Jersey City? (Newark, Hoboken, Washington: highrise, real estate, hoa fees)

[Boycey]

Hi there,

I've read a lot of bad things about New Jersey (some of which sound more believable than others) and in particular Newark but i was just wondering what it's neighbor city Jersey City is like? I haven't heard as many bad comments about it as i have Newark and it looks pretty nice from the pics i've seen but obviously pictures don't say everything.

Thanks in advance,

Boycey

[BobKovacs]

Depends on what you're looking for. Jersey City is essentially a bedroom community for all of the folks who work in Manhattan and aren't willing or able to pay Manhattan rents. A number of the large corporations from NYC have also set up shop in Jersey City (Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, etc), so it's becoming a big financial city.

IMHO, the house prices are absurd, but relative to Manhattan, they're "affordable". If you don't work in NYC or for one of the companies in Jersey City, there's no reason to live there- unless you're into overpriced housing, crappy schools, limited parking and marginal neighborhoods.

Bob

[Nancy Lynne]

Only if you are very young and want to be among the very young professionals in a very party town - which I still thinks looks a little city - it will not be for you. In fact, most of the kids that live there are singles who commute to the city. It is not a family town.

[penandink]

Disagree completely with these posts (maybe because I'm coming from Manhattan and Manhattan prices!)

Stick to Jersey City downtown. Especially Van Vorst and Hamilton Park. These areas are historic, gorgeous — think a smaller version of brownstone-lined Washington Square in NYC. Paulus Hook used to be nice, but it has become victim to highrises. Prices are high, but they seem to be coming down. Schools are horrendous. As for a party town, it's not anymore. That sounds more like Hoboken (more bars per square ft than any other US city)

[NickL28]

Originally Posted by penandink

Disagree completely with these posts (maybe because I'm coming from Manhattan and Manhattan prices!)

Stick to Jersey City downtown. Especially Van Vorst and Hamilton Park. These areas are historic, gorgeous — think a smaller version of brownstone-lined Washington Square in NYC. Paulus Hook used to be nice, but it has become victim to highrises. Prices are high, but they seem to be coming down. Schools are horrendous. As for a party town, it's not anymore. That sounds more like Hoboken (more bars per square ft than any other US city)

Where are prices coming down??? In that part of Jersey City a small railroad style one bedroom 'condo' in a restored tenement costs at least $380,000 with another $500 - $1,000 a month for HOA fees & RE Taxes. Rents are similarly as ridiculous close to if not over $2,000 a month. Trying to find a rental is ridiculous. Real Estate agents in downtown Jersey City think that they are renting apartments in Tribeca, Chelsea or the West Village. The Haugtiness & Arrogance may work in Manhattan, but many find it a huge turnoff and hugely offensive.

Why must the most expensive, overpriced, yuppified areas always be suggested with no realistic mention of the average price & rent of today (as opposed to 6 years ago). I looked at many apartments and grew up in this area so I am familiar with the real cost of things.

The high rises are even more ridiculous (try $800,000 and up) with another $6,000 a year in RE Taxes plus HOA fees.

[el nina mujer estalacalle]

Originally Posted by NickL28

Where are prices coming down??? In that part of Jersey City a small railroad style one bedroom 'condo' in a restored tenement costs at least $380,000 with another $500 - $1,000 a month for HOA fees & RE Taxes. Rents are similarly as ridiculous close to if not over $2,000 a month. Trying to find a rental is ridiculous. Real Estate agents in downtown Jersey City think that they are renting apartments in Tribeca, Chelsea or the West Village. The Haugtiness & Arrogance may work in Manhattan, but many find it a huge turnoff and hugely offensive.

Why must the most expensive, overpriced, yuppified areas always be suggested with no realistic mention of the average price & rent of today (as opposed to 6 years ago). I looked at many apartments and grew up in this area so I am familiar with the real cost of things.

The high rises are even more ridiculous (try $800,000 and up) with another $6,000 a year in RE Taxes plus HOA fees.

and i wish they would stop building those nasty things. they are trying to spread that yuppie disease north into my union city. union city has a fairly low crime rate considering it has over 60,000 people in little more than a square mile, lower than yuppie hoboken, and i think it does not deserve the reputation has been given by the real estate corporations that are trying to urban cleanse it. and i unapologetically say this.

[jay_bones15]

Why don't people use the search function? There has to be 100 threads on jersey city alone.

Jersey city is either a overpriced safe boring crappy place to live, or a dirt poor, dangerous, boring crappy place to live.

and that pretty much sums up ALL of JC.