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Suggestions for a place that would meet the following:
- Max rent ~ $1200/mo for studio/efficiency or 1 bedroom
- Within walking distance to public transportation for commute to Lower Manhattan. I drive but would rather not have to drive to a train in the AM.
- Commute to Lower Manhattan ~ 1 hour.
- Little crime or street harassment. Area that would be safe for your girlfriend to be alone in. A place where you can safely leave a pet in your place and not have to worry about coming home and finding it dead b/c it caught burgulars by surprise. You get what I mean.
- Laid back a plus.
- Diversity and a relatively well educated population a plus.
- Peaceful views a plus.
Suggestions? I have been trying to do drives on the weekends to different towns but the NYC commuting area is MASSIVE and I'm having trouble pinpointing areas. Any help is appreciated!
Sorry about any typos but I'm doing this from my phone.
Cold Spring (Putnam County), Garrison (Putnam County), Cortlandt, Croton-on-Hudson....
There is no way anywhere in northern Westchester is an hour or less to lower Manhattan, when you factor in the subway ride (and it's unpredictability).
My husband was commuting from the Hartsdale train station to lower Manhattan and it would take him over an hour, sometimes longer due to subway problems. You might have to let go of this expectation to get a place with your other requirements.
Places like White Plains (although walk to train is hard in WP), Garth Rd in Scarsdale, Hartsdale Ave in Hartsdale, Tarrytown, Pelham maybe, those would be good places to start looking.
My mistake. Didn't see the lower Manhattan part, just skimmed and saw Manhattan - 1hr. But yeah, absolutely go further down the Hudson...Tarrytown, Irvington, Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Hastings, maybe Yonkers.
Not sure what the 1BR rents are like, but you may want to check out some of the buildings in Riverdale (Bronx). Fits a lot of the requirements you mentioned.
I've driven through Riverdale and was curious about it but it's probably a bit more urban than I want at this time. I've heard crime there and in Yonkers other than near the Hastings border is an issue. I'll agree that it's an attractive area though, esp what borders the HH Pkwy. Are the apartments in Riverdale mostly by broker, or can you deal with the buildings directly?
Bronxville Village or adjacent Bronxville Post Office area of Yonkers. Both are walking distance to Bronxville stores, restaurants, and Metro North Station. No need to be more than 1/4 mile from the station. Very upscale. (Ted Kennedy and his ex wife Joan were both born in Bronxville.)
Bronxville PO area in Yonkers is less expensive because it is not in the Bronxville School District and subject to the Yonkers Income Tax. (very small)
Also, check out the Fleetwood area of Mt. Vernon which would be less expensive, but less upscale.
I know less about the parts of Yonkers along Bronx River Rd, but there are apartment buildings and
it is close to Metro North and also the MTA Subway. You can take the 2 or 5 train from 233rd Street to Wall Street.
Not sure what the 1BR rents are like, but you may want to check out some of the buildings in Riverdale (Bronx). Fits a lot of the requirements you mentioned.
i work downtown, my wife just transferred from downtown to white plains; i wanted to move to riverdale, but the transportation situation is rough. express bus during the week, but if you work late, gonna be a LONG trip. its a great area, but no so great for getting downtown...
Crime in Riverdale is actually very low. Parts of the area, closer to the subway, and the Yonkers border, can have higher crime issues; but for NYC, Riverdale is very safe. Check the statistics for the 50th precinct, which covers Riverdale-Kingsbridge, and most of the issues tend to be down the hill in Kingsbridge. Most apartments are broker-controlled, save for those that are exclusively rental, of which there are not too many in Riverdale. The downside is that you have to pay city resident income tax in Riverdale. Riverdale has two MNRR stations and HudsonRailink buses that connect with the surrounding neighborhood. The BxM18 is a Lower Manhattan express bus, but has limited hours.
In Westchester, I agree that I would tend to focus on Lower Westchester, but the price point can become an issue in some of the better villages/towns. Add to that fewer rentals, outside of apartment complexes in the cities, and the prices tend to be higher in Westchester. If you're flexible as to type of apartment and location, you may find something in one of the villages, but it might be in a commercial area, or a divided house.
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