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We are looking to move closer to NYC (no more than a 45 min commute) somewhere in NJ or NY. Our budget is $800,000. We would like a nice single family home (2000 square feet and up) with a backyard. The area must be safe and good for a family with children (meaning good school systems, pretty and safe surroundings, and nice people). Taxes can be no higher than 15k. Your recommendations are greatly appreciated.
We are looking to move closer to NYC (no more than a 45 min commute) somewhere in NJ or NY. Our budget is $800,000. We would like a nice single family home (2000 square feet and up) with a backyard. The area must be safe and good for a family with children (meaning good school systems, pretty and safe surroundings, and nice people). Taxes can be no higher than 15k. Your recommendations are greatly appreciated.
Thank you
You can try Staten Island. You'll definitely be able to find something nice for $800,000. You can look into Arrochar and South Beach, which have a bunch of express buses that go to Manhattan for $50 per week. Basically any area along the SI Expressway is no more than 45 minutes from Lower Manhattan.
Midtown is harder. There is the X17J express bus that can get you to Midtown in about 45 minutes from the area around the SIE, but it only runs rush hours (of course, if you work bankers hours, that's alright)
It probably would get you a nice place on the South Shore (regarded as the "nicer side" of SI) too, but the commute time is at least an hour.
And of course, there are the other boroughs. You can try Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn, and Bayside in Queens. You can also try southern Westchester areas like Larchmont (don't go too far north, and don't go into NJ if you want to keep the commute short)
Westchester County will offer you what you are looking for....easy commute..good schools..mostly friendly people..but keeping the taxes under 15K will be a problem....as far as what town to look in..there are numerous ones that will fill your needs....but as I was told many years ago..before you start looking..take some time off from work and visit the high schools that cover the towns you are considering..
As far as Staten Island..you have to cross a bridge or take a boat to get off the island....and if you have been watching the news lately..the fees for the privilage of getting off the island are only going in one direction....
Westchester County will offer you what you are looking for....easy commute..good schools..mostly friendly people..but keeping the taxes under 15K will be a problem....as far as what town to look in..there are numerous ones that will fill your needs....but as I was told many years ago..before you start looking..take some time off from work and visit the high schools that cover the towns you are considering..
As far as Staten Island..you have to cross a bridge or take a boat to get off the island....and if you have been watching the news lately..the fees for the privilage of getting off the island are only going in one direction....
Well, the commute costs to Manhattan are roughly the same as Westchester (around $200 per month), and as long as the OP isn't making too many trips to NJ or Brooklyn (by car of course, since the buses avoid the tolls), they'll save because of the lower property taxes.
The deciding factor could be where in Manhattan the OP works. Staten Island is better for Lower Manhattan, whereas Westchester is better for Midtown.
Williamsburg, Murray Hills and west village are the best place to live near New York City. All of these are safe and cheap area's. Your Budget is enough for this area. And these are not too far from New York city.
Good luck.
My fiance and I are about to close on a house in White Plains. We lived in NYC then rented in White Plains for 18 months.
We also checked out neighboring towns, and as far away as Greenwich.
I started a blog about our hunt and the home purchasing process here: Our Big House
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Look In Westchester County
..easy commute..good schools..mostly friendly people..but keeping the taxes under 15K will be a problem..
..as far as what town to look in..there are numerous ones that will fill your needs..
..but as I was told many years ago..before you start looking..take some time off from work and visit the high schools that cover the towns you are considering..
..and if you have been watching the news lately..the fees for the privilage of getting off the island are only going in one direction..
..
