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My husband and I are thinking about moving to Brooklyn from Westchester (Rye). Specifically, we'd like to buy an apartment in Brooklyn Heights, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene or Park Slope.
We are very attached to our car and would really rather not sell it. We really like to visit relatives upstate and in CT on weekends, as well as go hiking. However, I really miss being around young-folk (we're in our late 20's) and being surrounded by good food, which is why we're looking to move to Brooklyn.
That being said, we're going to attend some open houses this weekend in the above-mentioned neighborhoods, and were wondering whether finding parking on the street would be a problem in these areas. Ideally, we would like to park our car on the street and then walk to the open houses.
Also, I was just wondering whether anyone knew approximately how much it would cost for a 25-year old married male with no accident history but a somewhat sporty car, to keep a car in the city? I have heard that the insurance costs in NYC are exorbitant. We would definitely park our car in a garage.
I dont own a car yet but still hope to in the near future.
Parking is not easy but doable in Brooklyn. I think a garage space would cost ALOT of money. Insurance will also be high (one of the things holding me back).
My husband and I are thinking about moving to Brooklyn from Westchester (Rye). Specifically, we'd like to buy an apartment in Brooklyn Heights, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene or Park Slope.
We are very attached to our car and would really rather not sell it. We really like to visit relatives upstate and in CT on weekends, as well as go hiking. However, I really miss being around young-folk (we're in our late 20's) and being surrounded by good food, which is why we're looking to move to Brooklyn.
That being said, we're going to attend some open houses this weekend in the above-mentioned neighborhoods, and were wondering whether finding parking on the street would be a problem in these areas. Ideally, we would like to park our car on the street and then walk to the open houses.
Also, I was just wondering whether anyone knew approximately how much it would cost for a 25-year old married male with no accident history but a somewhat sporty car, to keep a car in the city? I have heard that the insurance costs in NYC are exorbitant. We would definitely park our car in a garage.
Thanks in advance for your input!
Owning an average car in NYC would actually cost about $600-$700 per month when one considers insurance, interest on loan or lost interest on savings if all cash purchase, depreciation, maintenance, parking, etc. However many still proceed to own a car if they desire it.
If you're aware of the true costs it's your choice and certainly doable even in Brooklyn in the areas described. Be prepared to pay for parking, however, as street parking will be pretty tough to come by. Insurance can be approximately $1200-$1800 from the data you provided.
Good luck and enjoy your car if you choose that over rentals, zipcar, etc.
The only reason I had a car in NY was because of odd errands I had to run on the weekends because of the kids; having to go to BJs or Costco to get diapers and all the other necessities... If it wasn't for that, I don't think I would have bothered. Parking was a pain; I remember getting pissed at my wife one Sunday night when I had gotten a good parking spot for the next day, and she up and went with her sister on some stupid trip to Myrtle Ave. when they could have walked it. I wound up having to park like a block and a half away.
Owning and driving a car is easy in New York City, if you know what you're doing. It also gives you more freedom and many people in Brooklyn have cars.
It's easy to own a car in NYC: if you want to blow the money on it. The insurance will run you around $2000, depending on the policy. Then there's parking. Garages don't come cheaply. Better in Brooklyn than Manhattan, but not cheap.
Street parking can be a little difficult to come by in Brooklyn Heights, but it is possible. I'd scope out a garage that's central to the places you want to visit, and factor in a few minutes to see if you can find something on the street, but I'd not recommend wasting time circling the neighborhood for a spot if one isn't apparent intiially.
I know a couple of people in your situation in Brooklyn Heights/Cobble Hill. One garages the car, and the other has an attended lot, but it's just a Mini Cooper that's stitting out. Neither has had an issue with car theft or property damage in the neighborhood, when parking for errands and the like.
It is a good idea to have a vehicle recovery system l(Lo-Jack or similar) in the car, even if it's in a garage in the city, since many insurance companies take that into account in determining any discounts. So, it might be worth the investment if you don't currently have one, since it would pay for itself in the reduced premium increase you will have in bringing the car to the city.
We live in Brooklyn, are in our early 40s, have perfect driving records, excellent credit, and a boring vehicle (Hyundai Santa Fe), so we pay the lowest amount that is possible: about $1700 per year! (Geico). There may be some variation for different zip codes, but consider $1700 as your minimum.
As for your question about parking this weekend, you should be able to find metered parking on a weekend afternoon... but you'll have to feed the meter if you're there more than two hours.
I agree that having a car makes life much more convenient and gives you a lot of freedom of movement. It's worth it.
We have 2 girls 2 and 7 and like a few we are moving from Atlanta to Brooklyn this summer. Anyway, the whole car thing is driving me crazy. I can do without a car but am worried about the kids and little things like bringing the cats to the vet.
Finding a blood marrow donor is easier than finding parking in Park Slope. Unless I had a garage (private or public) to park in, I wouldn't want to subject myself to that search on a regular basis. We live two neighborhoods away and parking is difficult here as well.
That said, I rent a spot in my building's garage and the monthly insurance on my 10 year old Saturn is just short of $120 a month. Is it worth it to me? YES... but that's because I have a mobility disability. If I was able to walk as much as I did 10 years ago, I probably would do something like ZipCar.
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