hopewell junction?? (Hamburg, Poughkeepsie, Fishkill: homes, neighborhoods, school district)

[wheredoibelong?]

my and my fiance have a 4 month old and we have had an offer to move to a place there, wondering if anyone can tell us anything about it? our main concerns really are safety number one and family oreinted would be nice but safety first. any tips just anything you could add would be wonderful
Thanks!!!

[piperspal]

I think you would love Hopewell Junction. I lived & worked in the area (Wappingers, Poughkeepsie, Fishkill & HJ), and thought it was a great place to raise a family. IMO, Hopewell is the nicest & safest town out of those four. Close to the Taconic, I-84, and the NYS thruway. You can catch Metro-North to NYC from Beacon or New Hamburg. Some great restaurants in the Valley - possibly due to CIA graduates remaining in the area.

Reasonable home prices (still up there, but it's all relative) - especially when compared with areas just a bit further south. John Jay High School is the main school for Hopewell Junction, but depending on where you are in Hopewell, you might be in the Arlington district. John Jay is very good, but Arlington is much better. I realize with a four month old, that isn't a big concern now; but it might matter for resale values.

[mom2gurls]

Originally Posted by piperspal

I think you would love Hopewell Junction. I lived & worked in the area (Wappingers, Poughkeepsie, Fishkill & HJ), and thought it was a great place to raise a family. IMO, Hopewell is the nicest & safest town out of those four. Close to the Taconic, I-84, and the NYS thruway. You can catch Metro-North to NYC from Beacon or New Hamburg. Some great restaurants in the Valley - possibly due to CIA graduates remaining in the area.

Reasonable home prices (still up there, but it's all relative) - especially when compared with areas just a bit further south. John Jay High School is the main school for Hopewell Junction, but depending on where you are in Hopewell, you might be in the Arlington district. John Jay is very good, but Arlington is much better. I realize with a four month old, that isn't a big concern now; but it might matter for resale values.

Ditto..I have written some posts on dutchess..you want to be in arlington or certain schools in wappingers. You will love dutchess county..its very family orientated.

[CampingMom]

Fishkill is just as safe as Hopewell-I've lived here for 43 years. As to schools-Gayhead, Fishkill Plains, Fishkill Elementary would be the area to target in the Wappingers School District for elementary-they all lead to Van Wyck for Junior high and Jay for High School. Fishkill has it better than the other schools-if the budget doesn't pass-they still do field trips since they can walk to many places to take the kids. Housing prices have gone down in Fishkill-a example is a neighbors home that just sold for $260,000-4br,2bath on a 1/2 acre right in the village. Bargains are beginning to show up once again. Here's a link to search the Dutchess County MLS-http://homeseekers.cyberhomes.com/scripts/search.asp?_city_nm=Oakland&_org_id=MIDH There are many older family oriented neighborhoods-although I would stay clear of Dutchess Park-too many latchkey kids around and they look for trouble. It's in the Brinkerhoff elementary school area. Not major crime-but issues with kids messing with cars, driving too fast, too much time on their hands. Just be aware that in Hopewell you have big issues with traffic- Rt 376, Rt.82 during rush hour have long back ups.

Arlington Schools are good-I work for them, but they have growing issues-the high school has 4000 kids. Wappingers has 2 high schools for the same amount of students. Arlington voters are clamping down on spending-getting the budget through was difficult this year-no one wants to see their taxes raised. Wappingers passed-with the exception of the buses.

[wheredoibelong?]

wow thank you all, I think the place we are looking at this week is on or near beekman road I believe, any comments on that area?

[CampingMom]

I know that off Greenhaven Rd and Beekman there is to be a 280+ housing development on the books-nothing has started yet. Only beef with Beekman Rd I have is the fools that try to drive it way too fast-I can't tell you how many accidents I and other school bus drivers have called in on that road alone. I'd suggest honestly with a small child to look in Beekman but off a main road. I know there are some nice homes off Lime Ridge, Martin, Dalton Farms(town homes-regular homes), Baker Road, Clapp Hill-parts of Andrews/Beaver Rds. Price vary depending on the style and age of homes I've noticed through out Beekman. Unfortunately Beekman Road is a raceway to see who can get onto the Taconic the fastest. Otherwise-it's a nice area to raise a family.

[wheredoibelong?]

the place I was looking at is on beekman rd in a place called spring hill park any input on this ?

[wheredoibelong?]

anyone????

[piperspal]

sorry, I don't know anything about Spring Hill Park specifically. But I do know that area & it is really nice. My friend's kids were in sports
& community activities - they had many friends in the homes off Beekman Rd.- perhaps one of them was called spring hill & I just wasn't
paying attention. Have you seen Spring Hill Pk. firsthand yet?

[wheredoibelong?]

yes so far just once and it was storming so we really didnt get to see the community as it would be, but it was cute I believe we are going back again on a nice day, I was just looking for inside knowledge because anything on the outside can seem different ya know?