Pelham and Pelham Manor - Overview and Lifestyle

[Nycsully]

This thread is so helpful. We are looking for a suburb with great schools and a quick nyc commute that feels more urban. We aren’t house people , so we’d prefer a condo or apartment. Pelham seems like it would fit our needs, so we will visit soon. Can anyone recommend a good realtor? Thank you!

[Nycsully]

Do you know how much NYAC membership costs in Pelham?

[mlamb93]

I don't think you'll need a realtor for rentals in Pelham. I would just use Zillow. There are some nice apartments near Pelham CC (915 Wynnewood). There are also condos on 1st street next to the train, however I don't typically see them for rent.

NYAC price can vary. Amenities are offered piecemeal. If you are 35+, have a family, and want to use the full access to the pool and field house, you are probably looking at ~$8k/yr. I think one-time initiation is in the neighborhood if $10k

[Nycsully]

Thanks for the information! The NYAC cost is pretty steep, more than we would be be able to pay. I'm wondering if maybe Pelham/Westchester is too pricey for us. Do most residents belong to NYAC or the country club?

[mlamb93]

Generally speaking, all of Westchester is expensive. Same goes for lower CT.

The NYAC has a fairly expansive membership; you’ll find people from all over Westchester and Manhattan. Pelham CC is predominantly Pelham residents. All private golf clubs are going to be in the neighborhood of $1k/mo at the low end. The more prestigious ones (Winged Foot, Westchester CC, Quaker Ridge, etc) will be north of that with sizable initiation fees.

Hard to say what percentage of Westchester residents belong to a private club. You definitely don’t need to belong somewhere to meet people.

All things considered, the NYAC is a pretty solid deal if you live nearby and don’t play golf (especially if you hang around the area during the summer months). It has an expansive waterfront campus, a great pool area, brand new gym, and a huge clubhouse.

[LizfromtheBronx]

Thanks for this thread - I am currently trying to buy a co-op in Queens and getting frustrated with the boards I've dealt with. I recently decided that if the current deal falls through, I'm throwing in the towel and looking in lower Westchester.

Pelham is my target town, and this was very helpful information that confirmed that choice

Any recommendations for finding co-ops?

[roskybosky]

Westchester must have changed politically.

When I was growing up there, it seemed like everyone was Republican. But that was a long time ago. Just my 2 cents. Don't want to hijack this post.

[naco]

I think people move to Pelham because it's close to Manhattan and has great schools and they try hard to afford it. It's not a town of rich people trying to show off, but a town where hard working people make sacrifices to provide a high quality of life for their families. Of course the people who buy the mansions in the Manor and Heights are a bit showy and pretentious, but you'll find that everywhere beautiful homes are sold. The thing I like about Pelham is that you can have a reasonably-sized home near the train in a town where your kids can get a safe, quality education.

[vladlensky]

Originally Posted by Nycsully

Thanks for the information! The NYAC cost is pretty steep, more than we would be be able to pay. I'm wondering if maybe Pelham/Westchester is too pricey for us. Do most residents belong to NYAC or the country club?

I don't live in Pelham but can definitely say that it's probably the exception rather than the norm to join a country club in Westchester. A lot of the towns/villages have various rec facilities including pools available so many people use those. You can research the offerings of each specific town to get a better sense of what is offered. Many times the facilities are restricted to residents and if there is a fee it is still likely to be far less than what you would pay at a country club or even a higher end private gym.

[ilehamwood]

I'm posting here to re-up this thread. If anyone has further updates or thoughts to contribute to my detailed overview from 2018, please do so. I may provide an updated version at some point. The COVID pandemic has created an amazing amount of demand for the charming homes in Pelham and Pelham Manor, and after a few years of generally sluggish market trends, there appears to be tremendous activity, with bidding wars and very high bid/ask ratios. A number of other desirable communities in Westchester are also experiencing the same activity.