Tappan Apartment Renter's Guide
Tappan Apartment Renter's Guide
Tappan, New York is the proud home of the DeWint House, the oldest surviving structure in Tappan. The DeWint House provided headquarters for none other than General George Washington on four separate occasions between 1780 and 1783. Perhaps it was while he was dining at Loyalist Yoast Mabie's house during the American Revolution, however, that the idea of him becoming the first president of the United States was discussed -- just saying.
Tappan, New York is a hamlet, rather than a city or town, with a recorded population of 6,613 in the 2010 census
Tappan, New York is the proud home of the DeWint House, the oldest surviving structure in Tappan. The DeWint House provided headquarters for none other than General George Washington on four separate occasions between 1780 and 1783. Perhaps it was while he was dining at Loyalist Yoast Mabie's house during the American Revolution, however, that the idea of him becoming the first president of the United States was discussed -- just saying.
Tappan, New York is a hamlet, rather than a city or town, with a recorded population of 6,613 in the 2010 census. Nestled in a cozy area of just 2.8 square miles, it is conveniently located 12 miles north of New York City and a mere two and a half miles west of the Hudson River. Interestingly, it was settled by sixteen families with a land patent procured from the Tappan Indians, who were part of the Lenape Tribe. These first settlers were Dutch farmers which may explain why some of the original structures, like the DeWint House, are made of Dutch brick and native red sandstone. Tappan is very protective when it comes to preserving the historic structures. This is evident by the historic zoning law introduced and officially approved in December 1965.
Moving to Tappan
Homes are mostly owner-occupied single family homes. While this adds to the charm and stability of the area, it does make it more than a little challenging if you are keen on a rental apartment or rental house in Tappan, NY. Your best bet is going through a local real estate agency. There are occasional homes for rent, but they go fast and you can expect premium prices. This means high monthly rent, small tiny space: some would argue the worst of both worlds, but you gotta pay for greatness. There are no apartment complexes directly in Tappan, although there is the Bradford Mews in nearby Nyack, Mayfair Garden Apartments in Pearl and, the closest of the three, Sutton Place Apartments in Norwood, NJ. I know -- New Jersey, but it is only eight minutes from Tappan. All three offer spacious apartments, but they are all at New York prices.
While you patiently chew your fingernails and anxiously wait for the phone to ring with news of a rental opportunity, keep in mind that you may have to adjust your thinking about the type of dwelling you are willing to accept. The other thing to remember is to leap as soon as something does become available. If you don't, someone else with even shorter fingernails will. To give yourself the best chance at the first 1 bedroom apartment for rent, make sure all of your paperwork is ready and waiting so you can send it in the blink of an eye. Your file should include proof of ID and employment -- always convenient when you have to pay rent, current credit history -- with any errors already sorted out ahead of time, and lots and lots of the green stuff. Be prepared with at least two months rent to make sure you have enough for your security deposit and first month's rent.
Neighborhoods
Being the hamlet that it is, there are no neighborhoods here. There are still, however, plenty of places to explore in Tappan. It's recommended starting with the historic district. You might even decide to become a member of the historic society and plant some roots of your own.
Living in Tappan
Since we already mentioned the historic district, it seems important to mention some of the places to begin your journey. There is the DeWint House we already mentioned, the Mabie-Beech House, built in 1835, where General George Washington dined, the Andre Monument where Major John Andre was hanged for espionage, and the Old 76 House, which is a must-stop for American food and American Revolutionary ambiance all under one roof. Do your food shopping at the ShopRite or Stop and Shop or get your beauty and health supplies at the CVS. Whatever your shopping needs are, it seems you'll have a good chance of finding it on Livingston Street. For those times you need a little jet fuel to fly you to faraway places, there are four airports within about an hour or so of driving. The closest airport is La Guardia at just 28 miles from the Hamlet, followed by Newark Liberty International Airport at 34.5 miles away, John F. Kennedy International Airport is 35 miles away and the furthest, Stewart International Airport is nearly 50 miles from Tappan. The average commute to work is typically between 40 minutes to just under an hour, and perhaps this is why more people in Tappan opt to carpool over taking public transportation. The closest rail station is the Amtrak Station in Yonkers, New York, just 6.6 miles from Tappan. If all of this information is making you hungry, there are certainly plenty of places in town to soothe that savage beast hungrily growling away. Feed your hunger some awesome Korean chicken at Mimi Chicken or get your favorite slice of pizza at LILO Pizza and Bistro. Anyway you slice it, Tappan is a great place to live, eat and work.