So what's up with Pelham (Rye, Scarsdale: sale, apartments, assessor)

[CKSFHG]

Great schools ... great houses ... close to city ... so why is it NOT included in the typical Rye/Larchmont/Scarsdale discussion of best places in Westchester?

Taxes?

Too close to Bronx?

What?

[bmwguydc]

Originally Posted by CKSFHG

Great schools ... great houses ... close to city ... so why is it NOT included in the typical Rye/Larchmont/Scarsdale discussion of best places in Westchester?

Taxes?

Too close to Bronx?

What?

No reason not to recommend Pelham, but I suspect many don't like that the downtown areas are not as comprehensive as Bronxville, Scarsdale, Larchmont, Rye. If one is looking for walkable downtown areas that are close to home, and feature a large variety of shops, restaurants, etc., the other nearby areas are idealized for that reason.

Pelham has some very nice older houses, everything from cottages and apartments to houses that range into the millions. Proximity to neighboring areas that are not as posh is not really a problem in Pelham, since they do have a police force that is visible to reinforce the community safety. It's also a safe community, so it's really on par with the other areas, just that it doesn't have as large a central commercial district.

[CKSFHG]

Thanks ... and I guess that makes sense.

9To everyone else) - other than the lack of a commercial district, are there other reasons why someone would NOT choose Pelham when considering relocating to Westchester?

[justarrived]

I am in the same boat as you and keep wondering the same thing! Personally I like Pelham because it is really close to the city and the schools are really good all through High School. I did notice that the taxes are high but then again the houses are less expensive than other areas. The whole area is inconvenient and living in Pelham just puts you one step closer to Manhattan which I think is really nice. We are also looking at Larchmont but supposedly the schools are not as good as Pelham. However the houses seem to sell faster in Larchmont. The downtown area in Larchmont is OK; I don't know what all the fuss is about. I guess when you are not from this area you wonder how people can put up with things (i.e. houses that are outdated, high prices and high taxes for not much in return aside from a long commute!). The market seems to be going down and I am sure it will be dropping a lot more so don't rush.

[jriley73]

I always thought Pelham was lovely. The schools are great. You need a car for everything there, I think, but that's really the case with most of Westchester anyway. Good luck!

[demkew]

Pelham is extremely charming. Sidewalks everywhere. Certain streets even still have block parties! The town is quite popular (just more low-key) and is in many discussions of the best places to live in southern westchester that I have heard. The schools are excellent. I do like Pelham's downtown; it may not have as many upscale storefronts as Rye or Larchmont but it is very homey in its own way, has everything you need, and has the Pelham Picture House, which will soon become an art movie house and is developing a national reputation. A lot of people in Pelham like being close to the city and chose Pelham in part for that reason. They therefore might just as easily visit Manhattan on a saturday night, which gives a cosmopolitan feel to the town.

[CKSFHG]

Thanks for the great replies everyone. I'm still as interested in Pelham due to the great schools and incredible houses at (comparably) good prices. The one thing I heard is that the reason Pelham's taxes are so high is that they do an immediate reassessment as soon as a sale is made. Thus, with increasing housing prices over the past decade +, Pelham's property taxes have gone up much more than surrounding areas. Is this accurate? If not, what is the reason for the disproportionately high taxes there?

[rubygreta]

Originally Posted by CKSFHG

Thanks for the great replies everyone. I'm still as interested in Pelham due to the great schools and incredible houses at (comparably) good prices. The one thing I heard is that the reason Pelham's taxes are so high is that they do an immediate reassessment as soon as a sale is made. Thus, with increasing housing prices over the past decade +, Pelham's property taxes have gone up much more than surrounding areas. Is this accurate? If not, what is the reason for the disproportionately high taxes there?

A reassessment on a sale can actually help you. If the house is assessed for $850,000 and you pay $750,000, chances are your assessment will go down. Call the Town of Pelham assessor for verification.

The reason Pelham taxes are high is because there is there is very little commercial property. Therefore, the houses pay the bulk of the taxes.

And there is also the idiocy of having three governments - Town of Pelham, Village of Pelham and Village of Pelham Manor. It is laughable that these three entities don't combine to form one government and save the taxpayers some money.

[windsorterracemom]

YES! Completely agree. -- they really don't need three governments and four elementary schools for the size of the area and school district -- they could save tons in administrative overhea! It's a real turn-off (especially these days) to see waste in government (even in local gov't -- people are sick of that kind of thing and really cynical about it). I hate trusting tax dollars to illogical people. I don't mind paying high taxes but I'd certainly like to see a town pool for it!! All you seem to get in Pelham are schools. Yes a bit more house for the money than some towns, but the lots are small too -- so it evens out that way. I really like the aesthetic of the houses, but I am really nervous to trust a town gov't that can't seem to figure out how to pare down the gov't overhead and give more amenities for the $$$$. So, I'm skeptical. It's hard to know for sure what's the deal there. I am looking there, but can't seem to decide to buy there -- interesting to see these posts that express similar concerns.

[Cambium]

$700,000 home = rinky dinky land. Total insanity. I was doing work on this million dollar home in Pelham Manor and there was litterally 10 feet of backyard space. The house sat on less than a quarter acre. Such ashame.