Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > New York > Westchester County
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 10-02-2013, 04:07 PM
 
Location: NYC
42 posts, read 79,615 times
Reputation: 37

Advertisements

My fiance and I are currently living in a small one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan. We're tired of renting, and we're looking into adopting a baby so we're going to need more space. Ideally, we'd like to find a place not too far from Grand Central since my fiance will need to commute in every day, but we're also not rich (combined income is around $160k). I was recently in Bronxville and thought it was the answer to our prayers, but from what I can see on this forum, it's quite expensive. My question is: can we find a decent single-family home or a co-op (we have a small dog) for around $500k in Bronxville? What would the property taxes run?

I've also read some things here that say not all of Bronxville lands you in the good school district. As we don't even have a child yet, it's hard to think about school districts just yet. On the other hand, it seems crazy to buy a place and not take this into consideration. Are the "not good" schools really so terrible? Are the private schools difficult to get into and about how much do they cost per year?

We're open to any and all suggestions. We need to find a way to make this work. I love New York, but I'm getting discouraged by how difficult it is to simply buy a decent home. So many others have done it though, so it must be possible. How much does one need to earn a year for it to be feasible to buy a 2-3 bedroom home in a decent area not far from the City?

I know these are a lot of questions. I hope you guys can help me figure things out.

Thanks!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 10-02-2013, 05:25 PM
 
Location: Beautiful Pelham Parkway,The Bronx
9,238 posts, read 23,968,200 times
Reputation: 7748
Bronxville is great.You should be able to find a 2 br,2 bath coop in the "downtown" area of Bronxville,a few blocks from the train station,etc for around $500,000.A friend of mine very recently did.By "downtown", I mean around Pondfield Rd,
between Midland and the train station.I believe that would be within the desired school district.

You could probably find a bigger co op or townhouse condo in the same price range but further away from downtown.I don't think a house is feasible in Bronxville on that amount.You could probably find a decent house for around 500,000 in some place like Pelham(not Pelham Manor though).Pelham is also less than 30 minutes to GC.Tuckahoe is pretty nice too.It's right next to Bronxville and considerably less expensive.Also,obviously,under 30 to GC.

If you make the decision now to go the private school route when the time comes (and get the school district thing out of the equation),you could look at places like Riverdale in The Bronx ,where you will get much more bang for your buck in the house or apartment department.I think a lot of people who live in Riverdale are there because they followed that line of reasoning.

Last edited by bluedog2; 10-02-2013 at 05:34 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-02-2013, 05:37 PM
 
3,357 posts, read 4,606,906 times
Reputation: 1896
Quote:
Originally Posted by bluedog2 View Post
Bronxville is great.You should be able to find a 2 br,2 bath coop in the "downtown" area of Bronxville,a few blocks from the train station,etc for around $500,000.A friend of mine very recently did.By "downtown", I mean around Pondfield Rd,
between Midland and the train station.I believe that would be within the desired school district.

You could probably find a bigger co op or townhouse condo in the same price range but further away from downtown.I don't think a house is feasible in Bronxville on that amount.You could probably find a decent house for around 500,000 in some place like Pelham(not Pelham Manor though).Pelham is also less than 30 minutes to GC.Tuckahoe is pretty nice too.It's right next to Bronxville and considerably less expensive.Also,obviously,under 30 to GC.
Just wondering if you had considered neighborhoods in the North Bronx like Woodlawn and Riverdale? Prices would be a lot lower and schools are good (at least until high school). In Woodlawn you'd probably be able to buy a house with budget. If you decided on an apartment, you'd have funds left over for a possible second adoption!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-02-2013, 05:47 PM
 
7,296 posts, read 11,803,600 times
Reputation: 3266
To be zoned for the Bronxville schools, the property has to be located within Bronxville Village.

If you want a Bronxville coop apartment that costs less and has lower maintenance fees (into which the taxes are factored in), you can look for an appartment with a Bronxville PO but not in the village, meaning it is zoned for Yonkers schools. It's close enough to the village and metro north to make you feel part of it.

Personally I would not buy right now as rents are still very attractive especially outside Manhattan. Look at Tarrytown, Mamaroneck or Tuckahoe. Maybe even Riverdale. Then consider Bronxville when child is nearing school age.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-02-2013, 08:36 PM
 
2,228 posts, read 3,672,938 times
Reputation: 1160
Quote:
Originally Posted by Breezy300 View Post
My fiance and I are currently living in a small one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan. We're tired of renting, and we're looking into adopting a baby so we're going to need more space. Ideally, we'd like to find a place not too far from Grand Central since my fiance will need to commute in every day, but we're also not rich (combined income is around $160k). I was recently in Bronxville and thought it was the answer to our prayers, but from what I can see on this forum, it's quite expensive. My question is: can we find a decent single-family home or a co-op (we have a small dog) for around $500k in Bronxville? What would the property taxes run?

I've also read some things here that say not all of Bronxville lands you in the good school district. As we don't even have a child yet, it's hard to think about school districts just yet. On the other hand, it seems crazy to buy a place and not take this into consideration. Are the "not good" schools really so terrible? Are the private schools difficult to get into and about how much do they cost per year?

We're open to any and all suggestions. We need to find a way to make this work. I love New York, but I'm getting discouraged by how difficult it is to simply buy a decent home. So many others have done it though, so it must be possible. How much does one need to earn a year for it to be feasible to buy a 2-3 bedroom home in a decent area not far from the City?

I know these are a lot of questions. I hope you guys can help me figure things out.

Thanks!
Have a beer at Fogarty's near the train. He used to own a popular deli on Bedford Park that was called Drewsens. Half of the kids that grew up on the end of the Concourse worked there.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-02-2013, 08:46 PM
 
Location: Washington, DC & New York
10,915 posts, read 31,246,602 times
Reputation: 7137
Not all of the Bronxville P.O. is in Yonkers, some is in Eastchester, and a tiny portion is Mount Vernon. Eastchester's schools are decent, and don't have the problems of Yonkers, where the top schools are very good, but the entire city is basically magnet schools because of a desegregation order that requires integrated assignments. The Village of Bronxville is in the Town of Eastchester, but the village does not share schools with the town as is the case in the other areas of the town, Eastchester and Tuckahoe. Many people think Sarah Lawrence is in Bronxville, but it's not, rather the school is in Yonkers, yet Concordia is in Bronxville.

On $160k HHI, I'd tend to look at Eastchester or Tuckahoe as being in Bronxville for the schools is going to be quite difficult, unless you have a very large down payment for a house, condo, or townhouse. Co-ops can be just as problematic with pets as some rental buildings, but you can have the 10708 zip code in Eastchester, though you cannot park at the Bronxville train station as parking is restricted to village residents.

You may also consider Mamaroneck, in addition to areas already mentioned up thread. Around $500k is a difficult proposition in Lower Westchester with good schools, even when looking at smaller properties. It's not impossible, but you may find properties that are in need of repair, or marketed as close to tear-downs in certain towns at the $500k price point. Bronxville for $500k is not going to be sufficient for a single-family home or townhouse. For a single family, you would need to be in seven-digit prices for most single-family houses.

How long a commute would you consider to Manhattan? Would this be a train commute for two, or does one drive to a non-Manhattan position? Taxes will be high, save for White Plains, because of the commercial and retail sectors in the city, though the schools are not on the same footing as the more sought-after districts. Valhalla would be a place that I would consider if you were looking more to Central Westchester because the schools are decent, and properties are a bit more affordable. The area does not have a vast swing, either, where there are some less expensive properties and some that are quite expensive.
__________________
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare
(As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)

City-Data Terms of Service
City-Data FAQs
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-02-2013, 08:48 PM
 
2,228 posts, read 3,672,938 times
Reputation: 1160
What's the Coop's on Garth rd? Eastchester or Bronxville?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-02-2013, 08:54 PM
 
Location: Harrison
865 posts, read 2,467,911 times
Reputation: 512
Eastchester
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-02-2013, 11:07 PM
 
Location: Armonk NY
425 posts, read 1,206,613 times
Reputation: 113
If you don't have kids and don't need the schools for at least 5 years why buy in the village of Bronxville? Look at Yonkers/Bronxville PO within walking distance of the village. You can't find a house in Bronxville proper for near 1M and if you did it would be a fixer upper with 25-30k in taxes.

Woodlawn in the Bronx is whole different animal. Its nice for The Bronx, but there is no comparison.

BTW you can live in Bronxville PO and pay your way into the Bronxville School but everyone knows that you are the Yonkers people who could not afford to live there...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-03-2013, 05:11 PM
 
Location: Harrison
865 posts, read 2,467,911 times
Reputation: 512
Private schools are around $40,000 a year BTW.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:




Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > New York > Westchester County
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top