We are moving to New York at Easter!

[nooka]

So the decision has been made and the visas are being processed...

Any advice?

If there are any New York or New Jersey mums out there (I know there are a few!) do you have any recomendations for places to live (needs to be commutable to downtown Manhatten and have good elementary schools). We have Maplewoord/South Orange, Brooklyn (Park Slopes are) and Queens (Little Neck) as recommendations so far

For any other expats, any general advice on moving (good shippers, what to put on lists etc) would be great. We are renting our place here (I have a career break just in case it goes tits up) and will rent when we get there too.

I've only lived outside South London once when I went to university, so this is both scary and exciting

Just buy a multi-region DVD player!

We lived in Chatham NJ, a few stops further down the line from Maplewood & South Orange.
Xp's commute was a bit under an hour to downtown Manhattan. It was great all around that area, Livingston, Millburn, New Providence etc - wonderful for kids and families and excellent schools.

Chatham/Madison/Short Hills are a bit rarified suburban white ghetto - more of a mixture of race & income (preferable imo) staying further east, or going a bit further west to Morristown.

Good luck and - we were only there two years and it was one of the best things I've ever done.

I won't offer other advice as this was 3 years ago now and I expect things have changed - although I bet the DMV hasn't. Don't know if it's that bad in other states, but in NJ it was hell on earth.

Actually turquoise the NJ DMV is very efficient. Whenever I go for my registration or new license I'm in and out in about 5 minutes. They really keep it moving.

Nooka, Have you thought about moving to NJ? I live in Flemington, and we are about 45 minutes out of NYC by bus or train. You may be able to find some better values as far as housing and car insurance.

Montclair is also a beautiful town you may want to consider. It's got the University and is about 15 outside of NYC easy access to 95 and the George Washington Bridge.

I'm not an expat (Yes American born and raised, never even set foot in the UK) so I can't help you as far as the moving is concerned.

I like the look of NJ a lot - it's just finding somewhere with a shortish commute for dh. Oh, and finding the right place in the two weeks that dh's company are stumping up for accomodation!

mumto2LB - glad it's improved. Or maybe it was just expats they liked to torture!

I'd forgotten Montclair - great town. We were really keen on it but couldn't find anywhere to rent at the time.

Aaah yes, Westchester county is indeed expensive and not so good for commuting to the financial district. Good Luck!