There may not be affordable houses to buy near me. Instead, search for places with affordable rent and live there with roommates – Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace or roommate apps are great tools for this – or search local housing agencies’ listings of single family or multifamily properties at a lower cost than NYC.
Suburbs within an hour-and-a-half’s commute of Manhattan tend to be more expensive than NYC, such as Westchester County’s Scarsdale or Rye, both safe areas with excellent schools and suburban feel. Staten Island may offer lower property prices with convenient commute times; Great Kills, New Dorp or Tottenville could also be excellent places to consider.