Best Places to live in Jersey close to New York? (Newark: apartment, to rent)

[Dorian]

My fiancee and I are planning to move to NYC area in about a year from Pittsburgh, we were looking for areas in or around the city to move to and was considering Hudson county or Bergen county. We have a child and another one due next month so I do care about schools and crime, eventhough I know nyc area may not be the best area to raise a family so I don't expect the schools to be the best or crime to be very low. I don't really worry about minor crime I just don't want to have to worry alot about my family's safety so I only am worried about violent crimes, gang presence, and drug traffic. I liked how Hoboken looked from the pictures I have seen, but I heard it is extremely expensive and was thinking about Jersey City, but heard it was dirty and had crime problems. I also saw pictures of other nice looking communities in hudson county but I know how a place looks and how it really is is two different things. I also read a persons post on another thread that Bergen county was a better county to live in than Hudson county. We plan on visiting some areas in the spring and summer and I would like to know some places worth checking out in the new jersey or nyc itself. Not being from the area I could use as much information from the locals as possible so, any descent middle class community suggestions will be helpful. Thank you.

[syncmaster]

Are you looking to buy or rent? At what price ranges?

[JerseyGirl08]

Are you looking to Rent, Purchase a condo/ townhome or house?
Hoboken and Jersey city are not really geared towards families. It really depends on what you are looking for. Hoboken has been taken over by 20 somethings that enjoy that large amount of nightlife (bars, lounges and restuarants).
If you could give a little more info about what type of place you are looking to live in, people may be able to give you better advice.

[Dorian]

Originally Posted by syncmaster

Are you looking to buy or rent? At what price ranges?

We are looking to rent, and we are middle class, she is in public relations/advertising(has degree and searching for job), and I am working for verizon and would be attending rutgers.

Originally Posted by JerseyGirl08

Are you looking to Rent, Purchase a condo/ townhome or house?
Hoboken and Jersey city are not really geared towards families. It really depends on what you are looking for. Hoboken has been taken over by 20 somethings that enjoy that large amount of nightlife (bars, lounges and restuarants).
If you could give a little more info about what type of place you are looking to live in, people may be able to give you better advice.

That's the thing, we are in our 20's (me 24, her 22) so we like night life when we get a chance to get out, but we also have to consider safety for our kids. I would prefer renting a townhouse, but an apartment would do we are not really picky but I don't want to have a serious roach, mouse, or rat problem.

[judithexit]

Originally Posted by Dorian

We are looking to rent, and we are middle class, she is in public relations/advertising(has degree and searching for job), and I am working for verizon and would be attending rutgers.



That's the thing, we are in our 20's (me 24, her 22) so we like night life when we get a chance to get out, but we also have to consider safety for our kids. I would prefer renting a townhouse, but an apartment would do we are not really picky but I don't want to have a serious roach, mouse, or rat problem.

Well If you are going to be commuting to rutgers I can tell you Sayreville,East brunswick, North Brunswick are good . How much monthly?
pets or no pets ?

[syncmaster]

Originally Posted by Dorian

We are looking to rent, and we are middle class, she is in public relations/advertising(has degree and searching for job), and I am working for verizon and would be attending rutgers.

That's the thing, we are in our 20's (me 24, her 22) so we like night life when we get a chance to get out, but we also have to consider safety for our kids. I would prefer renting a townhouse, but an apartment would do we are not really picky but I don't want to have a serious roach, mouse, or rat problem.

You said you were middle class in your initial post and I asked you for a price range. I asked because 'middle class' means many different things to many different people. So again - what is your price range for a rental?

Also, which Rutgers? NB or Newark? And which Verizon location?

If you like townhouses near RU-NB, there is plenty of great stock in very safe neighborhoods. Piscataway, Sayreville, North/South/East Brunswick to name a few communities.

But it all does come down to price.

[NJexpat]

If you are looking for a spot that is close to NYC, then you have to look in Bayonne. I lived there for years, and it's a great little town.

[Dorian]

Originally Posted by NJexpat

If you are looking for a spot that is close to NYC, then you have to look in Bayonne. I lived there for years, and it's a great little town.

Someone told me that the people there aren't really to accepting of outsiders moving into thier community.

[NJexpat]

That was true at one time (namely, when I moved there many, many years ago), but that is no longer the case.

[fischfan13]

Originally Posted by Dorian

Someone told me that the people there aren't really to accepting of outsiders moving into thier community.

A good majority of the people in that city are the outsiders of the 90's and 00's. When I moved out of Bayonne in '97 there was a great turn around of citizens going on. The good restaurants were not getting their standing room crowds of the 80's. Chinese take out and Dollar Stores were replacing the good old fixtures of what was once a thriving city. It sounds as if that Bayonne is doing a bit of a turn back to its better days.
Still in all, I would chose other places.
I like Cliffside Park. I like some of the smaller, but more expensive communities off of Rte 24. I like some of the small towns that are up along rte 17.
Good luck.