NYC lover confronted with Orange County Move (New York, Monroe: transplants, real estate)

[Nestlequik]

Hi everyone I'm pretty new. My fiance and i are looking to purchase a home and Orange County seems to be a possibility. I love the hustle and bustle of New York but i also understand the need to move on and raise children close enough to shop and enjoy the theatre but far enough to have a good school district and fresh air.

My dilemma is finding an area that isn't completed isolated. I want a fairly decent home that's not overpopulated but has homes nearby. And with stores & entertainment within a 10-15 drive. Can you Orange County pros suggest areas?

[BlueLily]

Metro North & NJ Transit are easily accessable for commuting and day visits from Eastern Orange County. MTA- Beacon and Cornwall/Salisbury on the NJT. OC is a popular bedroom community of many of NY's finest and has been the relocation point for many New Yorkers after 911. The Newburgh waterfront is popular for nightlife and restaurants. Town of Newburgh offers most big box stores & franchises. Shopping for designer wear, the Woodbury Commons is the place. You mention children and there are many wonderful parks provided by both local towns and the County. There are many choices for schools, private & public, however vary vastly by district. Newburgh is a large city school district, offering all the bells & whistles of a large district but also includes many issues found in any city school district. The Town of New Windsor is divided by three school districts; Newburgh, Washingtonville & Cornwall. Washingtonville is dealing with crowding. Cornwall has a new high school already at capacity, but it does also have one of the higher tax bases in the area along with Monroe. If you are going to be looking to purchase a home in OC, I suggest that you look at taxes and schools first. There is still some green space to be found and a lot of real estate on the market. Western and Northern OC areas are more rural.

[Nestlequik]

From reading previous postings it seems as if people say to stay away from Newburgh and Middletown. I'm not sure if that's because it has its fair share of big chain stores that long time residents may find find unappealing or because of what is stated as a bad school district and crime. Coming from New York City the crime rate would be nothing compared to what i'm used to now.

We don't have children yet so we are looking to be in a good school district when that time comes though. From your response are you suggesting Newburgh? Does anyone else have any suggestions. I'm just a city girl that needs some middle ground. Thanks everyone!

[BlueLily]

Newburgh District is very large with a diverse population. Many people who relocate from the city are comfortable with the diverse socioeconomic population. The district has a lot to offer children, including excellent special needs programs. I was originally scared of Newburgh, and enrolled my children in private schools. They now attend Newburgh. Its not "Mayberry" but the educational oppportunities are wonderful, as are the numerous extracurriculars. There are many parents who can well afford to send their children to private, choose to send their children to Newburgh and there are out-of-district students who pay tuition to attend as well. Monroe has many NY and NJ transplants, also a very large, very good school district, high taxes. Cornwall is affluent, small town. Good schools with a few private schools, again, a high tax base. Washingtonville is a mix of all the above...middle of the road, large commuter community, however its 15 to 20 minutes in any direction for shopping. The city of Newburgh is rough. You don't have reason to go into those areas. There is a lot of gentrification and rebirth on the waterfront. Worth taking a look. There are areas in the Town of Newburgh that are very affluent as well. Many relocators complain of the small town atmosphere with nothing to do... its OC ... not long ago it was all small town. Newburgh and Monroe offer the most and have easy access to mass transit. I agree to avoid Middletown schools, the school district is the least desirable. You don't mention if you and your fiance will be commuting. If so, will you drive, take the bus or the train? A home or a condo? There are condo complexes that have bus stops, a good choice for new relocators with one car.

[Nestlequik]

First of all thank you for the info. We have 1 car and we're both professionals so that's dual commuting to the city. We've been looking into the bus because i commute to downtown Brooklyn and he commutes to various parts of Manhattan. And we're more interested in a single home as opposed to a condo. I don't mind small town life (well i'll adjust) but i just don't want my neighbors to be 2 acres away. Chain stores like Barnes and Nobles, walmart and jamba juice are all i need. If those are with 30 minutes of me i'll be just fine. We plan to drive around the next few weeks to visit different areas in the day and at night. Our lease is up October 31st, so we're looking to transition to OC then.

[BlueLily]

You'll find B&N, Adams (a local fresh food/garden market - wonderful) next to WalMart (awful-just say no) and Target (yes-yes) all near the bus station in the Town of Newburgh (just off thruway exit 17.) or get off the Thruway in Harriman /Woodbury Commons and drive north on 32 the 15 minutes (passing by or take a drive thru Cornwall). I'm not sure where the shortline bus stops near Cornwall, but I'm sure it does. Cornwall schools have top scores. A good place to start looking would be The Reserve, off Mt Airy Road, New Windsor. It is in Cornwall school district, just about everyone commutes, lots have relocated from the city and its definately urban, professional, young parents. There is a new town park next to the Reserve. It's also just 5-8 minutes to the stores in the Town of Newburgh or 15 minutes down to Monroe. There are also several higher end developments in the vicinity. Its also just minutes to the train station. (I was a train commuter - never did the bus, which some say is a shorter commute.) Another possibility you may want to look at is Warwick ... on the opposite end of OC - its a popular bus commuter bedroom community with decent schools and beautiful landscape. I'm not sure where you'll find a B&N though! (also one of my requirements) Good luck!

[algiorda]

We moved to OC 21 years ago and have loved it. We now live in Salisbury Mills and I commute to the city by train daily. We've lived in Blooming Grove the entire time. It is a great family area with great schools, great houses of faith, soccer, football, baseball clubs, a vibrant community, and amazing views and beauty. There are many types of homes in the area and it's a great time to buy. Yes, taxes are a little high, but you get the best of both worlds; living in the country, local shopping, and access to the NYC and the mountains.

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Al

[AshleyT123]

i love orange county, its quiet and so close to the city. We just recently purchased a townhome in the mid 200's in wallkill ny,which is right near middletown. community is called woodside knolls

http://www.bakerresidential.com/comm...549&mode=intro

[Nestlequik]

Blue Lily you've been a wealth of knowledge and i appreciate it. I don't why i said Walmart instead of Target because i'm in Target every Saturday morning like clock work. I also didn't know that New Jersey Transit went to these areas. Thank you for the feedback as well Al. To summarize we're looking into the following:
Blooming Grove-good schools and a commuter area
The Town of Newburgh
(Cornwall school district)-specifically The Reserve
We have a starting point. Thanks again!

[Nestlequik]

I love the town homes Ashley. We didn't think we really wanted a town home but we love the interior. How are the HOA fees? And do you have backyard space? Are there any residents overhead or below you? and do you commute and if so how long is the travel time?