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Amen to this. I walked away from much larger homes with more land for a smaller home with a generous sized lot because of the 3 minute walk to the Metro North station. For the NYC commuter, this type of situation can't be beat. No warming up the car, driving to the train in inclement weather, parking permits, parking fees or money wasted on gas required.
Exactly!!! Plus there are 2 of us working in the city. If it is 2 people the cost of having second car, parking and gas and the inconvenience it brings - definitely not worth it! I also love the fact I don’t have to warm up my car in winter or get into a super hot car in summer !
Be aware that water bills in southern Westchester are significantly higher. I am in eastchester and pretty conservative on water (I barely use my dishwasher and washing machine- not for cost savings lol) and I do have 5 sprinklers zones but my property is tiny and only water for about 10 mins every morning. Our water bill is around $100. Should be lower in winter but definitely not 150-200$/quarter as my friends’ in northern Westchester! It is not unusual for people in my town to have $150-250 water bills a month. My water company charges me for the meter alone $30. Suez is the worst.
One note on this is that when you're talking north of White Plains, you start to see a lot of well water. I live about 15 minutes north of WP and I'm on well, with septic and no natural gas (no services at all aside from electric). Well water is "free" (aside from electric used to run the pump), but instead of a monthly charge, you just have to replace stuff when it breaks. Last weekend I had to replace the pressure tank at a total cost of $1,700, which was likely $1,000 profit since it was an emergency. But the last one made it 25 years, so that's about $68/yr
Wells occasionally need maintenance, and you'll end up with more equipment in the basement for water- filters, softeners, and potentially other things like an iron filter.
On net, I like being on a well. But many people don't. If I had lawn sprinklers, I'd REALLY like being on a well.
For the fun of it, I'll do a comparison by Texas standards....2300 sq ft home on 1/2 acre. Black print - your figures, red print - our cost
Monthly Mortgage: $2278.31 (just refinanced)
$0 - paid off, but was $1400/mo
Annual Taxes: $24,803.18
$3473.92
Monthly Homeowners Association: $165 (almost exclusively covers lawn care for entire neighborhood)
No HOA - $100/mo yard service
Annual Homeowners Insurance: $1435
$1132.78
Average Quarterly Water Bill: $204.99
$235.00
Average Monthly Electric & Gas Bill (ConEd): $236.72 (this is generally only gas as I have solar panels to cover electric)
$145.00
Housekeeping: $130/week
$95/biweekly
Other maintenance/repairs in last 2 years:
- $615 for spring maintenance on central A/C units (*spent $5800 to replace one of the A/C units last year)
$280/yr maintenance
- $200 for fall maintenance on boiler (*spent $2800 to repair some valves and parts on the boiler last year)
No boiler (heat pump for heat), water heater lasts about 10 years, costs $397.44 to replace myself 4 years ago
- $200 for chimney inspection and dryer vent cleaning
N/A - DIY
- $1200 to replace and install new central vacuum unit
N/A
- $7500 for installation of a sump pump/French drain to address water problems in basement
N/A - no basement
- $4200 for whole house water filter and softener (we are on town water but noticed a difference in quality when we moved)
It's actually what I do - residential water treatment. Average cost installed is <$2k
- $1600 to hang a chandelier and fix some significant problems with electrical outlets throughout the house
Replaced coil-style cooktop w/solid cooktop (downdraft) - all told, $3,025, including installation of new ductwork, light fixture above cooktop and installation of (4) new pot lights in kitchen
- $700 to trim two large trees on property
$325 to trim up 4 trees and shrubs around house
- $6200 to redo landscaping for entire house (rip/remove old and add 50 new plants)
$1498.00 to remove Bermuda grass in front yard and replace w/Palmetto grass (4 pallets)
And what’s the point to squeeze in your Texan number, just out of curiosity? I think st this point everyone knows the difference in cost of living between ny and other states. You could live up north from westchester and pay significantly less.
On the other hand how many people lost everything they had with the flooding you had just 2 years ago? Also you need to factor in how much you make in Texas vs New York. Texas obviously much much cheaper - I had a job offer in Plano a few years ago. I went there, saw it and decided that no you couldn’t pay me to live there . To each their own
For the fun of it, I'll do a comparison by Texas standards....2300 sq ft home on 1/2 acre. Black print - your figures, red print - our cost
Monthly Mortgage: $2278.31 (just refinanced)
$0 - paid off, but was $1400/mo
Annual Taxes: $24,803.18
$3473.92
Monthly Homeowners Association: $165 (almost exclusively covers lawn care for entire neighborhood)
No HOA - $100/mo yard service
Annual Homeowners Insurance: $1435
$1132.78
Average Quarterly Water Bill: $204.99
$235.00
Average Monthly Electric & Gas Bill (ConEd): $236.72 (this is generally only gas as I have solar panels to cover electric)
$145.00
Housekeeping: $130/week
$95/biweekly
Other maintenance/repairs in last 2 years:
- $615 for spring maintenance on central A/C units (*spent $5800 to replace one of the A/C units last year)
$280/yr maintenance
- $200 for fall maintenance on boiler (*spent $2800 to repair some valves and parts on the boiler last year)
No boiler (heat pump for heat), water heater lasts about 10 years, costs $397.44 to replace myself 4 years ago
- $200 for chimney inspection and dryer vent cleaning
N/A - DIY
- $1200 to replace and install new central vacuum unit
N/A
- $7500 for installation of a sump pump/French drain to address water problems in basement
N/A - no basement
- $4200 for whole house water filter and softener (we are on town water but noticed a difference in quality when we moved)
It's actually what I do - residential water treatment. Average cost installed is <$2k
- $1600 to hang a chandelier and fix some significant problems with electrical outlets throughout the house
Replaced coil-style cooktop w/solid cooktop (downdraft) - all told, $3,025, including installation of new ductwork, light fixture above cooktop and installation of (4) new pot lights in kitchen
- $700 to trim two large trees on property
$325 to trim up 4 trees and shrubs around house
- $6200 to redo landscaping for entire house (rip/remove old and add 50 new plants)
$1498.00 to remove Bermuda grass in front yard and replace w/Palmetto grass (4 pallets)
But you have to live in Texas. Couldn't pay me to live in that place again.
Are there others out there willing to list their exact monthly costs of home ownership?
Please let's keep this thread on topic.
I pay Ivy Poison Control $1,000 a year for invasive vine removal.
I lose a tree once every couple of years from storms. It averages out to $1,000 per year.
My landscape company is $250 per month (over 7 months) for mowing. Spring and two Fall clean ups add another $1,500.
Over twelve months total landscaping costs are $291 a month.
Round it up to $300 a month with mulch.
And then, there is my obsessive impulsive plant/tree purchases. Can't talk about that!
Bird seed - is $70 per month all year round.
Heating Oil is so depended upon gasoline prices. Lately, it's been great - about $375 to fill the tank. Seven delivers a year is $2,625. It averages to $220 a month
Electricity is a sore subject as my husband likes the home AC set to 69 degrees and I like lots of Christmas lights. The electricity probably averages out to $175 per year.
We keep a marble notebook with monthly expenses. What stands out is phone/internet/cable bills.Along with cell phone service, we are spending $350 for not much in return. There is nothing to watch on TV/Cable anymore!
What really killed us over the last three years is pet bills.
My cat need thyroid surgery - $3,000 with the pre-op testing.
My dog needed her ACL surgery - $2,500.
My belated dog need bladder surgery $4,000. He was diabetic needing insulin injections every twelve hours and repeated vet appointments. He went to a dog eye doctor twice because he was developing glaucoma from diabetes (charge more than my eye doc). Finally, he had series pancreatitis attacks from diabetes which costs thousands in ultrasounds tests. Never mind the cost of diabetic supplies and special dog food.
I think in three years, we spent almost $15,000 at vets.
I pay Ivy Poison Control $1,000 a year for invasive vine removal.
I lose a tree once every couple of years from storms. It averages out to $1,000 per year.
My landscape company is $250 per month (over 7 months) for mowing. Spring and two Fall clean ups add another $1,500.
Over twelve months total landscaping costs are $291 a month.
Round it up to $300 a month with mulch.
And then, there is my obsessive impulsive plant/tree purchases. Can't talk about that!
Bird seed - is $70 per month all year round.
Heating Oil is so depended upon gasoline prices. Lately, it's been great - about $375 to fill the tank. Seven delivers a year is $2,625. It averages to $220 a month
Electricity is a sore subject as my husband likes the home AC set to 69 degrees and I like lots of Christmas lights. The electricity probably averages out to $175 per year.
We keep a marble notebook with monthly expenses. What stands out is phone/internet/cable bills.Along with cell phone service, we are spending $350 for not much in return. There is nothing to watch on TV/Cable anymore!
What really killed us over the last three years is pet bills.
My cat need thyroid surgery - $3,000 with the pre-op testing.
My dog needed her ACL surgery - $2,500.
My belated dog need bladder surgery $4,000. He was diabetic needing insulin injections every twelve hours and repeated vet appointments. He went to a dog eye doctor twice because he was developing glaucoma from diabetes (charge more than my eye doc). Finally, he had series pancreatitis attacks from diabetes which costs thousands in ultrasounds tests. Never mind the cost of diabetic supplies and special dog food.
I think in three years, we spent almost $15,000 at vets.
The bills just keep coming . . .
How big is your
• Home?
• Lot?
Those are bills are outrageous!
I spent $299 on a Lawn Mower w/rechargeable Battery and $120 on a Weed-whacker/Edger/Trimmer w/rechargeable battery, $40 on some Sheers, $50 on a Weed Puller and maybe $20 on Weed & Feed. Close to a $500 one time purchase, but I do my own work, so there is no expense (I will have to re-up on Weed & Feed next year though, maybe two $20 bottles annually?).
But $2500-$3600 a year. Wow! Are you guys working with 2+ acres?
We have a small lot & our lawn care is $100/month, the guy comes weekly which is probably too often so it breaks down to $25/week (I think he said doing it twice a month would be $70-$80 so it's not much more of an incremental cost). It's basically mowing the lawn,the weeds & picking up branches and other yard debris from trees, etc.
He also cleans our gutters, trims trees/bushes/hedges/etc. for another one time fee.
He was especially useful after the recent storm, he cleaned everything up so that it looked like nothing happened.
We could do it ourself much cheaper but that takes time and this isn't a huge cost so it's investing in local businesses.
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