Southerner moving North (Warwick, Scarsdale, Chappaqua: fit in, crime, house)

[aly11]

Hi Yall!

It looks like our family is going to be moving to the NYC area, but we do not want to live in the city. We have 3 small children and I need some idea where would be a good place with good schools that would welcome a southern accent? I have been reading posts for days and it seems so important what cultural background you are from.....Italian, Irish? so on, We are just southerners, where would we fit in? My husband will commute to the city so we need a train, subway..within 1 hr distance. Any ideas where we should look?

aly

[brahmos]

Hello aly

First thing I must ask is what your price range is. Are you looking for a home? If so be prepared to dish out $$.

Although Italians and Irish are very heavily concentrated in NYC it really does not matter the ethnicity. There are no places that are not accepting of a particular ethnicity so you do not have to worry about that. When I get more information, I will advise you against certain places due to crime and general run-down status.

[aly11]

Brahmos, Thank you.

We are looking in the 900+ range for a home. I don't want to just live in a nice looking area though. We have lived in the NorthEast before and it is important to get an area that will be accepting. I know that you feel that all areas are accepting, but there are areas that are concentrated with a certain ethnicticity and are not as welcoming as other areas.

We enjoy NYC. We have always had pleasant experiences there and the city is exciting and fun and very diverse and accepting. Living somewhere is different though, no matter where you go .. North, South, East or West, and I just want to make sure that we feel at home and part of a community where a particular ethnic background isn't dominate. We are mixed American Children of God and we just want to make friends and contribute to community and love it as much as anyone else!

Thanks for your help, it is such a big area, that it is hard to know where to even begin looking? I would love recommendations from Long Island as well as Metro North. Seems like Metro North would be easier to get around because you don't have to go through NYC to get to other places, but to go south I have to go through the city either way, or am I reading the map wrong? And do all the trains go into central station? Then you take a subway to your area?

Gosh the questions just keep coming, but I do appreciate your response.

[brahmos]

I guess growing up in the area I never noticed the phenomena you described...and I am sure your concerns are valid as it is a different perspective.

Personally I never liked Long Island (watch me get into trouble ) The beaches are nice, but generally there is one major highway in (LIE aka 495) and it is always clogged and has a lot of suburban sprawl.

Anyway check out Westchester. It has more of a rural feel to it, yet you will be within 1 hour of NYC. I think it is easier to get around as there are far more highways and it is easier to go cross country. It is a little more expensive than Long Island but I think there is a better quality of life, and 900K can get you a nice house. Westchester has some high taxes but it is the same wth Long Island.

What kind of house are you looking into? In the meantime check out areas such as Pleasantville, Briarcliff Manor, Chappaqua, Armonk, Scarsdale (possibility), Katonah, Hastings. These are all areas with excellent school districts, and offer a great quality of life. Like I said I never found any place unfriendly but that is for you to decide.

Good Luck with everything.

[baby_firefly]

[quote=brahmos;425580]Hello aly
Although Italians and Irish are very heavily concentrated in NYC it really does not matter the ethnicity. There are no places that are not accepting of a particular ethnicity so you do not have to worry about that. ""

what are you talking about
yea evrybody mostly gets along but theres still plenty of prejudice
there are plenty of places that i can think of where white people are not wanted east harlem south bronx bushwick to name a few
all the yuppies moving to once ghetto places you dont think they get muggd
and look at those italian guys that killed the black guy because he was in there neighborhood and well he was black

what are you gonna say next white people hang out in the projects and some crackhead is living in some mansion in the hamptons

maybe u need to take off those rose colord glasses and live in reality

[brahmos]

There exists prejudice, no doubt. But I thought she was referring to the fact that there would be prejudice in regards to her being a southerner, sorry if I did not clarify that.

But I hardly think in her case it matters. If she is wondering that being a southerner she would not be accepted in areas we know as heavily of one ethnicity it is total non sense.

Race is another matter...

I believe the incident you were referring to was in Bensonhurst Brooklyn and the kids last name was Yusuf Hawkins. He was killed for going into that Neighborhood...but that is the city. NYC has a very complicated race-relations that exist between Italians and Blacks (Hawkins) Blacks and Hasidics (Crown Heights), Italians and Jews along with every other ethnicity to think of. For further reference, go to your local blockbuster and pick out any Spike Lee movie (I personally recommend Jungle Fever and Do the Right Thing).

I imagine she wants to live in the suburbs. The suburbs are primarily white, but I have not known of a case where people have been persecuted because of being a particular ethnicity. To be honest the only real people that might have a problem are the blacks. I have Muslim friends, and Asian friends, and the issue of their race and ethnicity was never a major factor. But blacks are a different story.

The whole black-white divide is a major one to this day and certainly prejudices remain.

[aly11]

Race is not the issue for me, and I did not mean to imply that any particular ethnic background was difficult to get along with or not nice. I have friends and family all across the map with different backgrounds. All I meant was that having lived in New England before I know that there are areas that attract certain etnic backgrounds, and I love those areas to visit, buy foods, and educate myself, but I really want a suburb area that is not dominated by one particular background. I want a mix, because I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb. Eight years ago we lived in N.E. and it took me 4 years just to make a true friend. I just don't want that for my children, I want them to fit in without a struggle. Ya know southerners hug hello, and talk to everyone on the street, and while I know that might not exist everywhere up there, I would like a place that if I do greet someone on the street with a "good morning", they don't stare back at me as if I want something froom them or I am on drugs. That has been my previous experiences in certain areas, and I don't want my children or myself to have to change who we are to feel at home.

At any rate.... I have been looking up the areas you have suggested. They are all nice with many home options. Is Katona really an hour within the city? It is really nice but seems so far up the map? I am still looking, and will probably have more questions...thank you for your help!

[duff30329]

I have a friend in Warwick Ny.....I visited 6 times and can tell you its one really
neat village. ( yes, thats what the natives call it )....Its about an hour away from the Big Apple and folks in Warwick commute on a daily basis...
Check it out.
Good Luck!

[SilkCity0416]

Aly, if anything, you should check out the NJ chat. Bergen County, NJ sounds like the right place for you.

[aly11]

Thanks, didn't even think about NJ.... now is that still within an hour commute? and would that be by ferry?

Yall are so helpful, thank you!!