potential move to central jersey (Perth Amboy, Sayreville: houses, find a job, neighborhoods)

[TravelNatty]

DH has a soft offer for a job in Perth Amboy, we're considering if we want to relocate our family or not. I have a quant background, so should be able to find a job. Please tell us about the area. And what is the traffic like? How many miles form Perth Amboy can we live for DH to have a 1/2 hr commute? We're from Virginia outside of DC so we are used to horrible traffic. What would be some good towns to consider?

Will you buy or rent? Buy
What is your budget ? $550K
What kind of place are you looking for ? SFH neighborhood. Garage. Don't mind doing some renovations, but the house needs to be in good enough shape to move in.

Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ? 1 YO son. Hope to have more kids.
Do you need/want good public schools? Yes

Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in.
We like mature neighborhoods with lots of trees - good for taking an evening walk. We like to chill on our deck, play in the yard. We like areas that have parks near by (1/2 hr drive) for walking or hiking. We like nice/friendly neighbors and a bonus if there's some young families. We like the diversity where we currently live and the good ethnic food - but can be flexible on this. We don't like souless/treeless subdivisions with with only chain restaurants nearby.

[slope95]

i wouldn't live in perth amboy itself. depending on where they are working, perth amboy does have a train station which could open up other options.

i would look at red bank in monmouth county. it is a very nice town on the navesink river with parks, restaurants and a lovely downtown. to get to perth amboy, you could take the parkway or drive up 35. no traffic should be 25-30 minutes. the train to perth amboy would be 30 minutes.the schools in the red bank area are good too. options include 164 South Street, Red Bank NJ - Trulia and 18 Worthley Street, Red Bank NJ - Trulia and 323 Conover Place, Red Bank NJ - Trulia and 137 Hubbard Avenue, Red Bank NJ - Trulia. red bank shares schools with neighboring little silver and shrewsbury, where options include 268 White Road, Little Silver NJ - Trulia and 322 White Road, Little Silver NJ - Trulia and 3 Brady Road, Shrewsbury NJ - Trulia and 905 Broad Street, Shrewsbury NJ - Trulia.

you could also look at metuchen in middlesex county, which also has a nice downtown, great schools, parks, and is closer to perth amboy, 15 minutes no traffic, by 287 and 440. your options include Newman St and Rose St - Trulia and 97 Mason Drive, Metuchen NJ - Trulia and 72 Eggert Avenue, Metuchen NJ - Trulia.

[TonyStarksNJ]

Originally Posted by slope95

i wouldn't live in perth amboy itself. depending on where they are working, perth amboy does have a train station which could open up other options.

i would look at red bank in monmouth county. it is a very nice town on the navesink river with parks, restaurants and a lovely downtown. to get to perth amboy, you could take the parkway or drive up 35. no traffic should be 25-30 minutes. the train to perth amboy would be 30 minutes.the schools in the red bank area are good too. options include 164 South Street, Red Bank NJ - Trulia and 18 Worthley Street, Red Bank NJ - Trulia and 323 Conover Place, Red Bank NJ - Trulia and 137 Hubbard Avenue, Red Bank NJ - Trulia. red bank shares schools with neighboring little silver and shrewsbury, where options include 268 White Road, Little Silver NJ - Trulia and 322 White Road, Little Silver NJ - Trulia and 3 Brady Road, Shrewsbury NJ - Trulia and 905 Broad Street, Shrewsbury NJ - Trulia.

you could also look at metuchen in middlesex county, which also has a nice downtown, great schools, parks, and is closer to perth amboy, 15 minutes no traffic, by 287 and 440. your options include Newman St and Rose St - Trulia and 97 Mason Drive, Metuchen NJ - Trulia and 72 Eggert Avenue, Metuchen NJ - Trulia.

I grew up in Ocean, have lived in Hudson, Bergen, Somerset and now Middlesex county. If I were OP I would look in monmouth as well. It has the shore. I hate the traffic and congestion in middlesex, but it provides the ease into NYC. Since Op doesnt need that, I vote monmouth county (Middletown, Matawan, Hazlet, Holmdel etc)

[OysterCatcher]

Originally Posted by TravelNatty

DH has a soft offer for a job in Perth Amboy, we're considering if we want to relocate our family or not. I have a quant background, so should be able to find a job. Please tell us about the area. And what is the traffic like? How many miles form Perth Amboy can we live for DH to have a 1/2 hr commute? We're from Virginia outside of DC so we are used to horrible traffic. What would be some good towns to consider?

Will you buy or rent? Buy
What is your budget ? $550K
What kind of place are you looking for ? SFH neighborhood. Garage. Don't mind doing some renovations, but the house needs to be in good enough shape to move in.

Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ? 1 YO son. Hope to have more kids.
Do you need/want good public schools? Yes

Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in.
We like mature neighborhoods with lots of trees - good for taking an evening walk. We like to chill on our deck, play in the yard. We like areas that have parks near by (1/2 hr drive) for walking or hiking. We like nice/friendly neighbors and a bonus if there's some young families. We like the diversity where we currently live and the good ethnic food - but can be flexible on this. We don't like souless/treeless subdivisions with with only chain restaurants nearby.

I second Metuchen based off your criteria.

[KoalaNJ]

I'd stay away from Sayerville - tons of really bad flooding issues. While Red Bank, (Shrewsberry and Little Ferry too) are wonderful areas, and meet most of the OP's criteria, in no way are they within the OP's desired under 30 min commute. RB to Perth Amboy is close to an hour during rush. Holmdel (which would be a good choice per your other requirements) would be as far south you could go and still be close to a 30 min commute. Good schools, nice community. Metuchen is also another good option- truly fits all of the OP's criteria.

KoalaNJ

[Retriever]

Originally Posted by KoalaNJ

I'd stay away from Sayerville (sic) - tons of really bad flooding issues.

...and then there is the issue of the extensive amount of lead contamination in Sayreville, as a result of decades of improper disposal of the waste from National Lead, Inc.

Metuchen is probably one of the better areas for the OP to focus on.

[Peanuttree]

I second recommendations of sticking with Monmouth county and looking at Red Bank.

Is this place of work near the train station? If it is, I'd look for houses along the train line, so he can have that perfect, idyllic commute of the train, but local only and just 2-4 stations away

If you move to the area, you have to have the authentic Chinese in the area - there's an Asian grocery on rt 35, Shanghai Bun in Matawan, NJ does amazing food and has the unfortunately little-known Chinese style breakfast, and a block from Shanghai Bun on rt 34 there's a place that has weekend dim sum