Moving to the area to work at EWR (Newark, Jersey City: for rent, low crime)

[Pedro Gitano]

Where are you coming from? Seattle
Why are you moving? Wife's Seattle office closed. She want's top stay with the company, which has a base at EWR.
Where will you be working ? If NYC, what part of NYC? She: EWR Me:? Maybe New York, maybe eslewhere.

Will you buy or rent? BUY
What is your budget ? $250-300K
What kind of place are you looking for ? Small house - quiet, low crime, but not totally suburbia

Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ? Wife (see above)
Do you need/want good public schools? No kids

Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in
Quiet, walkable, good running trails, easy public transportation to EWR, restaurants, shops,???

Thanks!

[KoalaNJ]

Originally Posted by Pedro Gitano

Where are you coming from? Seattle
Why are you moving? Wife's Seattle office closed. She want's top stay with the company, which has a base at EWR.
Where will you be working ? If NYC, what part of NYC? She: EWR Me:? Maybe New York, maybe eslewhere.

Will you buy or rent? BUY
What is your budget ? $250-300K
What kind of place are you looking for ? Small house - quiet, low crime, but not totally suburbia

Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ? Wife (see above)
Do you need/want good public schools? No kids

Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in
Quiet, walkable, good running trails, easy public transportation to EWR, restaurants, shops,???

Thanks!

To be totally honest your criteria is going to severely limit your options. Firstly, your housing budget is fairly low for northern NJ. Secondly your need for public transportation to Newark Airport. Most all public transit in NJ is geared for getting people to/from the business centers Newark, Jersey City, Secaucus, NYC, etc. There is very little going to the airport. That being said, I think your best bet is to look at homes in the northern Ironbound section of Newark. The area is urban, and close to Newark Penn station, which does have the Airtrain to Newark. The Ironbound section is fairly safe (as opposed to the rest of Newark) and also has a ton of restaurants, especially Portuguese, Spanish, and Iberian. The Ironbound section is Urban, so no running trails, but you are not that far from Branch Brook Park, and there are wonderful paths there. Also, The Ironbound section puts you in a good position for your job hunt, as you have not only a major hub of NJ Transit near you also have the PATH system for easy access into NYC, (midtown as well as the financial district and the WTC) and Jersey City.


HTH
KoalaNJ

[sivyaleah]

Many NJT trains stop at the airport, however, you do need to get onto a shuttle from the station.
I commute into NYC and both my train in the morning and at night make that stop.

Try looking in Union County. It would be a fairly short ride from nearly any town to EWR. I do agree your budget is on the low side, but if you are handy, or don't need a huge home you should be able to find something.

[ansky]

Originally Posted by KoalaNJ

I am not an expert on the EWR station on the NEC or the Coastline tracks but it is my understanding that that station is in the "general area" of the airport, but not close enough to walk to the terminals or other buildings. In order to actually get onto airport grounds and to all of the terminals, one needs to get on the airtrain. Which means that the OP would have to take a train from, say, Union or Woodbridge, to the Station near the airport and then catch the airtrain to get to the terminals etc. Having to switch trains like that is a bit of a PITA, as well as time consuming. (which is why I thought catching the airtrain right from Newark, a walkable distance from the northern part of the Ironbound would be ideal for the OP)

KoalaNJ

The "airtrain" you are referring to is the monorail that takes you from EWR Rail Station to the terminals. I've done it and it's only like a 5 minute ride at most. That monorail does not go to Newark Penn station though. So either way he still has to take NJ Transit to the EWR rail station and then get on the airtrain monorail.

[KoalaNJ]

Originally Posted by ansky

The "airtrain" you are referring to is the monorail that takes you from EWR Rail Station to the terminals. I've done it and it's only like a 5 minute ride at most. That monorail does not go to Newark Penn station though. So either way he still has to take NJ Transit to the EWR rail station and then get on the airtrain monorail.

Yes, Ansky you are correct, upon looking further at NJ Transit's website I discovered this, which is why I immediately deleted my post. (but not before you saw it) I had been under the impression, that there was supposed to be a light rail from downtown Newark straight to the airport, though that was likely gathered from info early in the planning states of the light rail system. It's too bad that that did not come to fruition, it would have been quite nice for many.

KoalaNJ

[Waterviews]

I lived in South Amboy for six years with my wife and kids. In think it fits the criteria you listed. Fantastic commute with a train in walking distance that has a direct to Newark and NY Penn Station. Nice places along the water. You could rent for a year and decide if you want to settle there.

[babo111]

Originally Posted by Pedro Gitano

Where are you coming from? Seattle
Why are you moving? Wife's Seattle office closed. She want's top stay with the company, which has a base at EWR.
Where will you be working ? If NYC, what part of NYC? She: EWR Me:? Maybe New York, maybe eslewhere.

Will you buy or rent? BUY
What is your budget ? $250-300K
What kind of place are you looking for ? Small house - quiet, low crime, but not totally suburbia

Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ? Wife (see above)
Do you need/want good public schools? No kids

Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in
Quiet, walkable, good running trails, easy public transportation to EWR, restaurants, shops,???

Thanks!

This may sound harsh but its the reality so take for what it is. Caveat is NJ is expensive especially places with good public transportations into Manhattan. I think ballpark property tax is 2+% in many towns in NJ whereas Kings county may be 1 percent? For example, if you had a 500k place in NJ I wouldn't be surprised if property tax is near 10k. I think Seattle is around 6-7k?

Bottom-line is that your budget is too low for what you desire is not realistic unless you guys don't mind a long commute or clarify what you mean by easy commute.

For me, easy means no transfer and less than 30 minute door to door commute. To my buddy's wife who lives further out in NJ, she's flabbergasted by what I consider to be easy commute rather than her definition, a hour ride to penn station and then 15 min walk to office which I consider to be f--k no.

Anyway you can see that 'easy' commute depending on people's definition will make it tough for any suggestion and possibly impossible due to budget constraint.

Also rather than buy immediately, I suggest you two consider renting for a bit to get to know the state and some towns in it before purchasing. If you do look for rent and don't mind paying rent around 2 to 2.5k a month for 1 bedroom, look into Hoboken or downtown Jersey City. They have Path that connect you to EWR and to NYC at 80? bucks a month unlimited which is cheap.

[Erickaicka]

Check into Scotch Plains, NJ. It fits into your criteria, even your price point.

[DannyHobkins]

One thing that is always left out of the NJ relocation forum is race. Northern NJ is very segregated by race so if you can provide that it will help with your options.