Need help! Moving from MA to Westchester County. (Yonkers, Ramapo: rent, how much)

[ashleyp17]

Hi -

I have just recently found out that my husband and I and our three daughters, ages 10, 5, and 3 are moving to NY. He will be working in Manhattan. I am a guidance counselor and will attempt to find a job in the county that I live in, although I don't mind working in urban "inner city" schools since I am experienced in that area.

Anyways, we have begun our process of looking for a home. We expect to stay in the community we move to until our children graduate from high school. Depending on how much we sell our house for we would only be able to afford something between 450,000 and 500,000! I know that is low, but we may end up keeping our home in MA and renting it out until the market upturns. I have been browsing through the MLS and have seen some homes in the price range. I think I will need to have lots of community options and then look at 3-5 homes in each area.

It is most important to us that our children go to very good schools. We would be willing to buy a fixer upper in an area that has great schools. My husband is very handy. Second, we would like to be as close as possible to his work. He will have to drive in everyday because he will need his vehicle for the nature of the position. (We would also consider a multi-family, and are also wondering what the going rent incomes are in suggested areas)

Other desires, but not necesities are that I would like to live in a community that is not "snobby" because obviously we will not have the finances to be able to "keep up with the jones's".

Please help me organize all of this information.

Thanks in advance,

Ashley

[Viralmd]

How large a house do you need? You already realize you're not going to get much for that amount. Also, you should realize that the farther north you go, the more affordable the house will be, but the longer your spouse's commute will be as well.

[ashleyp17]

We would like atleast 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and 4 brs/2.5 ba would be ideal. But, we would be willing to look at houses that we could expand in time.

[Viralmd]

Since your husband has to drive anyway, what about Rockland County? Because the mass transit is more problematic from Rockland to Manhattan the house prices are somewhat lower....

[bmwguydc]

If you want to stay in Westchester, look around Yorktown. Your budget should work in parts of the area. If you want to work in a city as a guidance counselor, Peekskill is not far, and you could also commute to Yonkers or Mount Vernon, which is not too bad of a trip.

Other areas that are going to have more limited housing in your price range, but you might find a good fixer would include: Mount Kisco (Bedford Schools), Valhalla, Thornwood, North White Plains (outside of the city - Valhalla schools/Town of North Castle), Armonk (rarely), and parts of Eastchester in Tuckahow or Eastchester school districts.

To make your search easier, try the WPMLS site: http://wcbr.net

[havoc315]

I was about to suggest the same thing. The main advantage of Westchester over Rockland, is much easier mass transit. But if you are driving anyway, Rockland county is no worse than northern Westchester. A 600-700k house in Yorktown/somers, will run closer to 500k in Rockland.

Try Clarkstown, S. Orangetown, Pearl River school districts as top choices. Ramapo (but not East Ramapo) and Nanuet are also pretty good.

[kletter1mann]

Originally Posted by havoc315

I was about to suggest the same thing. The main advantage of Westchester over Rockland, is much easier mass transit. But if you are driving anyway, Rockland county is no worse than northern Westchester.

With all respect, I beg to differ on the driving part. I live in N Westchester and commuted for many many years to Tarrytown. I had many colleagues from Rockland. I-684, the Saw Mill Pkwy and the Taconic are all a delight compared to the horrors of the Tappen Zee. And the TZ will only get worse.

[havoc315]

We are talking about commuting to NYC, quite different than Tarrytown. Forget the TZ. It would be the GW, or the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel.
Sure, a 15-30 minute backup from any of those entry points, but that is still faster than far northern Westchester.

[bmwguydc]

15-30 minutes is a good day at the inbound Hudson crossings. There are times when the delays are much longer than that, though they are rare during the AM rush, but it's just not as reliable as Westchester that has multiple options to get into Manhattan. Much of it also depends upon the time of day, since very early in the morning, you are less likely to have an issue than you would closer to rush hour.

Adding the likely delays, it's a wash between Northern Westchester and Rockland, since you're sitting for an extra 20 minutes at least or driving the extra 20 minutes from a Yorktown location. But, if one finds a house closer-in, say Valhalla, Tuckahoe, North White Plains, Thornwood, it's much more convenient to be in Westchester than Rockland.

[havoc315]

Agreed, southern Westchester is a much easier drive into Manhattan than Rockland. But difficult to find a nice home in a prestigious school district, for under 500 k in southern Westchester. Rockland would have real options in that price range.

From Rockland, you are talking 25 miles to midtown. From far northern Westchester,45-50 miles. Durind bad rush hour, about a wash. During lighter traffic, Rockland is faster, since it is 20 miles closer. (speaking of southern and central Rockland)