Is it really worth it? S/O moving to monsey.

amother

Blonde

Mon, Mar 22 2021, 8:30 pm

We moved from Williamsburg a decade ago. I miss Brooklyn but I don't regret it. DH is from Monsey and when we got engaged we agreed that we'll move to Monsey. We have a lot of family here. Even if I would hate it, I wouldn't go back because the kids here grow up so differently. They're outside from Pesach till chanukah. We have a huge lawn and a bunch of neighbors. The girls can ride bikes and rollerblades without issue. They're growing up on a block with all types of Jews and are learning to accept and tolerate everyone. Schools here are more diverse as well. Cost of living I find is more here than in Williamsburg. Housing is cheaper (but prices are rising, not so cheap anymore.), but everything else is more expensive. Clothing, shoes, groceries....
If I would still be living in Brooklyn, I would not move to Monsey at this point. The traffic is hell, the shopping situation is crazy. Let's not even discuss the getting into schools situation. There's almost nothing to come for anymore.

amother

Mon, Mar 22 2021, 8:34 pm

I am considering moving from BP to Monsey, but have a bunch of doubts:
a) I have some relatives there, but not much. My siblings, parents and in-laws live in BP.
b) I have a great part-time job in Brooklyn (paying close to 10k over 9 months, with summers off). Not sure what type of job I can get in Monsey? (I have an MS.Ed, but not willing to work in spec. Ed school setting, as I prefer challenged students in gen. Ed setting).
c) I don't drive and will not get a drivers license (I have a phobia of driving).

Is it still worth it? why?

amother

Floralwhite

Mon, Mar 22 2021, 8:40 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

For all those who relocated from Brooklyn to Monsey:
Was it really worth the hassle, adjustment, etc.?
What did you find difficult about the move?
How would you compare the overall cost of living of Monsey vs. NYC (excluding housing)?

Please specify:
Which area in Brooklyn are you from originally?
What type of job do you have?

I don't regret my decision but I do miss my family.

It wasn't a hassle but was difficult to adjust. I loved and still love city life, as in hustle bustle. Though I did learn to enjoy privacy. [I do not want to buy a house in a condo, but yes semi-private, if I'll be able to afford.]

The difficulties about my move are, no family from my side here. Many things are not walking distance, and even if yes, hilly, which makes it hard. Though personally, I do walk a lot. (I don't drive.) The empty streets. The quietness as a whole. 10pm it's pitch dark and quiet. Some things I got used to by now while other things is still hard sometimes.

The cost I think is generally the same, for me. With things being cheaper here that's more expensive there and vice versa, I think it balances out.

I'm from Williamsburg.

I don't normally work.

ETA-I gotta add the good parts, reading amothers above post. I agree and love the fact of the diversity of Jews here. And the being outdoors for half of the year ha. I always always loved the outdoors and my kids love being out too. Oh and we got pools here. (I'm not planning to own one but love swimming, and I go the most I can.)

amother

Firebrick

Mon, Mar 22 2021, 9:50 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I moved from Brooklyn to Monsey. I liked the place right away but there where so much hardships the first few years, had I known before I would not have moved. With driving you'll get used to taking taxis and you have some family. But a good job is a really a hard thing to drop

thunderstorm

Mon, Mar 22 2021, 10:02 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I live in the Monsey area for over 20 years and I don’t drive due to a phobia and let me tell you , I suffer terribly because of it. Perhaps if you lived in the center of Monsey , nowadays you can get around. But I live far out and it’s over an hour walk to get to work or $16 a way in a taxi (Includes a stop to get my daughter from the babysitter , 3 blocks away from my house).
If your DH doesn’t mind you being completely dependent on him then it’s not so difficult. But if you need kids carpooled 4 times a day on Sunday to school and back, and to night Seder and back 25 minutes each way and nobody else around your neighborhood that goes to that school , it’s really a tircha.
A new boy from Brooklyn just joined my son’s Yeshiva this year and they are doing a carpool with my DH and someone else. The guy said that if he had known how much travel there was just to get one kid back and forth from mesivta he would have never moved here. And this is a guy that has people taking turns with him. There were years my DH did it all on his own with nobody to share the burden with.
If my kids took taxis to get to and from school, if I took one to and from work and if we just wanted to go to and from the grocery , all on the same day it would cost me over $100 in taxis. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that kind of money.
I was miserable for many years because I don’t drive. I still don’t love Monsey. I never did. But at this point I would never go back to Brooklyn either.

amother

Tue, Mar 23 2021, 12:06 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Question: Are there any well-paying jobs (requiring Spec. Ed license) in Monsey, but not in a Spec. Ed school?

amother

Pink

Tue, Mar 23 2021, 12:49 am

amother [ Blonde ] wrote:

Curious which neighborhood you live. Do you mind to share?

amother

Burgundy

Tue, Mar 23 2021, 1:37 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Question: Are there any well-paying jobs (requiring Spec. Ed license) in Monsey, but not in a Spec. Ed school?

Monsey jobs pay half of what Brooklyn ate! There are not that great jobs here. There’s so much about monsey you should research before coming and no it’s not cheaper living. Schooling for kids is way different and hard to get Into

amother

Forestgreen

Tue, Mar 23 2021, 1:50 am

I didn't move yet although we considered it strongly because of all these concerns others listed. If you want to work part time it wont be worth it because you need to take a car service. It is much easier to fall into debt in Monsey because the cost of living is higher and parnassa is harder. (you cant get away with expenses like transportation, property taxes ect.) I know someone with a special ed degree who is in debt in Monsey; she cant get a decent paying job. Pros of the city: Family is very very important to me. I hang out with my sisters a lot. Also my kids are getting older and I like they should have independence to go and come. I value my independence as well. I do get to go to the Catskills for the summer (and sometimes through the year) so I get my fix of nature (I wouldn't be able to live in the city without having this opportunity because I am a sucker for nature. ) I will eventually move but for now I am enjoying every ounce of my convenience.

cnc

Tue, Mar 23 2021, 6:59 am

amother [ Salmon ] wrote:

10K for a 9 months job is a joke.
That is around $280 a week.
You can find a job like that anywhere.
If you have no family there and don’t want to drive, what are your reasons for considering it?

She wrote part time , so I’m not sure if the pay is actually a joke. We don’t know how many hours a week she works.
But I can say that the pay in Monsey is a joke compared to Brooklyn, especially in the special ed field. For example , Title One teachers in Brooklyn are paid in the $50 an hour range. In Monsey , the Title One teachers that I know are making $20-$25 an hour .

southernbubby

Tue, Mar 23 2021, 8:21 am

We moved to Monsey a little over 2 years ago and hope that we can move to Florida before Rosh Hashanah.
There are lots of good things here but there is a huge amount of garbage all over the place and traffic. I love the shopping because I came from Detroit where there wasn't much frum shopping but I don't like crowds. I also don't speak Yiddish or Spanish.
A lot more housing is being developed here so I think that the traffic is going to get worse but traffic in Williamsburg is crazy also.

amother

Blonde

Tue, Mar 23 2021, 10:51 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Please specify: What are the pros that are outweighing the cons?

The pro's are basically all kids related which is basically the only thing that makes living here worth it at this point.
The kids are outside alot.
They're growing up with all types of jews. They don't only see chassidish jews.
Things are unacceptable for kids to do in Williamsburg, they get to do here.
We don't need to go to a bungalow colony.
The way the kids are growing up here makes it worth living here.

amother

Blonde

Tue, Mar 23 2021, 10:53 am

amother [ Pink ] wrote:

Curious which neighborhood you live. Do you mind to share?

We live on a dead end somewhere off Union Road. It's the best thing bh. We've outgrown our apartment and are looking for 2 years already, we haven't seen a block that's as good as where we're living now and I'm not ready to give it up so fast. The new houses being built are tiny rooms and no grass. There's lot's of grass on our block.