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Which of these towns are best for stay at home mom's with elementary age children? I have thick skin, can handle any type of attitude with kindness (if you think that is an issue in any of these towns). In these towns do most parents both work to afford them? I want and choose to stay home and do not want to be the only one. I spend my time running (would love to be near trails), volunteering for PTA and other not-for profit orgs and obviously all the other child and house related duties. Will be spending 1-1.5 mill on a house. Thanks for any opinions.
Bronxville
Chappaqua
Croton
Cortlandt Manor
Dobbs Ferry
Harrison
Hastings
Irvington
Katonah
Larchmont/Mamoronek
Pleasantville
Rye
Scarsdale
Yorktown
From the above list I would recommend Katonah, Yorktown and add Somers. You will get much more for your money in these towns. Property taxes are lower in Somers comparing to other places as IBM and Pepsico contribute to the tax base here. You will definitely not be an only stay-at-home mom in any of these towns, and you'll be able meet plenty of friends at playgroups and playgrounds.
As far as the running goes - I usually run on North County Trailway. It is very safe (and beautiful!), and you can access it at quite a few points. Some lucky people actually live with their backyards bordering the trail - the rest of us drive and park to run!
You might want to check out Taconic Road Runners website - they put toghether few races a year, and there are club members who train together at different times of day in FDR park in Yorktown. TRRC website is Taconic Road Runners Club.
For complete map of North County Trailway check this website
Trailways (http://www.westchestergov.com/Parks/SideBar/Trailways.htm - broken link).
Natasha
Last edited by Viralmd; 05-31-2008 at 09:19 AM..
Reason: Soliciting
Thanks, that is awesome info on the running. I now just have to decide if I want a bigger house with my husband having a 60+ minute commute to Grand Central or a smaller house with a lot shorter commute. It's hard to go from 4000+ sq feet to an older smaller house, although they do look charming on-line. Any info on the % of stay home moms in the closer towns, (Rye, Scarsdale, Bronxville) and anymore running info would be great. Thanks!!!!!!
There are plenty of "stay at home" moms in Bronxville, Rye, Scarsdale- but most will have nannies- so not exactly the traditional stay at home moms- some have a nanny for each child. You won't find a great deal of "moms" at the playground, rather filled w nannies and the moms "dropping in"- off to another commitee meeting. This is not to say there aren't going to be stay at home moms who don't rely on nannies 24/7- it' just not the norm. PTA, charity work, etc are very big is these towns. I think comparing lower Westchester to Northern Westchester is like comparing apples to oranges- so completely different- esp. towns like Yorktown/Somers. I doubt you will get the same "community feel" as you would in a town like Bronxville- where people walk most everywhere and there is such easy access to the city- pretty much everyone works in the city. You won't get much in Bxville or Rye for one million- probably a very small townhouse-but there are neighborhoods in Scarsdale- where you get buy a nice home for in your price range, with more reasonable taxes. Chappaqua might be a nice fit for you- in the middle for commuting time. In my opinion- a short commute time is more important than a huge house- but many would disagree. If you are used to the city life- stick to lower Westchester and the smaller house. If you want land, privacy, etc- go north. Good lUck!
I think comparing lower Westchester to Northern Westchester is like comparing apples to oranges- so completely different- esp. towns like Yorktown/Somers. I doubt you will get the same "community feel" as you would in a town like Bronxville- where people walk most everywhere and there is such easy access to the city- pretty much everyone works in the city. ...In my opinion- a short commute time is more important than a huge house- but many would disagree. If you are used to the city life- stick to lower Westchester and the smaller house. If you want land, privacy, etc- go north. Good lUck!
I was a stay-at-home dad in Yorktown for 2 years and found it very easy. There are a tremendous number of playgroups in the area and I had no trouble finding other parents of both sexes for playdates. We live in a "rural" section of southern Yorktown, but like most areas there is a strong community association which organizes regular events. The email system keeps us all in touch and makes sharing info and organizing playdates really easy. We have a great sense of 'community' here, far more than I had in Park Slope. In addition to a weekly playgroup, there are regular parties for the kids on the bus route, as well as grownup parties.
With a few exceptions, everyone in my area works in Manhattan and commutes daily, as do I (when I was at home, my wife commuted--now we both do). The commute is an hour to Grand Central, which I find very easy to deal with. The weekend drive in is 40 minutes, which is also very easy to handle.
I totally agree that a big house is not worth a longer commute. What is worth the commute is the privacy, natural beauty , and easy access to everything from nature preserves to art film theaters. Northern Westchester offers a balance and a variety that southern Westchester can't touch.
I have to disagree with the statement "if you are used to the city life- stick to lower Westchester." My wife and I are both born-and-bred Broklynites and lived there into our late 30's. We looked in southern Westchester and it left us completely cold. Why leave the city to simply get a house and a yard? If you're going to give up what the city offers you should get what the city doesn't offer--land, privacy, and beauty. Just my opinion...
If you are interested in upper Westchester, check out this blog:
Bronxville $$$$$ C
Chappaqua $$$$$
Croton $$$
Cortlandt Manor $$$
Dobbs Ferry $$$ C
Harrison $$$$ C
Hastings $$$ C
Irvington $$$$$ C
Katonah $$$$$
Larchmont $$$$$/Mamaroneck $$$ C
Pleasantville $$$$
Rye $$$$$ C
Scarsdale $$$$$ C
Yorktown $$
Those are my "Off the top of head" price points for the towns
C is Commute 1/2 hour or less to Grand Central.
In the 1M - 1.5M range you should be able to find a fairly nice house in any of these areas.
My thoughts for great places to live have great walking "in town" shopping areas. Bronxville, Scarsdale, Rye, Hastings, Katonah,Dobbs Ferry, Larchmont, Irvington all qualify.
There is an aqueduct that runs Tarrytown Irvington Dobbs Ferry, fairly close to the Hudson river.
Rye has Rye beach and Oakland Park for walking by the sound. Purchase is another terrific area with Pepsi Complex for walking.
There is a great trail that runs by the Bronx River from Bronxville to Scarsdale.
Saxon Woods park in Mamaroneck is wooded and nice.
You should be happy in any of the areas, meeting people through PTA, your children and volunteer work.
mmm, interesting post and replies. I agree with Sallyg if you love the city and I will add 'proximity to other people' stick to lower westchester and yes in certain towns like Rye, Scarsdale, Bronxville the stay-at-home moms will most likely have nannies as well (add Larchmont and parts of Mamaroneck to this list as well). However, there are parts of Scarsdale, Rye, Larchmont and Mamaroneck that are not so expensive (more so in Mamaroneck and less so in Bronxville) so you are going to find some more typical stay-at-home moms without nannies. However, I can also see DMA1250's point that you get privacy, natural beauty and more space in Northern Westchester, if you love the city but long for some privacy and distance from your neighbors then north is the place to be. Having said that, the towns on the Long Island Sound are really beautiful by the water and have some privacy (if you buy a house on a big lot), and you can get even more privacy (bigger lots for the money) and some natural beauty in the river towns like Hastings and Irvington which are beautiful too.
Kevin your dollar $ analysis is not entirely accurate, not sure where you get your data from? although you did say it was from the top of your head. Hastings is more expensive than Dobbs Ferry in my opinion and they are certainly not considered to be on par with each other. Your analysis of Mamaroneck being $$$ is not correct, the top 100 wealthiest neighborhoods (not whole zip codes, but neighboorhoods) in Westchester are in Scarsdale (4 neighboorhoods, 5 if you include the Old Edgemont/Coltswolds area which is really in the town of Greenburgh), Mamaroneck (2 neighborhoods), Harrison (2 neighborhoods), Bronxville Village (1 neighborhood), White Plains (1 neighborhood). Infact, a neighboorhood in Mamaroneck is # 2 in Westchester ranking only behind Heathcote/Murray Hill in Scarsdale, another Mamaroneck neighborhood is at # 6. After the top 100, going down the list of the top 1000 you will find neighboorhoods in Larchmont, Bedford, Rye, Chappaqua, Irvington, Hastings, Scarborough/Briar Cliff Manor.. a couple more neighborhoods in Mamaroneck, another in Edgemont, some in New Rochelle, more in Scarsdale, Harrison and so on. I did not find any neighborhoods in Croton, Dobbs Ferry, Pleasantville or Cortlandt Manor on that list.
You can also check out some real estate articles on the priciest homes and areas in Westchester. The most expensive homes sold in Westchester in 2007 were in Bedford (the majority), Scarsdale, Mamaroneck, Larchmont and Rye. The point is that if you are looking at affluence and cost of homes across the board in a zipcode, then Scarsdale, Rye, Larchmont, Bronxville etc of course take the prize, Mamaroneck is more socio-economically (and racially diverse of course) across its zip code but I certainly will not give it three dollar signs only ($$$) or even 4 stars ($$$$) and neither will any real estate agent that knows the area, what will be more accurate is $$$/$$$$ in some parts and $$$$$ in others. Mamaroneck is an interesting town some parts of it share a school district with Larchmont, a smaller part of it with Rye City and yet another part ( a small part) with Scarsdale.
JJMMGOTT, to answer your question about running and trails info, check out the Sound Shore Runners and Multisport Club. I most of the members live on the Long Island sound (Rye, larchmont, Mamaroneck and New Rochelle to start with but it now includes members from other parts of Lower Westchester. www.soundshorerun.com
Thanks, that is awesome info on the running. I now just have to decide if I want a bigger house with my husband having a 60+ minute commute to Grand Central or a smaller house with a lot shorter commute. It's hard to go from 4000+ sq feet to an older smaller house, although they do look charming on-line. Any info on the % of stay home moms in the closer towns, (Rye, Scarsdale, Bronxville) and anymore running info would be great. Thanks!!!!!!
how about your husband makes the decision on whether he wants to commute an hour each way.
No your still wrong, WE have to decide. I just happen to be the one researching where to live, that's a full time job in itself when you have to worry about your kids and picking the right town and right schools. Don't know if you have ever done it, but it is hard and stressful no matter what income level you are at or house price you are looking at. My 4000 sq ft house in Ohio cost 1/3 of what it would cost in NY so it will be a change. Sorry to come off as spoiled to you, but I am not.
And by the way I would say being a homemaker and raising children is work, and I am glad to do it for free!
Last edited by Viralmd; 06-15-2008 at 06:35 AM..
Reason: Insulting
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