Moving to NYC from Northern California w/family (Albany, Ridge: rental, co-op)

[jenmee]

My husband has been offered a job in NYC and we will be moving within the next few months. I'm a Northern Californian, born and raised, and aside from a few trips to NYC, haven't a clue about living in the city (or the surrounding state 'burbs).

While I'm sure the following questions have been asked numerous times...I'm going to throw them out again (and then take a detailed look through the archives for additional info). Note: The more liberal, alternative a neighborhood/town is, the better (farmer's markets, naturopath, yoga studios, co-op food, etc_). We're not necessarily as interested in areas with a "good" public school district as we are in one that has a selection of great non-parochial private schools (Waldorf, Quaker, etc). Also, any advice specifically from transplanted Californians would be welcome!

1) What's the opinion on living in NYC vs. the suburbs/surrounding areas for folks with young kids?
2) What are the best areas to live in NYC? I've heard Park Slope is nice...anything else?
3) What are the best 'burbs to live in?


Thanks!

[StinaTado]

What's your budget and how big of a place are you looking for?

There are plenty of places like the ones you describe, but they are pricey.

How far is your husband willing to commute and where is his office located?

[grvthang]

I was born in Brooklyn, and moved to Northern California (East Bay) for ten years. I'm sure you've heard Oakland compared to Brooklyn, and it's true - there are a lot of similarities. I lived in the Berkeley/Albany area, and the first time my sister visited me out there, she said "I see why you like it here - this looks like Brooklyn!"

With a family, you'd want to check out Park Slope, but it is rather expensive, and, like anywhere else, the more desirable nabes are going to be more expensive. Bay Ridge is less expensive than the Slope, and is very family-oriented. Not quite as liberal as the Slope, but it's getting there, and you'll find most of the amenities you mention. They're getting ready to open a food co-op there soon.

[jenmee]

For those asking about budget and size...we currently live in (and own) a 3 bedroom/two bath 1950s suburban ranch home w/ a large back yard. I am very happy with it and think I'd prefer to do the suburbs. My husband can go either way as he spent 12 years in Paris and was quite happy there. Having never lived in a city aside from a year-long stint in Brussels (don't ask), I don't have much experience with the whole urban lifestyle so perhaps I'd be thrilled with it and just don't know it.

Budget...for buying, probably between $900,000-$1.5M (my husband's new job is quite a bit more lucrative than the one he previously had) and rental would be $4K-7K.

J

[Viralmd]

It's always dicey with the public schools and it's too late in the year to be looking for private schools for September. It might be that you're best off in a suburb. Which suburb is best depends - is your husband's office on the East or West side (yes, it does make a difference)?

[jenmee]

RE: location of my husband's job....I haven't a clue what side it's on (clearly I'm green when it comes to NYC!). His office is in the 1300 block of Avenue of the Americas, zip 10105. Maybe someone can tell me whether this is Eastside or Westside so I can avoid looking like a loser in future? ; )

J

[Viralmd]

OK, that's the West side. You're going to want to look in New Jersey and Long Island. Westchester and Connecticut are do-able, but mass transit train will leave him on the East side at Grand Central and it's another subway train to get cross-town.

[StinaTado]

You can get yourself a nice home in a good suburb with easy access to Manhattan on that budget. Viral MD is right, though. Your commute time will depend on which side of the city his office is located in. If it's on the west side, I'd look at Jersey because it has easy access through the Port Authority and PATH Trains. If you're on the east side, you could look at Westchester near a Metro North stop for access to Grand Central.

If at all possible, try to come out for a week or two and spend some time in both the city and the suburbs. Ask a realtor to show you what you can afford in the city. You may be pleasantly surprised and Central Park makes a great backyard. Check out Park Slope as well- you could get an AMAZING place at the upper end of your budget right near Prospect Park. My mom grew up in Oakland and went to Berkeley, and Park Slope reminds me a lot of where she used to live.

In my experience, the suburbs tend to be a bit more conservative and the city tends to be more liberal. There are definitely exceptions to this but I've found that this is a pretty good rule to live by.

[Coolhand68]

You'd probably like Forest Hills. It's somewhat suburnanish, fairly liberal, easy to commute into the city by subway, convenient shopping, nice parks, diverse dining etc. If you want the real suburbs with quieter streets and more wide open space you'll have to venture out to Long Island, Connecticut (Greenwich), Westchester, and Jersey. Staten Island is somewhat suburban but probably not what you're looking for, same with many parts of Nassau County unless you can find someplace on the Northshore within your budget.

[jenmee]

Thanks much to each of you for taking the time to provide some assistance! I'll likely continue investigating locations in NYC and outside the city in recommended Long Island and New Jersey.

J