Moving from NYC to Westchester: Everything you need to know

Moving, regardless of when and where, can be stressful. If you’re planning to move from New York City to Westchester County, expect that you will still need to exert time and effort. If you have a full-time job, you might even have to take several days from work to accommodate the move. 

We know you don’t want your upcoming move to be the reason for your stress and expenses, and that’s why we’ve come up with this article. We will go through everything you need to know about moving from NYC to Westchester. Let’s get started!

What makes Westchester a great place to live?

Moving from NYC to Westchester has become a trend these days. It’s become an excellent choice for people looking to raise a family away from the hustle of Manhattan. The main reason behind its popularity is that it has something for everyone. Spread out over 450 square miles of verdant terrain; it is home to 45 cities, towns, and villages. Let’s see what makes Westchester a great place to move for New Yorkers.

Excellent education system

One of the primary reasons people like to raise their families in Westchester is its public schools. Known for top-notch teaching, extensive academic courses, and enriching activities, these schools don’t require an interview to get in. It’s not a surprise that you’ll always find many Westchester schools in the top 10 or 20 lists.

Robust economic growth

Westchester is not your typical suburb that relies on heavy property taxes. It is home to big 170 companies such as IBM, Pepsi, MasterCard, Heineken USA, Regeneron, etc. The city has over 34,000 firms and a large nonprofit sector. Together, these businesses generate more than $1 billion in annual payroll. Westchester has a young, well-educated, and vibrant workforce that creates better opportunities for all.

Best of both worlds

As any Westchester resident will tell you, it is quite a different suburb. It offers you the peace and the buzz of a city simultaneously. It has excellent restaurants entertainment options, and there’s always a beach close to you. Plus, the spacious houses (not apartments) take your living experience to the next level. 

Moreover, Westchester is witnessing new developments such as train stations, restaurants, arts & entertainment venues. These new transit options will make the commute to New York much more convenient. 

Close proximity to New York 

You’d find many Westchester residents who have their jobs in New York. This is down to the proximity offered by the northern county. The cities, towns, and villages of Westchester are pretty close to NYC. You can quickly drive or reach by train in less than half an hour. 

What’s it like to live in Westchester?: Here’s what the residents have to say

Many NYC residents have moved to Westchester in search of a better life for their families. Let’s hear directly from the Westchester residents about their life in the county.

Edward Joseph Tatton III, a resident who moved from New York, gives his take on life in Westchester:

“Some of the greatest advantages of living in Westchester are it’s a lot easier to own a car with parking everywhere. Depending on what town or city you choose, the noise levels can be dramatically lower than what you were being bombarded within New York. If you are renting, your money goes a lot further, if you are buying, you will be surprised that your purchase comes with grass and more than you have ever seen before. Some of the negatives include you may need a car to get to the supermarket or the park depending on what city or town you live in. You may have to drive or ride a bike to the train station to get to work (if you work in Manhattan near Grand Central it’s not a bad commute). There are highways everywhere so you can be in Connecticut in 20 minutes, norther New Jersey in 20 minutes, or northern Pennsylvania in 90 minutes. Of course you need a car to drive on the highways, so you’ve added an expense.”

If you’re wondering which town of Westchester you should move to, then Bob Dedrick (a Westchester resident) has a piece of advice for you:

“It depends on what you are looking for.

When my wife and I moved to Westchester in 1989 we had lived in Brownstone Brooklyn since 1976. Quick access to the city was important to us and ideally we wanted to live within walking distance of the train. We did not have children and weren’t expecting to, so school quality wasn’t a factor. We also wanted an older house with character. We found a late Victorian built-in 1915 that was 10 minutes walk from a station and 45 minutes from Grand Central, in a beautiful neighborhood with prices lower than most because it wasn’t in an “excellent” school district. It was also just three miles from White Plains, where I worked at the time. We moved to Hartsdale and have lived there ever since. We’ve had two children since then and the schools turned out to be much better than we had expected.

If your criteria are like ours, you might consider New Rochelle, the section of Yonkers that has a Bronxville address but is in the Yonkers school district, or the western part of Mount Vernon. If you are looking for great schools, Scarsdale and Chappaqua are generally thought to have the best. If you can’t afford them, I think Ardsley has some of the best schools for the money. If you have a young family and proximity to the city is not important, the more northerly towns like Yorktown might be a good bet. If you are young and don’t have a lot to spend, the area around the Yonkers train station is a (relatively) cheap place to live that is rapidly improving. Hastings-on-Hudson has a lot of relatively young people and artists.

Westchester is a great place to live if you can afford it (unfortunately, housing prices are among the highest in the country). There are few bad choices.

Good luck in your search.”

Moving from NYC to Westchester: Should you hire movers or do it yourself?

As anybody who’s moved in the past will tell you, it is one of the most stressful experiences of life. Thankfully, you have an alternative to hiring an NYC moving company. However, it will cost you some money, and you might not be sure whether you should make the expense or save it by doing it all yourself.

Let’s make the best choice by comparing what both options have to offer:

Five mistakes to avoid while moving from NYC to Westchester

No amount of experience can make you fully prepared for a move. Even if you’re moving to small towns or big cities, emergencies can happen along the way. To ensure that your next move will be hassle-free and convenient, avoid making these mistakes:

1. Procrastination is part of your lifestyle

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know how busy you’ll be once you start to move. For starters, you need to assess which items you will be bringing, whether or not you’ll be hiring movers, and properly pack all of your valuables. To ensure that you won’t be pressed for time, never procrastinate. Once you know you’re moving, work on making a move possible. The earlier you start working on your move, the easier it’ll be for you and your entire family. 

2. You thought decluttering wasn’t necessary

Regardless if you’re moving from the west side of metro north, it’s safe to assume that you own a lot of things, and you’re planning to bring all of them to Westchester. After all, you want your new house to be functional, right? However, having this mindset can lead to expensive moving expenses and bringing items that will only collect dust in your new home. Everything you own is your investment, but this doesn’t mean that you should get everything. 

Before you pack your valuables or scout any movers, take the time to go through all of your valuables first. This means checking all of the things you own – which can include your clothes, appliances, and furniture – and deciding which are still usable or not. You might still be keeping clothes that don’t fit or appliances that won’t work, so it’s best if you leave them behind. 

For items that are still usable but already old, you can choose to donate them to organizations or sell them through a garage sage. Doing the latter is like hitting birds with one stone – you’ll be able to get rid of items that you aren’t using, and you’re earning money that can be used for your moving expenses. 

3. You don’t hire local NYC movers thinking it will save you money

Moving can be costly, which is why it’s common for most movers to do everything on their own. They will pack and transport all of their valuables using DIY strategies. If you’re planning to do the same, learn when and how to set the limits. You can’t possibly do everything on your own because aside from having limited time, you won’t have the necessary skills and equipment for the job. 

If you’re moving for the first time, it’s best if you actually hire a professional moving company. Hiring them might cost money from your pocket, but doing this is actually cost-effective. You don’t have to worry about your valuables being damaged because movers are already experienced in what they do. Their help can go a long way, especially if you plan to work with authorities such as a train station or Port Chester. They can even help you on your moving to-do list so you’ll know what should be prioritized. 

4. You don’t care about taking an inventory

Everything you own right now is your investment. Depending on the item’s price, buying it might require thousands of dollars or even several loans under your name. If you don’t want any of these investments to be lost during the move, never forget to take an inventory. This means listing all of the things you’ll be bringing when you start living in another city. 

If possible, take pictures of the items you’ll be bringing, as well. These pictures will allow you to determine if your valuables were damaged or lost during the moving process. These can serve as hard evidence once you decide to sue the moving company. 

5. You forgot to take measurements

More often than not, you will be bringing most of your furniture and appliances. As a mover, you want to save on expenses and do your best to spend less on the move. Getting all of your valuables isn’t necessarily bad, but have you considered the size of your new space? Have you taken the measurements of your new house and your appliances and furniture? Although this might seem too much hard work, you should still do it. 

Even if you’re planning to move into a Houlihan Lawrence real estate, you should still take measurements. This should be done weeks before the move so you can assess which items you should bring or leave at home. You don’t want to get your sofa and end up not using it because it doesn’t fit your new living area, right? Not only is this stressful, but this can also mean more moving expenses.

The Bottom Line 

Moving from the city to the suburbs can be exciting, but only if you’re able to start with the right foot. When you forget several items from your old house or end up hiring expensive movers, living in Westchester can become stressful. Steer away from this direction by using this article as your guide.