Park Slope Versus The Burbs
New York has a reputation for being an expensive town, which of course it is. But the high housing prices and rents don’t tell the whole story. You see, New Yorkers don’t necessarily need cars. And our property taxes are pretty low. Which is why a Times story this weekend comparing the cost of living…
New York has a reputation for being an expensive town, which of course it is. But the high housing prices and rents don’t tell the whole story. You see, New Yorkers don’t necessarily need cars. And our property taxes are pretty low. Which is why a Times story this weekend comparing the cost of living in Park Slope versus Orange, NJ found that a family of four with a household income of $170,000 could actually live more inexpensively in Brooklyn than Jersey. In fact, monthly expenses were $1,285 cheaper in the County of Kings. “Specifically, each month, the suburban family needs to lay out about $5,668 to run their home and commute to work in Manhattan, compared with $3,852 for the urban family,” said The Times. “That includes most relatively static expenses — from the mortgage, property taxes and homeowner’s insurance, to transportation, utility bills and, for the house, landscaping. ” The major caveat: If you want to send your kids to private school, fuhgettaboutit. You’re better off moving to the burbs.
High-Rise, or House With Yard? [NY Times]
Photo by Betty Blade
not to mention i see more SUVs parked around park slope than i have ever seen in the suburbs. i mean i dont care what people choose to drive, but just flat out stop pretending here.
*rob*
setting aside my vast preference for urban living despite a difficult schooling scenario, here are a couple of things i think about when pondering whether a move to the burbs would make sense:
1) Childcare: I don’t know very many suburban-dwelling couples where both spouses work Manhattan jobs bringing in a total $175k. This suggests to me that it’s not very workable. Daycare seems to be much cheaper in the suburbs, but my understanding is that it’s much more difficult to find in-home childcare. With two long days/commutes, it seems very difficult to regularly make a daycare/afterschool pickup – adding hassle and, of course, less time with the kids on a daily basis.
2) Cars: To move to the burbs, we’d have to buy 2 cars, since we don’t own one now. That’s a big chunk of cash to add to the monthly bill. (We have 2 young kids, and haven’t seen the need for one. I recognize that may change as the kids get older.) In the city, not only do I not need a car, but people without cars can easily come to us (younger relatives, babysitters, friends who live in the city, etc.).
3) Mobility: If we needed to downsize, it seems easier to sell and find a rental in brooklyn than it would be in, say, NJ or Westchester with a minimum of disruption to the school/extracurriculars situation.
last thing – there’s really no way a $175k gross family with $7000/mo housing/transport costs could pay for 2 kids at most brooklyn private schools, particularly not beginning at age 3. unless we’re talking parochial school, they’d either have to get financial aid or have some other source of funds. the math just doesn’t add up.
quote:
I guess I live in a different world than you, Rob.
yes. i believe in tolerance.
*rob*
Totally agree with Rob here. Let’s take the most desirable neighborhood in Brooklyn these days… Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights. There are others of course, but lets take these as an example.
Walk around the streets of these neighborhoods. They are FULL of sameness. And I mean on a deeper level than, say, skin color. I don’t give a crap if you are white, brown or purple. If you are part of the gentry living in Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights… you are living the live of homogeneity.
I think the 2BR to 4BR comparison was done because those are relatively the ‘same’ in comparison. A 4BR apartment in Park Slope would be akin to a mansion in the burbs. If you’re going to try to quantify it based on space, well then the burbs will win outright every time — but that would be just as inexact, IMO.
I don’t see it as dishonest as much as trying to put some relativity into the comparison. I admit that’s a tricky thing to do and you have to decide whether you accept that logical leap.
I guess I live in a different world than you, Rob.
I don’t see same everywhere. Nor am I the same everyday. The city is constantly inspiring me to be more and more creative and to do things to better myself and learn.
Apparently for you, it’s not like that. That’s fine. I have a right to my opinion, just like you do yours.
fsrq — Why does there have to be an existing model?! That’s absurd.
No it isnt absurd – its realistic, if human beings anywhere on this planet havent implemented the model you approve of yet – I feel safe in saying that it aint going to relevant in any of our lifetimes (or our childrens lifetimes).
I do agree however that places (served by mass transit) outside of Manhattan itself should welcome large employers/businesses; weird though I dont recall you being a big supporter of density at AY!?
I never said “majority”, but whatever. Kensingtonbound made a similar point much better than I did.
quote:
It’s easier to be creative in the city, Ditto because one isn’t surrounded by so much same-ness.
are you kidding me? i am pro city too, but that is just flat out BS. if one is truly creative they can be creative anywhere. and your “same-ness” comment is laughable as most desireable neighborhoods seem to attract the same kinds of people with very little different characteristics. also the suburbs are diversifying at a much more rapid rate than urban centers. have you looked at the people moving to nyc these days? they ALL look and act the same and they have most definitely brought their mentalities with them from where they supposed fled because it was too boring or whatever other excuse they come up with for paying ridiculous rents and living out a fantasy that doesnt really exist.
*rob*