Orange County, NY Monroe Area (White Plains, Ossining: good hotels, new home, employment)

[zenn]

I am looking for a house in Monroe, currently around the Mountain Lodge area. As that seems to be more within my budget. I will be commuting to Purchase (just outside of White Plains). How is the commute there. I know on the map its about an hour drive, but how is it during the normal 9-5 rush hour. How is 87/287 getting to the bridge in the morning? I dont have school aged kids, so other than the schools how is the area in general as a place to live. For those that currently live there, how do you like it. I'm coming from the Bronx, the only thing i know of orange county is that you drive trough it to get upstate

[Nancy-NJ-NY-ME?]

First of all, if you are seriously considering communting to White Plains from Orange County (anywhere in the county), I would strongly encourage you to check into a hotel for a week and do the commute. Driving across the Tappan Zee bridge every day to Westchester County is long, crowded and stressful. And wait until you try coming back over the TZ on a Friday night in the summer! Be prepared to spend a lot of time in your car. Some nights, it will be a breeze, but most will not.

Mass transsit does exist and people are creative about it. Check to see if there are any shuttle services between your work site and a local train station. If there are, then you may be able to commute via the park-'n-ride in Spring Valley, NY (Rockland County). I don't know where the buses from there go to, but they do bring people over the TZ and into Westchester.

People in Orange County also cross over the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge via bus (parking in the Town of Newburgh near the junction of Rt 17K and Rt 300) or via the ferry from Newburgh to Beacon, board the Metro North train in Beacon and detrain at various stations in Westchester (the Hudson line). Again, this also depends on having a shuttle service available from the train to your work site.

There are many good hotels (national chains) in the Town of Newburgh at the junction of Routes 17K & 300 and I-87 (the Thruway) & I-84. Check into one for a few nights and try out the commute.

As to a house in Mountain Lodge Park -- rethink this also. MLP is a community located in the large Town of Blooming Grove; due to Postal Service boundaries, it has a Monroe address. The big problem with MLP, though, is that it was founded and the homes were originally built for summer use only. Over the years, the Town of Blooming Grove has let these structures be modified, or new homes built, for year-round occupancy. But, the local infastructure was not upgraded. The streets, aptly known as trails, are just that. The local emergency services have a terrible time responding to calls in MLP as the trails cannot handle the vehicles. Many fuel suppliers (oil and propane) will not deliver to MLP. I think water is provided by homeowners private wells; municipal sewer service is non-existant there.

Yes, you will find seemingly good housing prices in MLP, but there will be much to pay in other ways.

[zenn]

Thanks for the heads up on the commute.
Getting a room is just not an option in the near term. But thats a great idea. What is the commute like if I take the Bear Mt bridge?
Also, I have driven around Mountain Lodge, the more I see it, the less I like it, It is very cramped and the gravel roads are very tight. My house in the Bronx is more spacious.
I am going to look elsewhere, maybe Goshen. Where would you recommend around the Monroe area that is more affordable.

[hjlacey]

I live in Monroe and take Bear Mountain Bridge to Ossining in westchester. Takes me 35 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. I have recently put my house on the market and will be moving to Tenn. once it is sold. (kids are grown). Keep looking, there are actually plenty of affordable homes in this area. "Walton Lake"

[winnie]

My MIL commutes from New Windsor to White Plains in the am and it is 50 minutes to her job. She goes across 84 and down. It seems less stressful than dealing with the Thruway and Tappan Zee every day though you can hit some nice traffic on the "other side" too.
If you can swing 300-400K I suggest looking into Northern Orange County - Montgomery, New Windsor and outskirts of Newburgh. Taxes are high. Gas is high and you have to factor that in to your commute. But the place has something going for it as it is one of the fastest growing counties on the eastern seaboard. Though it has changed much since I moved here as a kid in 81 it still has a lot of positive qualities IF you have the $$ and realize what it is to commute. And a thing about Mapquest type queries and commutes from "upstate" is it can be wickedly off. First issue is the traffic at the tolls and bridges, and the second is that people are leadfoots. So some roads you can (and better) really haul with traffic to avoid an accident and others you will sit...and sit..and pull your hair out in traffic. Seems that crossing over the river north at the Newburgh Beacon is a real good way to make better time from what I have heard.
Goshen is a nice town. A bit high priced for its location. Washingtonville is OK if you don't care about schools (theirs are OK but not the best in OC). Cornwall, some parts of New Windsor, Rock Tavern and Walden are OK. And don't forget southern Dutchess county. I am not that familiar with it but driving around and doing my shopping over there it seems to have some nice areas.

[joeymarine]

Originally Posted by zenn

I am looking for a house in Monroe, currently around the Mountain Lodge area. As that seems to be more within my budget. I will be commuting to Purchase (just outside of White Plains). How is the commute there. I know on the map its about an hour drive, but how is it during the normal 9-5 rush hour. How is 87/287 getting to the bridge in the morning? I dont have school aged kids, so other than the schools how is the area in general as a place to live. For those that currently live there, how do you like it. I'm coming from the Bronx, the only thing i know of orange county is that you drive trough it to get upstate

There is still a good amount of things available in Mountain Lodge...I used to commute to purchase from Monroe and it only took us about 35 - an hour depending on how the traffic was and what time we left. It's not too painful. Make sure when you are looking in Mountain Lodge that you are looking at actual year round homes because there are still some in there that have not/can not be converted over to year round.

Best of luck to you and an early welcome to the area...you will love it. There is a lot to do here, the people are great. If you want any more specifics about the area, shoot me a message and I'll answer any questions for you.

[hjlacey]

I am selling my 3 BR home in Monroe for 324K, and pay lower taxes as it used to be a bungalow. It is possible for you to find a decent home and with relatively good taxes in Monroe (walton lake area)

[joeymarine]

Originally Posted by hjlacey

I am selling my 3 BR home in Monroe for 324K, and pay lower taxes as it used to be a bungalow. It is possible for you to find a decent home and with relatively good taxes in Monroe (walton lake area)

You are very correct and that is a great Idea.

[settlepa]

Stay away from Mountain Lodge..just a prewarning.

[seamusgrace]

To Settlepa,
I'd really appreciate if you would elaborate on why to stay away from Mountain Lodge. I will be relocating to upstate and want to buy outright with the little cash I will have. I could do that in ML and have seen pictures on the internet of a couple of homes that look like the perfect fit for me. My situation will be to live there from probably April thru Nov and spend the winter months in GA at a home I have there. I wont be taking employment into the consideration so no need to look at that. The setting looks nice, the proximity to NYC where my newly graduated son will be living, is very good and that's important to me, as well as access to the city for all the other obvious reasons. I'm in my 40's and healthy so I don't anticipate a need for frequent visits from emergency services - although of course I couldn't rule out ever needing them. What am I not looking at. I would REALLY appreciate your input and the more specific the better. Thanks.