NYC/Westchester Too Expensive - Any Ideas for Commutable Cities?

[NY Annie]

I have never checked into the "downtown" of the Jersey towns - my parents lived near Clinton and there's a sort of downtown area, but I don't hang out in cafes or whatnot so I can't say. Monticello has a cute downtown but I was looking for a house not in the middle of town so I didn't pay attention. Middletown is a pretty big town/city.

[bmwguydc]

Cold Spring is a quaint smaller community, and is not a bad area at all. The price reduction is due to the distance from the city. Much of the downtown area is a landmarked district, and it borders other smaller areas in the Town of Phillipstown. There is abundant parkland in the greater Cold Spring area, and the situation near the river is nice. It does get its share of weekend visitors who come to the town, but other than that, there's no pocket of criminal activity in the area as it has a very low crime rate. Cold Spring is not as inexpensive as Beaon or Peekskill, and is largely single-family housing.

Beacon, Newburgh, Peekskill, and further out Poughkeepsie are a mixed bag, with some run-down areas in the respective town. Parts of Peekskill are decent to nice, but there are some blighted areas as well. The schools in these communities are not as good, hence why many with families tend to avoid them. I would check the crime rates of these communities to see if you are comfortable in those areas, since some neighborhoods are a bit run down, with crime, though there are decent neighborhoods in each as well. The smaller towns surrounding these areas are generally nicer, but if you're taking the train from an area, you have to be comfortable to leave your vehicle there or return at a late hour to that station. For example, Fishkill is in the same general area, and has a lower crime rate, but you would need to commute through Beacon as the train does not go to Fishkill.

Another area to consider in Dutchess, though it might not have too many rentals, is the area around Pawling, since the Harlem Line train goes through that part of the county. It's near the Connecticut border, and has some very nice smaller communities, and larger estate properties. Rentals might be a problem, due to limited supply, but it's worth a look to see if there's anything available, especially if you like a more rural atmosphere. Wappingers Falls might be worth a look, since it, too, has a low crime rate, and has a downtown that's larger than Cold Spring, and has an historic district. You might be more apt to find a rental in the area as well, though the train will be in neighboring New Hamburg (Hudson Line).

[ckhthankgod]

What about places like Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Elmsford, Nyack, Orangeburg or maybe even Monroe?

[gradstudent77]

Originally Posted by NY Annie

ROFL on finding cheaper rent out on Long Island. But all is not hopeless.

Since you wouldn't mind going 2 hours, check upstate in the lower catskills - Monticello (there's a train station in Middletown) and check out western NJ along route 78 - Warren, Hunterdon, and Somerset Counties - towns like Clinton, Washington, Flemington.

I'm still not sure you'll find anything in the $800 range, and definitely not closer to the city at that price. In Jersey City (across the river from lower and midtown Manhattan), 2 bedrooms are going for $1800 (average). Check out a map of the greater NYC area and you'll see the towns/counties available. Remember that anything within 1/2 hour will be way over your budget.

Absolutely not. That $1800 figure would either be lux building or older building in a prime neighbrohood. If you want to go to the heights or a bit far from journal square station, you can get 2BR's for $1100. That is in areas that aren't even that ghetto.

Which brings me to my second point...there are apartments for less than $1,000 in urban north nj, with good commutes to manhattan. Safe places that just have bad schools and other undesirable attributes. OP...are you aware of craigslist?