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
kensingtonbound: “But when it comes to sitting down and writing, most of the writers I know go on retreats for that. If not they lock themselves in their apartments because the city can be a huge DISTRACTION. Again, everyone’s process is different.”
doesnt your post sort of support the notion that urban living is more ‘interesting.’?
Again – I will be the first to admit that many suburban towns have more “diversity” or more cultural attractions then a particular Brooklyn neighborhood BUT that sort of discounts the reality…which is that…99% of us, 98% of the time, are going to and from work and then doing the daily chores of everyday life and are hardly EVER taking advantage of anything cultural, diverse or at all ‘exciting.’
BUT there is a subtle and yet real difference of being PART of city life and interacting with (even if in the most limited sense of the word) all different people, cultures etc….as we go about our daily monotony – an experience you simply cannot have as you go from car to parking lot and then back home (which is how suburbs work)
There is also something nice about having all these cultural attractions nearby (if not in my immediate neighborhood) – there is a psychic benefit I think from knowing you ‘can.’ (I think there was an old Datsun 280zx commercial that sort of alludes to this.)
Finally as to the “outdoor” argument, I disagree that most suburbs are necessarily more convenient to hiking, lakes etc…than NYC – yes Westchester and Rockland too – but if you are on LI and parts of NJ you got a long drive till you are in anything resembling wilderness – and this takes us back to my 1st argument – which is – come on – how many people are even doing these activities on a REGULAR basis. That is why for me, the fact that I can walk a block to a beautiful public park and enjoy (a version of) outdoors, is much more practical than anything outdoor that suburbs offer (that car again…) BUT for those times I do really want to get away – in literally 90 minutes I can be so deep in the woods that I need a compass.
Meanwhile, at the corner of Rubber and Glue…
I learned that you are just as judgmental as you claim me to be.
Is it sad? Perhaps it was at the time. That comment was made a few months after we moved. We were still getting used to the change in our lives.
In your last post you claimed that I loved my choice. I never said that. However, I like where I live now and I am glad we made the move. My kids are super happy, our school is great, and our neighbors are really nice. The choice has worked for MY family.
So my story, while perhaps sad when going through a typical adjustment period, is now a happy one.
However, what is TRULY sad is that someone would take the time to comb through another poster’s comments. Not something the someone who is so learned and trying to better his/herself would do, eh? What did you learn and how are you better now that you have done that? Is there anything better you could do with your time?
11217, I thought you were BETTER than that.
I suppose the silver lining of NYC’s preeeeposterous house prices is that it forces interesting people who demand a yard or 3-beds and a place to grow their tomatoes to move to the suburbs, thus making the suburbs of today more interesting than the past.
“Despite our rationale for moving I find myself deeply saddened about leaving and am worried that I will have a hard time adjusting to suburban life.”
BklynDoug, this is your comment on this website and you’re trying to take your frustration out on me. Sad, really. Enjoy the choice you’ve made…don’t blame others for it.
No need to judge, 11217. You left it all out there in your own words. You are an elitist.
bklyndoug, that post was amaaaazing
*rob*
Bklyndoug,
Your knack for judging someone you’ve never met is exactly why I hated the 17 years I spent living in the suburbs.
You love your choice so much you need to write a whole tirade directed at me about it?
We call that projecting.