Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The 25 Best Affordable Suburbs in the U.S.
Business Week ^ | Maya Roney

Posted on 11/29/2006 11:52:14 AM PST by RockinRight

Low crime, reasonable commute, and good schools—who says you can't find a nice house in a suburb without paying a fortune? Buying your first house? Fleeing the city for a life within your means? Here's a novel idea: Move to a suburb where you won't break the bank or get your car broken into. A community with reasonable home prices and decent schools. A suburb close to your city job, with a lively downtown of its own. For hedge-fund managers, plastic surgeons, corporate lawyers, and other people who earn millions a year, choosing a suburb is not about affordability but convenience and, frankly, prestige. These folks don't balk at high prices or look for fixer-uppers. They can pay for prime real estate on the most exclusive streets in the fanciest towns with the best schools. If they want to live in Greenwich or Brookline or Lake Forest or Malibu, they can. Unfortunately, most people aren't so lucky. Most people have to balance their real estate aspirations with reality—compromising on acreage or culture in exchange for better schools or lower property taxes.

(Excerpt) Read more at businessweek.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Unclassified; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: boom; goodschools; housing; insaneprices; insanity; lowcrime; propertytaxes; realestate; reasonablecommute; richgetricher
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 161-174 next last
To: Jhensy

Even mapquest says 40 minutes, and that doesn't account for traffic.


101 posted on 11/29/2006 1:25:47 PM PST by RockinRight (There's nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: Moose4

I got freaked out commuting from Silver Spring to Dupont Circle. It wasn't the length of the commute, but the packed trains and metro stations. Now I'm in Seattle and the 1 hour commute by 2 buses to go a distance of 4 miles is killer.

Next month I move to a small town in the midwest, where I'm told they have 'rush minutes' and not a rush hour. I'm ready for the change. I can't deal w/being out in the weather and waiting on buses anymore. I'm going to buy a car and join the rest of America in subsidizing Big Oil. Even if it's cold, I won't care anymore. I'll be in my own freakin' car in my 10 minute commute to work.


102 posted on 11/29/2006 1:26:28 PM PST by radiohead (Hey Kerry, I'm still here; still hating your lying, stinking, guts you coward.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: dakine
In the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic...it is!

Nonsense. Only in certain areas. Most folks I know get by on a lot less than this. And are able to put money away besides.

They just don't live in $500,000 houses. You can still get a nice row for $150,000 in some parts of south Jersey.
103 posted on 11/29/2006 1:35:14 PM PST by Antoninus (When your party's platform is "Vote for US because THEY will be worse," prepare to lose.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Antoninus

I think he meant DC and Boston areas mostly.


104 posted on 11/29/2006 1:39:35 PM PST by RockinRight (There's nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 103 | View Replies]

To: radiohead

Most of the South is still quite reasonable as well.


105 posted on 11/29/2006 1:40:06 PM PST by RockinRight (There's nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 102 | View Replies]

To: RockinRight; All

Simpsonville, SC (Greenville area):

http://www.realtor.com/FindHome/HomeListing.asp?snum=3&mlsttl=&frm=bymap&pgnum=1&mls=xmls&js=on&target=&ct=Taylors&st=SC&sbint=&sbls=&sblo=&stype=&areaid=10438&mnsqft=&fid=so&vtsort=&mnprice=100000&mxprice=125000&mnbed=0&mnbath=0&typ=1&poe=realtor&x=13&y=11&sid=07A7E373D0ADC&snumxlid=1071614617&lnksrc=00002


106 posted on 11/29/2006 1:41:41 PM PST by RockinRight (There's nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 105 | View Replies]

To: RockinRight

$250,000 will get you a fully loaded mc mansion and three acres of land where I live now. Long Island? I dare someone to find the same for under $750,000 that wasn't flipped by some shady a$$ed company.


107 posted on 11/29/2006 1:44:24 PM PST by cyborg (No I don't miss the single life at all.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cyborg

It's insane. I can see paying 700 grand in Hawaii, or San Diego, or MAAAAYBE Malibu or Cape Coral on the water.

But Lawn Guyland? Boston? DC for pete's sake?


108 posted on 11/29/2006 1:46:10 PM PST by RockinRight (There's nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 107 | View Replies]

To: spikeytx86
To the MSM $50-60K a year household income is destitution.

It is......during a Republican administration.

When Madame Cankles is Prez $50-$60K will be redefined overnight as "prosperity".

Oh, and the homeless will be gone.

109 posted on 11/29/2006 1:47:33 PM PST by Lizavetta
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: RockinRight

My mom's house is appraised for $400,000. If she moves to where I am, she'll be able to retire and live off the sale of the house. If she moves to Florida, well...I think she'll probably find a nice apartment or something.


110 posted on 11/29/2006 1:47:50 PM PST by cyborg (No I don't miss the single life at all.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 108 | View Replies]

To: radiohead

THere's a lot to be said for small town living.
We built a new house in a nice subdivision w/ a five acre lot for just under $200K a couple years ago.

I 'commute' to town about 6 times a day to run kids. (6 mile round trip).


111 posted on 11/29/2006 1:50:12 PM PST by regularperson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 102 | View Replies]

To: RockinRight

I wouldn't even THINK of taking a job in NYC unless my income was tripled at a minimum. And I live in Chicago not exactly the cheapest city around.


112 posted on 11/29/2006 1:50:46 PM PST by justshutupandtakeit (If you believe ANYTHING in the Treason Media you are a fool.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: regularperson

As long as I can find a job to support that 200k house I'm all for small town.

Of course it depends on your definition of "small."

Do you mean small town like Charlottesville, Virginia (pop 40,000) small, or Coolidge, Kansas (pop 90) small?


113 posted on 11/29/2006 1:52:27 PM PST by RockinRight (There's nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 111 | View Replies]

To: Baynative

The property taxes in NYC are very very low compared to most of the surrounded LI, Westchester, NJ, and CT suburbs.

The housing prices here are still insane and going up all the time. $650K for a one bedroom CoOp, 3.5 million and up for a house. Still, people seem to have the money, and everything sells.


114 posted on 11/29/2006 1:55:26 PM PST by Cincinna (HILLARY & HER HINO " We are going to take things away from you for the Common Good ")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Baynative
On Long Island a 350K+ house will cost you at least $7500 a year in real estate taxes....

I know quite a few people paying 10K or more a year....

Than again we have the highest paid teachers and police in the whole wide world...most teachers are making 75K+, the police average about 100K....
115 posted on 11/29/2006 1:57:21 PM PST by PigRigger (Donate to http://www.AdoptAPlatoon.org - The Troops have our front covered, let's guard their backs!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Jhensy

Take West Nyack, N.Y., this year's best affordable New York City suburb. About a 30-minute drive from Manhattan
"I am laughing so hard, snots are flying out my nose."

Well it might be, if one counted the western end of the Tappan Zee Bridge as "Manhattan".


116 posted on 11/29/2006 3:13:46 PM PST by gas0linealley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: RockinRight; All

The photo of Fort Lauderdale Fla. area, shows what appears to be hundreds of boats, tied up at docks, IN THE WATER.

However, there doesn't appear to be any way to get individual boats from the dock to the waterway.

Is this actually some sort of "in the water boatshow"?

Or is this just yachting, Florida style?


117 posted on 11/29/2006 3:19:15 PM PST by gas0linealley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RockinRight

You can't get an apartment that doesn't look like a tenament for $300,000 here in Honolulu


118 posted on 11/29/2006 4:17:55 PM PST by Lorianne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: RockinRight

They left out "flyover country" all together. I'm a bit miffed, even though I rarely ever bother reading Business Weak.


119 posted on 11/29/2006 4:31:27 PM PST by dr_who_2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jhensy
Downtown West Nyack circa 1900
120 posted on 11/29/2006 7:39:01 PM PST by CaptRon (Pedecaris alive or Raisuli dead)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 161-174 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson