Because when you know, you know…
When Arielle and Matt welcomed their son Miles, they thought they could make city life work a little longer. However, their Williamsburg two-bedroom, once spacious by Brooklyn standards, quickly started to feel tight.
Like so many new parents in the city, Arielle and Matt began to reevaluate what they wanted and needed from their neighborhood and their lifestyle.
“It was a new chapter in our lives,” Arielle says. “We were doing different things with our child, and it started to feel like we were ready to explore other options, like moving out of the city.”
Starting the Search with Suburban Jungle
The idea of moving to the suburbs was exciting – but also completely overwhelming. “Neither of us grew up in the New York area. We knew very little about the suburbs and also weren’t sure what we wanted.” Arielle says. “We are really grateful to have had Suburban Jungle to walk us through this process.”
Arielle first saw Suburban Jungle on Instagram. “My husband was a little skeptical,” she admits. “But then we started talking to several friends who moved to the suburbs, and all of them had worked with Suburban Jungle. It was so funny!” With that added assurance, the couple booked a strategy call and connected with NYC Strategist, Alli Levine.
“From the first conversation, Alli just got us,” Arielle says. “She really felt like an ally, like a friend guiding us through this process together.”
Arielle and Matt kept an open mind and were ready to dive in.
“They were extremely thoughtful and ready to explore,” Alli says. “They didn’t know where to begin, but they were asking all the right questions – what kind of life did they want? What mattered most in a community? We started there.”
During their initial strategy call, Alli recommended a list of towns for the couple to start exploring – and that’s when the real conversations started.
“Every town on the list made sense to us and we understood why she suggested them, whether it ended up being the right town or not,” Arielle says. “I loved that we weren’t just looking at a map and deciding what’s close to the city. I could actually see us living in any of those communities.”
Using Suburban Jungle’s digital tools, they began reviewing Insider Guides at night after Miles went to bed. “My husband called them ‘cheat sheets,’” she says. “We went through everything – schools, commute, daycare options, clubs, parks. It helped us really see what life could be like.”
Those insights also helped spark bigger conversations. “Things like high school size – something we hadn’t thought too much about – really made us think,” Arielle says. “A lot of those cheat sheet discussions that we had were really helpful.”
Falling for Chappaqua
As Arielle and Matt set out on their town tours, they admit New Jersey was the frontrunner in the back of their minds. But as they toured towns and dug into the details, they realized just how much priorities can shift during the process. A good example? “We didn’t know the train was going to be as important to us as it turned out to be,” Arielle says.
While they continued exploring the suburbs, Alli helped them reimagine their strategy. “I always tell clients: touring towns is the most important part,” she says. “It’s not just about what looks good on paper. It’s about how you feel spending time in the town, meeting neighbors, and imagining your life there.”
Arielle agrees. “It’s almost more important to find what you don’t like about a town than what you do,” she says.
That clarity led them to Chappaqua.
“When we found Chappaqua, it was like magic,” Arielle says. “You know what they say – when you know, you know. My husband was driving, I was in the backseat with Miles asleep in his car seat, and he turned to me and said, ‘Arielle, this is it.’ And I knew he was right. It was everything we had ever wanted.”
Life in Chappaqua: A New Chapter
Within six months, Arielle, Matt, and Miles were fully immersed in their new town. “We joined the Chappaqua Swim and Tennis Club, we’ve met so many really amazing families there,” Arielle says. “I signed up for a Saturday morning program at the community center with Miles. We love going to the farmer’s market, hiking, and spending time at the park. There’s just so much to do.”
Their lifestyle looks totally different now, they explain, but in the best way possible. “It just feels so much easier and I am much more at peace,” Arielle says.
And the commute? Surprisingly manageable.
“The commute is so much easier than I expected,” Arielle says. “Everyone’s so worried about it, but you’ll find it easier than you think. It’s just part of your life now, part of the routine.”
They also leaned heavily on their Suburban Jungle partner agent, who lives in Chappaqua. “She has been our lifeline,” Arielle explains. “She knew everything from what pizza to order on the first night to where to go for groceries to who to call when we need something fixed in the house. I still text her all the time.”
That human connection made such a difference. “She introduced me to her friend who works at a preschool. She gave me a list of camps. It was just so nice to have that connection.”
A Community That Feels Like Home
Now, months in, Arielle and Matt have discovered lots of perks to living in Chappaqua. But their favorite? “How sweet everyone is,” Arielle says. “We’ve met so many new friends. Our neighborhood has a block party. My son loves going on a swing in one neighbor’s backyard, and she told me, ‘Come by any time.’”
That community, Arielle says, has been key to acclimating to their new town. “There’s something special about surrounding yourself with people who really value the same things that you value—community, togetherness, kindness. That goes a long way.” She especially loved Chappaqua’s Memorial Day parade. “All the fire trucks, the kids in baseball uniforms waving. I actually teared up!”
Advice for City Families Ready to Make a Move
Looking back, Arielle has one piece of advice to her friends and other city families considering making a move: start with the town.
“Don’t just look at Zillow. That’s probably the worst thing you can do,” she says. “The best advice I got from our Strategist Alli was, ‘Your search has to be community-focused. Our goal is help you find the ideal town for your family so you can feel confident about that choice before falling in love with a house.’”
With that in mind, Arielle suggests families tour towns, ask questions, and be open to the process. “Every town tour was like an adventure – could we see ourselves here? And once we found the right town, everything else fell into place.”
Matt echoes that. “Suburban Jungle took what could have been a very overwhelming process and made it very manageable,” he says. “They helped us figure out what was really important.”
Today, the family is all-in on their new life in Chappaqua, and they have zero regrets.
“We were happy in the city. But we’re so happy here. This chapter is our family’s new era. And we’re loving every second of it.”
Want to find the town that fits your next chapter? Schedule your free initial strategy call and we’ll help you discover the perfect town for your family, just like we did for Arielle and Matt.
