Moving to flatbush

amother

Mintgreen

Fri, Dec 29 2023, 9:52 am

Flatbush isn't dead its just not as crowded as it used to be. Housing is expensive but in marine park you can definitely find under a million. And the shuls in marine park are all crowded. Schools are not as full as they used to be which is actually a nice thing as you have an easier time getting in. Summers depends on the block...where I live there are plenty of people home.

amother

Acacia

Fri, Dec 29 2023, 10:00 am

Honestly, no one moves to flatbush nowadays from out of Brooklyn. The only ones here are the ones who grew up here.

Syrian community is growing, but ashkenaz is dying and will continue to decline. I will say that the Syrian families that I known who don't have strong family financial support are really struggling. They don't want to move out but really can't make it here.

Marine park housing is not cheap. Under a million means 800-900k and most likely the house is old and needs work, so it's basically a million. It's not like when people say "cheaper" they mean 600k.

The schools are easy to get into, though, which is nice. It is quieter in the summer but I actually enjoy that.

We don't own a home, though, and are never going to be able to buy one, so I don't know what our future is. I'm terrified. I don't have the mental/emotional wherewithal to turn my life upside down by moving, but we also can't rent forever. It's horrible and I wish we never would have started out here. I strongly advise young married couples not to start out in Flatbush. Unless they have parents who can help them buy a home, they are setting themselves up for huge issues down the line.

amother

Sage

Fri, Dec 29 2023, 10:04 am

amother Acacia wrote:

Agree 100%
Especially with your last paragraph. We are in the same boat. Word for word.
Why do you plan to move here OP?

amother

Acacia

Fri, Dec 29 2023, 10:17 am

I think the people who say marine park is cheaper are the ones who bought years ago (even 7 or so years ago) when MP really was cheaper. Now it's all the same craziness.
Midwood is above a million, marine park is SLIGHTLY below a million. Still completely out of reach for anyone with zero family help buying a house and jobs that don't make them millionaires

amother

Green

Fri, Dec 29 2023, 10:21 am

amother Sage wrote:

Agree 100%
Especially with your last paragraph. We are in the same boat. Word for word.
Why do you plan to move here OP?

I am from the Midwest, married a Brooklyn boy and was there was 7 years. I was happy there but I saw so many people a stage ahead of me in life who jsut got stuck in flatbush. They couldn’t afford to buy and they didn’t want to uproot their kids so they made do but they Al
Dreamed of moving out and buying a house.when my oldest was five I told dh we are moving out now before we get stuck and it was the smartest thing we ever did!

amother

Impatiens

Fri, Dec 29 2023, 10:37 am

I'm almost 30 and I live in Flatbush too and I don't think it's like you are all making it out to be. I live in the I-j area and high 20s. Houses go for mid 700-900 range on my block.

My sister just bought in Marine park. Move in condition, 14 feet wide, 3 bedrooms and she paid mid 600 for it. And yes, there are other Jewish families on her block. She didn't go until the edge.

We both started in cheap apartments, worked really hard and saved every dollar we could until we had enough for a down payment.

Yes, the schools have gotten a bit smaller but most people I talk to, love living here and don't plan on going anywhere. It's a really nice place to live especially if you have family here that you want to live nearby.

amother

DarkMagenta

Fri, Dec 29 2023, 11:47 am

amother OP wrote:

What is Flatbush like in the past ten years? Is it still what it was 30 years ago or is it a dying community? Which blocks are the central blocks now and what is pricing like ?

Definitely less people and schools are shrinking. Many schools that used to have 2 classes per grade now have 1. That doesn't really effect my kids.... They have plenty of friends.... If your young though while your oldest might have lots of kids in his age group, if you have your youngest in 20 yrs, who knows what it will be like then.....

We are happy here, doesn't bother us that it's smaller then before, still plenty of places to shop, schools to choose from, kids to play, things going on an etc.... it's a bit quieter in the summer but still plenty of people around and we all appreciate the easier parking.

That said, we are moving OOT next year. I'm not sure how the poster who wrote someone got a house in 600's did that. We looked for a very long time. The cheapest that was possible to find that was in good condition was 750 in marine park (most of houses that come up for that price there needed work, this one didn't although it took time till something like that came up - so expect more like in the 800's minimum if you don't want to have to do a lot of work). I don't see how you can go cheaper unless you get a co-op or move to an area with no other Jewish families. We didn't get the house for 750 bec it was tiny - think 3 small bedrooms upstairs, kitchen, dinning room/living main floor and a basement.

We are nervous to move - not easy with bigger kids already and wish we had done in a few years ago.... but we didn't want to give up on Brooklyn so fast and then it took time for us to find jobs oot. We are hoping the bigger space will make it worth it though.

amother

Bisque

Fri, Dec 29 2023, 1:31 pm

amother Acacia wrote:

My husband and I are both from OOT and we moved to Flatbush because he was learning here. I wouldn’t tell married couples not to start off here. I have no intention of staying, the quality of life is just not what I would want to give to my children long term. But to start off, there are great job opportunities in both of our fields that have allowed us to save a nice amount. My husband has a whole network of friends a rebbeim here. When interest rates come down a bit we plan on moving to Passaic or Monsey.

amother

Green

Fri, Dec 29 2023, 2:06 pm

amother Peru wrote:

Lakewood is the same price if not more.
If you can afford Lakewood you can afford Flatbush.
You prob can save more money living in Flatbush bec you don’t need 2 cars and there are more benefits/ programs for your kids in NY

There is no comparison between Lakewood and flatbush. You may have one million dollar homes in both places but you are not getting the same product. Move that brand new 3000 sqft home home with a yard and driveway to flatbush and It’s worth five million dollars. Your one million dollar flatbush home is probably attached on on one side if not both, has a shared driveway, and is at best 1600 sqft and not brand new, was built in 1909.

amother

Acacia

Fri, Dec 29 2023, 2:41 pm

amother Peru wrote:

That is not true. I have siblings looking for a house in lakewood and they have looked at houses that are 500-600k. You can barely get a condo or co-op in flatbush for that price, let alone a house.