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Riverdale in my opinion is not really living the NYC lifestyle. If op likes riverdale they might just be better off moving to westchester county for a similar suburban lifestyle and commute while avoiding NYC taxes.
I'd be looking at Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, Upper West and Upper East if I were the OP.
Last edited by fmatthew5876; 02-09-2015 at 04:51 PM..
We will look into park slope. It sounds lovely. Though, someone did tell me it takes well over 30 minutes to get into Manhattan. How will the commute be to midtown? Or if I want to take my kids to the American Museum of natural city? But will I take all 3 little ones by myself? Probably not. :/
The point of living in Brooklyn is you receive Manhattan amenities in a suburbs environment (people more friendly and welcoming than Manhattan). You won't need to leave the area, unless you work in Manhattan (jobs center in Brooklyn is still a work in progress). The commute to midtown will be as long as commuting from suburbs in NJ, CT, and Westchester. Think of it as bigger and more diverse upper west side. If you want geographic closeness to work (especially mid-town), your best option will always be upper west side, Manhattan. Brooklyn is more residential feel than Manhattan as Manhattan is a combination of tourist, transplants looking for temporary rentals apartments, and empty vacation homes for the very wealthy. Hence it why people recommend Brooklyn as a compromise between a good place to raise your kids while enjoying big city life.
Well, paying high taxes will definitely be a tough pill to swallow. How much will the mayor be raising taxes? We could afford a 3 million dollar apartment. I can't believe how much a 3BR is. It's unreal to me.
Given the large sums that could be involved, you would be best served consulting an experienced NYC accountant to estimate the potential NYC income tax impact on your household. BTW, the mayor isn't exactly raising taxes. What he is proposing is to raise the tax rate that the highest bracket (ie. you) would have to pay. Other (ie. lower) tax brackets like those earning $100K won't be affected. But for simplicity, just ask the accountant to assume for your bracket the current tax base amount and percentage then factor in whatever deductions and other income your household might be earning. It's a very simple exercise.
Then consult an experienced real estate broker familiar with the southern Westchester region and ask about available homes and estimated assessed taxes. There are enough good homes in good districts selling for $800,000 and you can run scenarios on assessed values and location to get to a more efficient tax bill. As long as you're not buying a mansion. For example, a home in the same SD can cost less on taxes if it is not located in a village. Post your question in the Westchester forum and ask who the reputable brokers are.
Then compare the 2 amounts. As I posted earlier, there is no added value to paying that premium. You will be getting the same public services as someone else in NYC making $150K. And there are more than enough people in well-to-do suburbs who can attest that the commute to Grand Central is a breeze, allowing them to experience what NYC has to offer when they want to.
with your income I would definitely stay. I have 3 but couldn't afford private and so we moved to the burbs. Honestly, not sure it's for our family. I grew up in queens and its very different from what I'm used to. I've found that even if you find some friendly people, it's not the same as living in the city where you're constantly running into friends. Its very hard to actually see people. You need to get in the car for everything. And getting 3 kids in the car for everything is much harder than to just step out of your house in stroller and walk down the block. For what it's worth, kids seem to be adjusting better than I am.
If I were you, I would rent first. Its harder to undo a decision once you've bought. We have decided to stick it out in the burbs for a few years, and then reassess. We might try to move back to Brooklyn or Queens after that, or who knows we might be used to things by then.
While I don't have kids, I've been in the city for about ten years. I am almost to the age of trying to have children (while my wife ha), and have no desire to try and do so in NYC, irregardless of whatever my income level may be. There's obviously many people who are choosing to raise a family when they have the means to do so elsewhere, so it's truly a personal preference.
Moving here right out of college, I really didn't know what made a liberal or a conservative, and didn't really have life views to classify myself as either. What I've come to find out is NYC is an extremely liberal city, and daily everyday life reflects that. If you are more of a liberal person / family, you are likely to embrace raising your family in nyc much more than if you slant conservative. That's going to apply to how the city is run (taxes, etc) and many of the people you live amongst and interact / encounter on a daily basis.
I read all the posts and have to put in my two cents. My brother and his wife are in a similar financial situation to yours, and they chose to raise their two kids in Manhattan in Greenwich Village. The kids went to P.S. 41 on 11th Street and loved it. There were no discipline problems at P.S. 41. The kids for the most part were well-behaved and did their school work. My niece and nephew tested into Salk Middle School which is very highly rated. Note: my brother doesn't believe in test prep.My brother and sister-in-law always read and set an example for the kids. Now the kids are at a selective high school and they are doing well academically. It is certainly possible for kids to get a good education in the city's public schools. But I recommend living an area with a good elementary school like P.S. 41 so the kids get off to a good start. You can read about city schools on the website insideschools.org It will be very informative for you.
Ohhh, this is tough. We probably would rent first. We'll narrow our search down to brooklyn heights, park slope, cobblehill, Greenwich village, and the UWS. From researching areas, I do think Brooklyn heights and cobble hill would be wonderful. However, being next to Central Park and the musuems would be so great. How is the UWS? Is it crowded or commercial?
Eliz,how long have you lived in th suburbs? I do have to say it is hard to see people. Getting 3 little ones in and out of the car isn't fun and takes forever.
Do this for sure. You don't want to sink money into a property and find out you'd rather be somewhere else. Rent for at least a year and explore all of the neighborhoods. By then you'll know what you like best and where you want to be.
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Eliz,how long have you lived in th suburbs? I do have to say it is hard to see people. Getting 3 little ones in and out of the car isn't fun and takes forever.
Getting 3 little ones anywhere is not fun and takes forever. I do like it much more in the city however. You can just step out of your apartment and walk somewhere. In the burbs everything revolved around your car. Anything you want to do requires driving and putting all of the kids in car seats.
Its best to live close to parks and playgrounds so its quick and easy to take the kids out. This is why Hudson Heights is my favorite neighborhood to live in NYC. So many parks and playgrounds.
- strike up a great relationship with Prospect Park (smaller than Central Park, but still very large, and designed by Frederick Law Olmsted who designed Central Park).
- Get a family membership at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, which has year-round beautiful changing vegetation and a children's programming division.
- Join the Brooklyn Museum of Art, on Eastern Parkway, with a superior permanent collection and changing exhibitions all year.
- Find out what's offered at Brooklyn's largest branch of the NY Public Library on Grand Army Plaza.
- In summer, enjoy the Saturday farmer's market at Grand Army Plaza.
- Not far away, in Bed-Stuy, try out the Brooklyn Children's Museum, the oldest children's museum in the USA.
And of course, board the subway for Manhattan's museums and parks.
Everything listed above is also available from Cobble Hill or Brooklyn Heights, but if you land in Park Slope, those are all within a mile, easy walking distance (except for the Bkln Children's Museum).
If kids are tired at the end of such a day, just call a car service to go home.
ETA: Brooklyn Heights has a very dynamic relationship with the East River and its piers, harbors, knockout views of Manhattan, "Jane's Carousel" which might feel touristy after awhile but magical at first, the bridges, and small parks under the bridges. When friends visit me in Brooklyn, I make a bee-line to Brooklyn Heights, where they see a bit of "everything" - architecture, harbors, restaurants. Park Slope feels a bit landlocked, compared to Brooklyn Heights.
I don't know Cobble Hill at all.
Last edited by BrightRabbit; 02-10-2015 at 09:44 PM..
From what I've heard, the Brooklyn's children museum is better than the one on UWS. I've never been to either though so I cannot confirm.
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