By Tyler R. Morrissey
Everyone knows the old adage when it comes to real estate: location, location, location. There is another important factor when deciding where to buy a home that goes hand-in-hand with location. For home buyers who are planning to start a family, or buyers with young children already, purchasing a home that resides in a highly rated school district may be a priority when it comes to their needs and desires.
New York’s Westchester County consistently has some of the top ranked public schools in the nation. According to a recent U.S. News and World report that ranked more than 20,500 public schools, nearly 1,300 of these schools were located in New York. Two Westchester County high schools broke the national top 100, with nearly two dozen making the top state rankings.
Larchmont based agents Rona Calogero and Diana Schwatka work with clients in Westchester County who often explain that the top notch Westchester County public schools serve as an incentive to move there. The alternative could be paying a premium for the education offered at some of New York City’s most expensive private schools.
“In Westchester County you will pay around $23,000 – $28,000 in taxes per $1 million of property per year,” said Schwatka. “I was speaking with a client, who was shopping around for a private school in Brooklyn, and he found that the average price for private school in that area was around $40,000 per year, per child. When you compare that price to what you may pay in taxes for a highly rated public school education in Westchester, you see that it is much more expensive to send them to private school in New York City.”
Brooklyn is not the only borough of New York City that is seeing the cost of private education soar. According to The Wall Street Journal, in 2017 the cost of attending private K-12 in Manhattan was $40,000 with some schools crossing the $50,000 per year threshold.
“While the education you get at a Manhattan private school might be great, I’ve heard stories where the school’s playground was on the roof of a building,” Calogero said. “Here in Westchester County there is plenty of space for children to play, learn and grow while receiving a quality education.”
In Mamaroneck, many of its residents take advantage of the Rye Neck School district. In a recent New York Times story on this region of Westchester County, it was reported that the district high school’s SAT scores for the 2016-17 school year were over 70 points higher than the New York statewide average, and that 75 percent of the fourth grade class scored in the highest levels on the state’s math and English exams. Below are just a few examples of some fabulous properties on the market today in Mamaroneck that make the grade when it comes to living a luxurious lifestyle.
527 Shore Acres Drive – Mamaroneck, New York
First we take a look at this classic 3,300 square foot Tudor located in Shore Acres, a small, sought-after waterfront community with its own beach club and marina on Long Island Sound. The house is spacious and filled with light through leaded glass windows. A living room with stone fireplace opens to a dining room, den and sunroom. The kitchen has been renovated to include a large island, pantry and counters with plenty of space for food preparation and more. There is a cozy guest room and bathroom that’s easily accessed by the kitchen. Four bedrooms on the second floor include a gracious master suite with a beautiful new bath. Outside, the property is nicely landscaped with a great stone patio for entertaining where you can enjoy the breezes that come right off the water.
624 Oakhurst Road – Mamaroneck, New York
Just steps to the beach, marina and sparkling pool of the Shore Acres Club, this stunning center hall Tudor has the classic look and features of a 1930s home with the high-quality updates for today’s living. Nine-foot ceilings and an abundance of new windows make this house particularly spacious and bright. The gourmet kitchen is a dream for cooking and entertaining with two Miele dishwashers and two Thermador ovens. A gently sweeping staircase leads to an elegant second floor landing, three large bedrooms and a huge master suite with water views of Mamaroneck Harbor. The master bedroom also includes fantastic custom closets and a gorgeous marble bathroom.
732 Soundview Drive – Mamaroneck, New York
This classic Colonial, which has just entered into contract, is in the heart of one of Rye Neck’s most popular waterfront communities, where neighbors get together for swimming, sailing, waterfront dining and the general joys of summer. With four bedrooms, three full baths, and an eat-in kitchen, this home has a terrific floor plan for today’s living. The property is large and level with a tranquil stone terrace in the front yard, a patio in the backyard and a spacious two-car garage. Rye Neck schools are within walking distance as are the vibrant Village of Mamaroneck and Mamaroneck Harbor.
For more information: Rona Calogero, 914.806.0213, rona.calogero@juliabfee.com, Diana Schwatka, 914.450.2295, diana.schwatka@juliabfee.com
