Mahopac or Cortlandt Manor (Yonkers, Yorktown: budget, work, townhouses)

[JPM411]

I have been looking at houses in Mahopac and Cortlandt Manor and not sure which would be better to live in. I currently live in Yonkers and house price range looking at no more than $450,000 at this point. Work in Wall Street area and concerned about which school district is better and how commute will be from either location.

In Cortlandt Manor the school district is Lakeland and I not that familiar of neighborhood around Route 6 (Cortlandt Town Center).

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[dma1250]

I don't know about Mahopac district, but Lakeland is so-so. Yorktown central is MUCH better. Also, Hendrick Hudson (also Cortland) is better.

[jeena]

Watch out for Mahopac, there is trouble with the schools regarding budgets and
doing away with certain classes, it was front page headlines in the Journal News last year. The newer wealthier residents are voting for tax increases and the seniors are voting no to tax hikes.

I don't know how the situation stands now, you can do further research if possible tax hikes in Mahopac would be problematic to you.

I had thought of moving there myself three years ago, but was shocked at the high taxes on the homes already. At least in Yonkers you get city services for the taxes you pay, my next door neighbor was from Mahopac and said he came back to Yonkers for that reason.

[JPM411]

Thanks Jeena and DMA. I am still debating whether to stick it out and try to find a house in Yonkers but still not sure. Problem with Yonkers is that with my price range I can probably get a smaller home, with less taxes. Also I noticed that some parents in Yonkers pull their kids out of school after 6th grade and put them in private school.

The houses in Cortlandt Manor that I saw were nice but taxes were really high and some of the houses in Mahopac also are high.

Open to any suggestions on where else to look.

Thanks again.

[jeena]

Your welcome, Yonkers isn't a bad place to live if you don't have to worry about
children going to public high school. My niece is going to Mark Twain middle school and she loves using the pool, going to the gift shop, etc. but says there are fights in school. She is probably going to Saunders after that, because it doesn't look like she is going to be college material.

I have friends with kids who have homes in Ardsley and Scarsdale, but once the kids are off to college, they are both going to move back to Yonkers because of the cheaper taxes.

Have you thought about going to Danbury or Brookfield, Conn? I heard Danbury has an excellent school system and the area has a lot to offer with private rights to Candlewood Lake, Danbury Mall, low crime rate, lower home prices and taxes, etc. I looked there four years ago, Brookfield had some beautiful homes, on nice size lots for $350,000 back then, check it out.

Good luck!!!

[JPM411]

Thanks again Jeena. I will look at Danbury and Brookfield as options. I have 2 children currently in Yonkers Public schools so issue about what happens after 6th grade is always a concern. I remember last year attending a meeting where the Yonkers Superintendent described how middle school in Yonkers there was a number of students that either dropped out or left school district in middle school. He described it as they lost students. I like Yonkers and so far have enjoyed living in my area but currently feel priced out with respect to housing market. The area in which I can clearly afford in Yonkers I would not want to live in and other areas I feel are very overpriced considering current market conditions.

I am familar with Danbury mall and have visited that area but not looked at houses there. I know that Carmel is about 15 miles or so but taxes are going up in Putnam County also.

[MikeNY]

JPM - I just posted this on another thread about Mahopac:


Mahopac is your best option, Yorktown in that price range is really not too appealing, a townhouse in that price range may work but I looked at a ton of homes under $500,000 in Yorktown over the past few weeks and unless you like shag carpet and paneling then it is not the best place to buy. Mahopac "pound for pound" you will get the best for your buck, Carmel even better but schools not as good as Mahopac, any other areas in Putnam I wouldn't recommend because they are too far north and/or schools not being all too "sought after" for a lack of a better word.

And don't go near Peekskill, though the commute is decent, especially from the Riverbend Townhouses, you can walk to the train, you can see it outside your deck, so for convenience it is good, but that is it.

Most people looking for what you are looking for are hovering the Mahopac, Somers, Yorktown area, for the price most of those people end up in Mahopac... $450,000 just won't cut it in Somers and Yorktown. It will in Mahopac because those $450,000 houses were $550,000-$575,000 1 - 1.5 yrs ago. As an example, I saw a house last week in Yorktown for $599,000, it was a raised ranch, price was down to $500,000, probably will go for low $500,000's..BUT that is because it is in the Lakeland school district, if it was Yorktown schools it would be in the $600,000's.

Another was in the low $600,000's, raised ranch, small property, no back yard but Yorktown and in Yorktown schools but no yard. Same house in Mahopac would be under $500,000 no problem at all.
.

As far as Cortlandt Manor and your price range, you will be in Lakeland schools... can't say much about them other than "eh".

Somers/Yorktown - real popular with Mahopac following behind them and very good... Lakeland is not a place that anyone requests so to say, you will hear a lot of buyers requesting that they need to find a home in one of the following school districts - Somers, Yorktown, Mahopac

[Dave the H.]

MikeNY writes: And don't go near Peekskill...

Just curious: Are you saying that from experience living there? Or are you just saying that as an echo from something you've heard?

I ask, because living here I find it a comfortable and safe and attractive community.

And you can get a good quality house for $500K or even less.

[MikeNY]

Originally Posted by Dave the H.

MikeNY writes: And don't go near Peekskill...

Just curious: Are you saying that from experience living there? Or are you just saying that as an echo from something you've heard?

I ask, because living here I find it a comfortable and safe and attractive community.

And you can get a good quality house for $500K or even less.

Hi Dave, as a "package deal" which is what Nick is looking for, good schools, $450,000 range, not insanely far from NYC - Mahopac would work for him. Peekskill is a convenient commute compared to Mahopac but the houses there will not appreciate as much over time as other areas, the schools are not often requested by anyone I know (use your own judgment there). If all Nick wanted was $450,000 range and decent commute to NYC and nothing else matters, then I would say go to Peekskill.

[Dave the H.]

Well, "comfortable and safe and attractive" is far more than just inexpensive and decent commute. And commuting from Mahopac to Wall Street is a huge haul. Even Peekskill to Wall Street is a lot, and I wouldn't want to add to that.

But, I guess from MikeNY's response, he is not writing from his experience of living in Peekskill.

I am, though, and the area is a lot more than just relatively inexpensive with good train access.