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Buses from Allentown and Reading...Trains from Port Jervis (after a drive TO Port Jervis): friggen NUTS. Friends commuted from Ellenville...NUTS. These exurbs are for retirement, not commuting.
Hell, I have deer in my back yard too,
Is that a plus? It just means you cannot grow a tomato!
Okay if you have a rifle and a couple good venison recipes.
Some people get tired of renting, but finding an "affordable" house in a good area can mean looking (as the NYT article mentions), "driving until you qualify". Meaning keep looking further and further out until you find a home you can afford.
Anyone who has looked at home prices lately not just in NYC but NJ, Westchester, Long Island, Connecticut knows for the most part low hanging fruit (nice home in a good school district, with less than one hour commute into the city) is going to be very dear price wise.
Some people do require more than a roof and food. They want art, music, museums, access to higher/extended education, dining. They want a different life other than staying at home or going to work. Many places far out have nothing to do, no where to go. I visited a friend in Southern New Jersey, there wasn't even a movie theater. We lucked out and found a bowling alley after a 30 minute drive.
Am in agreement. One pays slightly less in rent outside of Manhattan in the boroughs, but if living in a place with no subway, am here to tell you it costs. Folks out in Douglaston for example (which is so far out in Queens that it might as well be in Long Island) tend to take the LIRR. A monthly runs $226, not including any subway or bus needs, add say $1800 for a one bedroom apartment, and you need to be making over $80,000 to afford everything.
You left out that if you live in Douglaston, on top of your monthly, you will still need to own a car. How will you go grocery shopping etc without one?
You left out that if you live in Douglaston, on top of your monthly, you will still need to own a car. How will you go grocery shopping etc without one?
Parts of Douglaston by the LIRR are walkable. The historic area... Not so much. Can tell you it's a beautiful area (one of the most beautiful in all of NYC, right up there with Forest Hills Gardens, Riverdale, Brooklyn Heights, Neponsit, Dyker Heights and parts of Bay Ridge).
Parts of Douglaston by the LIRR are walkable. The historic area... Not so much. Can tell you it's a beautiful area (one of the most beautiful in all of NYC, right up there with Forest Hills Gardens, Riverdale, Brooklyn Heights, Neponsit, Dyker Heights and parts of Bay Ridge).
Almost anyone who can afford to live in the unwalkable parts of Douglaston can afford to own a car or two...or three. That goes the same for Malba Whitestone area.
Almost anyone who can afford to live in the unwalkable parts of Douglaston can afford to own a car or two...or three. That goes the same for Malba Whitestone area.
The point was to answer the comment that it is slightly cheaper. It isn't slightly cheaper when you add up the cost to commute + owning a vehicle. It's actually more expensive.
Some people do require more than a roof and food. They want art, music, museums, access to higher/extended education, dining. They want a different life other than staying at home or going to work. Many places far out have nothing to do, no where to go.
People who are moving to the exburbs are fully aware that they are giving up amenities for a substantial increase in space. If they were not fine with giving up art, music, etc., they would not be thinking of moving so far away in the first place.
The point was to answer the comment that it is slightly cheaper. It isn't slightly cheaper when you add up the cost to commute + owning a vehicle. It's actually more expensive.
It's hard to compare. Apple to oranges. If you bought a place in Park Slope for 3 mill, you paid for location aka proximity to manhattan and its cost more per square foot. Now if you paid 3 mil for house in Douglaston Manor, its cheaper per square foot. As you noted, cost of commute is probably higher and owning a vehicle is necesssary. Then there is quality of life to live in nice quiet and secluded area that doesn't even feel like NYC metro.
It's hard to compare. Apple to oranges. If you bought a place in Park Slope for 3 mill, you paid for location aka proximity to manhattan and its cost more per square foot. Now if you paid 3 mil for house in Douglaston Manor, its cheaper per square foot. As you noted, cost of commute is probably higher and owning a vehicle is necesssary. Then there is quality of life to live in nice quiet and secluded area that doesn't even feel like NYC metro.
Quality of life is in the eye of the beholder. I love me some being in the sticks for rest, replenishment. If I were living there, say the Berkshires, I think I would go insane.
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