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My lease is coming up in a few months and after wrestling with myself I’m going to commit NYC treason and do the "unthinkable" (for many who live in the city that is) I'm moving to the burbs. Commuting everyday on crowded subway trains is making me yearn for my relatively pleasant, quiet and comfortable Metro North commutes to and from Midtown a few years back when I lived in Westchester with relatives getting established. My neighborhood in Sunnyside Queens is a gem but I've been longing for the quiet, bucolic suburban environs for some reason even though I'm single and in my late 20's... which admittedly seems strange for a young professional to consciously choose to live in the burbs over NYC but I have a few other friends who are also in their 20's who moved from NYC to the surrounding suburbs.
I've been searching around Westchester for a few weeks and found great studio in Pelham on Fifth Avenue one block from the Metro North stop. I know Pelham and Pelham manor and love the vibe of it being an old quiet walkable suburb. But I’m wondering though since it’s in the business district if it’s relatively quiet. I know Wolfs Lane well has a sleepy nighttime vibe even in the middle of July and doesn’t seem to have traffic jams despite being right near the Hutchinson Parkway but I never ventured above 1st St since I was always going to the MN station coming from Boulevard. The area seemed alright when I viewed the apartment this weekend around noon. Though, I learned the hard way from living in Inwood Manhattan that neighborhoods can change dramatically on a block by block basis depending on the time of day and season; especially along busy streets and avenues.
I'm 98% certain there are no street bikes roaring down avenue and music blasting from cars until 4am every night in the summer like in Upper Manhattan (drivers in Pelham don't even honk if someone takes too long to go when the light changes green) but it would be nice to know what the area is like along Fifth Avenue in Pelham before signing a lease. Someone in another thread wrote there are 2 sides to Pelham....which makes me wonder if it's similar to Fleetwood vs Mt Vernon. I don’t mind the run of the mill suburban sounds such as kids playing in backyards, (occasional dogs barking), leaf blowers and… birds chirping. It seems like an odd thing to worry about; excessive noise in the suburbs but you can never be too sure.
I'm in my mid-20s and would never move into NYC. I was so close to pulling the trigger on a place in Astoria, but I'm glad I stayed in Westchester. For awhile I was commuting on the train to the Wall Street area, but I ended up getting a job offer in Pelham (by where you're looking) so it turns out I made the right decision to stay in Westchester.
Pelham is a very sleepy town. There's not much in the way of noise or chaos in this area. It's mostly upper-middle and upper-class families. If that's what you're looking for, this is the area for you. It's safe, it's clean and most things you need will be close (supermarkets, gas stations, restaurants, etc.) Do you have a car? You're going to most likely need/want a car if you live out here.
There are places to go out in Westchester (White Plains being the most popular) but I find myself just hopping on the train to the city when I have the desire to go bar hopping or clubbing with friends. If I miss or don't want to take the last train out (the drunk train), it's never a big deal because I have plenty of friends who live in the city.
What is your budget (if you don't mind me asking) and how long of a train ride will you tolerate? There are some great communities in Westchester for you to consider. I recently moved from Dobbs Ferry to Fleetwood (and I grew up in Scarsdale). Depending on your budget and train ride preferences, there are other good options should you decide to not move to Pelham or want to look elsewhere.
Can you leave your apartment in Sunnyside earlier in the morning when trains are less crowded?
That's what I've been doing to counter crowded trains, but my tolerance level for taking subway during rush hour has been declining over the years due to a number of factors (one reason why I'm yearning for those quiet and relatively comfortable Metro North commutes) Suburban rail lines have their fair share of problems but I find myself heading to the Woodside LIRR more often than not to get to and from work.
RJS5689, Good to see another 20 something living in the burbs.
You may have dodged a bullet by not moving to Astoria. While I lived in Astoria for a year I have mixed feelings about my time there (I'm not too crazy about the streetscape but there's more space and it has a good mix of people) The rents are getting jacked up due to it becoming more gentrified each year and as a result petty crime in the area around 21st Street to Steinway around Broadway is going up also. At first I thought the news was sensationalizing but low and behold a few days ago my friend's apartment was burglarized while he was at work. Really surprising since Queens is the safest borough out of them all. Of course, burgalries can happen anywhere- even in the safest Westchester burbs.
Indeed Pelham is an affluent suburb, any chaotic things like that (which I can't imagine happening on a regular occurrence) would have the village in arms. The closest thing that happens to that are teenage/ college aged passengers disembarking from the drunk train on weekends like you referred to.
I remember rides back from the city on those late night trains to Westchester well. A car makes getting around Westchester a lot easier and serves as an escape pod to explore the region during the summer but I got around Westchester and even Fairfield County CT pretty well on the MN. If there were no sidewalks I didn't go there and I had no compelling reason to be in areas with no public sidewalks anyway. I spend most of my free time hanging out with friends in the city so not owning a car is a non issue for now.
My budget is up to $1350 which is low for Westchester 1 bedrooms rentals I think. I saw a decent 1 bedroom in Hartsdale but this apartment is much better and Pelham is closer to NYC. I can take up to a 45-50 minute commute on the MN. Pelham is about a 30 minute trip to and from GCT, shorter than my old subway commute from Inwood and even Sunnyside.
If you are not fond of outdoor activities like golf, hiking, backyard mixers and what not, you may want to reconsider. Families have kids to keep them preoccupied but single people may have to look at other diversions. Also, unless there is someone at home preparing your meals and doing your groceries more likely you will have to go in and out frequently to buy them outside. Make sure your neighborhood offers these amenities.
I like my outdoor activities and frequently head up the Hudson Valley and LI Sound during the summer; I'm rarely in the city during the warm weather months on the weekends. When I lived in Westchester (3 years ago) I was fine being at home and kept myself preoccupied; my social time was spent occasionally going into the city to be with friends. This also might seem odd but my lifestyle isn't that different in NYC from when I lived in the suburbs. I gave myself the "NYC experience" during the 1st year I lived here. I stumbled across an interesting statistic from the Pew Research Center that 54% of 20 somethings live in suburbs. Not a real estate trend of course, but it's probably the fact that most are still living at home with their parents to save money...
The grocery store is right across the street so that's a major plus for convenience. There's also a Fairway at the Pelham Bay Shopping Plaza but I think their prices are a bit high. The business district of Pelham is a bit like the downtown area of Kew Gardens so it's walkable and I wouldn't be a slave to a car like in some of the outlying burbs.
OP: you'll find a lot of people think all 20-somethings want to, and should, live in the city. I'm not sure why they have that perception, but it's certainly not true. Perhaps the assumption is that we're all party animals who just like to go clubbing and be around crowds all day long. I know a few people who live in NYC and are longing to come out to the 'burbs because they got the "city living out of their system and can't deal with it anymore". As long as you know what to expect out here, I think you'll be very happy. It's not a desolate wasteland of nothing. It's just a very different and, in my opinion, better lifestyle than NYC living. I can take my mountain bike to any of the various trails around here and enjoy some offroad riding for the day. I'm a huge petrolhead and I work on and race my own car. I have the required space out here to work on my vehicle and enjoy leisurely, top-down cruises in the warm weather. So, for someone in my situation, the 'burbs are the perfect place to live.
You may also want to look at apartments in Fleetwood. Don't be scared off by the Mount Vernon address. It's a great part of the Dirty Vern and offers housing at pretty affordable prices. I have a beautiful two bedroom apartment in an old Victorian house. I have two active fireplaces, a massive kitchen and two spacious bedrooms for a total of 1,300 square feet (I also have my own private driveway). My rent here is the same as I was paying for a smaller, not as nice one bedroom, with no parking in Dobbs Ferry.
You may also want to consider the River Towns. They offer walkable downtowns with pretty much everything you'll need. Hastings, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington and Tarrytown might all be great options.
You could try looking in White Plains, but housing there--especially near downtown--has become very expensive.
New Rochelle might be another great option for you.
Mamaroneck may have some housing in your budget near the train/the ave, which puts you walking distance to most things you'd need.
Harrison is another choice, if you can find something near the center of town.
In addition to Craigslist, I found hotpads.com and padmapper.com to be excellent resources for apartment hunting.
Exactly, many people think the suburbs are about cookie cutter homes and strip malls with endless parking lots which are more prevalent in the Midwest and Southwest. I've focused on walkable, low key, older streetcar style suburbs with access to commuter rail lines to the city.
I think a lot of the mindset about living in the city with 20 something's (and not just anywhere in the city but in specifically Manhattan below 96th St) has to do not only with proximity to work but also with peer comparison and wanting to live a lifestyle similar to what's portrayed in TV shows and movies (which is incredibly expensive in New York). Then there's also taking on an "urban" identity and shedding their suburban upbringing for those raised in the burbs... You have to find the right area for you even if it means expanding your search to include the NYC metro area.
Mamaroneck, Harrison and Hastings-on-the-Hudson are all nice towns. I have relatives in Ossining but I like Tarrytown better. How do you like Dobbs Ferry btw?
Didn't know about padmapper.com, I'll look into it.
Also look at Tuckahoe, which has made great improvements over the last ten years. There must be more than ten restaurants (some with great bar scenes) within walking distance of the corner of Main Street and Columbus Avenue. The Tuckahoe train station is right there, as is access to the Bronx River Parkway. On the weekend you can drive to Manhattan in less than 25 minutes. Also, Bronxville and Eastchester, which are the adjacent communities, offer tons of amenities and shopping.
It's good to hear that not every 20-something feels as if they would rather die than live in the suburbs. It's all about enjoying your work, having good friends, and being active. And living in Chelsea does not guarantee you anything except a shot bank account.
Exactly, many people think the suburbs are about cookie cutter homes and strip malls with endless parking lots which are more prevalent in the Midwest and Southwest. I've focused on walkable, low key, older streetcar style suburbs with access to commuter rail lines to the city.
I think a lot of the mindset about living in the city with 20 something's (and not just anywhere in the city but in specifically Manhattan below 96th St) has to do not only with proximity to work but also with peer comparison and wanting to live a lifestyle similar to what's portrayed in TV shows and movies (which is incredibly expensive in New York). Then there's also taking on an "urban" identity and shedding their suburban upbringing for those raised in the burbs... You have to find the right area for you even if it means expanding your search to include the NYC metro area.
Mamaroneck, Harrison and Hastings-on-the-Hudson are all nice towns. I have relatives in Ossining but I like Tarrytown better. How do you like Dobbs Ferry btw?
Didn't know about padmapper.com, I'll look into it.
I think you've summed it up quite nicely. I was very put off by the endless strip malls when I visited other parts of the country. Thankfully Westchester is not like that.
I loved Dobbs Ferry. It's a great town with friendly people, a decent "downtown" and everything I needed was in walking distance (supermarket, dry cleaners, restaurants, liquor store, etc.) The only reason I left was for the wonderful place I found in Fleetwood. I looked at countless places before I found one worth leaving Dobbs Ferry for.
Good luck on your search and feel free to shoot me a PM with any questions!
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Really surprising since Queens is the safest borough out of them all. Of course, burgalries can happen anywhere- even in the safest Westchester burbs.
(I also have my own private driveway). My rent here is the same as I was paying for a smaller, not as nice one bedroom, with no parking in Dobbs Ferry.
