Tim...

I want to mention that Riverdale is an awesome deal right now because of the market...I have negotiated down a few places for my clients and they've bought here... when they came to me they never thought about looking in Riverdale because they said it'd be out of their budget...it never hurts to check out what's on the market and to remember in this current Buyer's Market you hold the negotiating power...you may be able to get an apartment anywhere from 10 to 35 thousand dollars below asking price.

It is as safe as any park can possibly be!

I am just closing on an aparment at 511 W 232nd St...a gorgeous building right up the hill and one step away from the park!

I have sat there with my daughter and had a picnic as we waited for a customer to come and view an apartment there. There are a lot of business people that work in Manhattan that come home and walk through the park at all hours to get to their homes in all the surrounding areas of Riverdale...

I always suggest to everyone that is worried about a neighborhood or area to just go on up with a few friends and scout it out...3 times a week at different times of the day and really get a feel for it. It's WORTH your time if you will be living there to know what it's all about don't you think?

If you want a tour of the area I'd also be happy to meet you and be your "Riverdale Tour Guide"l.

Best of luck to you!

~ Laura

WOW,
I am jealous that you can even consider Riverdale! Riverdale has always been prime real estate in The Bronx. It has been one of the areas that I have considered buying. Unfortunately I am priced out of my area as well as Riverdale. I will tell you though; there are some good values to be had in my area as well. I live in the area between the Fort George and Fort Washington Ridges just below Dykeman Street. Easy access to both the 1 and A train with an approximate 30 minute commute to down town. It also comes with Ft Tryon Park, dog walk, basket ball courts as well as The Cloisters. I have always described the area as feeling of the burbs while maintaining a Manhattan life style. Street parking is relatively easy here and we are minutes to the GWB. I could buy the apartment I live in, but my 950 sq ft 2 bedroom one bath 1948 electrical box is not my ideal of Luxury Living as apartments in this building are listed as. But apparently many people disagree as they are listed in the $360K to $410K range.

This area has several strong community boards. It has kids playing on the streets and in the parks and while we do hit the nightly news occasionally, it is no more than any other area of Manhattan. I will be sad to move from this place as I have called it home for 12 years now and watched it flurish from the reminiments of the 1980's drug trafficking days to the strongly middle class neighborhood it is today.

Good Luck,
Tim