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Buying is the worst idea when you're starting a new job and relocating. You could lose your job or want to leave the job if it doesn't work out. I've seen it happen many times that people relocated here and fails to make it in the first 6 months.
- River edge/ oradell- send to be nice towns but I'm concerned about lack of a grocery store and Mommy activities.
River Edge and Oradell are very nice and both on the Pascack Valley train line that goes directly into Hoboken. Oradell is more expensive. There is a Shop Rite in New Milford right across the river from River Edge. Emerson and Westwood are also nice and along that same train line.
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Originally Posted by Kristine869
I'm a little concerned about taxes we are used to 3,400 a year and I don't understand why such high taxes. What all am I paying for with them. It's it mostly school?
LOL! Welcome to New Jersey! Well, it's not just NJ, but Westchester and Long Island too. Anything within a one hour commute to NYC has high taxes.
What are you paying for? Well, because cost of living is so high here, everybody needs to make more money to sustain that cost of living - teachers, firefighters, police officers and other town and county employees. You may save a little on taxes if you buy in a town with a larger commercial base. Unfortunately, you will also get more traffic and usually more crime. Some towns may have lower taxes because their schools aren't as good. If you have small children, this is something you won't want to compromise on.
good schools + good commute - I would look at --> glenrock is a good option, ridgewood you would find yourself short on dollar for a good house, fair lawn your dollar goes further.
Rutherford - great commute to NYC. But no so much a good school district when compared to the above. Its more Victorian style town, you should visit before you pay heed to the realtor you are working with. I would say, chose a different realtor for different towns.
You may save a little on taxes if you buy in a town with a larger commercial base. Unfortunately, you will also get more traffic and usually more crime. Some towns may have lower taxes because their schools aren't as good. If you have small children, this is something you won't want to compromise on.
This is not true. There are a lot of great towns with a slightly lower tax burden than their neighboring towns. And there are a lot of cruddy towns with soul-crushing tax burdens
You can absolutely find a 3 bedroom 2 bath for 500k that ticks all your boxes. Since your husband's job is in Hoboken (I live in Hoboken, btw--it's great!) and he'll be riding the train in and not going to the city, that really shaves some time off his commute and opens a lot of possibilities for you.
You all need to plan a trip here and just explore the towns for a few days.
-Rutherford is a good choice. Solid schools, great commute to Hoboken by train. Lots are a bit smaller and houses are closer together, but that means everything is more walkable. If you found a place walking distance to the main street of town (lots of cute shops/restaurants) and walking distance to the train, you are set. You can definitely find a smaller 3/2 in your range. One of my best friends grew up there and her parents still live there and she always talks about how it's the best town.
-Ridgewood/Glen Rock are more expensive areas, but STILL you can find something in your range. I'm a teacher. I have teacher friends who have bought in Ridgewood for under 500k. Some have had to do a little work over a period of time, but it's totally doable. Again, both have great schools (a tier above Rutherford). It isn't likely you will find something in your range walking distance to the station but you could drop your husband or he could park in a municipal lot. There are a couple of express trains each morning from these towns that don't stop at every town on the way to Hoboken, so although they are further. They both have downtowns/main street but Ridgewood's is larger and busier and has more to do. Both lovely towns. I have tons of coworkers that live in each town and love them.
Other towns to look into: Westwood/Hillsdale. The Pascack Valley line doesn't have as many trains as some of the other lines, but since your husband is terminating in Hoboken, I don't think it will matter. It might be a 45 minute commute door to door for him. It's just a bit north of Oradell. I think you will find more in your price range in Westwood or Hillsdale, schools are still great, they both have downtowns (Westwood's is better, but these towns are side by side so you can go back and forth).
-Maplewood/South Orange. I have a particular affinity for this area (they share a school district) because the schools are great but a lot more diverse than other towns, which is a plus in my book because my husband and children aren't white and aren't Christian or Jewish, haha. They have the reputation of being more "artsy" and a little more trendy. The Brooklyn of the NJ suburbs. They tend to be more liberal. I have two friends that have moved from Hoboken out to Maplewood for more space and are loving it. 500k or less is hard but not impossible. It just might take a while. Our friends bought a 3/2 for a smidge under 500k a year ago and it has a finished basement, two living areas, etc.
Good luck! We moved to this area from Texas and it's been a great move. Don't be intimidated--there a lot of good towns to choose from...you can't really go "wrong".
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