I'm not even counting Hoboken b/c it's as costly as places in the city.
Yonkers, yep, you'd still need a car. I guess you could potentially swing it there, but it wouldn't be ideal. Is it the cost savings for not having a car? Because the commutes via train are costly, too.
This isn't necessarily true. I bet you could find a decent two bedroom in Hoboken for about $2500, what you'd probably have to pay for a decent one bedroom in the city.
Jalepeno, I'm not sure what your approx price range is for rent, but IMO as you venture too far away from Manhattan (including parts of Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx) your need for a car increases exponentially. Also, by the time you "save" by living farther away from the city, you will be paying more in transit. NJ Transit, the Long Island Railroad, Metro North etc, all have monthly fares that are comparable with the price of a (used) car. I really think you should stay close to the Bronx, or somewhere easily accessible to the subway in order to keep costs in check.
Yes, now that we are talking about it, you are so correct and I hadn´t thought about it that way before. And people have a really sour taste when it comes to the Bronx, but many of the professors live there, and they really like it so I think we are going to continue to look there, Harlem and Yonkers.
Harlem is a BOOMING community right now. I think you would really like it there. My BIL lives in the Bronx. I will text him later when he gets off work and ask if there are any areas he thinks are better than others.
Jalapenomel, if you're looking in the Bronx, I recommend Riverdale and the Van Cortlandt Park section of the Bronx. I noticed in an earlier post you said you were anticipating about an hour and a half commute. If that's what you're anticipating, you can definitely look in Brooklyn. Bay Ridge is a lovely and affordable area that is very family-friendly and has good shopping and restaurants. A quick check on google maps says it will be just about an hour and a half commute from there to the northern most tip of the Bronx via public transportation. A little less if your H is working a little closer.
Don't live in Montclair without a car. Cute town, we liked living there, but the public transportation was tough, and we only worked in Midtown/Chelsea.
We lived in Union City first. Not a great place, but it wasn't dangerous (at least where we were), and rents are cheaper. The commute into the city was shorter, we took either a Jitney or a bus to the Port Authority (or the 7th circle of Hell, as I liked to call it). You could definitely do this without a car, there is a grocery within walking distance.
I just want to say that if living in NYC is a dream of yours you really have to live in the 5 boroughs. I live in NJ now. My sister lives in Westchester. Both are nice but it is not the same as living in NYC at all.
(by NYC I mean the 5 boroughs, not just Manhattan)
I'm not even counting Hoboken b/c it's as costly as places in the city.
Yonkers, yep, you'd still need a car. I guess you could potentially swing it there, but it wouldn't be ideal. Is it the cost savings for not having a car? Because the commutes via train are costly, too.
We don´t want the extra expense of a car. So if it´s too difficult to live outside the city without a car, then we will stay within the 5 boroughs. It´s the local NYC tax that makes a dent on the budget, and if it wasn´t for that, living in the 5 boroughs would be just fine (although Yonkers has a local tax too).
We figure that living in NYC we will have to commute, and we anticipate having at least 1.5 hours of a commute one way.
There are some cheaper places to live in the boroughs, but I am guessing they are in really shady neighborhoods or out in Rockaway Island (is that what´s it´s called?) and Jamaica.
I don't know why you think 1.5 hours is a normal commute. There are many nice safe areas where you could live and not have that commute. Do you know what subway stop your husband will be closest to his work. Knowing that would really help us find a nice area for you to live in.
If you are trying to avoid the expense of a car, checking the walk score of a neighborhood can be big help. Like others said, you don't want to be somewhere you can't walk to a supermarket or park or need multiple bus/train to bring home groceries.
I worked with someone who grew up on Arthur Ave in the Bronx and continues to live there because she can easily commute, do daycare pickups and its easy to run errands on foot.
Post by Jalapeñomel on Jun 5, 2013 16:46:30 GMT -5
hocus2 I assume 1.5 hours because all of the places we researched in Brooklyn are about that via public transport. And since we don't know what we are doing, we figured we'd air on the side of caution so we aren't surprised.
Post by incognitotoday on Jun 5, 2013 17:06:46 GMT -5
Stamford rent can vary from $1500-$2500/month depending on rooms.
I have two dogs and you have to take into consideration that most charge animal deposit which is common but then additional a pet fee extra per month which to me is ridiculous.
When I looked I was accepting that I'd have to pay a security deposit for me and then for my dogs but wouldn't stand for paying an additional per month for them! So beware of that!
There are so many rentals in downtown Stamford and family friendly. Lots of parks and recreational areas.
Your DH could definitely train it to the Bronx.
It's a nice ride to NYC for weekend activities. And the COL is great. Not to mention, young and easily walkable.
hocus2 I assume 1.5 hours because all of the places we researched in Brooklyn are about that via public transport. And since we don't know what we are doing, we figured we'd air on the side of caution so we aren't surprised.
His stop would be Grand Concourse in the Bronx.
I am vaguely familiar with the area because DD just had a recital at Hostos Community College about 2 weeks ago. A friend of ours came from Queens by subway and said it was not bad at all! I'm just not sure exactly where she lives in Queens. I will get more info from her too. You might want to consider Queens as well.
hocus2 I assume 1.5 hours because all of the places we researched in Brooklyn are about that via public transport. And since we don't know what we are doing, we figured we'd air on the side of caution so we aren't surprised.
His stop would be Grand Concourse in the Bronx.
I live in Brooklyn. I would give myself an hour to make it to the Bronx.
Have you checked out Queens at all? From everything I've heard, Long Island City is affordable and that would be a doable commute. Hunter's Point (I think it is called) is one stop from GCT and is a nice neighborhood on the river.
hocus2 I assume 1.5 hours because all of the places we researched in Brooklyn are about that via public transport. And since we don't know what we are doing, we figured we'd air on the side of caution so we aren't surprised.
His stop would be Grand Concourse in the Bronx.
I live in Brooklyn. I would give myself an hour to make it to the Bronx.
Have you checked out Queens at all? From everything I've heard, Long Island City is affordable and that would be a doable commute. Hunter's Point (I think it is called) is one stop from GCT and is a nice neighborhood on the river.
I haven't really checked out Queens yet...is it not really expensive?
Post by Velar Fricative on Jun 5, 2013 19:02:09 GMT -5
I grew up in Westchester and never learned how to drive, so there's that. I just spent a lot of time in the city.
I'd stay close to the Bronx. That gives you the following living options:
1) Bronx 2) Upper Manhattan 3) Western Queens (the part with quick access to Manhattan) 4) Westchester 3) SW Connecticut
In Westchester, you can live without a car in White Plains or New Rochelle, but the nicer parts can be $$$, especially White Plains. Stamford, CT is a possibility but I almost feel like if you're going to move to NYC, you should pick as affordable and convenient a location as possible that's as close to NYC as possible - IMO, you should live in the Bronx. There's Kingsbridge, Woodlawn, Pelham Bay, Belmont, Country Club, and Van Cortlandt. I also really love City Island but it's more isolated than the rest of the neighborhoods, but it's a great area to stroll through. You won't need a car in the Bronx and while city taxes can be high, the Bronx is more affordable than other parts of NYC and you won't need to pay for Metro-North, a car, etc.
Queens is definitely not more expensive than Harlem. There are certain parts of Queens where you would not want to live (Jamaica for example), but there are nice parts of Queens.
Queens is definitely not more expensive than Harlem. There are certain parts of Queens where you would not want to live (Jamaica for example), but there are nice parts of Queens.
Post by snipsnsnails on Jun 5, 2013 21:43:16 GMT -5
Mel!! You haven't checked out Queens? You need to check out valer (I forget the exact SN-sorry!)'s list above and pursue it in that order! First the Bronx, then Upper Manhattan and Queens. You got this!
Chiming in late to say that I live in Hoboken, commute to Manhattan ( and I went way uptown until recently with one transfer), and I have no car. Hoboken is pricey but more affordable than Manhattan for sure. Of course the commute to the Bronx would be long but the PATH system is great and we also have uptown and downtown ferries going into the city.
It's a great little city with extremely easy access to whatever you want to do in Manhattan. Hoboken is more like a 6th borough than anything, lol.
I live in Brooklyn. I would give myself an hour to make it to the Bronx.
Have you checked out Queens at all? From everything I've heard, Long Island City is affordable and that would be a doable commute. Hunter's Point (I think it is called) is one stop from GCT and is a nice neighborhood on the river.
I haven't really checked out Queens yet...is it not really expensive?
Long Island City has been up and coming for many years now and has become a trendier neighborhood, so it's not as affordable as it used to be. I think Woodside and Jackson Heights are more affordable, and probably wouldn't be a terrible commute to the Bronx.
Bookmarking this. Can I be nosy about your budget? DH and I are planning a move to NYC in the fall and have a 9 month old. Neither of us have a job yet, but I'll likely be working in manhattan and DH would like to be near Brooklyn.
I can give you some of our budget, as we are still trying to work out all the details with me not having a job yet.
Rent: $1700 including heat and water (hopefully) Transportation: $103 (DH only at this point in time) unlimited monthly pass Utilities (electric/gas): $130 (but really I have no idea) Internet: $50+ (depending on if we have to get a phone and/or cable with it, but internet is non-negotiable, LOL) Cell phones: $120 (as basic as we can go) Local Taxes: $120 (although I am not positive on this one yet)
And then we have other expenses like dogs, savings, food, cc debt (ugh), etc.
I can give you some of our budget, as we are still trying to work out all the details with me not having a job yet.
Rent: $1700 including heat and water (hopefully) Transportation: $103 (DH only at this point in time) unlimited monthly pass Utilities (electric/gas): $130 (but really I have no idea) Internet: $50+ (depending on if we have to get a phone and/or cable with it, but internet is non-negotiable, LOL) Cell phones: $120 (as basic as we can go) Local Taxes: $120 (although I am not positive on this one yet)
And then we have other expenses like dogs, savings, food, cc debt (ugh), etc.
Thanks for sharing! Our rent budget is about the same, so I'll continue to stalk your posts to see where you end up.
When will you be heading there? We can commiserate about moving together!
I'm not even counting Hoboken b/c it's as costly as places in the city.
Yonkers, yep, you'd still need a car. I guess you could potentially swing it there, but it wouldn't be ideal. Is it the cost savings for not having a car? Because the commutes via train are costly, too.
We don´t want the extra expense of a car. So if it´s too difficult to live outside the city without a car, then we will stay within the 5 boroughs. It´s the local NYC tax that makes a dent on the budget, and if it wasn´t for that, living in the 5 boroughs would be just fine (although Yonkers has a local tax too).
We figure that living in NYC we will have to commute, and we anticipate having at least 1.5 hours of a commute one way.
There are some cheaper places to live in the boroughs, but I am guessing they are in really shady neighborhoods or out in Rockaway Island (is that what´s it´s called?) and Jamaica.
Having a car and living in most of Jersey will be way cheaper than living in the Boroughs (at least anywhere where I would live).
We don´t want the extra expense of a car. So if it´s too difficult to live outside the city without a car, then we will stay within the 5 boroughs. It´s the local NYC tax that makes a dent on the budget, and if it wasn´t for that, living in the 5 boroughs would be just fine (although Yonkers has a local tax too).
We figure that living in NYC we will have to commute, and we anticipate having at least 1.5 hours of a commute one way.
There are some cheaper places to live in the boroughs, but I am guessing they are in really shady neighborhoods or out in Rockaway Island (is that what´s it´s called?) and Jamaica.
Having a car and living in most of Jersey will be way cheaper than living in the Boroughs (at least anywhere where I would live).
How is this possible between car payments, insurance, gas, parking, registration, etc? Can you elaborate a little more?
Having a car and living in most of Jersey will be way cheaper than living in the Boroughs (at least anywhere where I would live).
How is this possible between car payments, insurance, gas, parking, registration, etc? Can you elaborate a little more?
The key is "anywhere I would live." Which would be more than $1700/month, most likely. I didn't see your budget before.
Anyway, if the car is for you, and not to commute, it wouldn't be that bad. You can get a beater for $2000-3000 (want to buy my car??). Car insurance varies depending on where you live, but mine is approx $800 a year in my neck of NJ (I have low deductibles, though, it can be much cheaper). Gas depends on the type of car, but I spend $200 a month on mine - and I commute 20 miles to work. This can be much lower. Registration in NJ is only $46.50 a year for everyone. Parking- depends where you live but I dont pay any parking.
But living in NJ saves money in other ways. No city tax. Certain areas have 3.5% sales tax instead of 7 (NYC is over 8% IIRC). You can find a rental for $1700 a month or less (we paid $1100 for our apartment 10 years ago). Even things like food are cheaper in NJ than in NYC.
I will say I don't know much about Queens or the Bronx, or Yonkers. My knowledge is limited to Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island. Given those three, I would never live on SI, and the other 2 are far more expensive overall than most of Jersey.
Having a car and living in most of Jersey will be way cheaper than living in the Boroughs (at least anywhere where I would live).
How is this possible between car payments, insurance, gas, parking, registration, etc? Can you elaborate a little more?
Differences in cost of living. New York City is generally way more expensive to live in than the surrounding areas, and the costs associated with owning a car generally would be less than that.
How is this possible between car payments, insurance, gas, parking, registration, etc? Can you elaborate a little more?
The key is "anywhere I would live." Which would be more than $1700/month, most likely. I didn't see your budget before.
Anyway, if the car is for you, and not to commute, it wouldn't be that bad. You can get a beater for $2000-3000 (want to buy my car??). Car insurance varies depending on where you live, but mine is approx $800 a year in my neck of NJ (I have low deductibles, though, it can be much cheaper). Gas depends on the type of car, but I spend $200 a month on mine - and I commute 20 miles to work. This can be much lower. Registration in NJ is only $46.50 a year for everyone. Parking- depends where you live but I dont pay any parking.
But living in NJ saves money in other ways. No city tax. Certain areas have 3.5% sales tax instead of 7 (NYC is over 8% IIRC). You can find a rental for $1700 a month or less (we paid $1100 for our apartment 10 years ago). Even things like food are cheaper in NJ than in NYC.
I will say I don't know much about Queens or the Bronx, or Yonkers. My knowledge is limited to Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island. Given those three, I would never live on SI, and the other 2 are far more expensive overall than most of Jersey.
FWIW, I love Montclair.
I don´t think it would be very economical for us to have the expenses of a car and the expenses of commuting. However, I do really miss driving, and I really miss owning a car.