Rockland County (Hempstead, Ramapo, New City: buying a home, neighborhood, buying)

[NewYorkerGal]

If you're used to a city, Rockland county is a very depressing place.

[Stac2007]

If you live in NYC you must be depressed as well. Nothing matches the crime, filth and horrible me attitudes which accompany that city. Great place to visit but I would not want to live there.

[Timmo]

I grew up not far from Rockland County in NJ. There has always been a difference when you cross the border from NJ to NY. Rockland has always been kind of dumpy with a few exceptions. The difference now is that the prices are much higher.
For the young woman from Brooklyn, you might be interested in Nyack, one of the few towns with culture and activity, even has kind of a Brooklyn feel to it. The other places are basically suburbs and suburban lifestyles.

[grassroots]

Originally Posted by Timmo

I grew up not far from Rockland County in NJ. There has always been a difference when you cross the border from NJ to NY. Rockland has always been kind of dumpy with a few exceptions. The difference now is that the prices are much higher.
For the young woman from Brooklyn, you might be interested in Nyack, one of the few towns with culture and activity, even has kind of a Brooklyn feel to it. The other places are basically suburbs and suburban lifestyles.

Rockland dumpy? Sure maybe if you use the villages of Spring Valley or Haverstraw as your basis...Otherwise that is pretty funny

Tell me where "not far from RC in NJ" you live that is so full of culture and activity?

[yane]

Agree and even in Spring Valley one can still find some very descent area. Eckerson pretty much divides "Spring Valley "from "Spring Valley". It is obvious that the Country is becoming more and more populated. Rockland as I said before is not affordable and to chase the bad guy the towns and the villages made it so. Check out the full market value of each home within the past three years.
In New City our police force is so strong and very well educated. Crime rate is one of the lowest. Notice I did not say non-existent. I am not selling New City nor Rockland but the county is very far away from being dumpy... very far away. I live off Buena Vista. Middle to upper class neighborhood.
Don't trash the county... it is simply not affordable compare to some places in NJ and around NY.
Good day all.

Originally Posted by grassroots

Rockland dumpy? Sure maybe if you use the villages of Spring Valley or Haverstraw as your basis...Otherwise that is pretty funny

Tell me where "not far from RC in NJ" you live that is so full of culture and activity?

[yane]

And Rocco The other side of holland tunnel is more affordable: Rosedale, Plainfield both areas part of New Jersey. I am aware that you chose to explore Rockland which is in my opinion a better bet. Anywhere you go around NY rent would run you between 800$ and up depends on what you're looking for. If you are buying get ready for the low 400k at least.
Put in mind that wherever you go, problems will always be in some corners. I choose not to keep running but face difficulties head on.

[Timmo]

Hey "Grassroots" (Didn't know you were sooooo progressive),

Get off my back! First of all, I was just commenting on my impressions of Rockland County growing up, and I've lived in many different places around the entire nation. On the contrary about culture, NJ lacks an identity and a true "culture", unless you commute into New York for culture as well as work. But the same is true for most of the suburban towns, where culture is going to the local mall (real ugly, outdated malls on Rt 59, I might add). That's why I suggested Nyack, a cute, kind of yuppie, arty village on the Hudson.

By the way, I grew up in Westwood, which is in one of the most desirable counties in America! So, think twice before you go off on me -- Unless you've got it on your mind!

I stand by my words.

[Richard Pilla]

Rockland is more affordable than many other locations closer to the NYC line.
Many of the Hudson River towns are convenient to commute into Manhattan and can be about 16 miles up from the George Washington Bridge. Nyack, Grand View, Upper Grandview, Piermont, Palisades all have interesting geographical settings along the river and there you might find some properties that can suit your needs. Some have breathaking views across the river from heights above or from the river banks itself.
Suffern / Mahwah area in Rockland / Bergen county is very pretty area and a thriving lifestyle, with a regional hospital, medical centers and convenient transportation into Manhattan by either bus train or drive, about an 45 minutes to 1 hour or less.

[RocklandGuy]

Originally Posted by NickL28

Not much different than the rest of the surrounding NYC metro area that surrounds Manhattan.

Expensive Houses -- Starter homes at $500,000 are considered very cheap.

High Taxes & Utility Rates --- $8,000 for property taxes are below average and another 18 cents PKH for electricity.

Materialism to the extreme- You are judged by what you wear and what you drive. Life revolves around the yuppie lifestyle of shopping and consumerism to the extreme.

that is definitely a generalization and I find it to be a better description of Westchester rather than Rockland

[scatman]

I live in Rockland with my wife. I came from the Bronx, after living and born and raised in Brooklyn. Rockland is a big change from the city.

Rockland pro.......
1. Nice and spacious houses
2. Nyack is a wonderful, walkable town
3. Has big stores like Costco and Home Depot and Palisades Mall
4. Haverstraw has cheap housing

Rockland con....
1. Commute is loooooong, especially to Lower Manhattan
2. Property taxes very high
3. Except Nyack, need a car for everything!
4. Possible steering in school system (I can elaborate)