Hello. We are a family originally from North Jersey (NY Metro area) who has spent the last few years moving around the NorthEast (Western Mass, Connecticut Shoreline, Hudson Valley). We are now looking to relocate to a beach town and wonder if there is anyone here who lives somewhere they could recommend with the following qualities:
1. Location: We've discovered we NEED to be near the water--open ocean preferred, but Sound, Gulf, or Bay areas also possible. By "near," we mean no farther than a very short walk (less than 5 min walk?). Water view from our home, even a slight one, would be terrific if we could find it in our price range. Nothing like waking up to a view of the ocean to fill your day with possibilities!
2. Climate: we have lived in the northeast most of our lives (except for a short stint in San Diego) and while there is lots to like about this area, we are getting sick of the cold. Someplace with seasons would still be nice, but not so much snow and ice please.
3. Cost: 3 BR homes should generally go for $400,000 or less, with taxes on them $6,000 or less . Borderline is okay if you want to recommend something slightly higher; even someplace where we could get a fixer-upper for that amount could possibly work. We will probably start off renting, so rent for a 2-3 BR should be no more than $2000 generally for something walking distance to the beach.
4. Schools: we are looking for good public schools as we have young children, but we are slightly picky when we say "good schools." I'm not talking about hyper-academic schools where they start drilling the children in Kindergarten with worksheets and 30 minutes of homework each night (this is what we had in Connecticut). Most schools are rated based on their test scores, which makes it difficult to find a school that knows how to encourage high academic standards by instilling a *genuine* love of learning and a *balanced* atmosphere at the school (vs. total high academic pressure), while also letting children be children. This requires a progressive community, and usually works better in a small school district. Someplace with affordable private schools, unique charter schools that aren't impossible to get in to, or magnet schools would also be an option.
5. Neighborhood: We are looking for someplace with a genuine neighborhood feel--where people live relatively close to one another (not too rural), know their neighbors, children play at each other's houses and in each other's yards, where neighbor's come together to help one another in times of need. I don't think anyone actually prefers the stereotypical small-town busy-body or the smothering pressure for homogeneity that can happen in small towns, but rather we're looking for a place that has a true sense of community. A place with walk-able sidewalks, where people will wave and say hello from their front porches, maybe even invite you in for a snack, or stop by for a chat as they are passing yours.
6. Work: We work from home, so job center not too important.
7. Culture: Would be great to be within 40 minutes of someplace where you can get a great meal, see a little theater, music, dance or art, etc. We don't go out too much, but having something to do around once a month is nice. The immediate neighborhood should be inclusive and tolerant. We are not hard-core hippies, but we do lean to the left so a place known for its conservatism or homogeneity wouldn't work. A place where people like to openly debate politics, religion, art and economics would be wonderful!
8. Coffee: I've left the most important criteria for last!
Cafe culture strongly preferred. Must have a good "third place" where people congregate--where you can stop by and usually see someone you know. A place where people talk to strangers.
I know these are a lot of criteria, but the internet is a big place and I'm hoping someone reading this will say, "Hey, this pretty much describes MY town!" If you've got some of the qualities but not others, please comment because we will probably end up having to prioritize and compromise.
Many, many thanks for any helpful comments. If, on the other hand, you think this is the stupidest post you've ever seen and I must be some kind of total moron, please don't bother to respond. I don't know why people waste their time responding to posts they think are idiotic, but there seems to be a lot of that here.
Anyway, thanks again for your thoughts.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
