moving to jersey...looking for some advice (Jersey City, Hoboken: for sale, apartments) - City-Data Forum

shoortie · 03-10-2008, 11:46 AM

Hi,

I am moving to NYC this summer and will be looking for apartments in NJ (Jersey City). I have never been to Jersey City before and would appreciate if ppl can recommend areas that are nice to live in.

I am a working professional in her late 20s. I am looking for a 1 bedroom apartment, with rent from $1000 to $2000. Parking space is a must. Would prefer areas with low crime rate since I stay at work past 12 almost everyday.

Thanks!!

-Shoortie

CuCullin · 03-10-2008, 11:51 AM

This may be helpful to you: http://blog.nj.com/hudsoncountynow_i...me_Overall.pdf

JC isn't exactly crime free. The areas with better police coverage (read: lower crime) tend to be more costly. There are some residents of JC on the board who will be able to give you better direction on specific areas and costs though.

apvbguy · 03-10-2008, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shoortie

Hi,

I am moving to NYC this summer and will be looking for apartments in NJ (Jersey City). I have never been to Jersey City before and would appreciate if ppl can recommend areas that are nice to live in.

I am a working professional in her late 20s. I am looking for a 1 bedroom apartment, with rent from $1000 to $2000. Parking space is a must. Would prefer areas with low crime rate since I stay at work past 12 almost everyday.

Thanks!!

-Shoortie

you would be better off looking into some of the towns near JC and commuting to work, JC is an old urban city with all the usual problems associated with such places

fischfan13 · 03-10-2008, 08:56 PM

Jersey City?
Look elsewhere.

DessertRat · 03-11-2008, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shoortie

Hi,

I am moving to NYC this summer and will be looking for apartments in NJ (Jersey City). I have never been to Jersey City before and would appreciate if ppl can recommend areas that are nice to live in.

I am a working professional in her late 20s. I am looking for a 1 bedroom apartment, with rent from $1000 to $2000. Parking space is a must. Would prefer areas with low crime rate since I stay at work past 12 almost everyday.

Thanks!!

-Shoortie

If you didn't have to have a parking space at home, you could maybe even find an apartment in New York close to work for the upper end of your price range, and then you could just walk back and forth.

But the parking space is going to be a problem no matter where you move close by. It's not that you can't find a place with a parking space on the property, but it's going to severely limit your choices and they're going to tend to be more expensive apartments/condos. Another option to consider is getting a lot or garage that's close by. Most apartments/condos are going to charge you separately for your parking space anyway, and some of them are not even covered spaces . . . but, then (with just a nearby garage or lot) you do not have the convenience of just walking downstairs and getting in your car. Of course, you can park in the street near your place, but that's a hassle, especially if you're not used to it--you've got to drive around hunting for a spot, make sure you know ALL the parking rules so you don't get ticketed or booted, you often have to end up walking far, there's much more of a chance that your car is going to get scratched, dinged/dented, stolen, etc.

I wouldn't recommend getting into a long-term lease or especially buying if you are unfamiliar with the area. If you can't visit first, try to find a place with a short term or month-to-month lease (although note that it's almost guaranteed it won't come with a parking space) and during your free time, check out New York City and its surrounding areas a lot. No one is going to be able to say what place will appeal to you; statistics aren't enough to go on.

I don't know the official crime statistics offhand to say what area is the lowest there, but surely there are areas surrounding New York City that statistically are better than Jersey City, although I do not agree with a very vocal group of people on this board--who do not actually live in Jersey City, by the way--that being in Jersey City amounts to putting a 50/50 gamble on your life when you decide to venture outside. However, other than Manhattan and especially the other boroughs of New York City, you should check out Hoboken too. There are plenty of other nearby cities, but I'm hesitant to recommend checking them out because of the following paragraph (and I'll explain this more in a minute).

One thing you need to watch very carefully given your job is how you're going to commute. Many of your alternate transportation methods run very infrequently or even stop altogether after midnight, and even taking the PATH train after midnight is a pain in the butt. Trains slow down to one per half hour or so--the PATH tries to make sure that they're still running them uncomfortably crowded, lol--and if you're leaving on the 33rd Street line, you're going to have to go to Hoboken first, which seems to take forever. Even from Christopher Street to the Newport area of Jersey City, which is only 2 miles or so as the crow flies, can easily take you an hour late at night. If you're planning on driving back and forth to work, make sure that you know all the expenses that are going to be involved, such as tolls and paying for your parking while you're at work (if your company doesn't have its own garage or pay for it).

So, why I'm more hesitant to recommend other nearby cities to you is that I've never tried to take public transportation to them after midnight. There are trains and buses making lots of nearby places relatively easily commutable during normal daytime working hours. You'd have to check schedules and/or talk to people who actually do it to find out the practicality of a wee-hour commute however.

If I were you, I'd probably try searching in New York City first, including further out in the other boroughs, in locations close to subway stops (although I'd avoid Staten Island because of having to take the ferry every day, and that's also slower than molasses late nights). You'd also have the same options for parking spaces a bit further out in Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx. But I'd hunt hard in there first partially because I just love New York City--it's the only reason that I'm living in this area in the first place.

AJGIANTS · 03-11-2008, 07:52 AM

One Town- HOBOKEN! - you will have to pay for a parking spot though.

Zarah19 · 03-11-2008, 08:29 AM

I have been living in Jersey City the past five years best areas are downtown the heights, Hamilton Park, Van Horst Park area that's were I live. Also the Path is right here on grove street. (I live in the down town area and I love it) It's very diverse and hoboken is right next door. As far as crime, forget about!! Jersey City is Jersey City mind your business and you'll be fine. But the downtown areas are safer than ever since they've been cleaning up Jersey City they even have surveillance every where in case there is a crime. Warning stay away from Greenville area. (High Crime)

fischfan13 · 03-11-2008, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarah19

As far as crime, forget about!! Jersey City is Jersey City mind your business and you'll be fine.
Warning stay away from Greenville area. (High Crime)

I love it...LMAO!
Why would you say that if you mind your own business that you will be fine...but then you say to avoid Greenville because of the high crime.
A little contradiction, eh?

To the OP...
Check out the crime stats.
For a city, JC's crime stats are as high as double what some cities with the same populations are...and this is for "violent crimes".

Zarah19 · 03-11-2008, 08:55 AM

Ignorance is Bliss I tell U. For all that didn't know JC is up and coming has had various positve reviews in many magazines crime does exist like in any other city. Honestly the only difference between Hoboken and JC is that Hoboken is 1 or 2 square miles big which makes it easier for law enforcement to keep under controll than the second biggest city in New Jersey. Also there are beautiful Lofts for sale/ rent as well as the recently renoveated brownstones in JC Rent is $1600 and up.. Lofts are great because they come with parking.

Zarah19 · 03-11-2008, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fischfan13

I love it...LMAO!
Why would you say that if you mind your own business that you will be fine...but then you say to avoid Greenville because of the high crime.
A little contradiction, eh?

To the OP...
Check out the crime stats.
For a city, JC's crime stats are as high as double what some cities with the same populations are...and this is for "violent crimes".

Murders yeah are quite violent and thats why I said mind your own if u look at the stats most of these crimes are after 12:00 AM according to the Jersey Journal usually gang and drug related. So yes they are quite violent..not contracdicting myself just saying there's more pro's then con's.