Moving To NY - No clue where to live. Help?

[ucb91]

Originally Posted by ddv0569

As a lifelong NYer, I can make a few suggestions to you. If your rent range is $1500 - $2000, most of Manhattan would be eliminated from your prospects. If it is very important to be in Manhattan, you'll probably have to start your search north of 96th street and you'll have a very difficult time maintaining an auto in Manhattan. With all the street parking rules and congestion, it gets very frustrating. Forest Hills is a very nice area and you should definitely be able to find something in your price range but parking could be a challenge in some parts. Astoria is a bustling area because of its proximity to Manhattan, the train, bridges and highway and you shouldn't have a problem finding something in your price range. Astoria would be a great launching place for a commute to Harrison. Both Forest Hills and Astoria are busy areas with Astoria being a more congested area because it being across the river from Manhattan. Some other areas you may want to investigate:

Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Woodside, Queens (near Astoria)
Woodhaven, Queens
Maspeth, Queens
Glendale, Queens
Middle Village, Queens

All of the above have great/good access to public transportation and lots of residential dwellings vs. heavy concentration of apartment buildings.
I don't know much about the Bronx, New Jersey, or Staten Island, so I can't recommend anything in those areas. I grew up in Brooklyn but have lived on Long Island for the past 11 years. I'm sure I left a bunch of areas out but these areas would definitely be a good start, along with Forest Hills and Astoria. I hope this was helpful.

HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY SAY WOODSIDE QUEENS???? I DONT KNOW IF YOU HAVE REALISED THIS BUT WOODSIDE PROJECTS ARE BAD AT NIGHT I LIVED IN WOODSIDE FOR 11 YEARS AND I CAN BAIRLEY REMEMBER ONE NIGHT OF NOT HEARING SCREAMING OR GUN FIRE ALL NIGHT LONG WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO GET THIS PERSON IN TO
???

[countdrak]

We decided to move to White Plains area but we are still looking for apartments. Does anyone know what streets to avoid in White Plains, we are from a small town in the midwest and want to stay in a crime free neighborhood.

Also any information on Larchmont? I have found a few rentals there. Thanks.

[cswim06]

Larchmont is a great town, maybe my favorite in all of Westchester. In my mind, it has the best combination of top-tier schools, an easy commute to NYC (1/2 if you catch an express train), natural beauty (I love the water and Larchmont is right on the Sound. Check out Manor Park and prepare to be awed) and a liveliness that is hard to come by in the 'burbs (the town is full of restaurants and boutiques and is HIGHLY walkable--a huge plus in my books).

That said, this all comes at a price. I believe the median cost of a single-family home is around $1.2 million or thereabouts. Not sure what the deal is with rentals though.

[wendyheld]

i know all the places you spoke about. your can rent a place in westchester for that. NJ is too far, and the George Washington is always backed up.Queens is closer but you have to find a place with parking. some places charge you so add that on to your rent. why white plains??? there's a lot of traffic and i think that there is a parking issue as well. most of Westchester is very safe to live. towns i know to avoid are mt vernon and yonkers. there is crime data for all. you work is close by conn. as well. i would really like to help you out please describe what you would like in a town

[GCGuy]

Originally Posted by countdrak

I am moving from a small Midwest town to NY for work. I will be working in Harrison NY in Westchester county, and my wife might be getting a job in Manhattan.

We don't know or cant decide where to live. My top priority is safety and rent in the range of $1500-2000. Everyone I talk to has a different opinion. I would also want to keep my car.

Some people suggested living in Manhattan , so at least one of us is close to their jobs. Some suggested NJ, others Queens. That pretty much covers everything!! Couple of places I was looking at were in Forest Hills , Astoria Queens. Or White Plains in Westchester county. I was told I could drive from Queens to Harrison because i will be going against the traffic and will be fairly close to the city. I have some family in forest hills, hence I picked it in Queens.

I am totally confused any help would be great. What would be the best place for us, safety, rent and commute in that order.

I think I would look to areas in Westchester close to the Metro North. Westchester is beautiful and I would say being a closer drive to Harrison and a short train ride to Manhattan makes the most sense. Westchester is pricey, but the rents and what you get for the money is much better than what you would in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and maybe even Queens. Areas are very safe, have nice downtowns, but would be close to the city. It would also likely be less of a drastic change from where you came from. If after a while you like NYC more, than you can move. If you like Westchester, great. Not sure about the kid situation, but it is infinitely better in most of Westchester. Good luck with the move.

Here is a map of the Metro North stops: http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/mnrmap.htm

Here is a Metro North Schedule:
http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/plannin...les/index.html

[johnkobeck]

Originally Posted by mhogan10010

You should check out craigslist.org and backpage.com. While not a silver bullet, they can help you find rentals with no broker fees. Its often said that Real Estate is in New York like Oil is in Texas. Hence the brokers.
Sorry, but I don't know enough about White Plains to endorse any specific neighborhoods. You might check on their local police website, to see if you can get a sense of places to avoid. Of course, seeing it for yourself is the best way.
Understand, that an area you feel uncomfortable in, may be one that a life long New Yorkers wouldn't hesitate to live in. I visited and researched NY for 7 years before we moved here.
PM me if you like.

Here is a site for Westchester NY real estate with NO broker fees:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
And forget about forest Hills, the commute will killl you. I lived in white plains while commuting to Forest hills every day(I had a business there for a few years) and it was murder. Get something local. (OOOPs sorry, I am new and did not realize that real estate egents cant post their websites here).

[S36]

I lived on Barker Ave. for a few years. It is a few blocks from the train station and two blocks from the main strip. It is also only five blocks or so from 287. I loved it.