Can we afford Cranford? (Elizabeth, Union: low crime, houses, purchase)

[feds24]

My husband and I are considering a move to Cranford (with our two young children). We will have a budget of between 500K and 550K, perhaps a bit more. We are unfamiliar with Union county and are wondering what this budget will realistically afford us. We are open to any other areas (Union county or otherwise) with great schools, safe streets and smart, foward thinking residents. We are both educators and need to remain within a 45 minute driving distance from Staten Island. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[jstar41]

you should be able to purchase a nice OLDER home.. check on realtor.com to get an idea..
good luck!

[hrjersey]

I was recently considering Cranford as well and was suprised to find that there was more available in a similar price range in Livingston. It's a bit farther from Staten Island but I'm pretty sure it's within 45 minutes. I work near the Goethals bridge in Elizabeth and for the schools in Livingston I'd make the extra commute. Again, older homes. Nothing extravagant.

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by feds24

My husband and I are considering a move to Cranford (with our two young children). We will have a budget of between 500K and 550K, perhaps a bit more. We are unfamiliar with Union county and are wondering what this budget will realistically afford us. We are open to any other areas (Union county or otherwise) with great schools, safe streets and smart, foward thinking residents. We are both educators and need to remain within a 45 minute driving distance from Staten Island. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

There are 42 houses on the market right now in Cranford with at least 3 bedrooms Ranging in price from 278000 to 549900 so you can definely find something there well within your range

Good luck in your search and let us know how you make out

[RUBIES77]

Originally Posted by feds24

My husband and I are considering a move to Cranford (with our two young children). We will have a budget of between 500K and 550K, perhaps a bit more. We are unfamiliar with Union county and are wondering what this budget will realistically afford us. We are open to any other areas (Union county or otherwise) with great schools, safe streets and smart, foward thinking residents. We are both educators and need to remain within a 45 minute driving distance from Staten Island. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

You wish great schools, safe streets, and smart, forward thinking residents!!! !!! Westfield, also in UC, may be a good choice, since it has many NewYorkers from Wall Street. Other good choices? Fanwood and Scotch Plains. Get ready to pay the highest property taxes in the NATION. Good-luck.

[RUBIES77]

Originally Posted by feds24

My husband and I are considering a move to Cranford (with our two young children). We will have a budget of between 500K and 550K, perhaps a bit more. We are unfamiliar with Union county and are wondering what this budget will realistically afford us. We are open to any other areas (Union county or otherwise) with great schools, safe streets and smart, foward thinking residents. We are both educators and need to remain within a 45 minute driving distance from Staten Island. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Your wish is to have great schools, safe streets, and smart, forward-thinking residents?!!!!! A good choice is Westfield, since it has many New Yorkers from Wall Street. Two other choices are : Scotch Plains, and Fanwood, also in UC, although I cannot guarantee the "forward-thinking residents." |Morristown may be another good choice, although is farther west Get ready to pay the highest property taxes in the NATION. Good-luck.

[Latina7]

Originally Posted by feds24

My husband and I are considering a move to Cranford (with our two young children). We will have a budget of between 500K and 550K, perhaps a bit more. We are unfamiliar with Union county and are wondering what this budget will realistically afford us. We are open to any other areas (Union county or otherwise) with great schools, safe streets and smart, foward thinking residents. We are both educators and need to remain within a 45 minute driving distance from Staten Island. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Cranford is a nice, quaint, little town, Westfield is a little more ebullient, and has many New Yorkers. Property taxes are very high. By the way, most people in New Jersey, do not even know where Staten Island is! They think it is in another country, not a borough of NYC. That goes for "forward thinking residents! (An ex-New Yorker, planning to leave as soon as the market picks up!) "The grass always look greener in someone else's backyard."

[feds24]

Thank you to everyone who responded -- the information is certainly helpful. Maybe what I really should have said instead of "foward thinking residents" was "friendly residents". That is more important to me. I would enjoy all the benefits of an area where people say "hello" to each other on the street. (Should I move to Mayberry? If anyone knows of any other safe and pretty areas with low crime in Momouth county I'd be interested to learn of them as well. Again, thanks for all the valuable information.

[Older&Wiser]

Cranford is a great town; Livingston is a good hike from the bridge.

[nobi]

If you move to Cranford try to move away from Linden border, that side is changing a lot its not bad but its not getting better i worked there for 2 years and have friends that live on border of linden and even they say that they should have bought house deeper then on the border of town that is going down hill so quickly. Westfield is beautiful with good downtown and good commute to NY.