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We currently live on Staten Island and if you've ever been here you know it's getting too crowded and congested. Town homes are popping up everywhere like weeds. Just driving on the island and finding a parking space once you get where you're going is a nightmare.
We want to downsize and what I'd like is a ranch home in a decent safe neighborhood. Nice neighbors, within driving distance to stores and doctors.
There just aren't that many ranches on SI anymore. Builders snap up the ones on larger properties and put up semi's or townhomes so the ones that are left are usually on small lots 40x100 and the house size is usually around 1100-1200 sq. ft. 3 beds, 2 baths with tiny rooms.
and the price of them is close to 500k.
I've only looked online but house prices seem to be a lot less expensive in Jersey and the ranches are larger and on bigger lots. I know property tax is high there, but I pay almost 5k now. How high could they be in Jersey?
Jerseyites, what's your opinion? ? All our kids live here so I wouldn't want to move too far into Jersey.. maybe like an hour or so away.
Any specific area's you can suggest I check into?
Has anyone here moved from SI to NJ and how do you like living there?
Have you looked at Old Bridge or Matawan? Plenty of ranch homes and former Staten Islanders yet close enough to the Rock right up Route 1/9 to Outerbridge.
Have you looked at Old Bridge or Matawan? Plenty of ranch homes and former Staten Islanders yet close enough to the Rock right up Route 1/9 to Outerbridge.
Thanks Bugsy. That's very helpful because I had no idea where to even start looking. I'll check into those areas.
I've only looked online but house prices seem to be a lot less expensive in Jersey and the ranches are larger and on bigger lots. I know property tax is high there, but I pay almost 5k now. How high could they be in Jersey?
A $500K market value house in my high-tax town of West Orange would have taxes of about $18160 annually. In relatively low-tax Summit it would be about $9400.
There wouldn't be any commuting because by then my husband would be retired. I know NJ probably isn't the best place to retire to, but then again neither is SI.
Schools.. I don't know. If my 12 yr. old grandson comes with us, then that might be something to take into consideration.
What I find amazing is that I'm looking online at houses in Old Bridge in the 300-400k range, and there's either too much house or too much property! The taxes weren't bad either. I checked out the zip codes for the crime stats and they were less than average. It's so nice to have choices.
I haven't even looked at Matawan yet.
Last edited by elliedeee; 04-02-2016 at 05:38 PM..
There wouldn't be any commuting because by then my husband would be retired. I know NJ probably isn't the best place to retire to, but then again neither is SI.
Schools.. I don't know. If my 12 yr. old grandson comes with us, then that might be something to take into consideration.
What I find amazing is that I'm looking online at houses in Old Bridge in the 300-400k range, and there's either too much house or too much property! The taxes weren't bad either. I checked out the zip codes for the crime stats and they were less than average. It's so nice to have choices.
I haven't even looked at Matawan yet.
Have plenty of family and friends who moved off SI down to Matawan or Old Bridge recently. Years ago it was Colts Neck or Middletown......
Anyway am down that way often because of this and must say can see the attraction; parts of Matawan or Old Bridge are exactly like Staten Island *used to be*. Nice homes on decent sized lots so you and your family can have some sort of outdoor life (garden, pool, BBQs, etc....) .
What my peeps and I like is that while yes some parts are more built up than others you still have an overall lack of those GD townhouses. So you can sit and enjoy your yard without having to share the experience with five or more of your closest neighbors.
Have plenty of family and friends who moved off SI down to Matawan or Old Bridge recently. Years ago it was Colts Neck or Middletown......
Anyway am down that way often because of this and must say can see the attraction; parts of Matawan or Old Bridge are exactly like Staten Island *used to be*. Nice homes on decent sized lots so you and your family can have some sort of outdoor life (garden, pool, BBQs, etc....) .
What my peeps and I like is that while yes some parts are more built up than others you still have an overall lack of those GD townhouses. So you can sit and enjoy your yard without having to share the experience with five or more of your closest neighbors.
ahhh.. you sold me on that line!
You should have been a real estate agent.. What you describe is what we're looking for. Nice neighborhood, enough property to have a garden, inground pool and a place to barbecue. I don't know if you live on SI or not, but it's getting so bad here. Between the townhouses and the attached homes it's so crowded. It took me over a half hour to find a parking spot just to get to my doctors appt. the other day. It's ridiculous.
I think I'll contact a realtor in those area's and request listings so I can check out areas and neighborhoods. I was so afraid to even think about putting my house up for sale because in the last 6 mos. my agent has only sent me 2 ranch/cape type homes for sale in decent area's and believe me she can't wait to for me to list my house so I know it's not for lack of trying...
They all needed so much work though. I'm not looking for an HGTV home with granite countertops, but for 500k I'd at least like to not have to replace the roof or the heating system.
You should have been a real estate agent.. What you describe is what we're looking for. Nice neighborhood, enough property to have a garden, inground pool and a place to barbecue. I don't know if you live on SI or not, but it's getting so bad here. Between the townhouses and the attached homes it's so crowded. It took me over a half hour to find a parking spot just to get to my doctors appt. the other day. It's ridiculous.
I think I'll contact a realtor in those area's and request listings so I can check out areas and neighborhoods. I was so afraid to even think about putting my house up for sale because in the last 6 mos. my agent has only sent me 2 ranch/cape type homes for sale in decent area's and believe me she can't wait to for me to list my house so I know it's not for lack of trying...
They all needed so much work though. I'm not looking for an HGTV home with granite countertops, but for 500k I'd at least like to not have to replace the roof or the heating system.
thanks again! elllie
YW! Anytime!
Was born and raised on SI with family still on the Rock so am there often enough. Moved to Manhattan after college but still "home" on weekends and or as family/friends events warrant.
These days just cannot stomach going back at least during weekdays as the traffic/congestion is horrible. Evenings, late nights and weekends aren't that bad.
Also breaks my heart to see what has been done to so much of the Island. Everything nice torn down for those GD townhouses or track developments. Mount Manresa as the last straw.
Of course growing up knew more about NJ than I did the City. My mom did all our major school and other shopping in NJ. People my parents knew and or friends from school began moving to NJ back in the day so we were always going across one of those bridges. Now as I said many family and friends looking to buy a home end up in NJ because they cannot find anything they like and is affordable on SI. No one builds single family homes on the Rock anymore it seems. It is all townhomes/track housing.
Old Bridge/Matawan is like SI in many ways including you will need your car! Some places have a deli or shopping near enough to walk, but like the Rock you'll probably need to drive for that gallon of milk. *LOL*
At your budget and downsizing I would look at places like Middletown, Shrewsbury, Red Bank, Cranford, Manalapan, Hannover twp, Springfield for starters. I like all those towns better than Old Bridge and Matawan.
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