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Forum -> Inquiries & Offers -> Moving/ Relocating

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amother

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 8:57 pm

In my quest for the "perfect" community, I made a list of my "wants" and one of my "needs" and now have to find a community to match up somewhere in the NY area (preferably not LI but will consider). We are MO - middle of the road MO, in my opinion Smile

NEEDS
- 3+ bedrooms, 2+ baths; nice kitchen; SPACE
- commute w/in one hour of midtown west
- eruv
- good schools nearby (can be mixed or separate, good secular studies)
- parking spot
- short drive to non-boring area
- washer/dryer in house/apt
- quiet area
- pretty area
- not snobbish

WANTS
- smaller, friendly community but close to larger one w/resources (mikva, shopping, takeout, etc all ok w/in driving distance)
- shul with children's groups on Shabbos
- Sephardic minyan
- house instead of apartment (but will consider large apartment)
- community comprised of all age groups (so not older, dying community, but not all young couples either)

Is this realistic? Or am I dreaming of a place that doesn't exist? Oh and I don't want to spend much more than $3K a month on housing costs all told - rent or mortgage, maintenance, taxes, etc etc.

Thank you for any suggestions!!!

jewels

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 9:21 pm

Have you looked into Passaic or Teaneck? Both have many of the needs and wants on your list.

amother

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 9:30 pm

OP here. Jewels, thanks so much for replying, I was afraid no one would Smile

Passaic, I think, is too RW for us and Teaneck too large. I wouldn't mind a smaller community near Teaneck. I like the Bergen County school choices (and the Teaneck restaurant choices!) but I am afraid we would get lost in such a large community. I just know us and that is my sense. We know some people who live there but not so many.

I don't know what the smaller communities near Teaneck are that meet my other criteria. Any ideas?

nicole81

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 10:09 pm

Are you considering Brooklyn? Because I think Mill Basin fits all of your criteria. I'm not positive about the commute, but I think with the express bus you might be OK.

It's really like an out of town community. And when we want to shop/eat/whatever, in a larger community, we just drive to flatbush Smile

amother

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 10:22 pm

Thanks, Nicole, we'll look into it! I am curious though in terms of schools - where would we send? I am pretty familiar with the Brooklyn schools and can't think of any that are MO and also strong in secular studies. Yeshivah of Flatbush is not an option for us for various reasons. I would hate to have to shlep my kids really far away for school.

rain

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 10:32 pm

hillcrest or jamaica estates in queens
five towns on long island, maybe woodmere

nicole81

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 10:32 pm

Derech hatorah for boys, shulamith for girls.

Or Yeshiva of Belle harbor (coed, a 10 minute drive from here.)

Additionally, there is Yeshiva of Crown Heights (in Mill Basin) but it's not for everyone. It is a kiruv school, but each year more and more kids from frum families are joining the school. We are still in the minority, but a growing presence. And despite past reputation, with their new principal, I'm finding the academics amazing (my oldest is only in first grade though, so I don't know about upper grades.)

amother

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 10:39 pm

Around teaneck you've got fairlawn, englewood, and bergenfield. Plus teaneck may seem large but most areas are smaller neighborhoods once you settle in. You have you shul and find a niche there.

SplitPea

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 10:40 pm

I know you said no long isoand but have you looked into West hempstead? There is a sephardic minyon at the young israel yery nice rw mo community small but you have the five towns very close to get what you need.

Also Holliswood queens housing is cheap there and available and they always welcome new families to shabbatons or to visit for shabbos. Pretty MO community but with a very small town feel. you have KGH very close. (no sephardic minyon)

both have good schools around both mixed and separate Smile

msym

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 10:47 pm

sounds like west hempstead, LI would be what you are looking for

Mimisinger

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 10:49 pm

I would also say West Hempstead. Esp. if you're more to the left.

amother

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 10:54 pm

Deal/Long Branch area.

celesteno

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 11:05 pm

Have you considered Queens? Kew Garden Hills seems to have most of what you're looking for.

amother

Tue, Sep 13 2011, 11:33 pm

Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn -
The area has what you are looking for but would likely take time to find.

shabri

Wed, Sep 14 2011, 2:31 am

How about Hillside, NJ. Right next to Elizabeth.

amother

Wed, Sep 14 2011, 9:23 am

How about Edison/Highland Park, NJ? There is a Sephardic congregation in the heart of Highand Park, but you might get more space and lower taxes in Edison.

SingALong

Wed, Sep 14 2011, 9:47 am

west orange/elizabeth

another vote for highland park/edison

yo'ma

Wed, Sep 14 2011, 10:04 am

I have no opinion on any of these places, but do these places have an eruv. I know highland park does, but the other places do? I have a friend who lives in w. hempstead and loves it and family who lives in highland park and I love it Wink

nicole81

Wed, Sep 14 2011, 10:18 am

yo'ma wrote:

Mill Basin has an eruv that is accepted by probably about 99% of the community.

abby1776

Wed, Sep 14 2011, 11:21 am

I think your problem is the one hour to midtown west side commute. One hour or less is expensive. None of the places listed are really within an hour to midtown west. 1 hour 15 minutes, 1 hour and 1/2 maybe.

You might want to look into areas of Westchester like White Plains which has a growing MO community, Mount Vernon (very small but friendly, very close to NYC by train), North Riverdale/Yonkers (which is more urban but you can buy a house for a reasonable amount), or Stamford Conn.

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