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We are moving to the bronx. we are in the 50 - 75k range (1 income) we found a place under 200k and in a pretty well kept building. I dont know if we **** as middle class.
That is a REALLY good question and topic for discussion. I'm planning on starting a thread. A lot of people have misconceptions about what is truly a middle class lifestyle and even more regarding what is middle income.
For example, can you really live a middle class life in The Bronx?
I mean what Sobro and Bluedog2 are espousing is ONLY in comparison to what 'you get' in Manhattan and the 'trendy' areas. It's also ONLY comparative to other highy dense and urbanized areas with the negatives that come with that. In addition to proximity to those who are not share middle class values, let alone lifestyle.
There are a host of more appealing options in Queens and Brooklyn, which are less dense, less urbanized, and with less consequent negatives.
If you have lived in a dense highly urbanized environment all your life and/or your perception of NYC life is that, then The Bronx may be an affordable option.
But, if that has not been your life, and that is not your perception why would you move there. Why would anyone take their family there given a choice? What possibly could be the appeal?
Please note, the focus of my questions is The South Bronx and other dense urban areas of the Bronx, not the areas such as Riverdale or that are predominantly homes (non-apartment).
Even a place like that 'via verde', why live their if you have the wherewithal to live elsewhere? Again, we come to what is middle class? I say middle income begins at affording a 500K home. At that price one has options. Below that price one's options diminshing as the price fall.
A place like via verde, appears great if a person is running out of options.
I think that the point. Can The Bronx 'come back' with just people running out of options? Or, does it need to attract those with options? If so, then can it?
I think you are not understanding New Yorkers. Manhattan is the principle borough for employment, and people typically want to be as close to work as possible because nobody likes a long commute. However, the closer you get to the city, the smaller the apts, and more expensive to boot.
So the question is this: Where can you live affordably, in quality housing, for an affordable price, within an easy and short commute to Manhattan?
Answer: Places like Via Verde are meeting a need for people in a variety of income brackets.
Via Verde is a place where people are choosing to move to, not a place for people running out of options. It is a lifestyle, not an apt. It's mission is to provide green housing, the model for green living, in NYC...it is a destination, not a choice of last resort.
Why do you continue to make comments about the Bronx based on what you read in the post and driving by on the Deegan???????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? Please stop.
That is a REALLY good question and topic for discussion. I'm planning on starting a thread. A lot of people have misconceptions about what is truly a middle class lifestyle and even more regarding what is middle income.
For example, can you really live a middle class life in The Bronx?
I mean what Sobro and Bluedog2 are espousing is ONLY in comparison to what 'you get' in Manhattan and the 'trendy' areas. It's also ONLY comparative to other highy dense and urbanized areas with the negatives that come with that. In addition to proximity to those who are not share middle class values, let alone lifestyle.
There are a host of more appealing options in Queens and Brooklyn, which are less dense, less urbanized, and with less consequent negatives.
If you have lived in a dense highly urbanized environment all your life and/or your perception of NYC life is that, then The Bronx may be an affordable option.
But, if that has not been your life, and that is not your perception why would you move there. Why would anyone take their family there given a choice? What possibly could be the appeal?
Please note, the focus of my questions is The South Bronx and other dense urban areas of the Bronx, not the areas such as Riverdale or that are predominantly homes (non-apartment).
Even a place like that 'via verde', why live their if you have the wherewithal to live elsewhere? Again, we come to what is middle class? I say middle income begins at affording a 500K home. At that price one has options. Below that price one's options diminshing as the price fall.
A place like via verde, appears great if a person is running out of options.
I think that the point. Can The Bronx 'come back' with just people running out of options? Or, does it need to attract those with options? If so, then can it?
I think I have discovered the trick. Have a good job but live in a low income neighborhood. In Far Rockaway I live like a king. Its like when somebody goes on vacation to Nicaragua and all the beers are 50 cents US. LOL. Winning.
Disclaimer: From Far Rockaway, lived here my whole life and not going anywhere. Unless I come into some major cash, then Upper West Side for me.
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"The man who sleeps on the floor, can never fall out of bed." -Martin Lawrence
We live in Bedford Park, which is also a pretty dense area of the Bronx. We moved a while ago - 7 years ago. I think 7th Floor hit the nail on the head. We're middle class but are able to have a much higher quality of life here. We were able to afford a very large house - we also have a back yard and I have space for running my own business. I can't imagine paying several hundred thousand dollars more just so I can live in Queens (sorry I don't mean to dis Queens), or a good million more to live in the nice areas of Brooklyn.
My husband and I both lost our jobs during the recession - but we didn't lose our house because even earning less money, we could still afford it. If we had bought a house with the maximum the bank would lend us, I'm sure we would have been foreclosed on during that time.
People still have a lot of misconceptions about the Bronx in general, or lump all of the Bronx in with the worst areas of the borough, but I can't really think of a downside for us - we've been very happy here. The area is very pretty, we've got good public transportation access and really nice public spaces, and in addition, a nice amount of personal space.
Listen, I'm a young professional man living with his young professional girlfriend in the Bronx. We're making close to 130k. We're doing okay.
I know plenty of people who are just like us who choose to call The Bronx their home. We're living-proof that not all Bronxites are low-class folks with poor manners and who depend on government subsidies. In fact, just today I helped move a teacher/cop couple (earning around 110k) into a two-bedroom on The Concourse. Thankfully, though many people still don't have a clue, many others are starting to wake up and realize that the Bronx has a lot going for it.
That is a REALLY good question and topic for discussion. I'm planning on starting a thread. A lot of people have misconceptions about what is truly a middle class lifestyle and even more regarding what is middle income.
For example, can you really live a middle class life in The Bronx?
I mean what Sobro and Bluedog2 are espousing is ONLY in comparison to what 'you get' in Manhattan and the 'trendy' areas. It's also ONLY comparative to other highy dense and urbanized areas with the negatives that come with that. In addition to proximity to those who are not share middle class values, let alone lifestyle.
There are a host of more appealing options in Queens and Brooklyn, which are less dense, less urbanized, and with less consequent negatives.
If you have lived in a dense highly urbanized environment all your life and/or your perception of NYC life is that, then The Bronx may be an affordable option.
But, if that has not been your life, and that is not your perception why would you move there. Why would anyone take their family there given a choice? What possibly could be the appeal?
Please note, the focus of my questions is The South Bronx and other dense urban areas of the Bronx, not the areas such as Riverdale or that are predominantly homes (non-apartment).
Even a place like that 'via verde', why live their if you have the wherewithal to live elsewhere? Again, we come to what is middle class? I say middle income begins at affording a 500K home. At that price one has options. Below that price one's options diminshing as the price fall.
A place like via verde, appears great if a person is running out of options.
I think that the point. Can The Bronx 'come back' with just people running out of options? Or, does it need to attract those with options? If so, then can it?
Your perceptions are a little outdated.
You seem to think it's impossible to live a middle class lifestyle in The Bronx.I feel as though living in The Bronx is what makes it possible for me to live a middle class lifestyle.My income is definitely considered middle class but if I had to spend 40 or 50% of it to keep a roof over my head and pay the utilities , as many NY'ers do, I wouldn't feel very middle class.If I had to live with roommates or confine myself to a tiny or crappy apartment and not travel as much as I like or go out to dinner whenever I want,I wouldn't feel very middle class.
The Bronx is not just people with no other options.There are lots of us here who have enough income to have had the option to live in almost any neighborhood in the city.We choose to live in The Bronx because it's the option that makes most sense for us....especially financial sense.
If I wanted to buy a 500,000 house(which I could do if I wanted to),I would buy it in The Bronx because I would get a much nicer house in a nicer neighborhood in The Bronx for 500,000 than I could get in Brooklyn or Queens for 500,000.
Previous posts summed it up pretty nicely - a lot of people are moving into the Bronx, of all econmic situations. For example, a lot of lower-working class Dominicans are moving into neighborhoods like University Heights from Washington Heights and Inwood in Uptown Manhattan. However, a lot of yuppies and middle class folks from Manhattan and Brooklyn are moving into neighborhoods like Van Cortlandt Village. The New York Times also had an article recently about how Woodlawn is seeing lots of working class Irish immigrants return, pretty much keeping it a solid and practically exclusively Irish neighborhood.
I live in the Bronx and I have to say the best thing about this borough is that everyone has a place to go.
I moved to the Bronx 4 years ago! I consider it to be the best move I ever made. I love my apartment and I love my neighborhood, which has tons of neigborhood amenities, is diverse and is near an express stop! My apartment is also affordable.
That being said, many people want space, which may be one reason why people opt for suburban settings. In order to achieve affordability, I would challenge people to re-evaluate their standards of space.
Another challenge to the Bronx's overall reputation may be the schools. Unfortunately, many of the schools in the Bronx could be better, and that is a legitimate concern. But each person has to make proper choices based on factors such as space, affordability, schools, etc.
I made the choice to be in the Bronx because the time was right to be a homeowner. I was in a studio I lived in Brooklyn that was going market rate, and looked at the Bronx as an option. I did not want to go to the suburbs, due to high property taxes, and I knew that I could not afford mortgage plus taxes. I also looked all over Brooklyn, but did not find what I liked. So, I looked at a few 1BR's in Parkchester, which I thought were "dirt cheap", and a condo at that (even before the market popped!). I found one, and I'm still paying less in mortgage and common charges than I would be paying market rate in my studio in Brooklyn.
I found out that in the Bronx, there are a LOT of very good neighborhoods which are affordable. One has to be open, though!
I considered moving to the Skyview Co-ops in Riverdale a number of years back when a friend bought in. After tossing it around I judged that the subway-bus combo into Mahattan would be a killer so I stayed put in Jersey City.
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