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See the sticky and provide more details like budget, length of commute, etc. For instance, just about anywhere you live in north Jersey, your commute will at least be 45 minutes to an hour.
Here you go.
Where are you coming from? Cincinnati OH
Why are you moving? Work
Where will you be working ? If NYC, what part of NYC? Lower Manhattan NYC
Will you buy or rent? rent
What is your budget ? 1200-1300
What kind of place are you looking for ? Place with Good School District and good transportation to NYC
Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ? Spouse and 2 kids (10 yrs and 4 yrs)
Do you need/want good public schools? Yes with free Pre K
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) Safe, Indian Communities, Public school with Free PK
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)
safety, proximity to NYC, family oriented, short commute, near by shopping area.
Hmm, there are a few options but each one as advantages and disadvantages. Anywhere you look, your monthly housing budget will be tight. Your shortest commute from a diverse area would probably be the Journal Square area of Jersey City. Jersey city has a nightlife and is urban. Drawbacks include poor schools, no parking and scattered safety issues. Another option is along the Northeast Corridor. You likely need to take the train into the city - which can be expensive but a huge number of people do it every day. Towns like Edison, Woodbridge, Iselin and surrounding towns in the Middlesex County area have a large Indian population, decent schools (depending on the district), they are suburban, lots of stores, and relatively low crime. You can usually check school scores for a specific address on sites like Trulia or Zillow (not sure if they have them for specific addresses here on CD but you can check here first). Again, your monthly budget is your biggest hurdle for what you want.
If you want good schools than don't look in Jersey City, or anywhere in Hudson County.
Your rental budget is very, very low for NJ.
Bergen County is nice & many towns there have good schools.
When considering your commute time take into consideration that working downtown Manhattan means you'll be switching to a NYC subway or PATH train at some point in your commute.
Don't forget to factor in commuting costs of NJ Transit and PATH or subway. NJ Transit will be the bulk of your cost. www.njtransit.com for schedules & to see train lines & where they stop.
There's also bus service from some places in NJ to the City: Coach USA
Hate to break it to you, but your budget is likely too low to get everything you want. Realistically, you'll have to settle for a very old, small apartment in an OK town for that budget, and that's with a lot of work on your end. For something decent in a town with a solid school district, you need to bump the budget up by at least $500 per month.
As far as the free Pre-K, you'll be very unlikely to find that in any decent school district. There are districts that provide it due to state mandates, but these are, for the most past, NJ's highest need and lowest quality school districts. There may be a few decent districts that offer Pre-K, but you will likely be paying solid $$$ for it and be placed on a long waiting list.
Towns to check out would be Edison or Woodbridge in Central NJ, , or if you prefer a more northern location, Fair Lawn, Rutherford, or Teaneck. Prepare for some sticker shock.
Jersey City has a decent Indian population but not great schools. Your commute to downtown NYC wull only be 30-40 minutes though. Edison & Woodbridge is more like an hour to hour & fifteen.
I am moving to New York (lower manhattan) for work from Cincinnati. Planning to stay in New Jersey.
Need suggestions on
1. Apartment with good school district as I have 2 kids (10 and 4 yrs)
2. Also having good transit to Newyork.
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
regards,
Guru
igprasad I fully agree with the other posters that your biggest hurdle is your housing budget and expectations, which are simply unrealistic for NJ. If your kids are not of the same sex, you will have to have separate bedrooms for each child, as well as one for you and your wife, so you are looking at renting a three bedroom place,(New Jersey Housing Occupancy Limits: How Many People is Too Many? - New Jersey Real Estate Attorney Blog for more info) Even in less desirable towns, those with more crime and not so good schools a 2 or three bd apt will run you more than your budgeted amount - in a nice town with good schools you are looking at much higher housing costs. A 3 bd apt in Irvington or Neward will run you ~1300+ a month, and you really do not want to live there due to the horrible schools and crime.(Plus wearing the requisite flak jacket 24/7 in summer is a royal PITA) A three bd apt in a fairly safe town with decent schools will, of course, come with higher rental rates. Expect more in line with ~1750 per month or more, and I am not talking of high end luxury housing, just your basic apt., no amenities like W/D in unit, granite counter tops, pool or gym etc. Renting a townhome or SFH is going to cost more. Rental costs will be even more if you want a town with top tier schools and on a midtown direct train line, as those towns are highly desired and sought after. It would be well worth your time to read this thread to understand the realities of living in NJ and commuting into NYC I think we need a new sticky.... ;)
KoalaNJ
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