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OK. OP's stated budget was $2,000 to $3,000 for a single detached home. Craigslist would show rentals for those types of dwelling Riverdale to be greater than $4,500 (a townhouse).
Also should be noted that private school tuitions in Riverdale and Manhattan are approaching $30,000/year per student. My understanding from his first post was that he was looking for school districts where the cost of matriculation would already be covered by the rent ($3K includes house and school). That's a big cost difference.
OK. OP's stated budget was $2,000 to $3,000 for a single detached home. Craigslist would show rentals for those types of dwelling Riverdale to be greater than $4,500 (a townhouse).
Also should be noted that private school tuitions in Riverdale and Manhattan are approaching $30,000/year per student. My understanding from his first post was that he was looking for school districts where the cost of matriculation would already be covered by the rent ($3K includes house and school). That's a big cost difference.
For the op's budget Riverdale is out on a couple of fronts. Is Rockville Centre doable? What about the Village of Floral Park? Real close to the Queens border and has it's own LIRR stop. Small little strip along Tulip Ave. Decent schools.
Yes, RVC is probably doable with the $3K budget and so are Lynbrook, Floral Park and Stewart Manor - all in LI. There is also a good section in Valley Stream, according to poster ILLI, that is zoned for a decent school.
Albertson (LI) has a great school district and its own LIRR stop. For shopping/promenading, the people staying at home can take the NICE bus from Albertson to Old Country Road which houses Roosevelt Field Mall and The Gallery (factory outlets, Trader Joes).
There are also some previously mentioned towns in New Jersey and a sprinkling in Westchester that would fit the bill.
Perhaps also try New Hyde Park? The area has decent schools, near Queens border, 10min drive to the mall on local streets, but definitely need a car in that area. I see a 4br 2.5ba colonial on craigslist renting for 3k. I think a house like that can be mortgage+property tax for less than that amount. 450k home 10% down (heard 10% is doable now), finance ~400k for < $2000 a month plus $800 in property tax, and maybe $50 for insurance and that's about $2800-2900 a month.
Riverdale would only afford an apartment in the preferred rent range, a smaller single is going to be upwards of $6k, easily. Perhaps there would be something in North Riverdale that's a bit less expensive, but $3k is not reality for the OP's preferred housing type.
In Westchester, you may also consider Valhalla, though you would definitely need a car in this area, as the commercial area is small. Pleasantville can work, since there are some cottages in the town that would fall in your preferred rental range, though they are more like detached townhouses instead of a single-family home with an expansive yard. Chappaqua, too, sometimes has cottages, despite being significantly more expensive, overall. Dobbs Ferry would be another place to look as toward the higher end of your preferred range, you would be in line with some of the smaller houses in the area. Tuckahoe also has properties in range, and a small downtown area, though some toward the lower end of your range would be a house that is divided into two apartments. And, right around $3k, you could add Pelham to the list, though there is not much in Pelham at that price point, likely a two-family house, as well as previously mentioned Larchmont/Mamaroneck.
In Westchester, the main issue is going to be age, since new(er) single-family residences tend to be built to the luxury end of the market, due to land costs, hence with hefty tax bills, you might not find much under $5k or so, higher closer to the city.
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The only thing I will say about Valhalla is that it is a very ordinary suburb such that there are probably towns in LI and NJ that offer better transit and promenading options. Other Westchester towns mentioned like Tuckahoe, Pleasantville, Pelham and Mamaroneck are good areas.
Perhaps also try New Hyde Park? The area has decent schools, near Queens border, 10min drive to the mall on local streets, but definitely need a car in that area. I see a 4br 2.5ba colonial on craigslist renting for 3k. I think a house like that can be mortgage+property tax for less than that amount. 450k home 10% down (heard 10% is doable now), finance ~400k for < $2000 a month plus $800 in property tax, and maybe $50 for insurance and that's about $2800-2900 a month.
If your job is in Uptown West, then Westchester would be a pain since Grand Central is on the East side of Manhattan which means you would need a combo of bus/subway to go crosstown/uptown. I would consider either Long Island or NJ and people gave you really good options here, but I think Forest Hills Daddy hit the nail on the head-your son is only 1, and unless you live in a total hood, most of the elementary schools in NYC are pretty decent, it's the middle schools when the problem starts, if you are still here, 10 years from now, just escape to one of the suburbs mentioned.
Now, Edgewater is pretty remote but is walkable and has public transportation (just not particularly close by - as in right by your door). I think the schools are decent since da Neck is still largely middle class and the homes have still maintained their value. A place this far away isn't your only option, but it shows that you can have a house, still live within the city limits, and not have to worry about a drive-by.
Here's another one in a condo complex, but more apartment - style.
These are all newer housing stock, take from it what you will. They are pretty to look at, that's for sure. But I think the older pre-war apartments will always be a fav of mine.
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