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Kew Gardens is ok, but Jamaica is not. Avoid Jamaica. It's probably the least safe part of Queens.
Just beyond them, Montclair, South Orange, Maplewood, etc. are very affluent and very expensive. From past research, one-bedroom apartments in these towns are well out of your price range. Your next option is probably apartment complexes farther out in the suburbs of Morris or Middlesex counties.
The above statement is false. There are some wonderful apts and condo rentals in the OP
s price range in Maplewood as well as Montclair. Nice safe areas as well. I did a quick search (on trulia) and found 4 nice one bd places in Maplewood alone all within the OP's budget (well one, pretty new, renovated condo with a nice looking gym was listed for $1050) I am sure if the search was expanded to S.O. and Montclair there would be plenty of options available. All have great, access to midtown direct trains for the commute.
I do agree with staying out of Jamaica, it is not safe. If you are going to do Queens, Bayside would be a better option.
If you are coming from South Carolina and England, then NJ is going to be quite a change.
Surrounding area to Newark that is nice would be South Orange, Maplewood, Millburn. They are not what I would call cheap, but if you are looking for a 1 bedroom you might get lucky. Of those South Orange has I think the easiest access to NYC - there's a light rail station there and it's around a 30 minute commute.
Stay away from Irvington, Orange, East Orange.
Newport area of Jersey City is nice, but pretty expensive. (It does have very easy access to NYC - PATH station is right there) I wouldn't recommend anywhere else in Jersey City, really. Bayonne is good too and affordable and it's not too long of a commute.
If you want to get closer to NYC there is also Union City, Weehawken, West New York, North Bergen, all in Hudson county. I have seen some 1 bd apartments there in the $1000-1500 range, depending on where it is.
Of those Hudson County towns, Weehawken is, in my opinion, the nicest but a little pricier than the rest. Any of those towns are easily accessible via a number of options (bus, ferry, bus to the Hoboken PATH if you are going into lower Manhattan)
The above statement is false. There are some wonderful apts and condo rentals in the OP
s price range in Maplewood as well as Montclair. Nice safe areas as well. I did a quick search (on trulia) and found 4 nice one bd places in Maplewood alone all within the OP's budget (well one, pretty new, renovated condo with a nice looking gym was listed for $1050) I am sure if the search was expanded to S.O. and Montclair there would be plenty of options available. All have great, access to midtown direct trains for the commute.
I do agree with staying out of Jamaica, it is not safe. If you are going to do Queens, Bayside would be a better option.
KoalaNJ
Agree on South Orange, Montclair, Maplewood, absolutely. (I just saw this post pop up as I was finishing mine recommending that area too LOL) Just helped my niece who is starting her first year at Seton Hall find an apartment in the area and it was in the $1100 range.
You will have to look hard to find something around $1000 in Kew Gardens, more like $1200 +. With Forest Hills getting so popular and more expensive Kew Gardens is not as inexpensive as before. Also, there are many condos which you cannot rent but "buy".
Nevertheless, your husband may like Kew Gardens as it is, as some other communities in Queens, based loosely on the English garden community model that was popular in the early 20th century. Queens is one of the boroughs of NYC. There are express trains to Manhattan with the shortest commute to midtown Manahttan. If you increase your budget to 1500 while seeking your ideal then more options are available here and in NYC. Other areas -
Queens try:
some parts of Kew Gardens (cheaper areas may be apartments further from the art house cinema Kew Gardens Theater and Long Island Railroad which goes out to the Hamptons and Long Island communities)
Woodside
Sunnyside - Greenpoint Ave and south of there will be most affordable
Maybe an older building on the edges of Astoria into East Elmhurst and Woodside
Brooklyn try:
Midwood
Bay Ridge
Manhattan:
On your budget at 1200 you may be able to get something in an older apartment building way up in Inwood or a part of Washington Heights that is not gentrifying as fast as others (for example east of St Nicholas in the 160's to 180's, or a few areas around Columbia Presbyterian), maybe some parts of East Harlem (but then these areas as the one in Washignton Heights may not be very safe).
New Jersey -
Hudson/Bergen County
Kearny, East Newark (tiny area) , Harrison,North Arlington Lyndhurst all have decent to good connections to Manhattan with Harrison having the best connections. Blue and White collar mix with most of the apartments in Harrison and some in Kearny and Lyndhurst and North Arlington. Big soccer area as has been noted. All of these communities are safe. The Kearny - East Newark is a bit gritty looking due to the old factories and has a little higher crime than other areas but still realtively low. Harrison has been changing rapidly to becoming a place for people working in Manhattan as its train station is being renovated and old industrial areas are being turned to residential commercial areas. For your needs I'd look at Harrison first.
North Bergen around Boulevard East is quite nice as well as Weehawken. Not sure if the prices have risen with Hoboken getting expensive but worth checking out. West New York is also a good option as it has frequent buses to NNYC.
Newark - It has gotten much safer in some areas and overall its crime has gone down from its worst from the late 70s to mid 90s. Areas to consider; Upper Roseville is very suburban and not far Branch Brook Park which is quite lovely and has a few mansion nearby as well as one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the US - really when you see it up front it is breathtaking. The Ironbound is a large Portuguese and Brasilian neighborhood with some young families and people working in Manhattan. Great restaurants and cafes and easy access to Manhattan and the US due to the proximity to Newark Penn Station and Newark Airport. More urban than Upper Roseville but a bit more interesting. Drawback is lack of park space and parking can be tough in some parts. Downtown Newark is an option but usually below Broad Street or around Washington Park and the PAC center. Newark Museum is nearby which is excellent. Drawback - you are a little further from transport and getting to supermarkerts and shopping areas. Maybe it is changing but with your budget it may be a consideration. Of the three areas I mentioned in Newark it sounds like the Ironboun would be your best bet.
Further out is the Montclair area and again with your budget you'd be better off in Bloomfield which is cheaper. With a car you could get to Montclair which has an active arts and dining community and not far is the Paper Mill Playhouse for good theater and downtown Newark has both the Prudential Center and PAC. Manhattan can be reached by the light rail to the PATH or buses to Penn Station. If you have a car you could drive to the Montclair station.
In sum, by recommendation in this order
Harrison, New Jersey
Ironbound section of Newark followed Upper Roseville, New Jersey
Kearny or Lyndhurst, New Jersey
North Bergen, New Jersey
NYC:
Woodside, Queens
Midwood, Brooklyn
Last edited by astroia 34567; 07-17-2013 at 03:36 PM..
There are some places in Newark that are good. The ironbound section and some apartments near rutgers are good places. The train stops very near to this high class apartments, you don't have to fear walking to your apartment.
So my husband and I have found an apartment we've really fallen in love with. It's in Lyndhurst, NY. I think I remember seeing a few people mention this place but there's been so much feedback that I just kind of want to specifically ask about that place now.
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