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Old 06-29-2013, 10:52 AM
 
Location: Union County NJ
107 posts, read 194,877 times
Reputation: 57

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I would say either Montclair or Summit, Westfield is nice too (all good schools). I you do want a more city-like feel then Hoboken, Jersey City, possibly even North Bergen/Union City/ Bayonne (but with these private school would be recommended)
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Old 06-29-2013, 08:58 PM
 
10,181 posts, read 10,211,880 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PrimeTime2013 View Post
Hi all, I really enjoy the advice and perspective shared on this site. My first post here, so hopefully I can get some insight and also get some good info for others like me. Here's the deal:

Wife and I are both city kids, moving from Brooklyn, looking to move to Northern Jersey for the following reasons:
1- Planning to start a family soon so looking for an excellent public school system (like every other parent on this board I'm sure)

2- I work in NYC so I'm looking for a direct train line that will get me into the city ideally in ~45 mins. Guy that used to work for me took the bus into midtown from Bloomfield and I swear he called in late with a delay or traffic issue at least twice a week. This turned me off to the bus option. Midtown direct train line limits my town options to Essex County (I think).

3- Mom lives in Staten Island so don't want to be too far. Gotta think about baby sitter access! We also have many friends in NYC and Brooklyn so wouldn't want the weekend drive to be too far.

Here is where our taste come into play:
1- We love the restaurants, parks, culture, urban feel that Brooklyn and NYC offer, so we would need a town with a hip (for lack of a better word) vibe in the downtown area. Even though we're looking at suburbs, can't be too suburbie.

2- Nice mix of ethnicities.

About us: Mid 30s professionals, looking in the $600 - $800 range

Where we've looked: Primarily in Montclair, and a little in S. Orange, Maplewood, and W. Orange. The property taxes in these towns are high as giraffe's you-know-what, but I figure we'd be paying that in private school tuition if we were in NYC/BK so I don't mind paying the taxes for a great school system. (Even better payoff with more than 1 kid).

Any thoughts from you guys on some places that we should consider? Bergen County towns maybe?

Thanks!
You should stay in Brooklyn for a while.

Have a kid, and then see what type of a "vibe" is still important to you or not, when searching for a house.

Last edited by Informed Info; 06-29-2013 at 09:06 PM..
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Old 06-29-2013, 09:10 PM
 
Location: New Jersey
550 posts, read 1,182,613 times
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I am surprised nobody suggested Bayonne! it meets every need! Very close to Staten Island
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Old 06-29-2013, 09:20 PM
 
7,296 posts, read 11,816,263 times
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I have a co-worker who lives with his family in the Toll Brothers complex in Princeton Junction, which offers a shuttle to the train station. They plan to send kids to the private schools in Princeton.
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Old 06-30-2013, 05:28 AM
 
1,212 posts, read 2,243,195 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SonorityGenius View Post
I am surprised nobody suggested Bayonne! it meets every need! Very close to Staten Island
Bayonne isn't that nice ... It's ok, safe. Harder than you'd think to get to NYC considering its proximity, convenient to nothing and terrible shopping. Yes it's close to SI and that's about it.
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Old 06-30-2013, 08:23 AM
 
Location: Jersey City
7,053 posts, read 19,228,637 times
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Also, does Bayonne have good public schools? I know a couple of guys who grew up there but went to Catholic schools. I've always assumed the public schools are no good.
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Old 07-01-2013, 12:29 AM
 
39 posts, read 75,300 times
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Now that I have a couple days experience with this board I realized I didn't submit the standard info:


*Read this list so you are aware of what should be included if you are moving from out of area and coming to New Jersey.


Where are you coming from? Brooklyn
Why are you moving? Better living and schooling environment for the kid(s) (Working on this )
Where will you be working ? If NYC, what part of NYC? Midtown NYC for me. Wife will most likely find a job near new home. (Healthcare)

Will you buy or rent? Buy
What is your budget ? Up to $800K
What kind of place are you looking for ? Well maintained or renovated Center Hall colonial or Contemporary.

Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ? Just us 2
Do you need/want good public schools? Yes, yes. Need and want

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)

All the examples above. Close-knit is not that important. Just want some nice neighbors

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)

Schools
Walkable to the train
Outdoor activities (parks, festivals, etc)
Downtown area (restaurants, shopping, cafes, wine bars)

Hope that clarifies. Thanks.
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Old 07-01-2013, 07:49 AM
 
Location: Bordentown, NJ
160 posts, read 299,785 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arrieros81 View Post
Bayonne isn't that nice ... It's ok, safe. Harder than you'd think to get to NYC considering its proximity, convenient to nothing and terrible shopping. Yes it's close to SI and that's about it.
Lol at Bayonne being convenient to nothing. We are within 15 minutes of absolutely everything. All of JC, Hoboken, Staten, Gold Coast, Newark, Elizabeth. And 20 minutes to Manhattan which is a hell of a lot closer than most places. 50 minute commute to midtown area, 35 minute commute to Financial District, in the suburbs that's practically unheard of. As far as shopping goes I really don't think Broadway is anywhere near as dull as people act like it is. For big box shopping there is always Newport/SI within less than 15 minutes.

Some people crap on Bayonne because we don't have the whole transplant vibe here or a real push for gentrification like some places. But we are affordable and have a community feel that is hard to find in most urban areas these days.

Plus with 800k you could essentially buy a mansion on the water there.
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Old 07-02-2013, 09:23 PM
 
10,219 posts, read 19,122,826 times
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Bayonne is convenient to a lot of places, but Midtown isn't one of them. It's also not "suburban living". "Urban vibe with suburban living" is more or less Montclair's marketing slogan, and you've got the direct train. Summit has quite a large downtown with a lot of restaurants, lower property taxes, and better train service than Montclair. Maplewood, Millburn, and South Orange are more suburban but all have at least some urban-type amenities. Watch the flood zones especially in Millburn.
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Old 07-02-2013, 09:39 PM
 
39 posts, read 75,300 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by nybbler View Post
Bayonne is convenient to a lot of places, but Midtown isn't one of them. It's also not "suburban living". "Urban vibe with suburban living" is more or less Montclair's marketing slogan, and you've got the direct train. Summit has quite a large downtown with a lot of restaurants, lower property taxes, and better train service than Montclair. Maplewood, Millburn, and South Orange are more suburban but all have at least some urban-type amenities. Watch the flood zones especially in Millburn.
I've heard Summit a couple times as well as Westfield since they have trains. I'll check into those. Thanks!
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