Living year round in the Catskilld as a family

amother

Puce

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 7:00 am

About 15 year ago, there was a tiny community in Ellenville. The kids commuted half an hour to school in Monsey. I understand prices in the Catskills are going up, as transplants from New York City move in.

amother

Babypink

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 7:04 am

amother [ Puce ] wrote:

I know someone who did this two years ago. She said it was very very hard and she moved back to Brooklyn.
I also know someone who grew up in Fallsburg. She had to dorm for high school but by now there's a small high school there.

amother

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 7:14 am

amother [ Babypink ] wrote:

What made living there very very hard?

amother

Coffee

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 7:17 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Curious. Anybody do it? Please share. Thank you!

I grew up in the Catskills. I think it depends on what area you are planning to move to, and if your kids would be able to go to school there as opposed to commuting every day.

amother

Puce

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 7:20 am

It depends if you and your kids need lots of people around, or are happy with a small community and beautiful surroundings - city mouse and country mouse have different needs. If you can work remotely but occasionally need to be in New York City, you can move to the Catskills and have a great lifestyle at a reasonable price. But you have to like that lifestyle, and not everyone does.

amother

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 7:29 am

amother [ Puce ] wrote:

This! Tell more about the "great lifestyle." If you don't live in S. Fallsburg then where else? How hard is it to get around in the winter? Where are the eruvin? What are the schools like? Have heard of Torah Day School and Yeshiva of Fallsburg but that is it...

amother

Puce

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 7:51 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Haven't been there in a while, so I'm out of date. I don't want to mislead you. The great lifestyle is being able to buy a big house - with land! - for a fraction of what it would cost New York (or even the suburbs) and having hiking, biking and skiing nearby. You'll need a serious 4 wheel drive to get around.

southernbubby

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 8:05 am

My kids have winterized bungalows and they come during the winter months too. Only one of the kosher stores is open year round and ShopRite and Walmart have less heimishe food items when the summer crowd leaves. There is not tons of shopping in Sullivan county and everything is very spread out. Ellenville is trying to rebuild the community but people still have to have a way to make a living. Obviously if a group of people committed to staying here all year, there could be more of a community.

amother

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 8:06 am

amother [ Puce ] wrote:

How are the non jewish neighbors? If want to buy in a homeowners association will there be " issues?"

amother

Dodgerblue

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 8:15 am

I know someone who grew up in mountaindale.
I knew a few people who lived in south fallsburg.
These people lived there because their parents were connected to the yeshivas in the area.
The south fallsburg grocery is op all year round .
Op, did you want to be part of the yeshiva community or you just want a quiet place with a house with land?
You’ll probably be lonely if you are not part of the yeshiva.
If you are coming from Brooklyn I can understand your need to want to move and have more space. Would you consider Lakewood or monsey? Usually the surrounding neighborhoods have houses selling for less. And you would be part of a community...

southernbubby

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 8:22 am

amother [ Dodgerblue ] wrote:

Property taxes in Monsey are the highest in the nation so factor it in. There is a lot of traffic in Monsey and getting into schools is not a guarantee. I would love to see frum people have more affordable housing.

amother

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 8:26 am

amother [ Dodgerblue ] wrote:

There is the issue! Want to have a house and land for kids to run in. Unlike Brooklyn.
Would probably send to Torah Day School so wonder if there is a community there?

amother

Puce

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 8:27 am

southernbubby wrote:

Property taxes in Rockland county are roughly 1.73% of the home's value. In neighboring Bergen county, it's 2.3%.

amother

Dodgerblue

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 8:35 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

There is the issue! Want to have a house and land for kids to run in. Unlike Brooklyn.
Would probably send to Torah Day School so wonder if there is a community there?

So consider Lakewood or Jackson which borders Lakewood.
Houses are much more affordable than ny. They are bigger and always has land. There’s a great mix of people so everyone fits in.
And it doesn’t shut down in the frigid freeze of winter...

southernbubby

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 8:38 am

amother [ Puce ] wrote:

Property taxes in Rockland county are roughly 1.73% of the home's value. In neighboring Bergen county, it's 2.3%.

So a house valued at $500k would cost almost $900 a month in property taxes.

amother

Slateblue

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 8:40 am

I know someone who is moving to the country in PA (2 hours from Brooklyn). Her older children will commute/sleep in Brooklyn. Her younger children will be homeschooled. Anyway we don’t know yet what school will look like next year. It’s a good time to try it if it is something you always wanted to try.

amother

Sun, Jul 19 2020, 8:41 am

southernbubby wrote:

So a house valued at $500k would cost almost $900 a month in property taxes.

I hear about outside Lakewood but $500k is too much in mortgage payments. Also need more MO type schools.