Chappaqua, now, for all the right reasons

[fedus]

Originally Posted by Forest_Hills_Daddy

What's the alternative then? High taxes are a given in the suburbs surrounding NYC. You can live in the boroughs, but you'll also get borough-caliber services in addition to paying even higher real estate prices. Maybe if you moved to Scottsdale or Dayton, you'll get really affordable houses and lower taxes there.

You are right--there's not many options if you are NYC based. However there are a few things one can do.
1. Realize that housing is expensive with regard to what it was in the 90s.
2. Towns are overextended and tax residents accordingly.
3. Prices are going down and bid low. Pick sellers that want to sell and are not delusional.
4. If possible don't buy. Rent and wait it out.

There are more sellers than buyers. Ny times ran an article about 2011 being the year that boomers start retiring in large numbers. They will be moving to smaller cheaper areas. Younger families do not have the numbers not the money to buy their overvalued houses and high taxes.

[minymom]

Originally Posted by fedus

There are more sellers than buyers. Ny times ran an article about 2011 being the year that boomers start retiring in large numbers. They will be moving to smaller cheaper areas. Younger families do not have the numbers not the money to buy their overvalued houses and high taxes.

Just wanted to mention that my husband and I have found this to be very true in our current home search. Twice as many of the homes we've looked at in the Chappaqua school district are all retirees, empty nesters, or families who's kids going off to college. I can understand how the want to leave the high taxes behind once their kids are done school...

[PEmom]

I totally agree wth minymom and fedus. Chappaqua tax is actually known for being high. People move in are the parents who buy into their school names and extremely emphasize on kids' education. I always wonder if the teaching and program quality really high for those top rated schools or if the parents' efforts make the scores top of the list. I am not paying $22+ tax per year no matter how low the house price has become, esp. for that kind of commute. (One of the two has to work in the city to afford the tax unless you own businss). What's sad about it is the tax does not efficiently go to the teaching / program quality, it's wasted through paying $200,000+ for a principal job, many unnecessary busing services, excess admin staff at school, etc. Nobody can make our school more effiecient because we have a strong union that will block anything but raising tax or cutting programs. As a result, tax goes up no matter the economy is up or down. And when the money is tight, our kids are the ones who suffer directly.

[sand1168]

thinking of moving to chappaqua with five kids and a husband that is a physician.... will we fit in????

[hat456]

Not sure what the OP is going for with her post?? It's kind of all over the place. She seems pretty happy, I guess. But by no means do you have to attend one of these schools for your children to do well in school or in life, and the "lessons" that the kids learn in these districts can actually be the undoing of some of these kids.

If your goal is to have your children be in the "best" schools, then OK. But if you want your child to be happy and successful, then maybe not.

[cali_to_nj]

Originally Posted by sand1168

thinking of moving to chappaqua with five kids and a husband that is a physician.... will we fit in????

There are many working professionals living in Chappaqua including doctors, lawyers, NYC executives, etc. We have been here almost 2 years and could not be happier with the schools and community. Schools do become more competitive at the middle and high school levels so if you have kids in that age range you may want to consider how that transition will work from their current school(s), but at the elementary level all Chap schools are very nurturing and motivating, and coming up through those schools the kids are well prepared for the higher grades.