New Yorker please help! (New Rochelle, Mount Vernon: relocation, real estate, apartments)

[Sach7]

1st I just want to say hello to everyone and thanks for your advice in advance....

My wife & I(No kids yet) are moving to NY from South Carolina in Feb. I've taken many trips to NYC to handle business in Manhatten. But all the times I've been up there, I've never went outside that area too much enought to say I know where I'm going(Unfortunately)! Her job is going to be in Stamford, Ct.... but alot of my business will be in NYC. What advice could you give us on some good/safe areas to live in between NYC & Stamford, Ct? Plus, good links to look for a place to rent for now or even a phone number would be good as well.... Not really looking to pay a brokeage fee but will if I have too... 1 or 2 bedrooms/ $800.00 to $1,500.00. I'm black/italian & my wife is black/white but trust me when the cops pull me over its black they see....LoL! My point is I'm looking for a good area to consider home until we can move up in income... Plus we both have cars, I know parking is a problem... but does it cost to park you car in the area your living in? Do you've have to have some form of permit for that area??? All advice is welcome good or bad!!

[mead]

Do you know where in Manhattan you'll be working? I'm thinking you should look into Westchester county as that is in between the city and Stamford, CT.

Maybe you could look into someplace like the Northern part of Mount Vernon. Its pretty upscale, fairly diverse with a large black population (mostly Caribbean though). Plus you have the benefit of being able to use the train line to the City and also up to Stamford.

New Rochelle is another option worth looking into.

Once you have kids though I'd be somewhat concerned with the public schools in these towns.

You're definitely going to be going towards the higher end of your range for rentals. Above $1,000 for a 1br in Westchester county.

[rlrl]

my parents left NY in 1997 for Bluffton, SC(hilton head/Savannah area) then to Aiken, SC(near Augusta ga) but now they're in Atlanta

Stamford is about 30-35 miles from Manhattan. In between the 2 you have Westchester County and the northern Bronx like Riverdale, where I live, which is about 20-25 miles from Stamford

You may like Riverdale which is considered liberal (my old neighbors were an interracial couple). In Westchester you have good places like Eastchester, Scarsdale(pricey), Crestwood, Bronxville(pricey), Fleetwood In Mt Vernon, Pelham, new Rochelle, larchmont, mamaroneck, Rye, pt Chester, White plains

someone else advise this man I'm losing it...

[holden125]

You might get some good info if you post this on the Westchester County forum:

Westchester County - City-Data Forum: Relocation, Moving, Local City Discussions

You should check out towns along the New Haven line of the Metro North Railroad. That area has highway and train access to both Stamford and Manhattan. They include: Pelham, New Rochelle, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Rye, Harrison, Port Chester. The area is nice but some of these towns are pretty expensive. Port Chester, the last town in NY state before entering CT, is poorer. New Rochelle, at least down by the train station, is more of a city with some crime problems but I don't think it's that bad. There are also some very expensive suburban areas of New Rochelle.

This area is pretty expensive overall but you should be able to find something under $1500 somewhere up there. Check out westchester all apartments classifieds - craigslist and do searches for these towns. be careful about one thing: if you want easy train access to NYC, New Rochelle and Harrison are pretty big and some places are nowhere near the train.

In New York City there are no resident permits for parking in most areas but it's hard to park so in Manhattan, for example, many people pay a ton for a garage spot. In Westchester it really depends on the village or your particular apartment, some come with parking and some don't.

Good luck.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by mead

Maybe you could look into someplace like the Northern part of Mount Vernon. Its pretty upscale, fairly diverse with a large black population (mostly Caribbean though). Plus you have the benefit of being able to use the train line to the City and also up to Stamford

Right, the Mount Vernon East train station is on the line going to Stamford.

[rlrl]

sach7-sorry for trailing off like that. i'm just burned out from typing all day. if i can recharge and get any ideas i'll re-post

[Sach7]

Originally Posted by rlrl

sach7-sorry for trailing off like that. i'm just burned out from typing all day. if i can recharge and get any ideas i'll re-post

rlrl...

I'm thankful for any help I can get...

[Sach7]

Originally Posted by holden125

You might get some good info if you post this on the Westchester County forum:

Westchester County - City-Data Forum: Relocation, Moving, Local City Discussions

You should check out towns along the New Haven line of the Metro North Railroad. That area has highway and train access to both Stamford and Manhattan. They include: Pelham, New Rochelle, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Rye, Harrison, Port Chester. The area is nice but some of these towns are pretty expensive. Port Chester, the last town in NY state before entering CT, is poorer. New Rochelle, at least down by the train station, is more of a city with some crime problems but I don't think it's that bad. There are also some very expensive suburban areas of New Rochelle.

This area is pretty expensive overall but you should be able to find something under $1500 somewhere up there. Check out westchester all apartments classifieds - craigslist and do searches for these towns. be careful about one thing: if you want easy train access to NYC, New Rochelle and Harrison are pretty big and some places are nowhere near the train.

In New York City there are no resident permits for parking in most areas but it's hard to park so in Manhattan, for example, many people pay a ton for a garage spot. In Westchester it really depends on the village or your particular apartment, some come with parking and some don't.

Good luck.

I'll check that out... thanks for being so detail!

[Sach7]

Originally Posted by mead

Do you know where in Manhattan you'll be working? I'm thinking you should look into Westchester county as that is in between the city and Stamford, CT.

Maybe you could look into someplace like the Northern part of Mount Vernon. Its pretty upscale, fairly diverse with a large black population (mostly Caribbean though). Plus you have the benefit of being able to use the train line to the City and also up to Stamford.

New Rochelle is another option worth looking into.

Once you have kids though I'd be somewhat concerned with the public schools in these towns.

You're definitely going to be going towards the higher end of your range for rentals. Above $1,000 for a 1br in Westchester county.

Thanks, I'll keep that advice on my radar....I'm in the music business... I work from my cell phone & home alot.... but I do take alot of meeting ranging from Park ave(upper numbers) to Time Square... I always say the manhatten area...lower and upper I'm assuming...since I'm going to be up there details of my surrounding is going to be 1st on my list!

[Viralmd]

I don't think Mount Vernon is particularly attractive - in any way.

Why not live nearer Stamford? It's convenient to Metro-North, you won't have to pay NY-rate real estate taxes and there are good schools.