I don't want the prices going up any more than they already are.

[Miss J 74]

Considering your husband will be working in the financial district, don't rule out NJ and Staten Island as well. Both have good access to the financial district, will be in your price range (You'll easily get a 3BR or even a 4BR in that range) and will have access to parks and schools.

[Forest_Hills_Daddy]

Originally Posted by TheWorldAtOurFingertips

Hi it's my friends here asking for help

Hi,
My name's Lisa, my husbands got a job in New York in the financial district and we're due to move soon with our 4 children 15-3. We were directed here on British Expats forum.

What neighbourhoods are good for a family?
We've visited New York to look around and to make sure we'd be comfortable moving from the UK. We loved it, although we didn't seem to enjoy the Bronx but that was probably the area we visited (so I havn't ruled it out completly).
I've heard good things about the Upper East/West Sides, and the East Village but appreciate these are probably out ofour price range.

We're looking at $3500-4000 for rent for an apartment, preferably 3 bd but we've squeezed into a 2bd before so it won't be that much of a hardship if we can only afford a 2bd. We can get tuition help from my husbands company for my youngest two but I'm still looking at public school for my 15 year old and 13 year old, so 10th Grade and 8th Grade.

I'm also a teacher, and appreciate that there's a surplus of teachers in NY (or so I've heard) so it may be difficult for me to get a job but I definitly want to work. Can any of you confirm my suspisions?

Thanks

Lisa

Judging from your whole post (4 kids), it looks like the suburbs are a better fit for you. Most expats on rent with families typically choose the suburbs especially if targeting public schools. The most popular places are Scarsdale, Rye and Larchmont in Westchester County; there you will find executive and mid-management people from around the world renting. I suggest you visit the Westchester forum and post your question there.

Princeton in New Jersey is popular with French-speaking expats because of the presence of the French school there. Stamford and Greenwich in Connecticut is popular with British expats especially those who work in financial services, but expat residents there send their children to private schools.

[citylove101]

Because you need public schools got your two oldest I would strongly discourage living in NYC. Getting into a strong school would be a real crapshoot. You could likely find somewhere in your price range in far eastern Queens like Bayside, douglaston, Little Neck, or even Forest Hills,where both housing and zoned schools (the ones you can go to just ny living in the district) are good.

And there are NO zoned high chools in Manhattan and only one IIRC zoned middle school on the Upper East Side. All kids have to apply. That's already a nightmare for those of us who live here. Your kids would have to take whatever leftover slots at whatever school the city had space in. That would be too big a gamble for me.

I'd go for Westchester or New jersey in a good school district like some of the ones mentioned already. But there are others. The only downside with this is that while he takes public transit to work, you'd have to think about getting a car. Life w/o one in the burbs can be hard.




Can you drive on the right? :--)

Are you used to dry

[whitlock]

Originally Posted by twist07

Most of the Bronx is a little....I'm not going to offend anyone, but the good areas are very far from the city.

Manhattan for families: Upper West Side, Morningside Heights, Upper East Side, and parts of Greenwhich village. Out of these I would say Upper West Side is best.

Brooklyn: Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens and Boreum Hill. Out of these Park Slope is best for your range and for your kids.

Queens: Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside. The best? probably Astoria.

There are several safe neighborhoods in NYC, but I mention specifically these areas because they 1) your price range is resonable for them. 2) They have an abundance of parks and recreational things to do with your kids. Some neighborhoods I left out well, because they are close to me and I don't want the prices going up any more than they already are.

...iffy yes, but I would though say it's an area atleast visually in transition. I've read on this forum that atleast Melrose and lower Concourse should be ready for primetime around 2020.