Moving from the city to the suburbs is a huge decision that involves a lot of research before you up and leave. While the city is definitely an exciting place to be, it can also come with it’s own set of challenges: high cost of living, small apartments, a frustrating parking situation, a rough subway commute and other issues. It’s enough to stress anyone out! Some people just deal with these conditions, attributing them to what life is like in a big city; whereas others can get annoyed and be totally miserable. Some of these stresses can be further heightened when other factors come into play like living in the city with kids in a small apartment.
That was the situation I was in two years ago, when my family and I decided to move from my hometown of Brooklyn to Westchester. Before the actual move happened there was a lot of unanswered questions going through my mind: What’s it really like up there? What are the schools like? Can we even afford this? How long is the commute? Could we live in the suburbs? While it wasn’t an easy choice to make, I’m so happy we did it. However, I get that moving with kids and to someplace new is really scary and even confusing. Check out what we considered before our big move to help you decide if suburbia is for you.
Moving from Brooklyn to Westchester
#1 Research the school system
If you have kids, this is the first step in your suburb search. You can use GreatSchools to look up the names of your prospective school where you’ll then receive a rating about the school that includes the size of the student body, reviews, test scores, etc. It also includes a link to the school’s website, phone number and real estate listings.
#2 Consider the commute
If you still have to work in the city, you’ll want to factor in the time it will take you to get to work from your potential new suburb. This is really important to figure out if you or your partner will be willing to add in additional time into your daily commute. When we moved from Brooklyn, we found out that my husband’s new commute would be 50 minutes on the MetroNorth, which in comparison to his Brooklyn commute only added an additional 15 minutes. On the flip side, the MetroNorth monthly pass cost around $200 more than the monthly MetroCard, so there were new costs that we had to factor into our budget when we moved. We also lived close to our train station so he could walk to the train. However, many people live outside of the town center and have to pay for a yearly parking permit, which is another cost to consider.
#3 Visit the town
Once you have your commute figured out and are happy with the schools, you’ll want to visit the town. Before we moved, we spent a few days in our new town, having lunch in the area, checking out where the nearby stores were, visiting the local parks and just getting to know what the vibe was like. We also visited the school and had a tour with the Vice Principal to ask additional questions about the school as well as get to see it in person.
#4 Ask questions
We are living in a digital world where we can connect (for better or worse) to literally anyone. When thinking about moving to the suburbs, join a local Facebook group to connect with members of your prospective community. For me, this involved joining a parenting group where I could ask questions about the area as well as get recommendations for local doctors, dentists, day care centers and more. I found this to be really helpful and the community was super welcoming, offering insight and personal advice to my new prospective area that I didn’t find from my initial research. I was also able to connect with people who had kids that were my kids’ ages where we arranged to meet for a playdate with our kids.
#5 Visit homes
Once you feel like you have a good perspective on your potential and feel like you have all of the information needed, you’ll want to get serious about locating a new home. Using all of the information and research you conducted, you’ll have a better sense of the specific area that you want to look for, as you factor in the other aspects of the home buying process: budget, house size, location, to name a few.
#6 Prepare the kids
During this whole research and buying process, you’ll want integrate them in the conversation about moving. This can be hard if your children are older and have their own set of friends and a school that they love. Make sure that you communicate this to them and involve them, as I mentioned, in seeing the new home, meeting people in your new town and visiting their school.
#7 Say goodbye
Of course, you’ll want to say goodbye to your family and friends before you move. Consider having a going away party where your kids can hang out with your friends and you can celebrate your exciting new move to suburbia.
#8 Time to move
Now, it’s time for your big move! You did your research, visited your new town and said your goodbyes. This will likely be an emotional day as you move from the city. It’s ok to shed a few tears as you say goodbye to the city while embarking on a new chapter in your life.
It’s a big deal to up and leave the city. When you are thinking about this type of move, research is crucial to ensure that you find the right suburb. When my family and I moved from Brooklyn to Westchester, I found this to be a challenging time with a lot of unknowns about the towns in Westchester. Visiting the town, school and meeting people were really beneficial and helped my family to shape our decision to embark on this exciting move.
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