NYC to New Paltz/Bucks Co PA (Ridge, Catskill: rentals, car insurance)

[Guacamoles]

We're a family of 4 - 2 small boys (2 and 1 yrs) and we're deciding between moving to New Paltz or Bucks County, PA. We're not hippies (per se) but we like them and we're pretty darned liberal so NP is winning in that area so far.

We've read mixed reviews of the schools in NP. My mother grew up there and said the training school associated with the college is great but the public schools not so much. Her info is 50 years old tho .

The schools are the #1 priority for us, but also just in terms of rentals it looks pretty slim for what we're after. We'd like to rent a 3br house with a backyard.

Can anyone comment on the schools and/or point us toward an agent or resource for finding a house? We'd like to rent for a few years before thinking about buying.

Also, really reaching here - if anyone could contrast NP vs Bucks County that would really hit the nail on the head.

Thanks!

[Julie2x]

Hi! I logged on here to do the same search. My husband & I are looking to move out (currently live in Bay Ridge Brooklyn)... we have 3yo girl & 1yo boy. I will be watching this post closely. Did you look at the Mountain Laurel school? Please feel free to email me -Julie

[zonababe]

I grew up in Bay Ridge Brooklyn and moved to New Paltz. You'll be living in a college town where rents are high. Property and school taxes are high if you're looking to buy a house. There is not much in the way of work in the area. Most of the hippies are poor people without jobs, not a good reason to move to an area.

[Guacamoles]

Thanks for the reply!

Actually we opted for Bucks County PA over New Paltz and so far we're extremely happy. Bucks is gorgeous, people are friendly, we rented a beautiful house on an acre of land with a creek and huge backyard. The leaves are starting to turn.

Absolutely recommend Bucks to anyone thinking about leaving the city.

[piperspal]

check out posts/threads by ScranBarre on the Pennsylvania forums. I too am in a quandry as to where I want to move & NEPA is on my list. My first choice would have been the Hudson Valley or Catskills; not too far from where I am now. But NY taxes are raging out of control & I think my $$ would go farther in PA. just my own 2 cents.

[Guacamoles]

It does depend a little on where you are. We're in a kind of resort/affluent area (the benefit of renting) so the grocery store is only marginally cheaper than it was in Queens, but there are also farmer's markets and Amish markets all over the place where really good deals can be had. We're 2 miles from a huge orchard where you can get everything from farm fresh apples to raspberries, string beans, etc. Honestly tho BJ's has been the best deal around which I guess is the same everywhere.

Our car insurance was cut in 1/2 tho and certainly gas is a lot cheaper. We're right across the river from NJ so it's dirt cheap there.

I had this idea that the catskills or westchester was more beautiful than Bucks. Not at all. The area we're in is easily as nice as the prettiest parts of Ulster and Westchester. Farms everywhere, historic stone houses, covered bridges, the works. It's gorgeous. There's a horrible trend of these McMansion planned communities that are just a blight on the land, but you can still avoid them. I can't understand who would live in one of those in the first place.

[roatchs]

Holy Guacamoles ..

Welcome .. We have lived in beautiful Central Bucks County, in a converted manufactured home, since 1992; and would agree the abundance of family owned farms nearby makes fresh produce and even meats truly wondrous.

And, probably a good thing too, since there are few stores on Route 611 North of Doylestown; but, this bounty teamed with the vast cultural heritage of the area have made it a fantastic place to raise our two kids.

That, and, an hours commute to NYC, NJ Beaches, and Pocono Skiing, makes us all wonder why anyone would want to live anywhere else!!

[Guacamoles]

Thanks! We're just discovering the markets on 611. They do look really good. We're very well situated actually because we're about equal distance from Doylestown and New Hope/Lambertsville so we get the best of both world depending on whether we turn right or left out of our driveway. I'd say we're more like 1.5 hours from those places you mentioned but that's still not bad.

The more time we spend here the more we're loving it. Could recommend it more. With the caveat that I would come here with a job already in hand. The local economy seems sparse for work that actually pays. My wife is still 100% freelancing from her NYC clients.