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Old 08-27-2012, 05:50 PM
 
Location: Fort Worth, TX
167 posts, read 333,379 times
Reputation: 108

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I don't have kids, so school systems don't matter. I am looking for someplace quiet, somewhat green (trees, shrubbery, etc..) and safe. I am a single female, mid 40's and don't do much during the week except work, take care of the dog and sleep. I'm currently living in NC but lived in South Jersey and Philly 'burbs most of my life, so something similar is ok. I'd like no more than a 15 min commute to the job in Ardsley. Can you please provide guidance on what areas to focus on when looking for a single house or townhome to rent? Many thanks for your help!

PS: before you think me incredibly lazy, I did look in the older threads for this info. However, most inquiries take into account school quality or nightlife when trying to decide on a location. Neither of those factors are a consideration for me. Safety, privacy, peacefulness, price and proximity to work are what I'm looking for.

Last edited by Sunduri; 08-27-2012 at 06:31 PM..
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Old 08-27-2012, 07:28 PM
 
581 posts, read 1,300,287 times
Reputation: 448
You should move to NYC. If you can afford $2000+ a month, it's Upper West Side all the way.
The commute will be 30-40 mins and you can even afford a $600 garage spot for your car for fast parking.
http://nyc.bestparking.com/#1
Your life will be profoundly different than living amidst child-obsessed breeders, and little more.
In NYC, you will have a healthy social life, if you choose.

If you're single, you'd be a fool to live in Westchester.
Had you not lived in suburbia your whole life, maybe you wouldn't be single at age 45.
Read the following link: DO NOT live in Westchester if you are single and under age 45.

If you insist on living in suburbia, then there is a silver lining.
At your age, there should be a healthy crop of divorced men aged 45-55.
However, most will have kids, and a certain segment of them will never marry again.
However, to meet them, you will need to do online dating, which is just ghastly.
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Old 08-27-2012, 10:30 PM
 
100 posts, read 427,296 times
Reputation: 150
It seems that OP is not concerned about those things, so I'll actually answer her question.

The best option is going to be unincorporated parts of Greenburgh, which is pretty much everything that's not to the west of Ardsley. The schools are the worst in the Elmsford and Greenburgh districts, so that's where you should be looking to get a bargain. Anywhere that is leafy suburban housing in good shape in those areas will be plenty safe and quiet. Consult this map , you want to look in 12 and 13. If you can find something in anywhere else that borders Ardsley, more power to you, but those are in good school districts and you'll likely get less bang for your buck. The river towns do have the waterfront and nice cutesy business districts if you are into that.

Now searching for places is going to be super confusing, because you could easily end up living in a place that is in the Town of Greenburgh, the Elmsford School District and has a White Plains zip code all at once. Most rental listings go off of the zip code (unless the school district is desirable), so many homes you will look at will say White Plains, but will be 2+miles from the White Plains border. Here's an example of what's in your price range with a sub ten minute commute. You might even be able to get a poll or a home that backs up to a nature preserve to walk your dog in if you get lucky/go towards the top of your budget.
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Old 08-28-2012, 07:38 AM
 
581 posts, read 1,300,287 times
Reputation: 448
Let me save OP the trouble. The above advice is idiotic. Do not live anywhere near those towns.

The problem is, you don't get a bargain. The rent is ****ty areas might be like $100 less than the rent in a top shelf town. Renting in a **** town is one of the worst "savings" you can try to get. Smart people who work hard live in smart school districts. These are people you want to live around if you are the same. Schools aren't an issue. Are you going to tell an Ivy league graduate to live in a slum just b/c he doesn't have kids? That's stupid.

If you refuse to live in the city, then simply check out the expensive parts of White Plains or Tarrytown. I would also look into renting in Scarsdale. Again, the Greenburgh advice is idiotic.
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Old 08-28-2012, 10:08 AM
 
100 posts, read 427,296 times
Reputation: 150
You really need to take your bitterness elsewhere.

First of all, these aren't ****ty areas or "slums," these are perfectly safe, well kept suburban areas, just without top notch school districts. Plenty of smart childfree people will choose to live in these type of areas, they are just generally outnumbered everywhere in Westchester. I know an Ivy Leaguer without a child in the home who makes mid six figures who happily lives in Fleetwood, and previously lived in Ossining.

Secondly, as a 40 something without a child in the home, her social network isn't necessarily going to be her neighbors/people in the school district (IME it probably won't be), and instead will be people she works with, goes to church with, or people she meets from whatever her hobbies are or bars she hangs out, etc. She'd be plenty close to White Plains and Tarrytown (which by the way, also don't have good schools, but yet they somehow meet your recommendations). It's pretty much accepted that driving 15-20 minutes or so to hang out with your friends is necessary in Westchester, so she wouldn't be isolated, or isolated anymore than she would be living in a suburban neighborhood of those towns. And suggesting that the rent difference is going to be $100 dollars for the same thing in Greenburgh vs Scarsdale? Now that's idiotic.
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Old 08-28-2012, 02:12 PM
 
375 posts, read 1,573,210 times
Reputation: 113
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunduri View Post
I don't have kids, so school systems don't matter. I am looking for someplace quiet, somewhat green (trees, shrubbery, etc..) and safe. I am a single female, mid 40's and don't do much during the week except work, take care of the dog and sleep. I'm currently living in NC but lived in South Jersey and Philly 'burbs most of my life, so something similar is ok. I'd like no more than a 15 min commute to the job in Ardsley. Can you please provide guidance on what areas to focus on when looking for a single house or townhome to rent? Many thanks for your help!

PS: before you think me incredibly lazy, I did look in the older threads for this info. However, most inquiries take into account school quality or nightlife when trying to decide on a location. Neither of those factors are a consideration for me. Safety, privacy, peacefulness, price and proximity to work are what I'm looking for.
I assume a unit in an apartment building works better for you than say a small house? I would suggest that you start your search in White Plains first and expand from there. White Plains is considered the hub of Westchester and provides easy access to various locales. Most of White Plains is safe for a single lady and you will find a wide range of apartment options. From there, I would expand your search to co-op buildings that allow rentals in towns like Eastchester, Bronxville, and certain parts of Yonkers. Not sure exactly where your work is in Ardsley, but you shouldn't be more than 20 to 30 minutes away in any of these places.
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Old 08-28-2012, 05:21 PM
 
Location: Fort Worth, TX
167 posts, read 333,379 times
Reputation: 108
MDM1: "Here's an example of what's in your price range with a sub ten minute commute." This type of place is exactly what I'm looking for. And the map will prove to be helpful too. Thanks!

SHOULDHAVELEFT914: I'm single at 44 because I recently ended a long term relationship and am enjoying the peace and ease of living alone again. :-)

To everyone else: I am generally a home body, especially during the work week. With the dog waiting for me at home after being by himself for 10 hours, even after-work happy hours are out. I do venture out on the weekends, but mostly to do day-time stuff--craft shows, shopping, an early dinner, take the dog to the park, etc... I value my privacy and can't stand living in an apt situation where I'll hear other people through the walls (very light sleeper), and the last thing I want to do on a cold winter morning is take the dog out to potty--a fenced in yard where I can just open the door and let him do his thing is mandatory. Its more important to me to have a short commute to work (because I'm there so darn long) than to have "things to do" close by. I can go into the city on the weekends and enjoy the quiet of the burbs the rest of the time. I definitely don't want to live where I hear sirens, people blaring car stereos or lots of street activity at night. Crickets are music to my ears after 9pm.... Recommendations for these types of areas are welcome and much appreciated.

Last edited by Sunduri; 08-28-2012 at 05:37 PM..
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Old 08-28-2012, 11:22 PM
 
581 posts, read 1,300,287 times
Reputation: 448
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunduri View Post
SHOULDHAVELEFT914: I'm single at 44 because I recently ended a long term relationship and am enjoying the peace and ease of living alone again. :-).
As long as that's your plan for the future, as well.

Looks like NYC is out if you want crickets.
If you've moved from NC, is this Ardsley job new?
If so, how do you know it will be long hours?
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Old 08-29-2012, 05:15 AM
 
Location: Fort Worth, TX
167 posts, read 333,379 times
Reputation: 108
I'd be accepting a higher position in the same industry so have a good idea of the time commitment. Does anyone have any other suggestions for areas to look at, based on what I've said I like? It would be nice to keep to the lower end of my rent, if possible.
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Old 08-29-2012, 09:05 AM
 
222 posts, read 539,370 times
Reputation: 189
Don't you just love it when complete strangers try to tell you how you should live your life.

Anyway, in that price range you could probably get a small house. There's 2brd houses that get destroyed value wise for not having a third room, but would probably work well for you.
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