Gay Couple Seeks Westchester Housing Advice

[bmwguydc]

One thing that struck me, was that I may not have been clear in my description of Hartsdale. If it's Hartsdale with the Edgemont schools district, which is the second Scarsdale district, then it's perfectly fine. This section, while expensive for Hartsdale addresses, is less expensive than a comparable house in Scarsdale proper.

White Plains does offer some nice apartments, but I would tend not to recommend White Plains for families. Some of the river towns are nice, too, but for a couple who are working in White Plains and Manhattan, I would tend to stick to areas along the Harlem Line as it offers the ease of commute to the city, and ease of a drive to White Plains that only Central Westchester can really offer without the headaches of congestion.

[HeyJPK]

Many thanks for the help. There look like several towns to look into - and I agree, White Plains probably isn't the best option. We'd end up sending our kids to private school, and could just as well stay in the city to do that.

Bronxville, Scarsdale, and Eastchester sound promising due to the neighborhoods, schools, villages, and commute. But I don't know if our kids will be the only ones in school with same sex parents? Is there a good chance these towns are progressive enough not to care that some kids in school have same sex parents?

[bmwguydc]

I think that the towns are progressive enough in this part of lower Westchester that same sex parents would not be an issue at all, even if your children are the only family at their grades with that family make up. Of the three, Eastchester is the most relaxed, but the people in Scarsdale, while a bit more competitive, are sophisticated. And, Bronxville is very family friendly and has changed a bit due to an influx of dual income households that have changed the reality of the village in the later part of the 20th Century and into today.

These towns tend to be family-focused, though Scarsdale does not have the same degree of parental involvement in large part, as would Eastchester and Bronxville. I think that the most important issue in these towns is that you have children, not that their parents are of the same sex. I grew up in a very family focused part of Northern Westchester, which tends to be much more conservative than lower Westchester, but even there, I think you would not find it to be too much of an issue. We're of the same generation, I'm in my 30s too, so I hope that my perspective can give some insight, since the "old" rules are largely being reshaped by modern families.

[HeyJPK]

Thanks again. Silly question - so you know if most westchester good school districts let folks from nearby towns attend their public schools - so long as they pay a penalty? So if you live in Yonkers or Eastchester school district - could you go to Bronxville schools if you pay?

[bmwguydc]

You're welcome. Yes, it is possible to pay tuition to another school district for placements. Each jurisdiction has its own rules about this, since there's not an overall county school system as exists in many other places. The cost is significant, but I do not think it would be as expensive as private schools, especially private schools in the city. You are probably also responsible for your own transportation arrangements for the children to/from school. And, with the better public district, you do get the advantage of more diversity than you would in a smaller private school. So, if you bought in say the nicer parts of Hartsdale or Yonkers or even a Scarsdale address outside the town proper, you can potentially get placements in neighboring districts of Eastchester, Bronxville, or Scarsdale. To be sure, however, you would need to contact the respective jurisdictions to get the details, but another nice thing is that these areas tend to run into one another and would not represent long commutes to/from schools, even in neighboring areas. It is certainly easier if you are in the district you wish to utilize, but the tuition option does open up a bit more of the neighboring areas.

[CrimEsq]

Nyack, Nyack, Nyack......walking town - adorable, artsy, way beyond "developing" it is the first town over the Tappan Zee Bridge in Rockland County and well worth the fifteen minute drive to WMC & the slightly longer drive to NYC. Check it out!

[HeyJPK]

I've heard only great things about Nyack. My concern about Nyack is the distance to the city. My hubby has to get in early, and I think a big commute to the city will be a deal breaker - even if the town is great.

There are so many options. There's moving to a great town with a great school system - like bronxville or scarsdale. Or there's moving to a town with low property taxes and paying extra $$ to send your kid to the a better public school system in the next town. Or - there's moving to a town with extremely low property taxes - and lower home prices and sending your kids to private schools.

What are the top private schools in Westschester? (Are there good private schools in Westchester?). Does anyone know the approximate costs of private schools in westchester?

Thanks again

[bmwguydc]

Yes, Nyack is great, but I would agree that with your commute requirements and children in schools it might not be the best fit. There are some great private schools in Westchester. What grade level do you need for your children? Some schools may tend to have waiting lists, as they do in the city, but it's not usually too much of a problem. Tuition can be expensive, and I would at least in the high teens to mid 20s per year, with many schools offering discounts for multiple children, and some for religious affiliation. I grew up in a top district, but still went to a private school, such that it cost more per year to put us through K-12 than it did in college, when you figure the cost of the town taxes and then the tuition.

I would say that you have a good numebr of options to consider, and some of the best rounded children I know went to great town schools in Westchester. That said, there are top notch educators in the private system, but one has to be judicious in selection since some private schools can circumvent the state requirements for teacher certification. This can lead to some teachers who might not be qualified to teach in the public school system, for whatever reason, sometimes including their educational background not including education or child development curricula. In most private schools, however, this is not usually an issue, but it does pay to interview them as much as they interview your family. In addition, the private schools tend to draw from multiple localities, such that schoolmates might live 30 minutes away by car, which doesn't make for a lot of after school playmates in one's neighborhood.