Why dont more people move to Baltimore? Philly? Or farther?

amother

Burlywood

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 8:36 am

Following Lakewood threads and scratching my head. Why do people move there? Dont people realize that Baltimore has so much to offer? These Toms River houses seem comprable in size and price to the Beazer homes in Baltimore. And there are no school issues! Same with Philly. What is so magnetic about Lakewood? (Other than family)

Fwiw, Baltimore has homes for under $200,000 and many in the $300-400 range. My home was $190 a few months ago!! $900/year in taxes!!

And why not look even further out also? The whole country has so much to offer! Whats the draw? All we hear is “dont move to Lakewood, the infrastructure isnt built for so many people”. So many kehhilos would LOVE more yidden!!

Only anon because I never post my location under my screen name.

amother

Red

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 9:28 am

I don't live in Lakewood, but the reason I stay in NY is because of family. You put "besides for family" in parentheses, but for some people it is not parenthetical, and it is important enough to be a major deciding factor in their decision of where to live. That being said, for those for whom that is not a major consideration, I totally hear and agree with your point.

amother

Burlywood

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 9:38 am

So the point of my post isnt really adressed to you. I wasnt wonderinf why people stay in NY... Its to the people who are davka looking to move and davka choose Lakewood.

fraimal

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 9:41 am

My in-laws are from Baltimore and told me that BY of Baltimore middle school tuition is 12,500. My daughters full tuition in Lakewood for 5th grade is a bit under 5k for full tuition! That's a HUGE diff! And that's just for one kid.

amother

Burlywood

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 9:47 am

fraimal wrote:

But what good is low tuition if you cant get in to school? And when you include the difference in property taxes, Baltimore STILL comes out cheaper!

amother

Pumpkin

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 9:48 am

And food is more expensive too. In the end I think expenses prettyuch even out. The reason I would move to Lakewood is because there are so many frum people there! I love that! All different kinds, doing so many different things. Kind of the feeling of being in israel, you belong. I love the huge variety of kosher eateries and clothing stores. And yes family is huge! Being part of the Chanukah parties and Purim parties inviting for Shabbos and yt....

fraimal

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 9:49 am

amother wrote:

But what good is low tuition if you cant get in to school? And when you include the difference in property taxes, Baltimore STILL comes out cheaper!

True point. I thought u were just comparing cost of living

amother

Seashell

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 10:18 am

I'm amazed at how people see Lakewood as living close to family in NY. When people from Lakewood come in for a simcha or for Purim seudah, it can easily take over two hours. And they somehow see this as local (and are expected and expect to attend accordingly). If I live in Baltimore and am invited to a Purim seudah in Philadelphia, I'm likely not going- it's almost a 2 hour drive. Which is considered far.

So I think a lot of it is mentality. Lakewood is still considered "in town", despite the fact that to get there, you drive past several frum communities that are usually considered "out of town". Somehow, the commutes shorten in people's minds. And somehow, neither the parents or the kids consider it "moving away." Philadelphia is maybe a half hour farther from Brooklyn than Lakewood, yet it is considered a different world.

amother

Babyblue

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 11:05 am

We did the move, and financially came out behind. We ended up moving back. It just didn't make sense. Our salaries are MUCH higher in NY, our tuition is probably lower, and we don't miss family simchas or incurr the costs of traveling to them. While I have no irrational need to live in the NY area, there were no advantages to living outside of the area for us.

amother

Burlywood

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 11:13 am

amother wrote:

Just re: tuition, it comes out the same or better when you factor in the massive difference in property taxes. Salaries can differ, true, depending on the job. But some salaries are way higher that farther away from NY. My husband made 80k as a rebbe in Texas. He couldnt even GET a rebbe job when we lived in NY....

But again, I’m specifically wondering why LAKEWOOD. Esp considering how hard getting into a school is.

amother

Babyblue

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 11:18 am

amother wrote:

Saying the property taxes makes up the difference is not necessarily the case. Especially, if you're talking 6 kids or more. Property taxes in many areas are not crazy either. All I'm saying, is that it's a numbers game. Many people will not come out ahead and many people will.

amother

Burlywood

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 11:25 am

amother wrote:

Saying the property taxes makes up the difference is not necessarily the case. Especially, if you're talking 6 kids or more. Property taxes in many areas are not crazy either. It's a numbers game. All I'm saying, is that it's a numbers game. Many people will not come out ahead and many people will.

But in time, those 6 kids will be out of school and you’ll need that extra 12k a year that you’re stuck paying in property taxes for other things. Like wedding making or kollel son in law supporting.

amother

Babyblue

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 11:41 am

amother wrote:

You're simplifying. My property taxes are about 6k a year more than they were in Baltimore. My tuition is in the range of 40k less a year. We are making at least 60 percent more here. Frankly, we weren't surviving there. Forget about making weddings.

amother

Babyblue

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 11:45 am

amother wrote:

Btw, the 40k is a guesstimate. At the time, Baltimore would not give us a tuition break. I'm not sure how it would be now.

amother

Burlywood

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 12:05 pm

amother wrote:

Btw, the 40k is a guesstimate. At the time, Baltimore would not give us a tuition break. I'm not sure how it would be now.

The point I’m making, or rather the question I’m asking (which you keep over looking), is why on earth move to LAKEWOOD when other communities have to much to offer and not the heartache of schools. Cost of living and much more.

amother

Slategray

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 12:24 pm

I grew up in Baltimore and loved it but we missed out on a lot of family events in Brooklyn because it was too far to drive with a family of small children. I see that people in Lakewood travel to Brooklyn much more often. For people who don't want to be that far away, Lakewood is their only option.

amother

Dodgerblue

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 1:12 pm

I'm also not so convinced tuition is going to stay so cheap for working people in Lakewood.

My son's tuition just went up 2000 a child. And I have more then one child in the school. And it was higher then most to start with. I heard a few schools are heading more in that direction.

While Lakewood is closer to NY - so many people travel 4 hours Plus on Purim for the seuda. Its close but sometimes ends up being a pain because it really is not THAT close. And working is torture for some. Its a ton a of commute (not that I'm one to talk my DH commutes 1 1/2 hours each way south...but at least there is no traffic and much less tolls)

amother

Babyblue

Mon, Jul 30 2018, 1:17 pm

amother wrote:

I get that. We don't live in Lakewood. I'm guessing people are desperate. Although, some of them probably just want fancy/large houses. Some of my husband's coworkers did it because it was the best case scenario for them financially. They work in Manhattan with a city salary, with a tough but manageable commute, but not city cost of living. I personally would not move there, but that is their rational.