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I am relatively new here. My fiance and I are to be married next June, we plan to buy a house by the end of 2014. We want to buy a home to live in for a long while (7-10 years hopefully). The absolute top of our budget is 350k but we also want good schools and a nice, traditional downtown. If possible, about an eighth to a quarter acre of land would be nice too.
Our jobs are in Florham Park and Berkeley Heights.
We have been discussing West Orange/Montclair/South Orange/Maplewood/Millburn and Lincoln Park/Pequannock/Wayne and Oakland/Pompton Lakes.
Are any of these regions attainable? What is our best bet in Essex/Morris/Passaic/Bergen counties? Thank you!
West Orange: would probably be ok w your price range, but there is no real "downtown" here (though you can drive to Montclair)
Montclair: V tough w that price range (you'll either need to look into condos or the "other" part of town) and you certainly won't get much land. You will get a good downtown.
South Orange and Maplewood: similar to Montclair
I recommend you drive around those towns to see if you like the areas that that price range can buy you. Maybe you will be ok w it, but know, for example Maplewood means you will likely end up on a street right by Irvington.
Don't know a ton about the other towns you mention, but I believe they would be better price wise and you'd probably get more land (and lower taxes) than Essex County would give you.
Also, maybe look into Springfield. No downtown, but decent schools and you can drive to Westfield/Summit for their downtowns.
James, the tax equation has to be a part of your process. A $350k house with an $8k tax bill vs a $13k tax bill makes a huge difference in affordability. In Bergen, Rutherford and Fair Lawn (minus the downtown you're looking for) may fit the bill. Montclair, unless you can find a gem and afford the very high taxes (upwards of $13k for your budget) that go with it may work. Likely at $350k in Montclair for this 'gem' you would be in a multiple-bid situation. Believe you me, in 'desirable' neighborhoods like Montclair it feels as the horrible housing market never happened. BTW, also check out Cranford(Union). Lovely town, good schools, walkable. Possible that you may find a small cape at that cost. But make sure you know clearly if it's in a flood zone.
I am relatively new here. My fiance and I are to be married next June, we plan to buy a house by the end of 2014. We want to buy a home to live in for a long while (7-10 years hopefully). The absolute top of our budget is 350k but we also want good schools and a nice, traditional downtown. If possible, about an eighth to a quarter acre of land would be nice too.
Our jobs are in Florham Park and Berkeley Heights.
We have been discussing West Orange/Montclair/South Orange/Maplewood/Millburn and Lincoln Park/Pequannock/Wayne and Oakland/Pompton Lakes.
Are any of these regions attainable? What is our best bet in Essex/Morris/Passaic/Bergen counties? Thank you!
James - this won't be easy! Especially in towns like West Orange, Montclair, South Orange, and Maplewood, where the taxes (even if you somehow manage to find a house for $350,000) will likely set you over your budget! Don't forget that even if you find a house at the max of your price range, high taxes can set your monthly payments over what you can afford. In Essex and Bergen Counties, you need to factor that in.
That being said, I would take a look at Cedar Grove. It has incredibly low taxes for Essex County, nice homes at good prices, and you're a short drive away from Upper Montclair's downtown!
In Bergen County look in towns like Waldwick and Fair Lawn, where if you can get lucky, you'll find a well priced house, and you'll be a short drive away to Ridgewood's downtown.
I can only speak to Essex and Passaic County but, yes, you will be able to find what you're looking for in your price range. In Essex County, you'd have the most choice in West Orange, which has the largest inventory of homes for sale, but I would also look into Caldwell, Verona, Roseland, Montclair and parts of Bloomfield. In Passaic County, you might consider Little Falls and Rutherford.
I am relatively new here. My fiance and I are to be married next June, we plan to buy a house by the end of 2014. We want to buy a home to live in for a long while (7-10 years hopefully). The absolute top of our budget is 350k but we also want good schools and a nice, traditional downtown. If possible, about an eighth to a quarter acre of land would be nice too.
Our jobs are in Florham Park and Berkeley Heights.
We have been discussing West Orange/Montclair/South Orange/Maplewood/Millburn and Lincoln Park/Pequannock/Wayne and Oakland/Pompton Lakes.
Are any of these regions attainable? What is our best bet in Essex/Morris/Passaic/Bergen counties? Thank you!
Well, I would try to look in Morris County. I have come to the conclusion, looking on different sites and personal experience that Bergen County is overly crowded and Passaic County is overly taxed.
Of the towns you mentioned;
West Orange - you could do worse, but you could do better. The downtown is not a very nice downtown.
Montclair - A+ location and nice homes, but the schools are bad and its over taxed.
South Orange - Okay homes, but small lots and its very inconvenient
Milburn - Great town, but expensive
Lincoln Park - Flood zone
Pequannock - Some areas might be a flood zone, but it is a nice community with some nice neighborhoods.
Wayne - Large community, nice homes, but taxes are high
Oakland - Oakland is nice and wooded, I would certainly look there.
Pompton Lakes - Downtown area is less than nice
I'd look into Florham Park, Pequannock, Oakland, Wayne, West Caldwell, and Boonton.
Well, I would try to look in Morris County. I have come to the conclusion, looking on different sites and personal experience that Bergen County is overly crowded and Passaic County is overly taxed.
Of the towns you mentioned;
West Orange - you could do worse, but you could do better. The downtown is not a very nice downtown.
Montclair - A+ location and nice homes, but the schools are bad and its over taxed.
South Orange - Okay homes, but small lots and its very inconvenient
Milburn - Great town, but expensive
Lincoln Park - Flood zone
Pequannock - Some areas might be a flood zone, but it is a nice community with some nice neighborhoods.
Wayne - Large community, nice homes, but taxes are high
Oakland - Oakland is nice and wooded, I would certainly look there.
Pompton Lakes - Downtown area is less than nice
I'd look into Florham Park, Pequannock, Oakland, Wayne, West Caldwell, and Boonton.
I actually grew up in Boonton, but we moved when I was 10. I hear nothing but terrible things about the school system though. The location absolutely puts it in consideration though.
Any thoughts on schools in Boonton, Oakland, Wayne, Pequannock?
I am relatively new here. My fiance and I are to be married next June, we plan to buy a house by the end of 2014. We want to buy a home to live in for a long while (7-10 years hopefully). The absolute top of our budget is 350k but we also want good schools and a nice, traditional downtown. If possible, about an eighth to a quarter acre of land would be nice too.
Our jobs are in Florham Park and Berkeley Heights.
We have been discussing West Orange/Montclair/South Orange/Maplewood/Millburn and Lincoln Park/Pequannock/Wayne and Oakland/Pompton Lakes.
Are any of these regions attainable? What is our best bet in Essex/Morris/Passaic/Bergen counties? Thank you!
A house in that price range will be a money pit.. your better off with a town house or a condo for what your looking for
A house in that price range will be a money pit.. your better off with a town house or a condo for what your looking for
That is simply untrue. If you expect to find a nice single family in Upper Montclair or Summit for that range, you are out of luck, but there are plenty of towns where you can get a decent house for that price.
You need to rank what is most important. Obviously cream of the crop schools are going to be in pricey towns, but you can go to a more affordable town with a solid but not amazing school district.
There are limited towns w good downtowns, so maybe instead of moving to one of those towns, you move to a town that borders a town with a nice downtown.
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