It’s not as disorienting as the Bermuda Triangle, but for those who live within its borders, the Teaneck Triangle is very real. The three points? Teaneck, South Florida and Israel—three deeply connected communities with a well-worn path between them, often by way of direct flights from New York to Miami, from Miami to Tel Aviv, and from Tel Aviv back to New York.
For many longtime Teaneck residents, their homes have been the backdrop to decades of family life, raising children who have since moved back to the very same neighborhood. They no longer need the sprawling homes where they hosted countless Shabbat meals and milestone celebrations, but selling them outright? That’s a much tougher decision. They want to be present—dropping by to see their grandchildren, staying involved in the community they helped establish, and maintaining the deep roots they planted here.
At the same time, retirement communities in both South Florida and Israel are calling, offering warm weather and a built-in network of friends from back home—and what can compete with the “Holy Land?” The result? More and more retirees are keeping one foot in Teaneck while expanding their footprint to the two other corners of the Triangle.
Just last week, I spoke with a client who took his family on winter break—to both Miami and Israel. When I asked him why, he grinned and said, “I decided to follow the machmir (stringent) opinion that requires you to be in both places for winter break, not just one.”
On the other end of the spectrum, a longtime Teaneck homeowner and new seller of mine is finally ready to “cut the cord.” With all her kids settled outside of Teaneck, she’s making the shift to a life split between Florida and Israel, closing the Triangle for good.
For those who still want to hold on to their Teaneck home but don’t need all that space, there may soon be a new option. Next week, we’ll take a look at Teaneck’s progress on ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units)—a potential game-changer for retirees looking to stay in their homes while offsetting costs and making better use of the space. Stay tuned!
Nechama Polak is the broker of record and owner of V&N Group LLC, located at 1401 Palisade Avenue in Teaneck. Send your thoughts and comments to [email protected] or call 201 826 8809.
