Hastings vs. Dobbs Ferry? (Rye, Hudson: rental, neighborhood, schools)

[ceskykrumlov]

Hello everyone! I am new to this board and have found so much useful information.

My husband and I (with children ages 6 & 1) are looking into moving to one of these town from Queens. We have pretty much narrowed down the search to Dobbs Ferry or Hastings and were wondering about any major differences. Here is what we are looking for:

1. Great schools. That is a priority, and it looks like Hastings might be slightly better but is this correct? We are less interested in test scores and more interested in a nurturing, safe enviorment where arts are incorporated more into the curriculum. The school my daughter is in now (in Qns.) is too rigid and militaristic for us, and it's been a tough year.

2. Walkability--we only have 1 car and would love to be able to keep it that way. We would very much like to be able to walk to a coffee shop, a few restaurants/pubs, a park, a farmers market, and the Metro North.

3. We are going to be renting a 2-3 bedroom apt. or house. Is there a difference between the 2 towns in terms of rental availablity (and price?)

4. Sense of community--people where we live now are pretty detatched and uptight, & we would love to be in a generally liberal community where people are relaxed and care about their environment...I recently read something about a leaf blower restriction law in Hastings (as an example of this...people concerned with noise and air pollution, and having civic responsibility to do something about it). That is something our current neighborhood is also woefully lacking!

5. Proximity to hikes/nature walks is a big plus.

We need to be in lower Westchester because my husband commutes to the north shore of LI and it would just be too far from towns like Croton, etc. We also like what we hear of Nyack but also it seems the commute would be tough. (And we don't want to live on Long Island!) So it looks like these two communities fit the bill best...just wondering if any of you could share your thoughts or experiences. Thank you so much!

[slowloris]

Both towns border on each other. Each has a real nice downtown with lots of nice places to eat. I feel that Hastings has a bit more of a "community" feel to it. I remember going there as a young kid, and seeing so many people out in the park, town, and getting ice cream. Just a fond memory. I can't help you with schools. I'm sure prices are comparable. The towns are so close you really can enjoy everything that each offers, but Hastings might offer more in my opinion. The town seems more stretched out.

[MomOfToo]

I grew up in Dobbs Ferry. Both towns are very similar. Both schools are very good, I think Dobbs is a little better though.....but I am not sure. Both towns are walkable and near the metro. I think Dobbs has a nicer town though. They have a few parks that are walkable as well. Both towns are pretty much the same but I think Dobbs is a little more expensive. You can't go wrong with either town. Both have alot of original NYC people that live there.

[ceskykrumlov]

Thanks so much to both of you!

Any tips on finding an apt/house rental in either town? Do most people go through realtors?

We are heading up there tomorrow to visit both towns. Any other tips from anyone else will be greatly appreciated.

[rubygreta]

Vacancy rates in nice areas of lower Westchester County are less than 2%. You can try Craig's List for a no fee rental, but you more likely will end up being stuck paying a realtor's fee.

As for Hastings and Dobbs Ferry, they are very similar.

[MomOfToo]

Try to use a realtor on Dobbs Main street or Cedar street. THer is on eon Main, I think it is called Mainsource Realty....you can also try the Pennysaver.

[ceskykrumlov]

Sigh...well, we visited both towns on Sunday and here is what we thought:

Both towns are pretty, the dramatic hills are striking although not easily navigable with a stroller, but there were no people out on the streets and they were both so dead! We are guessing this was a typical Sunday. We realized what a huge change this will be coming from NYC life. Is there more going on on Saturdays? We wanted to get our daughter an ice cream and couldn't find an ice cream place anywhere in either town...but we did have lunch at a cute tavern in Dobbs. We liked the riverfront park and Hudson access in Dobbs Ferry, while we liked the artistic aspect of the shops in Hastings (too bad they were all closed).

Is this the norm in Westchester towns? They are dead on weekends?

I am still interested in these towns but my husband (who grew up in a big European city and has lived in cities his whole life) was scared off. Not sure what we'll do now...

Also we are wondering..does anyone know how the Cross County Parkway traffic is during rush hour? That would be crucial in my husband's commute.

[MomOfToo]

Cross County Parkway is like any other parkway during rush hour-there is traffic everywhere but maybe someone else can answer this since I have been out of Westchester for 4 years now. I say go back and see these towns on a saturday. There is more going on then.

[ceskykrumlov]

Thanks, MomofToo!

[nadia32]

Towns with busy main street areas- all the time- especially on the weekends would be Bronxville, Larchmont, and Rye. These towns are easier access to LI, but more expensive than Dobbs or Hastings. They all have flat downtown areas that are pretty lively, especially Bronxville- which always has loads of people and everyone walks in Bronxville.