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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?
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!
i'm in south orange. the taxes here are very high, the schools are ok. the real plus about south orange and maplewood is the short commute time. the downtowns are not great in either. west orange is similar, but west orange does not have a train station, though it does have a free jitney to south orange and orange stations from certain parts of town.
glen ridge is a good idea because of good schools, and that it has direct nyc train service and like the previous poster said, close to montclair.
I think definitely Montclair - fits pretty much everything you're looking for and you'll be in an area that other former Brooklynites are flocking to. Yes, there are many NYC bus commuting complaints - ideally if you could find a place within walking distance to one of the many NYC direct train stations in Montclair you will be fine. There is a wait list for parking permits at the stations, some up to 4 years so keep that in mind. There are also complaints about the trains having delays and cancellations as well so the best scenario is a home near the train and bus route so you can switch depending on whatever clever commute says that day. FYI, only one train station in Montclair has weekend service (Bay St). Also, an easy drive from Montclair to NYC via GSP south to 280 east to Holland Tunnel.
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.
This description does not fit Glen Ridge for sure. The taxes are higher because I believe GR schools are about 100% funded by property taxes. I know a few families that live in GR, they joke about how every year for sale signs go up the day after graduation (so now would be when you start seeing homes appear). I spoke with a few potential neighbors in Montclair (both families moved from Harlem/NYC) when I was looking to buy in the area last year and this is what I was told. One family looked around Montclair and GR and felt that many areas were a bit stuffy, the wife said in GR she would have to dress up to take out the garbage and she didn't want to live that way. The other family wanted more house/property and less taxes then they could get in certain parts of Montclair. Both families were pretty laid-back and down to earth, they both wound up buying in Montclair's south end, we still run into to them and they are all very happy with their decision after 3 years time.
BTW, per my real estate agents who service Montclair/GR, as soon as homes hit the market especially in GR but in Montclair too - they are getting multiple offers above asking within a few days right now.
This description does not fit Glen Ridge for sure. The taxes are higher because I believe GR schools are about 100% funded by property taxes. I know a few families that live in GR, they joke about how every year for sale signs go up the day after graduation (so now would be when you start seeing homes appear). I spoke with a few potential neighbors in Montclair (both families moved from Harlem/NYC) when I was looking to buy in the area last year and this is what I was told. One family looked around Montclair and GR and felt that many areas were a bit stuffy, the wife said in GR she would have to dress up to take out the garbage and she didn't want to live that way. The other family wanted more house/property and less taxes then they could get in certain parts of Montclair. Both families were pretty laid-back and down to earth, they both wound up buying in Montclair's south end, we still run into to them and they are all very happy with their decision after 3 years time.
BTW, per my real estate agents who service Montclair/GR, as soon as homes hit the market especially in GR but in Montclair too - they are getting multiple offers above asking within a few days right now.
True. Housing market has been on fire. I think dowtown Jersey City completely fits the vibe the OP is looking for; however, schools suck so you have to send to private and the taxes are ungodly like most towns in NJ.
This description does not fit Glen Ridge for sure. The taxes are higher because I believe GR schools are about 100% funded by property taxes. I know a few families that live in GR, they joke about how every year for sale signs go up the day after graduation (so now would be when you start seeing homes appear). I spoke with a few potential neighbors in Montclair (both families moved from Harlem/NYC) when I was looking to buy in the area last year and this is what I was told. One family looked around Montclair and GR and felt that many areas were a bit stuffy, the wife said in GR she would have to dress up to take out the garbage and she didn't want to live that way. The other family wanted more house/property and less taxes then they could get in certain parts of Montclair. Both families were pretty laid-back and down to earth, they both wound up buying in Montclair's south end, we still run into to them and they are all very happy with their decision after 3 years time.
BTW, per my real estate agents who service Montclair/GR, as soon as homes hit the market especially in GR but in Montclair too - they are getting multiple offers above asking within a few days right now.
Your real estate agent ain't kidding. We saw a place we liked online, made an appointment a few days later to go check it out, only to find that they accepted an offer after like 5 days. Crazy,
True. Housing market has been on fire. I think dowtown Jersey City completely fits the vibe the OP is looking for; however, schools suck so you have to send to private and the taxes are ungodly like most towns in NJ.
I wouldn't mind downtown JC. But there's no way we're paying those taxes only to pay for private school.
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We also have many friends in NYC and Brooklyn so wouldn't want the weekend drive to be too far. 
