Westchester Woes (Amherst, Somers, Bedford: selling a home, school district, colleges)

[bmwguydc]

Katonah is not Bedford Central, it's Katonah-Lewisboro district which is John Jay HS.

[BonoBD93]

To bmwguydc: Thanks for the input. I am in my mid 20's and it is just my wife and myself right now so space isn't as big of an issue. We are currently in an 800sf condo so 2000sf sounds absolutely huge. However, kids will hopefully be comming in the next year. After considereing your advice I think the best choice is Katonah proper in a smaller house. Hopefully the big property will come someday but for right now it sounds like Katonah has the schools and train that will hold the property value while the market corrects itself. Also, I am hoping my wife can stop working in a year or two and really enjoy the charm of the downtown area that you referenced.
Thank you to all else who responded about all the lovely areas in Westchester and all the benefits of each.

[havoc315]

[quote=BonoBD93;5401868]that will hold the property value while the market corrects itself. [quote]

Be warned-- No location will hold its value through a market correction. It might correct slightly less than a less desirable location, and in good market conditions, it will increase more. But even the best locations are seeing major price corrections right now.
Based on my own un-scientific survey from house shopping and trying to sell our own home, even in the best locations-- You are currently looking at a 10-20% correction off the 2005/2006 highs.

For people willing to buy now, the hope is that prices are nearing their bottom. Also, if you plan on staying long enough, the hope is you can withstand continued falls in your property value, even after you buy it.

[emma1]

Your info on Katonah is very informative. Being unfamilar with the area - exactly which zip code is the better section to buy in Katonah?

[bmwguydc]

Katonah is in zip code 10536, with areas of Bedford close to the town being in 10506. Generally, when looking at the zip codes, check to see what area is listed for the property, since some are actually in Somers with 10536. Only 10536 in Katonah has Katonah-Lewisboro Schools (in Town of Bedford), as 10506 and 10507 are Bedford district, both of which are very good. Parts of 10507, Bedford Hills, also neighbor Katonah, but these areas are maybe a 5-7 minute drive to Katonah proper.

I saw your other thread and was going to post there about Katonah, but it definitely is worth considering for your requirements. If you can go into the $900s, you are within reach of some of the old, historic Victorian style houses in town, which are turn-of-the-century and are steps away from the train station and conveniences of Katonah Avenue.

If you want more of a country setting, you can find some houses within range off Jay Street to the east of Katonah station, between there and Route 22 (which also is known as Jay Street and Cantitoe Street in Katonah). Route 22 gets into the estate area of Katonah-Bedford and properties are generally larger, and prices are higher. There are properties within range, some on up to an acre, between town and Route 22, so it's worth considering areas off Mustato Road and Jay Street.

On the other side of Katonah, you have Cherry Street and areas off Croton Lake Road can be semi-rural properties as well. Cherry Street runs from Route 117 in Bedford Hills to Route 35 and the houses are a mixture of newer, mid-century, and some older homes with some bordering the reservoir qualifying as mini-estate properties. Between Cherry Street and town, you have principal corridors on Valley Road, Huntsville Road, and Whitlockville Road. Valley and Huntsville are much more residential, as parts of Whitlockville are a little more country and it doesn't go to town itself, but out to Route 35 between Cherry Street and the 117 & 35 intersection. Houses here range from cottages to moderately sized houses, generally on less than half an acre of land, but they are within walking distance of the town, which is a selling point for many.

What is nice about Katonah is that the services are all along Katonah Avenue and part of Bedford Road headed out of town, so that residential areas are purely residential. You don't have intrusions of commercial structures, and as such it tends to be a very quiet area.

[bmwguydc]

Originally Posted by BonoBD93

To bmwguydc: Thanks for the input. I am in my mid 20's and it is just my wife and myself right now so space isn't as big of an issue. We are currently in an 800sf condo so 2000sf sounds absolutely huge. However, kids will hopefully be comming in the next year. After considereing your advice I think the best choice is Katonah proper in a smaller house. Hopefully the big property will come someday but for right now it sounds like Katonah has the schools and train that will hold the property value while the market corrects itself. Also, I am hoping my wife can stop working in a year or two and really enjoy the charm of the downtown area that you referenced.
Thank you to all else who responded about all the lovely areas in Westchester and all the benefits of each.

That sounds like a good fit for you and the start of a young family. And, you know, some children when they're smaller actually prefer smaller spaces. I have one nephew who lived in a Williamsburg style house when he was born and he absolutely loved the dormers and compact spaces, and was quite upset when they had to move to a larger home because of additions to the family. They actually had to roomscape his room with bunk beds, and other cubby sort of spaces to bring the size down to what he preferred. So, a village home is a great fit for a young family, especially where you can walk around and get on the train to Manhattan as well. Best of luck in your search!

[emma1]

Thank you for all the detail on Katonah - very helpful!!

[bmwguydc]

Originally Posted by emma1

Thank you for all the detail on Katonah - very helpful!!

You're welcome. Best of luck in your search. And, I'm happy to answer any questions that may pop up as you search for a house.

[dma1250]

[quote=bmwguydc;5421796]
I saw your other thread and was going to post there about Katonah, but it definitely is worth considering for your requirements. If you can go into the $900s, you are within reach of some of the old, historic Victorian style houses in town, which are turn-of-the-century and are steps away from the train station and conveniences of Katonah Avenue.
quote]

You can even find a few in the 800's. There are a number of lovely homes in the heart of the village that have had their asking prices cut by well over 100K--in some cases, by as much as 300K. Katonah is one of the towns where prices have already dropped a good deal--making it a safer bet down the road.

[BonoBD93]

Does anyone see these properties coming down in value in the next 6 months or have the prices already stabilized? Thanks.