Brooklyn..what’s it like these days

amother

NeonGreen

Yesterday at 11:30 pm

Flatbush is really nice these days. Low key, no pressure, laid back, easy to get into schools etc

The housing is a huge issue though. We are still renting 10+ years into marriage with no hope of ever buying and it terrifies me. Not because I care to live in a small apartment but because renting is so unstable (rent gets raised, you can kicked out etc) and also where will we live when we retire if we don't own a house that is paid off

If someone can afford a house here then it's a nice place to live. But if not then go somewhere with cheaper housing IMO

amother

Aubergine

Today at 12:34 am

We stayed here because of schools and dh job. Tuition for my kids is cheap but we send to the cheaper schools. If we moved to Jersey, the hours of school would not have worked for us, and Monsey, everything is more expensive. We did the math and it was cheaper to buy a house in Brooklyn with all the extra expenses each location came with.

I love that it is low key. I can walk around in a snood, obviously lots of people are more fancy but plenty are not. The schools are mostly established so ppl know where they fit, apply accordingly, and get in mostly.

Housing is expensive and on a good block especially, and not big. In certain areas you can't build, in some you really can. Supposedly zoning laws are improving in 2025.

I often feel like Brooklyn has become a little more out of town in that it has many types, but with all the in town conveniences.

Note it is extremely expensive to have a car here. Obviously you need one but 2 is a luxury. Insurance is nuts.

We were looking for a house for about 5 years, bought a year ago. We were particular about neighborhood and dh wanted enough space to be able to host guests. BH we found one with a really smartly designed basement, that although small, can host a family with 5 kids. It occurred to me today maybe we were zoche because of dh desire for this mitzva. That being said I panic about my bills regularly, my mortgage is insane.

amother

Dustypink ↓

Today at 12:48 am

I live in Flatbush and I can kind of agree.
But for us, not having an eruv is a huge challenge. I feel stuck at home (with no yard/balcony) until my kids are older, I don't know most of my neighbors and I don't have a "kehillah" here. And of course housing is expensive. We're renting and I can never imagine buying a house here.
Otherwise, it does feel emptier, more chill I guess (I always did whatever I wanted with no pressure) and we also send to cheaper schools.

amother

Crocus

Today at 1:01 am

Interesting. It doesn't feel oot-y to me. Cheaper schools? Compared to where?
Rent is not normal, house prices are worse. Still no parking lol
Yeah, I have no problem going out in a snood or beret, but I would do it in Lakewood or another place, too.

amother

↑ Dustypink ↓

Today at 1:05 am

amother Crocus wrote:

Lol totally forgot to mention the parking nightmare. Can be circling for almost an hour daily to find parking.

Cheaper compared to OOT. Tuition for my daughter is less than 10k but OOT it's like at least 12k.

I guess the emptier feeling is that my daughter has 12 kids in her class when the average is 25 for that school.

amother

Nutmeg

Today at 9:56 am

amother Dustypink wrote:

Fellow Flatbush resident here. Since you're anonymous, I'm curious which girls school only has 12 girls in a class, even if it's not the norm there.

amother

↑ Dustypink

Today at 9:59 am

amother Nutmeg wrote:

Fellow Flatbush resident here. Since you're anonymous, I'm curious which girls school only has 12 girls in a class, even if it's not the norm there.

YOB
24 girls in her grade now

Based on the Chanukah gift sheet where it says all the class mothers, it actually looks like one grade only has one class.