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Manhattan Real Estate is Family Friendly - More Families are Moving to the Big Apple

October 22, 2007

More and more families are moving to Manhattan and raising families. Say what? It’s true. If you’ve been to Central Park lately, you know what I mean. Talk about a baby boom. There are strollers and kids everywhere. Is there something in the water?

No. But there sure is something about city living that is making families consider Manhattan as their primary residence. One of the greatest reasons families are moving back into the city is for convenience. By living close to work, parents can spend more time with their children instead of in the car commuting back and forth everyday. That’s a good thing.

The quality of life Manhattan living offers is quite extraordinary. You will never run out of things to do or places to visit. Parks and playgrounds exist in virtually all city neighborhoods. Although some need to be made more child friendly and safe, they do offer you with a quick outlet to meet other parents and children in the neighborhood. Museums and art exhibits are also abundant throughout the city.

The first Friday of each month, Target offers free admission to the Children’s Museum on the Upper West Side. Five floors of fun is sure to satisfy any child and parent. Who wouldn’t want to play on an entire floor of Dora the Explorer?

The Central Park Zoo and the Tisch Children’s Zoo are two child friendly zoo’s in walking distance from each other. You can feed the Sheep or Alpaca and even pet the bunny’s. Or how about watching the polar bears take a dip? If that’s not enough fun, one of the many playgrounds are sure to please. Don’t forget about the Central Park Carousel ride. A New York City classic.

So what type of apartments do families live in in New York City? Just like families, apartments come in many shapes and sizes. One of my past clients lived in 700 sf junior-4 co-op apartment with their two children until they were 6 & 8 years old. Space was tight but they managed fairly well. While a friend of mine lives in a 3 bedroom 2,000 sf condo apartment with his wife and 2 kids. It all comes down to economics. What can you afford and what type of lifestyle will that offer?

The answer really depends on you. You need to decide what things you are willing to sacrifice in order to live in the big city. What’s more important? Quality of life or convenience? Finding the perfect mix is tough. Deciding on a neighborhood takes some time as well. The best suggestion I have is to visit each neighborhood on your list on the weekend at various times. This will allow you to get a sense of who the locals are. It will also give you a glimpse of what living in the community might be like. Each neighborhood is different on so many macro levels. During the week a neighborhood may be busy with traffic and commuters, while on the weekend it may be serene. Do the homework, it will pay off in the end.

Everything in New York City is more expensive. Living here isn’t an option for most. The cost of living forces many native New Yorker’s to flee to the suburbs. The strong Euro on the other hand, is bringing many new overseas families to Manhattan. Not a bad thing. For those who can afford to live here, I can’t remember a better time to be in the city. The city is cleaner and safer then ever. Jobs are abundant. People seem nicer. I love New York.

More On Living in New York City:

AM | New York - City Lures Families back From ‘Burbs

Gotham Gazette - Paying the Price For Living in New York

Nanny in NYC - Family Friendly New York City

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