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I am moving to the New York area this summer to start with a new job. My wife and I did some scouting earlier in the year and really liked the look of Bay Ridge. It seemed like a nice neighborhood a short commute to work.
I have some questions I'm hoping posters with local knowledge might be able to help us with!
How frequently do the R trains run, and what is the commute time to Manhattan? How crowded do they tend to get?
What is the housing market like in Bay Ridge? Would it be better to look to buy now or rent for a year and then make a decision?
We have a young family - what daycare options could you recommend? What other fun events or locations are available for children within walking distance?
Hi Lacrobat and welcome to the board. I am considering moving to Bay Ridge when my current lease expires in June so I have been doing some research on it myself and have made a few visits. Maybe my opinion can help you out.
How frequently do the R trains run, and what is the commute time to Manhattan? How crowded do they tend to get?
The N and the R trains have sort of a running joke of being nicknamed the "Never" and the "Rarely", respectively. Service on them have improved over the past couple years and I personally don't think they are too terrible. In fact, the N trains have some of the newest trains on the line which are quite nice and clean (for now) so that would seem to indicate the MTA paying more attention to them. The R train seems to stop every other block (I'm exagerating) so it can be a bit of a slog both in Brooklyn and Manhattan. It is the only train that services Bay Ridge directly but the N is downright speedy if you transfer to it in Sunset Park. Trains come quite frequently during rush hour, about every 5 mins or less in my experience, but the amount of traffic on the lines during rush hour can cause some track congestion and backups. If you are taking the R train to the Financial District I timed it at about 35 minutes. All trains get pretty packed during rush hour but you are getting on towards the beginning of the line so it shouldn't be too bad at that point. I doubt it is nearly as bad as my current train, the 4/5, and really you just get used to dealing with jam packed subways eventually. It's all just part of life in NY. Late night there are some "interesting" wrenches thrown into the R train commute. The N train runs only to 36th st in Brooklyn and you then need to transfer to the R. Add to that the fact that you can wait for up to 20 mins for trains late at night and you are in for a bit of a trek back home. For me that is more of a deterent than crowded trains and transfers during peak hours.
What is the housing market like in Bay Ridge? Would it be better to look to buy now or rent for a year and then make a decision?
It is my opinion that right now is not the time to buy ANYWHERE. For one since you are just moving here I would think that renting for a year or two and making sure Bay Ridge is where you want to put down roots is not a bad idea. Secondly, I firmly believe that prices in NYC have been unsustainably inflated due to the real estate frenzy of the past few years. Further out areas like Bay Ridge are often the first areas to feel the effects of a downturn in housing prices which then slowly creep towards Manhattan. At the same time Bay Ridge is it's own somewhat self-sufficient community which is not as dependent on Manhattan as many other areas. This stopped the prices from becoming outrageously high there but many would argue that is because of the low initial baseline that Bay Ridge housing prices had only 5 years ago. Prices have still went up 100% or more in the past 5 years so it seems like purchasing now would be a somehwat speculative move. Before I turn this into a diatribe about housing prices I will just say that I would rent for now (especially since you are new to the area) but if buying makes sense for you financially interest rates are still low and New York has thus far not been too affected by the subprime mess.
I cannot give much advice on the children question because I'm just a late 20's single guy at this point but Bay Ridge seems like a stable, safe neighborhood that, in New York terms, would not be a bad place to have children.
I think Bay Ridge is a great neighborhood that, aside from being a bit of trek to Manhattan, has a lot to offer. A stroll down 3rd Ave turns up great shops, restaurants, bars,, etc. You have a nice retail corridor on 86th street, a diverse array of housing options, and a safe community feel. I think the amenities it offers and the relatively low prices make it one of the best deals in NY. Others can probably chime in to help out as well. Holden125 has been incredibly helpful with some of my questions about Bay Ridge so hopefully he can provide some more insight as well.
Good luck with your move! Perhaps we'll be neighbors soon.
A really good friend of mine that I visit often lives in Bay Ridge and loves it. I loved it as well when I visited. My friend works in midtown and takes the R then switches to N express every morning somewhere along the line. It takes her about 45 mintues to reach midtown. She rents a 1 bedroom place 2 blocks from the subway and 1 block from the street with all the stores on it (84th?) for 1200/month, heat and hot water included.
I'd say its definitely a family-friendly neighborhood. I couldn't get over how quiet it was at night. And you have absolutely everything you could ever possibly need right within a few blocks, including a bunch of stores you'd find in malls and lots of food places.
A really good friend of mine that I visit often lives in Bay Ridge and loves it. I loved it as well when I visited. My friend works in midtown and takes the R then switches to N express every morning somewhere along the line. It takes her about 45 mintues to reach midtown. She rents a 1 bedroom place 2 blocks from the subway and 1 block from the street with all the stores on it (84th?) for 1200/month, heat and hot water included.
I'd say its definitely a family-friendly neighborhood. I couldn't get over how quiet it was at night. And you have absolutely everything you could ever possibly need right within a few blocks, including a bunch of stores you'd find in malls and lots of food places.
It is a family friendly neighborhood. Let's keep it that way.
Hello all! Thanks for taking the time to offer your perspectives. We'll be making a final decision about relocating later this year so if we have more questions I may ask your help again!
I'm going to Bay Ridge later this year staying in the 59th Street area. Can anyone tell me where I can find Italian restaurants or a steak house & the distance from 59th Street. I heard 3rd Avenue is a good place but not sure how far away this is to walk?
Any ideas?
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