Relocating from FL to NJ or NY...HELP! (Newark, Camden: home owners insurance, condo)

[Angelaa71]

My husband is being transferred to job in NY. We have to be within an hour and a half of White Plains and NYC. We've been looking online and we like the Vernon area. We have 2 elementary aged kids, and we need to be near good schools.

We don't pay state taxes in FL, and someone was telling me that we would have to pay 15% in NY. Is that true? Could anyone give me an idea on what we might have to pay if we were making $100,000/yr ?

I've noticed how expensive housing is in NJ and NY. We have several pets and would prefer to live in a house, as opposed to a condo/townhouse.
Property taxes are outrageous. How are they determined? I've also seen some 'school taxes' listed. What is that?

Any kind of info. you can give me would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[Viralmd]

If you need to be near both White Plains and NYC, you should be looking in Westchester, not NJ. You do NOT want to do a NJ to White Plains trip frequently during rush hour.

[ottomobeale]

I moved from FL to NJ because of a layoff and a new job in NJ. I am assuming you mean Vernon NJ, not Vernon NY which is way out. I am in Ogdensburg, NJ. Vernon is iffy for 90 mins to Manhattan and White plains going in. Coming out, you can not beat the traffic so add 15-30 mins on a clear day. Might be doable if he leaves by 5AM. I don’t take it but I hear about a lot of back ups on the Tappan Z Bridge many mornings which will mess up going to White Plains.

Most of Sussex Co has at least decent schools. Others will be better for specifics of Vernon.

Not sure on NY taxes but you get a credit on your NJ taxes against it. NJ income taxes are high but subject to a lot of deductions etc kind of like federal. Its not “too bad” for most people until you get ***OVER*** 100K for a family of 4. Where they nail you is property taxes.

Like 4.5K to 6K for a STARTER house.

Not sure of NJ “school taxes” I thought that was a Pennsylvania thing. Yes, people commute 90 miles a day from PA to NYC. The prices in PA will make you cry they are so cheap. (relatively)

http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/l...axrate_NY.html

Income tax rates for NY. Not sure on their deductions but looks like a combined rate of ~6% including the marginal rates for the first of your income. Not sure on city rates tacked on.

How are they determined. Im not so sure its not the following. Corrupt politicians of all parties spend on their constituencies. They divvy up the bill by all the houses in the area. You pay. Still there is debt in NJ.

OK all sounds negative let me give some positives.

Real trees. Oddly I missed them. Scrub pines and the 3 kinds of deciduous trees in FL don’t cut it. Palm trees are nice but shade is a good thing.
The hills are very very pretty.
HUGE parks. Take your kids hiking along the trails of the Delaware Water Gap. It is an incredible area. Also a number of huge state parks nearby. There is like a 30 dollar fee per year but well worth it. Allamuchy is nice.
Proximity to NYC and its truly massive economic engine.
I found in Florida even nice neighborhoods had lots of crime. It seems every child humping perv is in FL. In NJ you can escape it more by avoiding bad areas. That is less crime in good areas of NJ but more in the bad areas… So stay out of Newark…

[brookdaleresident]

In NJ, part of your prorperty taxes go toward schools. not sure if that's what your referring to. Agree about looking in Westchester. Be prepared for sticker shock coming from Florida.

[Angelaa71]

Thanks for all of the advice.

What the heck is sticker shock???

As much as I want to get out of FL, I'm beginning to get really worried about moving up there. It's soooooo expensive. A house like the one I have now, would cost me half a million up there.

I only pay $1000 in property taxes every year. My insurance, however, increased from $500/yr. to $2200/yr. after the hurricanes in '04.
Which brings up another question. How does home owners insurance run up there? I realize it depends on the home and area, but ballpark?

[Viralmd]

No matter where you go, your property tax is going to be much higher...

[Lost in Lopat]

I moved from Central Fl to NJ in 1999. My salary doubled. Housing doubled, but so did my savings. Schools are wayyy better in NJ -- I grew up in FL, my kids were in 2nd and 5th grade when I made the move. I immediately noticed the difference in the schools. A huge portion of the property taxes in NJ are for the schools, as they are on a township-wide basis. In FL, most of the school funds come from Federal dollars, and schools are run by the county. I worked in Orlando - talk about crime and traffic...I think the Camden area compares with the crime in Orlando, but overall I have not experienced anything that makes me want to move back. I first moved to Hunterdon County then bought a home in Warren County. I work in Morris County. As a final word I must say the quality of life in NJ surpasses what was in Florida.

[Viralmd]

That may be so Lost, but this person is going to be going to White Plains and NYC - NJ is NOT a good choice. Westchester would be FAR more sensible. Even Rockland County would be better.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by Angelaa71

Thanks for all of the advice.

What the heck is sticker shock???

As much as I want to get out of FL, I'm beginning to get really worried about moving up there. It's soooooo expensive. A house like the one I have now, would cost me half a million up there.

I only pay $1000 in property taxes every year. My insurance, however, increased from $500/yr. to $2200/yr. after the hurricanes in '04.
Which brings up another question. How does home owners insurance run up there? I realize it depends on the home and area, but ballpark?

I can only speak myself obviously, but my homeowners on a slightly larger than average house runs about $350/yr for very good coverage ($500 deductible?). I also have an $2M umbrella policy for about the same.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by Viralmd

That may be so Lost, but this person is going to be going to White Plains and NYC - NJ is NOT a good choice. Westchester would be FAR more sensible. Even Rockland County would be better.

i just read the original post, and I agree.