Difference between Far Rockaway and 5 Towns?

Ema of 5

Thu, Sep 02 2021, 9:07 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Can you please tell me more?

I'm moving from a totally different area. Looking for a low key, out-of-town flavor. We are in between yeshivish and MO, not in either side. I'm told Bayswater may be a good fit but when looking at real estate the houses look a lot nicer farther out. But I just really don't know what I'm looking at.

I live in Bayswater. I absolutely detest NY, I was not born/raised in NY. Bayswater is perfect for me. I have everything I need nearby- schools, shuls, grocery stores, etc- but I don’t feel like I’m living in NY. It’s quiet, no one cares what anyone looks like or how they dress or whatever. I’m also between Yeshiva’s and MO. If you would like, I can put you in touch with some real estate agents locally. If you have any questions, feel free to message me and I will do my best to help you.

amother

Pansy

Thu, Sep 02 2021, 9:12 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Yes, I did say that a basement or attic fit for use as a bedroom would count for me as a 4th bedroom. Point is we need at least 4 separate places for people to sleep and not crowd the bathrooms either. Still, it sounds like Far Rockaway and Bayswater are significantly more affordable than the 5 towns. What is the difference in the income tax? What's worse, 5 towns property tax or NYC income tax?

I'm intrigued about West Hempstead. What would the commute be like to work in Far Rockaway? I looked on Zillow and it looks like the prices are in a similar range to Far Rockaway but for houses that are nicer and on larger properties. In what way is it more low key though? People are living in fancier houses but with a more down to earth lifestyle? That's the intriguing part I guess.

Far Rockaway is not cheaper than 5T. More expensive usually and the houses are smaller and older. Yes the taxes are cheaper.

West Hempstead is definitely more OOT. Has a bigger MO community than Far Rockaway- very laid back place. I have a couple friends living there and they love it.

Mom/Bubby/Morah

Thu, Sep 02 2021, 9:36 pm

Unfortunately if a house is 950 in Far Rockaway then it is a tear down or at best needs a gut renovation. It sounds to me like Bayswater or west Hempstead would be your best bet. Bayswater is a seven minute commute or less to Far Rockaway, West Hempstead is probably 25 to 40 minutes depending on the time of day. Bayswater is technically in Far Rockaway but it’s a different neighborhood than the main Far Rockaway Jewish area. The neighborhood in between is unsafe to walk through so your child will not have friends to walk to on Shabbos if they live in Far Rockaway or the Five Towns .

Ema of 5

Thu, Sep 02 2021, 9:58 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

It's funny because until just now I was pretty sure I heard that Bayswater is in Far Rockaway. Now it sounds like separate planets. Go figure. Do you feel safe there? I know people in Brooklyn who just don't feel safe in NY at all and I don't know if that's everywhere.

Technically, Bayswater is in Far Rockaway, and both are part of Queens. There are a few blocks of “hood” “ghetto” whatever you want to call it, that separate Bayswater from Far Rockaway proper. I feel very safe here. I even (gasp!!) go walking at night sometimes. Then again, I grew up in Miami. Most people I know who grew up in NY don’t feel safe on those few blocks that separate Bayswater and FR, but it doesn’t phase me.

Ema of 5

Thu, Sep 02 2021, 10:05 pm

Mom/Bubby/Morah wrote:

Right now, because of the construction, it takes me 7-10 minutes in the morning to get from my house (center of Bayswater) to beach 9th and Hicksville, near BBY.
There are plenty of kids in Bayswater who go to Darchei, YOSS, and to a lesser extent HALB. The cool thing is that, here, kids are friends with kids from other schools. There are plenty of grin families here, and there is no shortage of kids. It’s not even so far away that you can’t take your kid to far rockaway or the 5T for shabbos, if they want to be with classmates who don’t live in the area.

amother

Aconite

Thu, Sep 02 2021, 10:25 pm

The blocks between Bayswater and Far Rockaway are totally safe to walk during the day, but I wouldn’t send a kid through by themselves. (People from 5 Towns are scared to even drive through.) It’s at least a 25 minute walk, depending where you’re going. I’d say that neither Bayswater nor Far Rockaway feel as safe as 5 Towns, but they are both generally safe. There are some blocks with gang violence, but it’s pretty much contained to there and you have no reason to go there at night. Last year there was a shooting related to a drug deal on my street in Far Rockaway, so it’s not like there’s never violence, but it’s rare.

amother

Babypink

Fri, Sep 03 2021, 8:51 am

There is a huge overlap in crowd between 5towns and far rockaway but I would tell you to research the schools first and then start looking at specific neighborhoods. Darchei, YOSS, YKLI and HALB all have people identifying as JPF yet in certain areas of far rockaway and inwood you will find very few if any halb or yoss kids.

The area of Far Rockaway near Lawrence is very nice and very expensive. The area near Darchei is not as nice and a lot cheaper. It does lean more to the right there though.

I grew up oot and always envisioned myself settling oot. I am living here now and extremely happy. The five towns has a bad rep for being a snobby wealthy crowd but that is a gross generalization. Research the blocks you are looking to buy on and iyh you will end up very happy!

amother

Pumpkin

Fri, Sep 03 2021, 8:56 am

amother [ Bronze ] wrote:

I dont think Far Rockaway or the 5 Towns are particularly low key. You can always get lucky with a good block but you shouldn't expect it. Bayswater is the most low key area you will find locally.

What do you mean by low key?
I'm asking for real. I'm not familiar with this term. (English is not my first language)

amother

Fri, Sep 03 2021, 9:41 am

Babypink amother from OOT, where did you end up?

I am looking more at girls' schools than boys' and I'm having a hard time telling them apart. HALB is definitely too modern for us but between BBY, TAG, and AM they all seem so overlapping I don't know what to make of it. At first I heard BBY was more yeshivish than TAG, but I know some really yeshivish people sending to TAG. I'm also OK with my kids in either more or less yeshivish - their current school is run by yeshivish people but has a more mixed student body, definitely leaning yeshivish but plenty of JPF. My priority is strong education, strong social-emotional-middos support, and again having nice down to earth people where you don't feel pressure on superficial things.

amother

Lightcyan

Fri, Sep 03 2021, 9:53 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Babypink amother from OOT, where did you end up?

I am looking more at girls' schools than boys' and I'm having a hard time telling them apart. HALB is definitely too modern for us but between BBY, TAG, and TM they all seem so overlapping I don't know what to make of it. At first I heard BBY was more yeshivish than TAG, but I know some really yeshivish people sending to TAG. I'm also OK with my kids in either more or less yeshivish - their current school is run by yeshivish people but has a more mixed student body, definitely leaning yeshivish but plenty of JPF. My priority is strong education, strong social-emotional-middos support, and again having nice down to earth people where you don't feel pressure on superficial things.

BBY kind of has this unofficial reputation of being the 'most yeshivish' girls' school in the area. In reality, the parent body ranges just like it does in any other school. It is smaller and harder to get in to. Officially, their rules are the strictest of the local schools (I think they ask for no internet at home or only filtered internet), but are they actually enforced? Not so much.

The majority of the most 'five towns-y' families in that religious bracket do send to tag. Not all by any means, but most. But in TAG you can always request to be in a Far Rockaway class if you want more low key classmates. If your daughter is in a five towns class in TAG, there will be social pressures. That's just how it is. I think they're trying to reign it in but there's only so much you can control. In terms of education, TAG is considered the most academic of the 3.

BYAM I know the least about, but if you are really looking for low key, this is probably your best bet. There is a strong focus there on middos and it's definitely the most warm of the 3. The education isn't known to be THE BEST, but I don't think it's known to be sub-par either.

amother

Babypink

Fri, Sep 03 2021, 10:23 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I live in inwood. There is a huge overlap between TAG BYAM and BBY. Personally I’d be comfortable in any school and most people would be.

BBY is officially the most right wing and most kollel/rebbe families send there. It recently became the elite school to go to so you have a lot of the super wealthy families sending there too creating an interesting dynamic.

TAG is the largest and has the best academics. It is the community school. Classes are divided by neighborhood so a Far Rockaway class with lean more to the right and a Cedarhurst class will be fancier.

BYAM is the newest and smallest of the three. Their selling point is that they are warm. They are opening a high school in September 22. Between the three they are going to have the simplest crowd.

There is such a huge overlap in the crowd of the three schools and the majority of families would be fine in any of the three. I would suggest you speak to the administration of the schools and see what “talks to you” it will be very hard for outsider to pick a girls school based on crowd here.

Ema of 5

Fri, Sep 03 2021, 10:25 am

amother [ Babypink ] wrote:

How can you compare the houses near darchei to the houses near Lawrence? The latter are generally bigger, on bigger lots.

amother

Babypink

Fri, Sep 03 2021, 10:29 am

Ema of 4 wrote:

How can you compare the houses near darchei to the houses near Lawrence? The latter are generally bigger, on bigger lots.

100 percent. Sorry If my post was not clear. I was trying to say you can’t lump all of far rockaway as the same. The area near Lawrence has much bigger nicer houses and much more expensive. The area near darchai is not as nice, smaller houses, cheaper and the crowd there is mainly yeshivish.

amother

Vanilla

Fri, Sep 03 2021, 10:34 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Have you considered Shulamith? That's where my girls are. I would classify it as RW MO. It's a much smaller and warmer school than BBY or TAG. It does have a Zionistic bent if that is either a pro or con with you.

https://www.shulamith.org/