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With Nanuet, Pearl River and Clarkstown (in Rockland), she will be very close to the Palisades Mall. In both instances, shopping and chores will be a breeze. Also the public schools in these areas are OK - typical NYC suburban.
What is advantage of Rockland NY over Bergen County NJ, which has affordable houses, good schools and close to NYC?
The Westchester forum is heavily skewed towards Lower Westchester, as some people believe that anything north of 287 is a suburb of Buffalo, so I am not surprised that it does not come up in discussion. Jefferson Valley has basics covered, typical for Simon's base tenant roster (Macy's, Sears, H&M, etc.), and it's only about 20-25 minutes from the heart of Croton, as the roads are not gridlocked in that area of the county, so not an arduous trip, as in Lower Westchester where the same distance can be 40-45 minutes. If in Yorktown and commuting through Croton-Harmon, it's even more convenient. Seriously, it's just another option to consider, though lacking the more upscale shops that are found in greater supply in White Plains, Manhasset, and Short Hills. Jefferson Valley has more in common with the OP's descriptor of middle-class than Short Hills, though if the OP wants mega-retail, it is difficult to beat Paramus, provided you complete your shopping by Saturday night, factoring Garden State Plaza and associated retail in the surrounding area.
The Galleria in White Plains is also a Simon Mall, and is similar to Jefferson Valley, though you do not have to pay for parking at Jefferson Valley, IIRC. The Westchester is also a Simon property, but with shops that are geared toward a more upscale consumer than its basic shops.
LI is much more congested, overall, than Westchester, especially Northern Westchester, save for certain parts of the North Shore, but that's not reality at $600k. Anytime you can save crossing the Hudson during rush hours, you save time, even if commuting from a slightly longer distance in Westchester or Fairfield, especially if that commute involves the Tappan Zee. And, Short Hills and environs (Summit, Chatham, etc.) do not have much in the way of single-family housing for $600k or less, but the areas are very good, I agree, and know people who absolutely love Summit, Chatham, Milburn, Short Hills, etc.
Other considerations in Westchester would be on the Harlem Line, which would entail a slightly longer commute because the stations are not express hubs as is Croton-Harmon. You could find a property in Katonah or Bedford Hills, for example, very close to Mount Kisco, not terribly far to CT and White Plains for more destination shopping at malls, but it would be on the smaller end of your size range and about an hour on the train to Grand Central. Under $600k, you could find a split level or cape in Katonah close to the downtown and railroad station from the 1960s-1970s, in the Town of Bedford, not adjacent areas of Somers or Lewisboro because the Town of Bedford administers its own parking and you must be a town resident to get a permit, as non-resident permits and meters are not plentiful. Katonah would also put you in the Katonah-Lewisboro school district, which has John Jay High Middle-High School in Cross River and associated elementary schools.
Valhalla would also be a consideration closer to White Plains, with a decent school district, as it's a fairly uniformly middle-class area, without too much at the low-end or the high-end. Valhalla would be similar to Pearl River in Rockland County, for example, though Pearl River would be less expensive because it's in Rockland.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
How big of a yard are you looking for? There's not a lot of inventory right now, but detached SFRs in Woodside would definitely be priced under $600k. You could try Sunnyside, too. Both neighborhoods are a quick 7-train ride to Times Square.
I don't think congestion in LI is any more of a problem than it is in southern Westchester, Staten Island or Bergen/Essex. If you live in New Hyde Park, Franklin Square or Stewart Manor (many of these places have listings of house w/ yard for less then 600K), you do not have to take the LIE or NSP to get to Roosevelt Field and The Gallery. It's a mere 5-minute drive through local streets/Jericho Turnpike. Commuting to Manhattan would be through the LIRR and some of these nabes have homes that are walking distance to the train station. If one insists on driving on the LIE/NSP for whatever reason then he will definitely encounter congestion but otherwise not a big issue.
With 3 kids presumably going to public schools, I would rule out anything in the boroughs.
My recommendation was Middle Village. Would the schools in Franklin Square or New Hyde Park really be any better?
Franklin Square SD is a very good district and I am very pleased with it. I have a child with a mild learning disability and let me tell you, they were on top of everything and acted quickly to ensure she got the services she needed. I've heard too many sad stories about kids with needs in the NYC public schools. Not saying they're all bad but on LI when the majority of your taxes go to the schools, you're going to get excellent service. And classes are not over-crowded. From 2nd grade to 6th grade my daughter's classes never had more than 22 students.
That's just my opinion--not trying to debate who has a better school system. Just want to put that out there.
My recommendation was Middle Village. Would the schools in Franklin Square or New Hyde Park really be any better?
Absolutely. Just looking at the 5th grade NYS Assessment math scores alone, NHP Road School is a 92% while PS 87 in MV is 75%. PS 87's 3rd grade scores are even much lower. Also there are parts of NHP that are zoned for the even more impressive Herricks school district. Franklin Square's elementary school is a blue ribbon school and I expect their academic achievement to be similar to NHP. Average class sizes in NHP are around 20 and while I am not sure about NHP, LI schools typically provide teachers aides. In PS 87 they are 27 and sometimes with no teachers aides.
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