Lost New Yorker (Lancaster, Kingston, Hudson: affordable apartment, rentals, insurance)

[Marzi]

Born and raised in the Heart of the NY-City. A few short years ago, my wife and I, had decided to make a move to Tampa Fl. We thought this would be the best choice after having our little boy and it was for that time. We were able to get a nice home, before the Boom craze! If we would have waited another year, we would not have been able to afford a home. Florida was a nice place at the time, and in no time it started changing, congestion, more and more people coming down, and schools over crowding, raising property taxes, and insurance premiums off the roof, thanks to Hurricanes and Sink Holes. It eventually got to the point were we could not afford to live there anymore. We decided to move back up to New York City (Queens). Luckily, I was able to find a somewhat affordable apartment. Today we are looking to move again, Queens is not where we want to be. We ended up here because of work reasons. Now we have been searching, we looked into to NC, took a drive to Charlotte and Raleigh areas, and found that people are flocking to these places from everywhere, because of low housing, taxes and plenty of jobs. It sounds very much like Florida a few years back. We been through this and we don’t want to repeat history. So NC is out of our list. We decided to stay here up north, so we have been looking at our surrounding areas, Upstate New York, and PA. New Jersey not interested. We are basically looking for what most families want, a good neighborhood, schools and low cost housing. Although we are not looking to buy at the moment, it has been somewhat difficult to find the right area. Can anyone please suggest any areas that they are familiar with? We are willing to go as far as 5hrs away from NYC. Of course, if it’s more than a 2hrs I will have to find a new job, but I’m willing to do this for the right area to raise my little one.

[mhogan10010]

How on earth do you really answer that question. There are plenty of nice area within 5 hours of NYC. Try Lancaster County PA. It is about a stable an area as possible and you can work in Philly.
Given the moves that you have already made, I fear that like many people on this forum, you may be looking for something that rarely exists anymore.
Maybe what is needed is not another change of address.

[creative1]

hi marzi. I like you have a little one that I want to give a good education and the opportunity to grow up in an area that is wholesome and nice. Coming from L.I. it's a bit hard. long Island has every convenience in the world, and some of them will be missed.
I'm looking into Woodstock. Prices of homes there vary greatly in price but taxes are VERY much lower than where i am. it's rural (scares me a bit) But Kingston is very near by. I'm only looking into Onteora schools. Kingston H.S. has some troubles i hear. (EVERYTHING I know about the area is pretty much hearsay.) Ulster County is BEAUTIFUL. Running streams everywhere and mountain views. I Love riding the roads with realtors in tow and taking it all in.
Life is precious and i want a certain aesthetic in my environment.
The other side of the river is rhinebeck with very good schools i hear.....each county is about 1 1/2 hours from N.Y.C. Rentals ARE available in Woodstock, I know.
Good luck. I just found this site. It's incredibly helpful

[anika]

marzi, I am lost too, but in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. I am new to this site and love the friendly, helpful people. I am originally from NYC, lived in Queens, summers upstate. I miss New York attitude and energy. I was researching Upstate, NY to relocate. I am a single parent, raised my children and I have English Bulldogs. There are few animal lovers here, no community, neither friendly people, weather is hot, humid and manic. I need employment and something affordable. Anything has got to be better than this. Upstate, NY is beautiful.

[LBNY]

Originally Posted by anika

marzi, I am lost too, but in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. I am new to this site and love the friendly, helpful people. I am originally from NYC, lived in Queens, summers upstate. I miss New York attitude and energy. I was researching Upstate, NY to relocate. I am a single parent, raised my children and I have English Bulldogs. There are few animal lovers here, no community, neither friendly people, weather is hot, humid and manic. I need employment and something affordable. Anything has got to be better than this. Upstate, NY is beautiful.

I'm in the same boat with you. Originally from Long Island now in Broward County, FL. I'm ready to pack my bags and get out. I'm thinking Upstate NY or possibly Vermont. Glad to know I'm not the only one who feels this way about FL.

[elikelp]

Hi- I live in Kingston, and have been in the surrounding area for years. The Kingston schools have a great ethnic and racial mix. We are one of the most longstanding, peacefully integrated cities in the world. Social scientists have used us as a model community for decades.

We got National coverage last year when an afterschool fight, which happen in every school in American, involved a facial injury.
One kid was white, the other black. Some guy in NJ who has a history of racial rable rousing, (read:WHITE SUPREMISIST), used this very unfortunate incident to call for a White Rights rally.
Guess what? We all boycotted it. Nothing happened . They went home.
We are happy.

Our schools have great Adult to Student ratios, and on austerity budget , we have more gpoing for us than the school I went to growing up, Pine Bush, NY, which had a very high rating. My kids went from private to public and report more intellectual stimulation, fewer cliques, more civility, better clubs, more opportunities to shine.

[anika]

I have until May 2007 when my lease is up to find a good environment, unlike S. Florida. Keep me posted, as we are in the same boat and looking in the vicinity of Upstate NY, Northward home bound.

Anika

[relochelp]

The Hudson Valley area is wonderful. Great place to raise a family yet still close enough to NYC, CT, MA,VT.

I'm a realtor in the area so if you need any help or suggestions let me know.

[Andzia74]

In April/May we are moving to NY after 6 years being in FL (Deltona). We though about NC (Raleigh area), but I think NC soon will be just another Florida with overcrowded schools, high property taxes and no good pay job openings. Too many people are moving to NC.

[holden125]

There are also areas in Connecticut outside Hartford, and although you said you weren't interested in New Jersey, the NW corner in Warren and Sussex Counties is very bucolic and quiet, more like much of PA or upstate than the overcrowded NJ closer to NYC.