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Some background- together we make $100K, so prob wouldn't want to spend more than $300K on a house. We both work in the city; my gf is more bound to NYC workwise than me; I can work in CT no problem (my job has a lot of work in CT; company is based out of CT w/a NY office)
We want something basic, maybe w/a basement but hopefully not problematic w/flooding. Def don't want a condo/co-op (that damn maintenance). Would def prefer to be closer to the city as we work there now, but wouldn't mind being anywhere between the city and halfway point between NYC + CT. This thread has prob been done to death.... couldn't find anything though
You can't find anything on it because you can't get a SFH in Westchester for $300K anywhere near the city. Not even in Yonkers or Mt. Vernon. Well, maybe a really small one there, but it won't be in any area that you really want to be in. In those areas, the schools are pretty universally terrible except for a very few decent areas for elementary that you would not be in for your range. And even then, your taxes will be about $10K a year.
Lower Westchester is like Manhattan...except we have better schools and yards. Good luck, though. Maybe in a few more years your incomes will allow you to reconsider.
Some background- together we make $100K, so prob wouldn't want to spend more than $300K on a house. We both work in the city; my gf is more bound to NYC workwise than me; I can work in CT no problem (my job has a lot of work in CT; company is based out of CT w/a NY office)
We want something basic, maybe w/a basement but hopefully not problematic w/flooding. Def don't want a condo/co-op (that damn maintenance). Would def prefer to be closer to the city as we work there now, but wouldn't mind being anywhere between the city and halfway point between NYC + CT. This thread has prob been done to death.... couldn't find anything though
future62, where are you from? How familiar are you with the housing prices around the NY metro? $300K can get you something, but I wonder if that something is what you would have in mind. My advice, if you are starting out and you're not on any kind of fast track, think about setting up somewhere away from Westchester, Fairfield, Nassau, Bergen, ie, anywhere within 1hr commuting radius of NYC. You may not feel it now, but add children into your mix and $100K salary doesn't buy you the American dream in these parts.
I am a city boy... grew up in Queens, went to school in Manhattan, moved to BK after school and currently live in Manhattan. My parents live in LI. So I'm pretty familiar. I figured since there are a few places in LI in our price range there would be enough places in Westchester in decent enough neighborhoods.
Westchester is more expensive than LI in general. I've seen some townhouses here and there in Larchmont and New Rochelle, but again I think you are crossing the $300K line. Where in CT do you need to work? If it's past lower Fairfield, nothing on the Hudson is going to approach a halfway point, and except for south New Rochelle, nothing on the Sound side will fall in your range except for perhaps Port Chester, but that isn't a great area.
I have a friend who lives in Portchester and he absolutely loves it. I'm curious about ppls backgrounds here. I lived in Crown Heights for 4 years and didn't mind it. I don't need fancy; just safe.
Port Chester seems to me to be predominantly working class hispanic, with a ton of traffic because it is the closest area to anywhere on the Sound where you can shop at big box stores. I don't know that it is dangerous, per se, as long as you aren't in the wrong place at the wrong time. For Westchester, they definitely have more crime than nicer areas but certainly not compared to equal areas in NYC.
I lived in LA for years and it always felt very odd being a minority all of a sudden. A very good cultural lesson for sure, but one that I do not wish to relive anytime soon. The schools are also not of a quality that I am comfortable with. For the money, if your GF is willing to drive a bit you could go to Rye Brook and have much better schools (if you plan on being there for a while and starting a family.)
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