my new brilliant idea

i had a new idea for my approach to apartment hunting on the train ride to work this morning. i love it. here is it: i start looking for apartments outside new york in the suburbs along the train line. i want something in a nice area that is within my budget and within walking distance to the train so i don't have to pay for parking or even bother driving to and from the station anymore as part of my commute. that effectively cuts out 30 minutes off my commuting time, plus whatever time is shaved off on the train since i'll be living closer to the city than stamford. here's how i outline it for myself:

my goal: to live in a one bedroom apartment outside of stamford and decrease my commuting time. also, must be able to afford apartment which means decreasing amount i currently pay to commute from stamford to new york (approx. $400 a month).

cons of living in new york city: rent is high, apartments are in high demand, broker fees are high, its a long trip back home to friends and family in stamford, can't have my car, may have to sacrifice nice neighborhood for affordable rent.

solution: live somewhere between new york city and stamford. an apartment within walking distance of metro-north stations in greenwich, rye, port chester, harrison, white plains, tarrytown, new rochelle, or pelham (to name a few) would cut out the part of my commute involving a car, decrease the monthly train card price, and decrease the total length of my commute. suburban areas allow for cheaper rent, available parking for my car, and easy travel to new york and stamford. additionally, places like white plains have a great night life. its kind of like hoboken without moving to jersey.

in short, westchester, here i come.

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