Hello, a general question, and need feedback from NY State/Pennsy(Pike cty),NJ residents, VA/Delaware pls add your view (Buffalo: appointed, real estate)
Albany areaAlbany - Schenectady - Troy - Saratoga Springs metro area
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This is my first time posting on this forum, (and actually online for awhile..) We are New Jersey residents and have been all our lives. (Or, the Greater NY area..)
This is a hard post for me to write, and it is, honestly, a bit surreal me doing it. As we thought about the idea of leaving N.J occasionally over the years, but never knew we would actually be thinking about it as a real thing we may want to do.
Without getting too deeply specific, we are a family on a very modest income, and the cost of living in New Jersey, coupled with the huge, challenging recent economy flat line, has left us feeling New Jersey may not be a fiscally feasible place to stay. It seems, for, sometime, up-tempo news blips about "the economy" suggest folks living within an hour of NYC should be having great windfalls financially, but we have not seen this.
Yes, there are things we love about New Jersey, but the harsh cost of living, and the persistent, and offensive, property tax rates, as well as meager job opportunities, are causing us to think about a move to another state.
Currently, our choices include Pike County PA area (very pretty! but, it seems, not much less expensive..?) and the Albany, NY Tri-county areas.
The only other regions we were thinking about are the Delaware/upper Virginia areas. We prefer to stay on the East Coast, and our research on the Delaware/Virginia region left us feeling these places, while perhaps lovely for weather, aren't necessarily lower on a crime index, or even for the cost of living, in contrast to, say, more affordable parts of Morris county, NJ, for example.
Ultimately, we are looking for a safe area with low crime and much lower property taxes than Northern N.J. with good, reasonably close, amenities. We aren't looking to go to a place like Rochester or Buffalo, though we would be willing to relocate to the Albany region.
In a dream, Northern Virginia would be a prime choice, but the concern is the cost of living, which, as I shared, does not seem very different from Northern NJ.
Please only reply if you're kind and respectful, (if you aren't, please be advised, I won't answer the posting). After years of living here, we are just deeply disappointed with the state of N.J. It's not an angry thing, just a genuine reflection on what the state once was, and what it has come to be..
After the time of reflection, we are now in the place of looking to relocate.
We have officially switched from "O, no, New Jersey, why?" to "Let's do this..", when it comes to leaving the state.
Please, no one harangue about why staying in Jersey is so great. We've heard the song and dance and "own the tee shirts", but even selling them won't pay NJ's oppressive energy bills..
Your life experience/feedback would be truly helpful!
Hi,
I can't comment on all the areas you've mentioned above, but I wanted to say I'm in a very similar boat! I live in Maryland and although I love it here... after having children and still bouncing back from the economy collapse, it seems I'm being priced out from the place I grew up. My family lives in Albany and I've been considering a move back for a few years. Now it's gotten real and I'm ready to go. The trouble I'm having is finding a job, in my field, with a similar salary. I'm not finding anything! If your able to find work, the Albany area will allow you to live comfortably within your salary. The real estate is cheap, but taxes can be high in certain areas.
As you've already figured out although beautiful.. Northern VA is expensive!! Anything within an hour of DC will have you financially struggling, and spending most of your time sitting in traffic makes it even more horrible. The more south you go in VA the cheaper it is.. but finding work will be tough. In Maryland we have great weather also, and it's a nice place to live (also very expensive in most areas). The Baltimore suburbs can be affordable- but you need to be very selective on where to live. The economy here has balanced out and work shouldn't be too hard to find. If my family lived here, I'd stay. But that's not the case.
I don't know anything about living in Delaware. I don't even think I've ever met anyone from Delaware and it boarders MD..LOL.
My advise would be start looking for work in the areas your considering and let that lead your decision. Best of luck to you!
This is my first time posting on this forum, (and actually online for awhile..) We are New Jersey residents and have been all our lives. (Or, the Greater NY area..)
This is a hard post for me to write, and it is, honestly, a bit surreal me doing it. As we thought about the idea of leaving N.J occasionally over the years, but never knew we would actually be thinking about it as a real thing we may want to do.
Without getting too deeply specific, we are a family on a very modest income, and the cost of living in New Jersey, coupled with the huge, challenging recent economy flat line, has left us feeling New Jersey may not be a fiscally feasible place to stay. It seems, for, sometime, up-tempo news blips about "the economy" suggest folks living within an hour of NYC should be having great windfalls financially, but we have not seen this.
Yes, there are things we love about New Jersey, but the harsh cost of living, and the persistent, and offensive, property tax rates, as well as meager job opportunities, are causing us to think about a move to another state.
Currently, our choices include Pike County PA area (very pretty! but, it seems, not much less expensive..?) and the Albany, NY Tri-county areas.
The only other regions we were thinking about are the Delaware/upper Virginia areas. We prefer to stay on the East Coast, and our research on the Delaware/Virginia region left us feeling these places, while perhaps lovely for weather, aren't necessarily lower on a crime index, or even for the cost of living, in contrast to, say, more affordable parts of Morris county, NJ, for example.
Ultimately, we are looking for a safe area with low crime and much lower property taxes than Northern N.J. with good, reasonably close, amenities. We aren't looking to go to a place like Rochester or Buffalo, though we would be willing to relocate to the Albany region.
In a dream, Northern Virginia would be a prime choice, but the concern is the cost of living, which, as I shared, does not seem very different from Northern NJ.
Please only reply if you're kind and respectful, (if you aren't, please be advised, I won't answer the posting). After years of living here, we are just deeply disappointed with the state of N.J. It's not an angry thing, just a genuine reflection on what the state once was, and what it has come to be..
After the time of reflection, we are now in the place of looking to relocate.
We have officially switched from "O, no, New Jersey, why?" to "Let's do this..", when it comes to leaving the state.
Please, no one harangue about why staying in Jersey is so great. We've heard the song and dance and "own the tee shirts", but even selling them won't pay NJ's oppressive energy bills..
Your life experience/feedback would be truly helpful!
Thank you :^)
p.s Our income is under 70k
I'm curious as to why, given that the overall COL is a little bit lower.
Hi,
I can't comment on all the areas you've mentioned above, but I wanted to say I'm in a very similar boat! I live in Maryland and although I love it here... after having children and still bouncing back from the economy collapse, it seems I'm being priced out from the place I grew up. My family lives in Albany and I've been considering a move back for a few years. Now it's gotten real and I'm ready to go. The trouble I'm having is finding a job, in my field, with a similar salary. I'm not finding anything! If your able to find work, the Albany area will allow you to live comfortably within your salary. The real estate is cheap, but taxes can be high in certain areas.
As you've already figured out although beautiful.. Northern VA is expensive!! Anything within an hour of DC will have you financially struggling, and spending most of your time sitting in traffic makes it even more horrible. The more south you go in VA the cheaper it is.. but finding work will be tough. In Maryland we have great weather also, and it's a nice place to live (also very expensive in most areas). The Baltimore suburbs can be affordable- but you need to be very selective on where to live. The economy here has balanced out and work shouldn't be too hard to find. If my family lived here, I'd stay. But that's not the case.
I don't know anything about living in Delaware. I don't even think I've ever met anyone from Delaware and it boarders MD..LOL.
My advise would be start looking for work in the areas your considering and let that lead your decision. Best of luck to you!
Hi, thanks for the awesome reply! In particular, I want to say God bless you!! for your honesty, sharing this:
Quote:
As you've already figured out although beautiful.. Northern VA is expensive!!
Anything within an hour of DC will have you financially struggling, and spending
most of your time sitting in traffic makes it even more horrible. The more south
you go in VA the cheaper it is.. but finding work will be tough.
I'm picturing this, over an hour from DC, great weather and oppressive cost of living..
Not much snow, and can't afford things..
We would not be into the more deep South no-work scene..
It's been enough with that here in Jersey..
Could not imagine it down there, and then the culture change..
Although we understand there are lovely people there, and everywhere..
That's really not the issue..
Can't see us going through the same thing as here in New Jersey, but in a different region..
At least we know NJ..
In any case, I appreciate your sharing very much!
I'm sorry you're going through something similar..
I have an inkling many people are, and all the collective news blips out there are somebody else's wishful thinking/misinformation. Not to say that all news is false..
But that is, definitely, another subject for another thread..
Just saying, I think stories like ours are not so uncommon these days..
Even though everyone's story is original and unique.
As for Maryland and Delaware, too crime-y in parts from what we read and saw.
The data and statistics left us unconvinced.
I'm sure wherever you are is great and lovely, or you wouldn't have stayed there..
People seem to be getting pushed out of good areas and communities via being taxed and simply not having jobs to sustain their expenses, when meshed with flat lined or awful local or regional economies..
I recall once, about 10 years, or so, ago, we were going to drive through Northern VA, but made a stop at a hotel on the border between there and the Maryland border/DC.
It was quite strange, it was Easter-eve and the hotel we stopped at looked good enough. We were exhausted and didn't have much to spend. It was the nearest stop nearby.
When we got inside, it felt like the hotel was immersed in a scene from a place like Camden NJ.
It was loud, even late at night, and didn't seem all that safe. We needed to stop for rest, and knew no one around that region, so we, basically, had to stop at this place, to get some rest.
We were half expecting Joe Clark, to come in hanging from the rafters, in the pool area. To say it seemed thuggy would be an understatement.
We grew up in or near some tough towns, so we weren't intimidated, but I wouldn't exactly say we got good sleep.
After that experience, we never went to that part of the country again..
Again, not to diminish your experience..
A lot of life is what you make it too..
naturally.. :^)
Last edited by hears_where_the_story; 09-19-2014 at 11:57 AM..
Reason: edit
Besides the distance, the other things wouldn't be THAT much of a difference, but I understand.
I'm not sure what to say..
We haven't really looked into areas beyond up to Amsterdam, and that was about where we stopped, around the timeframe of, maybe between 2002-2005 ish., give or take.
During that timeframe we really had wanted to stay in the Greater NYC/NJ area, due to some extended family being here.
Now, that is not so as much, so, we're really not tethered to NJ. This being said, there are a few stops we'd need to make in NJ, which may require us to make a day trip a couple of times a year. The issue of amenities, development, shops, and so on, is not something we'd count on NJ for at that point, though; and that's why we'd need an area that's safe, affordable, and reasonably built up, in terms of access to goods and services and things. I won't deny, we're used to the well-developed quality of life and amenities NJ has to offer.
The stops we need to make in NJ 3-4 times a year are kind of a must, at this juncture, and that would mean 3-4 day trips a year. If that trip could be made from other points in NY State that were equal or greater than the Albany area, and the same with any area of NE very near to NY State, we might consider.
As for the cold, snow and stuff, we are happy to enjoy 4 seasons. We find the fall and early Winter bracing, refreshing and invigorating. I am not so sure so much so for extra added snow, beyond what we might normally experience in parts of lower NY State or Northern NJ.
We'd really like a region that is safe as well. Some states don't necessarily have that. Northern parts of NJ, north of, say, Parsippany might. But once one gets South of say, Edison, areas get more dicey and "good" neighborhoods sometimes border kind of bad ones.
Are there any whole regions up there in the further up NY State and/or eastern NE areas which aren't very much more snowy, and are safe, developed regions?
I've noticed you seem to be a spokesman on here for Upstate NY, or something :^)
If you have any fresh ideas, beyond what's been shared, please, do tell.
As we really don't want to re locate terribly far from here, unless a positive change in the cost of living is balanced off by safe, developed regions, which aren't a really far drive from, say, Northern NJ, for example. Even though, as I shared, those visits would only be a few times a year.
I can't say I'd choose Buffalo though, I heard about the crime and that the snow is pretty massive there.
I'm not sure what to say..
We haven't really looked into areas beyond up to Amsterdam, and that was about where we stopped, around the timeframe of, maybe between 2002-2005 ish., give or take.
During that timeframe we really had wanted to stay in the Greater NYC/NJ area, due to some extended family being here.
Now, that is not so as much, so, we're really not tethered to NJ. This being said, there are a few stops we'd need to make in NJ, which may require us to make a day trip a couple of times a year. The issue of amenities, development, shops, and so on, is not something we'd count on NJ for at that point, though; and that's why we'd need an area that's safe, affordable, and reasonably built up, in terms of access to goods and services and things. I won't deny, we're used to the well-developed quality of life and amenities NJ has to offer.
The stops we need to make in NJ 3-4 times a year are kind of a must, at this juncture, and that would mean 3-4 day trips a year. If that trip could be made from other points in NY State that were equal or greater than the Albany area, and the same with any area of NE very near to NY State, we might consider.
As for the cold, snow and stuff, we are happy to enjoy 4 seasons. We find the fall and early Winter bracing, refreshing and invigorating. I am not so sure so much so for extra added snow, beyond what we might normally experience in parts of lower NY State or Northern NJ.
We'd really like a region that is safe as well. Some states don't necessarily have that. Northern parts of NJ, north of, say, Parsippany might. But once one gets South of say, Edison, areas get more dicey and "good" neighborhoods sometimes border kind of bad ones.
Are there any whole regions up there in the further up NY State and/or eastern NE areas which aren't very much more snowy, and are safe, developed regions?
I've noticed you seem to be a spokesman on here for Upstate NY, or something :^)
If you have any fresh ideas, beyond what's been shared, please, do tell.
As we really don't want to re locate terribly far from here, unless a positive change in the cost of living is balanced off by safe, developed regions, which aren't a really far drive from, say, Northern NJ, for example. Even though, as I shared, those visits would only be a few times a year.
I can't say I'd choose Buffalo though, I heard about the crime and that the snow is pretty massive there.
Your thoughts would be appreciated, thank you.
Would you live within a city or anywhere within a metro area?
In terms of Upstate NY, the further east and south, the less snow.
How far away from Northern NJ are you willing to go?
Would you live within a city or anywhere within a metro area?
In terms of Upstate NY, the further east and south, the less snow.
How far away from Northern NJ are you willing to go?
Hello,
Thank you for the quick reply!
We don't want to live in a city..
We have lived in cities, (in NJ/NY, respectively..)
Cities have their fun and merit..
While we wouldn't mind being within 10 min to 30 mins of one,
we'd be fine living in a metro area that is safe, affordable, developed and not necessarily very close to a major large city..
I guess, by contrast, like a person living within an hour from NYC, where there is still development and amenities. (On the other hand, some places an hour from Albany might not be near things, in NY State, depending upon where they are..)
I should add, we're not into really small towns where everyone knows everyone's name.
That has its charm and merit, to be sure..
But a city of close to 12k or so -give or take a few-or more, would be ideal..
I think further east and not too, too North is where we'd want to go.
As for the how far from Northern NJ, I'd have to get back to you on that one; but, as it stands now, not much further than, probably, Amsterdam, and the Greater Albany region, (due South, the Upper portions of NOVA).
That could change though, but at the moment I am not sure, we'd have to look into that and see..
Last edited by hears_where_the_story; 09-19-2014 at 05:20 PM..
Reason: edit
We have lived in cities, (in NJ/NY, respectively..)
Cities have their fun and merit..
While we wouldn't mind being within 10 min to 30 mins of one,
we'd be fine living in a metro area that is safe, affordable, developed and not necessarily very close to a major large city..
I guess, by contrast, like a person living within an hour from NYC, where there is still development and amenities. (On the other hand, some places an hour from Albany might not be near things, in NY State, depending upon where they are..)
I should add, we're not into really small towns where everyone knows everyone's name.
That has its charm and merit, to be sure..
But a city of close to 12k or so -give or take a few-or more, would be ideal..
I think further east and not too, too North is where we'd want to go.
As for the how far from Northern NJ, I'd have to get back to you on that one; but, as it stands now, not much further than, probably, Amsterdam, and the Greater Albany region, (due South, the Upper portions of NOVA).
That could change though, but at the moment I am not sure, we'd have to look into that and see..
You can find what you want anywhere in Upstate NY and near the Albany area, but the distance aspect needs to be figured out in order to offer some suggestions. What about employment? Walkability? Amenities?
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thanks for your reply!!!:^)
hi, thanks for the quick reply!
