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I know its been done hundreds of times, and i've been furiously scouring the forums for info. Anyway, to keep with the rules, here is my info:
Where are you coming from?
Houston TX (but we live outside of town on a fairly large country spread)
Why are you moving?
Work
Where will you be working ? If NYC, what part of NYC?
JC ( On wasington blvd to be exact)
Will you buy or rent?
Rent (My credit got thrashed in the "Great Recession")
What is your budget?
Try to keep around 4k/mo
What kind of place are you looking for ?
Prefer a small house, apartment, needs to be pet friendly
Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ?
Spouse, 12 year old son, 2 large dogs.
Do you need/want good public schools?
Would prefer decent schools. Doesn't need to be private schools, but don't want metal detectors and pat downs.
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)
Would prefer to live kind of like where we live now. A decent spread, country style living. A non attached garage for my Harley builds, etc. Realistically, I know that isn't an option out there. That being said, needs to be pet friendly, and just have enough of a "burbs" type lifestyle without being overwhelming.
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)
Rural (as possible), family oriented, middle aged families.
Overall, we are mid to late 30's. Mainly my income (~150k/yr) with a boy and two large dogs. Love riding our motorcycles on weekends, BBQs on nice days, and sailing. We met and lived and worked quite awhile in tri-state area (DC/MD/VA). We both have taken and spent many trips into the city (NYC). My brother currently lives and is stationed in Southern Jersy (Marlton), so i've been around the state somewhat. I am a bit worried with my spotty credit from a few years ago (lost my house, some repos etc) that I will have a hard time finding a decent enough place for my family. I am mostly worried about their security, his education, and our dogs (they are family).
I've been doign alot of looking with some of the info I have found already. I don't mind a long commute, as long as its by public transport, as we are only bringing 1 car. No more than 2 hours each way would be acceptable. Thanks for any and all suggestions, hope I have given enough info without going overboard!
Try renting a house in Madison or Morris Plains. Both have train stations and good schools (Madison being on of the best in state). The rental houses in Madison go fast, even at your price range. Contact an agent, and let them notify you when something good comes up.
I used to take the #68 bus from Route 18 which runs through East Brunswick and is about 50-55 mins to J.C. depending upon Turnpike traffic. Drops you off at different spots on Columbus and at Newport Center. Check out njtransit.com for details.
East Brunswick has around 50,000 people, lots of shopping on Route 18 and good schools. A very good public library, its own little water park and a dog park. It's 10 minutes from New Brunswick (Rutgers University) which has some fine restaurants. Not as "country" as you might like but not much of that exists within an hour of J.C. anyway. The western part of town still has some farms in it. You're only about 35 minutes from the beaches in Monmouth County which to me is ideal coming from North Jersey where the beaches were 1.5 hours away and the traffic on the Parkway in the summer is killer.
Also, I meant to add, I am willing to commute 2 hours each way if need be (but that would be my max). My job is pretty flexable, so let me know if that opens up other options!
Peapack/Gladstone is small, wealthy and rural, and that's where the train line ends. There are two houses for rent there. It's a charming quiet area with lots of nature around. Houses are tricky though, because if you sign a lease, the owner might decide to sell at some point. So not always do you get to renew a lease with house rentals. Do you prefer to rent a single house over an apartment complex? Will you need to walk to the train, or will your wife drop you off at the train station? I would also look for a house rental in Long Hill, Berkeley Heights, and New Providence. All have train stations, they are considered "quiet suburbs", and both Berekley Heights and New Providence have great schools. Not sure about Long Hill.
The only stumbling block I see is the two large dogs, many owners and most if not all apt complexes do not allow pets.
There are home rentals out there that will allow pets but it is narrowing down your choices
To add onto njkate about dogs. Some if not all of 'luxury' building have some breed/weight restriction on dogs and even non-luxury buildings typically have pet restrictions. Also some buildings charge pet fee so keep that in mind.
If you have breeds that's flagged as 'aggressive', 'barker', or 'large size' dogs, it'll be harder to find an apartment you can rent. So before you go see an apartment, let them know you have two dogs and what breed/weight they are. It'll save you time, rather than going on-site to see then finding out they don't allow your pets.
Edit: Oh and as wierd as it is, ask if they include water & sewer or if it's separate. Some management companies in JC have this shady (in my opinion) practice of having renter pay for water & sewer separately. So rental price looks lower than it actually is. For example, if an apartment says 3000 for 2 bedroom and management company have u pay for water/sewer. It could be extra 100-150 bucks per month. I think equity apartments and avalon does this in JC.
Thanks guys, I will look in those locations. I know one of my breeds is probably on the list, shes an Akita. While not on the "bark" list, im sure she makes all the other lists, hence the reason I thought a house might be the best option. I really can't see getting rid of my dogs, but this is a great opportunity for the job as well. Guess I should look into the weekly flight options just in case!
TOTALLY OT - but I'm laughing that the OP, who just joined, is considered an "original poster" but me, who's been on this godforsaken site for 6 years, isn't. LOL I'm sure they are working the kinks out.
Thanks guys, I will look in those locations. I know one of my breeds is probably on the list, shes an Akita. While not on the "bark" list, im sure she makes all the other lists, hence the reason I thought a house might be the best option. I really can't see getting rid of my dogs, but this is a great opportunity for the job as well. Guess I should look into the weekly flight options just in case!
Unfortunately when it comes to renting & pets, it's not to pet friendly in NJ
It may also come down to the actual owners liability should the tenants dog bite some one.
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