Areas in Westchester ok/good for single people? And calculating property tax. (White Plains: apartment, rent)

[ods]

Sounds silly- I am sure there are single people in Westchester... but from reading forums/articles the majority seems to be couples and couples with small children. Curious if as a single person with no kids you'd stick out?? Currently reside in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn (love it) and familiar with lots of strollers/small families- but there are also plenty of singles here too. Am looking to buy (more below), and Westchester is an area I am strongly considering. I work in the city during the week- like a good farmers market, am "artsy", like yoga, a safe neighborhood, and looking forward to being closer to nature- all with easy access to the city. Don't get me wrong- I am not expecting an exciting night life/bars- but like a cute downtown and maybe a restaurant or two just to have the flexibility of "options". Was considering Hastings on Hudson, Larchmont, Rye, and Scarsdale. If you have any suggestions on other areas or tips they would be most appreciated.

In regards to condo/ co-ops - a little confused on how property taxes are calculated... some seem to be part of the cc/maintenance or that's how it's listed? Again any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Forest_Hills_Daddy]

NY Times this weekend featured a childless couple who puchased in Hartsdale after searching in White Plains.

[ehmom]

I would include Mamaroneck in your list of options. And as the poster above said, Bronxville - there's a lot of apartment options in and out of the village. Bronxville, Larchmont and Mamaroneck all have a cinema in town, which is an added bonus in my opinion. If you're looking at Scarsdale, that most likely will mean the Garth Road section of Eastchester, which is easily walkable to the village and train station.

For Co-ops, the tax is included in your maintenance. For condos you pay your own tax, separate from any common charges they may have.

I have a number of single friends in Westchester. You certainly wouldn't be the odd man out (or woman) moving here.

[ods]

Thanks so much for the tips etc. I will check out those areas. On the co-ops and tax and I guess tax in general- how are they/increases determined every year?

[bmwguydc]

Regarding a place in Westchester, I think it would depend upon how artsy an area you seek as to the particular town/village in which you should focus a search. Cultural appreciation is key in many areas of Westchester, but given that you said artsy, that descriptor would tend to focus on certain areas.

If you want more artsy areas, you want to look more toward Hastings and Dobbs Ferry, and even Tarrytown. Bronxville is a nice village, to be sure, but it's a tad more conservative than much of Westchester, and does not have a culture that I would call artsy, especially within the village. Abundunt cultural opportunities abound, to be sure, but it's not artsy in the sense of anything remotely bohemian or terribly diverse, which is what I envision when someone uses the term as a descriptor. Bronxville would attract a similar demographic to the UES, if that helps to put it in Manhattan terms, similar to the Sound Shore towns, whereas the Hudson River towns would tend to be more akin to the UWS or West Village in terms of mindset, save for Irvington that has more of an old money feel in places, though not exclusively.

[ods]

Thanks mbwguydc. How would you differentiate Hastings, Dobbs and Terrytown? And any thoughts on Scarsdale? Appreciate the insight.

[bmwguydc]

Hastings is a small village, and is pretty diverse for Westchester, given its size. Schools are good, which does tend to attract families, but it has a good mix in the small downtown area, including a neat natural store called Food for Thought. In recent years, Hastings has found a home for the post-hipster set, especially with children, who have burned out on Brooklyn. Tarrytown encompasses a larger area, and has more economic diversity, with a good downtown area on 9A that has experienced a revitalization in the last few years. Schools are not as sought after as Hastings and Dobbs Ferry, and school funding can greatly affect the individual taxes in a given jurisdiction in Westchester. Dobbs Ferry has very good schools, but not as defined a village center, and does tend to attract primarily a family demographic. Hastings and Dobbs Ferry are more affluent, overall, than Tarrytown.

The main issue with the terrain of the towns along the Hudson River is the hills, which can affect the enjoyment of walking, if you do not like hills. However, each is within a few minutes of the other, so it could be feasible to live in Tarrytown, yet attend yoga classes or shop in Hastings, such that it would not be an arduous drive.

[Justabitoff]

I was a member of a meet-up for "girlfriends in Westchester" for a while, which was made up predominately of single girls. There were a few of us married ladies, but not too much. The primary areas that it seemed people lived were White Plains, Mamaroneck, Tarrytown, and Scarsdale (the Central Ave portion).

There are a lot of Meetups up in Westchester for singles, twentysomethings, etc. You should definitely sign up for a few when you move up here. And of course, rent first and then decide where you want to live. It will give you more time to get a sense of where you really want to be once you get to know each town.

[ShouldHaveLeft914]

Stay in Brooklyn.
Seriously.
You don't want to be single in suburbia.
You will leave within a year once you realize there are very few opportunities to meet new people.

[Forest_Hills_Daddy]

I never realized you could find friends only in a certain county just because you lived there...