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Snowman - JJ is coming from Los Angeles just like I did, and the quality of life for kids in Westchester is a vast improvement from that (including the air quality, BY FAR). People here have generally been great, welcoming, and GENUINE without that fake LA attitude. To be honest the only real rudeness I've encountered while being here (other than our landlords, but that's another story) was in Greenwich.
With a raised ranch, it's the years between construction and today that tells the whole story. Some object to the style outright, but I know people who own/have owned them and they can be spacious, and practical with children.
The main issue with them is the kitchen-family room connection of a modern house. Since there are three bedrooms on the main living floor, the kitchen tends to be smaller, and the family room is generally located under the living room. Breakfast rooms can also be smaller. Now, in a regular ranch, it's easy to add on to make the changes, whereas when you have to deal with the half-basement to full basement in some parts of the house (generally the back), it can be more expensive, and a bit more challenging.
I know someone with that style house who added a breakfast room and small family room behind the kitchen and dining room, expanding the side window in the dining room to a full height bay window in the process. With that change, it functions well, but it can represent a significant cost/hassle to construct such an addition if the floorplan issues have not been addressed by a previous owner.
Some had the integral garage(s) occupying part of the downstairs, which tends to significantly limit the amount of space, and usefulness of the basement space, though it is a selling feature to have a two-car garage, either integral or attached, even with a raised ranch.
There were many such houses built in Westchester, even in more expensive towns, and while they do not command the premium of a colonial, if they are in good condition and with the all-important school district being sought-after, it should not represent an issue for resale. You would be able to attract a buyer, as I have seen vintage raised ranches move in Bedford and Katonah, with few updates, and not at significant discounts.
Some houses had the style because of an inability to excavate a foundation on part of the site, without expensive blasting of rock formations. Or, in cases where the town would not grant a permit for said blasting for a full basement.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
Thats the other thing I'll never get.... meaning of quality... For sure air quailty doesnt fit into that.
Anyway - best of luck - I and many people wouldnt move back to Westchester if you paid me and paid for the home and taxes. It's the quality and way of life I like about CT. You dont get that chip on shoulder from people, businesses, and employees like in WCH...Not good for kids to grow up with.
Are you saying the air quality is different in Ct. Is there something on the border that changes the air. Westchester and Ct are right next to each other!. There are benefits to both areas and neither is better. For me commute and special needs programs sealed the deal. I would love to save with taxes but the special needs programs in CT schools do far worse than New York schools. My husband would also never see his children with a long commute.
As for Raised Ranches, I think in a desirable area, you will be fine. I like the finished basement (although I do consider it a basement) aspect but in many that we saw, the kitchens were very tiny.
Personally, I can't stand raised ranches. I grew up in a raised ranch. I can't stay the layout of them. Closets and bathrooms are typically small, the bedrooms feel crowded together. They lack a basement.
And for all these reasons, they obviously sell for less money than a colonial in the same neighborhood.
That said, if you personally like the house and the neighborhood, go for it. Don't worry about "resale." Yes, a raised ranch is less desirable than the colonial down the street--- and that's why you can currently buy it for less than the colonial down the street. And in 5 or 10 or 20 years when you're ready to sell again, it will still be worth less than the colonial down the street. But it's value will have risen or fallen, in line with that colonial.
And as others have mentioned, you can renovate and expand a raised ranch. The house I grew up in -- A family room was added off the kitchen, as one example. So greatly expanded raised ranches, really lose the feel of a raised ranch.
Every style of house has its pluses and minuses. Personally I don't understand the appeal of center-hall colonials because everything is chopped up around those center stairs, and I find the rectangular box shape pretty boring. Tudors can be very chopped up as well. Some people would also prefer not to have to haul up and down steep stairs and would rather have everything on one level. I love the sloped roofs and dormer windows on capes and find them more charming than the boxy colonials. I guess the point is ranches may not be the most popular, but there will always be someone out there looking for that type of house. It also depends a lot on the exterior and interior details. You can "charm up" just about any type of home with the right mouldings and fixtures.
I believe the key in choosing a type of house is to really think about the way your family lives. We lived in a big colonial for years. All the bedrooms upstairs... LR, DR, Family Room, Office and Kitchen on the main level. It worked OK for us while my children were younger. I could watch them in the family room from the kitchen or from the office where our computers were located. As my children got older, the house started to feel cramped even though it was quite large... over 3000 sq ft.
We moved into a smaller split level. Our split has the lowest level at street level with an entry hall, family room & bedroom. Middle level has the kitchen, LR, DR and 3 bedrooms on the top level. We don't feel like we are on top of each other anymore. We feel like we have more room in a much smaller house.
Don't buy a house for the resale value alone... think about how your family will use it and buy something that matches your lifestyle. Much more important in my opinion!
Last edited by czarinalex; 06-21-2010 at 04:55 PM..
Reason: fix mistake
Are you saying the air quality is different in Ct. Is there something on the border that changes the air. Westchester and Ct are right next to each other!. There are benefits to both areas and neither is better. For me commute and special needs programs sealed the deal. I would love to save with taxes but the special needs programs in CT schools do far worse than New York schools. My husband would also never see his children with a long commute.
As for Raised Ranches, I think in a desirable area, you will be fine. I like the finished basement (although I do consider it a basement) aspect but in many that we saw, the kitchens were very tiny.
Its called Trees. Its called better restrictions on emmissions. Its called people reporting what vehicle is blowing black smoke into the air. Its called less high rises, its called less factories and power plants.
And it always varies even city to city. Notice Bridgeport has more fine particals in the air. Mostly because of teh power plats they have and factories. Its little more industrial that city then say Norwalk, or Greenwich.
Its called Trees. Its called better restrictions on emmissions. Its called people reporting what vehicle is blowing black smoke into the air. Its called less high rises, its called less factories and power plants.
And I'm talking mostly about lower Westchester.
You're right. There are no factories in Norwalk and nor emissions on I 95. The other day, I drove to Ct on I 95 and the minute I left the industrial cities of Larchmont/ Mamaroneck and passed into Greenwich, I was able to breathe better. I don't think anybody on this board is choosing between Westchester and Mystic. People are choosing between Westchester and Fairfield County and I can't imagine there is a difference in air quality between Greenwich and Larchmont or Rye when they are less than 10 minutes apart.
Raised ranches are a popular style in the northern suburbs of NYC, especially Rockland. There's quite a few in Yorktown. There really is no preferred style of house in Westchester because there's just so much variety here. There are no large subdivisions or cookie-cutter communities that you see being built in Dutchess County and all over the southern US.
Pick a style based on the needs of you and your family. I know many families happy with a RR and even have buyers currently looking for them.
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