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I noticed some northern Westchester garden type condos have low outside decks off the first floor living rooms, but as a buyer, I would be concerned animals might get under them for shelter and/or build nests. Additionally, I didn't see any lattice surrounding the decks to keep animals out, so they must not be allowed by the condo association.
I would assume a patio is more desirable to buyers than a low deck because of the possible animal problem, agree?
I noticed some northern Westchester garden type condos have low outside decks off the first floor living rooms, but as a buyer, I would be concerned animals might get under them for shelter and/or build nests. Additionally, I didn't see any lattice surrounding the decks to keep animals out, so they must not be allowed by the condo association.
I would assume a patio is more desirable to buyers than a low deck because of the possible animal problem, agree?
I'm on an acre of land backing into woods. I have rabbits, skunks, groundhogs, deer, toads, mice, chipmunks, and enough squirrels to feed every hawk in the county.
I've never had any concerns about animals nesting under my deck. They really do not want to be that close to people.
I'm on an acre of land backing into woods. I have rabbits, skunks, groundhogs, deer, toads, mice, chipmunks, and enough squirrels to feed every hawk in the county.
I've never had any concerns about animals nesting under my deck. They really do not want to be that close to people.
This is correct. If you use the deck, they will not stay there. If however you just use it as decoration, its likely to be used. Also, even if they did, if you are in northern westchester, get used to wildlife. Its everywhere. To be a little scary, I will add foxes, coyotes, and bobcats to YorktownGal's list. I have seen all three in the past week near me, but the foxes are out to fatten up for winter. They are hunting squirrels and chipmunks like crazy.
I live in southern Westchester. I saw one coyote last year going up the hill to Stu Leonard's, but I read posts from residents living not too far from my home who have seen packs of them. I used to have a deer in my backyard years ago, always wondered what happened to it. Same with chipmunks, they were around years ago, don't see them anymore. I get red fire ants every summer on the capstone on my driveway walls, but nobody believes me, they say Westchester doesn't have them, but my neighbor gets them too! Squirrels are all over and a few times yearly I smell the skunk scent.
Last night I saw two insects on my living room couch. They looked like miniature space aliens, tan in color. I'm trying to figure out if they are baby grass hoppers or crickets (they weren't noisy), or something else. I sprayed pesticide, then I regretted it because the scent gave me a headache. I took a photo and will bring it to Home Depot today to see if one of their employees recognize it so I can make a natural spray deterrent. Any guesses on what it is? I took in Halloween decorations yesterday, so I was thinking maybe that's how they got in the house. I hope they didn't lay eggs.
Anyway, I'm still undecided regarding a move to northern Westchester. If I move, with all that wildlife around up there, I will definitely choose a patio, because I would always worry about the deck. Thanks for your responses!
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I live in southern Westchester. I saw one coyote last year going up the hill to Stu Leonard's, but I read posts from residents living not too far from my home who have seen packs of them. I used to have a deer in my backyard years ago, always wondered what happened to it. Same with chipmunks, they were around years ago, don't see them anymore. I get red fire ants every summer on the capstone on my driveway walls, but nobody believes me, they say Westchester doesn't have them, but my neighbor gets them too! Squirrels are all over and a few times yearly I smell the skunk scent.
Last night I saw two insects on my living room couch. They looked like miniature space aliens, tan in color. I'm trying to figure out if they are baby grass hoppers or crickets (they weren't noisy), or something else. I sprayed pesticide, then I regretted it because the scent gave me a headache. I took a photo and will bring it to Home Depot today to see if one of their employees recognize it so I can make a natural spray deterrent. Any guesses on what it is? I took in Halloween decorations yesterday, so I was thinking maybe that's how they got in the house. I hope they didn't lay eggs.
Anyway, I'm still undecided regarding a move to northern Westchester. If I move, with all that wildlife around up there, I will definitely choose a patio, because I would always worry about the deck. Thanks for your responses!
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We gets deer every day eating apples from my neighbor's tree, a family of groundhogs lives under my shed, lots of little critters (chipmonks, rabbits ...) but my favorite are the birds. Bald Eagle from the nests on Annsville Creek in Peekskill hunt those little critters. Red Tailed and brown hawks are there each day. At night we get some cool owls. I was kidding about the scared thing. Nothing to fear from nature. A black bear will be sighted every year, but they are more interested in your garbage than you. Coyotes and bobcats can be dangerous to small dogs and cats, but mostly they stay away from humans. The only ones I truly dislike are the raccoons who get into my garbage pails. I bought cans that snap shut and we put bungee cords holding them down. We watch them on the night cameras and they take the bungees off. Smart and annoying little guys. Going to buy a little rubbermaid can holder soon. Anyway, best of luck to you. It is so beautiful up here. Buy some land and enjoy nature. If you have any questions about locations, towns, schools, lot of folks here happy to help.
Red Tailed and brown hawks are there each day. At night we get some cool owls. I was kidding about the scared thing. Nothing to fear from nature.
I've been hearing a lot of owls lately. According to my bird seed store, Wild Birds Unlimited in Bedford, because owls mate in the fall, they are more vocal. I just love them!
I have an amazing amount of birds at my feeders. I took a bird banding class at Westmoreland Scanctuary - learned so much! Northern Westchester is so wonderful! https://www.westmorelandsanctuary.org/
RE: Ironlex, funny thing is I have never seen snakes. I had a ton of garden snakes in MA. Maybe because I was close to a stream? I have toads but no snakes here.
Snakes were the first thing I thought of that might go under decks. BTW, which snakes are found up there? I read about a copperhead found in a backyard in Ramapo. I used to live in a ranch house on a lake in Florida, saw only two snakes in ten years on my property, no gators. One was a king snake, the other was a long, skinny black snake who got in my pool through a hole in the screen.
Anyway, I have no kids, so no worries about school districts, and no pets. I've looked in Yorktown, Mohegan Lake, Mt. Kisco, Heritage Hills. Heritage Hills appeals to me, but I've met people who were unhappy there due to the residents being unfriendly, so they moved back to southern Westchester. They said the same about Jefferson Village in Yorktown, they sold and moved back here. Don't know if I want to deal with a single family home up there, I would need snow removal and lawn services and don't know about having possible septic tank problems, most homes up there seem to have them.
One thing that does bother me is close proximity to hospitals, some areas up there aren't that close. Someone I read about couldn't get a doctor available at Hudson Valley in Peekskill, so they told her to drive all the way to Northern Westchester in Mt. Kisco for treatment! We are spoiled in southern Westchester with so many hospitals close by. If I stay down here, I will most likely move into Hartsdale/White Plains area.
BTW, my neighbor told me the insects I saw in my house are crickets, he has them in his basement and says they come in at this time of year to get warm.
I've been hearing a lot of owls lately. According to my bird seed store, Wild Birds Unlimited in Bedford, because owls mate in the fall, they are more vocal. I just love them!
I have an amazing amount of birds at my feeders. I took a bird banding class at Westmoreland Scanctuary - learned so much! Northern Westchester is so wonderful! https://www.westmorelandsanctuary.org/
RE: Ironlex, funny thing is I have never seen snakes. I had a ton of garden snakes in MA. Maybe because I was close to a stream? I have toads but no snakes here.
Thats a great idea to set up a feeder. My outdoor work is nearly completed. Have to add this to the list.
We see snakes here in Cortlandt Manor. I have twice seen copperheads in the woods behind my house in ~20 years. My neighbor has seen rattlers he says. We get eastern and timber rattlers in this part of NY. But they are easy enough to stay away from once you see/hear them. And they usually do not come anywhere near humans. Its just when we go hiking they we are on the lookout. But the three poisonous snakes in our area, the two rattlers and the copperheads, all have a similar look, with the wood camo spots.
Mostly we get garters, browns, and red bellies. Tiny little snakes under rocks. Both my kids have grabbed these snakes. Usually under 2 foot and most about a foot and thin as a pencil. My 11 year old grabbed 3 foot ribbon this summer and he learned the hard way not to touch snakes he does not know. He grabbed it by its neck in a pretty safe way, but did not know they "sweat" out a foul smelling scent when grabbed. My dad uses to call them skunk snakes because of the long stripes and smell. It was horrible. I wound up using lemons and tomatoes to cut the smell off him. Nasty things. They live near the water, we have a drainage stream that runs through the woods near us. Man, stay away from black snakes with yellow stripes down their bodies. No bites, but you are gonna stink for a few days if you don;t get that smell off immediately. Anyway, I think the lesson here is that snakes are not something to be feared, but respected. And please do a better job than I did of passing this message onto your kids.
I would assume you'll have wildlife. I live in southern Westchester and have a ground-level deck on the main floor. Due to the rapidly increasing deer population, this is the first year that they have actually broken through the gate while I was at work in order to eat the vegetables and other plants I was growing there. They ate everything, including all the jalapeno peppers! I re-enforced the lock on the gate, and lately they've figured out how to jump over it altogether, so I basically gave up on having nice things.
In recent years, they didn't approach this close to the house, but lately they seem to have become more brazen in their search for food. Lately they have been coming right up to the front door in order to graze on the potted plants. Not to mention the squirrels are there to clean up anything the deer manage to leave behind...
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Not to mention the squirrels are there to clean up anything the deer manage to leave behind...
