need help renting in Essex County and/or nearby (Maplewood: apartments, home)

[sywi]

Where are you coming from? NYC
Why are you moving? Can't afford rents anymore., and am getting crowd overload.
Where will you be working? From home for now; possibly NYC later.
If NYC, what part of NYC? Probably Manhattan; no clearer idea.

Will you buy or rent? Rent
What is your budget ? Need to keep it to not much more than $1000/mo. But am very willing to consider roommates/shares.
What kind of place are you looking for? Either a one-bedroom (studios give me massive claustrophobia) or a share in a larger apartment or house.

Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ? No.
Do you need/want good public schools? No.

Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in
(examples: families with young children, young, mature, artsy, diverse, safe, close-knit, block parties, etc):

Probably the single most informative thing I can say there, is that I absolutely and completely love Maplewood. (Apartments.com lists no apartments there at all, though.)

List three things that are important to you in order of importance.(examples: nightlife, outdoor activities, rural/urban, safety, downtown area, charming, new construction, proximity to XYZ, family oriented, easy parking, short commute, etc).

can afford rent
safety
public-transportation commute of no more than an hour to NYC


(Fourth important thing -- I'd like to be not too far from Maplewood. The only people I will know in NJ live there; and, working from home, I am prone to "isolation insanity" if I let myself live somewhere I can't go over to friends' places occasionally and hang out.)