Moving to West Point area - need some advice! (Yonkers: apartments, job market)

[krc2290]

Hi everyone,

Thank you in advance for your replies!

My boyfriend just found out that he got a job transfer to West Point, NY. He does not have a report date yet but it will be sometime in the next few months. I grew up in Connecticut and currently live in Idaho, so I am excited to move "home". However, I never really visited the West Point area extensively while I lived there. I have a few questions/concerns:

• In your opinion, what are the most affordable towns to live in in that area that are also safe?
• I know all about the high cost of living over there since I grew up nearby, so I am hoping to start working there as soon as possible. I know that is a tall order in this job market/economy. I currently work in a school district office in administration, but I also have extensive experience in forensics and disaster relief. Any advice on where to focus my job search efforts? I know it could take a while so I plan on starting my hunt ASAP.
  
• We have one dog, a friendly lab mix, who will be coming with us. Any tips on pet-friendly housing in this area?

Any other cool or informative advice is greatly appreciated, too! Thanks.

[ckhthankgod]

Perhaps look into Highland Falls, Goshen, Monygomery, Washingtonville and New Windsor. For jobs, check the BOCES website for Orange County. As for apartments, I'm guessing that Craigslist for Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown will have some potential listings. Dreamshot is a poster from the area that is on here from time to time. So, if he is on, he could give more specific information.

[krc2290]

Thank you!

[Dreamshot]

Hello and welcome (back) to the area! In addition to CKH's suggestions above, I'll give you a few more.

First, for places to live (in Orange County):

There are many attractive locations in the county that are worth your time in investigation. It would be nice to know your budget, but I'll lay out a general list for you:

Cornwall, NY
Trulia
Wiki
Picturesque town in the eastern part of the county, 5 miles from West Point. Right on the Hudson River. Good schools. Major retail a short ride away in Newburgh or Harriman. Palisades Parkway very close and 87 just to the west for all points south.

Montgomery, NY
Trulia
Wiki
Small and affluent village just inside the eastern crest of the Catskill Mountains. Superb schools (Valley Central School District). Grocery store (Shoprite) and other stores in-town. Major retail 10 miles away in either Newburgh or Middletown. Plenty of parks nearby. Right on I-84 and near 17/87.

Washingtonville
Trulia
Wiki
Another small and upscale village. Excellent schools. Stop & Shop in town. Major retail a short ride away in Newburgh or Harriman. Plenty of parks nearby.

Goshen
Trulia
Wiki
The county seat of Orange - one of the most expensive spots in the county. A nice village with excellent schools. Major retail 5 miles away in Middletown. Plenty of parks nearby. On Route 17.

Chester
Trulia
Wiki
Village in the southern part of the county. Great schools. Good amenities. Right on major Route 17. Plenty of parks nearby.

Some other locations that may be worth looking in to: Monroe/Woodbury, Central Valley, Warwick, Florida

If you don't mind crossing a bridge everyday, you could look into options on the other side of the river, such as Beacon, Fishkill, and Wappingers Falls. You could have a look at Cold Spring if your budget allows.

Give the Hudson Valley Craigslist a look for all stuff housing. Some accept pets, some don't.

Other Orange County Info:
*Major retail in the county is in the Town of Wallkill, Town of Newburgh, and Harriman.
*Many commuters to NYC, but I wouldn't call any community a 'bedroom' community.
*Rail service to NYC is abundant (stations at Port Jervis, Otisville, Middletown, Campbell Hall, Salisbury Mills/Cornwall, Harriman, and Tuxedo with service to Secaucus). Other option would be direct service to Manhattan out of Beacon. Buses also plentiful.
*Second fastest growing county in the state according to the 2010 census. Growth started in earnest following 9/11. I would expect property values to be stable or potentially rise slightly in the near future.

As for jobs, look into openings at the schools around the area. You may have to be willing to go as far as NYC on a daily basis for work.
Try: Hudson Valley Help Wanted

If you have any specific questions, please let me know!

[krc2290]

Thank you so much, Dreamshot! Do you know anything about Peekskill (good or bad)??

[mps0909]

Maybe Stony Point in Rockland right by County line is a great town one of my faves.... Peekskill is pretty ghetto honestly. The outside area's like Cortlandt are pretty nice however....

[Dreamshot]

KRC -> check your private messages!

[krc2290]

Hello,

After looking at my options for a potential NYC commute, I think that it makes the most sense for us to live south/southwest of West Point until I know where I will be working. A lot of the towns/villages that people suggested are farther north, so I was wondering if you had any further suggestions in that area south/southwest of West Point? I will most likely take the Short Line Bus (if possible), since it is a direct link to Port Authority.

A preference that might help to narrow down our options: It seems like a lot of these places are really small villages - does anyone know which towns in this area have centralized downtown areas (maybe with a few nice restaurants, cafes, markets, etc.?). For example, does Woodbury or Monroe have that?

Thank you!!

[Dreamshot]

Hey,

A lot of the towns/villages north of NYC are small. The few that have centralized downtown areas (such as Cold Spring, Ossining, Tarrytown, Yonkers, White Plains, and Nyack) are very expensive. Monroe has a small downtown area that is similar to some of the locations previously mentioned.

You can look at the places mentioned above to see if your budget works. While a little far from West Point, you can check out Suffern/Mahwah and Pearl River too.

Bus and/or train service is readily available from all mentioned spots.

[krc2290]

Thank you! We have been looking into Monroe more and I think that might be a good fit for us! And it's nice that all these smaller towns are really close by so there is a lot to do in a small radius. Dreamshot, I appreciate your thoughts!