Worst towns in NJ (Camden, Vineland: new home, move, horse)

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by Crazy_Daisy

I am talking about North Carolina. Duke is in North Carolina, and Debra was talking about South Carolina. New Jersey is too crowded and it has become too polluted. Even my New Yorker husband doesn't like New Jersey.

the NJ i live in is not too crowded or too polluted. but, given you've never even been to western essex county, your myopic views don't surprise me. cracks me up that you want to escape pollution and crowds, yet are FOLLOWING the crowds and pollution. what do you think is going to happen to NC as the masses leave?

[66nexus]

Originally Posted by Pretender

I will pass on New Jersey now. Everyone is leaving it seems to go to other places. The population has dwindled a bit, and the state is now number 9 on the most populated states. It is too crowded and too much urban sprawl for my taste.

Everyone's leaving but it's too crowded The water was too cold but it was hot.

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by 66nexus

LMAO: You're New Yorker husband doesn't like Jersey?! Most New Yorkers don't like Jersey! Or at least have something bad to say about it. (tha hell with NYers/hey, they feel the same way about us/I'm not ragging your husband btw) And again...I'm not calling you an out-of-stater, HOWEVER, an out-of-stater would definitely say something like 'NJ is too polluted' because they simply don't know. Jersey has a lot of industry, but that's not the whole state. I live in Old Bridge now and when I walk outside, ah it smells of trees. There's a forest in my backyard that runs to Monroe (the next town over) and a small stream that fills as a lake when it rains and smells wonderful...that's my Jersey. Not the turnpike...

There was nothing like Sunday mornings living in Old Bridge. Maybe you went to the racetrack, a hockey game or over to NYC on Saturday. Then get up early the next day, drive over to the Dunkin' Donuts on 9 near the Old Country Buffet for a boston creme and a coffee. It had a wonderfully relaxed "feel" to it. I sure do miss it, too.

[66nexus]

Originally Posted by BrianH1970

There was nothing like Sunday mornings living in Old Bridge. Maybe you went to the racetrack, a hockey game or over to NYC on Saturday. Then get up early the next day, drive over to the Dunkin' Donuts on 9 near the Old Country Buffet for a boston creme and a coffee. It had a wonderfully relaxed "feel" to it. I sure do miss it, too.

Damn right! Definitely went to the racetrack, and I LOOOOVE Old Country Buffet. I love the people here too

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by 66nexus

Damn right! Definitely went to the racetrack, and I LOOOOVE Old Country Buffet. I love the people here too

Old Country Buffet with the one lighter haired older guy who takes the dishes from your table. He's been there from the very beginning. My buddy who lives one town from me in Kannapolis had taken a ride up to Jersey with me (he lived in Kearny and up in Sussex) so I could take care of a few things. We went to OCB for dinner. The look on his face when that guy passed him by. He was like, "you mean he's STILL here?"

I can't wait to move back up where you can go into a bookstore to pick up an issue of Backstreets and an issue of Weird NJ.

[66nexus]

Originally Posted by BrianH1970

Old Country Buffet with the one lighter haired older guy who takes the dishes from your table. He's been there from the very beginning. My buddy who lives one town from me in Kannapolis had taken a ride up to Jersey with me (he lived in Kearny and up in Sussex) so I could take care of a few things. We went to OCB for dinner. The look on his face when that guy passed him by. He was like, "you mean he's STILL here?"

I can't wait to move back up where you can go into a bookstore to pick up an issue of Backstreets and an issue of Weird NJ.

I considered moving back to North Jersey but I've grown too accustomed to Old Bridge...

[Debra]

Tahiti, if you can possibly name a few nice spots with lower taxes and nice open land, not too far from the city, we'd be perfectly willing to check it out! I'm sure there's a lot of areas we just don't know about .
I guess we like the idea of being close to the city but there's always compromises to be made. We just haven't seen a lot of our own state beside the Jersey shore I suppose. I know Madison isn't the answer...that's where our friends just moved away from. We love Cape May, but that's out of the question price wise.
Any ideas?
Thanks.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by Debra

Tahiti, if you can possibly name a few nice spots with lower taxes and nice open land, not too far from the city, we'd be perfectly willing to check it out! I'm sure there's a lot of areas we just don't know about .
I guess we like the idea of being close to the city but there's always compromises to be made. We just haven't seen a lot of our own state beside the Jersey shore I suppose. I know Madison isn't the answer...that's where our friends just moved away from. We love Cape May, but that's out of the question price wise.
Any ideas?
Thanks.

i believe the area south of philly, but on the jersey side (295) is very inexpensive compared with north jersey, and taxes aren't too bad (meaning, probably less than $5K or $6K). you're within 45 minutes of philly, and not too far from atlantic city or cape may. the further east you go from there the more "open" it becomes. i have family in cinnaminson (stone's throw from philly) and they *only* pay about $4500/yr taxes for a 4 bedroom colonial. it doesn't have the open space - but it's definitely suburban. if your need for a big city is greater than living in the area i just mentioned, then moving to SC is not going to solve your problem.

my favorite saying: "large, cheap, and convenient - pick any two". this holds true no matter where you go. it really just chaps my hide when people make sweeping generalization about this "ugly, expensive, rude, crowded" state (most often ppl living right near the city) when all they need to do is travel no more than an hour or two from their home to see it simply isn't true as a whole. seriously though, whatever you decide, best of luck!

[Debra]

Thanks Tahiti. No, Philly would be just fine. I mean as far as cities go in SC all there is is Savannah and Charleston but they are nice enough cities.
Truth be told, the taxes, from what I'm hearing are still lower down there.
But I think the deciding factor for us may be the cold weather. I am 54 and have recently discovered i have arthritis in my fingers, and this winter , well, some of it anyway, was really bad for me. If it gets much worse for me.....
But thanks for the tips and for the well wishes.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by krazyme

I moved here from Texas, where I was born and raised. The first place I moved here was Cliffside Park, up on the palisades close to lincoln tunnel. it's a nice little town with older immigrants (italians) mixed with the new (salvadorenos, south americans). There is a deli on the corner I would always get a prosciutto and fresh mozzarella sandwich from. The produce stand sold whole bunches of basil for a buck (i love pesto) and the people who worked there speak to each other in italian. japanese and greek food within walking distance. all without getting in my car...try that in houston tx, the land of the big box and the sprawling faceless suburbia.

Obviously you didn't live IN Houston, like the Heights, Montrose, West U, Midtown, etc. Those dense areas in town, where people walk and bike to local restaurants, shops etc., are hardly a "faceless suburbia".